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A Comparison of 2 Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Techniques for the Treatment of Pediatric Kidney Stones of Sizes 10-20 mm: Microperc vs Miniperc. To compare outcomes of micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL; microperc) with mini-PNL (miniperc) in the treatment of pediatric renal stones of sizes 10-20 mm. Patients aged <18 years who underwent PNL for renal stones of sizes 10-20 mm between August 2011 and March 2014 in 3 referral centers were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were evaluated in the following 2 groups: microperc (group 1) and miniperc (group 2). Demographics and perioperative parameters (fluoroscopy and operation time, hemoglobin drop, and stone-free and complication rates) were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 119 patients were evaluated, including group 1 (n = 56) for microperc and group 2 (n = 63) for miniperc. We found mean stone sizes as 13.4 ± 3.4 and 14.8 ± 3.7 mm in the groups, respectively (P = .046). Mean operation and fluoroscopy times were 57.1 ± 31.2 minutes and 132.4 ± 92.5 seconds in the microperc group and 68.9 ± 36.7 minutes and 226.2 ± 166.2 seconds in the miniperc group, respectively (P = .110 and P <.001). Stone-free rates were similar in both groups (82.1% vs 87.3%; P = .433 and 92.8% vs 93.6%; P = 0673) on postoperative day 1 and at first-month follow-up. The mean hemoglobin drop in group 2 differed from that in group 1 significantly (P <.001). The difference of average hospitalization times was statistically significant (43.0 ± 15.4 vs 68.5 ± 31.7 hours; P <.001). Our outcomes show that microperc may be preferred as an alternative to mini-PNL for the treatment of pediatric kidney stones of sizes 10-20 mm with comparable success and complication rates, as well as shorter hospitalization and fluoroscopy times.

Biological and immunological characterization of corticotropin-releasing activity in the bovine adrenal medulla. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like activity in bovine adrenal medulla extracts were characterized by measurement of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) release from rat anterior pituitary cells in vitro, and by a sensitive heterologous radioimmunoassay (RIA) for bovine hypothalamic CRF. Bovine adrenal medulla was boiled in 2 M acetic acid, homogenized, and submitted to acetone precipitation, followed by batch-wise treatment with C-18 resin. The partially purified adrenal medulla extract showed significant stimulation of ACTH release in vitro and CRF-like immunoreactivity (CRF-IR). After subsequent ion exchange chromatography on a SP-Sephadex column, most CRF bioactivity (CRF-BA) and CRF-IR were eluted with weakly basic materials in the SP-II fraction in which synthetic CRF is eluted. Minor CRF-BA and CRF-IR were also eluted in the SP-III fraction which contained basic peptides. Upon Sephadex G-50 gel filtration of the SP-II fraction, CRF-BA and CRF-IR coeluted, but slightly later than synthetic bovine CRF. However, rechromatography of the major CRF activity on a Sephadex G-50 column and reverse phase and ion exchange high performance liquid chromatographies (HPLC) indicated that CRF-BA and CRF-IR were eluted in the identical fraction as synthetic bovine CRF. Gel filtration in the SP-III fraction on a Sephadex G-50 column showed a few low CRF-BA peaks which lacked CRF-IR. This CRF-BA, however, contributed to less than 5% of the total CRF-BA. These results indicate that the majority of CRF-BA and CRF-IR in the bovine adrenal medulla is chromatographically indistinguishable from bovine hypothalamic CRF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Appikonda Appikonda is a neighborhood situated on the southern part of Visakhapatnam City, India,and is about 30 km from the Visakhapatnam . Appikonda is famous for Someswara Swamy Temple . References Category:Neighbourhoods in Visakhapatnam

We’re all presuming that Interstellar, Unbroken and The Imitation Game will be Best Picture nominees when all is said and done, but something in me rebelled when I saw this montage. It sits at the top of a Kris Tapley-authored Hitfix piece about the Best Picture race. These are the presumed default hotties that lazy mainstream softies have been predicting for many weeks. Maybe but from my obviously ignorant vantage point, having seen The Imitation Game but not having seen Interstellar or Unbroken, I don’t see what’s so inherently wonderful about the latter two. Consideration #1: Surviving a brutal wartime ordeal is not necessarily a great story or the ingredients of a great film — it’s merely an endurance test. Consideration #2: You can’t save the residents of a dying, dust-choked planet by travelling to another planet or exploring it or whatever the fuck Matthew McConaughey and his space homies are up to, and yet losing out on witnessing and sharing in the various stages of your children’s lives would be a heartbreaker for any parent. All I know is that I vaguely resent being told that these are the Big Three. I’m not saying I won’t fall for them when they’re screened — I very well might. But I resent being told over and over by Oscar-blogging bend-overs that these are the Hot Babies to Beat. Make way, they’re coming! I promised the other day that I would no longer refer to Liam Neeson as a paycheck guy, but here we go again. I can tell you that the low-rent under-40 males who made cracks about A Walk Among The Tombstones being a “dad film” will probably show up for this in droves. In my mind Montgomery Clift, the first method-y actor to punch through the studio system and become a major star, peaked from Red River through From Here To Eternity — a seven-year run. From the early to mid ’50s Clift, Marlon Brando and James Dean were the reigning acting gods…legendary figures then and, I thought, still iconic figures today. But two days ago it hit me that Clift is no longer regarded as a major figure, or is certainly not regarded in the same light as Brando or Dean. My older son Jett, to whom I showed classic films all through his early youth and who knows the cinema realm fairly well, had to be reminded who Clift was when his name came up in conversation, and he couldn’t name a single film that Clift starred in, not even Red River or I Confess or A Place In The Sun or Eternity. His girlfriend Caitlin, a whipsmart marketing professional, knows Clift’s name but couldn’t remember any of his films. I’m presuming these two are canaries in the GenY coal mine. If they don’t know who Clift was, nobody does. Am I wrong? I’m not talking about serious GenY film hounds — I’m talking about casual Netflix/Hulu viewers and people who go to maybe two or three films a month. It’s a shock. For the under-35s Montgomery Clift might as well be John Ireland or Wendell Corey or Burgess Meredith. (l. to r.) Clift, Marlon Brando, Dean Martin during filming of The Young Lions. I’m not going to provide a caption — either you “know” and have been around and you get it…or you don’t. Actually all you need to have done is seen Woody Allen‘s Stardust Memories or Liliana Cavani‘s The Night Porter or Sidney Lumet‘s The Verdict or Francois Ozon‘s Swimming Pool….forget it. I’m not teaching a film appreciation class. Wait…airbrushing? 2014 is a big year for solo drumming in movies with the much-hailed Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics, 10.10) about to hit and an exciting all-percussion score about to be savored when Alejandro G. Inarritu‘s Birdman (Fox Searchlight, 10.17) opens a week later. Birdman‘s drummer-composer is Antonio Sanchez, who routinely plays and tours year-round with Pat Metheny. A little while ago we spoke and kicked things around. Sanchez and Inarritu hail from Mexico — that’s one connection. Inarritu introduced himself to Sanchez after a Metheny group concert in Los Angeles and proposed an all-percussive score. It was recorded in New York during filming last spring. Curious Anecdote #1: Twice during Birdman a drummer is seen playing drums but it’s not Sanchez (who was away touring) — it’s Nate Smith. Curious Anecdote #2: Not only has Sanchez still not seen a finished cut of Birdman (he caught a rough version last year) but probably won’t see it until November when he returns from his latest tour. Here’s a taste of Sanchez’s score; here’s another. But you have to hear it loud and crisp and slampbangy with a great theatrical sound system. Here’s a link to the soundtrack’s Amazon page. It streets on 10.14. Again, the mp3. Two days ago Mashable’s Chris Taylor (“How Star Wars Conquered The Universe“) posted an interview (audio + transcribed) with Stars Wars and Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz, whom I had the honor of interviewing (along with Film Threat‘s Chris Gore) back in the late ’90s. Here are some highlights: “I think George [Lucas] had it in his mind that he could direct the film remotely by telling [Irvin] Kershner what to do, and Kersh was not that kind of director. George only came over [to London] a few times during the shooting. Kersh said, ‘Look, you hired me to make this movie, [and] I’m going to make it.” And he did. He was a bit slow sometimes, and we did have to use a second unit a couple of times. I directed the second unit after John Barry died suddenly in the first week. So that threw us. Later this month I’ll be visiting the 2014 Savannah Film Festival (10.25 through 11.1) for about four days. I don’t have clue #1 what films will be shown or what filmmakers will attend, but I have faith. I’ve been there two or three times before. It’s the vibe and the historical aroma and the hanging moss and the bike-riding and the pretty women. You can bet I’ll be visiting Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons restaurant at some point. Here are some shots and videos I took three years ago: “When it comes to Best Picture criteria, most people want the ‘big thing’…the lump in the throat that melts you down, the movie that delivers some profound bedrock truth about our common experience, that makes you want to hug your father or your daughter…that comfort, that assurance, that touch of a quaalude high. And if I ever get to the point that a movie like War Horse or The Artist or The Help makes me feel that way, please take me out behind the building and shoot me in the head, twice.” — from a 10.29.11 HE piece called “Miniature Golf.” We should all take comfort that among the current Best Picture faves none are as cute or cloying or shamefully manipulative as The Artist, War Horse or The Help. The top three —Birdman, Boyhood and Gone Girl — are admirably lacking in these characteristics. Ditto The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, Foxcatcher and The Grand Budapest Hotel. And you know that A Most Violent Year, Inherent Vice, American Sniper, Fury, Big Eyes and The Gambler haven’t the slightest interest in dropping a quaalude into anyone’s drink.

## 21.3 Disjoint-set forests ### 21.3-1 > Redo Exercise 21.2-2 using a disjoint-set forest with union by rank and path compression. $\dots$ ### 21.3-2 > Write a nonrecursive version of FIND-SET with path compression. $\dots$ ### 21.3-3 > Give a sequence of $m$ MAKE-SET, UNION, and FIND-SET operations, $n$ of which are MAKE-SET operations, that takes $\Omega(m \lg n)$ time when we use union by rank only. $\Omega((m - 2n) \lg n) = \Omega(m \lg n)$ ### 21.3-4 > Suppose that we wish to add the operation PRINT-SET$(x)$, which is given a node $x$ and prints all the members of $x$'s set, in any order. Show how we can add just a single attribute to each node in a disjoint-set forest so that PRINT-SET$(x)$ takes time linear in the number of members of $x$'s set and the asymptotic running times of the other operations are unchanged. Assume that we can print each member of the set in $O(1)$ time. Each member has a pointer points to the next element in the set, which forms a circular linked list. When union two sets $x$ and $y$, swap $x.next$ and $y.next$ to merged the two linked lists. ### 21.3-5 $\star$ > Show that any sequence of $m$ MAKE-SET, FIND-SET, and LINK operations, where all the LINK operations appear before any of the FIND-SET operations, takes only $O(m)$ time if we use both path compression and union by rank. What happens in the same situation if we use only the path-compression heuristic? Suppose that there are $n$ MAKE_SET, then after the LINKs, there are only $n$ elements to compress, thus it takes $O(m)$ time. It doesn't matter whether we use union by rank or not.

[The rapid differential diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis by using the lysozyme test]. The authors have modified the technique of the lysozyme test by adding polimixin M sulfate into the gel bacterial medium. Rapid diagnosis with the use of this test is based on different time of the appearance of the lysis areas: in bacterial meningitides the CSF lysozyme activity is detectable within 15-120 min, whereas in viral meningitides it manifests 40-50 min later or does not manifest at all. The results were found to depend on the time of the CSF collection: the earlier the CSF samples were obtained, the higher was the share of positive results.

Reinventing collaborative product development with virtual teams. Our Work is Featured On Our Projects Are Funded By What we do At Cheesecake Labs, we work with passion and clarity on the design and development of full-stack software solutions for disruptive companies, providing support for decision making and developing systems that are true to the core ideas. Full-Stack Engineering We craft iOS & Android apps, backend solutions, responsive websites and server infrastructure to turn ideas into real products. Using state-of-the-art technologies, we make sure the project stays modular, scales smoothly and meets the business requirements and expectations. UX/UI Design From understanding your business and users, sketching wireframes and navigation flows to prototyping and mocking up high-fidelity interfaces, we've got you covered. Through a highly-interdisciplinary product design process, we build gorgeous and functional interfaces, without losing sight of the engineering requirements. Decision Support By understanding the software business environment, the technical constraints and how big players built their dominance, we help you choose the right technologies, human resources with the correct expertises and a project workflow that fits your culture. Discover new artists. Be part of their journey. “Cheesecake Labs is a great development partner for OneAvenue.Tv. They have the right mix of developers with front-end and backend experience, use all the modern development and collaboration tools, and are easy to work with. They get us and to market fast with a lot less stress.” Projects & Partners Meet some of the most amazing companies from all over the globe and check out great products that will - and already do - change your world. “Cheesecake Labs is a great development partner for OneAvenue.Tv. They have the right mix of developers with front-end and backend experience, use all the modern development and collaboration tools, and are easy to work with. They get us and to market fast with a lot less stress.” Since I started building apps I was sure of only two things: one is that I love seeing users enjoying my apps; and the second is that I hate seeing users clicking everywhere and crashing them. So how can I be sure that my users will be able to have a joyful experience (even with […] Cheesecake Labs is very excited to be featured in Clutch’s latest announcement of its Top Latin American Developers & Agencies 2017, which recognizes the leading regional technology development, marketing, design, and related digital services companies with excellent client satisfaction. Cheesecake Labs is a web & mobile app design and development company that is reinventing collaborative development with virtual teams. Working with passion and clarity, we partner with disruptive companies, providing support for decision making and developing systems that are true to the core ideas.

Q: Cyclic Redundancy Check comparison has different values There are 3 codes that need to do the following actions: A sends a message to B along with the CRC32 code. B receives this message and CRC32 code. B follows a 40% probability to change the message. B sends the message along with the original CRC32 code to C. C receives the message and CRC32 code and check whether it is correct or not. For some reason, in part C when I compare the CRC's they are never equal, what am I missing? Part A: import socket import struct import sys import binascii def crc32(v): r = binascii.crc32(v.encode()) return r if len(sys.argv) != 3: print("Useage: python " + sys.argv[0] + " <ip> <liseten port>") sys.exit(-1) s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM) while True: print("Input text:") text = sys.stdin.readline().strip() ss = struct.pack("!50sL",text.encode(),crc32(text)) s.sendto(ss,(sys.argv[1],int(sys.argv[2]))) if text == "bye": break Part B: import socket import operator import sys import binascii import struct import random def crc32(v): return binascii.crc32(v.encode()) if len(sys.argv) != 3: print("Useage: python " + sys.argv[0] + " <liseten port>") sys.exit(-1) s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM) s.bind(("0.0.0.0", int(sys.argv[1]))) print("Waiting...") while True: data, addr = s.recvfrom(1024) str,crc = struct.unpack("!50sL",data) str = str.decode("utf-8").replace("\0","") if random.randint(0,100) < 40: str = str + "x" print("str:%s\ncrc:%X" % (str,crc & 0xffffffff)) str2 = str.encode("utf-8") tpack = struct.pack("!50sL", str2, crc) s.sendto(tpack,("127.0.0.1",int(sys.argv[2]))) if str == "bye": break Part C: import socket import operator import sys import binascii import struct def crc32(v): return binascii.crc32(v.encode()) if len(sys.argv) != 2: print("Useage: python " + sys.argv[0] + " <liseten port>") sys.exit(-1) s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM) s.bind(("0.0.0.0", int(sys.argv[1]))) print("Waiting...") while True: data, addr = s.recvfrom(1024) str,crc = struct.unpack("!50sL",data) str = str.decode("utf-8") print("str:%s\ncrc:%X" % (str,crc & 0xffffffff)) ncrc = crc32(str) if ncrc == crc: print("both messages are the same") if str == "bye": break A: You forgot to replace the null bytes in Part C. You calculated the CRC in Part A before packing to 50 bytes, and removed them in Part B when displaying the received value. str = str.decode("utf-8") should b: str = str.decode("utf-8").replace('\0','') Note: str is a builtin function that you lose access to by using it as a variable name.

Muller's muscle, no longer vestigial in endoscopic surgery. As a thin filmy covering overlaying the inferior orbital fissure (IOF), Muller's muscle was considered a vestigial structure in humans, and for this reason, its anatomical significance was neglected. Because of increasing interest in endonasal approaches to the skull base that encompasses this region, we re-examined this structure's role as an anatomical landmark from an endoscopic perspective. In 10 cadaveric specimens, microanatomical dissections were performed (n = 5); endoscopic dissections were performed (n = 5) via approaches of the middle turbinate or inferior turbinate, and via the Caldwell-Luc approach through the maxillary sinus. Histological examinations were performed in 20 human fetuses (Embryology Institute, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain). In cadaveric dissections, Muller's muscle was demonstrated in all specimens, serving as a bridge-like structure that spanned the entire IOF and separated the orbit from the temporal, infratemporal, and pterygopalatine fossas. Depending on which endoscopic corridor was used, a different aspect of the IOF and Muller's muscle was identified. In our endoscopic and microscopic observations, Muller's muscle was extensive, not only spanning the IOF but also extending posteriorly to reach the superior orbital fissure (SOF) and anterior confluence of the cavernous sinus. Histological analysis identified many anastomotic connections between the ophthalmic venous system and pterygoid plexus that may explain how infection or tumor spreads between these regions. Muller's muscle serves as an anatomical landmark in the IOF and facilitates anatomical orientation in this region for endoscopic skull base approaches. Its recognition during endoscopic approaches allows for a better three-dimensional understanding of this anterior cranial base region.

This invention relates to a timed electric switch for supplying current to a load for periods of time which may be made to differ between a first and subsequent operations of the device. The device finds particular application in the control of heavy direct current applied to window heaters in vehicles, particularly backlite heaters in automobiles and trucks where initial defrosting may require the application of current for an interval of the order of 10 to 15 minutes before switch-off. Subsequently the backlite heater may need to be reactivated for demisting purposes, however the subsequent periods may usefully be less than that of the first. With single period timers employed to date, the interval chosen has had to be a compromise. It has become increasingly apparent over the last few years that sources of energy are not inexhaustible, that fuels for motor vehicles continue to increase in price, and that all possible savings in operation costs of the vehicle are to advantage. Further, backlite heaters intended for defrosting purposes draw heavy currents, in some instances, of the order of 40 amps, or even more where the trend is to larger glass areas, from a 12-volt car battery supply. At those times when headlights and in-car heaters are also switched on there is heavy competition for the available output from the battery and alternator. If the backlite has merely a simple on-off switch and the heater is used continuously in such conditions, particularly when the car is in stop-and-go traffic, the battery can be run flat. I have disclosed a backlite timer in may prior Canadian Pat. No. 868,629 issued 13 Apr., 1971 directed to a long interval timing device to which reference may be made for background. The corresponding U.S. patent is U.S. Pat. No. 3,571,665 issued 23 Mar., 1971. That timer ensures that the heater is not on continuously by providing an interval of operation for defrosting and which can vary to some extent with environmental temperature conditions. In this present disclosure, an electrical time switching device is described which allows not only an initial long period of operation but also provides the opportunity of having shorter periods of operation for the second and subsequent actuations of the device, such as is beneficial for demisting purposes after initial defrost action. It is to advantage, and a device is so described, which includes an automatic reset after the automobile has been stopped, so that the next time the backlite heater is required the full initial timing period of operation can be provided. A typical period of operation would initially be 10 minutes with a 5-minute period in each subsequent operation. In some applications, second and subsequent periods of 2.5 minutes will be satisfactory. To conform with the laws requiring continued improving gasoline consumption efficiency there is also a steady accent in the automobile manufacturing trade on the need to reduce weight. The device here disclosed can replace a switch, pilot-light, wiring harness, connectors, relay and timing circuitry currently employed in timed defrost arrangements, by a single package having typically one-third the weight of the assemblies now employed in the industry. Considerable cost savings per car can flow from lower initial cost and weight and space savings. As will be further described herein with reference to specific embodiments of the invention, an energy efficient automatic simplified timing device can be constructed with manual actuation and override providing a positive "feel" to the operator and including a pilot-light indicator of essentially infinite life, all in a single package. Prototypes of specific embodiments here described have been delivering currents of 50 amperes both reliably and without any excessive contact heating.

accepted pairing a technique of advertising in which two or more competing products are compared in such a manner that certain good qualities are conceded but one product is made to appear clearly more beneficial or desirable than its competitors.

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Surgical ventricular restoration: where do we go from here? The surgical treatment for ischemic heart failure (STICH) trial concluded that the addition of surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) to coronary bypass grafting did not lead to improved survival in patients with dilated ischemic cardiomyopathy. Observational studies at multiple centers over the last 15 years have shown consistent improvement in global ventricular function and approximately 70 % long-term survival. The causes of this discrepancy are reviewed here and likely relate to how the STICH trial was conducted. Recent subset analyses from the STICH investigators have provided some additional data relating ventricular volumes to outcomes. However, including patients with unsuitable entry criteria and operations confounds the data. We recommend an analysis of the STICH data based on the trial's initial design in order to determine if there are patients who may benefit by SVR.

The group A streptococcus (GAS) is an important human pathogen that causes a variety of diseases ranging from superficial infections of the throat and skin to invasive infections with high degrees of morbidity and mortality. Our long-term objective is to develop strategies to prevent or reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by GAS. M-related proteins (Mrp) are among a variety of virulence factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of these infections. A clear understanding of the mechanisms whereby Mrp contributes to the pathogenesis of streptococcal infections will help in devising methods to thwart these mechanisms. Infections due to GAS are primarily limited to humans and most animals are naturally resistant to GAS. The factors that contribute to this restricted host specificity are not well understood. The hypothesis of this proposal is that the ability of Mrp to preferentially bind human IgG contributes to host specificity of GAS and to the virulence of GAS. The specific aims are: Specific Aim 1. To determine the host specificity in the binding of IgG to Mrp. To determine the extent to which the binding of IgG is species-dependent, purified IgG from various animals will be commercially obtained and tested for direct binding to Mrp and for the ability to block the binding of human IgG to Mrp and to GAS. The binding affinities of Mrp for the various animal IgG will be determined and compared to that of humans. Specific Aim 2. To determine if the IgG-binding domain of Mrp confers resistance to phagocytosis in human and mouse blood. We have localized the IgG-binding domain of Mrp4 to it's A repeats and have engineered a recombinant protein, rMrp??, in which the A repeats have been deleted in-frame. This construct does not bind IgG but still binds fibrinogen. To determine if the IgG-binding is involved in resistance to phagocytosis, we will use this construct to engineer a mutant of GAS in which the A repeats of Mrp are deleted in-frame and test it for growth in whole human blood and in mouse blood supplemented with human IgG. We have purified a recombinant protein containing the A repeats and will test this to determine if it can promote phagocytosis in human blood by blocking the binding of IgG to Mrp on the surface of GAS. Specific Aim 3. To determine if the ability of Mrp to selectively bind human IgG contributes to virulence and host specificity of GAS in a mouse model. To investigate the impact of human IgG binding to Mrp on pathogenesis of GAS infections, groups of mice will be injected IP with either human IgG, human serum, human plasma, bovine IgG (negative control), or bovine serum (negative control) and then challenged with wild type M 4 S. pyogenes (SP4), with the Mrp-negative mutant (MP4), or with the mutant expressing Mrp?A. A comparison of survival rates will determine if the binding of human IgG to Mrp contributes to virulence in a mouse model and to host specificity. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Streptococcus pyogenes is the ninth leading cause of mortality among all microbial pathogens worldwide. The proposed studies will increase our understanding of how interactions between M-related protein (Mrp) and IgG contribute to virulence and to the host-specificity of GAS. A clear understanding of the molecular nature of the interactions between Mrp and human IgG may lead to the development of strategies that interfere with this interaction and thereby prevent or reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with infections by S pyogenes.

// Copyright 1998-2017 Epic Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved. #include "Engine/CanvasRenderTarget2D.h" #include "Misc/App.h" #include "UObject/Package.h" #include "EngineGlobals.h" #include "Engine/Engine.h" #include "CanvasTypes.h" #include "Engine/Canvas.h" #include "UObject/UObjectThreadContext.h" #include "TextureResource.h" UCanvasRenderTarget2D::UCanvasRenderTarget2D( const FObjectInitializer& ObjectInitializer ) : Super(ObjectInitializer), World( nullptr ) { bNeedsTwoCopies = false; bShouldClearRenderTargetOnReceiveUpdate = true; } void UCanvasRenderTarget2D::UpdateResource() { // Call parent implementation Super::UpdateResource(); // Don't allocate canvas object for CRT2D CDO; also, we can't update it during PostLoad! if (IsTemplate() || FUObjectThreadContext::Get().IsRoutingPostLoad) { return; } RepaintCanvas(); } void UCanvasRenderTarget2D::FastUpdateResource() { if (Resource == nullptr) { // We don't have a resource, just take the fast path UpdateResource(); } else { // Don't allocate canvas object for CRT2D CDO if (IsTemplate()) { return; } RepaintCanvas(); } } void UCanvasRenderTarget2D::RepaintCanvas() { // Create or find the canvas object to use to render onto the texture. Multiple canvas render target textures can share the same canvas. static const FName CanvasName(TEXT("CanvasRenderTarget2DCanvas")); UCanvas* Canvas = (UCanvas*)StaticFindObjectFast(UCanvas::StaticClass(), GetTransientPackage(), CanvasName); if (Canvas == nullptr) { Canvas = NewObject<UCanvas>(GetTransientPackage(), CanvasName); Canvas->AddToRoot(); } // Create the FCanvas which does the actual rendering. const UWorld* WorldPtr = World.Get(); const ERHIFeatureLevel::Type FeatureLevel = WorldPtr != nullptr ? World->FeatureLevel : GMaxRHIFeatureLevel; FCanvas RenderCanvas(GameThread_GetRenderTargetResource(), nullptr, FApp::GetCurrentTime() - GStartTime, FApp::GetDeltaTime(), FApp::GetCurrentTime() - GStartTime, FeatureLevel); Canvas->Init(GetSurfaceWidth(), GetSurfaceHeight(), nullptr, &RenderCanvas); Canvas->Update(); // Update the resource immediately to remove it from the deferred resource update list. This prevents the texture // from being cleared each frame. UpdateResourceImmediate(bShouldClearRenderTargetOnReceiveUpdate); // Enqueue the rendering command to set up the rendering canvas. ENQUEUE_UNIQUE_RENDER_COMMAND_ONEPARAMETER ( CanvasRenderTargetMakeCurrentCommand, FTextureRenderTarget2DResource*, TextureRenderTarget, (FTextureRenderTarget2DResource*)GameThread_GetRenderTargetResource(), { SetRenderTarget(RHICmdList, TextureRenderTarget->GetRenderTargetTexture(), FTexture2DRHIRef(), true); RHICmdList.SetViewport(0, 0, 0.0f, TextureRenderTarget->GetSizeXY().X, TextureRenderTarget->GetSizeXY().Y, 1.0f); } ); if (!IsPendingKill() && OnCanvasRenderTargetUpdate.IsBound()) { OnCanvasRenderTargetUpdate.Broadcast(Canvas, GetSurfaceWidth(), GetSurfaceHeight()); } ReceiveUpdate(Canvas, GetSurfaceWidth(), GetSurfaceHeight()); // Clean up and flush the rendering canvas. Canvas->Canvas = nullptr; RenderCanvas.Flush_GameThread(); // Enqueue the rendering command to copy the freshly rendering texture resource back to the render target RHI // so that the texture is updated and available for rendering. ENQUEUE_UNIQUE_RENDER_COMMAND_ONEPARAMETER ( CanvasRenderTargetResolveCommand, FTextureRenderTargetResource*, RenderTargetResource, GameThread_GetRenderTargetResource(), { RHICmdList.CopyToResolveTarget(RenderTargetResource->GetRenderTargetTexture(), RenderTargetResource->TextureRHI, true, FResolveParams()); } ); } UCanvasRenderTarget2D* UCanvasRenderTarget2D::CreateCanvasRenderTarget2D(UObject* WorldContextObject, TSubclassOf<UCanvasRenderTarget2D> CanvasRenderTarget2DClass, int32 Width, int32 Height) { if ((Width > 0) && (Height > 0) && (CanvasRenderTarget2DClass != NULL)) { UCanvasRenderTarget2D* NewCanvasRenderTarget = NewObject<UCanvasRenderTarget2D>(GetTransientPackage(), CanvasRenderTarget2DClass); if (NewCanvasRenderTarget) { NewCanvasRenderTarget->World = GEngine->GetWorldFromContextObject(WorldContextObject, EGetWorldErrorMode::LogAndReturnNull); NewCanvasRenderTarget->InitAutoFormat(Width, Height); return NewCanvasRenderTarget; } } return nullptr; } void UCanvasRenderTarget2D::GetSize(int32& Width, int32& Height) { Width = GetSurfaceWidth(); Height = GetSurfaceHeight(); } UWorld* UCanvasRenderTarget2D::GetWorld() const { return World.Get(); }

UPDATE 1-Brazil central bank may need 'some time' to halt rate cuts Bruno Federowski Published 7:52 AM ET Tue, 27 March 2018 Reuters (Adds details from statement) BRASILIA, March 27 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank may take "some time" to evaluate the economic outlook before halting interest rate cuts, the minutes of its last policy meeting showed on Tuesday, suggesting its forecast for a final reduction in May may be premature. The bank last week cut the benchmark Selic rate by 25 basis points to 6.50 percent as a string of underwhelming price figures kept a lid on inflation expectations for both this year and next. In a statement, the bank said it would likely pursue another 25 basis-point reduction in May and then keep them steady in June, as long as the economy develops as expected. But the minutes of that meeting showed some policymakers preferred to take a more cautious stance. "Some members expressed a preference for indicating that it should be necessary to wait for a few Copom meetings, until sufficient information is gathered to assess the behavior of the economy," the minutes said, referring to the central bank's regular policy meetings. This raises the prospect that the most dramatic cycle of interest rate cuts in a decade, which brought the Selic rate down from a 10-year high of 14.25 percent to an all-time low, could continue for longer than expected. For months, inflation has been stagnant below the lower bound of the official target range of 4.5 percent plus or minus 1.5 percentage points, amid double-digit unemployment rates and widespread idle capacity. (Reporting by Bruno Federowski Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Defining Luxury Chains vs. Membership Organizations Chain hotels are either owned by the company whose name they bear or managed by the company under that brand name under contract to a third-party owner. As in any segment, luxury hotels that are part of a chain — the Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carltons, for example — must adhere to quality standards and are inspected regularly. Some hotel companies devote a segment of their organization to the luxury market: Marriott, for example, owns Ritz-Carlton, and ... Register for Complete Access (Valid Email Required) By registering on MeetingsNet now, you'll not only unlock the Defining Luxury, you'll also gain access to exclusive premium content.

[Research Progress on Spliceosome Mutations in Hematopoietic Malignancy]. As novel somatic mutations, spliceosome mutations have been identified in recent years with the advent of whole exone/genome sequencing technology in hematopoietic malignancy. These new findings provide another view to understand these diseases other than DNA methylation, chromatin modification, transcription regulation, DNA repair and signal transduction. In this review, the structure as well as function of spliceosome are introduced and the common mutations such as SF3B1, U2AF35, SRSF2 and ZRSR2 as well as their frequency, mutation versions, clinical phenotypies and effects on prognosis are discussed.

In recent years, public interest in competitive sporting activities has increased substantially. Not only are more individuals watching popular spectator sports such as football, baseball and basketball; but also, more and more people are becoming actively involved in regularly playing a large number of competitive sports. Where more and more individuals are actually playing or attempting to play a particular sport, increased interest is frequently noticed in the problems of how to learn to play; how to improve one's acquired ability to play; and how to avoid any injury to oneself due to play. Considerable basic skills must be acquired by the novice player in most sports, without which proficiency at the game usually suffers and physical injury may result. For example, in the game of tennis a proper grip on the racquet is necessary to enable the player to deliver optimum force to the ball when striking it and to prevent the player from injuring a hand or wrist due to reactive forces generated when the ball is struck. Also, the location on the strung portion of the racquet at which the ball is struck plays an important role. If the racquet is held with the plane of its strings approximately perpendicular to the path of the racquet as it approaches the ball and if the ball strikes the racquet in approximately the center of the strung area, then the ball will leave the racquet with optimum velocity and the racquet will not twist in the player's hand. However, if the ball strikes the racquet at a location spaced from the center of the strung area, the racquet usually will twist the player's hand about the wrist or snap the hand back toward the elbow, so that the ball leaves the recquet at an undesired angle and less than optimum speed. Another serious effect of such improper hitting of a tennis ball is that the repeated twisting of the arm and snapping of the wrist frequently lead to the injury commonly known as "tennis elbow". Thus, tennis players and coaches have long sought a device or technique for reliably training players to hit the ball consistently in the center or "sweet" part of the strung area, both to improve their game performance and to minimize the likelihood of injury. In other sports where a ball or other playing or game element is struck by some sort of club, bat, racquet or similar athletic instrument, players also seek to strike the game element with a preferred portion of the instrument at which an optimum "hit" is obtained without undesirable side effects on the player. In addition to tennis, games such as golf, jai lai, ping pong, badminton, baseball, polo, softball, lacrosse, cricket and hockey, all involve the use of an athletic instrument for striking a ball or game element. In each case, the location on the instrument at which contact is made greatly affects the resultant movement of the game element and the reactive force transmitted to the player. Under these conditions, it is apparent that a need exists for a device or means which will enable a player to know immediately whether the ball or game element has been struck with the proper portion of the athletic instrument. This type of prompt feedback enables the player to correct his swing accordingly. Such a device would facilitate the training of new players and would enable experienced players to improve their game considerably.

Introduction {#s1} ============ Biogeography and Ecology of the Species {#s1a} --------------------------------------- Among the small size copepods, the family Oithonidae [@pone.0035861-Dana1] is recognized as one of the most abundant groups in the ocean [@pone.0035861-Paffenhfer1]. The abundance, biomass and ecological role of *Oithona* spp. have been examined in recent studies [@pone.0035861-Gallienne1]--[@pone.0035861-Castellani1]. The genus has been the subject of concerted and expert taxonomic analysis and detailed descriptions of the species are in place [@pone.0035861-Nishida1]--[@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. However, routine identification of species has remained challenging due to the small body size and subtle mophological differences among species [@pone.0035861-Nishida1] and descriptions of geographic forms or varieties of widely-distributed species [@pone.0035861-Dvoretsky1]. The *Oithona* species examined in this study are important components of the Argentine Sea - a region of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean -, as well as of the North Atlantic Ocean [@pone.0035861-Castellani1], [@pone.0035861-Fish1]--[@pone.0035861-Williams1]. Over the Argentine continental shelf, the occurrence of *O. similis* Claus 1866 [@pone.0035861-Claus1] syn. *O. helgolandica* [@pone.0035861-Claus2], [@pone.0035861-Razouls1], *O. atlantica* [@pone.0035861-Farran1] and *O. nana* [@pone.0035861-Giesbrecht1] has been extensively cited [@pone.0035861-Mazzocchi1]--[@pone.0035861-Sabatini1]. These species are abundant, ecologically-important, and geographically-widespread; their numerical dominance was recently highlighted [@pone.0035861-DiMauro1], [@pone.0035861-Antacli1]. *Oithona similis* occurs over the Argentine continental shelf between 34° and 55° S [@pone.0035861-Mazzocchi1], [@pone.0035861-Marques1]--[@pone.0035861-Ramrez2]. It is broadly distributed from the tropics to high latitudes of the Atlantic [@pone.0035861-Fish1], [@pone.0035861-Mazzocchi1], [@pone.0035861-Marques1]--[@pone.0035861-Ramrez2] and Pacific Oceans [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]; in the Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean and Red Seas [@pone.0035861-Mori1]. Although *O. similis* is a widespread species, multivariate analyses of community structure in the Argentine Sea reveal that the species reaches its maximum densities in cold shelf waters [@pone.0035861-Sabatini1], [@pone.0035861-Vias1]. *Oithona atlantica* also has a broad biogeographical distribution throughout both the North and South Atlantic Oceans, occurring over wide ranges in salinity (24--26 ppt and 34--36 ppt) and temperature (8--19°C) [@pone.0035861-Mazzocchi1]. Despite such wide ecological tolerances, this is the least abundant *Oithona* species in the Argentine Sea [@pone.0035861-Ramrez1], [@pone.0035861-Marrari1], but quite common throughout the Strait of Magellan [@pone.0035861-Mazzocchi1]. It occurs in the northern North and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, Bearing Sea and Sea of Japan [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. It is also found in the Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters, as well as the Mediterranean Sea [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. In Argentine waters *O. nana* is found throughout the year between 34° and 45°S. The species is an important component of the coastal species assemblage [@pone.0035861-Vias1], [@pone.0035861-Marrari1], and it is potentially important as prey for fish larvae [@pone.0035861-Vias2], [@pone.0035861-Vias3]. It is also found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean [@pone.0035861-Ferrari1], [@pone.0035861-BradfordGrieve1] as well as in the Mediterranean Sea [@pone.0035861-Frchtl1], and the Pacific and Indian Oceans [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. 28S rDNA as a Taxonomic Marker {#s1b} ------------------------------ Although molecular approaches have been applied exhaustively to copepods to ensure accurate taxonomic identification of species, little information is available for cyclopoid copepods, especially for species of *Oithona*. DNA sequence variation of the large-subunit (28S) rRNA gene has been used extensively to examine phylogenetic relationships among marine invertebrate species, including cnidarians [@pone.0035861-Ortman1], annelids [@pone.0035861-Struck1], nematodes [@pone.0035861-Bik1], molluscs [@pone.0035861-Holznagel1], and echinoderms [@pone.0035861-Borchiellini1], among others. The broad application of this gene as a character for taxonomic identification of species with subtle or ambiguous morphological characteristics makes it a useful marker to be employed for species of the cyclopoid copepod *Oithona*. The relationships among *Oithona* species, including *O. similis, O. atlantica* and *O. nana*, have been studied for the Pacific and Indian Oceans [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. These morphological analyses included forty five structural characters and suggested that *O. atlantica* and *O. similis* are more closely related to each other than to *O. nana* [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. Here we analyze DNA sequences for a 575 base-pair (bp) region of the 28S rRNA gene and characterize patterns of variation within and among three *Oithona* species occurring in the South and North Atlantic Oceans. Methods {#s2} ======= Ethics Statement {#s2a} ---------------- No specific permits were required for the described field study, and no endangered or protected species were included in this study. Collection of Samples {#s2b} --------------------- Zooplankton samples collected from regions across the North and South Atlantic Oceans ([Figure 1](#pone-0035861-g001){ref-type="fig"}, [Table 1](#pone-0035861-t001){ref-type="table"}), preserved immediately and stored in 95% undenatured ethanol, as described by Bucklin [@pone.0035861-Bucklin1]. A total of 150 oithonid copepods were identified to species level following [@pone.0035861-Ramrez1], [@pone.0035861-Ramrez2], using a Leica D1000 inverted microscope. The following specimens were removed and prepared for molecular analysis: *O. similis* (108 individuals), *O. nana* (19 individuals) and *O. atlantica* (23 individuals). Specimens from *O. similis* and *O. nana* type localities were also included in the molecular analysis. {#pone-0035861-g001} 10.1371/journal.pone.0035861.t001 ###### Sample sites, latitude, longitude, location code, sample size (N), sequence diversity (*h*), standarized sequence diversity (Hk) and number of kind sequences in each population of *O. similis*, *O. nana* and *O. atlantica* collected for this study from the Atlantic Ocean. {#pone-0035861-t001-1} Species Sample site Latitude Longitude Location Code N h H*k* ---------------- ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- --------------- --------- ------ ------ *O. similis* Gulf of Maine, US 43°10′4.8″N 70°25′4.8″W GM 19 0.51 0.52 Bay of Biscay, Spain 43°42′N 6° 9′W BB 16 0.24 0.24 Iceland 64°20.15′N 27°W IC 20 0.68 0.72 Mid Atlantic Bight, US 38°16.3′N 74°24.4′W MAB 21 0.74 0.72 Península Valdés, Argentina 42°31′4.8″S 63°12′W PV 18 0.81 0.82 Bahía Grande, Argentina 51°S 67°W BG 11 0.34 0.35 Río de la Plata, Argentina 36°4′48″S 54°32′2.4″W RdP 1 N/A N/A Helgoland Sea, Germany\* 54°10′57″N 7°53′E HE 1 N/A N/A Torres, Brazil 29°40′4.8″S 49°30′W BR 1 N/A N/A **108** *O. nana* Mid Atlantic Bight, US 38°16.3′N 74°24.4′W MAB 11 0.56 0.56 El Rincón, Argentina 39°38′2.4″S 61°6′3.6″W 6AR 3 0.00 0.00 Península Valdés, Argentina 42°31′4.8″S 63°12′W PV 4 0.50 0.50 Gulf of Naples, Italy\* 40°50′N 14°15′E NAP 1 N/A N/A **19** *O. atlantica* Bay of Biscay, Spain 43°42′N 6° 9′W BB 2 1.00 1.00 Mid Atlantic Bight, US 38°16.3′N 74°24.4′W MAB 12 0.41 0.41 Rio de la Plata, Argentina 36°4′48″S 54°32′2.4″W RdP 4 0.00 0.00 Argentina 45°15′S 62°30′3,6″W 7AR 2 0.00 0.00 Argentina 43°31′4.8″S 61°23′2.4″W 8AR 3 0.00 0.00 **23** Total sample size for each species is indicated in bold, samples from type locality are indicated by asterisk. N/A: not applicable. Molecular Analysis {#s2c} ------------------ DNA was extracted from individual identified specimens using the QIAGEN Dneasy tissue Kit. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 800 bp fragment of the D1--D2 region of the large subunit (28S) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene using primers 28SF1: 5′-GCGGAGGAAAAGAAACTAAC-3′ and 28SR1: 5′-GCATAGTTTCACCATCTTTCGGG-3′ [@pone.0035861-Ortman1]. PCR amplifications were performed in a total volume of 25 µl including 5 µl of 5X Green GoTaq® Flexi Buffer, 2.5 µl of 25 mM MgCl~2~, 1 µl of dNTPs (final concentration 0.2 mM each), 1 µl of each primer (10 µM), 0.75 units of GoTaq® Flexi DNA Polymerase (Promega) and 3 µl of the DNA template solution. The PCR protocol was: 4 min initial denaturation step at 94°C; 35 cycles of 40 s denaturation step at 94°C, 40 s annealing at 50°C, and 90 s extension at 72°C; and a final extension step of 15 min at 72°C. Several sets of PCR primers for various genes were tested, but most did not amplified consistently. The genes for which published primers were tested included: internal transcribed spacer [@pone.0035861-White1]; mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [@pone.0035861-Folmer1]; cytochrome *b* and 12S rDNA [@pone.0035861-Machida1]; heat shock protein 70 [@pone.0035861-Voznesenskya1]; and AMP-activated protein kinase [@pone.0035861-Unal1]. Approximately 5 µl of each PCR product was electrophoresed on a 1% TBE agarose gel and visualized by UV light with with Biotium GelRed^TM^ staining. The PCR products were purified using QIAquick spin columns (Qiagen). Both strands of the template DNA were sequenced using the PCR primers and Big Dye Terminator Ver. 3.1 (Applied Biosystems Inc., ABI), and were run in an ABI 3130 Genetic Analyzer automated capillary DNA sequencer. The 28S rDNA sequences obtained were manually edited, with comparison of aligned sequences for both strands. DNA sequences for *O. similis*, *O. nana* and *O. atlantica* were aligned using the default parameters by Clustal W [@pone.0035861-Thompson1], using MEGA Ver. 5.05 [@pone.0035861-Tamura1]. DNA sequences were submitted to the molecular database, GenBank (<http://www.nlm.nih.ncbi.org>) and were assigned a GenBank Accession Numbers: FM991727.1; JF419529-JF419547. Genetic Distances within and between Oithona Species {#s2d} ---------------------------------------------------- Analysis was done using a final aligned length of 575 bp of the 28S rRNA gene. Numbers of kind sequence and sequence diversities (*h*) were calculated for each population sampled for the studied species by DnaSP Ver. 5.10 [@pone.0035861-Librado1]. Standarized sequence diversities (Hk) were calculated considering the smallest sample size (*O. similis*: n = 11; *O. nana*: n = 3; *O. atlantica:* n = 2) using the software RAREFAC (<http://www.pierroton.inra.fr/genetics/labo/Software/Rarefac>) [@pone.0035861-Petit1]. The appropriate best-fit substitution model of DNA evolution was determined with jModelTest Ver. 0.1.1 [@pone.0035861-Posada1] under the Akaike information criterion (A.I.C.). Neighbor-Joining method [@pone.0035861-Saitou1] analysis implemented in MEGA Ver 5.05 [@pone.0035861-Tamura1] was used on the identified kind sequences to assess the relationships among the three *Oithona* species based on DNA sequence variation; relative support for the tree topology was obtained by bootstrapping [@pone.0035861-Felsenstein1] using 10,000 iterations. Genetic Variation of O. similis {#s2e} ------------------------------- A total of 108 28S rDNA sequences for *O. similis* were aligned using MEGA Ver. 5.05 [@pone.0035861-Tamura1]. A 51-bp region showing intraspecific variation was used for this analysis; the best-fitting substitution model was determined with jModelTest [@pone.0035861-Posada1]. The most appropriate model was found to Jukes-Cantor; the model and estimated parameters were set in Arlequin Ver. 3.5.1.2 [@pone.0035861-Excoffier1] and the geographic pattern of 28S rDNA variation was assessed. Φ~ST~ genetic distances between all pairs of *O. similis* populations were calculated using Arlequin Ver. 3.5.1.2 [@pone.0035861-Excoffier1]. Pairwise Φ~ST~ values among all conspecific populations were calculated and tested for significance through 10,000 permutations. For this analysis, all sequence types found in the populations from the Gulf of Maine (GM), Mid Atlantic Bight (MAB), Iceland (IC), Bay of Biscay (BB), Península Valdés (PV) and Bahía Grande (BG) were considered ([Table 1](#pone-0035861-t001){ref-type="table"}). An hierarchical Analysis of MOlecular VAriation [@pone.0035861-Excoffier2] was performed using different groupings of populations based on the distances between sampling locations and Φ~ST~ distances. The statistical significance of the AMOVA statistics, including among groups (Φ~CT~), among populations within groups (Φ~SC~), and within populations (Φ~ST~), was obtained after 10,000 permutations. Results {#s3} ======= Genetic Distances within and between Oithona Species {#s3a} ---------------------------------------------------- DNA sequences of a 575 bp region of the 28S rDNA gene for 108 *O. similis* individuals revealed the presence of six well-resolved kind sequences and six kind sequences with one or two ambiguous sites (H1--H12). These ambigous sites correspoded to C-T sites, and were defined by equivalents peaks of both bases ([Figure S1](#pone.0035861.s001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Among the 19 *O. nana* specimens from 3 populations, five kind sequences (H13--H17) defined by ten polymorphic sites were recorded, whereas among the 23 *O. atlantica* individuals analyzed, distributed in 5 populations, three kind sequences (H18--H20) were found defined by thirteen polymorphic sites. For *O. similis,* the sequence diversity was somewhat higher at PV than at MAB or IC. An intermediate value was found at GM, while the lower ones were at BG and BB ([Table 1](#pone-0035861-t001){ref-type="table"}). For *O. nana*, mean values of sequence diversity were found at MAB and PV, while at ER only one sequence type was recorded. In the case of *O. atlantica*, BB showed the highest sequence diversity value, followed by MAB, while at RdP, 7AR and 8AR, no sequence diversity was detected, since only one sequence type was found ([Table 1](#pone-0035861-t001){ref-type="table"}). The A.I.C. selected the Jukes-Cantor [@pone.0035861-Jukes1] with alpha parameter for the gamma distribution of 0.25 as the evolutionary model that best fit the observed sequence variation. Mean Jukes-Cantor distances within species ranged from 0.001 for *O. similis* to 0.015 for *O. atlantica* ([Table 2](#pone-0035861-t002){ref-type="table"}). Genetic distance between species was highest between *O. nana* and the other two species, with *O. nana* differing from *O. similis* by a distance of 0.224 and from *O. atlantica* by 0.222; the distance between *O. similis* and *O. atlantica* was much lower at 0.034 ([Figure 2](#pone-0035861-g002){ref-type="fig"}, [Table 2](#pone-0035861-t002){ref-type="table"}). {#pone-0035861-g002} 10.1371/journal.pone.0035861.t002 ###### Relationships among the three *Oithona* species based on 28S rDNA. {#pone-0035861-t002-2} Species *O. atlantica* *O. similis* *O. nana* ---------------- ---------------- --------------- --------------- *O. atlantica* 0.015 (0.008) *O. similis* 0.034 (0.009) 0.001 (0.001) *O. nana* 0.222 (0.014) 0.244 (0.013) 0.006 (0.005) Mean Jukes-Cantor distances within (diagonal) and between (below diagonal) the three *Oithona* species. Distances among sequence types were calculated with MEGA (Ver. 5.05 using the Jukes-Cantor model with alpha parameter of 0.25. The standard deviation about each mean is indicated in parentheses. Numbers of specimens used for the analysis are: *O. similis* (108), *O. atlantica* (23), and *O. nana* (19). 28S rDNA Variation of O. similis {#s3b} -------------------------------- Among twelve 28S rDNA sequences detected for *O. similis,* H1, H2, H5 and H11 were present in both hemispheres ([Figure 3](#pone-0035861-g003){ref-type="fig"}). H1 was the most frequently found, distributed at GM, BB, IC, MAB and PV. H11 was found in GM, BB, IC, MAB, HE and PV, while H2 was present in BB, MAB, and BG. H5 was in IC and BR ([Figure 3](#pone-0035861-g003){ref-type="fig"}). {#pone-0035861-g003} Three sequences were exclusively found in the Northern Hemisphere. They were only present at IC (H8, H12) and MAB (H10, H12) ([Figure 3](#pone-0035861-g003){ref-type="fig"}). Five sequences occurred only in the Southern Hemisphere: H3, H4, H6, H7 and H9 ([Figure 3](#pone-0035861-g003){ref-type="fig"}). The most frequently found were H3, H4 and H9 which were present at BG and PV. H6 and H7 were only found at PV and RdP ([Figure 3](#pone-0035861-g003){ref-type="fig"}). Φ~ST~ values [@pone.0035861-Excoffier2] derived from genetic distances were significant for all pairwise comparisons between populations except for the pairs GM-IC and PV-BG. Thus, *O. similis* populations were tentatively separated into four groups: GM+IC; MAB; BB; and PV+BG ([Table 3](#pone-0035861-t003){ref-type="table"}). This clustering was supported by AMOVA analysis, which revealed that 53.58% of the observed genetic variation was among groups, and 37.94% was within populations ([Table 4](#pone-0035861-t004){ref-type="table"}). 10.1371/journal.pone.0035861.t003 ###### Pairwise Φ~ST~ distances between all *O. similis* populations with n\>1. {#pone-0035861-t003-3} GM IC PV BG MAB BB ----- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------- ---- GM \- IC 0.139 \- PV 0.603\*\* 0.528\*\* \- BG 0.907\*\* 0.856\*\* 0.216 \- MAB 0.419\*\* 0.248\* 0.286\*\* 0.586\*\* \- BB 0.886\*\* 0.817\*\* 0.504\*\* 0.687\*\* 0.405\* \- Asterisks indicate the significance level (p) for each comparison calculated from 10,000 permutations: p\<0.001 (\*); p\<0.0001 (\*\*). Numbers of specimens used for the analysis are: GM (19), BB (16), IC (20), MAB (21), PV (18) and BG (11). 10.1371/journal.pone.0035861.t004 ###### Analysis of MOlecular VAriance (AMOVA) based on 28S rDNA sequence data for *Oithona similis*. {#pone-0035861-t004-4} Observed partition --------------------------------- ------- ------- ----------------- --------- ----- Among groups 0.646 53.58 Φ~ST~  =  0.535 0.02 3 Among populations within groups 0.102 8.49 Φ~SC~  =  0.182 0.01 2 Within populations 0.457 37.94 Φ~ST~  =  0.620 \< 0.01 102 Variance and percentage of variance explained (%), fixation indexes (Φ-statistics), P-value indicates probability of obtaining a higher Φ value by chance estimated by 10,000 permutations, d.f.: degrees of freedom. (Refer to Method text for the definition of group and population). Discussion {#s4} ========== Accurate and reliable identification of species is a necessary foundation for assessment of biodiversity, especially for important but lesser-known regions of the world ocean, such as the Argentine Sea \[55\]. DNA sequence variation of target genes provides invaluable tools for such analyses. This study examined variation of a portion of 28S (large subunit) rDNA as a marker to identify and discriminate species of the ecologically-important but understudied cyclopoid copepod genus *Oithona*, found in the Argentine Sea - Southwest Atlantic Ocean - and North Atlantic Ocean. The species analyzed here, *O. similis, O. nana* and *O. atlantica,* were confirmed by molecular analysis to be distinct species, as previously characterized by morphological taxonomic analysis [@pone.0035861-Shuvalov1], [@pone.0035861-Nishida2], [@pone.0035861-Ramrez1], [@pone.0035861-Ramrez2]. Inclusion in our analysis of *O. similis* and *O. nana* from the type localities was particularly useful to allow determination of reference sequences for these species for future comparisons. The genetic distances observed within and between species of *Oithona* agreed somewhat with those reported by Ueda et al. [@pone.0035861-Ueda1]. Our distance values were higher than those registered by these authors; which could be related to the fact that they analyzed two size forms of *O. dissimilis*. Our interspecific genetic distances may reflect the relationships registered by Nishida [@pone.0035861-Nishida2]. In addition to characterizing differences between species, the present work provided preliminary analysis of the levels and patterns of 28S rDNA sequence variation within each of the studied species based on samples collected from a broad latitudinal range of the Atlantic Ocean. Shared kind sequences were detected between North and South Atlantic collections for each of the *Oithona* species analyzed, despite the large distances between sampling locations. This finding confirms that 28S rDNA serves as a useful genetic marker for identification of these -- and likely all -- *Oithona* species, even those with global distributions. Levels of intraspecific variation differed among the species: DNA sequence variation (measured as the percentages of bases) was higher for *O. atlantica* (1.5%) than either *O. nana* (0.6%) or *O. similis* (0.1%). The lower values recorded for *O. nana* and *O. similis,* which are both found commonly in coastal and shelf waters, might be due in part to their introduction by ballast water. For the Argentine Sea, [@pone.0035861-Boltovskoy1] reported the presence of *O. nana* and *O. similis* in ballast water from commercial vessels from several origins (*e.g.,* Indian and Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean and Baltic Seas and Atlantic ports north of 20°S). At the Russian port of Novorossiysk, high abundances (10,000 individuals/m^3^) of live individuals of *O. nana* were found in samples taken from ships' ballast water [@pone.0035861-Selifonova1]. Interestingly, *O. similis* exhibited significantly different genetic differences among populations sampled for this study, although these differences were the lowest of the three species examined were not correlated with geographic distances, since some samples differed markedly despite their geographic proximity (*e.g.,* GM and MAB). Based on 28S rDNA, *O. similis* is a single, genetically-cohesive species throughout the studied distributional range. Even for this conserved genetic marker, the species showed significant genetic differentiation among regions of the North and South Atlantic Oceans. It seems likely that geographic populations of *O. similis* might be primarily isolated by large-scale patterns of ocean circulation, as has been suggested by other genetic analysis of zooplankton in the Atlantic Ocean basin [@pone.0035861-Unal1], [@pone.0035861-Bucklin2], [@pone.0035861-Goetze1]. Our analysis of intraspecific and interspecific patterns of variation for three species of *Oithona* in selected regions of the North and South Atlantic Oceans demonstrated the usefulness of the 28S rDNA as an accurate and reliable means of identifying and discriminating the species. The 28S rDNA fragment we focused on is included the D1--D2 region, and has been suggested by Sonnenberg et al. [@pone.0035861-Sonnenberg1] as a taxonomic marker due to its variability. Previous studies have used this marker for analysis of copepods [@pone.0035861-Hayward1] and other taxa [@pone.0035861-Brown1]. Additional analysis of intraspecific variation, including studies using more highly variable molecular markers, will be needed to addresss questions of population connectivity, barriers to genetic cohesion, and discovery of cryptic species among such globally-distributed taxa. Supporting Information {#s5} ====================== ###### **Alignment of the twelve 28S rDNA kind sequences of** ***Oithona*** **species.** (FASTA) ###### Click here for additional data file. We appreciate and acknowledge captains and crews of the different cruises for collecting samples. We are grateful to G. Veit-Köhler, Y. Carotenuto and M. Mazzocchi for collection of specimens from types localities, and to M. Sabatini for donation of specimens from southern Argentina. **Competing Interests:**Dirk Steinke is Campaign Coordinator for the MarBOL initiative and a co-organiser of the PLoS ONE MarBOL Collection. **Funding:**This work was partially supported by Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, Fundación para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas; Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica \[Grant No. 15227/03 to M.D.V.\]; Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata \[Grant No. 15/E269 to M.D.V.\]; and a PhD. fellowship from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) to G.C. Additional support was provided by the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut, and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (Marine Barcode of Life project, MarBOL). This study is a contribution from the Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ, see [www.CMarZ.org](http://www.CMarZ.org)), an ocean realm field project of the Census of Marine Life. This is INIDEP contribution N 1736. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. [^1]: Conceived and designed the experiments: GC LBB AB CB MDV. Performed the experiments: GC. Analyzed the data: GC LBB. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: AB CB. Wrote the paper: GC.

comment "squid needs a toolchain w/ C++, gcc >= 4.8 not affected by bug 64735" depends on BR2_USE_MMU depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_ATOMIC depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_GCC_BUG_64735 || \ !BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP || !BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST_4_8 config BR2_PACKAGE_SQUID bool "squid" depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_ATOMIC depends on BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP depends on !BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_GCC_BUG_64735 # std::current_exception depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST_4_8 # C++11 # needs fork() depends on BR2_USE_MMU select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBCAP select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBXML2 help Caching proxy for the Web supporting HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more. http://www.squid-cache.org/

Report of a vaccine side effect, vaccine reaction or a vaccine damage For statistical evaluation of vaccine damages we request you to fill out the following form. The data will be published anonymously and handled with utmost confidentiality. If you wish, you have the option of withholding your name, date of birth and your address. The results help us to acquire accurate information about vaccine damages. Only the information marked with a black asterisk (*) will be published. Please give the following information regarding the vaccinated person: Date of today: Name of the vaccinated person:First name of the vaccinated person:Date of birth of the vaccinated person(yyyy-mm-dd): Gender:*femalemaleCountry:*Name of the notifying person:Address:ZIP/Postal Code:City:State/Province/Region:Telephone:Email:*Were you or your child healthy before the vaccination?YesNoIf not, what illness did you have?*Which vaccination was administered?*Was a second vaccination administered at the same time?*Was a third vaccination administered at the same time?*Was a fourth vaccination administered at the same time?*Was a fifth vaccination administered at the same time?*Exact name(s) and manufacturer of vaccine:*Date of vaccination(yyyy-mm-dd): Age group when vaccinated:*Exact age when vaccinated:Describe the exact vaccine reactions and what you observed (as detailed as possible, not just notes):**Hospitalized? ER?YesNoTime period between the vaccine and the occurrence of the first symptoms:Outcome of the vaccine reaction:*Is there any permanent damage? (If yes, what?):*Where did you hear about www.vaccineinjury.info(website)? Summary of you vaccine damage report: The information marked with an asterisk (*) will be published. Date of today:Name:First name:Date of birth:Gender:*Country:*Name of the notifying person:Address:City and zip codeTelephone:Email:Previous illnesses:*1. Vaccination:*2. Vaccination:*3. Vaccination:*4. Vaccination:*5. Vaccination:*Exact name(s) and manufacturer of vaccine:*Date of vaccination:Age when vaccinated:*Vaccine reaction:*Hospital admission:Time period between the vaccine and the occurrence of the first symptoms:Permanent damage:*Outcome of the vaccine reaction:*ReCaptcha - Please check the box

Our Christmas. How was your Christmas? Ours was relaxing, joyful, merry. It was good to be home this year and to start a few traditions of our own. One new tradition is decorating our tree together (remember how I mentioned our slightly awkward tree? It’s looking awfully pretty these days, gappy though may it be.) Liv comes come from school begging to ‘decorate the tree’ each night! Another is Liv’s advent pouches – she unwrapped a new piece of our nativity scene each day (which I kept in mini numbered burlap pouches), I love to watch her rearrange the little shepherds and sheep around Mary and Joseph. We’ve been listening to a lot of Bing Crosby and Dean Martin these days (Swingin’ Christmas on Pandora via a friend’s recommendation) – that’s the blue screen there in the background. And here’s my merry pillow project from last year. We play games in our PJs and sit by the tree talking about the real reason for the season. (Or trains). And then, Christmas morning! A first for us in the Santa department. A princess dress for Liv per her request. Wrapping paper for Taylor. Santa is so thoughtful. This Christmas morning was one of the best yet. (If hair is any indication of happiness, nana & papa totally nailed it with the new puppet set.) Post-gift unwrapping, Kev made us all an amazing brunch. Notice something new in the middle of the table? Kevin got me a new rack. Wait, that didn’t come out right. Kevin’s Christmas present to me was awesome this year! (and they’re authentic). Hmmm. That’s still not right. Needless to say, my new antlers are finding a new home somewhere in our casa (or in the vicinity there of). We were missing a few family members this year. Uncle Andy is over in Israel for a short time for school, our aunt and cousins arrived later that day, we’ll drive out to Arizona for Kevin’s brother’s wedding soon. But keeping it small is not always so bad. Now back to a weekend of Christmas. The beauty about Christmas falling mid-week is that it’s sandwiched perfectly by two weekends – one for last-minute gifts, one for extending Christmas just a few more days. Comments Looks like you all had a fantastic Christmas! I love your tree..it reminds me of the trees my parents get at their house: very Victorian with all that ‘spindliness’. I definitely love your idea of an Advent calendar. It seems like a great way to remind everyone of what the season is about…but also seems a heck of a lot easier than some of the other ideas going around the internet. Here’s to a wonderful New Year as well! Welcome to my little slice of the web where I practice finding family, career, homemade & inspired balance on a daily basis. This is where I capture my happy moments, and I'm honored that you're here to join us. Home + creativity + good eats + journaling + life as a working mom. Read more... When we planted our garden a month or so ago, I added nasturtiums to experiment with for salads, desserts, drink garnishes and everything in between. They Featured Favorite Topics Welcome to my little slice of the web where I practice finding family, career, homemade & inspired balance on a daily basis. This is where I capture my happy moments, and I'm honored that you're here to join us. Home + creativity + good eats + journaling. Read More…

Mogrosides are a family of triterpene glycosides isolated from fruits of Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle), also known as Momordica grosvenori (Swingle). Extracts of the fruits are commercially used as natural sweeteners. Four major compounds, Mogroside V, Mogroside IV, Siamenoside I, and 11-Oxomogroside V, have been identified from the fruits of Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle) that are responsible for the sweetness of the fruits (see FIG. 1). Mogroside V is the most abundant of these four compounds at approximately 0.57% (w/w) of the dry fruit, followed by Mogroside IV and Siamenoside I, each of which contain four glucose moieties. 11-Oxomogroside V has a ketone group instead of a hydroxyl at C-11. See, e.g., Takemoto, et al., Yakugaku Zasshi, 103, 1151-1154; 1155-1166; 1167-1173, (1983); Kasai, et al., Agric. Biol. Chem. 53, 3347-3349 (1989); Matsumoto, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 38, 2030-2032 (1990); and Prakash, et al., J. Carbohydrate Chem. 30, 16-26 (2011). However, the enzymes responsible for producing mogrosides have not been identified. Tang et al. BMC Genomics 2011, 12:343 describes seven CYP450s and five UDPGs as potential candidates involved in mogroside biosynthesis. However, the document does not specifically identify any CYPs or UDPGs involved in mogroside biosynthesis.

The present invention relates to a driver controller for controlling multiple data drivers in a display panel, such as a PDP (plasma display panel) or an LCD (liquid crystal display). In recent years, as the use of display panels, such as PDPs and LCDs, has become widespread, the screen size and the definition thereof have been increasing at a rapid pace. These display panels have hundreds to thousands of signal lines in the horizontal and vertical directions and realize panel display by driving these signal lines by associated multiple data drivers and a scanning driver. Typically, a plurality of data drivers are cascade-connected to form data driver modules and the driving thereof is controlled by a corresponding driver controller. The cascade connection reduces the number of signals driven in parallel, but in a high-definition display panel, the driver controller needs to drive signals which range from several dozens to more than one hundred. In addition, as the display panel screen size has been increased, the load capacitances between the driver controller and the data driver modules have been increased, which requires the driver controller to have high output drive capability. However, at the time when the driver controller drives more than one hundred signals by using its high output drive capability, if these signal lines change concurrently in the same direction depending upon display data, large amounts of transient current flow in output buffers in the driver controller. This causes power supply voltage and ground voltage supplied to the driver controller to vary greatly, which results in noise adversely affecting the driver controller itself and the peripheral devices thereof. Therefore, according to a conventional technique, a delay circuit is inserted for each output bit so as to delay the points in time when respective output data change, so that the transient currents instantaneously passing through the output buffers reach their peaks at different points in time. This reduces noise occurring due to variation in power supply voltage and ground voltage in the driver controller (see Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-8424). With the increase in the display panel screen size, signal line skews, resulting from the increased load capacitances between the driver controller and the data driver modules, have been increasing, while the operating frequency has been raised as performance has been enhanced. It has thus become difficult to satisfy AC timing of the data driver modules. However, for the above-described conventional technique, which uses the delay circuits to delay the points in time when the respective data change, it is difficult to achieve highly-precise phase control, because of ambient temperature, voltage variation, and other conditions. In addition, the conventional technique has the drawback of lacking a mechanism for adjusting AC timing.

Talpur Talpur () is a Sindhi speaking Baloch tribe settled in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan in Pakistan. The Talpur Baloch soon gained power and overthrew the Kalhora after the Battle of Halani. Peace between the two warring tribes was soon established and in the year 1783, His Highness Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur as the new Amir of Sindh. This brought an end to the ferocious fighting and the defeat of the ruling Kalhora by the Talpur tribes. Talpur dynasty The Talpur dynasty () () was a dynasty of the Talpur Baloch tribe that conquered and ruled Sindh, and other parts of present-day Pakistan, from 1783 to 1843. History In the middle of the 18th century, in the Sindehili were feudal lords of Balochi tribe of the Talpurs, who were in vassalage from the Kalhoras. Taking advantage of the fact that the population was extremely is outraged by the tyranny of the Nawab (ruler) Abdullah Nabi Kalhor, the leaders of the Talpurs raised in June 1779 an uprising and ousted Abdullah Nabis, seized power. Nawab fled to Kandahar, hoping to find support with his suzerain Timur Shah. Timur Shah agreed to help him, and in 1781 Abdullah Nabi with the assistance of The Afghan troops again became the ruler of Sind. However, fermentation in the country not only did not stop but broke out with renewed vigor. Relying on the support of the disaffected nawab population, the leader of the Talpurs Fatah Ali Khan expelled Abdullah Nabi from Sind in 1783. Sent Timur Shah to the aid of the rulers of Kalhor, a detachment of Afghan troops was defeated by the Balochs in 1786 near Shikarpur. The Talpur dynasty was defeated by the British in 1843 at the Battle of Miani. See also Mir References Category:Baloch tribes Category:History of Sindh Category:Sindhi tribes Category:Talpur dynasty

434 F.2d 209 UNITED STATES of America, Appellee,v.Thomas Robert HOSMER, Defendant, Appellant. No. 7639. United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit. December 4, 1970. U. Charles Remmel, II, Portland, Me., by appointment of the Court, with whom Thompson, Willard, Hewes & Smith, Portland, Me., was on brief for defendant-appellant. Roy R. Bartlett, Associate Gen. Counsel, Selective Service System, with whom Clarence R. Harris, Asst. Gen. Counsel, Selective Service System, Washington, D. C., and Peter Mills, U. S. Atty., Portland, Me., were on brief, for appellee. Before ALDRICH, Chief Judge, McENTEE and COFFIN, Circuit Judges. McENTEE, Circuit Judge. 1 Defendant was convicted of refusing to submit to induction into the armed forces of the United States in violation of 50 U.S.C. App. § 462(a) (1964). He had duly registered with his local draft board in Kennebunk, Maine, on August 29, 1961, shortly after his eighteenth birthday. From January 1964 until August 1968 he held a student deferment, except for a brief period during the winter of 1964-65 when he was reclassified I-A apparently because he had dropped out of college. On September 30, 1968, the local draft board ordered him to report for induction on October 23. But upon learning that he had obtained employment as a teacher at the Hampshire Country School in Rindge, New Hampshire, the board postponed his induction until June 1, 1969. 2 On May 6, 1969, defendant was ordered to report for induction on June 19. Three days later he wrote to the local board claiming a recurrence of a past knee injury, which he substantiated by letters from two doctors. On June 11 the board arranged for defendant's knee to be examined by an orthopedic specialist in Portland, Maine. Subsequent to that examination, he "fled" to Canada for two weeks and failed to report for induction on June 19. On June 30 he appeared at the local board office and informed the clerk that he had "evaded the draft." Upon his request for a new induction date, he was ordered to report on August 27. Defendant was notified on July 1 that the Portland physician had found him physically qualified to serve in the armed forces, and on August 26 he wrote to the Surgeon General's office in Hampton, Virginia, complaining that he had not been properly examined. He reported for induction on August 27, was found qualified but, after all of the proper warnings, refused to step forward. 3 On September 17 defendant was interviewed by a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was arrested on October 14, prior to which time he had consulted a Portland and also a Boston attorney. On October 24 he wrote the local board, "I believe that I am a Conscientious Objector." The board promptly mailed him SSS Form 150, the "Special Form for Conscientious Objectors," which he filled out and returned. In that form defendant stated that, although he practiced no religion at all, his beliefs in non-violence were "sincere and meaningful" so as to meet the test, as explained to him by his lawyer, laid down in United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163, 85 S.Ct. 850, 13 L.Ed.2d 733 (1965). He took the position that he had not been a conscientious objector prior to his arrest, explaining "My beliefs were dormant as far as having the depth of conviction I now feel which probably were (sic) catalyzed into deep conviction as a result of my refusal to be inducted and subsequent indictment." On December 29, the local board granted defendant a "courtesy appearance"1 but denied a request by his Portland attorney to be present. On January 6 the board wrote the defendant as follows: 4 "As a result of a courtesy appearance on December 29, 1969, and having carefully examined all evidence in support of your claim of conscientious objector, the local board determined not to reopen your classification, inasmuch as there have been no circumstances beyond your control which arose since you were mailed an order to report for induction on September 30, 1968."2 5 Defendant's principal argument can be summarized as follows: (1) Upon his submission of the SSS Form 150, the local board was required to reopen his classification; or, alternatively, even if not required to do so, the board did reopen his classification de facto at his "courtesy appearance." (2) The reopening of his classification cancelled his Order to Report for Induction. 32 C.F.R. § 1625.14 (Supp.1970). (3) He cannot be convicted of refusing to submit to an induction order that has been cancelled. Assuming, for the moment, that the first two points of this argument are correct, the third clearly is not. Defendant does not contend that the induction order was defective at the time he refused to submit to it. On the contrary, he claims that his conscientious objection "crystallized" after that date. Cf. United States v. Stoppelman, 406 F.2d 127, 131 n. 7 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 981, 89 S.Ct. 2141, 23 L.Ed.2d 769 (1969); United States v. Stafford, 389 F.2d 215, 218 (2d Cir. 1968). As we said in United States v. Powers, 413 F.2d 834 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 396 U.S. 923, 90 S.Ct. 923, 24 L.Ed.2d 205 (1969), "once a valid order to report for induction has been wilfully disobeyed, a crime has been committed, and `[w]hat occurs after refusal * * * is not relevant to that issue.'" Id. at 838. Accord, United States v. Stoppelman, supra, at 406 F.2d 131-133; Palmer v. United States, 401 F.2d 226 (9th Cir. 1968); United States v. Stafford, supra (by implication); Davis v. United States, 374 F.2d 1, 4 (5th Cir. 1967). Thus, even if defendant is correct that his induction order should have been cancelled in January 1970, he would still be guilty of refusal to submit to induction in August 1969 when his induction order was admittedly valid. 6 Moreover, we conclude that defendant's contention that his induction order should have been cancelled in January 1970 is also incorrect. Because defendant has raised some important questions about the meaning of Mulloy v. United States, 398 U.S. 410, 90 S.Ct. 1766, 26 L.Ed.2d 362 (1970), and other recent court cases, we will review this issue briefly. In doing so, we conclude that defendant's local board acted properly in every respect. 7 Defendant bases his contention that the local board was required to reopen his classification on Mulloy v. United States, supra. In that case the Supreme Court held that a local board is required to reopen a registrant's classification if he presents a prima facie case for reclassification which is not "plainly incredible, or * * * conclusively refuted by other information in the applicant's file." Id. at 418 n. 7, 90 S.Ct. at 1772. The government contends that the Mulloy ruling does not apply to a request for reclassification made after the registrant's induction order has been issued, citing Paszel v. Laird, 426 F.2d 1169 (2d Cir. 1970).3 We note that most courts that have been faced with this issue have not followed Paszel, concluding instead that a modified version of the Mulloy rule applies during the period after the induction order has been issued but prior to the induction date itself. See note 3 supra. Nevertheless, we see no indication in Mulloy that we should overturn the well settled rule that a registrant's right to have his classification reconsidered ceases after he refuses to submit to induction. See United States v. Powers, supra, and cases cited with it. 8 In view of our conclusion that defendant's claim, even if proved, would not constitute a defense to the crime charged, we see no need to reach the other arguments he has raised. 9 Affirmed. Notes: 1 A "courtesy appearance" is authorized by 32 C.F.R. § 1625.1(c) (Supp.1970) and is to be distinguished from a "personal appearance" to which defendant would have been entitled had the board decided to reopen his classificationSee 32 C.F.R. §§ 1625.13 and 1624.1 (Supp. 1970). 2 The board applied the standard set out in 32 C.F.R. § 1625.2, which provides that "the classification of a registrant shall not be reopened after the local board has mailed to such registrant an Order to Report for Induction * * * unless the local board first specifically finds there has been a change in the registrant's status resulting from circumstances over which the registrant had no control." 3 Relying on 32 C.F.R. § 1625.2 (Supp. 1970), quoted note 2supra,Paszel held that, after the induction order has been issued, the local board cannot reopen a classification until it has reviewed the entire case on its merits. Under the Paszel rule, a decision to reopen would require the same quantum of evidence as a decision to reclassify. Id. at 1174. This holding would appear to conflict with dictum in Mulloy v. United States, supra, in which the Supreme Court stressed that "evaluative" issues, such as registrant's demeanor and sincerity, should be reviewed after his case has been reopened so that he can be accorded the rights of personal appearance and appeal, 32 C.F.R. § 1625.13 (Supp.1970). Id. 398 U.S. at 416, 417, 90 S.Ct. 1766. The requirement that the board must find a "change in circumstances" before reopening a post-induction order case (32 C.F.R. § 1625.2) and the Mulloy dictum were reconciled by the Tenth Circuit in United States ex rel. Brown v. Resor, 429 F.2d 1340 (10th Cir. 1970). See also Lubben v. Selective Service System, Local Board No. 27, 316 F.Supp. 230 (D.Mass.1970); Lane v. Local Board No. 17, 315 F.Supp. 1355 (D.Mass.1970).

Say goodbye to one of a giant in the world of fantasy, horror and science fiction. Richard Matheson passed away on Monday at age 87. If you’re not really into fantasy, horror and science fiction novels and short stories, you still might know the Hollywood films based on Matheson’s stories. He was a prolific screenwriter in his own respect, with credits on the original The Twilight Zone (the legendary “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” episode is Matheson’s) and Star Trek (“The Enemy Within”). Matheson’s novels included “I Am Legend,” “The Shrinking Man,” “A Stir of Echoes,” “Hell House,” “Bid Time Returns” and “What Dreams May Come,” all of which received Hollywood movie treatments. It was a Matheson story – Duel – the story of a man trying to escape from a psychotic trucker – that helped to launch the career of a young Hollywood director named Steven Spielberg (made for TV, it was Spielberg’s first feature-length production). Truly, a giant among his peers. Petro Inventor of the transporter malfunction. John David Always has been one of my favorites writers for many great books and short stories and screenplays. Also, he created one of my favorite characters in Carl Kolchak, the Night Stalker.

(a) 0.4 (b) 1/48 (c) 5 (d) 7 b What is the closest to -2/539 in -4, -0.5, 1/4? 1/4 Which is the closest to 0.4? (a) 0.5 (b) 4/3 (c) -3/4 a What is the closest to 2/9 in 2, 3, 6? 2 Which is the nearest to 1? (a) -45 (b) 2/5 (c) 0.6 c Which is the closest to 2? (a) -3/5 (b) -0.5 (c) 4 c What is the closest to -2 in -0.2, -0.3, 0.13, 0.2? -0.3 Which is the nearest to -1? (a) 1/3 (b) -5 (c) 19 (d) 4 a What is the closest to 1/3 in 15, 0.1, 2, 2/3? 0.1 Which is the closest to 1? (a) -28 (b) 0.5 (c) 0.1 b What is the closest to 1 in 28, 0.4, 0.02? 0.4 What is the nearest to -0.35 in 11, -7, -2? -2 Which is the nearest to -77? (a) 0 (b) -0.4 (c) 0.2 (d) 0.4 b Which is the nearest to 72? (a) 5 (b) -30 (c) 2 a Which is the closest to 3? (a) 14 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 c Which is the closest to -3? (a) 1 (b) -6 (c) -1/5 c Which is the nearest to 0.2? (a) -2 (b) 0.2 (c) 1.1 (d) 0.4 b Which is the closest to -22? (a) -4 (b) 2/3 (c) -1 a Which is the nearest to 0? (a) -5 (b) 0.3 (c) 4/7 (d) -4/5 b What is the closest to -3 in 4, -2/3, -4.4? -4.4 What is the nearest to 1 in -4/5, 0.008, 0.2, -0.4? 0.2 What is the closest to -12 in -0.3, -1/3, 0? -1/3 Which is the closest to 109/5? (a) -5 (b) 0 (c) 3 (d) 5 d What is the nearest to 1 in -55, -5, -1/3, -2/3? -1/3 Which is the closest to -1? (a) 5/3 (b) -1 (c) 4.6 (d) -2 b Which is the closest to 0.1? (a) 5/4 (b) -2/7 (c) -2 (d) 105 b What is the closest to 1 in 2/5, 19, -2, 0.6? 0.6 Which is the closest to -2/3? (a) -3/7 (b) -64 (c) 2/7 a Which is the closest to 27? (a) -2/3 (b) -2/7 (c) -2 (d) 0.4 d Which is the nearest to -1/6? (a) -6 (b) -2 (c) -4 (d) 0.3 d What is the closest to 1/4 in 1/2, -0.008, 4/7? 1/2 Which is the closest to 1? (a) -1 (b) 1.4 (c) 5 (d) 10 b Which is the nearest to 0.4? (a) 0 (b) -4 (c) 3 a Which is the closest to 0? (a) -5 (b) 6 (c) 12 (d) 2/19 d Which is the closest to 2? (a) 1/3 (b) -3 (c) 2 (d) -1 c Which is the closest to 1/3? (a) -0.2 (b) 2/3 (c) 0.4 (d) -4/39 c Which is the nearest to 3/5? (a) 1.7 (b) 5 (c) -2/17 c Which is the nearest to -3/7? (a) 0.4 (b) 5 (c) -366 a Which is the nearest to 4/3? (a) -1 (b) 3/8 (c) -0.1 (d) -0.3 b Which is the nearest to 3.3? (a) 3 (b) -1.5 (c) -0.1 (d) -2/5 a What is the closest to 1/12 in -0.2, 3, -1/7? -1/7 Which is the nearest to 1? (a) -5 (b) 24 (c) 0.4 c Which is the nearest to -0.2? (a) 0.1 (b) 13 (c) 2/15 a Which is the nearest to -1? (a) 0.4 (b) 0.1 (c) 14/5 b Which is the nearest to -2/7? (a) 2 (b) -4 (c) 47/4 a What is the nearest to 1 in 5, 0.9, -2, -22? 0.9 Which is the nearest to -0.338? (a) 10 (b) 3 (c) 1 c Which is the closest to 0.3? (a) -1 (b) 4 (c) 3/4 (d) -8 c Which is the nearest to 6? (a) -1/4 (b) 8 (c) -5 b What is the nearest to -90 in -0.3, 4, 0.3? -0.3 Which is the nearest to 0.2? (a) -0.176 (b) -2/3 (c) -0.01 c Which is the nearest to 60? (a) -4 (b) -56 (c) 5 c What is the nearest to -0.1 in 19, -1, 3, 0.9? -1 What is the closest to -1 in 3097, -2/3, 1? -2/3 Which is the nearest to -1? (a) 391 (b) -0.2 (c) 0.5 b What is the nearest to 1 in -4, 2/3, -0.1, -99? 2/3 What is the nearest to -0.2 in 0.4, 0.5, 2/11, 4/9? 2/11 What is the closest to 2 in -1, -0.1789, 1, 4? 1 What is the closest to -0.2 in 29, -2, 0.3? 0.3 Which is the closest to 1? (a) -4 (b) -3 (c) -5/3 (d) 0.2 d Which is the nearest to 31? (a) -4 (b) 6 (c) -6/5 (d) -3 b What is the nearest to 0 in -2/13, 1/4, 7, 0.1? 0.1 Which is the nearest to -2/7? (a) 0.03 (b) 5 (c) 7 (d) 2/15 a Which is the closest to -2/9? (a) -2/23 (b) 4 (c) -0.2 c What is the closest to -1/5 in 6, 3, -3/5? -3/5 Which is the nearest to -1? (a) 14 (b) -7 (c) -0.6 (d) -0.4 c Which is the nearest to -1? (a) -3 (b) 58 (c) -4 (d) 5 a Which is the nearest to -1? (a) 5 (b) -2/7 (c) -1 (d) 6 c Which is the closest to -1? (a) 6.8 (b) -7 (c) 2/13 c What is the nearest to 0.1 in -4/3, 2/9, 5, -1/4? 2/9 What is the nearest to -1.9 in 0.3, -4, -0.2? -0.2 Which is the closest to 0? (a) -11 (b) 0.04 (c) -2/9 b Which is the nearest to -1? (a) -1/4 (b) 2/7 (c) -7 (d) -67 a What is the nearest to -0.9 in 5, -0.33, 24? -0.33 What is the nearest to 0.1 in 1/2, 0, 160, 8? 0 Which is the closest to -5? (a) -12 (b) -1/4 (c) -1.2 c What is the nearest to -0.1 in -169, -3, -4? -3 What is the closest to -10 in 2, 6, -2? -2 What is the closest to 0.1 in 7.5, 2, 0.2? 0.2 What is the nearest to -0.2 in 3, 4/5, 0.3? 0.3 Which is the nearest to -2? (a) 5 (b) 0.3 (c) 5.1 (d) 2/5 b What is the closest to 0 in 0.5, 0.4, -1? 0.4 Which is the closest to -1? (a) 0.3 (b) -0.2 (c) 2/569 (d) -2 b What is the closest to 4 in 1, -1, 1/3, -1/9? 1 Which is the nearest to 0.07? (a) 2/3 (b) -2 (c) -9 (d) 2 a Which is the closest to 269? (a) 0.3 (b) -1/4 (c) -1/6 a Which is the nearest to 1? (a) -1/9 (b) 5 (c) -0.11 (d) -2/5 c What is the nearest to -1 in 26, 4, 1/5, -0.26? -0.26 Which is the nearest to 46? (a) -1/2 (b) 0 (c) 0.1 c What is the closest to 0.1 in 3, 0.152, -3? 0.152 What is the nearest to -5 in 1/4, -4/9, 0.3? -4/9 What is the closest to 5 in -5, 0.2, 1, -0.4? 1 What is the nearest to 1 in -0.17, 2/7, 5, -5? 2/7 What is the nearest to -0.1 in -6, -3, 2/3? 2/3 What is the nearest to 1 in 0.4, 6, 142? 0.4 Which is the closest to 2/73? (a) 2 (b) -20 (c) -0.06 c Which is the closest to 2/7? (a) -4 (b) -2 (c) 3/5 (d) 5 c Which is the nearest to -0.1? (a) -3 (b) 4/5 (c) -14 b What is the closest to 0.1 in -5, 5, -3/4, 6? -3/4 What is the closest to -0.1 in 2/11, -1/6, -3/20, 4? -3/20 Which is the nearest to -0.3? (a) -1/6 (b) 3 (c) -0.1 (d) -12/5 a What is the nearest to 1 in -0.5, 1, 0.5, 0.1? 1 What is the closest to 1 in -0.18, 0.4, -5, 2/65? 0.4 Which is the nearest to -0.12? (a) 7 (b) -5 (c) 0 (d) -3 c Which is the closest to 1/4? (a) 0.1 (b) 3 (c) -2 (d) 5 a Which is the closest to 1? (a) -5 (b) -0.06 (c) 0.2 (d) -0.18 c Which is the nearest to 2/3? (a) 33 (b) -1 (c) 2/3 c Which is the nearest to 2.9? (a) -6/107 (b) -0.3 (c) -0.2 a Which is the closest to 0.1? (a) -0.3 (b) 2/5 (c) -695 b What is the nearest to -75 in 4, -3/2, 0.05, 0.3? -3/2 Which is the nearest to 1? (a) -0.3 (b) 127 (c) 1 (d) -0.07 c What is the closest to 14 in -5, 0, -0.2? 0 What is the nearest to -7 in 4, -2, -11? -11 Which is the closest to 0? (a) 0 (b) -5 (c) 1/86 (d) 1/4 a What is the closest to -1 in -3/23, 12, 0.1? -3/23 What is the nearest to -2/7 in -0.13, 2, 1/12? -0.13 Which is the nearest to 0.17? (a) -3 (b) -0.1 (c) 2/3 b What is the closest to 0 in 0.126, 3/7, -0.5? 0.126 Which is the closest to 33? (a) -10 (b) 3/4 (c) -4 b Which is the closest to -1/2? (a) 2 (b) 0.381 (c) 2/3 b Which is the nearest to -6? (a) 2/11 (b) 0.09 (c) -3/4 (d) 0.07 c Which is the nearest to 0? (a) -2/15 (b) -9 (c) 1 a What is the closest to -0.01 in -1/10, 4/11, -4, 3? -1/10 What is the nearest to -2/7 in -1, -2, -3/22, 5? -3/22 What is the nearest to 24 in 5, 0, 0.3, 0.06? 5 What is the nearest to 2 in 0.06, 143, -2/13, -1/4? 0.06 What is the closest to -2/3 in -32, -3, 2/11? 2/11 What is the nearest to 1/4 in -2/7, -0.5, 30, -0.2? -0.2 Which is the nearest to 3/7? (a) -5 (b) 0 (c) -0.3 b What is the closest to 2/7 in 2/49, -0.3, 2/11, 21? 2/11 What is the closest to -2 in 1/5, 2, 2/1695? 2/1695 Which is the nearest to -0.18? (a) -2/11 (b) 4 (c) 0.5 (d) -5 a What is the closest to 0 in -8, 6/7, -9, 2/9? 2/9 Which is the closest to -4/11? (a) 0.1 (b) 0.5 (c) -0.1 (d) 2/11 c What is the nearest to -0.02 in 0.4, 2/13, -5? 2/13 What is the nearest to -1/3 in -2/7, -0.1, 2, -3.3? -2/7 Which is the closest to -0.2? (a) 1 (b) 3 (c) -5 (d) -2.4 a What is the closest to 2/9 in 0.3, -3/7, 326? 0.3 What is the closest to 95 in -0.2, 1/2, -2? 1/2 Which is the closest to 0? (a) 2/5 (b) -4 (c) 30 (d) -2/37 d Which is the closest to 0? (a) 1/3 (b) -2/9 (c) 0.23 (d) -1 b Which is the nearest to 2/37? (a) 2 (b) 5 (c) -2 a What is the nearest to 8 in -2, 5, -5, -3? 5 What is the closest to 0.4 in 0.5, -0.05, -2/3? 0.5 What is the closest to -3/2 in -5, 1, 0.4, -0.6? -0.6 Which is the closest to 0.1?

Q: Best way to declare an interface in C++11 As we all know, some languages have the notion of interfaces. This is Java: public interface Testable { void test(); } How can I achieve this in C++ (or C++11) in most compact way and with little code noise? I'd appreciate a solution that wouldn't need a separate definition (let the header be sufficient). This is a very simple approach that even I find buggy ;-) class Testable { public: virtual void test() = 0; protected: Testable(); Testable(const Testable& that); Testable& operator= (const Testable& that); virtual ~Testable(); } This is only the beginning.. and already longer that I'd want. How to improve it? Perhaps there is a base class somewhere in the std namespace made just for this? A: For dynamic (runtime) polymorphism, I would recommend using the Non-Virtual-Interface (NVI) idiom. This pattern keeps the interface non-virtual and public, the destructor virtual and public, and the implementation pure virtual and private class DynamicInterface { public: // non-virtual interface void fun() { do_fun(); } // equivalent to "this->do_fun()" // enable deletion of a Derived* through a Base* virtual ~DynamicInterface() = default; private: // pure virtual implementation virtual void do_fun() = 0; }; class DynamicImplementation : public DynamicInterface { private: virtual void do_fun() { /* implementation here */ } }; The nice thing about dynamic polymorphism is that you can -at runtime- pass any derived class where a pointer or reference to the interface base class is expected. The runtime system will automatically downcast the this pointer from its static base type to its dynamic derived type and call the corresponding implementation (typically happens through tables with pointers to virtual functions). For static (compile-time polymorphism), I would recommend using the Curiously Recurring Template Pattern (CRTP). This is considerably more involved because the automatic down-casting from base to derived of dynamic polymporphism has to be done with static_cast. This static casting can be defined in a helper class that each static interface derives from template<typename Derived> class enable_down_cast { private: typedef enable_down_cast Base; public: Derived const* self() const { // casting "down" the inheritance hierarchy return static_cast<Derived const*>(this); } Derived* self() { return static_cast<Derived*>(this); } protected: // disable deletion of Derived* through Base* // enable deletion of Base* through Derived* ~enable_down_cast() = default; // C++11 only, use ~enable_down_cast() {} in C++98 }; Then you define a static interface like this: template<typename Impl> class StaticInterface : // enable static polymorphism public enable_down_cast< Impl > { private: // dependent name now in scope using enable_down_cast< Impl >::self; public: // interface void fun() { self()->do_fun(); } protected: // disable deletion of Derived* through Base* // enable deletion of Base* through Derived* ~StaticInterface() = default; // C++11 only, use ~IFooInterface() {} in C++98/03 }; and finally you make an implementation that derives from the interface with itself as parameter class StaticImplementation : public StaticInterface< StaticImplementation > { private: // implementation friend class StaticInterface< StaticImplementation > ; void do_fun() { /* your implementation here */ } }; This still allows you to have multiple implementations of the same interface, but you need to know at compile-time which implementation you are calling. So when to use which form? Both forms will let you re-use a common interface and inject pre/post condition testing inside the interface class. The advantage of dynamic polymorphism is that you have runtime flexibility, but you pay for that in virtual function calls (typically a call through a function pointer, with little opportunity for inlining). Static polymporhism is the mirror of that: no virtual function call overhead, but the disadvantage is that you need more boilerplate code and you need to know what you are calling at compile-time. Basically an efficiency/flexiblity tradeoff. NOTE: for compile-time polymporhism, you can also use template parameters. The difference between static interface through the CRTP idiom and ordinary template parameters is that CRTP-type interface are explicit (based on member functions), and template interface are implicit (based on valid expressions) A: What about: class Testable { public: virtual ~Testable() { } virtual void test() = 0; } In C++ this makes no implications about copyability of child classes. All this says is that the child must implement test (which is exactly what you want for an interface). You can't instantiate this class so you don't have to worry about any implicit constructors as they can't ever be called directly as the parent interface type. If you wish to enforce that child classes implement a destructor you can make that pure as well (but you still have to implement it in the interface). Also note that if you don't need polymorphic destruction you can choose to make your destructor protected non-virtual instead. A: According to Scott Meyers (Effective Modern C++): When declaring interface (or polymorphic base class) you need virtual destructor, for proper results of operations like delete or typeid on a derived class object accessed through a base class pointer or reference. virtual ~Testable() = default; However, a user-declared destructor suppresses generation of the move operations, so to support move operations you need to add: Testable(Testable&&) = default; Testable& operator=(Testable&&) = default; Declaring the move operations disables copy operations and you need also: Testable(const Testable&) = default; Testable& operator=(const Testable&) = default; And the final result is: class Testable { public: virtual ~Testable() = default; // make dtor virtual Testable(Testable&&) = default; // support moving Testable& operator=(Testable&&) = default; Testable(const Testable&) = default; // support copying Testable& operator=(const Testable&) = default; virtual void test() = 0; }; Another interesting article here: The Rule of Zero in C++

Monday, 19 November 2012 AronRa's credibility It appears that the request for AronRa to provide a citation for a quote he used has caused him to feel very insecure. In his reply to me on his 'Free Thought Bog' (or 'blog' - don't laugh - they mean well by the title) he begins by stating how willing he is to admit when he has made a mistake. He then writes: "...it seems my credibility is under attack by some YouTuber who actually thinks he has something worth crowing about. In the comments on his channel, I see allegations that I am a definitely dishonest coward, deliberately lying in order to further my ‘agenda’." I'm not sure how being asked to provide a citation is an attack on his credibility as such. Whilst implying that he might be a coward I have not actually said that he was "deliberately lying". At no point in my previous blog post did I do such a thing and neither did I do so on my YT video. Curious that he would immediately go on the defensive to such a degree. Still, it might be AronRa's penchant for second-hand sources which led him to such a conclusion since he then admits: "I haven’t actually seen either of the videos this guy has made about me." Fortunately he then found my blog and appears to suggest he read my response here. He then says some very odd things about who has the burden of proof when quoting people. He says: "So I am accused of misrepresenting Luther, as if he didn’t really say that unless I can prove that he did. Funny how the burden of proof shifts depending on whether one is arguing for faith vs any other topic." Sorry to have to be the one to break it to AronRa but this is how genuine scholarship works. If you claim a quotation was made by someone you bear the burden of proof to demonstrate they actually said it. Even if a quote is in keeping with what the author said elsewhere one must be able to provide a citation. Even when the quote is found in secondary sources it's authenticity would still be dubious. So it is good practice to make your citations and make them clearly for all to check. What is the alternative? Taking AronRa's word for it? Is that what he would prefer? He then cites some passages in Luther which he appears to think establish the same idea as the dubious quotation. Unfortunately they do no such thing! The dubious quote has Luther sounding like he thought there was no natural element to illness and that all physicians are useless. None of the citations AronRa makes from credible sources say those things. Instead what they do say is that Luther thought there was a spiritual element to illness which can sometimes be quite direct and even when it is not it is ultimately behind the phenomena of illness. These genuine quotes also point to the fact that Luther was quite torn on the issue of medical treatment. He bestows great praise on doctors whilst also sounding extremely cautious about some of their practices (which I will note in a moment was a pretty sensible position to take given the century he lived in). AronRa then goes on to demonstrate he did not read the quotes I gave from Luther fairly. He says: "In the same paragraph my antagonist cited, Luther criticized medical science as ‘fanciful theories’ in which he has no faith; because he noted that different healers gave different prescriptions for the same maladies." Does AronRa know what 'medical science' was claiming at the beginning of the 16th century? Many historians of medical science have documented how it was common for doctors, in Luther's time, to not even touch an ill patient in diagnosis. They were also reliant on ancient Greek wisdom for their techniques (which is one thing Luther wonders about). Medicine was dependent upon the wisdom of Galen and Avicenna the Persian from his work 'The Canon of Medicine'. People frequently died at the hands of physicians who practiced anesthesia by striking the skull with a wooden hammer! Perhaps AronRa is upset that Luther was not more impressed by blood-letting? The phrase 'medical science' is anachronistic to the early 16th century and yet AronRa appears completely unaware of this. He also appears completely oblivious to the Christian doctors of the 16th century who helped to change things for the better. [Which could be an idea for another blog in the future I think.] AronRa says: "He said medicine could be replaced with a good diet and an early bed time, and he said that graveyards are filled with those who followed their doctors’ advice." Well that is because the graveyards were full of people who went to the 16th century doctor or took their advice!! Also Luther did not say that medicine could be replaced with a good diet and plenty of sleep but rather Luther noted, from his own experience, that this advice had served him well in both avoiding and recovering from an illness. This advice remains quite sound to this day. AronRa fails to even engage with, or acknowledge the existence of, quotes which upset his narrow reading of Luther. Passages such as: "I do not deny that medicine is a gift of God, nor do I refuse to acknowledge science in the skill of many physicians." "Able, cautious, and experienced physicians, are gifts of God." are simply ignored by him. He then finishes his overly defensive blog by then returning to the made up accusation of lying. All in all an even more disappointing response than I could have imagined he were possible of. Even now I don't accuse him of being a liar. I would prefer to suggest that he's too ignorant of theology to be a liar. I have to say I’m impressed with the way you swooped in showing such knowledge of Luther, and the medical practices of the century he lived in. What else can I say, I think you made your points well and won the debate with him. My 2 cents: I found your original critique of Aron's interpretation and use of Luther quotes to be quite fair. I especially think your criticism on the importance of sourcing quotes to also be an important one. Interesting enough, one of the comments on Aron's blog did provide a source, which may or may not prove helpful in evaluating the authenticity, context and time for which the quote was given. In regard to the charity you advocate that should be shown to the Luther quote in question, is the same charity I wish both of you show each other. Ribbing each other here and there makes for a good show, but some of the comments are just excessive and do nothing more than to exacerbate negativity. I graduated from both a private religious college and seminary, so I am passingly familiar with "scholarly" theology (though I went on to become a psychologist and don't claim any expertise in theology). I, however, believe that lay person reviews from outsiders are often refreshing and breakup "group think." Yes, there might be a lot more wrong than right, but every once in a while they get something right that the "learned" got really wrong. I believe that Aron is someone who can be reasoned with. Although he doesn't have a lot of writings on his blog, he is obviously very intelligent. I believe a civil conversation could be had, even if you do only end up completely disagreeing with each other. Well I think you might have bought into his claim that I had accused him of lying when I did no such thing. I did, in fact, ask him for the citation. To this hour he has still failed to do that and also failed to admit he therefore ought not to be using it as being representative of Luther's views. I'm certain he would be denouncing a theist from doing such a thing if the quote was Einstein talking about God for example. Suddenly the standards would change I'm sure. I'm not convinced that makes for a reasonable person myself. I would suggest that it is laymen like AronRa who keep academics from being interested in getting involved with laymen. Good point. I looked for how he came up with the idea that you were accusing him of being a liar. I think, as evidenced by this line, he lumped you and the "commentors" on your YouTube channel into one entity: "In the comments on his channel, I see allegations that I am a definitely dishonest coward, deliberately lying in order to further my ‘agenda’."

Creating a new version of Windows is a complex proccess. We build not only for today but also for tomorrow. We ask ourselves questions like: will this operating system be relevant when people are flying their cars to work? We want our operating system to be ready for whatever our hardware partners come up with, be it a flying car, a flower vas that instantly updates you on your grandparents' blood pressure, or a pair of sneakers that tells you when it's time to let your dog outside. Or what if say for instance, you want to wave your hands in the air to control a computer like in Minority Report? Those are the types of things we at Microsoft are thinking and talking about. I've talked innovation; now I want to talk communication. In this day in age, information needs to move fast. And it not only needs to move fast, but it needs to get there quickly. If you're not fast and before the other guy, you're going to lose your job to a competitor. No employer would let someone who was always slow to respond to critical situations stay at his job for up to eight years. But let's look an entirely different scenario; let's look at the world's most important employee: the president. Say for instance someone is trying to tell the president that Osama Bin Laden has intentions of flying a plane into a large building. Well the president at his ranch may not get that message. Before Windows Vista, there was no way to communicate that message. E-mail, phone calls, and presidential daily briefings have become irrelevant in today's fast paced world and are inadequate. People don't just want to run countries from White Houses anymore. They want to run countries from the fields of their ranch compounds. So let's say Windows Vista were embedded in the chaps the president was wearing as he cleared bush out in Texas. The Vice President could use a rifle from the hills of Montana to text message the President's chaps and say, "Osama Bin Laden is going to attack the United States." We could even build motion sensing functionality and Bluetooth into that rifle so that he could use it to control an XBOX 360 using realistic motions. For example, he could play one of the hunting games available for XBOX 360 using realistic motions such as aiming and firing with the rifle, all while text messaging the President's chaps. We want to connect people, everywhere, all the time. And although the technologies I'm talking about may be a ways off, you'll find really interesting features in Windows Vista, like a really shiny, black interface. But at Microsoft, we don't want to just talk about what Windows Vista can do, but what it could do. Today I am truly honored to introduce to you all Windows Vista. It has been thoroughly tested by literally millions of users and is literally Microsoft's newest operating system. We're proud to announce that after six years of hard work, it's literally good enough to sell as a commercial product, and we think some of our customers will find it acceptable. We want them using Vista in really creative ways and saying to themselves, "This seems good enough, and I really like that shiny black task bar." MacRumors attracts a broad audience of both consumers and professionals interested in the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.

Q: Optional Parameters with EF Core FromSql Is it possible to use EF Core FromSql to execute a stored procedure that has optional parameters? I have been testing out a simple scenario to use as a template for updating old EF6 calls to EF Core calls. The test example I am using as a proof of concept: CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[TestNullableParameters] @addressId int = null, @city nvarchar(100) = null, @createdByUserId int AS BEGIN select * from CRM..Address a where (@addressId is null or a.AddressId = @addressId) and (@city is null or a.City like @city) and a.CreatedByUserId = @createdByUserId END My test code that calls this proc: [Test] public void TestNullableParameters() { var procName = "exec CRM..TestNullableParameters "; var context = _testContainer.Resolve<CRM2Context>(); var addressId = new SqlParameter("@addressId", 182); var createdByUserId = new SqlParameter("@createdByUserId", 1620); var parameters = new[] {addressId, createdByUserId}; var result = context.Address.FromSql(procName, parameters).ToList(); } This code does not work, as it states the procedure requires "@createdByUserId", which was not supplied -- it attempts to map createdByUserId to @city, and then has no value to map to @createdByUserId. If I try to define a parameter @city with value null, it states that the procedure requires a non-null value for @city. If I try to explicitly add a parameter list with only @addressId and @createdByUserId, it states that it is missing non-nullable @city. A: In order to skip the optional parameters, you should use the named parameter syntax @parameterName = parameterValue as explained in the Specifying Parameter Names section of the SQL Server documentation for executing stored procedures. Once you do that, there is no need to deal with DBNull and SqlParameters at all - you can use the FromSql overload accepting C# interpolated string and let EF Core create parameters for you. Thus the sample code for calling the SP can be reduced to: var result = context.Address.FromSql( $"exec CRM.TestNullableParameters @addressId = {201}, @createdByUserId = {1620}") .ToList();

Lamproderma Lamproderma is a genus of Amoebozoa in the family Stemonitidaceae. As of 2015, there are 46 species in the genus. Species Lamproderma acanthosporum Lamproderma aeneum Lamproderma alexopouli Lamproderma anglicum Lamproderma arcyrioides Lamproderma argenteobrunneum Lamproderma cacographicum Lamproderma collinsii Lamproderma columbinum Lamproderma cristatum Lamproderma cucumer Lamproderma debile Lamproderma disseminatum Lamproderma echinosporum Lamproderma echinulatum Lamproderma elasticum Lamproderma granulosum Lamproderma griseum Lamproderma gulielmae Lamproderma hieroglyphicum Lamproderma kowalskii Lamproderma latifilum Lamproderma laxum Lamproderma lycopodiicola Lamproderma maculatum Lamproderma magniretisporum Lamproderma meyerianum Lamproderma mucronatum Lamproderma muscorum Lamproderma nordica Lamproderma ovoideoechinulatum Lamproderma ovoideum Lamproderma piriforme Lamproderma pseudomaculatum Lamproderma pulchellum Lamproderma pulveratum Lamproderma puncticulatum Lamproderma retirugisporum Lamproderma sauteri Lamproderma scintillans Lamproderma spinulosporum Lamproderma splendens Lamproderma thindianum Lamproderma tuberculosporum Lamproderma verrucosum Lamproderma zonatum References Category:Myxogastria Category:Amoebozoa genera

An induction dose of propofol does not alter cerebral blood flow determined by single-photon-emission computed tomography. To examine the effect of propofol per se on cerebral blood flow (CBF), we measured CBF by single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) using a technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer before and after propofol administration. Ten healthy adult male volunteers were studied. Ten minutes after isotope injection, CBF was measured using a SPECT system. After this first SPECT scan, 1.5 mg.kg(-1) of 1% propofol was administered over 30 s and the same dose of isotope was injected 2 min thereafter. Ten minutes later, a second SPECT scan was carried out. A subtraction SPECT image was obtained by reducing the first SPECT image from the second SPECT image. Based on these SPECT images, various regions of interest (ROI) were traced. Changes in regional CBF to each ROI were analyzed by a comparison of the total gamma-ray counts in each ROI between the first and subtraction SPECT images. The total gamma-ray counts in each ROI did not change significantly after propofol administration. At this time, end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration and heart rate did not change, but blood pressure and oxygen saturation decreased slightly. The present result suggests that the induction dose of propofol does not alter CBF.

Free Will Is as Real as Baseball (2011) - benbreen https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/blog/2011/07/13/free-will-is-as-real-as-baseball/ ====== jasunflower Yes, the external laws are well understood, but what about the internal laws? It's like saying the finite world out there is well understood, so the infinite world within must also be understood therefore. I think you underestimate how much of the world is dependent on our psyches. If there are no beings, what is the use of speaking of a physical universe? Thus, beings are primary, their experience fundamental and non-negotiably there. Physics does not explain nor make any room for deliciousness, the color blue, or the experience of joy, so I think your argument against Free Will is about as real as the notion of Deliciousness in Physics -- not at all addressing the main point. Oftentimes we are tempted to say that "well there is a tiny probability that this tiny book on the shelf negates our whole understanding so far, but that's so unlikely, so let's make laws without examining every last book." And thus, we forsake completeness for convenience, and the very pursuit of truth is subjugated to emotional ease. It's easier to think that there's no free will rather than to consider we are wasting a valuable opportunity. In reality, causality has been demonstrated, and the quantum while interesting in addressing spontaneity can still not address the fundamental question of if or how a seed grows. In that case, consider that what is learned by a yogi or through meditation about the nature of reality, it's learned from accessing wisdom within, which is thusfar an unexplored realm in science. Yet, it is the one we share more intimately than even the rocks and the waves of the ocean and the dip and etude of the solar system. Our real-world experience is unaddressed by physics, so how can we negate the Anthropocentric-realism that we all experience thanks to observations made about the External World?

Q: What does `const char* yes[5]` represents in this line of code? I have a question about typedef in c++ for example: typedef const char* yes[5]; Does typedef gives a alternative name of const char*, so the alternative name of const char* is yes[5]? what does yes[5] here represents? and how to create two yes arrays and initializes one of the two? A: No. This declares a type yes which is an array of five const char * . See this link and type const char *yes[5]; inside the text area. A: No, this makes yes a new name for an array of 5 pointers to constant character data. The way to think of it is the expression after typedef looks like a declaration, and the name in the declaration is instead considered a name for the new type which is the type being declared. So typedef int x; makes x be a new name for int. This doesn't change with arrays.

Two three-wheeler drivers killed in Trincomalee [TamilNet, Monday, 26 December 2005, 11:19 GMT]Unidentified men shot dead Mr.Ramanan and knifed Mr.Wijeseelan to death Sunday night in two separate incidents in Trincomalee, security sources said. The body of Mr.Wijeseelan was recovered from the Kanniya-Wilgam Vihare junction, and the body of Mr.Ramanan was recovered near fourth milepost along Trincomalee-Kandy highway with gunshot injuries. Both were three-wheeler drivers, Police said. Unidentified men hired their three-wheelers separately. Mr.Ramanan went with persons hired his three-wheeler towards fourth-mile post at about 7.45 p.m. Sunday. Mr.Wijeseelan went with three-wheeler with hired persons Sunday night around 11.45 p.m.

TYGA Street NX-5 RS250R-S This is a TYGA project with a twist. Historically, we have always begun with a road bike and we then turned it into either race replica or a track bike. In this instance, we began with a GP bike and we turned it into a road bike. You may be wondering why, and we’d struggle to give you a rational answer other than to say why not? I think most 250 sportsbike owners have thought about or discussed building the lightest most powerful quarter litre bike for the road and how much fun it would be. So we’ve just run with that idea and instead of starting with a street bike and stripping it down to the bare essentials we’ve gone the other way, started with a completely stripped down GP bike and added as little as possible to make it street compliant. We like challenges! It sounds simple in theory but it required a bit of lateral thinking. Without further ado, we present you with the RS250R-S So let’s start with the basics. There was never going to be any doubt about which GP bike we would modify. We have always had an affinity for the Honda RS250 NX5s and we have a strong admiration for HRC. We know these bikes are now getting very collectable and some people might wonder if it is a wise to modify one. Well, the 1993 bike used for this project, while being a clean and tidy example, was not pristine and was missing stock bodywork and other components so was a worthy candidate to be taken in a different direction than just a straight restoration. So all you purists out there reading this can relax. No show quality GP bikes were harmed during the making of this project! Anyway, now we’ve got that out the way, a stock NX5 measures high 70s horsepower. That doesn’t sound that impressive until you consider the weight, or lack of, and that the power is measured at the back wheel not on an advertising spec sheet. It only weighs 98 kg dry which is the same as my 110cc scooter! The challenge was to keep as close as possible to these numbers while making the necessary changes to make it into a street bike. Many of the things which will make this bike street compliant involve wiring. Early on in the project, we decided to go for a separate harness in tandem with the stock NX5; one to run lights, horn etc. off. Matt is a very competent auto electrician, but he didn’t want to risk overlooking something, end up having a spike in the voltage and damaging any difficult to find and expensive NX5 electrical components. Besides, the concept is that this bike can be ridden to the track as a street bike and quickly converted back to pure racer so in this sense the extra removable loom makes sense. What about the charging system? Yes, well, we thought about fitting a lighting generator but, with only LED lighting and the anticipated relatively short trips this bike will make, the battery can easily hold enough juice. Look at it another way, you will need to strip down the top end for a check or rebuild by the time the battery needs a full charge. (This isn’t supposed to be a daily ride but a Sunday morning canyon racer!) So what exactly does the extra harness do? Well, we have a full lighting system including hi/lo headlights, taillight with brake light and turn signals. In addition to the lights, there is horn hidden behind the radiator and that is pretty much it. The harness is linked up to a lightweight lithium battery which in turn is held in place by a bespoke light aluminium battery box which sits under the seat and hooks on the subframe nice and discreetly. Power to the street harness is switched on via a secret lighting switch hidden away to prevent anyone fiddling with the lights when unattended. The only other thing to say about the wiring is that, because the main harness for powering the engine is independent, the ignition to the engine is controlled by the stock run switch on the handlebar. There is no ignition key and really it doesn’t need one because I am quite sure this bike is not going to be left unattended in any public space. Apart from the wiring, there were some other changes which the bike required for the street, at least to make it somewhat practical. Firstly, the NX5 usually runs open carbs. The later model has ram air and an enclosed air box. Our early model had just a tray so everything from stones to flies to passing bats when riding at night might get sucked into the carbs. This would play havoc with the jetting and wear out the single ring pistons at an even more alarming rate than it does anyway. The solution was to install one of the later ram air model enclosed air boxes which TYGA makes, and open the inspection door at the front to allow for air to enter the forward section. Within the air box itself, is a modification of the stone guard. Instead, of the guard, we installed a sheet of air filter supplied by Kitaco and then cut to the correct shape to fully seal the rear part of the air box where the carbs suck. We also made reliefs in the filter foam to allow the throttle and choke cables to pass through it, which brings me to the next modification. On a stock NX5, the chokes are operated by two knobs operated on the carb bodies themselves which can be accessed by either lifting the fuel tank and grabbing hold of them from the top or through the side hole in the air box. While this works ok, in fact some old school racer types might even feel this is part of the ritual of starting a 2 stroke GP bike ready for the grid, it is a somewhat clumsy and unsophisticated method for a street bike. Most bikes these days don’t even need a choke. Ok, as the rider, you might know that you are just working the choke levers to get the bike started, but with a fuel tank half off your bike and the engine spluttering, the two stroke sceptics at your local café looking on are going to be grinning ear to ear and making jokes about unreliable two strokes. We can’t be having that! So the solution is an elegant and discrete choke lever near the radiator which can be operated nonchalantly and discretely without making a spectacle of yourself. This, like most things, is a lot easier said than done but the design once we sorted it out is actually quite simple and easy to make. Our 3D printer came in handy here and the chokes are now operated via cables and the hardware in the photos to allow them to pull them up and allow them to return. The lever is modelled on a Honda NSR250 one but is a ‘mini me’ version. The cable splitter is a shorter version of the NX5 throttle cable splitter. It works flawlessly and because most components of this conversion are made from ABS plastic, does not add much to the weight of the bike, which is an all important consideration. The NX5 is designed to be a pure race bike, and as such, it doesn’t need a sidestand. It doesn’t even have an obvious place to mount one to. Being a pro arm, it is not even like you can easily mount one of those aftermarket MotoX style sidestands either. So this issue required a bit of lateral thinking. Leaning this gem of a bike up against a wall would be precarious and ugly. As mentioned earlier, our intention was to make every modification temporary so that it can be reversed at some time in the future or removed to go racing. An easy solution would have been welding or bolting on sidestand mounts but that would be a cop out. We needed to find a more elegant solution. As anyone who has worked or even seen one of these bikes up close will know, there is not exactly a lot of spare places to put things and after quite a lot of discussions and back and forth on solutions, we settled on the swing arm pivot to mount a bespoke sidestand. The sidestand pivot is held on the left side by means of a spring which goes through the swing arm shaft and prevents the sidestand pivot from falling out. The swing arm pivot bolt has a castle nut to lock the adjuster into position and this is comes in handy to also lock the sidestand pivot into position and prevent it from rotating. Of course not every castle nut will be in the same orientation so the lock stop on the sidestand pivot can be located in one of a number of orientations to enable it to rotate to the desired amount and no further so that the bike sits gracefully at the correct angle and is fully supported. After deployment, the sidestand is rotated in the normal way, but continues upwards and forwards until it fits neatly away between the frame and side of the fairing in a custom made cup which is linked to the dash sidestand warning light. It does require temporary detaching of the side fairing and R clip but this is an easy and quick job. We were initially concerned that the sidestand would look cumbersome and detract from the looks of the bike but we needn’t have worried. Hidden away behind the fairing, you hardly notice it at all. Of course, if it gets annoying and we don’t need it for track use, one spring and the whole assembly can be easily removed. Weight, by the way, is much less than say a stock NSR250 sidestand and comes in at just under 600g. Funny as it may sound, we nearly forgot to install a speedometer. So, a quick trip to the local cycle shop and we sourced a wireless bicycle speedo. We also sourced some miniature magnets to replace the ugly one supplied with the speedo kit and Matt 3D printed a custom magnet holder which is velcroed on the wheel rim. The sensor itself is hidden behind the front fender on a special custom built bracket. The meter itself was incorporated into the dash. More on that later. One thing we did consider, but up to now we haven’t yet accomplished, is a way of starting the engine without a push start. I must say, this is one aspect in which we are still not completely satisfied. Options would be fitting a starter motor but this would require quite a lot of additional weight and use precious battery power so then we would need a generator or a bigger battery which means even more weight. A kick start is not really viable without major modifications to the engine which is too precious to mess with. We are open to ideas but apart from parking on top of a hill and casually and silently gliding downhill out of sight from those pesky 2 stroke sceptics at the café, then unfortunately the actual starting ritual is going to be an old school bump start. As well as the road going technical modifications, our intention was to give this project a contemporary design and to provide it with the best in high performance. NX5s come equipped with very impressive brakes from HRC but we took this opportunity to upgrade nevertheless. The RSW250 Nissin forks are World GP250 championship spec and were sourced from Spain. As you’d imagine, they are exquisite. Stiction is almost non-existent and the bottom radial mounts are made from magnesium. The bottom triple is also RSW250, but to match the NX5 geometry and provide the correct ride height, a bespoke TYGA top triple clamp was specially made allowing for more ride height. While we were at it, handlebar clamps were made to suit the forks and mated to our handlebar tubes. The RSW250 specific Brembo rotors were donated by Harc-Pro. Calipers are nickel plated Brembo GP4-RXs and these are linked to the Brembo 19RCS master cylinder via HEL brake lines to complete a very high spec braking system. Needless to say on a 100kg bike on the street, the brakes are more than sufficient. The rear shock is Ohlins, but other than that, the other chassis modifications are mostly in detail such as extensive use of titanium bolts and fasteners etc. Wheels are exclusively supplied to TYGA to our specification to suit the NX5 with a 3.50 front and 5.50 rear made from forged aluminium. Weight is on a par with the HRC magnesium hoops but as well as looking more modern, they inspire more confidence than trusting possible cracking of the 25 year old magnesium Magteks. Other TYGA components are the stainless steel exhausts with carbon/Kevlar silencers, CNC step kit, 3D printed fuel filler cap and various stays and brackets such as the front and rear brake reservoir holders. Bodywork is by TYGA Performance and made from carbon with a Kevlar layer on the inside. The seat cowling is an adaptation of the TYGA Performance RGV 250 (BPFT-9026) unit but unlike the other NX5s we have installed this seat cowling to, we retained the light unit and completed the street conversion at the rear with a carbon registration holder and turn signals The lower fairing is modelled from an RSW250 design, as are the sides of the upper cowling. The front section of the upper is moulded from our NSR250 GP-T and grafted to fit the RS250. The fairing is attached to the frame by custom made stays with quick release R clips. The TYGA GP-T headlight required a custom meter stay to prevent collision with the RC valve servo motor, a consideration HRC did not have to worry about! While we are at the front end, the instrument dash, as mentioned earlier, is 3D printed from ABS and incorporates the stock HRC temperature gauge repositioned higher for better visibility and the bicycle speedometer. In the centre is the stock rev counter and idiot lights for the headlight indicator, turn signal and sidestand. To provide illumination at night, instead of tampering with the instruments to provide back lighting, we took another approach and installed front lighting provided by a custom made LED array attached to the front of the headstock. Both the speedometer and temperature gauges have carbon surrounds to retain the feel of the HRC racer. The front fender is a TYGA RC211V style model designed for an NC35 which has then been adapted to fit the RSW250 front end. The paintwork is done in our TYGA Performance corporate colours with the orange being the same fluorescent colour found on our various other projects so what with the projector beams and bright paint, this bike will be noticed approaching other road users. That just about sums up the specification and now it is time to look at the performance. For the lucky few who have experienced sitting on a street 250 sportsbike then if you imagine how an RGV, Aprilia RS-250 or even an NSR250 feels, well the NX5 is familiar in some ways but different in others. The GP bike by comparison is much smaller and lighter. It is fair to say that the RS250 was never designed to fit a full grown adult of western proportions, and no concession is made whatsoever for comfort. In comparison to say an NSR250 which is hardly lardy or soft, everything feels smaller, stiffer, harder and lighter. You know this bike is designed for one purpose and one purpose only and that is to race. Hmmm, so how is this going to feel on the street? Only one way to find out, sidestand up, chokes on and now for that embarrassing bump start. The engine quickly coughs into life and all your senses are given a treat. There is clatter of the dry clutch, the induction roar, the howl of the exhausts and that is just the sense of sound. On top of that, the premix burns inefficiently on choke and clouds of blue smoke waft through the air. With the breeze, the bike becomes engulfed and with the beams of the projector beam headlights shining through, it gives you a sense of drama similar to a new model launch; only this smoke comes with the associated aroma of two stroke oil burning not dry ice. It gets in your nose and you can taste the A747. Being a race bike, the engine needs to be under load so you need to constantly blip the throttle in neutral. As the revs rise each time you blip, it vibrates a little. It is not a nasty vibration like on an old 70s two stroke but just enough to let you know that this is a proper racer, no sissy rubber engine mounted NSR250 engine here! In no time, the engine is warm enough to disengage the chokes and you need to continue to blip the throttle with more revs to get the bike up to temperature. Once 55 degrees is showing on the HRC digital display, it is time to engage the dry clutch and get underway. Gear ratios are close so getting away requires a fair amount of slipping the clutch or you risk stalling it. Once the clutch is out and you are ready to change up, you need to remember it is a race shift but once you have got the hang of it, the RS250R-S is surprisingly easy bike to ride in traffic on the highway. The NX5 is much more tractable than say an NF5 and the jetting is right on the money with smooth delivery from 4,000 rpm. The overall small size, geometry and light weight allow for easy filtering through the traffic. The brakes and suspension are so unfazed by the everyday street conditions that it helps to calm an otherwise anxious first ride. I mean, even though you know it has all the right street gear, it still feels a bit naughty to be out on a public highway on such a bike. After a brief ride, I flick on the right indicator and move to the slip road to make a U turn. With some difficulty due to the limited steering lock, I manage to turn it in the two lanes on the other side of the road. Of course, with such a bike, I was getting looks before, but now I’m feeling a bit self-conscious due to more or less being on a collision course with a street vender on a scooter and sidecar going up the wrong way in the hard shoulder. Other U turn traffic is building up behind me and also on the highway to my left so I’ve pretty much blocked one entire carriageway and I feel I’m being stared at… I can’t turn tighter and I can’t back up because there is a car behind. Not much I can do except wait and hang out in the slow lane at a 45 degree angle to the kerb and let the lumbering street seller outfit pass by me. Having blocked the traffic I have given myself some clear road as a result, I give it some revs, let out the lever to easy the noisy clutch and pull away in first gear which feels like 3rd creating a cloud of smoke in the process. I concentrate on the race shift and the feeling is not so much of one of great power but one of nimbleness and lightweight and this is reflected in the rapid acceleration that eventually comes once I’ve got into the power band. Not wishing to push the top end performance quite yet, I short shift in the top two gears (it is geared for 270 km/h) and then soon slow down as my turn off to base is fast approaching. I apply the brakes with one finger lightly on the lever and I feel the bike pull up way too fast or I will stop in about half the distance I was expecting so I let the lever go and take another bite and come gently to a stop at the junction. Back at base and time to reflect. My expectations were quite high but I’m really impressed. Not only with the performance and proof of concept but also that nothing broke, nothing came lose or needed adjusting. My only negative criticisms would be the cycle speedo lags and is really only useful at constant speeds but seeing as we nearly forgot to install it, I’m not going to worry about that small detail. Turning circle of a super tanker is going to be planned for in future too but not a biggie either while on the open road. Of course, we didn’t build this bike for commuting and the next step is to get out on the back twisty roads to push the limits. This sounds like a job for Matt! Matt's Impressions: There was plenty of excitement running though us all on the run up to the first real world shakedown of the RS250R-S. Would it be user friendly or a complete waste of our efforts? Having ridden and raced 250GP bikes, I am quite aware of the (huge) differences between a full on GP bike and a road going race replica, such as our favourite Honda NSR250 for example. The GP bikes have a rigid chassis with firm suspension, whereas the street going replica have a somewhat more forgiving and generally less sophisticated setup. First task is to pick the RS up off the fully CNC machined side stand and tuck it away into the faring. Out of sight, out of mind. Flicking on the electrics brings all the street legal gear into play. Still feels like a GP bike though. The starting procedure is typically 90’s race protocol. Fuel on, choke on, select first gear and give it a push. However, now things are a little easier than the GP bike, as the fuel tap can be accessed without having to lift the tank or open little doors, and the remote choke lever makes things very simple. A quick push, drop the clutch and the naughty little stroker splutters into life. Back into neutral, chokes off and gentle blipping of the throttle brings the temperature up to 55°C and into the “Go Zone”. First gear…..a fistful of revs and we’re away! Blimey!! Need to have a twiddle with the suspension. A little less compression damping sorts out the choppiness of the race orientated forks and shock. Off we go again. The engine is of course aimed more for high rpm use, so I didn’t expect much midrange. The final gear ratio is as low as we have, but this was never really meant to be used on the road. Oh well, just have to ride a gear lower than one normally would. But once on the move this little lightweight stroker really gets a move on. Even short shifting through the slick gearbox, things are happening fast. Corner coming……hard on the brakes. Wow, these brakes are better than expected, with the RSW forks offering a firm but very stable feeling. The front Pirelli grips hard as we sail through the turn on rails. On with the gas and the rear tyre hooks up while the Ohlins shock keeps things well under control and we shoot off down the straight. “Nimble” is a word that is often used by motorcycle journos, but it’s a word that should be reserved for use only with HRC’s finest. Absolutely no trouble at all flicking the bike back and forth through the twisties. A few little bumps here and there do try to upset things, but the HRC steering damper and top shelf suspension stops things getting out of control. Potential top speed is a little limited by the low final gearing at around 135mph, but this is of course plenty fast enough for road use. Of course, we never go above legal speeds so won’t know the true top speed until we get it to the track. So the pros and cons? Well, the first “pro” is of course the pose value. A fully street prepared, 250cc, two stroke Grand Prix machine is hard to beat parked outside your favourite coffee shop/chip shop. And with its high power to weight ratio and outstanding agility, it’ll beat most street bikes on the back roads on a sunny Sunday morning. The top level brakes and trackday tyres will bring you to a safe stop should nature (or other road users) spring any surprises. The “cons” are related to this being a GP bike. Having to push start is a bit of a pain, but as the jetting is pretty spot on it’ll fire into life easily and can be done straddling the bike and paddling along, so not a disaster. The turning circle is also rather limited, requiring a couple of goes at turning it around in a regular sized street. Comfort is somewhat compromised by the hard seat, but that’s not a big problem because if your bum is in the chair for too long then you’re on the wrong type of road! Fuel anxiety is another limiting factor. This is a full on, early 90s race spec engine and as such drinks premixed avgas 100LL and Castrol A747 at an alarming rate, so short trips are required. This is certainly no motorway cruiser! Of course we could modify it to run pump fuel, and then mix the oil in the gas station, but where’s the fun in that? And everyone loves the smell of avgas and A747 right?.....right? So, in a nutshell, the TYGA RS250R-S is an amazing little street bike that’ll make most other bikes on the road look silly. Short trips through the winding back roads are where it excels, so forget using it as an everyday commuter. What would I change? Not a thing! It’s perfect just as it is. Maybe my opinion will change in another hour or so when the adrenalin has worn off, but unlikely. The biggest problem now is what to build and ride next as the RS250R-S will be very hard to better.

Q: Check when data is returned in Angular I have a method which gets data from session storage. I am now trying to check when the data is available before using it. How can I do this. Here is my code. service.ts getStoredData() { const data = JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem('myData')); return data; } component.ts In my constructor I have const storage = this._storage.getStoredData(); I would like to wait until the data is ready as it currently console.logs undefined A: You can use polling and when the data is ready, just stop polling: import { interval } from 'rxjs'; dataReady = false; constructor() { const subscription = interval(1000).subscribe(n => { console.log("Counting " + n); if(this._storage.getStoredData() !== undefined) { subscription.unsubscribe(); this.dataReady = true; } }); } and use dataReady

Q: But how can I check and wait with PowerShell if provisioning of the SiteCollection is complete I have used CSOM and PowerShell to create a SiteCollection in o365. $tenant.CreateSite($properties) $ctx.ExecuteQuery() But how can I check and wait if provisioning of the SiteCollection is complete? Thanks for your help Stefan A: You can do the followin in PowerShell: #retrieve the SPO Operation return value during creation $spOnlineOperation = $tenant.CreateSite($properties) #load the tenant object $ctx.Load($tenant) #load the SPO operation $ctx.Load($spOnlineOperation) #run the command $ctx.ExecuteQuery() #wait for SPO Operation to complete while($spOnlineOperation.IsComplete -eq $false) { write-host “Waiting…” -ForegroundColor Yellow Start-Sleep 10 $spOnlineOperation.RefreshLoad() $tenantCtx.ExecuteQuery() } Write-Host "Completed creation of site collection." Similarly in CSOM: SpoOperation spo = tenant.CreateSite(siteCreationProperties); ctx.Load(tenant); //We will need the IsComplete property to check if the provisioning of the Site Collection is complete. ctx.Load(spo, i => i.IsComplete); ctx.ExecuteQuery(); Console.WriteLine("Waiting for site collection to be created."); //Check if provisioning of the SiteCollection is complete. while (!spo.IsComplete) { //Wait for 30 seconds and then try again System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(30000); spo.RefreshLoad(); ctx.ExecuteQuery(); } Console.WriteLine("Site collection created.");

Pirates Advance To CIT "Final Four" East Carolina advanced to the Final Four of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament with a 70-58 win over Loyola Maryland Tuesday night at Minges Coliseum. Loyola University Maryland did not score for a stretch of nearly six minutes in the second half, enabling East Carolina to turn a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead. The loss ends the Greyhounds season with a 23-12 record, the second-most wins in school Division I history. East Carolina (21-12) scored the first eight points of the game, but Loyola responded with nine in a row to take the lead on a Dylon Cormier layup less than five minutes in. The Pirates retook the lead on a Ty Armstrong jumper the next time down the court, but after two tie scores, Cormier put Loyola up 19-17 with 7:16 on the clock. R.J. Williams scored Loyola's next five points on a pair of free throws and a three from the top of the perimeter, and Loyola was up five, 24-19, with 4:37 on the first-half clock. An Olson jumper pushed the lad to seven, but East Carolina would pare it back to four with 3:21 left. Kemp, who went 6-of-10 from the free-throw line in the first half and 9-of-13 in the game, made 1-of-2 in consecutive trips for the Pirates before an Etherly jumper pushed Loyola back up seven with 2:21 on the clock. Loyola had held without a field goal since the 9:17 mark until Paris Roberts-Campbell hit a three at 1:29 to get the Pirates back within four. Campbell wasn't done, hitting another three on East Carolina's next possession to make it a 30-29 Loyola lead with under a minute on the clock. Brooks made a short hook-shot with less than 30 seconds left, but Kemp scored on a dunk and was fouled with just over a second left before the break, and he hit the free throw to send the teams to the locker room tied at 32-32. Cormier scored twice, and Winbush added a jumper in the first 90 seconds of the second half, giving Loyola a six-point lead and forcing an East Carolina timeout. The Pirates went on a 7-0 run that gave them the lead, 39-38, on the back end of two free throws by Armstrong. Loyola went back up on a Brooks putback at 16:16, but three Miguel Paul free throws 14 seconds back on top. An Olson jumper at 12:26 gave the Greyhounds a 45-44 advantage, but it would be their last of the game. East Carolina scored the next nine points and held Loyola without a point until Olson scored again, this time on a layup, at 6:39. Kemp led all players with 20 points, and Robert Sampson had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Online Public Information File Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.

{ "index": 6, "lineNumber": 1, "column": 7, "message": "Error: Line 1: Unexpected number" }

[Schistosomiasis of the urinary bladder]. A 12 year old male immigrant from Somalia was admitted to hospital after several years of haematuria and dysuria. Microscopic examination of the urine revealed eggs of the Schistosoma haematobium. Urine culture was negative. Cystoscopy showed a characteristic bilharzial tubercle, and numerous sandy patches were also seen. Mucosal biopsy showed schistosoma eggs, some with calcification. There was squamous cell metaplasia and infiltration of plasma cells and eosinofilic granulocytes. The patient was treated with praziquantel 600 mg x 4 for two days. Three months later no schistosoma eggs were seen in his urine and cystoscopy was negative. In immigrants from countries where bilharzia is endemic, it should be considered a differential diagnosis in patients with haematuria.

[Incisión cervical transversa en disección radical de cuello]. La disección radical de cuello es la única forma de estadificar a pacientes con neoplasias con riesgo de metástasis ganglionares. Se han efectuado diversos tipos de incisiones a lo largo de la historia, con el objetivo de obtener una exposición suficiente que permita la resección completa de los grupos ganglionares en riesgo. Es importante combinar la seguridad oncológica con unas adecuadas estética, funcionalidad y calidad de vida. Evaluación retrospectiva del resultado obtenido con la incisión transversa en el cuello en pacientes sometidos a disección radical. El parámetro utilizado para saber si esta incisión es adecuada es el número de ganglios disecados. Son 35 pacientes, 30 con metástasis de carcinoma epidermoide y 5 con metástasis de melanoma. La media de ganglios disecados fue de 25. Una sola incisión permitió la disección de los cinco niveles ganglionares; no se requirió convertir la incisión ni hacer ampliaciones verticales. El resultado cosmético fue satisfactorio en todos los pacientes, y no hubo complicaciones mayores. La incisión cervical única transversa permite el acceso a los cinco niveles cervicales y puede ser ampliada bilateralmente. En la presente serie, la media de ganglios disecados fue de 25, número suficiente para considerar al procedimiento completo. El resultado estético fue satisfactorio. Radical neck dissection is the only way to stage patients with neoplasms at risk of lymph node metastases; various types of incisions have been made throughout history, the goal: to obtain sufficient exposure to allow complete resection of the nodal groups at risk. It is important to combine oncological safety with adequate aesthetics, functionality and quality of life. Retrospective evaluation of the result obtained with the transverse neck incision in patients submitted to radical neck dissection, the parameter used to know if this incision is adequate is the number of dissected lymph nodes. There are 35 patients, 30 with metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma and 5 with melanoma metastasis. The average of dissected lymph nodes was 25. A single incision allowed the dissection of the five nodal levels, it was not necessary to convert the incision or make vertical enlargements; the cosmetic result was satisfactory in all patients, there were no major complications. The unique transverse cervical incision allows access to the five cervical levels, it can be enlarged bilaterally; in the present series, the mean number of dissected lymph nodes was 25 enough to consider the procedure as complete. The aesthetic result was satisfactory.

Q: Finding collocation matrix $$ u_0, u_1, u_2 = 0, 1, 5$$ $$ p_0, p_1, p_2 = 1, 2, -6 $$ How can we derive a collocation matrix when the Newton's Polynomials are like this: $$ P_i(u) = \prod^{i-1}_{j=0}(u-u_{i}) $$ $$ P_0(u) = 1 $$ The answer is supposed to be this: $$ \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 & 0 \\ 1 & 1 & 0 \\ 1 & 5 & 20 \\ \end{bmatrix} $$ But I don't understand how. I understand it for the first column because $$P_0(u) = 1$$ but I don't get which exact values of $u$ are being used for for the other columns $P_1$ and $P_2$. I am probably interpreting the product expression wrongly. A: Each column corresponds to a function $P_0, P_1$, and $P_2$ and the rows corresponds to the points $u_0, u_1, u_2$. $$P_1(u)=u-u_0=u-0=u$$ Hence the second column just takes the value of $u_0, u_1, u_2$. $$P_2(u)=(u-u_0)(u-u_1)$$ Hence the first two entries of it is $0$ and the last entry is $$(u_2-u_1)(u_2-u_0)=5(4)=20$$ $p_i$ doesn't play a role in the current computation.

Last month's dramatic defeat of England was the Ireland Under-20s' fourth successive victory at Dubarry Park, their Athlone fortress for the Six Nations Championship. France are next up for Friday's Electric Ireland encounter at the midlands venue (kick-off 7.45pm). The Ireland Under-20s have a wonderful record at Dubarry Park over the past six seasons and a new-look squad is bidding to build on the recent highest ever finish in the IRB Junior World Championship that included wins over England and South Africa. Captain Luke McGrath, Stuart Olding and Josh van der Flier are the only survivors from that competition in South Africa last summer. Mike Ruddock's youngsters showed great resolve and wonderful spirit in that encounter and worked tremendously hard particularly late in the game when they had two players sin-binned. Their pack really fronted up to the England juggernaut and the back-line finally clicked to unlock the visitors' defence with Tom Daly and Robbie Henshaw combining smartly to set up Rory Scholes' dramatic late try that sent the thousands of Ireland supporters home in rapturous mood. Henshaw is an injury doubt as he had to be replaced in Connacht's win over Zebre last Friday night, while out-half Steve Crosbie, who missed the win over England, is another injury worry having suffered a knock in the loss away to Scotland. Indeed, with better fortunes from place-kicking, Ireland could well be playing to secure the Championship title in Athlone on Friday night. Corinthians player David Panter looks like holding his berth on the wing, while young Cork hurling star Darren Sweetnam is another back worth watching out for. If Henshaw is ruled out, his fellow Connacht Development player Darragh Leader of Galwegians should get the nod at full-back. Daly and Rory Scannell are a formidable pair in the centre, while McGrath is a key man at scrum half. The Ireland pack struggled somewhat early on against Wales but put in a tremendous shift against England and dominated the scrums in Scotland. Loosehead prop Peter Dooley from Birr was a tower of strength in the front row battle with hooker George McGuigan also a huge influence. Gavin Thornbury and John Donnan form a competitive second row partnership and the red-haired Conor Joyce is a top class number 8. Like their senior counterparts, France are not enjoying the best of campaigns with just one victory over Italy to their credit. Wales were comfortable 27-13 victors in Clermont while England piled on late scores for a clear-cut 40-10 win. But they have some decent players in their squad, notably scrum half Baptiste Serin while wingers Maxime Wieprecht and Gabriel Lacroix are well capable of notching a try or two. France will certainly be playing to restore pride and will be dangerous foes, but if Ireland produce a sustained, cohesive performance they will get a bumper home crowd roaring them on at Dubarry Park where the boys in green have such a wonderful record. Simon Zebo, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray, Cian Healy, Peter O'Mahony, Sean O'Brien, Craig Gilroy, Keith Earls and Paddy Jackson all played with the Ireland Under-20s in Athlone in recent seasons before going on to play at senior level. So, if you want to see the rugby stars of the future up close and savour the atmosphere, then Dubarry Park is the place to be on Friday night. But come early! Tickets are now on sale at the Bounty for this highly attractive match. Family tickets are excellent value at €30 for two adults and two children in the covered terrace. Stand tickets cost €20 each and are selling fast already, as is the pre-match function where you can enjoy a three-course meal with wine and also have a reserved seat in the stand for only €40 per person. Group bookings are welcome. All pre-match function and/or match ticket enquiries/bookings to Geraldine at 0861732711. Discount vouchers are available to schools - these admit secondary school students for €5 and national school pupils go free when accompanied by an adult. Discounts also for groups. Directions: Dubarry Park is easily accessed off the Dublin/Galway N6 motorway via exits 10 & 11 with hundreds of car park spaces. The stadium is also just off the N55 national route serving Mullingar, Cavan and Longford. There is a reserved area for buses but, if you are bringing a coach, contact the club at 0861732711 in advance. Directions and map to the ground can be found on the Buccaneers RFC website.

Press Releases Masdar Institute Gears up for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Achievements and Opportunities for Research Collaboration in Response to UAE Innovation Strategy Goals to be Highlighted in Weeks Ahead 13 January 2015 Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, is gearing up to showcase its efforts to promote sustainable technologies and innovation in the UAE at the upcoming Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), taking place from 17 - 24 January. Masdar Institute will be making a number of significant announcements at ADSW that will further the UAE’s strategic goals in the areas of energy, human capital development and innovation. “We are constantly working to bridge the gap between the inventive potential of our researchers and the science and technology innovation goals of the UAE. Our major announcements, collaborations and panel discussions taking place during ADSW all focus on further contributing to the goals Masdar Institute shares with the UAE government and other regional partners,” said Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute. The UAE Innovation Strategy, announced in October 2014, aims to make the UAE one of the world’s most innovative countries by 2021 and requires all UAE government entities to reduce spending by 1% and to dedicate those savings to research and innovation projects. In particular, the strategy targets seven sectors for innovation - renewable energy, transport, education, health, technology, water and space. With its five research centers currently leading hundreds of research projects of relevance to Abu Dhabi’s strategic needs, Masdar Institute aims to facilitate further collaborative research during ADSW. Masdar Institute has taken the additional step of mapping its iCenters and research objectives to the seven sectors identified in the National Innovation Strategy. “Sustainability is part of our very mission and it helps to drive our contribution to economic diversification in the UAE. Our students and faculty dedicate the majority of their time to pursuing research of relevance to the UAE’s strategic and sustainability needs. It is obvious then that ADSW is an important event in our calendar, as it gives Masdar Institute the opportunity to not only showcase its efforts, but to also plan and collaborate for even greater ones,” said Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute. As part of its efforts to help advance the UAE’s innovation ecosystem and culture of R&D, Masdar Institute will be hosting an Innovation Zone at ADSW highlighting key research projects demonstrated by Masdar Institute students, a speed mentoring activity, as well as panel discussions and workshops led by faculty members and senior management of the institute. Visitors to the Masdar Institute stand (Stand #5350) will be met with faculty, students and research experts who can provide useful insight into the university’s operations and accomplishments. Organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, ADSW 2015 is the ground-breaking global forum that unites thought leaders, policy makers and investors to address the challenges of renewable energy and sustainable development.

Share story Tim Eyman’s latest anti-tax initiative, which could slash state tax revenues by $8 billion over the next six years, is headed to Washington’s November election ballot. Initiative 1366 would reduce the state’s 6.5-cent sales tax by a penny unless the Legislature sends a tax-limiting constitutional amendment to the ballot for a public vote next year. Such an amendment would reinstate a popular two-thirds supermajority-vote requirement for the Legislature to pass any tax increases without a public vote. A simple majority of lawmakers would suffice for taxes sent to voters for approval or rejection. Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman said Wednesday the measure had qualified for the fall ballot based on a sample check of petition signatures. Backers submitted about 340,000 signatures, well above the 245,372 required. The supermajority-for-taxes concept contained in I-1366 has been endorsed by Washington voters in five previous initiative votes. But the state Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional in 2013. Because the state Constitution cannot be amended through a citizens initiative, I-1366 seeks to goad the Legislature into referring an amendment to the ballot next year. Doing so itself would require a two-thirds vote of the state House and Senate. Eyman said Wednesday that I-1366 is “all about protecting the taxpayers from Olympia’s insatiable tax appetite. Whenever people ask why our initiative is necessary, all we say is: ‘Did you see how tax-obsessed Olympia was this year?’ ’’ Opponents, including unions, Democratic legislators and education advocates, argue the measure would set up a terrible choice for lawmakers. “He’s proposing something that is incredibly destructive. It’s a hostage-taking scheme,” said Andrew Villeneuve, executive director of the Northwest Progressive Institute, who is heading one of two registered political committees opposing the initiative. Critics argue Eyman’s latest proposal could lock the state into its current regressive tax structure and make it harder to meet financial demands, including additional K-12 schools funding required by the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision. The League of Education Voters called the proposal “another mean-spirited distraction” from Eyman in a statement Wednesday. Cutting the sales tax would cause “devastating cuts to our schools” and violate the McCleary ruling, the group said. Opponents of Eyman’s proposal say they’ll to sue to try to keep it off the ballot, arguing the measure illegally tries to coerce the Legislature into putting the constitutional amendment on the ballot. A coalition including Democrats, parents of school children and others plan to announce the lawsuit at a news conference Thursday in Seattle. The I-1366 campaign has raised more than $1.7 million, with its largest backing coming from Clyde Holland, a Vancouver-area apartment developer, who has donated $540,000. The campaign has spent about $1.3 million, mostly on paid signature gatherers. Opponents have yet to report substantial campaign donations, but Villeneuve predicted the campaign will ramp up quickly once people realize I-1366 will be up for a vote. The state Office of Financial Management (OFM) on Wednesday released a legally required fiscal-impact statement estimating I-1366 would reduce tax revenue for the general-fund budget by $8 billion between the 2016 and 2021 fiscal years, if the tax cut became law. The cut would be avoided if lawmakers refer the constitutional amendment to the 2016 ballot, regardless of whether it passes. If the tax cut were triggered, the $1.4 billion reduction in fiscal 2017 would be more than the $1.3 billion in additional funding the state Legislature devoted to K-12 education in the recently approved 2015-17 budget. At the same time, OFM projected a lower state sales tax would stimulate some added buying by consumers, resulting in additional tax collections of $226 million over the same period for cities and other local governments. I-1366 is one of two initiatives that have qualified for the November ballot. Initiative 1401, bankrolled by billionaire Paul Allen, would make it a crime in Washington to sell or trade body parts derived from 10 exotic endangered species, including elephants, tigers, lions and sharks.

Senong Comments On Absence Of 5 PSL Players From WC Squad Thabo Senong Comments On Absence Of 5 PSL Players From World Cup Squad Amajita Head Coach, Thabo Senong, announced his 28-man U20 World Cup Squad yesterday and has commented on the crisis he faces with the absence of the likes of Phakamani Mahlambi and Grant Margeman. The South African Football Association confirmed on their official website that, due to club commitments, first-team Premier Soccer League players, Mahlambi, Margeman, Fagrie Lakay, Teboho Mokoena and Reeve Frosler will be absent from the first phase of Amajita training ahead of the U20 World Cup that will be held in South Korea in May this year, 2017. SAFA then went on to confirm that the five players will be available for the second training camp which will take place next month, May 6. The U20 World Cup will be held in South Korea during the period of May 20 and June 11. Speaking to SAFA’s official website, Coach Senong admitted that he is accustomed to the circumstances he faces with the absence of some of his vital players and thinks that apart from the likes of Margeman playing at the highest level, the U20 camp will also aid in their development on an international level. “This is a minor crisis and something we have become accustomed to, but there is not much we can do about it. We have a pool of players that we are monitoring and therefore we are able to make changes going into the camp. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a difficult age group as these players break into their first teams around the same time we need them at the national set up,” Senong said. “But I am happy for players like Reeve Frosler and Grant Margeman because they are getting the much needed game time at the highest level locally and this will help us going forward. I still believe such a training camp would also have helped in their development as players especially at international level,” he added. Comments we need to mentally prepare these boys so dat they believe they win the tournament, I heard mbata nd mahlambi on wits tv saying they went to Afcon U20 to qualify for wc, well dats good but not de way they shud think. their mindset shud've been we win the Afcon so that we qualify for wc.

Q: how to remove punctuation from a txt file without changing the format I have a csv file with 1000 rows and 2 columns. I want to remove all punctuation and convert all cases to lower case of that file and want a output file with same format like 1000 rows and 2 columns. I am running the following code: import re original_string = open('Suppliers0403.csv').read() middle_string=original_string.lower() new_string = re.sub('[^a-zA-Z0-9\n\.]+', ' ', middle_string) open('sup.csv', 'w').write(new_string) I am getting the output but the output file is scattered. Its coming as a single column. I have the file like this: id col1 1 a 2 ?? 3 b"v" 4 "c"an 5 ? the output is coming like: idcol1 1a 2 3bv 4can 5 But I want it like: id col1 1 a 2 3 bv 4 can 5 A: You have a tab-separated file and are replacing the tabs; you'd need to adjust your regular expression to: '[^a-z0-9\n\.\t]+' (With A-Z removed as you are lowercasing the input already anyway). A more robust and generic method would be to use the csv module to preserve the format: input_filename = 'Suppliers0403.csv' output_filename = 'sup.csv' clean = re.compile(r'[^a-z0-9\.]+') with open(input_filename, 'rb') as infh, open(output_filename, 'wb') as outfh: dialect = csv.Sniffer().sniff(infh.read(1024)) infh.seek(0) reader = csv.reader(infh, dialect) writer = csv.writer(outfh, dialect) for row in reader: writer.writerow([clean.sub(' ', c.lower()) for c in row])

Q: Given a value, find percentile % with Numpy There are probably better words to describe this question, however what I am trying to do is the opposite of np.percentile(). I have a list of n numbers, and I want to see what percentile of them are smaller than a given value. Right now the way I get this value is by continuously trying different decimals. What I want Numpy to tell me is this: Given threshold = 0.20 (input), about 99.847781% (output) of the items in list d are below this percentile. What I do right now to get this number is pretty sketchy: >>> np.percentile(np.absolute(d), 99.847781) 0.19999962082827874 >>> np.percentile(np.absolute(d), 99.8477816) 0.19999989822334402 >>> np.percentile(np.absolute(d), 99.8477817) 0.19999994445584851 >>> np.percentile(np.absolute(d), 99.8477818) 0.19999999068835939 ... A: If I'm understanding your question correctly, something like sum(d < threshold) / len(d) should do it. Edit: I missed the absolute value in the question - sum(np.abs(d) < threshold) / float(len(d))

HooplaKidz Plus is a complete pre-school edutainment app! Featuring kids-safe video content that children and parents can enjoy commercial-free, with no ads. Let your kids discover exciting new adventures in a magical world of fun and learning in a safe environment! Good Manners Bring Smiles Good manners will always bring your friends and family a ear-to-ear smile! Join Elly and Eva as they learn the importance of social and moral skills, meet fun animals, travel around the city on their favorite bus and finally meet the popular Shark under the sea! Sounds like a fun musical journey right? Let's get started! Watch anywhere, anytime Fun with Four Little Scouts Tim, Luke, Kent, and Mumu are Four little scouts that are always up for an adventure. From learning in a courtyard, to meeting the Queen Fish and Mr. Potato, to traveling on a sailboat! You little ones are sure up for a real treat! So, are you game? Let's hit play!

Federal High Court, Lagos Strikes Out Suit Against NCC Featured THE Federal High Court, Lagos has struck out a suit brought against the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, by Mr. Oben Okorie for alleged illegal arrest and detention, sequel to the Commission’s investigation of a petition received by the copyright owner of a musical work “Power from Above”, Mr. Dan Ofunne. The petitioner alleged that Mr. Okorie, his producer and marketer, has contrary to their contract agreement, been reproducing pirated copy of his musical work and marketing same. The Commission’s investigation revealed that the applicant, Mr. Okorie, used a fake artist to perform the work of the complainant. It further revealed that he abandoned the original musical work and started reproducing and selling pirated work performed by the fake artist he had arranged without paying royalties to the original owner.The matter which was determined on September 29, 2016 was struck out by the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris for “being frivolous and for lack of diligent prosecution” as argued by the Commission’s counsel who also reminded the court that the Commission filed a criminal suit with charge number FHC/L/391C/16 against the Applicant and his company OBEN Entertainment Limited at the Federal High Court, Lagos. The criminal case, the counsel informed, is for illegal reproduction of musical works and is yet to be determined.The court action with suit number FHC/L/CS/639/16 was instituted against the Commission and five other persons including the Inspector General of Police; the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State; Inspector Jimoh (the police IPO) Agboju police station; the D.P.O Agboju police station and Mr. Dan Ofunne, the copyright owner. The applicant, among other reliefs sought, prayed the court to grant damages against the respondents jointly and/or severally in the sum of Twenty Five Million Naira (N25, 000,000.00) ) for the unlawful infringement of his fundamental rights.In its reaction to the suit, the Commission through its counsel, Mr. Lawrence Nnoli faulted the said allegation of illegal arrest and detention arguing that Section 38 of the Copyright Act gives unfettered power of arrest to Copyright Inspectors over anybody who they reasonably believe to have committed any offence under the Copyright Act. The Commission’s counsel argued that although Oben Okorie was arrested and detained, he was subsequently given bail as required by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Ubiquitination of the common cytokine receptor gammac and regulation of expression by an ubiquitination/deubiquitination machinery. The common cytokine receptor gamma(c) is shared by the interleukin-2, -4, -7, -9, -15, and -21 receptors, and is essential for lymphocyte proliferation and survival. The regulation of gamma(c) receptor expression level is therefore critical for the ability of cells to respond to these cytokines. We previously reported that gamma(c) is efficiently constitutively internalized and addressed towards a degradation endocytic compartment. We show that gamma(c) is ubiquitinated and also associated to ubiquitinated proteins. We report that the ubiquitin-ligase c-Cbl induces gamma(c) down-regulation. In addition, the ubiquitin-hydrolase, DUB-2, counteracts the effect of c-Cbl on gamma(c) expression. We show that an increase in DUB-2 expression correlates with an increased gamma(c) half-life, resulting in the up-regulation of the receptor. Altogether, we show that gamma(c) is the target of an ubiquitination mechanism and its expression level can be regulated through the activities of a couple of ubiquitin-ligase/ubiquitin-hydrolase enzymes, namely c-Cbl/DUB-2.

var Transform = require('readable-stream').Transform , inherits = require('util').inherits , xtend = require('xtend') function DestroyableTransform(opts) { Transform.call(this, opts) this._destroyed = false } inherits(DestroyableTransform, Transform) DestroyableTransform.prototype.destroy = function(err) { if (this._destroyed) return this._destroyed = true var self = this process.nextTick(function() { if (err) self.emit('error', err) self.emit('close') }) } // a noop _transform function function noop (chunk, enc, callback) { callback(null, chunk) } // create a new export function, used by both the main export and // the .ctor export, contains common logic for dealing with arguments function through2 (construct) { return function (options, transform, flush) { if (typeof options == 'function') { flush = transform transform = options options = {} } if (typeof transform != 'function') transform = noop if (typeof flush != 'function') flush = null return construct(options, transform, flush) } } // main export, just make me a transform stream! module.exports = through2(function (options, transform, flush) { var t2 = new DestroyableTransform(options) t2._transform = transform if (flush) t2._flush = flush return t2 }) // make me a reusable prototype that I can `new`, or implicitly `new` // with a constructor call module.exports.ctor = through2(function (options, transform, flush) { function Through2 (override) { if (!(this instanceof Through2)) return new Through2(override) this.options = xtend(options, override) DestroyableTransform.call(this, this.options) } inherits(Through2, DestroyableTransform) Through2.prototype._transform = transform if (flush) Through2.prototype._flush = flush return Through2 }) module.exports.obj = through2(function (options, transform, flush) { var t2 = new DestroyableTransform(xtend({ objectMode: true, highWaterMark: 16 }, options)) t2._transform = transform if (flush) t2._flush = flush return t2 })

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a disorder in which normal myocardium is replaced by fibrofatty tissue. This disorder usually involves the right ventricle, but the left ventricle and septum also may be affected. Although the exact prevalence of ARVD is unknown, it is thought to occur in six per 10,000 persons in certain populations. After hypertrophic heart disease, it is the number one cause of sudden cardiac death in young persons, especially athletes. Patients with ARVD are usually men younger than 35 years who complain of chest pain or rapid heart rate. In some cases, sudden cardiac death is the first presentation. The initial diagnosis of ARVD is based on the presence of major and minor criteria established in 1994. Further confirmation of the diagnosis includes noninvasive studies, such as echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging of the heart, and invasive studies such as ventricular angiography and endomyocardial biopsy. Patients with ARVD are treated initially with antiarrhythmic agents with serious consideration for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement. In patients with persistent symptomatic arrhythmias, radiofrequency ablation, ventriculotomy, or even cardiac transplant may be necessary.

Saturday, June 16, 2012 Happy Early Porky Father's Day So our family spent dinner celebrating Father's Day a day earlier at Ellen's Place, a Filipino joint. Needless to say, there was a lot of oil, sodium and fried pork to be had. Looks like Eamon really embraced his Filipino side, as he was all over the pancit that had crazy amounts of oil and the halo-halo which had crazy amounts of sugar. That's my boy!

Surprise! Gluten-Free Baking $120 Surprise! Gluten-Free Baking $120 120.00 So you’re gluten-free or someone in your family can no longer have gluten. Join Michele on a tasty journey into the world of baking without gluten. Gluten-free baking can be surprisingly easy and the results are delicious!

The instant invention covers compounds having the generic structure: ##STR4## wherein the dashed line represents a carbon-carbon single bond or a carbon-carbon double bond; wherein X represents the moieties: ##STR5## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 represent hydrogen or methyl with the provisos that (i) at least three of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 represent hydrogen and (ii) when the dashed line is a carbon-carbon single bond and x is: ##STR6## then one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 or R.sub.4 is methyl and the other represents hydrogen; wherein R.sub.5 represents hydrogen, MgX, MgR.sub.7, CdR.sub.7, ZnR.sub.7, Na, K or Li; wherein X represents Chloro, Bromo or Iodo; wherein R.sub.6 represents hydrogren or methyl; and wherein R.sub.7 represents lower alkyl; as well as uses of the above compounds, with the exception of the organometallic compounds of the genus, for augmenting or enhancing the aromas and/or taste of consumable materials. Materials which can provide minty, camphoraceous, dry woody, sweet, fruity, woody patchouli, green, herbaceous, basil-like, citrus-like, bergamot-like, lime-like, grapefruit-like, peppery, precious-woody, vertiver-like, fresh, musky, lavender thyme, rosemary, sweaty, rooty and earthy aromas with floral, citrus, lavender and amber top-notes and backgrounds are known in the art of perfumery. Many of the natural materials which provide such fragrances and contribute desired nuances to perfumery compositions are high in cost, vary in quality from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the ususal variations of natural products. By the same token, materials which can provide oriental, insence-like, peppery, blueberry-like, eucalyptol-like, minty, camphoraceous, floral, musk-like, rose-like, black pepper, spicey, patchouli, cooling, sandalwood-like, woody and walnut-like aromas with oriental, black pepper, peppery, minty, eucalyptol-like, camphoraceous, floral, rosey and patchouli-like tastes are well known in the art of flavoring for foodstuffs, toothpastes, chewing gums and medicinal products. Many of the natural materials which provide such flavor nuances and contribute desired nuances to flavor and compositions are high in cost, vary in quality from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the usual variations of natural products. Sweet, fruity, berry-like, cooling, woody and floral aroma and taste nuances are known in the art of the production of smoking tobaccos and smoking tobacco articles. Many of the natural materials which provide such aroma and taste nuances to smoking tobacco compositions are high in cost, vary in quality from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the usual variations of natural products. There is, accordingly, a continuing effort to find synthetic materials which will replace, enhance or augment the essential flavor and/or fragrance notes provided by natural essential oils or compositions thereof. Unfortunately, many of these synthetic materials either have the desired nuances only to a relatively small degree or else contribute undesirable or unwanted odor to the consumable compositions. The search for materials which can provide more refined patchouli-like aromas, for example, have been difficult and relatively costly in the areas of both natural products and synthetic products. Artificial flavoring agents for foodstuffs have received increasing attention in recent years. For many years such food flavoring agents have been preferred over natural flavoring agents at least in part due to their diminished cost and their reproducible flavor qualities. For example, natural food flavoring agents such as extracts, concentrates and the like are often subject to wide variations due to changes in quality, type and treatment of the raw materials. Such variations can be reflected in the end products and result in unfavorable flavor characteristics in said end product. Additionally, the presence of the natural product in the ultimate food may be undesirable because of increased tendency to spoil. This is particularly troublesome in food and food uses where such products as dips, soups, chips, sausages, gravies and the like are apt to be stored prior to use. The fundamental problem in creating artificial flavor agents is that the artificial flavor to be achieved be as natural as possible. This generally proves to be a difficult task since the mechanism for flavor development in many foods, medicinal products, chewing gums and toothpastes is not completely known. This is noticable in products having licorice, citrusy and vegetable flavor characteristics particularly. Even more desirable are products that can serve to substitute for difficult-to-obtain natural perfumery oils and at the same time substitute for natural flavoring ingredients in foodstuffs, chewing gums, medicinal products, toothpastes, and smoking tobaccos. Oxobicyclo compounds are known in the prior art. Thus, Nagakura, et al., Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan Vol. 48(10), 2995-6 (October 1975) discloses the compound defined according to the generic structure: ##STR7## produced by the reaction: ##STR8## wherein one of R.sub.1 ', R.sub.2 ', R.sub.3 ' or R.sub.4 ' is methyl and the others represent hydrogen. In addition, Conia and Rouessac, Bull. Soc. Chem. France 1953(page 1925 et seq.) discloses processes for producing oxobicyclo compounds according to the following reaction steps: ##STR9## The use of oxotricyclic derivatives in perfumery is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,169, issued on Dec. 7, 1976. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,169, a genus defined according to the structure: ##STR10## is disclosed, wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; and wherein the dashed line may be a carbon-carbon single bond or a carbon-carbon double bond. Members of this genus are indicated to be capable of altering, modifying, enhancing or emparting an aroma of or to consumable materials including colognes, perfumes and perfumed articles and such an aroma is of a patchouli type. Arctander, "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", 1969, Vol. 1 discloses the use in perfume compositions and foodstuff flavors of "decalinol", "decalone", "fenchone", and "fenchyl alcohol", thusly: "(i) 1385: FENCHONE laevo-Fenchone. (dextro- is known but less common as a fragrance material). PA1 1,3,3-Trimethyl-2-norbornanone. PA1 1,3,3-Trimethyl bicyclo-1,2,2-heptone-2. ##STR11## Warm-camphoraceous, powerful and diffusive, basically sweet odor. Warm, somewhat burning and bitter taste with a medicinal note. PA1 This ketone finds some use as a masking odor in industrial fragrances. It is also used in the reconstruction of Fennel oil and a few other essential oils. PA1 In spite of its rather unpleasant taste, it is used in various Berry complex flavors, in Spice complexes and in certain types of Liquer flavoring. PA1 The concentration used is about 0.1 to 5 ppm in the finished product. PA1 (ii) 1387: FENCHYL ALCOHOL PA1 1,3,3-Trimethyl-2-norbornanol. PA1 1,3,3-Trimethyl bicyclo-1,2,2-heptanol-2. PA1 2-Fenchanol. PA1 Fenchol. ##STR12## The racemic alpha-Fenchol has a somewhat lower melting point, and the beta-Fenchols are all liquid at room temperature. PA1 Fenchol made by reduction of Fenchone from Cedar-leaf oil is usually a mixture of several isomers, including the crystalline alpha-isomers. The beta-isomer forms a crystalline Hydrate which may be solid at room temperature. PA1 Almost insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol, miscible with oils. Powerful and diffusive, Camphor-like, but sweeter and more Citrus-like almost Lime-like odor with more or less of an earthy-dry character, according to the composition and isomer-ratio. PA1 The taste is somewhat bitter-Lime-like, camphoraceous and slightly woody-musty. PA1 This interesting alcohol (or mixed alcohols) finds use in perfume compositions ranging from woody or herbaceous to Citrus-Lime and even certain floral types. It produces power and `lift` to floral fragrances, and solid background to Lime and other Citrus bases, having the advantage over the Terpenes in being very stable in soap. PA1 Fenchyl alcohol is also used in flavor compositions such as Strawberry and other berries, Lime and Spice, etc. PA1 The concentration is normally low, e.g. 0.2 up to 5 ppm in the finished product. PA1 (iii) 824: TRANS-DECAHYDRO-BETA-NAPHTHOL PA1 trans-beta-Decanol. PA1 (sometimes called "Decalinol".) PA1 Bicyclo-4,4,0-Decanol ##STR13## Colorless viscous liquid, solidifying in the cold to an opaque mass. The presence of variable amounts of the cis-isomer is mainly responsible for the variations in physical appearance of this material. PA1 Mild, sweet, slightly camphoraceous-woody, also warm and mildly spicy odor of fair tenacity. The odor has been compared to that of Dihydrocarveol, but such description does not help many perfumers. PA1 Practically insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol and oils. PA1 This alcohol has been used, and is still used on a mosdest scale, in perfume compositions, mostly in connection with woody and camphoraceous fragrance types, including the Ionones, Cyclohexylderivatives, etc. Several of its esters (see following monographs) have been more successful as perfume materials). PA1 However, since the Ambregis- and Sandalwood-notes, which are represented to a certain degree in the esters, can be obtained with much superior beauty by way of modern perfume chemicals, there is reason to believe that the Decahydronaphthyl series will eventually become obsolete. PA1 Prod.: by catalytic hydrogenation of beta-Naphthol. The reaction yields a mixture of cis- and trans- isomers, but the perfumers generally prefer the trans-isomer or a material primarily consisting of that isomer. PA1 (iv) 830: BETA-DECALONE PA1 Decahydro naphthalone PA1 The commercial products consist of a mixture of cis- and trans-isomers. ##STR14## Viscous colorless liquid, solidifying in the cold. Practically insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol and oils. PA1 The cis-isomer is liquid and boils at 247.degree. C. PA1 The trans-isomer is solid below 6.degree. C. and boils at 241.degree. C. PA1 Semi-dry, tenacious odor resembling part of the Ambregris-picture, also woody, remotely reminiscent of Sandalwood. Odor variations are observed in materials from different sources of supply. PA1 This ketone has found a little use in perfume compositions, including soap perfumes, where it can introduce pleasant background notes in support of Musk Ambrette, Labdanum, Methylionones, etc. PA1 Recent development in Ambregris chemicals has brought much superior materials in the hands of the perfumer, and it is very likely that the title material, and many of its relatives, will become obsolete within the next decade or so. PA1 Prod.: by oxidation of beta-Decalol with Chromic acid mixture." U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,515 discloses the use of the compound having the structure: ##STR15## in perfumery and specifically indicates that such compound has a woody aroma of high tenacity. U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,516 discloses the compound having the structure: ##STR16## and indicates that this compound is useful in perfumery due to its woody character. None of the references cited above, or for that matter any other references discloses compounds which have a close structural relationship to the genus of compounds of the instanct invention. In any event, the organoleptic properties of the compounds of the references are different in kind from those of the compounds of the instant invention.

967 F.2d 536 MIDDLE GEORGIA NEUROLOGICAL SPECIALISTS, P.C., et al.,Plaintiffs-Appellees, Cross-Appellants,v.SOUTHWESTERN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellant,Cross-Appellee. No. 90-8651. United States Court of Appeals,Eleventh Circuit. Aug. 3, 1992. Richard H. Sinkfield, Rogers & Hardin, Linda Owens Vinson, Atlanta, Ga., for defendant-appellant, cross-appellee. Charles M. Cork III, Reynolds & McArthur, Macon, Ga., for plaintiffs-appellees, cross-appellants. Appeals from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia; Robert L. Vining, Jr., Judge. Before HATCHETT and DUBINA, Circuit Judges, and CLARK, Senior Circuit Judge. PER CURIAM: 1 In this diversity action, Southwestern Life Insurance Company ("Southwestern"), appealed the district court's order granting summary judgment in favor of Middle Georgia Neurological Specialists, P.C. ("MGNS"), Piper Cohn, Matthew Cohn, Gary Potts and L. Gail Cohn and Piper L. Cohn as co-administrators of the estate of Perry L. Cohn ("the beneficiaries"). The district court found that Southwestern was obligated to pay life insurance proceeds under two policies insuring the life of Dr. Perry L. Cohn ("Dr. Cohn"). The beneficiaries cross-appealed the district court's denial of prejudgment interest on the proceeds. 2 Because both issues presented by this appeal involved questions of state law implicating substantial public policy concerns, and because we were unable to locate clear controlling precedent in the decisions of the Georgia courts that were dispositive of these issues, we certified the following questions to the Supreme Court of Georgia:1 3 (1) Under the facts of this case, when the insurance policy application established the policy's delivery to and acceptance by the applicant as a condition precedent to the formation of the insurance contract, but the issued policy specified a date certain on which coverage was said to be effective and from which future premium payments were to be calculated, is the failure of actual delivery of the policy of insurance fatal to contract formation so as to render the coverage ineffective? 4 (2) When insurance proceeds are paid within twelve months of the insured's death, does O.C.G.A. § 33-25-10 excuse the payment of prejudgment interest, or should prejudgment interest be determined pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 7-4-15 in that circumstance? 5 The Supreme Court of Georgia has now answered the first certified question in the negative. Southwestern Life v. Middle Georgia Neurological, 416 S.E.2d 496 (1992). Concerning the second question, the Supreme Court of Georgia held that "O.C.G.A. § 33-25-10 governs the entitlement to prejudgment interest on life insurance proceeds and does not require the payment of prejudgment interest where the insured dies within twelve months of issuance of the policy. O.C.G.A. § 7-4-15 is inapplicable to prejudgment interest on life insurance proceeds." Id. at 498. In light of the Supreme Court of Georgia's opinion, attached hereto as an appendix, we affirm the district court's order granting summary judgment in favor of the beneficiaries and the district court's order granting Southwestern's motion for reconsideration in part, and declining to award prejudgment interest. 6 AFFIRMED. APPENDIX In the Supreme Court of Georgia 7 S92Q0202. Decided: May 19, 1992 Southwestern Life 8 v. 9 Middle Georgia Neurological. 10 CLARKE, Chief Justice. 11 This case came to this court as a certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. See Middle Georgia Neurological v. Southwestern Life, 946 F.2d 776 (11th Cir.1991). The facts can be summarized as follows: 12 Dr. Perry Cohn made applications for two life insurance policies with Southwestern Life Insurance Company in November, 1987. The applications contained the following clause: 13 If an Agreement with Respect to Advance Premium Prepayment has not been issued [and none was], the policy will be effective when it is delivered to and accepted by the Applicant only if (a) the first premium has been paid, and (b) all answers recorded in this application represent without material change complete and true answers to the same questions as if they were asked at the time of the delivery of the policy applied for ... (emphasis added). 14 Dr. Cohn underwent a physical examination in December, 1987, but the blood samples taken were not acceptable to the insurance company. In March, 1988 a satisfactory blood sample was taken and Dr. Cohn's insurance agent, Stanley Rosen, informed Dr. Cohn that the policies had been approved by underwriting. He directed Dr. Cohn to send the first monthly premium to the company. On March 28, Dr. Cohn sent a check for $10,000. The policies were issued on March 30 and were received by Rosen on April 6. The policies stated "The policy date is the effective date for all coverage provided in the original application." The policy dates were listed as March 28. The policies were accompanied by a letter to Rosen that authorized him to deliver the policies if the "Applicant" confirms that all of the information on his original application was still true and correct. 15 Rosen tried to deliver the policies, but found out that Dr. Cohn was on vacation. Dr. Cohn suffered a heart attack while still on vacation. He died on April 8, 1988. An autopsy revealed that he had a previous heart attack at least six weeks before the one that killed him. There was no evidence to indicate whether Dr. Cohn knew that he had an earlier heart attack. The beneficiaries of the policies obtained the policies from Rosen and filed suit to recover policy proceeds. The United States District Court ruled that the policies were effective on the date of Dr. Cohn's death. The District Court also held that the insurance company was not required to pay interest from the date of the insured's death. Each party appealed. The Eleventh Circuit certified the following questions to this court: 16 (1) Under the facts of this case, when the insurance policy application established the policy's delivery to and acceptance by the applicant as a condition precedent to the formation of the insurance contract, but the issued policy specified a date certain on which coverage was said to be effective and from which future premium payments were to be calculated, is the failure of actual delivery of the policy of insurance fatal to contract formation so as to render coverage ineffective? 17 (2) When [the insured dies within twelve months of issuance of the policy of insurance, or]1 insurance proceeds are paid within twelve months of the insured's death, does OCGA § 33-25-10 excuse the payment of prejudgment interest, or should prejudgment interest be determined pursuant to OCGA § 7-4-15 in that circumstance? 18 1. The question posed assumes (as the insurance company argues) that the language in the applications that defines when the "policy will be effective" necessarily defines conditions precedent to contract formation. We begin our analysis by rejecting this assumption. The provision in the applications state conditions precedent to liability, not conditions precedent to contract formation. See generally, J. Calamari & J. Perillo, Contracts, Ch. 9 (1970). As the insurance company itself points out in its brief, "It is common practice for parties, upon forming a contract, to provide that the contract will have an 'as of date'--an 'effective date' earlier than the date on which the agreement was actually reached" (emphasis added). We note also that parties to a contract of insurance may select a future date or validating event as the "effective date" of the policy. See, e.g., Reserve Loan Life Insurance Co. v. Phillips, 156 Ga. 372, 119 S.E. 315 (1923); Bierer v. Nationwide Insurance Co., 314 Pa.Super. 397, 461 A.2d 216 (1983). Thus, the "effective date" or a statement of conditions that must be met before the "policy will be effective" does not determine whether the parties entered into a contract. Rather, a contract of life insurance is consummated upon the unconditional written acceptance of the application for insurance by the company to which the application is made. New York Life Insurance v. Babcock, 104 Ga. 67, 30 S.E. 273 (1898). 19 The insurance company argues here that it did not unconditionally accept Cohn's offer for a contract of insurance. The facts here require rejection of this argument. The insurance company received Dr. Cohn's applications, conducted its medical tests, approved the applications, called for the first premium, received the first premium, and issued conforming policies which each state unconditionally that "This policy is a legal contract between the Company and the owner." The following pages list Dr. Cohn as the "owner" of the contract. The policies state that the application and the policy together form the "entire agreement" of the parties and specify that the contract became effective on March 28. There can be no doubt that a contract was formed upon the issuance of the policy. The letter addressed to Rosen that accompanied the policies was not referred to in the policies and was not made a part of the contract. Nothing stated in that letter can be considered a condition precedent to contract formation, a term of the contract or condition precedent to liability under the contract. Georgia Life Insurance Co. v. King, 120 Ga.App. 682, 172 S.E.2d 167 (1969). 20 Finally, the insurance company argues that coverage was not in effect at the time of Dr. Cohn's death because the conditions precedent to liability that were included in the application were not met. We have acknowledged that an insurance company may validly define conditions precedent to liability. Reese v. Fidelity Mutual Life Ass'n, 111 Ga. 482, 36 S.E. 637 (1900). Where both the application and the issued policy state conditions precedent to liability, and the policy has no conflicting provision, such conditions will be enforced by the Georgia courts. See, e.g., Pierce v. Life Insurance Company of Virginia, 50 Ga.App. 337, 178 S.E. 189 (1935) (both the application and the policy itself reserved conditions that were required to be fulfilled before the policy would become effective). However, where the conditions precedent to liability that are described in the application or policy are contradicted by a specified date on which insurance coverage is to take effect, the date certain controls. Brooks v. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., 193 Ga. 522, 18 S.E.2d 860 (1942). We conclude therefore that the insurance company incurred the absolute duty to perform under the contract on March 28, the stated "effective date" of the policy. 21 2. In response to the second question, as revised, we hold that OCGA § 33-25-10 governs the entitlement to prejudgment interest on life insurance proceeds and does not require the payment of prejudgment interest where the insured dies within twelve months of issuance of the policy. OCGA § 7-4-15 is inapplicable to prejudgment interest on life insurance proceeds. 22 Questions answered. 23 All the Justices concur. 1 See Middle Georgia Neurological v. Southwestern Life, 946 F.2d 776 (11th Cir.1991) 1 The language in brackets revises the question to conform to the language of the statute and the facts of the case presented

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December 31, 2006 - January 6, 2007 The first poll of the new year, by CBS News, taken 1/1-3/07 finds approval of President Bush at 30%, with 63% disapproval. This is the lowest approval reading in any CBS News poll for this administration. The result also pulls the trend estimate down to 33.5, also a low for the administration. However, it is important to discount the trend estimate until more data are available. This is the first new poll in over two weeks and the very low CBS result standing by itself at the end of the time series is exerting an unusually strong influence on the trend estimate. Until more data for 2007 come in the trend estimate should be viewed with some skepticism. Prior to the addition of the CBS result, the trend estimate stood at 34.4%, an estimate supported by a substantial number of polls taken through 12/21/06. A reasonable guess is that the current standing is between 33.5 and 34.4, which is still near the low point for the administration, but not necessarily the very lowest well supported estimate. The CBS News poll is also one that has recently been tracking well below the trend estimate. The figure below (also found on our Presidential approval page) shows how the CBS News/New York Times poll has compared to the trend estimate in the second term. At about 4 points below trend, the CBS News poll is short of being a statistical outlier, especially once the typical CBS "house effect" of -2.06 is considered. This means that CBS/NYT polls are on average about 2 points lower in approval than the mean across all polls. Thus there is not clear evidence that the CBS poll should be discounted entirely, but the best bet would still be that approval is closer to 34% than it is to 30%. A new CBS News poll reveals 68% of Americans have optimistic feelings about the new Congress (story, results). Other topics include Bush approval ratings, priorities for congress, and Saddam Hussein's execution. The latest Gallup Poll survey (analysis, video) reports that 55% of Americans watch their local television news programs every day, making it "the No. 1 source of news in recent years." The same survey also says 61% of Americans believe "big government will pose the biggest threat in the future," more than big business (25%) and big labor (9%) A new SurveyUSA automated survey says 60% of Utah adults have a favorable opinion of Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, while 51% believe his "Mormon religious affiliation" will hurt his chances of being elected president. A new Gallup Poll national survey shows 34% of Americans believe their biggest concern about Iraq is the safety of the troops. The same survey also shows 56% of Americans believe the news media's coverage of the Iraq War to be "generally inaccurate." The latest Harris Interactive online survey shows 88% of Americans saying they would support "Social Security reform to ensure the Social Security fund has enough money to provide benefits for all Americans for the next 50 years." American Research Group (ARG) has reported polls of Republican and Democratic support in four early primary/caucus states. The polls are of 600 respondents for each party (with partisans plus independents who say they will participate in the party primary or caucus.) The field periods were IA 12/19-23, NH 12/26-27, NV 12/19-23 and SC 12/21-23. First, the Republicans. The strikingly obvious result is that none of the candidates outside the top four have any traction at this point. While there is time yet to "emerge", Brownback, Gilmore, Hagel, Huckabee, Hunter, Pataki and Thompson have a long way to go. So meanwhile attention remains focused on two "front runners" and two "maybes". Giuliani and McCain each lead in two states. Giuliani leads in Iowa (28-26) and Nevada (31-25) while McCain leads in New Hampshire (29-25) and South Carolina (35-28). And let's not forget the margin of error, which allows all of these to be essentially "even". The "maybes" are Gingrich and Romney, in that order. While Gingrich trails the top two by a substantial margin, he has significant support (14%-22%) in all four states. While the former Speaker has considerable baggage, he would be a more mainstream Republican nominee than either McCain or Giuliani-- a fact often overlooked in the enthusiasm for McCain at least. Romney is far back, above the "zeros" but well short of even Gingrich's status. But Romney has the advantage of being a new face who may yet mobilize support among those Republicans who distrust McCain and may come to weigh Giuliani's more liberal social issue positions. Still, Romney has to improve considerably in at least two of these early states to become seriously competitive. On the Democratic side. Here too are a number of hopefuls who are currently at or very near zero support. Biden, Clark, Dodd, Gravel and Richardson are all under 5% everywhere. Kucinich is slightly stronger, hitting 5% in Iowa, but below that in the other states. Vilsack does pretty well in his home state of Iowa, but has yet to gain any support elsewhere. And Kerry does poorly for a past winner in Iowa and New Hampshire. Clinton continues to lead the field in each state, so the question remains who will become her primary challenger. In these data, John Edwards and Barack Obama each finish second in two states. Edwards leads Obama in Iowa (20-10) and South Carolina (31-10). Obama leads in New Hampshire (21-18) and Nevada (12-8). In presidential primaries with a clear front runner, the key dynamic is driven by the emergence of a clear alternative to the front runner. On the Democratic side that battle for emergence as an alternative to Clinton is clearly underway. On the Republican side, we have a legitimate battle for the front spot, but with two candidates who both have substantial vulnerabilities within the party. There we may have a more interesting contest. The latest Gallup Poll national survey says 72% of Americans think the Iraq War should be the top priority for the president and Congress. A new AP-AOL News poll shows 80% of Americans favor an increase in the minimum wage (story, results). A new CNN Poll says 49% of Americans think Democrats will not bring real reform to the way Congress operates, while 46% think Democrats will (story, results). A new Military Times Poll (via Political Wire) reveals "only 35% of the military members polled this year said they approve of the way President Bush is handling the war." (story, results - see also Mystery Pollster commentary on the 2005 Military Times Poll.) A new WSJ-Harris Poll interactive survey (via Kausfiles) says 18% of Americans think Democrats in Congress and the President will compromise to pass legislation. Polls are looking at support for and opposition to potential 2008 presidential candidates with a pair of interesting questions. Gallup uses "Now, I am going to read a list of people who may run for president in 2008. For each, please say whether you, personally, would or would not like to see this person run for president in the next election." Marist College uses "Do you want to see (candidate) run for president in 2008 or not." These questions are asked of ALL adults, not just partisans of either party. This makes the results a bit unclear-- if a Democrat says she would like to see "x" run, when "x" is a Republican, does that mean she would consider voting for "x" or that she thinks "x" would be easy for a Democrat to beat? Thus these questions are not measures of support in party primaries, and may not be good indicators of general election strength. On the other hand, perhaps most voters are not as strategic as political professionals, and so may just be indicating how much they "like" potential candidates of either party. In any case, let's take a look at recent results. The figure above shows possible candidates of either party, red for Republicans and Blue for Democrats, in the Gallup poll taken in late November. The plot is the percent saying they would like to see run on the horizontal axis and the percent saying they would NOT like to see the candidate run on the vertical axis. This kind of plot allows us to see immediately the balance of support and opposition to each candidate, and the extent to which voters have formed opinions about each candidate. That is a lot of information in a single plot. The plot is also unusual because the sum of the two percentages cannot be over 100%, so the downward sloping diagonal line marks the limit of possible responses. No candidate can be in the upper right (empty) triangle of the plot. The closer to the diagonal line from (0,100) to (100,0) a candidate gets, the fewer voters are undecided about them. Conversely, the more voters who lack an opinion about the candidate, the further from the diagonal, regardless of the balance of support and opposition among those with an opinion. Finally, there is a line from (0,0) to (50,50). Candidates above this line and to the upper left corner have more opposition than support. Candidates below this line and to the lower right corner have more support than opposition. The first and most impressive result is that no Democrat is in the advantaged lower right part of the figure, while Republicans McCain and Giuliani both are. Of the Democrats, John Edwards comes closest, with Clinton and Obama a bit behind. (This poll was taken over a month before Edwards' announcement of candidacy in New Orleans last week, so this is not a reflection of his recent actions.) While Clinton is very close to the limiting diagonal, showing few people lack opinions about her, Edwards is a bit further away and Obama a bit more, neither of which is surprising. But given the publicity Clinton and Obama in particular have recently enjoyed, it is surprising that neither has more support for a run than opposition. Given Edwards' relatively low profile in the fall, it is more surprising that he has the most support for a run of the three. McCain and Giuliani lead the Republican field by a wide margin, with both more support than opposition and relatively few voters lacking opinions about them. While Giuliani has lead McCain in most polls of Republican primary voters (30 of 39 polls as of late December) among the adult population McCain has a slight advantage on this question. While trial heats are another measure of advantage, with potentially different results, this plot shows that Democrats have yet to field a candidate with the balance of support of either of the two Republican poll leaders. Among Democrats, the "rest of the field" trails the top three by considerable margins. Gallup only asked about Gore and Kerry, neglecting several other common names. Neither fared well, with Gore and especially Kerry finding much more opposition than support. (We'll see other candidates from the Marist Poll below.) Among Republicans, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came in third, though her repeated statements of non-candidacy make this a highly speculative rating in any case. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich trails the entire field of candidates in either party. Defeated Virginia Senator George Allen not surprisingly shows both little support and considerable lack of recognition. But Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is in nearly the same position. While no one expects Allen to make a run at this point, Romney clearly has considerable ground to make up. To his advantage, he can possibly convert lack of recognition into support, something better known candidates cannot do. The Marist Poll data closely resembles the Gallup results. The figure below shows Marist results from 12/3/06, and adds data for Biden and Sharpton for the Dems and for Pataki and Bloomberg for the Reps. Marist has asked its question a number of times, so we can trace the dynamics of support for some candidates using their data collected at various times since December of 2004. Since Marist and Gallup closely agree in their latest polls, I assume these paths are not unique to the Marist poll. In these plots the arrows point from earlier to later polls, though the polls are not necessarily all equally separated in time. First the Democrats. The clear story here is the stability of Clinton's support, some variability in Edwards, though ending rather strongly, and the steady collapse of support for Kerry. In addition, Al Gore has remained well back and rather stable. On the Republican side McCain follows the Clinton pattern of quite stable support. Giuliani on the other hand shows considerable growth in support over the last two years, from well back to parity with McCain. Rice is interesting simply because of the growth of support despite the decline in approval of President Bush and of many administration policies with with Rice might be identified. Gingrich has only been measured twice, and shows little movement. The dynamics may be quite different within party constituencies, so these results may not reflect changes in the nomination battles within the parties. But they do show that the Democratic candidates have some ground to make up, and that there is room for some dynamic change in both parties, as exemplified by Kerry'[s collapse and Giuliani's surge. It's probably the blogger variant of Murphy's Law, but the most interesting topics often bubble up whenever I take time off. The last few weeks were no exception as several new polls were released on the 2008 primary contests, particularly in Iowa and New Hampshire. As often happens this early in the process, some produced contradictory results, especially in Iowa. The most puzzling - as noted by our friend Mickey Kaus - involves the performance of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in two polls of likely Democratic caucus goers conducted in Iowa in late December by Research2000 and the American Research Group (ARG). Both showed John Edwards with roughly the same support (20-22%). ARG Research 2000 showed Clinton leading with 31% and Obama running distant forth (at 10%) behind outgoing Iowa governor Tom Vilsack (17%). Research 2000 ARG showed Obama and Edwards tied for first (22%), with Clinton running forth (10%) behind Vilsack (17%). So...Hillary Clinton is either their clear front runner in Iowa (with 31%) or running a distant fourth (with 10%). Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the pollster's nightmare: The Iowa Caucuses. I have written before about the challenge of polling the caucuses before and will certainly do so again, but the numbers behind the challenge remain the same. Here is the way I put it, when the Des Moines Register released its first 2008 caucus poll last June: The big challenge for polling this contest, of course, is that turnout for the Democratic caucuses is typically a small percentage of eligible voters. Iowa had roughly 2.2 million voting eligible adults in 2004, of whom (as of last month) approximately 1.9 million are considered "active" registered voters by the Iowa Secretary of State. But only 124,331 participated in the 2004 Democratic Caucuses for President (according to the subscription only Hotline). That number amounts to roughly 6% of all registered voters, so selecting "likely caucus goers" is no easy task. When I first saw the conflicting results, I assumed something obvious about the survey design or field dates might explain the difference. For example, some pollsters sample likely caucus-goers by calling a random digit dial (RDD) sample of all telephone households and will then screen for likely voters. Some will sample from the lists of registered voters (with many unlisted numbers missing) and select using a combination of screening and various "vote history" criteria, including participation in past caucuses. In past elections, Iowa caucus surveys drawn exclusively from lists of past caucus-goers have differed from those based on RDD methods. I spoke earlier today to both Dick Bennett of ARG and Del Ali of Research 2000, and in this case the sample procedures and field dates were more similar than different: Research 2000 conducted a survey among 400 Democratic "caucus goers" December 18 through December 20. They started with a random digit dial (RDD) sample of Iowa households and screened for those who (a) say they frequently vote in statewide general election[s] and (b) report having participated in the 2004 Democratic caucuses. The American Research Group conducted a survey among 600 "likely Democratic caucus goers" between December 19 and December 23. They too started with a random digit dial (RDD) sample of Iowa households and screened for those who were (a) registered vote as either Democrats or with no party affiliation who also said they (b) "definitely plan to participate in the 2008 Democratic presidential caucus" (those screened out those who said they "might" participate or who "probably will not"). The field dates overlap, so timing seems unlikely to explain much of the difference, particularly if the theory is that Obama's support has been rising of late. Keep in mind that the ARG poll, which finished later, showed Obama doing worse. The biggest difference that we are aware of is that the Research2000 screens were based on self-reported past participation, while ARG screens rely on a question of prospective intent to participate. We can debate the relative merits of each approach (and no doubt will in the coming months), but it seems unlikely that this particular difference produced a 21-point shift in support for Hillary Clinton.** Of course, it may be that one approach was significantly "tighter" than the other. That is, did one capture a much narrower slice of Iowa voters than the other? Unfortunately, neither pollster has released data on how many otherwise qualified respondents they screened out in order to select their final sample (as the Des Moines Register did last June). It is also important to focus on the questions asked. Both pollsters asked respondents to choose from a list of eleven potential candidates, both "rotated" (or randomized) the order of names as read by interviewers and both reported relatively few in the completely undecided category (11% for Research 2000 and 8% for ARG). But the candidate listings were not identical. ARG included the names of two potential candidates -- Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel - that Research 2000 omitted. Likewise, Research 2000 included Al Gore and Evan Bayh, while ARG did not. Of these, Gore had the most support (7%), Dodd had 2% and the rest just 1%. Given the numbers involved, it is hard to see how these minor differences contributed much to the Clinton-Obama discrepancy. All of which leaves me scratching my head, except to say this: Whenever very small differences in methodology make for huge differences in results, it suggests that voters are not yet engaged in the race enough to have strong allegiances. Put another way, while each poll may have a candidate running in front, in Iowa at least, there is not yet a true "front runner." **UPDATE: Ok, make that coming hours. Mickey Kaus considers the prospective / retrospective difference in the survey screens a more likely explanation than I did: There's a big difference between 1) asking voters if they "definitely plan" to go to the caucuses, and 2) asking voters if they actually participated in the 2004 caucuses. Lots of people say they "plan" to attend. That's normal! But those who have attended are the sort of pathetically unrepresentative hard core activists ...sorry, committed citizens who make up the tiny sliver (6%) of Iowa voters who actually show up and choose the winner: ... In this case, the merely aspirational caucusgoers pick Clinton, while the hard core goes for Obama--a result consistent with the idea that Obama is capturing those who think a lot about politics, while those who don't think as much about politics haven't yet been hit by the wave. That's a plausible theory, particularly if the retrospective caucus participation question successfully identified actual past caucus goers. Retrospective vote questions typically over-report past voting behavior, but in this case the Research 2000 question may have produced an appropriately tighter screen. Of course, without the ability to compare the relative incidence of each survey, we are just speculating. In 1988, I worked for Paul Maslin, the pollster for Democratic Senator Paul Simon. Simon always did better on the samples we drew from lists of actual past caucus-goers, while Congressman Dick Gephardt did consistently better when when we included registered voters that had not participated in the previous caucuses in 1984. Gephardt also did consistently better on the RDD surveys in the public domain. As I recall, those differences persisted through the final round of polling, though they probably narrowed a bit toward the end. Of course, the challenge is that every election year, the caucuses attract large numbers of voters who did not participate in the prior election cycle. And true junkies will remember that Gephardt ultimately won the Caucuses, although as I recall, the actual result fell somewhere between the two methodologies.

using System; using System.Reflection; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; // General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following // set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information // associated with an assembly. [assembly: AssemblyTitle("Hidden Markov Models for Gene Classification")] [assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")] [assembly: AssemblyCompany("Accord.NET")] [assembly: AssemblyProduct("Accord.NET Framework")] [assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright © César Souza, 2009-2013")] [assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")] [assembly: AssemblyCulture("")] [assembly: AssemblyDescription( @"This sample application shows how to learn a bank of hidden Markov models to classify sequences of discrete symbols.")] // This sets the default COM visibility of types in the assembly to invisible. // If you need to expose a type to COM, use [ComVisible(true)] on that type. [assembly: ComVisible(false)] // Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values: // // Major Version // Minor Version // Build Number // Revision // [assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.0.0")]

Phyllonorycter loxozona Phyllonorycter loxozona is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from South Africa and Uganda. The record for Kenya is a misidentification of Cameraria torridella. The length of the forewings is 2.8–3.2 mm. The forewings are elongate and the ground colour is ochreous brown with white markings. The hindwings are fuscous with a long shiny fringe of the same colour as the hindwing. Adults are on wing from early February to mid-May and from early October to mid-December. The larvae feed on Dombeya bagshawei, Dombeya emarginata and Dombeya rotundifolia. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a long, narrow gallery, mainly along the edge of the leaf. Later the larvae form a gall-like swelling near the base of the disc. References Category:Moths described in 1936 loxozona Category:Moths of Africa

Q: Objective-C nodesForXPath returns all results this is a follow up to a question I posted yesterday. Given the cars XML example posted below, I run do an xpath query, loop through the results and call "quickquery - getString" with the sub element. I would expect that with each iteration of the loop I would get a single element inside the getString function, but I don't. Instead, the nodesForXPath call, inside of the getString function, returns all 4 car names, instead of just the one that belongs to that sub element. NSArray *listings = [response nodesForXPath:@"//car" error:&error]; //4 car elements found if(listings.count > 0) { for (GDataXMLElement *listingElement in listings) { //printing listingElements description at this point reveales only one car [QuickQuery getString:listingElement fromXPath:@"//name"]; } } //this is defined in QuickQuery class +(NSString *) getString:(GDataXMLElement *)element fromXPath:(NSString *)xPath { NSError *error; //Query the name element for the spcific car element passed in NSArray *result = [element nodesForXPath:xPath error:&error]; /// ***THIS CALL //result.count is 4 at this stage ("BMW", "VW" ... etc) //out of the 4 calls made to this method, I would expect each value to come up once //but each time all 4 values are found. if(result.count > 0) { GDataXMLElement *singleValue = (GDataXMLElement *) [result objectAtIndex:0]; return singleValue.stringValue; } return nil; } <cars> <car> <name>VW</name> </car> <car> <name>BMW</name> </car> <car> <name>Mazda</name> </car> <car> <name>Nissan</name> </car> </cars> This question has been posted before, this is just a cleaner example and code. The title is also more specific. A: What you are seeing is correct behaviour for the query "//name". You should use a query relative to the current node, not the root of the document - which is what you are doing. Take a look at the useful XPath tutorial http://www.w3schools.com/xpath/

Q: storing apex_item.select_list_from_lov selection I have an LOV in my HTML page that I created with APEX_ITEM.SELECT_LIST_FROM_LOV Should I also create a Page Item for it? I mean I am a bit confused because this item has no name as they got if I 'd create an LOV as PAGE ITEM. How should I get the selected value to insert it for example, into apex_collections? Thanks in advance A: You can get the value of an item created using the APEX_ITEM package by looking at the PL/SQL array apex_application.g_fNN where "NN" is the number you used as the first parameter to the APEX_ITEM function. For example, if you used APEX_ITEM like this: apex_item.select_list_from_lov(42, 'MY_LOV') then you can get the values like this: for i in 1..apex_application.g_f42.count loop l_value := apex_application.g_f42(i); end loop; (If you had used APEX_ITEM in a multi-row report then there will be more than 1 element in the array.)

Medieval Justice for Dolphin Defender at the Cove, update on CG Arrest #tweet4taiji Medieval Justice for Dolphin Defender at the Cove On July 13th 1699, an English widow named Felicity Comon was accused of witchcraft by a neighbor. The English legal authorities threw her into the River Thames to see if she would swim or drown. If she swam she would be considered guilty and if she drowned she would be considered innocent, the reasoning being that God would reject her because of her guilt and would prevent her from drowning. However the English Courts were more than fair and allowed her an appeal, which consisted of tossing her into the River Thames a second time on July 19th . Unfortunately for the widow Comon, she failed to drown, but least there be any doubt they tossed her back into the river and again the stubborn woman was rejected by God and once again swam to the shore into the waiting arms of her captors. She was taken back to the Tower of London a...

1926 Swedish Ice Hockey Championship The 1926 Swedish Ice Hockey Championship was the fifth season of the Swedish Ice Hockey Championship, the national championship of Sweden. Djurgardens IF won the championship. Tournament First round 5 February Södertälje SK 7–2 AIK Second round 8 February Djurgårdens IF 5–4 IK Göta Södertälje SK 4–3 Hammarby IF Nacka SK 3–1 IFK Stockholm Finals bracket External links Season on hockeyarchives.info Champ Category:Swedish Ice Hockey Championship seasons

Mojica‐Santiago JA, Lang GM, Navarro‐Ramirez R, Hussain I, Hӓrtl R, Bonassar LJ. Resorbable plating system stabilizes tissue‐engineered intervertebral discs implanted ex vivo in canine cervical spines. JOR Spine. 2018;1:e1031. 10.1002/jsp2.1031 **Funding information** Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; AO Foundation; Colin MacDonald Fund; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; National Institutes of Health, Grant/Award Number: 5T35EB006732; National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: DGE‐1650441 1. INTRODUCTION {#jsp21031-sec-0001} =============== Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is known to alter the stability and biomechanics of cervical spine motion segments while decreasing the foraminal canal through which nerves stem from the spinal cord, in the most severe cases. Cervical radiculopathy that leads to debilitating or excruciating neck pain in patients (63.5‐107.5 per 100 000) is often associated to these changes.[1](#jsp21031-bib-0001){ref-type="ref"} First‐line treatments include physical therapy and pharmacologic regimens, but surgical intervention is indicated in refractory cases or when the spinal cord is severely compromised. Although standard surgical treatments for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy involve anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) of the diseased motion segment, loss of spine flexibility and reduction of segment range of motion after surgical treatment is suspected to contribute to the onset of adjacent segment disease (ASD).[1](#jsp21031-bib-0001){ref-type="ref"}, [2](#jsp21031-bib-0002){ref-type="ref"} Total disc replacement or arthroplasty has also been explored as an alternative treatment to the golden standard to preserve segment stability and motion. However, the efficacy of cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) in reducing the incidence of symptomatic ASD remains under debate.[3](#jsp21031-bib-0003){ref-type="ref"}, [4](#jsp21031-bib-0004){ref-type="ref"} While there may be other factors such as progression of the underlying disc degeneration that influence the occurrence of ASD, the rates of secondary surgical procedures in patients with ACDF is higher than those who received a CDA.[5](#jsp21031-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"} Nevertheless, interbody implants and artificial disc replacements[6](#jsp21031-bib-0006){ref-type="ref"}, [7](#jsp21031-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"} are subject to wear and generation of debris that may lead to implant dislodgement, osteolysis, and mechanical failure. As such, the importance of restoring segmental motion and native IVD function with minimal risks of implant revisions cannot be overlooked. Tissue‐engineered implants have been investigated in the last decade as biological alternatives to traditional treatments for radiculopathy. Composite tissue‐engineered intervertebral discs (TE‐IVDs) that mimic the form and function of the native disc have been developed by employing diverse fibrous materials to constitute the annulus fibrosus (AF) and isotropic gels to recreate the nucleus pulposus (NP).[8](#jsp21031-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}, [9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"}, [10](#jsp21031-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [11](#jsp21031-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#jsp21031-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [13](#jsp21031-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}, [14](#jsp21031-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} We have shown previously a composite TE‐IVD that leveraged the cell‐driven contraction of collagen type I gels around alginate cores that demonstrated promising results in vitro and in vivo in the murine caudal spine and the canine cervical spine.[9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} Our implants restored near native function and tissue integration in rat tails up to 6 months, and stably implanted TE‐IVDs maintained cell viability and integration into host tissue in the canine model for 16 weeks. However, retention of TE‐IVDs in the disc space remained to be achieved in 50% of the implanted canine segments. Displacement of TE‐IVDs during surgery led to destabilization of the motion segment and collapse of the endplates resulting in conditions similar to disc degeneration when implants were displaced through the ventral side. The benefit of employing a soft engineered implant with a relatively compliant mechanical integrity lies in the ability of the TE‐IVD to mature in a dynamically stimulated environment while facilitating integration with surrounding host tissues. The collagen scaffold that constitutes the AF in TE‐IVDs undergoes remodeling due to the metabolic activity of embedded cells and the organization of its fibers into a structure that mimics the native disc is enabled by the initial concentration and contractibility of the gel scaffold.[16](#jsp21031-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"} Notably, TE‐IVDs were shown to increase collagen and proteoglycans content by a factor of 10 over the course of 6 months in vivo, during which time the ECM integrated into neighboring vertebrae and provided physiological levels of mechanical function to the motion segment as assessed from static and dynamic aggregate moduli.[9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"} Furthermore, we observed that all TE‐IVDs at the C3/C4 level remained stable in the canine spine in vivo, while all TE‐IVDs implanted at C5/C6 were displaced likely due to variations in size and angle of the VBs.[15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} Based on this previous work, we have identified two main challenges contributing to segment instability after placement of TE‐IVDs: (1) mechanical robustness within the motion segment is limited because the implant needs to be immature to promote integration; (2) vertebral anatomy of motion segments varies by level and is suspected to affect the stability of implantation, which results in implant migration out of the disc space. Axial dynamic distraction using an external fixator alone and in combination with cell therapy has been shown to promote disc repair in rabbit IVDs.[17](#jsp21031-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#jsp21031-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#jsp21031-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"} To achieve IVD implant retention and prevent collapse of the disc space, external fixation of the vertebral bodies (VBs) has also been shown to provide stability in rodent caudal spines.[20](#jsp21031-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#jsp21031-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"} Although the disc space height was maintained in these animal models, the implants were not exposed to physiologic loading, which was integral for TE‐IVD maturation, integration to host tissue, and restoration of mechanical function. A bio‐resorbable fixation system made of 85:15 polylactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA) plates and screws (Rapidsorb, Depuy Synthes Co. Johnson & Johnson, West Chester, PA), widely used for cranio‐maxillofacial trauma, provides an alternative for temporary and gradually dynamic stabilization of spine motion segments. The PLGA in this commercially available stabilization system has been well characterized for its biocompatibility and resorption kinetics, and is FDA approved for in vivo reconstructive procedures. To address these shortcomings, we asked whether TE‐IVD implantation assisted by a resorbable plating system restores motion segment stiffness and prevent implant extrusion under axial compression, thereby improving overall stability of the treated segment. This PLGA system has been rated by the manufacturer to retain 85% of its strength for up to 8 weeks, while its bulk resorption is expected to occur within 12 months. A resorbable plate can enhance short term mechanics and keep the implant in place while the engineered tissues mature; however, the ability of resorbable plates to stabilize motion segments in combination with an engineered implant has not been shown. Our objectives with this study were to evaluate the restoration of the compressive mechanics of motion segments with a combined treatment approach of TE‐IVD implanted with a PLGA fixation system and identify the ability of these resorbable plates to prevent implant extrusion. 2. METHODS {#jsp21031-sec-0002} ========== 2.1. Cell isolation and TE‐IVD fabrication {#jsp21031-sec-0003} ------------------------------------------ We adapted the cell preparation methods from previously established protocols.[8](#jsp21031-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}, [9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"} Briefly, we harvested cervical IVDs from three skeletally mature canine spines (18‐36 months of age, Marshall BioResources, North Rose, NY), washed them in phosphate‐buffered saline (Dulbecco\'s PBS, MediaTech, Manassas, VA) with 1% antibiotic‐antimycotic solution (AbAm, 100 μg/mL penicillin, 100 μg/mL streptomycin, and 2.5 μg/mL amphotericin B, MediaTech), and diced the nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF) tissue regions separately. After digesting NP and AF tissues in 0.3% wt./vol. collagenase type II (Worthington Biochemical Corp., Lakewood, NJ) at 37°C for 12 hours, we filtered the digested tissue solutions through a 100 μm nylon mesh (BD Biosciences, Bedford, MA). Subsequently, we cultured the NP and AF cells separately in Ham\'s F‐12 media (MediaTech) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (Gemini BioProducts, Sacramento, CA), 1% AbAm, and 25 μg/mL ascorbic acid (Sigma‐Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) to confluence. Similarly, we based the TE‐IVD fabrication process on established techniques.[9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} First, we mixed encapsulated canine NP cells (25 × 10^6^ cells/mL) in 3% wt./vol. alginate (FMC BioPolymer, Philadelphia, PA) two‐to‐one with a 0.02 g/mL calcium sulfate (Sigma‐Aldrich) solution. Then, we injected the mixture into customized 3D‐printed molds with cylindrical cavities made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic on a Ultimaker 2+ (Ultimaker North America, Cambridge, MA) to produce tissue‐engineered NPs. After 1 hour of immersion in 60 mM calcium chloride (Sigma‐Aldrich), we removed and placed the engineered NPs in the center of each well of a 12‐well plate. Next, we mixed an acidic 6 mg/mL collagen stock solution prepared from rat tail tendon fibers (Sprague Dawley, 7‐8 weeks old, Pel‐Freez Biologicals, Rogers, AR) with a basic solution (10× PBS, 1 N sodium hydroxide, and 1× PBS), in which we seeded canine AF cells (2 × 10^6^ cells/mL) to obtain a final concentration of 4 mg/mL. Finally, we created tissue‐engineered AF layers by surrounding the engineered NPs with 1.5 mL of the resulting collagen/AF solution and allowing gelation at 37°C for 30 minutes. Following gelation, we added 1 mL of previously described culture media to each well and cultured the TE‐IVDs for 4 weeks with media changes twice a week. TE‐IVD implants were made of the same cylindrical shape with an elliptical cross‐section for all motion segment levels. In addition, we also prepared a group of acellular TE‐IVDs by adapting the protocol for high density collagen preparation as described previously.[22](#jsp21031-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"} Briefly, we prepared and mixed collagen gel stock solutions at 20 mg/mL from collagen type I of the previously described source with the corresponding basic formulation to obtain a final concentration of 10 mg/mL. Then, we poured the resulting neutralized collagen solution into each well of 24‐well plates and allowed gelation at 37°C for 30 minutes before removing 8‐mm biopsy punches to simulate mature TE‐IVDs. Thereafter, we maintained these collagen plugs in PBS bath until used for displacement tracking. 2.2. Motion segment preparation {#jsp21031-sec-0004} ------------------------------- To prepare specimens for testing, we obtained eight cervical spines of skeletally mature canines (18‐36 months of age, Marshall BioResources) and dissected motion segments from levels C2/C3 through C5/C6 by isolating the IVDs with the vertebral bodies on the adjacent cranial and caudal sides from all nerves, dorsal spinous processes, corresponding ligaments, and other soft tissues surrounding the IVD (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}A). We kept the spines frozen after they were harvested from the donor animals and thawed them at room temperature before isolating the individual motion segments for further testing. We divided the specimens into two cohorts corresponding to the two distinct testing setups to test the biomechanical response of motion segments and to assess the implant retention in the disc space. For the first cohort of motion segments, we allocated four spines and isolated motion segments from levels C2/C3 to C4/C5 (*N* = 3 per spine) through bisection of each VB transversally such that each specimen comprised a native IVD with cranial and caudal endplates intact and half of its corresponding VBs cut (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}D). For the second cohort, we isolated motion segments from the levels C3/C4 and C5/C6 of four spines (*N* = 2 per spine) by removing the adjacent C2/C3 and C4/C5 IVDs such that units of IVD with their corresponding cranial and caudal VBs remained intact. Afterwards, we embedded the VBs of these motion segments in dental molding cement (COE Tray Plastic, GC America, Alsip, IL) maintaining alignment of the long axis of the segment perpendicular to the top and bottom ends of the potting molds (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}F). {#jsp21031-fig-0001} We tested each specimen in each of the following conditions: (1) as intact (CTRL); (2) after discectomy (DX); and with an implanted TE‐IVD (3) without a resorbable plate (PLATE−) or (4) with the plate (PLATE+) (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}D). Following initial testing of intact segment, we performed a standard discectomy making a box‐like incision through the ventral side and along the IVD/endplate interface followed by AF/NP extraction while preserving the posterior longitudinal ligament. After testing specimens under DX conditions, we inserted 4 mg/mL TE‐IVDs into empty disc space of the first cohort and acellular 10 mg/mL TE‐IVDs for the second cohort. We prepared fixation plates by cutting longitudinally along the centerline of an 85:15 PLGA plate of 2 × 18‐2.0 mm holes (Rapidsorb Rapid Resorbable Strut Plate, Depuy Synthes Co., West Chester, PA) and trimming transversally every two holes into fragments that appropriately matched the distance between endplates on the ventral side of each segment (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}B,C). Since displacement of TE‐IVDs occurred ventrally in vivo, we aimed to apply the smallest possible plate that minimized the profile on the cervical spine motion segment. Following implantation of TE‐IVDs and testing on all specimens, we sanded the cranial and caudal endplates on the ventral side of each segment to fit the resorbable plate closely to the VB. We secured the plate at the ventral midline of each specimen with two 85:15 PLGA screws measuring 2 mm diameter by 6.0 mm long (Rapidsorb Rapid Resorbable Cortex Screw, Depuy Synthes Co., West Chester, PA), after drilling and tapping holes through the endplates, one in each of the VBs (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}D). We chose not to mount wider plates or larger screws, because they would require a more invasive resection of the bony parts of the VBs upon implantation and could interfere with soft tissue structures surrounding the motion segments under in vivo conditions. 2.3. Biomechanical testing {#jsp21031-sec-0005} -------------------------- We implemented two separate testing protocols: (1) multi‐step stress relaxation tests to measure the biomechanical response of motion segments under unconfined compression; and (2) continuous compression at constant strain rate to assess the migration of the implanted TE‐IVD. First, we took measurements of the VB dimensions, the outer IVD diameter, and disc height with calipers on the CTRL specimens. For the VB, we measured the distance between the contour of the endplate where the AF attaches and the edge of the VB that was cut after isolation from the cervical spine, as well as the major and minor axes of the cranial and caudal VBs. For all experimental conditions, we considered half the average disc space between endplates at the outer AF as the nominal height. Furthermore, we assumed rigid body motion for the VB and endplate, and that the change in IVD area between testing conditions was negligible. As such, all the axial deformations that occurred under each testing condition were assumed to be in the IVD. Subsequently, we reported the average measured height of the outer AF for DX, PLATE−, and PLATE+ groups as ratios of disc space height to intact segment under each condition. For the first protocol, we clamped the caudal VB portion of the specimen to the load cell on a mechanical testing system (ELF 3200, EnduraTech, Eden Prairie, MN), while an impermeable plate applied 5% compressive strain steps up to 15% strain on the cranial VB portion (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}E).[9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#jsp21031-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"} During each of the intact and experimental conditions described above, we kept the specimens surrounded by a gauze soaked with PBS (MediaTech) containing protease inhibitors (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN). From the resulting load‐displacement data, we calculated an effective stiffness for the motion segment in equilibrium, and data from DX, PLATE−, and PLATE+ groups were normalized against their corresponding CTRL segments to calculate ratio of stiffness to intact segments under each condition. For the second protocol, we clamped the potted VB of the specimen on its caudal end to the testing frame, while an impermeable plate compressed uniaxially at 0.5% strain/sec until segment collapse (Figure [1](#jsp21031-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}G). To track migration of acellular TE‐IVDs in segments, we recorded the uniaxial compression tests at 30 frames per second. We used a video camcorder (Sony CX440 Handycam, Sony Corp. of America, New York, NY) fixed on a tripod and controlled exposure settings and frame to focus on the disc space between endplates (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}A). 2.4. Image analysis and digital image correlation {#jsp21031-sec-0006} ------------------------------------------------- We matched the frames of the resulting videos to the compression test at constant strain rates and selected the frames corresponding to 5% strain until collapse ([Videos S1](#jsp21031-supitem-0001){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [S2](#jsp21031-supitem-0002){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, Supporting Information). Then, we used open source digital image correlation software (Ncorr v.1.2)[24](#jsp21031-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"} to quantify two‐dimensional displacements at the region of interest (ROI) within the disc space corresponding to the TE‐IVD and the remaining AF tissues (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}A). From the radial (horizontal) and axial (vertical) displacement maps (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}B), we computed average magnitudes of the resultant displacement vectors in the ROI at discrete distances along the segment diameter between the ventral and dorsal sides of the disc space. To discretize the disc space, first we normalized the horizontal values of the ROI to this segment diameter and centered nominal radial locations around the mid‐axis of the disc space (*x* = 0). Then, we reported the mean displacements at each nominal radial location as the average of the values from the cranial endplate (*y* = 0) to the caudal endplate (*y* = disc space height) while excluding the empty background. We chose to compare the average magnitudes of PLATE− and PLATE+ experimental groups at 50% strain, since these were the maximum allowable strain of the intact motion segments corresponding to these groups (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}C,D, [Videos S3](#jsp21031-supitem-0003){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [S4](#jsp21031-supitem-0004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). 2.5. Statistical analysis {#jsp21031-sec-0007} ------------------------- We reported all data as mean ± SD and evaluated data distribution in boxplots. For the biomechanical analysis, we conducted a repeated measures analysis of variance to compare the effect of segment level (C2/C3 to C4/C5) on the ratio of segment stiffness to intact segment in equilibrium over the experimental conditions DX, PLATE−, and PLATE+. We then used Tukey honest‐significance difference post‐hoc tests to identify significant differences at *P* \< 0.05, with the Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox of MATLAB R2017 (Mathworks, Natick, MA). For the image processing data, we used R (R‐Studio, Boston, MA) and the *lme4* function[25](#jsp21031-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"} to perform a linear mixed effects analysis of the relationship between vector displacement magnitudes and treatment at discrete radial locations of un‐plated and plated segments. As fixed effects, we considered treatment (PLATE− vs PLATE+), nominal radial location (*x* = −1 on ventral side to *x* = 1 on dorsal side), and segment level (C3/C4 vs C5/C6) along with the two‐factor interaction terms for treatment. As random effects, we accounted for intercepts for spine (*N* = 4) and for the interaction between spine and level. We identified significant differences at *P* \< 0.05 using Tukey adjustments for multiple comparisons. 3. RESULTS {#jsp21031-sec-0008} ========== 3.1. Disc space height restoration {#jsp21031-sec-0009} ---------------------------------- Motion segments with implanted acellular TE‐IVDs and resorbable plates attached on the ventral side recovered initial height of the disc space before loading. Motion segments under PLATE+ condition reached significantly higher disc height than either DX (*P* = 0.002) and PLATE− (*P* = 0.003). While there were no marked differences in changes of disc space height between levels C2/C3, C3/C4, and C4/C5 (Figure [2](#jsp21031-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}B), the disc space height of all motion segments dropped by almost 30% when discectomized compared to the CTRL condition. TE‐IVD implantation alone increased the disc space height ratio to 0.84 ± 0.18, while plating in addition to the implant recovered up to 134% of original disc height (Figure [2](#jsp21031-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}A). {#jsp21031-fig-0002} 3.2. Motion segment stiffness preservation {#jsp21031-sec-0010} ------------------------------------------ In equilibrium, plating partially restored segment stiffness to more than 25% of the intact motion segment magnitudes of 60.9 ± 30.9 kN/m. Segments in PLATE+ group showed a significant two‐fold increase in stiffness (*P* = 0.001) when compared to the PLATE− group (Figure [2](#jsp21031-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}C). The stiffness of segments in DX group dropped by more than 80% of their CTRL stiffness and the stiffness ratio of PLATE− group segments to CTRL decreased even further at 0.13 ± 0.07. Segment stiffness ratios in PLATE+ and DX groups were statistically similar, despite the notable increase in disc height and more than 41% difference between their stiffness ratio to CTRL. Differences between stiffness ratio to CTRL were not significant across C2/C3, C3/C4, and C4/C5 levels (Figure [2](#jsp21031-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}D). 3.3. Improved implant retention {#jsp21031-sec-0011} ------------------------------- Attaching the plate prevented extrusion of the implant through the ventral side of all motion segments at 50% strain. The average magnitudes of vector displacements in the ROI were markedly affected by the nominal location along the radial direction (*P* \< 2.2 × 10^−6^), by the treatment groups PLATE+ against PLATE− (*P* = 6.1 × 10^−7^), and by the combined interactions of treatment with segment level (*P* = 1.3 × 10^−9^). Notably, the average displacements in the disc space remained below 0.6 mm in the dorsal side, while the average displacements occurring in the ventral side exceeded 1.1 mm. The specific region located between 30% distance from the center in the ventral side and 100% distance from the center in the dorsal side (dorsal edge) delimited where average displacements were significantly lower across all treatments and levels. The maximum displacements of the acellular TE‐IVDs recorded in the PLATE− group were observed consistently at the caudal endplate near the extrusion site (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}D, [Video S3](#jsp21031-supitem-0003){ref-type="supplementary-material"}), while the maximum displacements in the PLATE+ group were distributed along the cranial endplate (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}C, [Video S4](#jsp21031-supitem-0004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). {#jsp21031-fig-0003} Plating reduced implant migration between 8% and 32% (Figure [4](#jsp21031-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}(A)) at discrete locations of the disc space. Segments from PLATE+ group had significantly lower average displacement magnitudes than those from PLATE− group at nominal radial locations between 80% and 50% distance from the center on the ventral side, corresponding to the region where the implant was located (Figures [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}C,D and [4](#jsp21031-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}B). We observed that implants were partially expelled from the disc space by 5% to 10% strain and 15% to 25% strain in PLATE− segments, at C5/C6 and C3/C4, respectively. This trend was consistent with the statistical inference that plating was more effective in reducing implant migration at C3/C4 segments (*P* \< 0.0001), than in C5/C6 segments (*P* = 0.41) (Table S1). Nevertheless, different levels had no significant fixed effects on average displacements at the ROI. There were also no significant random effects observed between spines and combining spines with levels. {#jsp21031-fig-0004} 4. DISCUSSION {#jsp21031-sec-0012} ============= In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that resorbable plating improved stiffness of canine cervical spine motion segments in vitro and prevented the extrusion of implanted TE‐IVDs from the disc space. We demonstrated that the combination of TE‐IVDs implanted with PLGA plates reconditioned motion segment stiffness in compression by restoring the disc space height after discectomy and stabilizing the segment, while retaining the implant in place. Previous efforts of total disc replacement with a combined approach of tissue‐engineered implants and external fixation focused on preventing segment collapse and implant displacement.[20](#jsp21031-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"} However, there has been no previous work demonstrating the ability of an implantable bio‐resorbable fixation system to restore motion segment stability while preserving disc space height and retention of an engineered implant. The PLGA temporary stabilization system adequately addresses our findings in the in vivo canine model of cervical disc replacement,[15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} where some TE‐IVDs displaced ventrally. While implanted TE‐IVDs alone were able to retain up to 70% of healthy control disc height in motion segments in vivo and more than 80% of intact CTRL disc height in vitro (Figure [2](#jsp21031-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}A,B), only with the attachment of the plate we observed complete recovery of disc space height. The relative rigidity of the PLGA plate compared to the hydrogel‐based TE‐IVDs and the fixation of the PLGA screws through the endplates contributed to the increase in disc height after discectomy. Since attachment of the PLGA screws was performed in an angular fashion from the sanded surface on the ventral side of the caudal and cranial endplates through the VBs, the rigid straight plate was fit closely to the implanted TE‐IVD, thus effectively restoring distraction of the VB in the PLATE+ group before loading. In preliminary studies, TE‐IVDs demonstrated apparent equilibrium moduli in compression that ranged in the 0.5 to 5 kPa, which remains orders of magnitude lower than the 0.03 to 5.96 MPa apparent equilibrium modulus observed in the intact cervical spine segments gathered ex vivo. Meanwhile, the PLGA copolymer that constitutes the plates and screws has an initial elastic modulus of 3.1 GPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 66 MPa.[26](#jsp21031-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"} The combined approach in PLATE+ segments achieved sufficient mechanical robustness to partially restore intact CTRL segment stiffness (Figure [2](#jsp21031-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}C,D) when compared to PLATE− segments; therefore, this partial mechanical support allows for continuous load sharing and dynamic mechanical stimulation to the TE‐IVD, while transferring loads through the endplates. Furthermore, preliminary tests of cervical spine segments without resecting the posterior elements and soft tissues revealed that between 60% and 80% of compressive loads applied onto intact motion segments are shared by these additional tissues. The relative similarity of the intact stiffness ratio between DX and PLATE+ groups likely results from the contact between endplates after DX which confounds the rigidity of an empty disc space with that of a treated segment. The resorbable plate is expected to provide temporary structural biomechanical support while promoting implant integration in the first 4 to 16 weeks, since the PLGA plate degrades between 4 and 12 months.[27](#jsp21031-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"} Faster degradation kinetics in vitro than in human maxillofacial bones in vivo have been shown previously with PLGA implants; however, the stiffness of intact explants upon isolation from the surrounding fibrous tissue and bone could not be tested.[26](#jsp21031-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"} Due to the slower degradation observed clinically in this case, the copolymer implant was expected to retain its bending strength for longer periods than the 75 days tested in vitro. It should be noted that the contraindications of the Rapidsorb fixation system warn against its use in load‐bearing applications, unless in conjunction with traditional rigid fixation. In human patients, a combined ACDF approach of a polyether ether ketone spacer with resorbable materials such as poly(L‐lactide‐co‐D,L‐lactide) has been shown to provide similar fusion progress and stability than traditional titanium fixation;[28](#jsp21031-bib-0028){ref-type="ref"} however, our intent with this study was to provide temporary stabilization to the implanted TE‐IVD instead of promoting rigid fixation of the motion segment. In this context, degradation of the PLGA system is expected to promote a gradual change in load distribution between the TE‐IVD and the PLGA plate, unlike the case of existing interbody spinal fusion techniques and external fixation devices previously evaluated in human cadaveric spines.[29](#jsp21031-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#jsp21031-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#jsp21031-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [32](#jsp21031-bib-0032){ref-type="ref"} Mackiewicz et al confirmed in a finite element study that introducing highly stiff stabilizing plates into cervical spine motion segments increases stress in the endplate of adjacent segments and that plates that allow greater range of motion show up to 30% reduction of adjacent plates resulting stress.[33](#jsp21031-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"} Matge et al.[34](#jsp21031-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"} discussed clinical and radiological observations that suggest dynamic cervical implants as a promising alternative to total disc replacement, anterior cervical discectomy and spinal fusion, and they indicate that preserving motion segment biomechanics reduces stress on facet joints and development of adjacent segment disease. The advantage of our combined approach over existing interbody cage designs and dynamic cervical prosthetics remains in that our TE‐IVD has been shown to remodel over time and mature to restore mechanical function of spine segments to native conditions, when stably implanted and fully engrafted.[9](#jsp21031-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"} The use of video recorded frames during the uniaxial continuous compression protocol and digital image correlation for data processing enabled the quantitative analysis of implant migration within the disc space. Acellular TE‐IVDs were retained within the disc space of all segments under PLATE+ conditions, because the PLGA plates served as a physical barrier that prevented complete extrusion of the implants. The distribution of maximum displacements along the cranial endplate in PLATE+ segments (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}C) suggests a shift of the implant to accommodate to the endplate shape on the cranial side. As expected, the location of maximum displacements of the PLATE− segments occurred at the implantation site where the space with least resistance remained open (Figure [3](#jsp21031-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}D), since the inclined shape of the endplate in the ventral side combined with the lack of anchoring for the implant resulted in a wedge‐like extrusion. These observations were consistent with the mechanism of extrusion observed in the displaced implants of our in vivo canine study.[15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} The significant reduction of implant migration in PLATE+ at locations in the ventral side further supports the ability of resorbable plating to retain the TE‐IVD inside the disc space (Figure [4](#jsp21031-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}). Furthermore, the relatively similar displacement profiles observed in all segments outside of the 50% to 80% range of radial distance from central axis suggests that spine flexibility and overall range of motion around the location of the implant remains unaffected. The quantitative analysis of implant migration also revealed level‐dependent differences in the efficacy of our combined treatment approach. Displacements of TE‐IVDs were more effectively reduced at C3/C4‐level PLATE+ segments than in those of levels C5/C6 (Table S1), likely due to the anatomic differences at the endplates of both segments. These differences were also reflected in vivo where 66.67% of the stably implanted TE‐IVDs were located in C3/C4‐level segments, while 100% of the TE‐IVDs implanted in the C5/C6‐level segments were displaced.[15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} In human cervical spines, marked anatomic differences exist between superior and inferior endplates at upper level and lower level segments.[35](#jsp21031-bib-0035){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#jsp21031-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"} These findings provide further insights into the careful considerations that need to be taken when deciding location of implants in cervical motion segments. Whereas the reported measurements of displacement are limited to the resultant sum of local deformations caused by the applied load from those caused by rigid body motion, these parameters provide a quantitative estimate of segment motion under uniaxial compression. Future studies could benefit of differentiating texture to enhance segmentation of the implant and the surrounding tissues within the image and multiple projections to capture a three‐dimensional range of motion. Several limitations in this work warrant important discussion when interpreting our findings within the context of an ex vivo model of an in vivo scenario. First, this study only assesses the compressive stiffness uniaxially, which does not recapitulate accurately what occurs in the physiological environment in vivo. However, our motivation for uniaxial mechanical testing was based on the intraoperative observations where the implants migrated out of the disc space solely from the deformations applied in axial compression upon removal of the distractor pins.[15](#jsp21031-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} Furthermore, with the assistance of the surrounding muscles and ligaments, individual cervical spine segments in quadrupeds are mainly loaded under axial compression to balance the bending moments from the weight of the head and neck.[37](#jsp21031-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"} Challenges remain in characterizing the biomechanical response of motion segments with our proposed treatment under cyclic loading or fatigue, both of which are also relevant in spine biomechanics and help inspect modes of failure in the system. Future work should investigate dynamic testing of motion segments and their biomechanics in the full six degrees of freedom characteristic of the spine. Second, while favorable outcomes in terms of durability and minimal negative inflammatory responses have been shown in cranio‐maxillo‐facial approaches with several animal models using PLGA plates and screws,[38](#jsp21031-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"}, [39](#jsp21031-bib-0039){ref-type="ref"} their load‐bearing capacity remains limited.[40](#jsp21031-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"} Recent work by Maenz et al.[41](#jsp21031-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"} with PLGA‐reinforced calcium phosphate cement in ovine VBs suggests a potential use in load‐bearing structures given the versatility and manufacturability of PLGA. Third, this study does not include a direct assessment of the degradation kinetics of the resorbable system and its effects on the load distribution across the VBs over time. While in vitro assessment of the degradation of PLGA system could provide estimates on strength retention, the use of this resorbable systems in future in vivo work is preferable to appropriately assess the efficacy of our proposed combined approach. Fourth, our surgical approach and modifications to the plate require further tuning to minimize the need for sanding the endplate and altering the VB profile. Since the ACDF approach is characterized by minimal invasiveness compared to dorsal or lateral fixation, we recommend exploring the attachment of customized PLGA elements that can adapt to the curvature of the ventral side of the motion segment. Finally, anatomical differences between human and canine cervical motion segments could also have significant impact on the performance of the resorbable plate examined in this work; furthermore, canine IVDs are exposed to similar or even higher loading compared to humans.[37](#jsp21031-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#jsp21031-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#jsp21031-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [44](#jsp21031-bib-0044){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#jsp21031-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}, [46](#jsp21031-bib-0046){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#jsp21031-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"} However, the canine spine shows analogous degenerative processes to those of humans and are regularly diagnosed and treated for disc degeneration with equivalent surgical approaches.[37](#jsp21031-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [46](#jsp21031-bib-0046){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#jsp21031-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"} This study provides valuable insights of canine motion segment biomechanics and validates a combined approach of total disc replacement with TE‐IVD and an implantable resorbable fixation system. Our findings in the current study present a baseline for further ex vivo and in vivo animal studies to better discern the long‐term biomechanical and integrative properties of cervical TE‐IVDs stabilized by resorbable plating. In addition, the method herein described to quantify displacements at specific locations along the radius of endplate offers a tool for estimation of loads occurring at the disc in diverse surgical scenarios. This work demonstrates that the combination of an implanted TE‐IVD with a resorbable plate improves implant retention by preventing ventral displacement under uniaxial compression, partially restores the compressive stiffness of intact segments by providing a shared distribution of loads, and helps avert the collapse of endplates in the treated disc space. Supporting information ====================== ###### **Video S1** Supplementary material ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Video S2** Supplementary material ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Video S3** Supplementary material ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Video S4** Supplementary material ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Table S1** Summary of vector displacement magnitude averaged over the entire range of nominal radial locations from the ventral side to the dorsal side (x = −1:1 mm/R\[mm\]) and the resultant *P* values from the multiple comparison tests at 0.95 confidence level. Date are grouped by treatment (Plate− vs Plate+, and by level C3/C4 vs C5/C6); linear mixed model analysis revealed significant difference between treatments at level C3/C4 only (\* *P* \< 0.05) ###### Click here for additional data file. This work was made possible thanks to the following funding sources: Colin MacDonald Fund, AO Foundation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), National Science Foundation (DGE‐1650441), Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and National Institutes of Health (5T35EB006732). The authors thank Depuy Synthes for providing hardware for experimental testing, Jill Middendorf for assistance with Ncorr software analysis, and Marianne Lintz and Ellaine Chou for their assistance with data collection. We would like to thank Dr. Lynn Marie Johnson from the Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit for her expert advice and assistance in the statistical methodology selection. Authors\' contributions {#jsp21031-sec-0014} ======================= J.A.M.S., G.L., and R.N.R. contributed to the conception and design of the study, experimental planning, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, statistical analysis, as well as drafting and revision of the manuscript. I.H. contributed to the analysis and interpretation of data, statistical analysis, and revision of the manuscript. R.H. and L.J.B. were responsible for funding acquisition and management of resources, and they contributed to the conception and design of the study, experimental planning, analysis and interpretation of data, as well as drafting and revision of the manuscript. All authors included on this manuscript made substantial contributions to this work and fulfill the criteria for authorship. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Conflict of interest {#jsp21031-sec-0015} ==================== L.J.B. is a co‐founder and holds equity in 3DBio Corp. R.H. is a consultant and holds equity in 3DBio Corp. R.H. has the following disclosures: Consulting fees: AOSpine, Brainlab, Depuy‐Synthes, Lanx, and Supported/Contracted research: Baxter.

/* *************************************************************************************** * Copyright (C) 2006 EsperTech, Inc. All rights reserved. * * http://www.espertech.com/esper * * http://www.espertech.com * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * The software in this package is published under the terms of the GPL license * * a copy of which has been included with this distribution in the license.txt file. * *************************************************************************************** */ package com.espertech.esper.common.internal.collection; import junit.framework.TestCase; public class TestRefCountedSet extends TestCase { private RefCountedSet<String> refSet; public void setUp() { refSet = new RefCountedSet<String>(); } public void testAdd() { assertTrue(refSet.add("a")); assertEquals(1, refSet.size()); assertFalse(refSet.add("a")); assertEquals(2, refSet.size()); assertTrue(refSet.add("A")); assertEquals(3, refSet.size()); } public void testRemove() { refSet.add("a"); refSet.add("a"); refSet.add("a"); assertEquals(3, refSet.size()); assertFalse(refSet.remove("a")); assertEquals(2, refSet.size()); assertFalse(refSet.remove("a")); assertEquals(1, refSet.size()); assertTrue(refSet.remove("a")); assertEquals(0, refSet.size()); refSet.add("a"); assertTrue(refSet.remove("a")); refSet.add("b"); refSet.add("b"); assertFalse(refSet.remove("b")); assertTrue(refSet.remove("b")); refSet.add("C"); refSet.add("C"); assertTrue(refSet.removeAll("C")); assertFalse(refSet.removeAll("C")); } }

These cmdlets are can be found in the Azure Active Directory PowerShell V2 public preview release, which can be installed from https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/AzureADPreview The team is working hard to provide a GA release of these cmdlets soon, but cannot share a committed date at this time Please note that the Revoke-AzureADSignedInUserAllRefreshTokens and Revoke-AzureADUserAllRefreshTokens were renamed to Revoke-AzureADSignedInUserAllRefreshToken and Revoke-AzureADUserAllRefreshToken respectively to follow the Verb-SingularNoun naming convention. Please note that there is a known issue in this release. If you get an error "The module 'AzureAD' cannot be installed or updated because the authenticode signature of the file 'AzureAD.psd1' is not valid." then please retry the install-module command with the SkipPublisherCheck Parameter.

A historical hypothesis of the first recorded neurosurgical operation: Isis, Osiris, Thoth, and the origin of the djed cross. A new textual analysis of the central religious aspect of the ancient Egyptian creation myth reveals what appears to be a description of the oldest recorded neurosurgical operation, occurring circa 3000 BC. The analysis results in a hypothesis suggesting that traction reduction was used successfully to reverse a paralyzing cervical spine injury of an early Egyptian leader (Osiris), which inspired the story of his resurrection. The Egyptian mother god Isis, working with the god Thoth (the inventor of medicine), resurrects Osiris by treating his damaged cervical spine. Numerous references in the Papyrus of Ani (Book of the Dead) to Osiris regaining the strength and control of his legs are linked textually to the treatment of his spine. The connection between the intact spine and the ability to rise and stand is used as a distinct metaphor for life and death by the spinal representation of the "djed column" painted on the back of the numerous Egyptian sarcophagi for thousands of years. Controversy over the translation of the vertebral references in Egyptian texts is clarified by considering the specific neurosurgical meanings of hieroglyphs appearing in both the Edwin Smith medical papyrus and in the Papyrus of Ani, and in light of recent scholarly reassessments of those hieroglyphs in the Egyptological literature.

Orthodontics: From Tooth Fairy to Retainer You might be surprised to learn that Dr. Schmidtke and our team recommend an orthodontic appointment even before your child has had that last visit from the Tooth Fairy. In fact, orthodontic assessments at our Hortonville or Appleville office can be beneficial at many stages of your child’s life. Let’s look at some of the reasons why. The Right Spaces There’s a reason why we recommend that every child see an orthodontist by the age of seven. If there’s room enough in your child’s mouth to accommodate all the permanent teeth that will be arriving soon, you’re good to go. But if it looks like there won’t be enough space for those adult teeth, there are solutions we can offer to make the transition from baby teeth to adult teeth a smoother one. If your child’s mouth is small, the permanent teeth might have too little room to fit in when they arrive. We may recommend gently enlarging the upper dental arch with the use of a palatal expander. This device will provide room for the adult teeth, and could potentially shorten second phase treatment time. Too much space can also be a problem. If a child loses a baby tooth too soon, too much space between the remaining teeth can cause them to shift out of position, leaving the wrong spot open for the adult tooth to come in. We might recommend a space maintainer so that there is no shifting of the teeth, and there is room for the adult tooth to erupt in its proper spot. If there is a bite problem, early treatment can prevent more serious problems down the road. If no treatment is necessary immediately, we can monitor the development of your child’s teeth and bite during periodic visits. (Stay in) The Right Places Once your child has achieved that perfect smile, it’s time to maintain it. Teeth actually move and shift throughout our lives, whether we have had orthodontic treatment or not. But with orthodontic treatment, the bone tissue and ligaments around the teeth remodel over time to hold the teeth in their new and improved positions. That’s why it’s often important to wear a retainer constantly for several months after the braces come off, as bone and ligament become a firm, strong anchor for the newly aligned teeth and bite. But there’s no one expiration date on retainers! Worn nightly as needed, they help teeth stay securely in their new positions for a lifetime of beautiful smiles. Healthy Smiles Mean Happy Faces If you think your child is ready for any phase of orthodontic work, give us a call. We will be happy to make sure there is ample room for permanent teeth to erupt in their proper spots even during the baby teeth years. If braces are indicated at a later date, we will analyze any potential alignment and bite problems and present all of your treatment options. Finally, after the orthodontic work is completed, we want to make sure your child knows the best way to maintain that beautiful smile with conscientious retainer wear. If you have any concerns about your child’s teeth or bite, even before the permanent teeth arrive, give our Hortonville or Appleville office a call. Early treatment can often prevent future problems and might even lead to faster orthodontic results. At each stage of your child’s growth, we are here to provide your best options for healthy, happy smiles.

Aplastic anemia secondary to azathioprine in systemic lupus erythematosus: report of a case with normal thiopurine S-methyltransferase enzyme activity and review of the literature. Azathioprine-induced aplastic anemia and fatal myelosuppression is a rare occurrence in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report a case of a 53-year-old female with a normal thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) level who developed aplastic anemia within 4 weeks of azathioprine initiation, resulting in death. Physicians should be vigilant in monitoring routine blood work when administering azathioprine, a relatively common drug, in patients with SLE.

T.C. Memo. 1996-256 UNITED STATES TAX COURT ST. JOSEPH LEASE CAPITAL CORPORATION, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent Docket No. 249-95. Filed June 3, 1996. The parties have made opposing motions for summary judgment with respect to the period of limitations. Petitioner argues that a notice of deficiency returned to respondent by the U.S. Postal Service was not addressed to petitioner’s last known address and was a nullity and that a copy subsequently sent to petitioner by facsimile was a new notice that was received after the period of limitations had expired. Respondent argues that petitioner’s last known address presents a genuine issue as to a material fact but that we should deny petitioner’s motion and grant respondent’s on the grounds that petitioner received actual notice of a timely mailed notice without prejudicial delay. We agree with respondent. 1. Held: Petitioner’s motion for summary judgment will be denied. 2. Held, further, respondent's motion for partial summary judgment will be granted.  - 2 - Steven S. Brown and Robert M. Levin, for petitioner. Gary D. Kallevang, for respondent. MEMORANDUM OPINION HALPERN, Judge: This matter is before the Court on two opposing motions for summary judgment, petitioner’s motion for summary judgment (petitioner’s motion) and respondent’s motion for partial summary judgment (respondent’s motion). The motions are in opposition on the question of whether the period of limitations on assessment and collection has run. Petitioner asks that we summarily decide that the assessment or collection of any tax for the years in issue is barred by the statute of limitations and that we enter a decision that there is no deficiency in respect of any such tax. Respondent opposes that request and asks that we summarily decide that petitioner’s affirmative defense of the statute of limitations has no merit. Petitioner opposes respondent’s motion. Unless otherwise noted, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. Introduction Motion For Summary Judgment A summary judgment is appropriate "if the pleadings, answers to interrogatories, depositions, admissions, and any other  - 3 - acceptable materials, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that a decision may be rendered as a matter of law." Rule 121(b). Grounds The principal grounds for petitioner’s motion are that respondent failed to suspend the period of limitations on assessment and collection by timely sending notice of deficiency and that the notice of deficiency upon which the petition is based was sent after that period expired. Respondent objects on alternative grounds: First, the period of limitations on assessment and collection was suspended by respondent’s sending notice of deficiency by mail to petitioner at petitioner’s last known address before such period expired; second, even if respondent failed to address such notice to petitioner at petitioner’s last known address, respondent did timely mail such notice to petitioner, who received actual notice of the contents of that notice without prejudicial delay. Although respondent argues that petitioner’s last known address presents a genuine issue of fact, respondent also argues that petitioner’s last known address is immaterial if we deny petitioner’s motion on the basis that the period of limitations was suspended by petitioner’s receipt of actual notice without prejudicial delay. Respondent relies on such actual notice argument as grounds for her motion. Petitioner does not argue that there is a genuine issue as to any material fact that would preclude us from  - 4 - granting respondent’s motion (although petitioner would have us deny respondent’s motion for other reasons). We agree with respondent that petitioner’s last known address is immaterial if we adopt her “actual notice” argument. We believe that respondent’s motion presents no genuine issue as to any material fact and that we can decide both petitioner’s and respondent’s motions as matters of law. For the reasons stated, respondent’s motion will be granted and petitioner’s motion will be denied. Facts On Which We Rely The parties have attached to their motions various affidavits, on which we rely to the extent that they are undisputed. We also rely on certain uncontested or inconsequential averments in the pleadings. The facts that we rely on to decide the motions are as follows. Petitioner; Its Returns Petitioner, an Indiana corporation, is a calendar-year taxpayer. Petitioner’s Federal income tax returns for 1985 through 1990 (the years in issue) were received at the Internal Revenue Service Center, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, on October 15, 1991. Petitioner and respondent entered into no agreement to extend the time to assess tax for any of the years in issue. Respondent’s Examination Respondent, by one of her revenue agents, Anne M. Price (Price), began an examination of petitioner’s 1991 tax year on or  - 5 - about September 28, 1993. Later, Price attempted to expand that examination to include the years in issue. On several occasions during the course of Price’s examination, she visited offices of petitioner at 6019 Tower Court, Alexandria, Virginia. Price’s examination of petitioner was closed on or about August 1, 1994, with respect to the years in issue. Thereafter, a notice of deficiency with respect to the years in issue was prepared by or under the supervision of John Henry, Senior Reviewer, Quality Assurance Branch, Richmond District, Internal Revenue Service, Richmond, Virginia. On October 6, 1994, three copies of that notice of deficiency (the October 6 notice) were sent by certified mail, addressed as follows: (1) St. Joseph Lease Capital Corporation Post Office Box 19307 Alexandria, Virginia 22320 (2) St. Joseph Lease Capital Corporation 6019 Tower Court Alexandria, Virginia 22320 (3) Roger A. Pies, Esquire Suite 800 South 601 Thirteenth Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20005 The first address resulted from a query to the main Internal Revenue Service computer. The second address was found in the case file and is the address at which Price carried out a portion of her examination. Roger A. Pies (Pies) is an attorney who represented petitioner during the course of Price’s examination, and the third address is that of Pies.  - 6 - All three copies of the October 6 notice were returned to respondent. The first carried a U.S. Postal Service (Postal Service) stamp: “Box Closed, No Forwarding Order”; the second carried a Postal Service stamp: “Return to Sender, Unclaimed”. The third was returned unopened, under cover of a letter from Pies that stated that he did not represent petitioner. Petitioner’s Counsel Initially, Pies represented petitioner in connection with Price’s examination of petitioner’s 1991 tax year; later, that representation was extended to include Price’s examination of the years in issue. A Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, appointing Pies petitioner’s attorney in fact for purposes of income tax matters for 1985 through 1990 was executed on behalf of petitioner by petitioner’s president, Michael V. Jennings (Jennings), on March 21, 1994. On August 23, 1994, Jennings hired another attorney, Robert M. Levin (Levin), to represent petitioner before the Internal Revenue Service in connection with income tax matters for 1985 through 1991. On September 1, 1994, Levin wrote to the Richmond, Virginia, District Office of the Internal Revenue Service, and requested the release of certain documents pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. sec. 552 (1994), including documents relating to Price’s examination of petitioner’s 1985 through 1991 tax years. Included with Levin’s request was a Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of  - 7 - Representative, appointing Levin petitioner’s attorney in fact for purposes of income tax matters for 1985 through 1991. By its terms, that power revoked all prior powers for the same matters and years. On November 2, 1994, Levin learned from a disclosure specialist in the Richmond District Director’s office that the October 6 notice had been sent. He asked if he could obtain a copy, and he was referred to John Henry (Henry), the senior reviewer in the Richmond District Quality Assurance Branch. Levin contacted Henry, who agreed to send Levin a copy of that notice. Henry did so by facsimile transmission, received in Levin’s office on November 10, 1994. In so acting, Henry acted to protect the interests of petitioner. 1993 Consolidated Return On August 31, 1994, petitioner's parent corporation, Financial Analytics Corp., sent its 1993 consolidated income tax return to respondent's Philadelphia Service Center on Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return. Attached to that Form 1120 was a Form 851, Affiliations Schedule. That Form 851 states that petitioner's address is 218 North Lee Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314 (the North Lee Street address). Form 8822 On September 21, 1994, petitioner sent a Form 8822, Change of Address, by overnight courier to respondent's Philadelphia  - 8 - Service Center. That Form 8822 stated that petitioner's new address was the North Lee Street Address. Petition The petition was hand delivered to the Court on January 3, 1995. Discussion With exceptions not here relevant, section 6501 provides a 3-year period from the time a return is filed for the assessment or collection (without assessment) of any tax, including income taxes (the period of limitations). The running of the period of limitations, however, is suspended under section 6503(a)(1) by “the mailing of a notice under section 6212(a)”. Section 6212(a) authorizes the Secretary, upon determining that there is a deficiency in income tax, to send a notice of deficiency “to the taxpayer by certified or registered mail.” Section 6212(b)(1) provides that a notice of deficiency in respect of an income tax “shall be sufficient” if it is “mailed to the taxpayer at his last known address”. Petitioner’s income tax returns for the years in question were filed on October 15, 1991, and the October 6 notice was sent to petitioner by certified mail well within the period of limitations. If any of the three addresses to which the October 6 notice was addressed was petitioner’s last known address, then the October 6 notice is presumptively sufficient and petitioner’s motion must be denied. We need not decide  - 9 - petitioner’s last known address to dispose of the motions before us, however, because that fact is immaterial to respondent’s principal argument that petitioner received actual notice of the October 6 notice and timely filed the petition. Respondent argues that we can assume that the October 6 notice was not addressed to petitioner’s last known address and decide whether, notwithstanding that assumption, the October 6 notice was sufficient to suspend the running of the period of limitations. Petitioner argues that the October 6 notice was insufficient to suspend the running of the period of limitations because (assuming that it was not sent to petitioner’s last known address) respondent abandoned or withdrew the October 6 notice when all three copies were returned undelivered by the Postal Service and respondent communicated a copy to petitioner’s agent, Levin, by facsimile transmission on November 10, 1994. That facsimile transmission (the November 10 communication), argues petitioner, constituted a new notice of deficiency, which was effective (once the petition was filed) to give this Court jurisdiction but which was ineffective, because untimely, to suspend the running of the period of limitations. In support of its argument, petitioner cites Reddock v. Commissioner, 72 T.C. 21 (1979). In the Reddock case, respondent mailed a notice of deficiency to the taxpayers 3 days before the expiration of the period of limitations (the initial notice) but did not mail the initial notice to the taxpayers' last known  - 10 - address. The initial notice was returned to respondent undelivered. Eleven days after the period of limitations expired, respondent remailed the initial notice to the taxpayers at their residence, where it was received. The taxpayers then filed a petition in this Court, raising as an affirmative defense the period of limitations. We upheld that defense, finding that assessment was barred since the initial notice was not remailed to the taxpayers until after the period of limitations had expired. We reasoned that the initial notice was a "nullity" because the initial notice was erroneously addressed and was returned to respondent undelivered. The Reddock case exemplifies the rule that, if respondent acts so as to indicate that a notice of deficiency is null, she will be bound by the consequences of such action. See, e.g., Eppler v. Commissioner, 188 F.2d 95, 98 (7th Cir. 1951) (petition to redetermine a deficiency timely when mailed within 90 days of second notice of deficiency but without 90 days of first notice of deficiency; by sending second notice, Commissioner in effect “withdrew or abandoned” the first notice and, when second notice was mailed, "started a new 90 day period of appeal"). In the Reddock case, respondent's remailing of the misaddressed notice of deficiency was convincing evidence that she considered the prior notice a nullity. We reach a contrary conclusion here, because respondent took no actions that evidence an abandonment, withdrawal, or nullification of the October 6 notice. It was  - 11 - petitioner’s agent, Levin, who asked to obtain a copy of the October 6 notice; respondent’s agent, Henry, did not resort to certified or registered mail or, indeed, any form of mail to satisfy that request; he transmitted a copy of the October 6 notice by facsimile transmission. Henry stated that he was acting to protect petitioner’s interests. Those are not indicia that respondent had come to realize that the October 6 notice was faulty and that she was seeking to start things anew. Accordingly, we conclude that the November 10 communication constituted merely a copy of the October 6 notice, not a new notice. We still must decide, however, what consequence we are to attach to our assumption that the October 6 notice was not addressed to petitioner’s last known address. In Frieling v. Commissioner, 81 T.C. 42 (1983), we dealt with a situation analogous to that which we face today. There, respondent mailed a notice of deficiency to the taxpayers before the period of limitations expired. That notice was not mailed to the taxpayers’ last known address, but it was forwarded by the Postal Service to the taxpayers, who actually received it, although after the period of limitations had expired. The taxpayers argued that the statute of limitations had expired with respect to the taxable years in issue there. We set forth the following two rules:  - 12 - Where the safe harbor in section 6212(b)(1) does not apply, the taxpayer's failure to receive the incorrectly addressed notice of deficiency becomes relevant and invalidates that notice for all purposes. However, so long as the notice of deficiency is timely mailed by the Commissioner and is received without prejudicial delay by the taxpayer in compliance with section 6212(a), the notice is effective for all purposes from the time of its mailing. [Id. at 57.] With respect to the specific purpose of suspending the period of limitations pursuant to section 6503(a)(1), we held: the mailing of the notice of deficiency, which complied with section 6212(a), which was received by petitioners, and in regard to which a timely petition was filed in this Court, tolled the period of limitations on the date the notice was mailed even though the notice was not sent to their last known address. [Id.] This case falls squarely within the rule of Frieling v. Commissioner: The October 6 notice was timely sent, although it may not have been mailed to petitioner’s last known address. Thereafter, a copy of that notice was received by petitioner, who timely petitioned this Court on January 3, 1995. See sec. 6213(a). Petitioner cannot complain that the delay it suffered in receipt of the notice, until November 10, 1994, prejudiced it by disabling it from timely petitioning this Court. Therefore, the October 6 notice suspended the running of the period of limitations. Frieling v. Commissioner, supra at 57 ("so long as the notice is received within the period for petitioning this Court and a timely petition is filed, the notice will be valid under section 6212(a)").  - 13 - On the grounds stated, petitioner’s motion will be denied. Although respondent has asked for summary adjudication that, on those grounds, the Court has jurisdiction, there is no question of jurisdiction, in the technical sense, in this case; it is clear from respondent’s motion, her memorandum in support of that motion, and petitioner’s objection that respondent is asking for (and petitioner understands that she is asking for) summary adjudication that petitioner’s affirmative defense of the statute of limitations has no merit. On the grounds stated, she deserves such summary adjudication, and we shall grant respondent’s motion. An appropriate order will be issued. 

Q: How do I run a model inside a Magento controller? Here's my controller. public function mockcron_newmatchAction(){ $task = Mage::getModel('showdown/cron::makematch'); var_dump($task); } And here's the cron function located at app/code/local/Desbest/Showdown/Model <?php class Desbest_Showdown_Model_Cron { public function makematch(){ $var = "apples"; return $var; } } The problem is that $task = Mage::getModel('showdown/cron::makematch'); does not run and I want that model to run. What do I do? The variable prints as false, regardless of whether I have chosen an existing model or not. A: The :: syntax only works if you're providing a source model in a system.xml XML. ex. #File: app/code/core/Mage/Paypal/etc/system.xml <source_model>paypal/config::getApiAuthenticationMethods</source_model> It doesn't work when you're writing regular PHP code. The syntax you want is $task = Mage::getModel('showdown/cron')->makematch(); The call to Mage::getModel('showdown/cron') instantiates your model object, and then the ->makematch(); calls a method, as per standard PHP. When you say Mage::getModel('showdown/cron::makematch'); you're asking magento to instantiate the class with an alias of showdown/cron::makematch. Since that's an invalid alias alias, this will always return false.

1. Field of Invention This invention relates to compositions for topical application to the human skin. 2. Prior Art The human skin serves a variety of functions which include the protection of the body from the external environment. The skin accomplishes this task in various ways one of which is the production of skin lipids the main source of which is the sebum exuded by the sebaceous glands of the skin. The sebaceous gland exudate, upon spreading over the skin, tends to thicken and form a protective layer that is lubricious and emollient, thus contributing to the suppleness of the skin as well as conserving skin moisture and providing an inhospitable environment for the survival of pathogenic microorganisms on the skin. Sebum, the skin's endogenous lubricant, consists of about one-third cis-6-hexadecenoic acid and its triglyceride and wax esters. Man is the only animal whose skin is known to manufacture this lipid substance, and until recently it was not known to exist in nature anywhere except as a constituent of human sebum. In order to supplement or supplant the lubricious and protective properties of human sebum for cosmetic or therapeutic purposes it is common to apply oily or creamy emollient compositions to the skin. These emollient compositions contain lipid substances and may be in the form of creamy aqueous emulsions or in the form of creamy blends or emulsions of nonaqueous (eg., organic) substances. In addition to the lipid constituent or constituents (and, in the case of aqueous creams and lotions, water and oil emusifier) these compositions may contain an almost infinite variety of other ingredients such as perfumes, colors, preservatives, stabilizers, thickeners, moisturizing agents and medicinal substances, depending upon the intended use of the composition (eg., cosmetic or therapeutic). In all cases, these compositions contain as the principal lipid constituent thereof one or more oils or fats derived from animal, vegetable or mineral sources. However, to date, all of these oils and fats are largely composed of substances not normally found on the human skin surface. They may perform their emollient and protective functions well enough, but they are nonetheless foreign substances as far as the skin's normal biochemistry is concerned and may occasionally be the cause of allergic reactions and similar disturbances of the skin. Moreover, many lipids of animal and vegetable origin provide a fertile growth medium for mold and pathogens necessitating the use of preservatives in the composition which may also irritate the skin. It has recently been found that the oil of the seed of certain plants, and in particular plants belonging to the Thunbergia genus, is composed predominantly of the triglyceride and wax esters of cis-6-hexadecenoic acid. After an intensive investigation I have discovered that this oil, and highly purified cis-6-hexadecenate fractions thereof, can be combined with water and other fluid vehicles to form aqueous and non-aqueous creams and ointments that have outstanding emollient and protective properties when applied to the human skin. Furthermore, since the lipid constituent of my new emollient composition comprises a fat natural to the human skin, the small but significant number of allergic reactions encountered with the foreign oils and fats currently employed as emollients is largely eliminated.

In computer graphics applications, complex shapes and structures are formed through the sampling, interconnection and rendering of more simple shapes, referred to as primitives. These primitives, in turn, are formed by the interconnection of individual pixels. Objects are generated by combining a plurality of pixels together to form an outline of a shape (e.g. a cup). Texture is then applied to the individual pixels based on their location within a primitive and the primitives orientation with respect to the generated shape; thereby generating an object. The pixels colors are modified using textures. The individual components of a texture are called texels. To make the rendered object look more realistic, noise is applied to the generated object resulting in the appearance of imperfections in the rendered object. Noise is applied by adding randomly generated data to the texels that comprise the object. A drawback associated with known noise generation techniques is that the noise data is independently computed for each pixel in the object. Thus, the circuitry used to generate the noise data takes up valuable real estate as such circuitry must be replicated many, many times on an integrated circuit chip surface. Another drawback associated with known noise generation techniques is that because noise data is independently computed for each individual pixel, previously computed noise values and the information provided thereby are not reused. Thus, computational resources are wasted.

Parental occupational exposure and the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in offspring in Israel. Parental employment in occupations that have potential exposures to organic solvents or pesticides could be associated with the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in their offspring. We explored this hypothesis by studying the association with respect to exposure time windows. Our case-control study included 224 children, 112 diagnosed with ALL and 112 matched controls. A significantly higher odds ratio (OR) was found between childhood ALL and reported parental occupational exposures. Analysis of exposures of both parents by exposure time windows revealed significant OR during the preconception and postnatal periods separately. The results provide support to the association between parental occupational exposures and ALL in their children. These results should be interpreted cautiously because of the small numbers, biases characterizing case-control studies, and the use of hospital-based controls.

2014 AFL draft The 2014 AFL draft consists of the various periods where the 18 clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL) can trade and recruit players following the completion of the 2014 AFL season. Additions to each club's playing list are not allowed at any other time during the year. This was the last year in which any team passed on a selection in the national draft. The key dates for the trading and drafting periods are: The free agency offer period between 3 October and 13 October. Three further free agency periods are held for delisted players, between 1 November and 12 November, 14 November to 19 November and 28 November to 1 December. Father-son and academy players were nominated by 3 October, with a bidding process held on 6 October. The trade period; which was held between 6 October and 16 October The 2014 national draft; which was conducted on 27 November 2014 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. The 2015 pre-season draft which was held on 3 December 2014 and The 2015 rookie draft, also held on 3 December 2014. Final club lists for the 2015 AFL season were lodged to the AFL on 5 December 2014. The 2014 draft was the best draft from a NSW/ACT perspective in recent history, as there were as many as seven players recruited from the region. Isaac Heeney was taken at pick 18, followed by Jack Hiscox, Abe Davis, Jack Steele, Dougal Howard, Logan Austin and Jeremy Finlayson. This total of seven new recruits (Dan Robinson was a rookie upgrade) was just one player less than what was recruited from the traditional football state of Western Australia. Player movements Free agency The initial list of free agents, published in March 2014, consisted of 48 unrestricted free agents and nine restricted free agents. The mid-year revision in July listed 27 unrestricted free agents and only two restricted free agents, due to players re-signing with their existing clubs or announcing their retirement. The final free agents list issued on 29 September, the week before the trade period commenced, consisted of 13 unrestricted free agents and only Shaun Higgins on the restricted free agent list, reflecting that most of the original list had either re-signed with their current club or retired from the AFL. James Frawley, Jarrad Waite, Dustin Fletcher, Brad Sewell, Luke McPharlin, Adam Goodes and Nick Malceski were the highest profile players remaining on the list. Trades The AFL trade period will run from Monday 6 October until Thursday 16 October. The AFL announced that it was shortening the trade period by one day from the usual Friday deadline due to Etihad Stadium, which is used by the AFL clubs during the trade period, being booked on the Friday for the International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses. On 9 October it was revealed that the AFL had banned the Sydney Swans from recruiting players, either by trading or through free agency signing, for the next two trading periods (until the end of the 2016 season), unless the club was prepared to give up its cost of living allowance (COLA), the allowance above the base salary cap which the club is permitted to pay its players to reflect the higher cost of living in Sydney compared with Melbourne. Sydney opted to abide by the restrictions in order to retain its COLA, and recruited no players. The club was not restricted from receiving draft picks in exchange for players leaving the club. Note: The numbering of the draft picks in this list may be different to the agreed draft picks at the time of the trade, due to adjustments from either the insertion of free agency compensation draft picks or clubs exiting the draft before later rounds. Retirements and delistings 2014 national draft The 2014 AFL national draft was held on 27 November 2014 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. Final draft order Notes Compensation picks are selections in addition to the normal order of selection, allocated to clubs by the AFL as compensation for losing uncontracted players to the new expansion clubs, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney. The picks can be held for up to five years and clubs declare at the beginning of the season of their intent to utilise the pick at the end of the season. Picks could be traded to other clubs in return for players or other draft selections. Free agency compensation picks are additional selections awarded to teams based on their net loss of players during the free agency trade period. Academy players are local zone selections available to the four NSW and Queensland clubs. Both Academy and Father-son selections are subject to a bidding process, where the club with the family or academy connection must match any opposition club's bid with their next available selection. Rookie elevations Between 2009 and 2013, rookie listed players that were elevated to their club's senior list were listed in the national draft order at the end of the club's selections. In 2014 the AFL reverted to the system used in 2008 and earlier, where they are not included in the draft list. Club can retain a rookie for up to three years before they must be elevated to the senior list or delisted. The 22 players elevated in 2014 are provided below. 2015 pre-season draft The 2015 AFL pre-season draft was held on 3 December 2014. Only five clubs could have taken part, with the other clubs completing their lists during the National Draft, however Carlton made the only selection, with all other clubs passing. 2015 rookie draft The 2015 AFL rookie draft was held on 3 December 2014. The official rookie draft order was released on 2 December and each club, with the exception of Greater Western Sydney who are still operating with an expanded list, can have between 4 and 6 players on their rookie list, as long as they have a maximum of 44 players on their combined primary and rookie lists. Selections by league References Draft Category:Australian Football League draft Category:Sport on the Gold Coast, Queensland

The 28 year old Brazilian has long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge with Jose Mourinho seemingly seeing the former Deportivo La Coruna man as a replacement for veteran Ashley Cole, who has moved on to AS Roma this summer. Luis had a standout campaign at the Vicente Calderon last season, playing a pivotal role in Diego Simeone’s side’s run to a surprise La Liga title trumph, as well as to an admirable run to the Champions League final. The attack-minded full-back made 49 appearances in all competitions last term and has racked up 180 appearances for Los Rojiblancos in total. Last term Mourinho opted to use Cesar Azpilicueta in a makeshift role at left-back, where he proved a huge success, but may look to move the Spaniard to his more preferred slot at right-back which in turn could have sped up the west London’s push to bring in Luis. Previous reports on the move stated that a fee for such a move could be as much as £20m. Chelsea have already signed Diego Costa from Aletico Madrid, as well as former Barcelona man Cesc Fabregas. Filipe Luis will team up with national team colleagues Oscar, Ramires and Lucas Piazon at the west London club.

Follow by Email Search This Blog Pages WEDDING CRAFTS This is post #601 people!! WOW....I have done a lot of post for someone so quiet, shy and reserved!! ~grins~ Babygator and Almost son in law and friends have put together this beautiful wedding. Since they are both grown and earning their own way...it was done without $$$ from the parental units. I got to do a few small things and I loved working on them! The ring bearer and flower girl are wee little things! Both were around a size 6. I made these so that they could wear them at either the rehearsal dinner or the reception and dance.The ring bearer is a a red headed hoot! Babygator was there in the room when he was born. She has known him since he took his first breath. He loves babygator but he LOVES almost son in law.Both BG and ASIL work security at concerts and such so I thought that it would be fun for their own security to have a shirt.I have not met the flower girl yet but I loved the color of this t-shirt!! I appliqued flowers onto the shirt and added a little bling. ALL girls need bling!! I made did the girls initials with 2 inch glass squares and a sterling silver bail. These will be tied into the bouquets. They will not be seen but the girls will know that there are there. I just thought that would be a sweet keepsake.And now y'all are all going to laugh at me! I was afraid that, with all the standing and such, my feet would be aching before the dance was over. I made me some pimped out house shoes!!I want to put on my, my, my, my, my boogie shoes just to boogie with you. ~points at you with one hand while the other is on my hip all sassy like~ yea just to boogie with you! For the bridesmaid gifts, I started with silver buckets! I added some really cool beaded swag around the lip of the bucket that my mom had found. Bridesmaid gifts and bucket just does not flow sweetly off the tongue when said together do they?I made lavender eye pillows that can be used either hot or cold. You people always *get* to see pics of my ironing board cover. I really should change that up more often.I then made foaming vanilla honey bath, chai milk bath, brown sugar body scrub and rise and shine bath salts.I added those things to a bath poof and the eye pillow. I added wonderful smelling soap and lip candy from one of my favorite etsy sellers The Dirty Housewife Soap Company. She also has a facebook page. Look her up and tell her I sent you! You will LOVE her lip candy...I promise!!Then I had tiny little buckets I had picked up at Target..they are so itty bitty cute! I filled them with white chocolate and added the girl's name to the front.A view from the air....Then I used this ribbon to wrap tie it all up in. LOVE the colors on this ribbon!! I tried to take a final pic but the cellophane was all shiny and it did not show up good.TA DA! Comments I love it! Kye's shirt is my favorite. Since when did you start calling Biker-ASIL? Love the post. I have so many I need to put up. I took pictures along the way of what I was doing and how I cut corners and made stuff myself. I am thinking I will probably not get time to blog before Saturday.

About Swedish 'kids' Parentelligence posts Summer has ended, the kids are back in school, and fall is officially here. Which means….cold and flu season is upon us! Hospitals are already seeing documented cases of seasonal influenza. There are no known cures for colds and flu, so cold and flu prevention should be your goal. Why do we care about preventing influenza? The flu can be very dangerous for children, causing illness, hospital stays and death each year. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) reports about 20,000 children below the age of 5 are hospitalized from flu complications each year. The most effective way for preventing the flu is to get the flu shot. It works better than anything else. (Flu vaccination is recommended for all children aged 6 months and older). There are additional strategies you can employ to help ward off those nasty viruses. Bedwetting (also called nocturnal enuresis) is a very common childhood problem. The number of children with this problem varies by age. For example, at five years of age, an average of 16% of children will have a bedwetting accident. By 15 years of age and older, 1-2 % continue to wet the bed. For most children, this will improve or resolve without any treatment as they get older. What can cause bedwetting? Bedwetting may be related to one or more of the following: The child’s bladder holds a smaller than normal amount Genetics (parents who had nocturnal enuresis as a child are more likely to have children with the same concern) Diminished levels of vasopressin (a hormone that reduces urine production at night) The mechanism for the bladder and brain to talk to each other is “off line” It is important that children develop healthy eating habits early in life. Here are some ways to help your child eat well and to make meal times easier. What to Expect: After the first year of life, growth slows down, and your child's appetite may change. It's normal for your child to eat more on some days and very little on other days. A child may refuse to eat in order to have some control in his life. A child may be happy to sit at the table for 15 to 20 minutes and no longer. A child may want to eat the same food over and over again. How can I encourage my child to eat more? Set regular meal and snack times. Avoid feeding your child in between these times, so that they are hungry at meal and snack times. If you want your child to eat dinner at the same time you do, try to time his snack-meals so that they are at least two hours before dinner. Limit juice and milk between meals. Offer water between meals, which will satisfy thirst without spoiling the appetite. Serve drinks at the end of the meal. Respect tiny tummies. Keep portion sizes small. Here's a rule of thumb – or, rather, of hand. A young child's stomach is approximately the size of his fist. A good serving size for a young child is 1/2 slice of bread, 1 oz of meat, or 1/4 cup of fruit or vegetable pieces. As I work with the families of children diagnosed with IBD, I am constantly amazed at what a complicated job they have, balancing life between a chronic illness and the challenges of “normal childhood”. As the school year gets off to a start, seeing how hectic life can become for most kids, I wanted to write down a few ways children with IBD might better empower themselves to gain control over their chronic disease: I remember one day during my pediatric gastroenterology fellowship, a mother and child were walking in front of my professor and me, as we made our daily rounds in the hospital. When the pacifier fell out of the toddler’s mouth and the mother picked it up and put it right back into the child's mouth, my professor remarked to me, "mark my words....that child will never get Crohn’s disease!" My professor was referring to the theory of the "Hygiene Hypothesis". This theory is thought to explain (at least in part) why so many more people in developed nations become afflicted with autoimmune diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD - Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis) as well as food allergies, compared to people in non-developed nations. The last days of summer are counting down! Here are some timely tips to help ensure the school year goes well. To and From School Safety: The school bus is a great way for children to get to school. To ensure safety, make sure young children are supervised at bus stops. Parents trust bus drivers to keep our kids safe, therefore it is very important for children to know and follow bus safety rules. Carpooling? Buckle up! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ride in a booster until the seat belt fits correctly, typically when they are 4’9” (age 8-12). Use the seat belt fit test to determine if your child still needs a booster. (For safety reasons, it is against the law in Washington for a child under 13 to ride in the front seat.) Supervise young children and make sure well-fitted helmets are worn when riding a bike, scooter, or skateboard. And, don’t forget to review pedestrian safety rules for when they are commuting. In case of unforeseen circumstances, ensure your child knows your phone number and address. An ID with this information in your child’s backpack can be helpful in case of emergency. (A review of “stranger danger” is also a good idea.) Food allergies have been on the rise in recent years. Studies suggest that up to 1 in 13 children are affected by a food allergy. Egg and cow’s milk are the most common food allergies for infants and toddlers. Fortunately, most children will lose a milk or egg allergy by the time they enter school. Peanut and tree nut allergies are also becoming more common. Unfortunately, only 10-20% of children will ever outgrow a nut allergy. Currently there is no cure for food allergies. Instead, doctors rely on an accurate diagnosis, avoiding food triggers, and being prepared in the event of a severe reaction. Making the situation more challenging, nearly half of children with a food allergy may be at risk for a potentially life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include: hives or itchy welts swelling vomiting or diarrhea difficulty breathing (cough, wheeze or shortness of breath) dizziness or passing out During a severe food allergy reaction, epinephrine (“adrenaline”) can be a life-saving medication. Epinephrine is typically injected into a thigh muscle with an “auto-injector” device like EpiPen® or Auvi-Q™. Oral antihistamines like Benadryl, Allegra, or Zyrtec can help with some anaphylaxis symptoms, but are not considered life-saving treatment. Emergency Epinephrine in Schools Until recently, only certain students in Washington State could receive a life-saving epinephrine injection while at school. They needed to be diagnosed with a food allergy and already have an epinephrine injector in the health room. However, some students may not have an injector at school, or they have their first serious allergic reaction while at school. In that case, the school could only call 911 and hope they arrived in time to save a life.

{ "cve": { "data_type": "CVE", "data_format": "MITRE", "data_version": "4.0", "CVE_data_meta": { "ID": "CVE-2010-0748", "ASSIGNER": "cve@mitre.org" }, "problemtype": {}, "references": {}, "description": { "description_data": [ { "lang": "en", "value": "Transmission before 1.92 allows an attacker to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly have other unspecified impact via a large number of tr arguments in a magnet link." } ] } }, "configurations": { "CVE_data_version": "4.0", "nodes": [ { "operator": "AND", "children": [ { "operator": "OR", "cpe_match": [ { "vulnerable": true, "cpe23Uri": "cpe:2.3:a:transmissionbt:transmission:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionEndExcluding": "1.92" } ] }, { "operator": "OR", "cpe_match": [ { "vulnerable": false, "cpe23Uri": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*" } ] } ] }, { "operator": "OR", "cpe_match": [ { "vulnerable": true, "cpe23Uri": "cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*" }, { "vulnerable": true, "cpe23Uri": "cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*" }, { "vulnerable": true, "cpe23Uri": "cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*" } ] } ] }, "publishedDate": "2019-10-30T23:15Z", "lastModifiedDate": "2019-10-31T19:28Z" }

Migraine Induced Vertigo Migraine induced vertigo also known as migrainous vertigo, vertiginous migraines, or migraine associated disequilibrium refers to an extremely common, poorly understood, and most times misdiagnosed condition. This condition is most likely common manifestation of variety of disorders. The reason they are all put into one category is that they commonly mimic symptoms of migraines and respond to similar treatments. There is currently no consensus in terminology, definition, or treatment of these disorders. Considering that approximately ¼ of woman in the United States and approximately 10% of men suffer from migraines, vertigo associated with migraines is quite common. Since the vertigo attacks in these patients usually presents without headaches are commonly misdiagnosed as BPPV or Ménière’s disease. The symptoms could extend anywhere from head fogginess and feeling that the person is constantly on a boat to severe relentless vertigo lasting hours and days at a time. In selected individuals they are accompanied by aura such as visual disturbances, commonly blurry vision or seeing bright or black spots in the field-of-view. They could however present with ear pressure or sinus pressure and hence misdiagnosed as ear infection, Ménière’s disease, or chronic sinus disease. Diagnosis Unfortunately at this time there are no objective methods of diagnosing this condition such as hearing tests or MRI scans. However the clinical presentation is nearly always sufficient to make this diagnosis. Treatment Similar to migraines the most important treatment is avoiding the triggers. The common triggers for this condition are quite similar to the triggers known for migraine disorder. They could be classified as a following: Allergies: If allergies are the trigger, patients with have this migraine vertigo attacks mostly during the allergy season. Stress, anxiety, and poor sleep: This is probably the most common nondietary trigger and most commonly the most difficult one to treat. Dr. Monfared also recommends an MRI of the internal auditory canal and brain with and without contrast to rule out presence of intracranial pathology that can mimic this process. At times intracranial hypertension also known as pseudotumor as well as other intracranial disorders can mimic this condition. Many patients are managed with conservative therapy which includes avoidance of triggers, use of supplements such as magnesium and fish oil. When this fails they are referred to neurology for migraine management. These patients in most cases unfortunately do not respond to usual migraine medications such as triptans. The most commonly used medications for these patients include magnesium, nortriptyline, calcium channel blockers, or beta-blockers. Vestibular rehabilitation is also very important but has to wait to the patient’s acute vertigo attacks have resolved. In our experience patients would’ve been suffering from chronic dysequilibrium due to migraines cannot tolerate vestibular exercises until they no longer experience dysequilibrium. Once this has achieved through medication and avoidance of triggers, slowly progressing but intense vestibular therapy could be started.

Karavi Karavi (, "ship"), is an uninhabited Greek islet, in the Aegean Sea, close to the northeastern coast of eastern Crete. The small islet lies close to the island of Kyriamadi. Administratively it lies within the Itanos municipality of Lasithi. See also List of islands of Greece Category:Landforms of Lasithi Category:Uninhabited islands of Crete Category:Islands of Greece

Predoctoral fellow Europe (EU) Across EU, typically a pre-doctoral fellow is somebody already registered in a PhD program at a host university to work together with a full professor in a certain topic of research. . Upon completion of the research work and other requirements (e.g. graduate courses/exams, see: all but dissertation), the pre-doctoral fellow can submit the thesis to the doctoral committee for review and upon passing the review is asked to defend the thesis in a public presentation for conferral of PhD degree . North America (USA/Canada) In the USA a predoctoral fellow (pre-doc) refers to a researcher who has a master's degree (or equivalent university graduate education), but not a doctorate, but is enrolled in a preparatory program at university for admission to PhD (doctoral degree program) and often granted a stipend, , . As the name implies, predoctoral fellows often use their time as a fellow to develop their skills and résumé before applying to graduate school for a doctoral degree. They differ from other research facility employees (research associates) in that they primarily pursue research, rather than maintain the day-to-day function of a research facility, and may have external funding to support their research or educational activities, but typically are also reliant on the support of a research mentor whose lab they work in. References Category:Educational stages

Q: Close was never explictly called on Database This question has been asked a plethora of times, I think my situation is a bit different. Earlier I was declaring my db object at class level: DBAdapter dbHelper; in onCreate: dbHelper = new DBAdapter(this); I had closed the DB in on destroy: @Override public void onDestroy(){ super.onDestroy(); if (dbHelper != null) { dbHelper.close(); } } However it raised an error each time I wrote to the DB. After the close was never explicitly called on DB It also had some exception about DB lock. The Problem I have an async task, in this I update three tables for each record one after the other. ( The Operations are indeed huge) But now I shifted the code of DB init to my async task. on pre execute I init the DB, then I close the DB in onPostExecute. However the problem remains, what can be a solution of this problem? Below is the code of my async task: private class MagicCall extends AsyncTask<Void, String, String> { int years; long secon; long min; int hours; int mon; int days; int weeks; String CONTACT_ID,CONTACT_NAME,CONTACT_IMAGE_URI; ProgressDialog Asycdialog = new ProgressDialog(LoaderClass.this); @Override protected void onPreExecute() { dbHelper = new DBAdapter(getApplicationContext()); dbHelper.open(); //Init the LoaderDialog Asycdialog.setMessage("Working"); Asycdialog.getWindow().setGravity(Gravity.CENTER_VERTICAL); Asycdialog.getWindow().setGravity(Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL); Asycdialog.setProgressStyle(ProgressDialog.STYLE_HORIZONTAL); Asycdialog.setCancelable(false); //Dialog Show Asycdialog.show(); super.onPreExecute(); } protected void onPostExecute(String result) { // hide the dialog dbHelper.close(); Asycdialog.dismiss(); startActivity(new Intent(LoaderClass.this, MainActivity.class)); finish(); super.onPostExecute(result); } @Override protected String doInBackground(Void... args) { // // Dear maintainer: // // Once you are done trying to 'optimise' this routine, // and have realized what a terrible mistake that was, // please increment the following counter as a warning // to the next guy: // // total_hours_wasted_here = 0; // int lines = 0; try{ BufferedReader reader; if(FLAG ==1){ reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader("/sdcard/BirthdayReminders/fileone.txt")); }else{ reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader("/sdcard/BirthdayReminders/output.txt")); } while (reader.readLine() != null) lines++; reader.close(); }catch(Exception e){ } dbHelper.NotificationDrop(); int i=0; File toRead = null; try{ if(FLAG ==1){ toRead=new File("/sdcard/BirthdayReminders/fileone.txt"); }else{ toRead=new File("/sdcard/BirthdayReminders/output.txt"); } FileInputStream fis=new FileInputStream(toRead); Scanner sc=new Scanner(fis); //read data from file line by line: String currentLine; while(sc.hasNextLine()){ currentLine=sc.nextLine(); //now tokenize the currentLine: StringTokenizer st=new StringTokenizer(currentLine,"=",false); //put tokens ot currentLine in map // mapInFile.put(st.nextToken(),st.nextToken()); String dateStr = st.nextToken(); SimpleDateFormat format = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd"); Date date = format.parse(dateStr); java.sql.Date dx = new java.sql.Date(date.getTime()); Date key = dx; String dateToInsert = String.valueOf(dx); // ********* String listStr = st.nextToken(); String cut = listStr.substring(1, listStr.length() - 1); String[] array = cut.split(","); CONTACT_ID = (array[0].trim()); CONTACT_NAME = toTitleCase(array[1].trim()); if(array[2].contains(".jp")) array[2] = array[2].replace(".jp", ".jpg").trim(); CONTACT_IMAGE_URI = (array[2].trim()); if (isCancelled()) { break; } // int k = Sx.size(); String progress = ("" + Character.toUpperCase(CONTACT_NAME.charAt(0)) + CONTACT_NAME.substring(1) + "\n"+i + " of " + lines + " Contacts"); // Progress displayed here. years = getDiffYear(key); // For years elapsed secon = seconds(key); // for seconds elapsed min = seconds(key) / 60; // For minutes elapsed hours = (int) (seconds(key) / 60) / 60; // For hours elapsed mon = months(String.valueOf(key)); // for months elapsed days = daysElapsed(key); // Days elapsed weeks = daysElapsed(key) / 7; // For weeks //=============================================================================================================== if (dateToInsert.contains("0001-") == true){ //Special Case, we added 0001 to Birthdays Which Have NO Year field. //=========================================================================================================== dbHelper.insert(dateToInsert, CONTACT_NAME, "","", CONTACT_IMAGE_URI, "", "", "", CONTACT_ID, "", ""); // All other fields will be empty, because we don't have a Year. int PRIMARY_ID = dbHelper.getPrimaryId(); String FOREIGN_KEY = dbHelper.getHighestID(PRIMARY_ID); //===================================================================================================== //In this case we are only interested in fetching the year alert for next birthday of this contact --> //===================================================================================================== intCal.yearsToNotify(years, dateToInsert); int yearsSpecial = intCal.getYearsRegular(); Date dateYearsReg = intCal.getYearsRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(5, convertDate(dateYearsReg), 0, yearsSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); } //========================================================================= //Case when all the Date fields exist and we set up notifications ---> //========================================================================= else if(dateToInsert != "null" && dateToInsert.contains("0001-") != true){ dbHelper.insert(dateToInsert, CONTACT_NAME, String.valueOf(days), String.valueOf(hours), CONTACT_IMAGE_URI, String.valueOf(min),String.valueOf(mon), String.valueOf(secon), CONTACT_ID, String.valueOf(weeks), String.valueOf(years)); int PRIMARY_ID = dbHelper.getPrimaryId(); // Fetch the PrimaryId (_id) of the above inserted row, its the Foreign key for Notification and SpecialNotifications Table. String FOREIGN_KEY = dbHelper.getHighestID(PRIMARY_ID); // Same as above, but fetches the Name field of the last inserted row. //========================================================================= //**Database Insertions Notifications Table/ SpecialNotifications Table** //========================================================================= //=======================================================================================// //Regular intervals DB Insertions: //======================================================================================// //Notification Types: //1 for months //2 for weeks //3 for days //4 for minutes //5 for years //6 for seconds //7 for hours //======================================================================================// //============================== //For Months //============================== intCal.monthsNotify(mon, dateToInsert); int monSpecial = intCal.getMonthRegular(); Date dateMonReg = intCal.getMonRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(1, convertDate(dateMonReg), 0, monSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //=============================== //For Weeks //=============================== intCal.weeksToNotify(weeks,dateToInsert); int weekSpecial = intCal.getWeekRegular(); Date dateWeekReg =intCal.getWeekRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(2, convertDate(dateWeekReg), 0, weekSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //=============================== //For Days //=============================== intCal.daysToNotify(days, dateToInsert); int daysSpecial= intCal.getDaysRegular(); Date dateDaysReg = intCal.getDaysRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(3, convertDate(dateDaysReg), 0, daysSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //=============================== //For minutes //=============================== intCal.minutesToNotify(min,dateToInsert); long minutesSpecial= intCal.getMinutesRegular(); Date dateMinsReg = intCal.getMinutesRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(4, convertDate(dateMinsReg), 0,(int) minutesSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //============================== //For Years //============================== intCal.yearsToNotify(years, dateToInsert); int yearsSpecial = intCal.getYearsRegular(); Date dateYearsReg = intCal.getYearsRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(5, convertDate(dateYearsReg), 0, yearsSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //============================= //For Seconds //============================= intCal.secondsToNotify(secon, dateToInsert); long secondsSpecial= intCal.getSecondsRegular(); Date dateSecondsReg = intCal.getSecondsRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(6, convertDate(dateSecondsReg), 0, secondsSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //============================= //For Hours //============================= intCal.hoursToNotify(hours, dateToInsert); int hoursSpecial= intCal.getHoursRegular(); Date dateHoursReg= intCal.getHoursRegDate(); dbHelper.insertNotifications(7, convertDate(dateHoursReg), 0, hoursSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //============================================================================================// //Special Intervals //=============================================================================================================// //Notification Types: //1 for months //2 for weeks //3 for days //4 for minutes //5 for years //6 for seconds //7 for hours //For Years intCal.specialIntervalYears(years, dateToInsert); int yearsOnceSpecial =intCal.getYearsSpecial(); Date dateYearsSpecial = intCal.getYearsSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(5, convertDate(dateYearsSpecial), yearsOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //For Months intCal.specialIntervalMonths(mon,dateToInsert); int monthsOnceSpecial= intCal.getMonthsSpecial(); Date dateMonthsSpecial = intCal.getMonthsSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(1, convertDate(dateMonthsSpecial), monthsOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //For Weeks intCal.specialIntervalsWeeks(weeks,dateToInsert); int weeksOnceSpecial= intCal.getWeeksSpecial(); Date dateWeeksSpecial = intCal.getWeeksSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(2, convertDate(dateWeeksSpecial), weeksOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //For Days intCal.specialIntervalsDays(days, dateToInsert); int daysOnceSpecial= intCal.getDaysSpecial(); Date dateDaysSpecial = intCal.getDaysSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(3, convertDate(dateDaysSpecial), daysOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //For Hours intCal.specialIntervalsHours(hours,dateToInsert); int hoursOnceSpecial= intCal.getHoursSpecial(); Date dateHoursSpecial = intCal.getHoursSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(7, convertDate(dateHoursSpecial), hoursOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //For Minutes intCal.specialIntervalMinutes(min,dateToInsert); long minutesOnceSpecial= intCal.getMinutesSpecial(); Date dateMinutesSpecial= intCal.getMinutesSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(4, convertDate(dateMinutesSpecial), (int)minutesOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); //For Seconds intCal.specialIntervalsSeconds(secon,dateToInsert); long secondsOnceSpecial= intCal.getSecondsSpecial(); Date dateSecondsSpecial= intCal.getSecondsSpDate(); dbHelper.insertSpecialNotifications(6, convertDate(dateSecondsSpecial), secondsOnceSpecial,FOREIGN_KEY,PRIMARY_ID); } publishProgress(progress); Asycdialog.setMax(lines); Asycdialog.incrementProgressBy(1); i++; } }catch (Exception e){ } try{ writeToSD(); }catch (Exception e){ System.out.println(""+e); } return ""; } protected void onProgressUpdate(String... values) { super.onProgressUpdate(values); Asycdialog.setMessage("" + values[0]); } } Here is the log: 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): close() was never explicitly called on database '/data/data/com.exa.birthdayrem/databases/Bdr' 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): android.database.sqlite.DatabaseObjectNotClosedException: Application did not close the cursor or database object that was opened here 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.<init>(SQLiteDatabase.java:1943) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.openDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:1007) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.openDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:986) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.openOrCreateDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:1051) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.app.ContextImpl.openOrCreateDatabase(ContextImpl.java:770) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.content.ContextWrapper.openOrCreateDatabase(ContextWrapper.java:221) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteOpenHelper.getWritableDatabase(SQLiteOpenHelper.java:157) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at com.exa.birthdayrem.DBAdapter.<init>(DBAdapter.java:110) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at com.exa.birthdayrem.LoaderClass$MagicCall.onPreExecute(LoaderClass.java:378) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.AsyncTask.executeOnExecutor(AsyncTask.java:561) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.AsyncTask.execute(AsyncTask.java:511) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at com.exa.birthdayrem.LoaderClass.onLoadFinished(LoaderClass.java:225) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at com.exa.birthdayrem.LoaderClass.onLoadFinished(LoaderClass.java:1) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.app.LoaderManagerImpl$LoaderInfo.callOnLoadFinished(LoaderManager.java:433) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.app.LoaderManagerImpl$LoaderInfo.onLoadComplete(LoaderManager.java:405) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.content.Loader.deliverResult(Loader.java:110) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.content.CursorLoader.deliverResult(CursorLoader.java:88) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.content.CursorLoader.deliverResult(CursorLoader.java:42) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.content.AsyncTaskLoader.dispatchOnLoadComplete(AsyncTaskLoader.java:236) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.content.AsyncTaskLoader$LoadTask.onPostExecute(AsyncTaskLoader.java:76) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.AsyncTask.finish(AsyncTask.java:602) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.AsyncTask.access$600(AsyncTask.java:156) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.AsyncTask$InternalHandler.handleMessage(AsyncTask.java:615) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4340) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:511) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:784) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:551) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/SQLiteDatabase(728): at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method) 01-15 09:22:36.215: E/System(728): Uncaught exception thrown by finalizer 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): java.lang.IllegalStateException: Don't have database lock! 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.verifyLockOwner(SQLiteDatabase.java:2090) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase$1.entryRemoved(SQLiteDatabase.java:2182) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase$1.entryRemoved(SQLiteDatabase.java:2178) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.util.LruCache.trimToSize(LruCache.java:197) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.util.LruCache.evictAll(LruCache.java:285) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.deallocCachedSqlStatements(SQLiteDatabase.java:2143) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.closeClosable(SQLiteDatabase.java:1126) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.finalize(SQLiteDatabase.java:1914) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at java.lang.Daemons$FinalizerDaemon.doFinalize(Daemons.java:182) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at java.lang.Daemons$FinalizerDaemon.run(Daemons.java:168) 01-15 09:22:36.235: E/System(728): at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:856) The open method in DBAdapter: public DBAdapter open() throws SQLException { DBHelper = new DatabaseHelper(mCtx); mDb = DBHelper.getWritableDatabase(); return this; } A: I usually close the db in a finally block for every methods. like following try { //open db // perform tasks } catch (Exception e) { // handle exceptions } finally { // close db }

Effects of developmental exposure to ethanol on Caenorhabditis elegans. We investigated the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on physical development, reproduction, and life expectancy of Caenorhabditis elegans, a microscopic nematode worm. It has a small nervous system of 302 neurons and a short lifespan of 2 to 3 weeks. In this study, the worms were chronically exposed to varying concentrations of ethanol for different periods of their life: for their entire lifespan, during larval development only, and during adulthood only. In addition, the worms were exposed to ethanol acutely during different stages of embryonic development. Chronic exposure to ethanol during larval development temporarily delayed physical growth, slowed development, delayed the onset of reproductive maturity, and decreased both reproductive fecundity and longevity. Chronic exposure to ethanol beginning when worms completed development and reached reproductive maturity resulted in reduced C. elegans body length, decreased reproductive fecundity, and life expectancy. Finally, acute embryonic exposure of C. elegans eggs to high concentrations of ethanol at different stages of development resulted in a lower probability of exposed eggs hatching into larval worms depending on when eggs were exposed during development. Furthermore, some of the worms that did hatch displayed distinct physical dysmorphologies as a consequence of acute ethanol exposure during embryonic development. These data suggest that exposing C. elegans to ethanol during critical development periods results in characteristic phenotypic outcomes. Thus, C. elegans offers a novel model for exploring the mechanisms by which ethanol exposure affects development.

USPA NEWS - Kylian Mbappé scores a brace as Les Bleus survive a late-fight back to book their place in the quarter-finals with a 4-3 victory! The French Les Bleus team qualified yesterday for the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Russia, after defeating Argentina with a score of 4 against 3. The match is both intense and painful for the Argentineans whose player Ballon D'or (5 times Golden Ball), ranked the "Best player of football in the world" for 10 years, Leo Messi, had to leave this cup of the World without winning. It's both sad and sad for this great football gentleman, Messi, who leaves for Argentina after the defeat against the Francaus, who has struggled throughout the match and has not been unworthy, but had to surrender Evidence of his age, advanced, the disadvantage facing a Kyllian Mbappé, running so fast and so intrepid, driven by his youth and freshness on the ground. France in Quater Final with 4-3 Victory Source: FIFA Kylian Mbappé scores a brace as Les Bleus survive a late-fight back to book their place in the quarter-finals with a 4-3 victory! The French Les Bleus team qualified yesterday for the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Russia, after defeating Argentina with a score of 4 against 3. The match is both intense and painful for the Argentineans whose player Ballon D'or (5 times Golden Ball), ranked the "Best player of football in the world" for 10 years, Leo Messi, had to leave this cup of the World without winning. It's both sad and sad for this great football gentleman, Messi, who leaves for Argentina after the defeat against the Francaus, who has struggled throughout the match and has not been unworthy, but had to surrender Evidence of his age, advanced, the disadvantage facing a Kyllian Mbappé, running so fast and so intrepid, driven by his youth and freshness on the ground.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The revelation of this match was the player Kyllian Mbappe, the youngest of the tournament, who hated his nineteen years, scored two goals, alongside Benjamin Pavard, also a young age of 22, and Antoine Griezmann, having scored the penalty obtained and offered by the young Kyllian Mbappe again. The young Kyllian is in his 17 th selections since he was 17, and has already scored three goals in three games since the start of the World Cup. He climbs the same course of another generation of Pele, the Brazilian legend, who was the player who achieved the same feat, at the same age and his time ... Antoine Griezzmann plays France Argentina Kazan Source: FIFA FIFA World Cup Russia Source: FIFA Angel Di Maria Plays France Argentina Kazan Source: FIFA A Griezmann And Leo Messi World CUp Source: FIFA AN INTENSE MATCH WITH GOALS OF SHOT BY THE FRENCH MAGIC KYLLIAN MBAPPE WHO IMPOSED HIS OWN TEMPO Many goals were scored in the first round of the World Cup in Russia between France and Argentina. The match will have seen the tricolors win 4 goals to 3. The Bleus team has offered spectators and fans on the spot, a show of good football level, for the first round of the 2018 World Cup in Russia between France and Argentina in Kazan, which saw the Blues defeat the Albiceleste by 4-3 this June 30. In the 9th minute, the match is a free kick shot by the star of the French team, Antoine Griezmann. But the shot of the playmaker French, crashed on the cross . The French domination is then almost total, because two minutes after, in the 11th minute, after a ball acceleration at the foot of Kylian Mbappé on about thirty meters, degrading everything in his way including the Argentine defense, the defender Marcos Rojo pushes the attacker and causes a penalty. Antoine Griezmann then executed the shot, and opened the score by 1-0. However, Argentina is back and at the end of the 41st minute, Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria, who is alone and a bit by chance, 20 meters from the French goals, made a majestic strike , allowing the Argentines to equalize by 1-1. From the start of the second half, a shot by Lionel Messi, hijacked by Argentinian partner Gabriel Mercado put the net for Hugo Lloris allowed the advantage to the Argentineans, 2-1.------------------------------ Nevertheless, the French « Les Bleus » do not let themselves be impressed by the Argentineans and it is the turn of Benjamin Pavard, who in the 57th minute, volleyed a center pass, which went off the surface, to make a cross shot powerful who scored a magnificent goal and equalized well by: 2-2. The player Pavar thus shows a great maturity of play by his bold shooting, he who is rather defender and who is more "not titular" at this time. This gesture will bring him luck and strengthen his confidence in him, because he is only 22 years old. Kyllian Mbappe World Cup France-Argentina Source: FIFA n the 64th minute, Kylian Mbappé runs like an arrow at the speed of 37km / hour, in the surface and manages to defeat the defense alibiceleste, to register the 3rd goal of the team of France. Four minutes later, at the 68th minute of play, the coming back this "Speedy Kyllian" which marks a doubled registering a 4-2.-------------------------------------------------------------------- In stoppage time, head, Sergio Aguero reduced the score for Albicleste to register a 4-3.--------------------------------------------- The French players interviewed remain measured and respond to journalists being happy but remember that they have an important next match, that of the quarterfinal, that we will have to win, before rejoicing too early.---------------------------------- The victorious France 4-3, is thus included on the place of Quart of Final France and will face 6 of July Uruguay, having won by 2-1 against Portugal. The Portuguese, Christiano Ronaldo, another monument of world football, also leaves the World Cup, along with Leo Messi, as five times "Golden Ball" and winner of the Euro 2016.------------------------------------------------ In the meantime, the Parisians have come down to celebrate the event on the Champs Elysees, as if to recall the fervor France had experienced in 1998, host country of the World Cup and champion, the time of the star players like Zinedine Zidane, and a certain Didier Deschamps now coach of the current team of the Blues. The singer Gloria Gaynnor, meanwhile, whose song "I will srvive" intoned by the team of the Blues in 1998, in sports anthem, was tonight in concert, the Trianon in Paris, also as you revive this flame of success of the French Champions of 20 years ago ... Liability for this article lies with the author, who also holds the copyright. Editorial content from USPA may be quoted on other websites as long as the quote comprises no more than 5% of the entire text, is marked as such and the source is named (via hyperlink).

1. Technical Field The present invention relates to a program for causing a computer connected with an operation unit and a display unit to function as a character input device for accepting input of a read character string from the operation unit, converting the read character string to a kana/kanji character string, and outputting the converted character string to a higher level application, the character input device, and a character input method. 2. Related Art In a device of a type in which character input operation is performed using a ten key such as a mobile telephone, a dictionary file is searched by the read character string at a relevant time point every time the read character string is updated by the key operation, a candidate character string is extracted, and the extracted candidate is displayed in a list to cover the poorness in operability. According to such a function (hereinafter referred to as a “prediction conversion function”), a user can select the target character string in the displayed candidates to complete the character conversion process without inputting all read character strings. In candidate extraction by the prediction conversion function, the selected results of the most recent candidate and the candidate having a high frequency selected in the past are generally displayed at a higher level. However, in such display, the character string intended by the user may not be displayed at the higher level, and thus development of software having a mechanism of changing the display order of each candidate according to the input state is desired. In regards to such a problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-3331 describes obtaining a score of each field (fitness of each field with respect to document being created) using the usage frequency (registered in advance) for every type of field of various words contained in the document created up to a relevant point when the read character string is input, determining the field of the document being created from the score, and narrowing the candidates. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-296320 describes classifying various words by the timing in which the possibility the word is input is high so that when a plurality of date dictionary tables is created and the read character string is input, the date of a clock in the device is referenced and the table corresponding to the date is searched to thereby display the candidate corresponding to the input timing at a higher level.

support@simbiotic.com.au +61 (08) 9463 6601 Optimisation and scheduling software proven to increase productivity and efficiencies and reduce business OPEX CONTACT US Product support Our broad range of strategy and advisory skills ensures we can support your existing project throughout various stages of its lifecylce, from POC through to commercialisation CONTACT US for success Start your Journey with Us We are an Australian Technology company specialising in custom-built softwarefor your company. OUR PRODUCTS WHY SIMBIOTIC Simbiotic[adj]: A combination of Simulation and Symbiotic. Where the relationship between a person and machine is interdependent. Who we are Simbiotic is an Australian Technology company specialising in custom-built Agile software and industrial hardware solutions for businesses, enterprises, and organisations. We believe in building great software that solves real life problems without creating new ones, delivering tangible, result-based solutions which maximise efficiencies and harmonies between humans and technology. Our philosophy is simple: to create intuitive, aesthetically pleasing software that is both user friendly and elaborate in its features and function.

1958 Pacific typhoon season The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the international date line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1958 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Fleet Weather Center on Guam. Systems Typhoon Ophelia At noon on December 31, a vortex was noted along the Intertropical Convergence Zone about south of Hawaii. On January 7, the relatively small tropical storm struck Jaluit Atoll within the southern Marshall Islands, killing 14 people. It rapidly intensified, and reached winds of the next day. Conditions became unfavorable, and steadily weakened to winds. Ponape was struck on January 10, where Ophelia tore off the roof of the United States Weather Bureau office. On January 11, Truk was struck. The Weather Bureau's inflation shelter was destroyed, with other buildings on site severely damaged. On the 12th, favorable conditions allowed Ophelia to reintensify, reaching a peak of on the 13th. Ophelia severely impacted Yap on January 13, removing the Weather Bureau office's sheet metal roof and damaging the inflation building, theodolite, and radio antenna. After maintaining that intensity for 18 hours, it quickly weakened as it drifted northward, and dissipated on the 17th. Typhoon Ophelia caused widespread on several islands of the Western Pacific. Ophelia also killed nine people when a USAF WB-50 crashed during a recon flight into the storm on January 15. JMA Tropical Storm Two Tropical Storm 02 developed on April 29. It struck Philippines before dissipating on the following day. Typhoon Phyllis On May 29, Super Typhoon Phyllis attained a peak of , the strongest typhoon ever in the month of May. Phyllis remained over open waters, and dissipated on the 2nd to the southeast of Japan. Phyllis's record was surpassed by Typhoon Damrey in 2000, and later Typhoon Noul in 2015. JMA Tropical Storm Four Tropical Storm 04 developed in the South China Sea on May 26. It struck the Chinese province of Guangdong and Hainan, before dissipating on June 6. Typhoon Rita Typhoon Rita existed from June 7 to June 13. JMA Tropical Storm Six Tropical Storm 06 developed on June 8. It crossed the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, before dissipating on June 13. Typhoon Susan Typhoon Susan existed from June 13 to June 17. Typhoon Tess Typhoon Tess developed in the vicinity of the Federated States of Micronesia on June 28. The storm moved generally west-northwestward and northwestward, reaching the Ryukyu Islands before dissipating on July 6. Typhoon Viola Typhoon Viola existed from July 8 to July 14. Typhoon Winnie Tropical Storm Winnie formed on July 12 to the east of Luzon. It moved northwestward, rapidly intensifying to a Category 4 typhoon within 12 hours. The typhoon weakened slightly, but rapidly strengthened to a super typhoon just before hitting eastern Taiwan on the 15th. Winnie rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain, and after crossing the Formosa Strait Winnie hit southeastern China. It continued to weaken over land, and dissipated on the 17th. Winnie caused 31 casualties and 53 injuries in Taiwan while crossing. Typhoon Betty Typhoon Betty existed in the South China Sea from July 13 to July 16. Typhoon Alice Tropical Storm Alice developed on July 14 in the open western Pacific Ocean. It moved to the northwest and attained typhoon status on the 16th. Alice rapidly intensified on the 19th to a super typhoon, and after turning to the northeast it weakened. Alice hit southeastern Japan on the 22nd, and became extratropical on the 24th near the Kamchatka Peninsula. Alice was responsible for 41 deaths (with 8 missing) and 61 injuries in Hokkaidō. JMA Tropical Storm Fourteen Tropical Storm Fourteen developed in the South China Sea on July 19. It struck Fujian before dissipating on July 25. Typhoon Doris Typhoon Doris existed from July 22 to July 29. JMA Tropical Storm Sixteen Typhoon 16 developed in the South China Sea on August 5. It struck China before dissipating on August 11. Typhoon Elsie Typhoon Elsie existed from August 4 to August 9. Typhoon Flossie On August 21, a tropical depression formed in the open ocean and moved northward. It reached tropical storm status later that day, and attained typhoon strength on the 22nd. Flossie peaked at on the 22nd, and weakened to a tropical storm just before hitting the southeastern coast of Japan on the 25th. Flossie turned to the east, and after becoming extratropical on the 26th the storm dissipated on the 27th. The storm caused 15 casualties (with 30 missing) and 39 injuries in Tokyo. JMA Tropical Storm Eighteen Tropical Storm 18 existed from August 25 to August 31. Typhoon Grace Another typhoon developed in the vicinity of the Federated States of Micronesia on August 29. The system moved northwestward and eventually strengthened into a super typhoon. Grace peaked with a minimum barometric pressure of . It later struck Zhejiang before becoming extratropical on September 5. JMA Tropical Storm Twenty Tropical Storm 24 existed from September 2 to September 13. Typhoon Helen Typhoon Helen, which formed on September 9, rapidly intensified to a super typhoon on the 14th. It moved to the northeast, and steadily weakened until hitting southeastern Japan as a typhoon on the 17th. It paralleled the Japanese coastline, and after turning northward it became extratropical on the 19th in the Sea of Okhotsk. Helen's effects caused 24 fatalities (with 44 missing) and 108 injuries. Typhoon Ida On September 20, Tropical Storm Ida formed in the central Western Pacific. It moved to the west, rapidly strengthening to a typhoon by the next day. On the 22nd Ida turned to the north and quickly intensified, reaching super typhoon status on the 23rd and peak winds of on the 24th. Such winds are speculative, due to the lack of satellite or quality in measurements, but Ida was likely a formidable typhoon with a record low pressure (at the time) of 877 mbar. Ida weakened as it continued to the north-northeast, and made landfall on southeastern Honshū with winds of on the 26th. It became extratropical the next day, and dissipated on the 28th to the east of the country. Ida caused torrential flooding to southeastern Japan, resulting in over 1,900 mudslides. Damage along the coastline was extensive, including two small villages that were washed away completely. Nearly 500,000 were left homeless, 888 were killed, 496 were injured, and 381 were missing from the storm. Typhoon June Typhoon June existed from September 20 to September 22. It briefly crossed the dateline. JMA Tropical Storm Twenty-four Tropical Storm 24 existed from September 24 to September 29. Typhoon Kathy Typhoon Kathy developed just east of the Philippines on October 21. It moved across the islands and entered the South China Sea. There, the system strengthened, and subsequently dissipated on October 27. Typhoon Lorna Typhoon Lorna existed from October 23 to November 3. Typhoon Marie Typhoon Marie existed from October 26 to November 3. Typhoon Nancy Typhoon Nancy developed near Palau on November 21. The system strengthened into a super typhoon, peaking with a minimum barometric pressure of . Nancy dissipated on November 26. Tropical Storm Pamela Tropical Storm Pamela existed from November 30 to December 4. Typhoon Olga Typhoon Olga existed from December 2 to December 8. JMA Tropical Storm Thirty-one Typhoon 31 existed from December 9 to December 12. Storm names See also List of Pacific typhoon seasons References External links Japan Meteorological Agency Joint Typhoon Warning Center. China Meteorological Agency National Weather Service Guam Hong Kong Observatory Macau Meteorological Geophysical Services Korea Meteorological Agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Taiwan Central Weather Bureau Digital Typhoon - Typhoon Images and Information Typhoon2000 Philippine typhoon website

Flat panel display has many advantages such as thin body, power saving, no radiation, and has been widely used. The existing flat panel display devices mainly include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic light emitting display (OLED). A thin film transistor (TFT) array is an important part of a flat panel display device and can be formed on a glass substrate or a plastic substrate, so as to function as a light-open device and a driving device used in an LCD or OLED for example. FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a typical conventional thin film transistor array substrate. As shown in FIG. 1, the thin film transistor array substrate comprises a base substrate 1, a buffer layer 2, an active layer 3, a gate insulating layer 4, a gate layer 5, an interlayer dielectric layer 6, a source/drain layer 7, a planarization layer 8, and a pixel electrode layer 9. The thin film transistor is mainly composed of the active layer 3, the gate insulating layer 4, the gate layer 5, the interlayer dielectric layer 6 and the source/drain layer 7. In order to prevent affection to the performance of the thin film transistor due to ions contained in the base substrate or water and oxygen generated during a manufacturing process, as shown in FIG. 1, the buffer layer 2 is provided on the base substrate 1 first, and then each layer of the thin film transistor is formed on the buffer layer 2. A high density SiNx is used as the material of the buffer layer 2, but it results in a loss of transmittance of the array substrate. With an increase of the resolution of the display, the traditional methods to improve the transmittance or brightness of the display panel by means of improving an aperture ratio, a color-resist transmittance, backlight brightness, liquid crystal efficiency and the like, have gradually faced bottlenecks. How to improve the transmittance rate of the array substrate without reducing electrical performance becomes a key technical problem.

Image en médecine {#sec1} ================= L\'ostéoblastome est une tumeur osseuse bénigne rare, représentant 1% de toutes les tumeurs de l\'os. Elle touche essentiellement les os longs, plus rarement les mâchoires. Les atteintes au niveau des mâchoires sont surtout retrouvées à la mandibule, l\'atteinte naso-sinusienne est très rare. Le diamètre de la tumeur peut atteindre 10cm. A la radiographie, la tumeur peut avoir l\'aspect d\'une lésion radio claire bien ou mal définie, généralement parsemée de plaques de minéralisation. Le taux de récidive est très faible après exérèse chirurgicale et le risque de transformation maligne est très faible. Nous rapportons le cas d\'une patiente âgée de 13 ans qui a consulté pour une obstruction nasale évoluant depuis 3 mois avec des épisodes d\'épistaxis et un flou visuel gauche. L\'examen a trouvé un volumineux cornet à muqueuse polypoïde comblant toute la fosse nasale gauche avec une exophtalmie gauche axile. Le scanner du massif facial a montré un processus expansif fronto-ethmoïdal gauche de 50 x 47 x 36mm, spontanément hypodense hétérogène non réhaussé après injection du produit de contraste (PDC), responsable d\'une destruction du labyrinthe ethmoïdal, d\'une souflure des parois osseuses avec effet de masse sur l\'orbite homolatéral. Le diagnostic évoqué était une mucocèle fronto-ethmoïdale. D\'où la décision d\'opérer par voie endonasale. La section de la tête du cornet moyen a ramené du liquide épais blanchâtre rappelant une mucocèle infectée. Nous avons complété par une résection du cornet moyen. L\'examen histologique a conclu à un ostéoblastome du cornet moyen. Les suites étaient marquées par une régression de l\'exophtalmie sans récidive après un recul de 1 an. {#f0001}

Q: Subset a data frame and always receive a data frame as the return type How can I subset a data frame: df <- data.frame(a = c(1,2,3), b = c(4,5,6)) such that I always get a data frame back even if only one column is selected? Result as desired when selecting two columns: class( df[,1:2] ) [1] "data.frame" Result not as desired when selecting only one column: class( df[,1] ) [1] "numeric" Desired result when selecting one column would be equivalent to: class( data.frame(a = c(1,2,3) ) A: To clarify from Zheyuan Li: df[1] df[,1, drop = FALSE] return a data frame with only column 1. If you want to subset rows as well as columns, these work for me: df[1:2, 1, drop = FALSE] subset(df[1], a < 3) subset(df, subset = a<3, select = a)

The College Fair The College Fair is a U.S. based college and career planning technology company founded as Schoold in 2015 and based in San Francisco, California. The College Fair app, launched in February 2016, helps individuals make informed decisions on choosing a college and major by compiling data from a variety of sources. History Schoold was co-founded by Sourabh Ahuja, who grew up in India, and spent over 10 years as a Vice President developing mobile games at Glu Mobile. Joe Ross serves on the San Mateo County Board of Education and was previously the Chief Strategy Officer at HotChalk. The College Fair app seeks to democratize access to college search and counselling. Within the first month, the app surpassed 500,000 downloads. Funding The College Fair has received $4.5 million in seed capital from Social Capital, FastForward Innovations, Learn Capital, and University Ventures. In addition, Lorne Abony and Joseph Grundfest have contributed. References External links Schoold on Crunchbase Category:University and college admissions Category:Technology companies of the United States

--- bibliography: - 'instooeq.bib' --- =15.5pt [ **Real-Time Corrections to the Effective Potential**]{}\ [Guilherme L. Pimentel and John Stout]{} Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Amsterdam,\ Science Park 904, Amsterdam, 1098 XH, The Netherlands [ **Abstract**]{} Non-perturbatively generated effective potentials play an extremely useful and often critical role in string and inflationary model building. These potentials are typically computed by methods that assume the system is in equilibrium. For systems out of equilibrium, like an inflaton rolling down its potential, there are corrections to the semi-classical evolution due to transient phenomena. We provide a new qualitative and quantitative understanding of non-perturbative effects in real time for a wide class of toy quantum mechanical models. We derive an effective Schrödinger equation that does not rely on any notion of equilibrium and captures the low-energy dynamics supposedly described by the effective potential. We find that there are potentially large corrections to this potential that are not captured by standard equilibrium techniques, and quantify when these corrections significantly alter the effective dynamics. Introduction ============ We are very fortunate our universe is in a state of almost equilibrium. Not only is it beneficial for the formation of intelligent life, but physical processes are much easier to understand if they are a small departure from a steady state. Physicists have had great success in leveraging both to construct accurate low-energy effective field theories that describe a wide range of physical phenomena. The power of these effective descriptions is in that heavy, unknown degrees of freedom—under the assumption that they eventually return to their vacuum—can be decoupled, with their effect incorporated into an effective action for the low energy theory. However, this assumption may be violated when a system is driven out of equilibrium. For example, spontaneous particle production can occur in cosmological backgrounds, and the notion of integrating out heavy degrees of freedom is at best approximate when they can appear at late times. Time-dependent phenomena can thus modify an effective description. In this paper, we study these corrections in a particular class of models whose semi-classical dynamics are wholly determined by a non-perturbatively generated effective potential. These potentials are an often critical tool in the construction of both UV-complete inflationary models and realistic string compactifications. Though they are computed assuming the system is in equilibrium, they are often used to study out-of-equilibrium processes—like an inflaton or quintessence field rolling down its potential—and may receive potentially disastrous time-dependent corrections. Given their role in modern inflationary and string phenomenology, it is thus crucial to understand how these potentials change when the system is allowed to evolve. Our ultimate goal, then, is to understand how non-perturbative physics affects real-time dynamics, and how to incorporate transient phenomena in such effective descriptions. Our motivation for studying these time-dependent corrections comes primarily from cosmology, and in particular natural inflation [@Freese:1990rb; @Adams:1992bn]. Here, a (pseudo)scalar axion $\phi$ is coupled to other degrees of freedom such that, classically, it enjoys a continuous shift symmetry $\phi \to \phi + \epsilon$. However, this shift symmetry is “broken” to a discrete subgroup $\phi \to \phi + 2 \pi f$ by either the formation of a condensate or nonperturbative effects. The low-energy effective theory is typically written as $$\mathcal{L} = {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\frac{1}{2}(\partial \phi)^2 + \Lambda^4 \left(1 - \cos \phi/f\right) + \dots \label{eq:naturalInflation}$$ where $\Lambda$ is a dynamically generated scale and $f$ is called the axion decay constant. When coupled to gravity,[^1] the axion drives inflationary expansion by slowly rolling down its dynamically-induced effective potential. Since the inflationary scenario is inherently out of equilibrium, transient phenomena will correct the axion’s trajectory and may be violent enough to halt inflation entirely. Though this effective theory has many UV realizations,[^2] we are solely interested in completions where the effective potential is generated by non-perturbative effects. Throughout this paper we will study quantum mechanical analogues of a specific prototypical UV completion of (\[eq:naturalInflation\]), $$S = \int\!{\mathrm{d}}^4 x\left[ {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\frac{1}{2} (\partial \phi)^2 - \frac{1}{g^2} \,{{\mathrm{tr}}}\left(F \wedge {\mathord{*}}F\right) + \frac{\phi}{8\pi^2 f} \,{{\mathrm{tr}}}\left( F\wedge F\right) + \mathcal{L}_{{\mathrm{cm}}}\right]. \label{eq:prototype}$$ where $F$ is the field strength of a compact non-Abelian gauge field $A$ which couples to charged matter described by $\mathcal{L}_{{\mathrm{cm}}}$. Under an infinitesimal shift $\phi \to \phi+ \epsilon f$, this action famously transforms up to a total derivative, $$\Delta S = \frac{\epsilon}{8 \pi^2} \int{{\mathrm{tr}}}\left(F \wedge F\right) = \epsilon \int {{\mathrm{tr}}}\left({\mathrm{d}}{\mathord{*}}J_{{\mathrm{CS}}}\right),$$ where $J_{{\mathrm{CS}}}$ is the Chern-Simons current. This term is only sensitive to the topology of the gauge field, which is characterized by a winding number $\int{{\mathrm{tr}}}\left({\mathrm{d}}{\mathord{*}}J_{{\mathrm{CS}}}\right) \in \mathbbm{Z}$ for the simplest non-trivial topologies. The classical equations of motion are thus invariant under such a shift, so the axion may sit still anywhere along its field space. The quantum story is different. Because the winding number is an integer, the Feynman measure $\exp(i S)$ is only invariant under shifts generated by $\phi \to \phi + 2 \pi f$. This matters for the quantum theory, since the gauge field’s compactness forces us to sum over all topologically non-trivial field configurations, each of which is weighted differently under an infinitesimal shift $\phi \to \phi + \epsilon f$. This sum over topological sectors thus breaks the continuous shift symmetry down to a discrete subgroup, inducing an effective potential for the axion that can be identified with the gauge theory’s vacuum energy. Typically, this is computed by evolving for an infinite amount of Euclidean time, and reading off the large-time asymptotics of the partition function $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\phi) = \lim_{\beta \to \infty} -\frac{1}{\beta \mathcal{V}}\,\log\, {{\mathrm{tr}}}_A \, e^{-\beta \mathcal{H}(\phi)}\,, \label{eq:veffIntro}$$ where $\mathcal{V}$ is the spatial volume, $\mathcal{H}(\phi)$ is the gauge theory Hamiltonian as a function of constant $\phi$, and ${{\mathrm{tr}}}_A$ is a sum over all gauge field configurations. ![A schematic representation of the dilute instanton gas approximation. The effective potential is a collective effort of all types of instanton configurations at all times. We expect that this collective effort is diminished at short times, as highly wound, widely-separated configurations cannot “fit” into the time interval $\Delta t$. \[fig:DIGA\]](./digaIntuition.pdf) The primary motivation for this work comes from the following thought experiment. The effective potential receives contributions from gauge field configurations of all winding numbers, and is typically computed using the *dilute instanton gas approximation* [@Rajaraman:1982is; @Coleman:1985rnk; @Polyakov:1987ez; @Shifman:2012zz]. This assumes that (\[eq:veffIntro\]) is dominated by combinations of widely separated, singly-wound (anti)instantons that are well-localized in space and time. To approximate $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\phi)$, we then consider a *gas* of these instantons, integrating over all allowed times and positions,[^3] as schematically illustrated in [Figure \[fig:DIGA\]]{}. Importantly, the effective potential is a collective effort of *all* instantons at *all* times. What happens at short times? Naively, we might think that there are fewer instantons that contribute to the path integral or that contributions of high winding number change behavior, as it is no longer valid to assume that they can be decomposed into widely separated singly-wound events. So, the structure of the effective potential—and thus the dynamics inferred from it—could change dramatically if the axion is moving quickly. Indeed, if we think of the axion’s evolution as a sequence of steps between equilibria, we might expect that it must wait long enough for the instantons to “fill in” the effective potential before moving onto its next step. Since these instantons can be thought of as tunneling events—whose rate is non-perturbatively suppressed in the gauge coupling—we might guess that the axion must move *very* slowly for it to follow the effective potential. We will confirm this intuition in §\[sec:fail\], though we will find other effects that are not obviously captured by this intuitive argument. We focus on UV completions like (\[eq:prototype\]) in particular because they most directly make contact with string theoretic realizations of natural inflation.[^4] Typically the axion $\phi$ descends from the dimensional reduction of a $p$-form gauge field along a topologically non-trivial cycle and receives its potential from either gauge theory instantons or Euclidean D-branes.[^5] The redundancy $\phi \sim \phi + 2 \pi f$ is then a descendant of the higher-dimensional gauge symmmetry, which protects the axion’s potential from plausibly dangerous quantum gravitational corrections. These models thus represent an important, well-controlled lamppost for realizing large-field inflation in string theory. It is not clear whether quantum gravity allows for non-violent super-Planckian field displacements and these effective potentials have been at the heart of an on-going debate [@Banks:2003sx; @Svrcek:2006yi; @Rudelius:2014wla; @Bachlechner:2014gfa; @Montero:2015ofa; @Bachlechner:2015qja; @Brown:2015iha; @Brown:2015lia; @Rudelius:2015xta; @Junghans:2015hba; @Heidenreich:2015wga; @Conlon:2016aea; @Baume:2016psm; @Hebecker:2017uix; @Palti:2019pca]. It would be useful, then, to understand how these potentials behave in the regimes where they are actually used.[^6] ### Outline {#outline .unnumbered} In §\[sec:ToyModels\], we describe a class of $(0+1)$-dimensional toy models with an “axion” $\varphi$ and “gauge field” $A$ that, we argue, capture the relevant features of the prototype (\[eq:prototype\]).[^7] We show that topologically non-trivial gauge field configurations generate an effective potential for the axion and that this class smoothly interpolates between potentials that are either “monodromy-like” or “instanton-like.” Monodromy-like potentials (c.f. Figure \[fig:monodromyPotential\]) are roughly a sum over branches, schematically $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) \sim \min_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} V(\varphi - \ell)\,,$$ while instanton-like potentials are well-approximated by a single cosine (c.f. Figure \[fig:mathieuEnergies\]) $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) \sim \Lambda e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\mathcal{S}_1} (1 - \cos 2 \pi \varphi) + \mathcal{O}(e^{-2 \mathcal{S}_1})\,,$$ where $\mathcal{S}_1$ is the action of a single instanton. We illustrate our results in the monodromy-like *gapless model* and an instanton-like *gapped model*. Throughout, we pay special attention to the boundary conditions imposed in deriving these effective potentials, and argue that the process of integrating out the gauge field assumes boundary conditions that are not realized when the axion is allowed to evolve. In §\[sec:effSchrodinger\], we derive an effective Schrödinger equation that describes the exact dynamics of the system. This presentation makes it clear which degrees of freedom should be discarded to derive a low-energy effective description. Schematically, it is given by $$\begin{aligned} i \hbar\, \partial_t \Phi_{0}(\varphi,t) &= \left(\frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} + V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) + V_{0,0}(\varphi)\right) \Phi_{0}(\varphi,t) + \sum_{n' \neq 0} \left[F_{0, n'}(\varphi) \, p_\varphi + V_{0,n'}(\varphi) \right]\Phi_{n'}(\varphi, t)\,, \end{aligned}$$ where $\Phi_0$ and $\Phi_{n' \neq 0}$ are the axion $\varphi$’s wavefunction when the gauge field $A$ is in its vacuum and higher excited states, respectively. At low energies, the axion evolves according to a potential induced by the gauge field. This potential is not just the effective potential $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi)$ derived by equilibrium methods, but is corrected by a new term $V_{0, 0}(\varphi)$ that only disappears when the axion is non-dynamical. At higher energies, the axion can excite the gauge field out of its vacuum and this is encoded in the $\varphi$-dependent “friction”-like couplings $F_{0, n'}$ and $V_{0, n'}$. This effective Schrödinger equation allows us to derive speed limits for the axion, above which the description breaks down. We will find that this effective description is highly dependent on our choice of initial state. How do we know we have the right one? Furthermore, this description does nothing to elucidate how the gauge field instantons behave in real time. In §\[sec:Unroll\], we present an alternative description of the dynamics where we “unroll" the compact field spaces of the axion and gauge field, exchanging two compact, constrained degrees of freedom for a single noncompact and unconstrained one. We find that there are two ways to do this, which provide two alternative descriptions of the compact dynamics. In the *axion frame*, this single degree of freedom encodes axionic expectation values relatively simply, but the dynamics is non-local—the axion can interact with itself across multiples of its fundamental domain, encoding the original non-trivial topology of its field space. In the *gauge field frame*, this single degree of freedom encodes gauge field expectation values relatively simply, but axionic expectation values are a bit more complicated. However, the dynamics is entirely local. In fact, the Hamiltonian in this frame describes a particle in a periodic potential and a harmonic well, which has been experimentally realized by atomic physicists. We then use these different frames to study our class of toy models in two distinct limits. We use the axion frame to study the dynamics of the monodromy-like gapless model in §\[sec:Gaussian\], while in §\[sec:gappedDynamics\] we use the gauge field frame to study the instanton-like gapped model. We will see that the initial ansatz we chose to derive the effective Schrödinger equation was nearly the correct one, and we will show how to improve on it. We find that the gauge field frame gives an intuitive picture of both the axion-gauge field dynamics and the origin of the potential correction $V_{0, 0}(\varphi)$. Finally, we conclude in §\[sec:Discussion\] with a discussion of our results and promising future directions. Quantum Mechanical Toy Models {#sec:ToyModels} ============================= Ultimately, we must understand how well a non-perturbatively generated effective potential captures the semi-classical, out-of-equilibrium, dynamics of quantum field theories like (\[eq:prototype\]). Here, we set our sights a bit lower and instead focus on analogous toy models in quantum mechanics. Similar to how the double-well potential is a useful warm-up for understanding instanton effects in quantum field theory, we are interested in finding the “double-well” for theories whose time-evolution is determined entirely by quantum mechanical effects. In this section, we introduce a family of toy models that are structurally similar to (\[eq:prototype\]) and show that there are indeed stationary solutions to the classical equations of motion that are completely changed by quantum effects. There are two essential structures in the theory (\[eq:prototype\]) that our toy models must mimic: 1. **The axion is coupled to the gauge field only through a topological term.** Continuous shifts of the axion $\phi \to \phi + \epsilon$ transform the Lagrangian (\[eq:prototype\]) up to a total derivative, and thus do not affect the classical equations of motion. Classically, the axion can sit still anywhere in its field space. Importantly, the action transforms up to a term that depends only on the topology of the gauge field trajectory. 2. **The gauge field’s configuration space is topologically non-trivial.** Many gauge theories are invariant under large gauge transformations $A \to A + {n}\hspace{1pt}{\omega}$, where $n$ is an integer and $\omega$ is a closed, but not exact, form. Ensuring the theory is invariant under these gauge transformations forces the path integral to include a sum over topological sectors [@Rajaraman:1982is; @Shifman:2012zz], and the aforementioned topological coupling produces quantum mechanical interference effects that are not present classically. It is the combination of a topologically non-trivial field space and “total derivative" coupling that generates an effective potential for the axion, and so these are necessary ingredients in any toy model that hopes to imitate (\[eq:prototype\]). Furthermore, we will also require that: 3. **The axion’s configuration space is topologically non-trivial.** In bottom-up models of natural inflation, the axion field space can be either compact or non-compact.[^8] However, in most ultraviolet completions under sound theoretical control, the axion potential is protected from (potentially disastrous) corrections because its field space is a circle—that is, discrete shifts $\phi \to \phi + 2\pi f$ represent a true redundancy of the theory and no correction can violate this gauge symmetry. Though not necessary to generate an effective potential, a compact axionic field space is a generic feature in UV complete models of natural inflation. For instance, if the axion descends from the dimensional reduction of a gauge field, as is common in string compactifications, these discrete shifts are generated by large gauge transformations in the higher-dimensional theory. We are only interested in these types of “top-down inspired” theories and so we assume the axion field space is compact. With these features in mind, we consider a class of toy models described by the Lagrangian $$\mathcal{L} = \frac{f^2}{2} \dot{\varphi}^2 + \frac{1}{2 g^2} \dot{A}^2 - V(A)+ 2\pi \hbar \varphi \dot{A} \label{eq:toyLagrangian}$$ where both the “axion” $\varphi$ and the “gauge field” $A$ have compact configuration spaces, $$\varphi \sim \varphi + 1 \qquad \text{and} \qquad A \sim A + 1\,, \label{eq:periods}$$ and are coupled via a topological interaction. This system describes a particle moving on a torus in the presence of both an electric (the gauge field potential) and magnetic (the topological interaction) field.[^9] The gauge field potential $V(A)$ can be thought of as encoding different gauge field dynamics induced by the charged matter fields $\mathcal{L}_{{\mathrm{cm}}}$ in (\[eq:prototype\]), and will thus control the behavior of the gauge field instantons. While our results will apply for arbitrary periodic $V(A)$, we will illustrate our points with a single model considered in two limits. The simplest case, described in §\[sec:gaplessPotential\], is to set $V(A) = 0$. We call this the *gapless model*, as the energy gap between the lowest and first excited states of the gauge field closes as the axion winds around its fundamental domain. This model is Gaussian, and the effective potential takes the form of a “sum over branches,” familiar from axion monodromy [@Dvali:2005an; @Silverstein:2008sg; @McAllister:2008hb; @Kaloper:2008fb; @Kaloper:2011jz; @Lawrence:2012ua] and large-$N$ QCD [@Witten:1980sp; @Witten:1998uka; @Halperin:1997bs; @Dine:2016sgq]. In §\[sec:gappedPotential\], we study the *gapped model* with potential $V(A) = \Lambda(1 - \cos 2 \pi A)$. In the large $\Lambda$ limit, we show that the effective potential takes the form of an exponentially-suppressed cosine, calculable by the dilute instanton gas approximation, familiar from natural inflation [@Freese:1990rb; @Adams:1992bn] and high temperature QCD [@Gross:1980br]. While this model assumes a specific form for the potential—one whose properties are easily calculable—we will argue that the conclusions derived from it are universal in the large $\Lambda$ limit. Classical Considerations {#sec:classical} ------------------------ We first consider (\[eq:toyLagrangian\]) at the classical level. The equations of motion are[^10] $$f^2 \ddot{\varphi} = 2 \pi \dot{A} \qquad \text{and} \qquad g^{-2} \ddot{A} + V'(A) + 2 \pi \dot{\varphi} = 0\,. \label{eq:classicalEom}$$ In the gapless model, $V(A) = 0$, this system executes simple harmonic motion with frequency $\omega = 2 \pi g/f$, while for non-trivial $V(A)$ the motion is more complicated. Importantly, because these equations of motion only depend on time derivatives of $\varphi$, the axion can sit still anywhere along its field space. This will not be the case at the quantum level. There is a fundamental difference between this system and its higher-dimensional counterpart that we must mention. For simplicity, we will take (\[eq:prototype\])’s gauge group to be ${{\mathrm{U}}}(1)$, so that it describes classical electrodynamics coupled to an axion with equations of motion $$\begin{gathered} \nabla \cdot {{\mathbf{B}}} = 0\,, \qquad\qquad \nabla \times {{\mathbf{E}}} = -\frac{\partial {{\mathbf{B}}}}{\partial t}\,, \qquad \qquad \partial^2 \phi = \frac{g^2}{8 \pi^2 f} {{\mathbf{E}}} \cdot {{\mathbf{B}}}\,,\\ \nabla \cdot {{\mathbf{E}}} = - \frac{g^2}{8 \pi^2 f} \left(\nabla \phi\right)\cdot {{\mathbf{B}}}\,, \qquad \qquad \nabla \times {{\mathbf{B}}} = \frac{\partial {{\mathbf{E}}}}{\partial t} - \frac{g^2}{8 \pi^2 f} \left(\dot{\phi}\, {{\mathbf{B}}} + \left(\nabla \phi\right) \times {{\mathbf{E}}}\right). \end{gathered}$$ Again, only spacetime derivatives of the axion appear in the equations of motion and so, like our toy model, a spatially constant axion $\phi(t, {{\mathbf{x}}}) = \phi(t)$ may sit still anywhere along its field space. However, since the four-dimensional topological term is quadratic in the gauge field, the axion always appears multiplied either by the electric or magnetic field. If we assume the gauge field sits in its vacuum, i.e. ${{\mathbf{E}}} = {{\mathbf{B}}} = 0$, we see that the axion zero mode may freely evolve in time, $\phi(t) \propto t$. This is in contrast to our toy model, whose topological term is linear in the gauge field. Because we are mainly interested in how classically stationary trajectories are modified by quantum effects, we do not expect[^11] that this difference plays an important role. However, we leave a more thorough exploration to future work. General Quantum Considerations ------------------------------ While the redundancies (\[eq:periods\]) do not affect the classical dynamics, they play an important role upon quantization. The Hamiltonian of our toy model (\[eq:toyLagrangian\]) is $$\mathcal{H} = \frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} + \frac{g^2}{2} \left(p_A - 2\pi \hbar \varphi \right)^2 + V(A)\,. \label{eq:Hamiltonian}$$ The generators of $\varphi$ and $A$ translations are $$\pi_\varphi = p_\varphi - 2\pi \hbar A \qquad \text{and} \qquad \pi_A = p_A\,, \label{eq:generators}$$ respectively, where $[\varphi, p_\varphi] = [A, p_A] = i \hbar$.[^12] Crucially, the topological interaction forces the axionic translation generator $\pi_\varphi$ to also depend on $A$. The redundancies (\[eq:periods\]) impose a gauge constraint on the physical states in the Hilbert space—any translation $\varphi \to \varphi + \ell_\varphi$ or $A \to A + \ell_A$, where $\ell_\varphi$ and $\ell_A$ are integers, must bring a physical state $|\Psi \rangle$ exactly into itself, $$\exp\left(-i(\pi_{{\mathrm{\varphi}}} \ell_\varphi + \pi_A \ell_A)/\hbar\right) | \Psi \rangle = | \Psi \rangle\,. \label{eq:gaussLaw}$$ In terms of the wavefunction $\Psi(\varphi, A, t) \equiv \langle \varphi, A| \Psi \rangle$, this constraint imposes the quasi-periodic boundary conditions $$\exp\left(2\pi i A\right) \Psi(\varphi - 1, A, t) = \Psi(\varphi, A, t) \quad \text{and} \quad \Psi(\varphi, A-1,t) = \Psi(\varphi, A,t)\,. \label{eq:boundaryConditions}$$ That $\varphi$ and $A$ are linked intrinsically through these boundary conditions will play an enormous role in the following analysis. It will allow us to effectively reduce the theory to that of a single non-compact degree of freedom, and determine its quantum dynamics exactly. Observables of the theory must be gauge invariant expectation values. For example, in order to measure the expectation value of $\varphi$, i.e. its position, we must instead compute $$\langle e^{2 \pi i m \varphi} \rangle_\Psi = \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\frac{1}{2}}^{\frac{1}{2}}\!{\mathrm{d}}\varphi \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\frac{1}{2}}^{\frac{1}{2}} \!{\mathrm{d}}A\, e^{2 \pi i m \varphi} \left|\Psi(\varphi, A, t)\right|^2, \qquad m \in \mathbbm{Z}. \label{eq:expValPhi}$$ The expectation value $\langle e^{2 \pi i \varphi} \rangle_\Psi$ (see Fig. \[fig:expectationValues\]) contains information about both the position of the axion and how well-localized it is—roughly, $$\langle e^{2 \pi i \varphi} \rangle_\Psi \sim \big[1 - (\Delta \varphi)^2\big]^{1/2} \exp\left(2 \pi i \langle \varphi \rangle\right).$$ Finally, we should note that the boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]) can be modified by an arbitrary phase that corresponds to an inequivalent quantization of the theory—in practice, this amounts to adding a $\theta$-angle to either the gauge field or the axion.[^13] Effective Potential and the Instanton Expansion {#sec:effPotInst} ----------------------------------------------- Our toy models must pass one key test if they are to mimic the higher dimensional model (\[eq:prototype\]): integrating out the gauge field $A$ must generate an effective potential for $\varphi$. As we discussed in §\[sec:classical\], classically the axion can sit still anywhere along its field space, so that the effective potential is naively zero due to the shift symmetry generated by $\pi_\varphi$ (\[eq:generators\]). However, this continuous shift symmetry is “broken” to a discrete shift symmetry once the periodic boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]) are imposed—only the discrete shifts generated by $\exp\left(-i \pi_\varphi \ell /\hbar\right)$, with integer $\ell$, are symmetries. At the level of the path integral, the gauge field’s compact field space forces one to sum over topological sectors, and interference effects among these different sectors generate an effective potential upon integrating out $A$. We can compute this potential in two ways, both of which assume that the axion is a fixed background field and that the gauge field rests in its vacuum state. The axion is then expected to evolve adiabatically, slowly enough that the gauge field remains in its vacuum. We will see that this assumption imposes “in” and “out” boundary conditions on the gauge field that do not hold in out-of-equilibrium dynamics. In §\[sec:effSchrodinger\], we relax this assumption to quantify the corrections that appear. The first method is to find the ground state energy from the gauge field Schrödinger equation, as a function of the now classical parameter $\varphi$. This is equivalent to studying the spectrum of the Hamiltonian $$\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}} = \frac{g^2 p_A^2}{2} + V(A)$$ subject to the axion-dependent boundary condition $\psi(A+1) = e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \pi i \varphi} \psi(A)$. Ignoring this boundary condition for the moment, this is simply the Hamiltonian for a particle of mass $g^{-2}$ propagating in an infinite periodic potential, i.e. a particle in a one-dimensional crystal lattice. It is thus natural to utilize the technology developed in condensed matter physics [@ashcroft1976solid; @chaikin1995principles] to study these systems. By Bloch’s theorem, the energy eigenstates of $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}$ are the quasi-periodic Bloch waves, $$\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}} \psi_{n, \kappa}(A) = E_{n,\kappa}\psi_{n,\kappa}(A) \qquad \text{with} \qquad \psi_{n, \kappa} (A+1) = e^{2 \pi i \kappa} \psi_{n, \kappa}(A)\,. \label{eq:bloch}$$ The energies $E_{n}(\kappa) \equiv E_{n, \kappa}$ are arranged in bands (see Figure \[fig:mathieuEnergies\]) and are labeled by a non-negative integer band number $n$ and a “crystal momentum” $\kappa \in [{{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}1/2, 1/2)$. Including the boundary condition then fixes $\kappa = {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi$, so that the effective potential is simply the lowest energy band, $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) = E_{0}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi)\,. \label{eq:effPotGen}$$ This definition of the effective potential highlights the fact that both the gauge field and axion are irrevocably linked—the axion fixes the gauge field’s boundary conditions. Throughout some putative axion dynamics, evolution in the effective potential assumes that the gauge field adibatically evolves, always sitting in its instantaneous vacuum state. An alternative (albeit more familiar to particle physicists) definition of the effective potential is via the Euclidean path integral $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) \equiv \lim_{\beta \to \infty} -\frac{\hbar}{\beta} \log \mathcal{Z}(\beta, \varphi)$$ where we define $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta, \varphi) = \int\!\mathcal{D} A\, \exp\left[-\frac{1}{\hbar} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \left(\frac{1}{2 g^2} \dot{A}^2 + V(A)\right) + 2\pi i \varphi \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau \dot{A}\right]$$ and slightly abuse notation to write ${\dot{A} = {\mathrm{d}}A/{\mathrm{d}}\tau}$, where $\tau$ is Euclidean time. We will now review the computation of the effective potential using these two methods for both the gapless and gapped models. ### Gapless Model {#sec:gaplessPotential} We first focus on the Gaussian gapless model. Setting $V(A) = 0$, the energy eigenstates of $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}$ are the simple Fourier modes $$\psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}(A) = \exp\left(2 \pi i (n - \varphi + \lfloor \varphi \rceil) A\right)$$ with energies $$E_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) = \frac{(2 \pi \hbar g)^2}{2} \left(n - \varphi+\lfloor \varphi \rceil\right)^2.$$ The effective potential is then the lowest energy band, $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) = E_{0}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) = \frac{(2 \pi \hbar g)^2}{2} \left(\varphi - \lfloor \varphi \rceil\right)^2. \label{eq:effPotentialMonodromy}$$ We must explain the dependence on $\varphi$. By convention, dragging the axion across the boundary of its fundamental domain does not change the energy level $n$. The Bloch waves can then only depend on the combination $\varphi - \lfloor \varphi \rceil$, where $\lfloor \varphi \rceil$ is the nearest integer function,[^14] and are periodic in $\varphi$. We can also compute the effective potential by considering the low temperature $\beta \to \infty$ limit of the Euclidean path integral, $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta) = \int\limits_{\mathrlap{A(0) \sim A(\beta)}}\! \mathcal{D} A(\tau)\, \exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 g^2 \hbar} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2} \!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \dot{A}^2 + 2\pi i \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \varphi\, \dot{A}\right).$$ This integral is over all closed paths on the circle $A \sim A+1$, which we may instead represent as a sum over topological sectors $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \int_{0}^{1} \!{\mathrm{d}}A_0\, \int\limits_{\mathrlap{A_0}}^{\mathrlap{A_0 + \ell}} \mathcal{D} A(\tau)\, \exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 g^2 \hbar} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \dot{A}^2 + 2\pi i \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \varphi \,\dot{A}\right)$$ of paths on the real line. For each term in the sum, we shift $A(\tau) \to \bar{A}_\ell(\tau) + a(\tau)$ where $$\bar{A}_\ell(\tau) = A_0 + \frac{\ell}{\beta} \left(\tau + \frac{\beta}{2}\right) \qquad\, \text{with} \qquad a(0) = a(\beta) = 0\, \label{eq:tunnelingConfigs}$$ is the classical path connecting $A(0) = A_0$ and $A(\beta) = A_0 + \ell$. The path integral can then be written as $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta) = \mathcal{K}[\varphi(\tau)] \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \exp\left(-\frac{\ell^2}{2 g^2 \hbar \beta} + 2\pi i \ell \bar{\varphi} \right). \label{eq:monodromyPartitionFunction}$$ Here, we have defined the axion’s average position, $\bar{\varphi} = \beta^{-1} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2} \! {\mathrm{d}}\tau \, \varphi(\tau)$, and the fluctuation determinant $$\mathcal{K}[\varphi(\tau)] \equiv \int\limits_{\mathrlap{a({\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2) = 0}}^{\mathrlap{a(\beta/2) = 0}}\! \mathcal{D} a(\tau)\,\exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 g^2 \hbar} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \dot{a}^2 - 2 \pi i \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \dot{\varphi} \,a\right).$$ Transitions between the different topological sectors are mediated by the classical trajectories (\[eq:tunnelingConfigs\]), with Euclidean action $$S_{{\mathrm{E, \ell}}} = \frac{\ell^2}{2 g^2 \beta}\,.$$ Depending on one’s tastes, we might call these “instantons” though they are not at all localized at a single instant in time. In fact, in the $\beta \to \infty$ limit, these trajectories become arbitrarily delocalized, their actions all approach zero, and the dilute instanton gas approximation is not reliable or appropriate. Fortunately, this model is Gaussian so we need not rely on this approximation. For constant $\varphi(\tau) = \bar{\varphi}$, the fluctuation determinant (\[eq:monodromyPartitionFunction\]) is a constant coefficient. Ignoring this constant factor, we may use Poisson resummation to reexpress (\[eq:monodromyPartitionFunction\]) as $$\log \mathcal{Z}(\beta) \sim \log \left[\sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \exp\left({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\frac{(2 \pi \hbar g)^2 \beta}{2 \hbar} \left( \varphi - \ell \right)^2 \right)\right],$$ which is dominated by the $\ell = \lfloor \varphi \rceil$ term in the $\beta \to \infty$ limit. We thus reproduce the effective potential derived via canonical methods, $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) = \frac{(2 \hbar g)^2}{2} \sum_{n = 1}^{\infty} \frac{(-1)^{n+1}}{n^2} \left(1 - \cos 2 \pi n \varphi\right) = \frac{(2 \pi \hbar g)^2}{2} \left(\varphi - \lfloor \varphi \rceil \right)^2.$$ As shown in Figure \[fig:monodromyPotential\], the effective potential can be thought of as a “sum over branches,” or is “monodromy-like” in the language of [@Dine:2016sgq]. These types of potentials have been studied in the context of axion monodromy [@Lawrence:2012ua; @McAllister:2008hb] and large-$N$ QCD [@Witten:1980sp; @Witten:1998uka; @Halperin:1997bs], and we take this gapless model as a low-dimensional avatar of these higher-dimensional models. ### Gapped Model {#sec:gappedPotential} Many models of inflation rely on an effective potential of the form predicted by the dilute instanton gas approximation, $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) \sim {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\Lambda\, e^{-\mathcal{S}_1} \cos 2 \pi \varphi\,,$$ where $\mathcal{S}_1$ is the dimensionless one-instanton action. Since we are primarily interested in making contact with these applications, the gapless model suffers a major drawback—there is no “energy” cost for $A$ to wind around its field space arbitrarily slowly and thus there is no sense in which the instantons are dilute. In order to avoid this behavior, we may localize the instantons by including a potential for $A$. In what follows, we will consider the simple cosine potential $V(A) = \Lambda(1 - \cos 2 \pi A)$, which has been studied in a number of contexts [@Slater:1952asp; @Asorey:1983hd]. As before, we start with the Hamiltonian approach. The energy eigenvalues are determined by the Mathieu equation[^15] $$\left(\frac{\hbar^2 g^2}{2} \partial_A^2 + E_{n}(\kappa) - \Lambda (1 - \cos 2 \pi A) \right)\psi_{n, \kappa} = 0\,,$$ whose quasi-periodic eigenfunctions are denoted as $$\psi_{n, \kappa}(A) \propto {{\mathrm{me}}}_{2 n + 2\kappa}(\pi A, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q)\,,$$ where $q = \Lambda/(\pi^2 g^2 \hbar^2)$. The energies are determined by the Mathieu eigenvalues $\lambda_{\nu}$, $$E_{n}(\kappa) = \frac{\pi^2 g^2 \hbar^2}{2} \Big(2 q + \lambda_{2n+2\kappa} ( {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q)\Big)\,, \label{eq:exactEnergyMathieu}$$ so that for $|\varphi| \leq 1/2$ the effective potential is $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) = E_{0}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi)\,.$$ In Figure \[fig:mathieuEnergies\], we plot the lowest lying energy bands for a few values of $q$. When the potential $V(A)$ vanishes, we recover the gapless model and the different energy bands intersect at $\varphi = 0$ and $\pm 1/2$. As $q$ increases, an energy gap $E_{1}(1/2) - E_{0}(1/2) \sim 2 \pi^2 g^2 \hbar^2 \sqrt{q}$ appears [@Wilkinson:2018asm] and the lowest lying band is well-described by an exponentially suppressed cosine, $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) \sim \frac{\pi^2 g^2 \hbar^2}{2}\left(2 \sqrt{q} -\frac{1}{4} - \frac{32}{\sqrt{2\pi}} q^{3/4} e^{-4 \sqrt{q}} \cos 2\pi \varphi + \dots\right) \quad \text{as} \quad q \to \infty\,.$$ This behavior of the energy bands is the origin of our names for the gapless and gapped models. We may also compute this using the Euclidean path integral $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta, \varphi) = \int\!\mathcal{D} A\, \exp\left(-\frac{1}{\hbar} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2} \!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \left[\frac{1}{2 g^2} \dot{A}^2 + \Lambda\big(1 - \cos(2 \pi A)\big)\right] + 2\pi i \varphi\int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau\, \dot{A}\right),$$ where we keep $\varphi$ a classical parameter and integrate over paths that start at $A({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\beta/2) = 0$ and end at those that are equivalent to this point, $A(\beta/2) \sim 0$. As before, we may rewrite this as a sum over topological sectors, $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta, \varphi) = \sum_{n \in \mathbbm{Z}} e^{2\pi i n \varphi } \int_{0}^{n}\! \mathcal{D} A\, \exp\left(-\frac{1}{\hbar} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\beta/2}^{\beta/2} \!\!{\mathrm{d}}\tau \, \left[\frac{1}{2 g^2} \dot{A}^2 + \Lambda \left(1- \cos(2 \pi A)\right)\right]\right).$$ In the dilute instanton gas approximation [@Asorey:1983hd], the path integral is dominated, as $\beta \to \infty$, by the $$\bar{A}_{\pm 1} (t) = \frac{2}{\pi}\arctan\left(\exp\left[\pm 2\pi g \sqrt{\Lambda} (\tau-\tau_0)\right]\right). \label{eq:mathieuInstanton}$$ Unlike in the previous model, these instanton configurations are localized in time, with width $$\Delta t \sim \frac{1}{2 \pi g \sqrt{\Lambda}}\,,$$ with $\beta$-independent action $$S_{\pm 1} = \frac{4 \sqrt{\Lambda}}{\pi g} = 4 \hbar \sqrt{q}\,.$$ The Euclidean path integral is then well approximated by $$\mathcal{Z}(\beta, \varphi) \underset{\beta \to \infty}{\sim} \mathcal{K}_0\sum_{\ell, \bar{\ell} \in \mathbbm{Z}} \frac{\left(\beta \mathcal{K}_1\right)^{\ell+\bar{\ell}}}{\ell! \bar{\ell}!}e^{-4 \sqrt{q}(\ell+\bar{\ell}) +i 2\pi (\ell-\bar{\ell})\varphi} = \mathcal{K}_0 \exp\left(2 \beta \mathcal{K}_1 e^{-4 \sqrt{q}} \cos 2\pi \varphi\right)$$ where $\mathcal{K}_0$ and $\mathcal{K}_1$ are the contributions coming from integrating over fluctuations about the minimum at $A = 0$ and the single (anti)-instanton configuration (\[eq:mathieuInstanton\]), respectively. Both of these contributions can be evaluated via standard techniques, yielding [@Asorey:1983hd] $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) = \lim_{\beta \to \infty} -\frac{\hbar}{\beta} \log \mathcal{Z} \sim \frac{\pi^2 g^2 \hbar^2}{2} \left(2 \sqrt{q} - \frac{32}{\sqrt{2\pi}} q^{3/4} e^{-4 \sqrt{q}} \cos 2\pi \varphi + \dots\right)\,.$$ In the language of [@Dine:2016sgq], these potentials are “instanton-like” and we consider these gapped models as low-dimensional avatars of natural inflation UV completions. Recap ----- Our ultimate goal is to quantify the time-dependent corrections to non-perturbatively generated effective potentials in quantum field theories like (\[eq:prototype\]). Said differently, how do we consistently integrate out non-perturbative effects in time-dependent settings? To make progress, we have introduced a class of toy quantum mechanical models that, we argue, capture the relevant features of our prototype and have shown that they pass a key test—gauge field instantons generate an effective potential for the axion. These toy models thus serve as a test bed for the dynamics of an axion zero mode in quantum field theory. In fact, as we explain in Appendix \[app:qft\], these toy models can be seen as “minisuperspace” truncations of simple quantum field theories in higher dimensions. While there may be additional effects that appear in quantum field theory that are not captured by these low-dimensional models, our goal is to understand the dynamical consequences of the three minimal ingredients outlined in the beginning of this section. Still, since we are interested in the dynamics of a quantum field’s *zero mode*—which behaves as a single degree of freedom—we expect the lessons learned here will be valuable in the transition to higher dimensions. Whatever the relation, we leave this question to be settled in future work, and move on to investigate the low-energy dynamics of our toy models. Effective Schrödinger Equation {#sec:effSchrodinger} ============================== In this section, we introduce an effective Schrödinger equation for our toy model that makes its low-energy dynamics manifest. This description will explicitly demonstrate that the axion sees more than the effective potential, and we will be able to quantify these out-of-equilibrium corrections. Later, in §\[sec:gappedDynamics\], we derive this effective Schrödinger equation from a different perspective, putting it on a firmer conceptual footing. First, however, we must describe both what we mean by “low-energy dynamics” and motivate why an effective Schrödinger equation is a useful way of packaging this information. As described in the previous section, the effective potential measures the *vacuum energy* of the gauge field as a function of a fixed classical parameter. Once we promote the axion from fixed parameter to dynamical degree of freedom, the hope is that it is allowed to evolve in time while the gauge field remains fixed in its instantaneous vacuum state, so that the dynamic axion “sees” the effective potential. Of course, this is too much to ask for. It is difficult, if not impossible, for the axion to evolve without disturbing the gauge field—they are coupled! We are not necessarily interested in understanding the dynamics of the lowest energy states in the full axion-gauge field system but, instead, the set of states where the gauge field is, in some sense, “close” to its vacuum state. Typically, quantum-corrected equations of motion for in-in expectation values like $\langle \varphi(t) \rangle$ are derived via the tadpole method [@Jordan:1986ug; @Calzetta:1986cq; @Traschen:1990sw; @Boyanovsky:1994me; @Baacke:1996se; @Cametti:1999ii; @Mooij:2011fi]. Instead, we choose to phrase the dynamics in terms of an effective Schrödinger equation for two main reasons. First, because the axion has a compact field space, the expectation value $\langle \varphi(t) \rangle$ is not gauge-invariant. Gauge-invariant expectation values like $\langle \exp(2 \pi i \varphi(t)) \rangle$ will typically satisfy complicated equations of motion, even if the dynamics are relatively simple, and so it is not clear that this is a fruitful direction. Fortunately, the Schrödinger equation has no problem with using gauge-dependent variables. Instead, it is our job to restrict ourselves to proper observables in interpreting the resulting wavefunction. Second, effective quantum dynamics can be extremely state-dependent and it can be difficult to interpret the actual dynamics if the wavefunction is allowed to spread. This is particularly dangerous when trying to make the connection to quantum field theory, as the zero modes of quantum fields behave classically.[^16] Working with an effective Schrödinger equation is thus helpful at the level of interpretation, as we can understand the dynamics without constraining ourselves to a particular axionic initial state, all the while remaining close to a particular gauge field state. We note that, at first, this effective Schrödinger equation will be nothing more than an alternative representation of the full Schrödinger equation, as it amounts to decomposing the general state $\Psi(\varphi, A, t)$ using a particular basis of functions. Ideally, our choice of basis—alternatively, our choice of initial state—makes it obvious which degrees of freedom to ignore in order to find a simplified description. The goal, after all, is to derive an effective description of the axion dynamics that allows us to ignore the gauge field’s time evolution entirely. To understand when this description breaks down, we can then compare the dynamics of the effective Schrödinger equation before and after truncation. The axion’s dynamics will depend sensitively on our choice of basis, and our goal is to choose the correct basis that describes the low-energy dynamics of the full theory. In this section, we decompose the wavefunction in terms of the naive choice—the gauge field’s eigenfunctions—and show that the effective description breaks down rather quickly. Still, it will be a useful exercise and in §\[sec:gappedDynamics\] we show how to improve upon this choice to derive a more accurate effective description. We begin by writing the full wavefunction as a sum over products of axionic wavefunctions $\Phi_{n}$ and gauge field eigenfunctions $\psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}$ (\[eq:bloch\]), $$\Psi(\varphi, A, t) = \sum_{n = 0}^{\infty} \Phi_{n}(\varphi, t) e^{2 \pi i \varphi A} \psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}(A)\,. \label{eq:ansatz}$$ The $\psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}$ provide a complete basis set for (quasi)-periodic functions in $A$, so this decomposition is unique, $$\Phi_{n}(\varphi, t) = \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \pi i \varphi A} \bar{\psi}_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}(A) \Psi(\varphi, A, t)\,, \label{eq:orthonormality}$$ and axionic expectation values (\[eq:expValPhi\]) can be computed using a modified Born rule, $$\langle e^{2 \pi i m \varphi} \rangle_{\Psi} = \sum_{n = 0}^{\infty} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}\varphi\, e^{2 \pi i m \varphi} |\Phi_{n}(\varphi, t)|^2 \, . \label{eq:modBornRule}$$ The boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]) imply that each of the axionic wavefunctions are strictly periodic, $\Phi_{n}(\varphi-1, t) = \Phi_{n}(\varphi, t)$, and so it is very tempting to identify $\Phi_{0}(\varphi, t)$ as the wavefunction of the axion when the gauge field has been constrained to its vacuum. We will see in §\[sec:gappedDynamics\] that this interpretation is correct. Inserting this expansion into the full Schrödinger equation and using (\[eq:orthonormality\]), we may derive a set of coupled, effective Schrödinger equations for the $\Phi_n$, $$\left(-i \hbar \, \partial_t + \frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} + E_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi)\right) \Phi_{n} + \sum_{n' = 0}^{\infty} \left[ F_{n, n'}(\varphi) p_{\varphi} \Phi_{n'} + V_{n, n'}(\varphi) \Phi_{n'}\right] = 0\,,$$ where the terms $$\begin{aligned} F_{n, n'} &\equiv \frac{1}{f^2} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \left(e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \pi i \varphi A} \bar{\psi}_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}\right) p_{\varphi}\left(e^{2 \pi i \varphi A} \psi_{n', {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}\right) = \langle n, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi| e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \pi i \varphi A} p_\varphi e^{2 \pi i \varphi A} | n', {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi \rangle\label{eq:fnn} \end{aligned}$$ and $$\begin{aligned} V_{n, n'} &\equiv \frac{1}{2 f^2} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \left(e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \pi i \varphi A} \bar{\psi}_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}\right) p^2_{\varphi}\left(e^{2 \pi i \varphi A} \psi_{n', {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}\right) = \langle n, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi | e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \pi i \varphi A} p_\varphi^2 e^{2 \pi i \varphi A} | n', {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi\rangle \label{eq:vnn} \end{aligned}$$ arise from a simple application of the chain rule, i.e. $p_\varphi = {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}i \hbar \partial_\varphi$. Here, we have written $\langle A | n, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi\rangle \equiv \psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}(A)$. It will be useful to rewrite this as $$\begin{aligned} i \hbar\, \partial_t \Phi_{n} &= \left(\frac{1}{2 f^2} \left(p_\varphi + f^2 F_{n,n}\right)^2 + E_{n} + V_{n, n} - \frac{1}{2} \left(p_\varphi F_{n, n}\right) - \frac{1}{2} f^2 F_{n, n}^2\right) \Phi_{n} \nonumber \\ &+ \sum_{n' \neq n} \left[F_{n, n'}(p_\varphi + f^2 F_{n',n'}) + V_{n,n'} - f^2 F_{n, n'} F_{n', n'}\right]\Phi_{n'}\,, \end{aligned}$$ where both the combination $$V_{n, n} - \frac{1}{2}\left(p_\varphi F_{n, n}\right) = \frac{1}{2 f^2} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \big|p_\varphi\left(e^{2 \pi i \varphi A} \psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}\right)\!\big|^2$$ and the $F_{n, n}$ are manifestly real. Now, there is an ambiguity in (\[eq:ansatz\]) that we must address. The Bloch wave functions are determined by the Schrödinger equation (\[eq:bloch\]) up to an overall, possibly $\varphi$-dependent, phase. Changing this phase is degenerate with the gauge transformations $\Phi_{n} \to e^{i \chi_n(\varphi)} \Phi_{n}$ and does not affect physical observables. We may thus always choose a $\chi_{n}(\varphi)$ to completely remove the potentials $F_{n, n}$ so that, concentrating on the $n=0$ sector, we are left with the effective Schrödinger equation $$\begin{aligned} i \hbar\, \partial_t \Phi_{{ 0}} &= \left(\frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} + V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) + V_{{0,} {0}}(\varphi)\right) \Phi_{0} + \sum_{n' \neq { 0}} \left[F_{{0}, n'}(\varphi) \, p_\varphi + V_{0,n'}(\varphi) \right]\Phi_{n'}\,. \label{eq:effEq} \end{aligned}$$ We expect that this $n=0$ sector describes the dynamics of the system when the gauge field is close to its vacuum state and we will confirm this intuition in §\[sec:gappedDynamics\]. We find that the axionic wavefunction $\Phi_0$ “sees” the effective potential $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) = E_{0}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi)$ and two additional effects: a correction to the effective potential and friction-like couplings to the other axionic wavefunctions $\Phi_n$. The correction to the effective potential is a bit surprising and is due, in some sense, to the quantum mechanical fluctuations of the axion, as it cannot be seen if we treat the axion as a fixed classical parameter. However, it does not depend on how delocalized the axion is. Typically, this sort of correction would disappear in the semi-classical limit. However, because it is competing with a potential of quantum mechanical origin, it can be sizable and important. The friction terms $F_{n, n'}$ and $V_{n, n'}$ are expected—the axion is coupled to the gauge field, so it should be able to dump energy into higher gauge field excitations. The $V_{n,n'}$ represent a failure of our effective description, as they encode the velocity-independent leakage of probability into the excited states of the gauge field. We will see later that these terms can be suppressed by a more refined choice of basis. The $F_{n, n'}$ cannot be suppressed by a choice of basis, and represent a speeding axion’s ability to drive the gauge field into an excited state. If we can drop these friction-like couplings, we arrive at an effective description in which the axion evolves in the potential $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) + V_{0, 0}(\varphi)$, and axionic expectation values are computed with $\Phi_0$ using the usual Born rule. Now, we compute these potentials in both the gapless and gapped models. Gapless Model {#sec:gaplessPotentials} ------------- The Bloch waves for the gapless model are the simple plane waves, $$\psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}(A) = \exp\big(2 \pi i (n - \varphi + \lfloor \varphi \rceil) A\big)\,, \label{eq:gaplessBloch2}$$ and we may evaluate the potentials $F_{n, n'}$ and $V_{n, n'}$ explicitly, $$\begin{aligned} F_{n, n'} &= \begin{dcases} \frac{i \hbar}{f^2} \frac{(-1)^{n+n'}}{n - n'} \partial_\varphi \lfloor \varphi \rceil & n \neq n' \\ 0 & n = n' \end{dcases} \label{eq:gaplessFnn}\\ V_{n, n'} &= \begin{dcases} \frac{(-1)^{n-n'}\hbar^2}{f^2} \left(\frac{\partial_\varphi^2 \lfloor \varphi \rceil }{2(n - n')} + \left(\frac{ \partial_\varphi \lfloor \varphi \rceil}{n-n'}\right)^2\right) & n \neq n' \\ -\frac{1}{12}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2 \left(\partial_\varphi \lfloor \varphi \rceil\right)^2 & n = n' \end{dcases} \label{eq:gaplessVnn} \end{aligned}$$ where $$\partial_\varphi \lfloor \varphi \rceil = \sum_{k \in \mathbbm{Z}} \delta\!\left(\varphi - k + \tfrac{1}{2}\right).$$ These corrections vanish everywhere except at the edges of the axion’s fundamental domain, $\varphi = k + 1/2$ for integer $k$. As long as the axion does not cross these points, the effective Schrödinger equation predicts that it will undergo simple harmonic motion. However, what happens if the axion has enough energy to reach, say, $\varphi = 1/2$? Apparently something drastic, though the dynamics is tricky to analyze in this picture. In §\[sec:Gaussian\], we will find a more elegant way of studying this system, and show that this singular behavior is simply encoding the fact that the axion sees a full harmonic potential and not the “cuspy” effective potential (\[eq:effPotentialMonodromy\]). It thus allows for simple harmonic motion of arbitrary amplitude. Gapped Model {#sec:gappedPotentials} ------------ ![$V_{n, n'}$ (bottom left panels) and $F_{n, n'}$ (top right panels) for $q = 1/2$, $1$, $2$ and $4$. Solid lines represent real-valued potentials and dashed are purely imaginary. The $V_{n, n'}$ and $F_{n, n'}$ are plotted in units of $\hbar^2/(2 f^2)$ and $\hbar/f^2$, respectively.\[fig:newPotentials\]](./newPotentialsGridStandalone.pdf) We now turn our attention to the gapped model. The Bloch waves are the Floquet solutions of the Mathieu equation (c.f. §\[sec:gappedPotential\]), $$\psi_{n, {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\varphi}(A) \propto {{\mathrm{me}}}_{2 n - 2\varphi}(\pi A, -q)$$ and, as discussed above, there is a choice of $\varphi$-dependent phase that forces $F_{n, n}$ to vanish. We detail these phase conventions in (\[eq:mathieuBloch\]) of Appendix \[app:mathieu\]. While we are not able to find closed form expressions for the potentials $F_{n,n'}$ and $V_{n, n'}$, they are easily evaluated numerically. We plot a selection in Figure \[fig:newPotentials\] for various $q$. As we argue in §\[sec:gappedDynamics\], these potentials are all either purely real or purely imaginary and are related to one another by $F_{n, n'} = (-1)^{n+n'} F_{n', n}$ and $V_{n, n'} = (-1)^{n+n'}(V_{n', n} - p_\varphi F_{n', n})$. We thus only display $F_{n, n'>n}$ and $V_{n, n' \leq n}$ to avoid unnecessary repetition. We see that neither $F_{n, n'}$ nor $V_{n, n'}$ are particularly small, and can become very large whenever the energy gap $|E_{n}(\varphi) - E_{n'}(\varphi)|$ becomes small. This makes intuitive sense—the gap fully closes when $q = 0$, and these potentials become singular in this limit.[^17] In §\[sec:gappedDynamics\], we will find alternative expressions for $F_{n, n'}$ and $V_{n, n'}$. We can use these to approximate the potentials in the $q \gg 1$ limit. We find[^18] $$\begin{aligned} F_{n, n'} &\sim \frac{\hbar}{q^{1/4} f^2} \left(\sqrt{n'+1} \,\delta_{n, n'+1} + \sqrt{n'} \,\delta_{n, n'-1} + \mathcal{O}\big(q^{-1/2}\big)\right) + \mathcal{O}\big(e^{-a \sqrt{q}} \cos 2 \pi \varphi\big) \label{eq:fnnApprox}\\ V_{n, n'} &\sim \frac{\hbar^2}{2 q^{1/2} f^2}\left(\sqrt{n'(n'-1)} \,\delta_{n, n' -2} + (2 n'+1)\, \delta_{n, n'} + \sqrt{(n'+1)(n'+2)} \,\delta_{n, n'+2} + \mathcal{O}\big(q^{-1/2}\big)\right) \nonumber \\ &\qquad\qquad\qquad +\mathcal{O}\big(e^{-a' \sqrt{q}} \cos 2 \pi \varphi\big) \label{eq:vnnApprox} \end{aligned}$$ where $a$ and $a'$ are positive constants that are not necessarily equal. For $q \gg 1$, these potentials have exponentially suppressed axion dependence. Furthermore, in this limit, $F_{n, n'}$ and $V_{n, n'}$ only connect nearest and next-to-nearest neighboring energy bands, respectively. Failure of the Truncated Description {#sec:fail} ------------------------------------ We have derived an effective Schrödinger equation that describes the dynamics of the axion when the gauge field is “close” to its vacuum state. There are, of course, friction-like couplings that allow the axion to transfer energy into the gauge field and raise it to an excited state. These will affect the evolution of the axion. But, if we truncate this system of equations and ignore these couplings, the axion simply evolves in the corrected potential $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) + V_{0,0}(\varphi)$. Under what conditions is it reasonable to simply drop these friction-like terms? For compactness, let us write (\[eq:effEq\]) as $$\left(i \hbar \,\partial_t - \mathcal{H}_n\right)\Phi_n = \sum_{n' \neq n} \left(F_{n, n'} p_\varphi + V_{n, n'}\right) \Phi_{n'}\,,$$ with $\mathcal{H}_{n} = p_\varphi^2/(2 f^2) + E_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) + V_{n, n}(\varphi)$. If we assume that only $\Phi_0$ is non-vanishing initially, the $\Phi_{n \neq 0}$ are sourced entirely by $\Phi_0$ and we may safely approximate them using $$\left|\Phi_{n}(t)\right\rangle = \frac{1}{i \hbar} \int_{0}^{t}\!{\mathrm{d}}t'\, e^{-i \mathcal{H}_n(t - t')/\hbar} |\Psi_0(t')\rangle\,,$$ where we have defined $|\Psi_0(t) \rangle \equiv \left(F_{n, 0} p_\varphi + V_{n, 0}\right) |\Phi_0(t)\rangle.$ If the total probability in the first “excited” state $$\langle \Phi_{1}(t)|\Phi_{1}(t) \rangle = \frac{1}{\hbar^2} \int_{0}^{t}\!{\mathrm{d}}t_1 \, {\mathrm{d}}t_2 \, \langle \Psi_{0}(t_2) | e^{-i \mathcal{H}_{1}(t_2 - t_1)/\hbar} |\Psi_{0}(t_1)\rangle \label{eq:phi1approx}$$ becomes sizable, then we should worry that the truncation no longer captures the dynamics of the full system.[^19] This will, of course, depend on the detailed dynamics of $\Phi_0$. However, from time-dependent perturbation theory, we expect schematically that[^20] $$\langle \Phi_{1}(t)|\Phi_{1}(t) \rangle \sim \frac{\left|\langle \Phi_0 | F_{1, 0} p_\varphi + V_{1, 0} |\Phi_0\rangle\right|^2}{\Delta E_{1, 0}^2}\,.$$ Here, $\Delta E_{1, 0}$ is the characteristic energy difference between $\mathcal{H}_1$ and $\mathcal{H}_0$, that is $$\Delta E_{1, 0} \sim E_{1}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) + V_{1,1}(\varphi) - E_{0}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) - V_{0, 0}(\varphi)\,,$$ and (\[eq:phi1approx\]) varies on a *breakdown time scale* set by this energy difference, $$t_{{{\mathrm{break}}}} \sim \frac{\hbar}{\Delta E_{1,0}}\,. \label{eq:breakdown}$$ In the large $q$ limit, the energy difference $\Delta E_{1, 0}$ and the potentials $F_{1, 0}$ and $V_{1, 0}$ are roughly constant in $\varphi$, and we will approximate them as such. In general, though, they depend on the position of the axion (c.f. Figure \[fig:newPotentials\]). If we were attempting a more accurate account of this effective description’s failures, or if we were working at small $q$, we would need to keep track of this $\varphi$-dependence. We are, instead, only interested in order-of-magnitude $q \gg 1$ estimates. In the gapped model, $F_{1, 0}$ dominates over $V_{1, 0}$ and the gap is roughly $\Delta E_{1, 0} \sim 4 \sqrt{q}$. If we then compare the friction-like coupling $$F_{0, 1} \Phi_1 \sim \frac{F_{1, 0}^2}{\Delta E_{1, 0}} p_\varphi^2 \Phi_0 \sim \frac{1}{q \,g^2 f^4} p_\varphi^2 \Phi_0$$ to the effective potential $$V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi) \Phi_0 \sim \hbar^2 g^2 q^{3/4} e^{-4 \sqrt{q}}\,,$$ we find a “speed limit” for the axion motion $$|\dot{\varphi}|_{{\mathrm{max}}} \sim \hbar f^2 \left(f g\right)^2 q^{7/8} e^{-2 \sqrt{q}}\, \label{eq:speedLimit}$$ by demanding that these friction terms do not dominate over the effective potential. If the motion is dominated by the effective potential, the axion’s speed is roughly $|\dot{\varphi}|_{{\mathrm{eff}}} \sim \hbar f^2\, (f g)\, q^{3/8} e^{-2 \sqrt{q}}$. So, we find that motion in the effective potential obeys this “speed limit” as long as $$\frac{|\dot{\varphi}|_{{\mathrm{eff}}}\,\,}{|\dot{\varphi}|_{{{\mathrm{max}}}}} \sim \frac{1}{\sqrt{q}}\frac{1}{f g} \ll 1\,.$$ We should mention that these are only approximate estimates, valid in the $q \gg 1 $ limit, and that a more thorough analysis of the truncated description’s breakdown will depend explicitly on the axion’s trajectory. We leave a detailed study of this for future work. However, we expect this estimate to hold for a variety of $V(A)$ and not just $V(A) = \Lambda(1 - \cos 2 \pi A)$, as all periodic potentials look roughly like a series of harmonic wells when considered in the tight-binding limit. Of course, these estimates fail for the gapless model, when $q = 0$, but here there is an obvious speed limit—the truncated description breaks down if the axion has enough energy to surmount the cusps (c.f. Figure \[fig:monodromyPotential\]) at the edges of its fundamental domain. So far, we have ignored the potential mixings $V_{n, n'}$. These are more important than the friction terms $F_{n, n'}$ as they predict that the truncated description breaks down on a time scale roughly set by (\[eq:breakdown\]), which is only polynomially suppressed by $q$, regardless of how quickly the axion moves. That is, the non-exponentially suppressed terms in (\[eq:ansatz\]) correct the truncated description by a large amount almost immediately when compared to the non-perturbatively slow evolution in the effective potential. These terms appear because the ansatz (\[eq:ansatz\]) is not quite right and does not account for how the dynamical axion “backreacts” on the gauge field. We might expect that they can be removed by an appropriate choice of ansatz or initial state. In the following sections, we will introduce an alternative description that allows us to treat both the axion and gauge field as a single noncompact degree of freedom. This will make the true low-energy dynamics more obvious and point toward a better choice of initial state. The axion will evolve in a corrected effective potential, still different from the one derived by equilibrium methods, while the potential mixings $V_{n, n'}$ will be exponentially suppressed. Our conclusions for the breakdown of the effective potential due to friction terms $F_{n, n'}$ will remain unchanged, even after adjusting this ansatz. Unrolling the Compact Space {#sec:Unroll} =========================== We now show how the physics of two compact degrees of freedom—the axion $\varphi$ and the gauge field $A$—can be described by a wavefunction for a single non-compact degree of freedom. It is natural to imagine that such a description exists, as (linear) physics on a compact space is typically treated by first considering the system on a non-compact space and then performing a sum over images to enforce periodicity. This is the essence of the sum over topological sectors described in §\[sec:gaplessPotential\]. Interestingly, the interplay between the boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]) and this sum-over-images provides enough of a constraint that we only need to consider a single non-compact degree of freedom instead of two. Moreover, these images can interact when the potential $V(A) \neq 0$. The presentation of this single degree of freedom comes in two guises, depending on which of the boundary conditions we trivialize first. In the *axion frame*, the wavefunction more closely tracks the axion dynamics, while in the *gauge field frame* the wavefunction more closely tracks the gauge field dynamics. Though each frame has a different Hamiltonian—and depending on the potential $V(A)$ one is usually more convenient than the other—both descriptions are fully equivalent. After introducing these different frames and their respective Hamiltonians, we discuss how this single wavefunction encodes the state of both $\varphi$ and $A$. Axion Frame ----------- The wavefunction $\Psi(\varphi, A, t)$ must satisfy the boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]). We may trivialize these one at a time. For instance, if we first trivialize $\Psi(\varphi, A-1, t) = \Psi(\varphi, A, t)$ by expanding in Fourier modes $$\label{eq:axionframedef} \Psi(\varphi, A, t) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \mathcal{P}_{\ell}(\varphi, t) e^{2 \pi i \ell A}\,,$$ the boundary condition $e^{2 \pi i A}\Psi(\varphi-1, A, t) = \Psi(\varphi, A, t)$ implies that $$\mathcal{P}_{\ell}(\varphi, t) = \mathcal{P}_{\ell-1}(\varphi -1, t) = \mathcal{P}_0(\varphi-\ell, t)\,, \label{eq:axionFrameWF}$$ so that only a single *noncompact* axionic wavefunction $\mathcal{P}(\varphi, t) \equiv \mathcal{P}_0(\varphi, t)$, $\varphi \in \mathbbm{R}$, is needed to describe the full state $\Psi(\varphi, A, t)$.[^21] The Schrödinger equation for $\Psi(\varphi, A, t)$ then translates into an infinite set of coupled Schrödinger equations for the $\mathcal{P}_\ell$, $$\left(i \hbar\, \partial_t - \frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} - \frac{1}{2}(2 \pi \hbar g)^2 \left(\varphi - \ell\right)^2\right) \mathcal{P}_{\ell} - \sum_{\ell' \in \mathbbm{Z}} V_{\ell'} \mathcal{P}_{\ell - \ell'} = 0\, \label{eq:axionFrameTemp}$$ where the $V_\ell$ are the Fourier coefficients of the gauge field potential, $$V(A) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} V_\ell \,e^{2 \pi i \ell A}\,.$$ Because (\[eq:axionFrameWF\]) relates every $\mathcal{P}_\ell$ to one another, we can rewrite (\[eq:axionFrameTemp\]) as a nonlocal Schrödinger equation that only depends on a single axionic wavefunction $\mathcal{P}$, $$\left(i \hbar \,\partial_t - \frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} - \frac{1}{2}\left(2 \pi \hbar g\right)^2 \varphi^2\right) \mathcal{P}(\varphi, t) - \sum_{\ell' \in \mathbbm{Z}} V_{\ell'} \mathcal{P}(\varphi + \ell') = 0\,. \label{eq:axionFrameSchro}$$ In this noncompact description, a non-trivial gauge field potential $V(A)\neq 0$ introduces non-local interactions between the axion and itself. These non-local interactions encode the fact that the axion lives on a compact field space, i.e. that the integer-spaced points $\varphi$ and $\varphi + \ell$ are equivalent and should be able to “talk” to one another directly. This non-locality in the noncompact description is thus a reflection of locality in the compact description. Expectation values of the gauge-invariant operators $\exp(2 \pi i k_{{\mathrm{A}}} A)$ and $\exp(2 \pi i k_\varphi \varphi)$, where both $k_{{\mathrm{A}}}$ and $k_\varphi$ are integer, can be extracted from $\mathcal{P}(\varphi, t)$ using a non-standard Born rule,[^22] $$\langle e^{2 \pi i k_A A + 2 \pi i k_\varphi \varphi}\rangle_\Psi = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}\varphi \, { \sbox{\myboxA}{$\m@th\mathcal{P}$} \setbox\myboxB\null \ht\myboxB=\ht\myboxA \dp\myboxB=\dp\myboxA \wd\myboxB=0.75\wd\myboxA \sbox\myboxB{$\m@th\overline{\copy\myboxB}$} \setlength\mylenA{\the\wd\myboxA} \addtolength\mylenA{-\the\wd\myboxB} \ifdim\wd\myboxB<\wd\myboxA \rlap{\hskip 0.5\mylenA\usebox\myboxB}{\usebox\myboxA} \else \hskip -0.5\mylenA\rlap{\usebox\myboxA}{\hskip 0.5\mylenA\usebox\myboxB} \fi}(\varphi, t)\, \mathcal{P}(\varphi - k_A, t)\, e^{2\pi i k_\varphi \varphi}\,.$$ Roughly, the small scale structure of $\mathcal{P}$ encodes the axion’s behavior while the gauge field’s behavior can be inferred from the wavefunction’s large scale structure. We will make this more precise in §\[sec:initialStates\], where we consider how localized Gaussian states in the compact description map into the axion frame. Gauge Field Frame ----------------- An alternative description of the same system begins with trivializing the other boundary condition, $e^{2\pi i A} \Psi(\varphi-1, A, t) = \Psi(\varphi, A, t)$, by expanding in different Fourier modes $$\Psi(\varphi, A, t) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \mathcal{A}_\ell(A, t) e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi + 2\pi i A \varphi}\,.$$ Again, the second boundary condition, $\Psi(\varphi, A-1, t) = \Psi(\varphi, A, t)$, forces every wavefunction $\mathcal{A}_\ell$ to be related to one another, $$\mathcal{A}_{\ell}(A, t) = \mathcal{A}_{\ell-1}(A+1, t) = \mathcal{A}_0(A+\ell, t)\,,$$ so that, again, the full state of the system $\Psi(\varphi, A, t)$ can be encoded in a single *noncompact* gauge field frame wavefunction $\mathcal{A}(A, t) \equiv \mathcal{A}_0(A, t)$, with $A \in \mathbbm{R}$. In this frame, the Schrödinger equation for $\Psi(\varphi,A,t)$ reduces to a single, uncoupled Schrödinger equation for the wavefunction $\mathcal{A}$, $$i \hbar\, \partial_t \mathcal{A}(A, t) = \left(\frac{g^2 p_A^2}{2} + V(A) + \smash{\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{ 2\pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2}\!A^2 \right) \mathcal{A}(A, t) \,, \label{eq:gfSE}$$ where the gauge field frame Hamiltonian can be split into the sum of a “crystal” Hamiltonian $$\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}} \equiv \frac{g^2 p_A^2}{2} + V(A) \label{eq:crystalHam}$$ and a harmonic “trap” Hamiltonian $$\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{t}}} \equiv \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2 A^2\,. \label{eq:trapHam}$$ The gauge field frame Hamiltonian—whose potential is schematically depicted in Figure \[fig:gaugeFrameHam\]—is local even when the gauge field potential $V(A)$ is nontrivial, so it is much easier to study the system quantitatively in this frame than in the axion frame. In §\[sec:gappedDynamics\], we will show how to recover the effective Schrödinger equation (\[eq:effEq\]) from this picture and how to improve upon it. ![The gauge frame potential is a sum of a periodic potential $V(A)$ and a harmonic potential $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{t}}}$ (light purple). For strong periodic potentials, the ground state is roughly a sum of Gaussian peaks, centered about the minima of each well, with an overall Gaussian envelope. \[fig:gaugeFrameHam\]](./gaugeFrameGround.pdf) As in the axion frame, gauge-invariant observables are determined by a modified Born rule, $$\left\langle e^{2 \pi i k_A A + 2 \pi i k_\varphi \varphi} \right\rangle_\Psi = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!\!{\mathrm{d}}A \, \bar{\mathcal{A}}(A, t) \,\mathcal{A}(A - k_\varphi, t) e^{2\pi i k_A A} \label{eq:gfEV}\,.$$ Now, the gauge field’s behavior is determined by the small scale structure of $\mathcal{A}(A, t)$, while its large scale structure determines the axion’s behavior—the opposite of the axion frame wavefunction $\mathcal{P}(\varphi, t)$. In order to make this statement more precise, we will now discuss how well-localized Gaussian states in the compact description map into the noncompact axion and gauge field frames. Gaussian States {#sec:initialStates} --------------- A natural set of localized states to consider for noncompact $\varphi$ and $A$ are the product Gaussian states, $$\begin{aligned} \Psi_{{\mathrm{nc}}}(\varphi, A) \propto \mathcal{G}[\sigma_\varphi, \varphi_0, p_{\varphi, 0}](\varphi) \, \mathcal{G}[\sigma_A, A_0, p_{A, 0}](A)\,, \label{eq:compactGaussian} \end{aligned}$$ where we have introduced the notation $$\mathcal{G}[\sigma, x_0, p_0](x) \equiv \frac{1}{(\pi \sigma^2)^{1/4}}\exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 \sigma^2}(x - x_0)^2 + \frac{i p_{0}}{\hbar}(x - x_0)\right)\,.$$ Clearly, $\Psi_{{\mathrm{nc}}}$ is a state with expected positions $(\varphi_0, A_0)$, expected momenta $(p_{\varphi, 0}, p_{A, 0})$ and whose spread is controlled by the variances $(\sigma_\varphi, \sigma_{{\mathrm{A}}})$. These Gaussian states are very nearly classical [@Hagedorn:1980et; @Hagedorn:1980fp] but do not satisfy the boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]), and thus do not exist in the compact Hilbert space. Of course, we may convert any state $|\Psi\rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}$ that does not satisfy (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]) into one that does, $|\Psi\rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}}$, by the method of images, $$|\Psi\rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}} = \mathcal{N} \sum_{\ell_\varphi, \ell_{{\mathrm{A}}} \in \mathbbm{Z}} e^{-i \ell_\varphi \pi_\varphi/\hbar - i \ell_{{\mathrm{A}}} \pi_A/\hbar}|\Psi\rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}\,,$$ where $\mathcal{N}$ is a normalization constant. That is, we form a superposition of all possible translations of $|\Psi\rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}}$ around the torus $(\varphi, A) \sim (\varphi+1, A) \sim (\varphi, A+1)$. It is then easy to check that “Gauss’s law” (\[eq:gaussLaw\]) is satisfied. Applying this sum-over-images to (\[eq:compactGaussian\]), we find the compact space analog of a (possibly well-localized) Gaussian state $$\begin{aligned} \Psi_{{\mathrm{c}}}(\varphi, A) &\propto \sum_{\ell_\varphi, \ell_{{\mathrm{A}}} \in \mathbbm{Z}} e^{2 \pi i \ell_\varphi A}\, \mathcal{G}[\sigma_\varphi, \varphi_0, p_{\varphi, 0}](\varphi-\ell_\varphi) \, \mathcal{G}[\sigma_A, A_0, p_{A, 0}](A-\ell_{{\mathrm{A}}})\,. \end{aligned}$$ Knowing the form of $\Psi_c$, we may use it to understand how the noncompact wavefunction in either the axion or gauge field frame encodes the state of the two compact degrees of freedom. In the gauge field frame, we have $$\begin{aligned} \mathcal{A}(A) = \mathcal{N}_{{\mathrm{A}}} \exp\left[{{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}2 \pi^2 \sigma_\varphi^2\left(A - \frac{p_{\varphi, 0}}{2 \pi \hbar}\right)^2 - 2 \pi i \varphi_0 A \right]\sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}}\mathcal{G}[\sigma_{{\mathrm{A}}}, A_0, p_{A, 0}](A - \ell)\,, \label{eq:gaugeFrameIS} \end{aligned}$$ and in the axion frame $$\begin{aligned} \mathcal{P}(\varphi) = \mathcal{N}_\varphi \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \exp\left[-2 \pi^2 \sigma_{{\mathrm{A}}}^2 \left(\ell + \frac{p_{{{\mathrm{A}}}, 0}}{2 \pi \hbar}\right)^2 + 2 \pi i A_0 \ell \right] \mathcal{G}[\sigma_\varphi, \varphi_0, p_{\varphi, 0}](\varphi-\ell)\,, \label{eq:axionFrameIS} \end{aligned}$$ where $\mathcal{N}_{{{\mathrm{A}}}}$ and $\mathcal{N}_\varphi$ are overall normalization constants. ![The magnitude and phase of a well-localized Gaussian state in the gauge field frame. As detailed in the main text, the wavefunction’s small (large) scale structure determines the gauge (axion) field’s state. []{data-label="fig:InState"}](./gaussianState.pdf) As illustrated in Figure \[fig:InState\], the compact space Gaussian wavefunction maps into a sum of evenly-spaced Gaussians in either frame and, though the specific structure of the wavefunction depends on the frame, they share the same qualitative features. In the gauge field frame, the variance $\sigma_{{\mathrm{A}}}$ sets the width of each Gaussian peak, while the position of the gauge field $A_0$ determines the displacement of each peak from integer values of $A$. Furthermore, the momentum $p_{{{\mathrm{A}}}, 0}$ sets how rapidly the phase of the wavefunction varies within these peaks. These peaks are modulated by a Gaussian envelope, whose position and amplitude are determined by the momentum $p_{\varphi,0}$ and spread $\sigma_\varphi$ of the axion, respectively. Finally, the average phase difference between adjacent peaks is set by the axion’s position $\varphi_0$. Thus, the structure of the noncompact wavefunction on small scales is set by the state of the gauge field, while its behavior on large scales is determined by the axion. This is similar, but reversed, in the axion frame. With this dictionary in place, we can now study the dynamics of our toy model in either frame. We will begin with the gapless model in the axion frame, where we demonstrate that the axion may execute simple harmonic motion of arbitrary amplitude, and so only sees a single quadratic branch (c.f. Figure \[fig:monodromyPotential\]) instead of the cuspy effective potential. We will then use the gauge field frame to provide a more comprehensive view of axion dynamics in the gapped model. Gapless Dynamics {#sec:Gaussian} ================ In §\[sec:gaplessPotentials\], we found that the gapless effective Schrödinger equation contains potentials (\[eq:gaplessFnn\]) and (\[eq:gaplessVnn\]) that are singular at half-integer values of $\varphi$. While the axion evolves in a simple harmonic potential within its fundamental domain, something apparently drastic happens as soon as it ventures beyond—the singular potentials excite a large number of the other wavefunctions $\Phi_{n\neq0}$. This makes it difficult to analyze large axionic excursions. If we instead work in one of the “unrolled” descriptions of the previous section, the physics becomes much more transparent. Since there is no gauge field potential $V(A) = 0$, the axion frame Schrödinger equation (\[eq:axionFrameSchro\]) is simply that of a noncompact harmonic oscillator, $$\left(i \hbar\, \partial_t - \frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} - \frac{1}{2} \left(2 \pi \hbar g\right)^2 \varphi^2 \right) \mathcal{P}(\varphi, t) = 0\,,$$ with frequency $\omega = 2 \pi \hbar g/f$. It is then clear that the energy eigenstates in the axion frame are given by standard harmonic oscillator wavefunctions, and thus the energy eigenstates in the compact description (\[eq:axionframedef\]) are $$\Psi_n(\varphi, A, t) \propto \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} H_{n} \big(\sqrt{2 \pi f g} (\varphi- \ell)\big) e^{-\pi f g (\varphi-\ell)^2+ 2\pi i \ell A}\,,$$ with energies $$E_n = \hbar \hspace{0.1em} \omega\!\left(\!n + \frac{1}{2}\right).$$ This is not too much of a surprise. Before imposing the boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]), the Hamiltonian (\[eq:Hamiltonian\]) is that of a particle in two-dimensional flat space propagating in a magnetic field, whose Hilbert space famously arranges itself into that of an infinitely degenerate set of simple harmonic oscillators, the Landau levels. Imposing compactness then restricts this to a single harmonic oscillator. [0.35]{} ![For small oscillations (\[fig:monodromyTrajectoryUnwrap\]), the axion sees the effective potential and executes simple harmonic motion. For large oscillations (\[fig:monodromyTrajectoryWrap\]), the axion still executes harmonic motion. However, there is a monodromy. It can wrap around its field space many times before slowing to a halt and reversing course. This motion cannot be described using an effective potential on the compact field space. \[fig:monodromyTrajectories\]](./monodromyTrajectories.pdf "fig:") [0.35]{} ![For small oscillations (\[fig:monodromyTrajectoryUnwrap\]), the axion sees the effective potential and executes simple harmonic motion. For large oscillations (\[fig:monodromyTrajectoryWrap\]), the axion still executes harmonic motion. However, there is a monodromy. It can wrap around its field space many times before slowing to a halt and reversing course. This motion cannot be described using an effective potential on the compact field space. \[fig:monodromyTrajectories\]](./monodromyTrajectoryWrap.pdf "fig:") We are ultimately interested in the dynamics of states in which the gauge field is kept “near” its ground state and, since there is no potential for the gauge field, we expect that the wavefunction of these states is completely delocalized along $A$. In the previous section, we found that a Gaussian state on the compact space maps into a sum-over-Gaussians (\[eq:axionFrameIS\]) in the axion frame. If we turn off the gauge field momentum, $p_{{{\mathrm{A}}}, 0} = 0$, and completely delocalize this state along $A$, $\sigma_{{{\mathrm{A}}}} \to \infty$, it reduces to a single Gaussian in the axion frame. Then, by taking $\sigma_{{{\mathrm{\varphi}}}}^{-2} = 2 \pi f g$, this becomes a simple harmonic oscillator coherent state, whose axionic expectation values time evolve very simply, $$\left\langle \exp\left(2 \pi i \ell \varphi\right) \right\rangle = e^{-2 \pi^2 \sigma_{{\mathrm{\varphi}}}^2 \ell^2 }\exp\left(2 \pi i \bar{\varphi}(t)\right),$$ where $$\bar{\varphi}(t) = \varphi_0 \cos \omega t + \frac{p_{\varphi, 0}}{\omega f^2} \sin \omega t\,.$$ The axion executes simple harmonic motion with amplitude $\varphi_0$. As long as this amplitude is smaller than the fundamental domain $|\varphi_0| \leq 1/2$, the axion evolves exactly according to the effective potential, as shown in Figure \[fig:monodromyTrajectoryUnwrap\]. However, what is *not* clear from §\[sec:gaplessPotentials\]’s effective description is that the axion may also execute simple harmonic motion for arbitrary amplitudes. This type of motion cannot be attributed to an effective potential on the compact field space, as the axion winds (c.f. Figure \[fig:monodromyTrajectoryWrap\]) around its field space many times before slowing down, stopping, and turning around—there is a monodromy. As illustrated in Figure \[fig:axionFundamentalDomain\], the axion sees a different potential upon each revolution. If the axion instead followed the effective potential, it would wind around its fundamental domain forever, without stopping. This is not entirely unexpected. We may interpret this gapless model as a low-dimensional realization of the Kaloper-Sorbo mechanism [@Dvali:2005an; @Kaloper:2008fb; @Kaloper:2011jz], i.e. a four-dimensional axion coupled to a $3$-form gauge field. Here too, the gauge field’s state spontaneously breaks the axion’s shift symmetry, inducing a quadratic potential. Classically, we may shift the minimum of this potential to any $\varphi$ we would like by giving the gauge field some momentum. As we might expect, this flexibility is lost at the quantum level. This can partly be seen from (\[eq:axionFrameIS\]), where the minimum is set by the integer “flux quantum” (the momentum of the gauge field) $p_{{{\mathrm{A}}}, 0}/2 \pi \hbar$ in the $\sigma_{{\mathrm{A}}} \to \infty$ limit. One might wonder if this flexibility could be recovered by preparing the gauge field in a more complicated initial state, one whose momentum expectation value need not be quantized. In Appendix \[app:coherent\], we will rule this out by constructing a general set of coherent states. We show that, if $\varphi$ and $A$ are noncompact, there exist states that may sit still anywhere along $\varphi$’s field space. However, we then show that imposing the boundary conditions (\[eq:boundaryConditions\]) force the axion to time evolve unless it sits at $\varphi = 0$. That the axion follows a single harmonic branch and not the effective potential, as in Figure \[fig:axionFundamentalDomain\], might seem like a trivial conclusion. However, we should keep in mind that this potential was generated—via a sum over topological sectors and a zero temperature $\beta \to \infty$ limit—in the same way as the gapped model (§\[sec:gappedPotential\]), whose effective potential we should supposedly trust for scenarios like natural inflation. The takeaway from this is that the dynamics of the axion need not follow the effective potential, which we derived by assuming the gauge field spends its entire life in a single state, and that the simplicity of the corrections in the gapless model should be attributed to the fact that it is Gaussian. Since we can continuously deform this model into the gapped model, we do not expect that these corrections simply vanish. Instead, we saw in §\[sec:gappedPotentials\] that their structure becomes even more non-trivial. We will now see how the axion’s dynamics are described in the gauge field frame. Gapped Dynamics {#sec:gappedDynamics} =============== While the axion frame provides a satisfying qualitative picture of how the “localized instantons” induced by the potential $V(A)$ affect the axion’s time evolution, the non-local interactions in (\[eq:axionFrameSchro\]) are difficult to analyze quantitatively. For non-vanishing $V(A)$, it is instead much easier to work with the gauge field frame, where our model Hamiltonian (\[eq:Hamiltonian\]) is mapped onto that of a single particle propagating in both an infinite periodic potential (\[eq:crystalHam\]) and a harmonic trap (\[eq:trapHam\]). Interestingly, this system can be realized experimentally as a Bose-Einstein condensate in a optical trap [@Cataliotti:2001jja; @Morsch:2001boa; @Rey:2004uba] and has been studied both analytically [@Pezze:2004ibo; @Hooley:2004sad; @Rey:2005uca; @Brand:2007eos] and numerically [@Ruska:2004qto; @Valiente:2008qdo] by the atomic physics community. We are, however, interested in the low-energy dynamics of—from an atomic physics perspective—a type of odd-ball expectation value $$\langle e^{2 \pi i \varphi} \rangle = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \bar{\mathcal{A}}(A, t) \, \mathcal{A}(A - 1, t)\,.$$ In this atomic language, we are interested in the Bloch oscillations[^23] induced by the harmonic trap, and the breakdown of our effective description is due to “Landau-Zener tunneling.” The main goals of this section are to provide both a physical motivation for the ansatz (\[eq:ansatz\]) and an alternative derivation of the effective Schrödinger equation (\[eq:effEq\]), which will ultimately lead to a prescription for improving the ansatz and suppressing the potential mixings $V_{n, n'}$ described at the end of §\[sec:fail\]. While our results will hold for arbitrary gauge field potential $V(A)$, we will illustrate our main points using the sinusoidal potential $V(A) = \Lambda(1 - \cos 2 \pi A)$ explored in the previous sections. It will be convenient to write the gauge field frame Hamiltonian as $$\mathcal{H} = \frac{\pi^2 g^2 \hbar^2}{2} \left[\frac{p_{{\mathrm{A}}}^2}{\pi^2 \hbar^2}+ 2 q \left(1 - \cos 2 \pi A + \frac{2A^2}{q \,(f g)^2}\right)\right], \label{eq:exampleHam}$$ so it is clear that the effects of the harmonic trap (and thus the effects of the axion’s dynamics) are suppressed by a factor of $q (f g)^2$. Qualitative Low Energy Dynamics ------------------------------- Before we jump into a quantitative analysis, it will be useful to first step back and understand the low-energy dynamics in (\[eq:exampleHam\]) qualitatively. From the crystal Hamiltonian’s point of view, the harmonic trap represents a singular perturbation—regardless of $q$’s size, the harmonic potential will dominate the periodic potential when [$|A| \sim \sqrt{q}\, f g$]{} and force the normalizable wavefunctions to exponentially decay as $|A| \to \infty$. The Bloch waves introduced in §\[sec:effPotInst\] thus do not exist in (\[eq:exampleHam\])’s Hilbert space, as these states have infinite energy. However, we expect that they remain approximate solutions in some sense, especially if we are only interested in the wavefunction’s behavior near $A = 0$. We also expect that, in the limit $q \gg 1$, the low-energy wavefunctions see a potential that is roughly a sequence of evenly-spaced harmonic wells with slowly increasing minimum energy (c.f. Figure \[fig:gaugeFrameHam\]). We thus expect that the ground state wavefunction is roughly a superposition of Gaussians centered about integer $A$ whose amplitudes exponentially decay (c.f. \[eq:gaugeFrameIS\]), $$\mathcal{A}_{{\mathrm{gs}}}(A) \sim e^{-2 \pi^2 \sigma_\varphi^2 A^2 }\sum_{k \in \mathbbm{Z}} e^{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\pi^2 \sqrt{q}(A- k)^2} \label{eq:approxGS}\,.$$ As seen in (\[eq:gaugeFrameIS\]), the axion position is encoded in the phase difference between these Gaussian peaks, while its momentum is encoded in the position of the overall Gaussian envelope. It is clear that the expected position of the axion in the ground state is at $\varphi = 0$, as we can always choose the ground state wavefunction to be purely real. We are interested in the perturbations around this ground state, which roughly divide into two classes. We should think of the perturbations that rip the gauge field from its vacuum as those that take each Gaussian in (\[eq:approxGS\]) into another harmonic oscillator eigenstate, while perturbations that rephase the different peaks can be considered as displacements of the axion away from $\varphi = 0$. As the axion evolves in time, both the phase difference between the peaks and the center of the envelope will oscillate. From this picture, it is clear that the harmonic trap plays two roles. The first is to force the Bloch wave solutions for the crystal Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}$ to no longer be stationary states of the combined axion-gauge field system. It is the harmonic trap that forces the axion—which in the pure gauge system could be interpreted as the crystal momentum, a conserved charge—to oscillate about ${\varphi= 0}$. The second is that the harmonic trap will perturb even the local structure of the wavefunction, and we would thus expect there are additional corrections to the energy, and thus the effective potential, that disappear in the $f \to \infty$ limit. The most dominant effect is that the harmonic trap changes the concavity and location of each potential minimum near integer values of $A$. Recognizing this fact will allow us to improve the effective description (\[eq:effEq\]). Wannier Function Expansion -------------------------- In the previous section, we argued that the low energy dynamics in the gauge field frame should map onto the rephasing of a set of almost-evenly spaced Gaussian peaks. Fortunately, the periodic Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}$ provides a complete set of functions that generalize the Gaussian states away from the $q \to \infty$ limit, known as the Wannier functions $w_{n, \ell}(A) \equiv w_{n}(A - \ell)$ and defined by $$w_{n}(A) = \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}\kappa \, \psi_{n, \kappa}(A)\,.$$ These functions are orthonormal to one another $$\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell} \,w_{n', \ell'}= \delta_{n, n'} \delta_{\ell, \ell'}\,,$$ and with an appropriate choice of Bloch wave normalization, can be made real and exponentially localized. It is clear from this definition that the Wannier function $w_{0}(A)$ is associated with the crystal Hamiltonian’s lowest energy band. Furthermore, it reduces to a simple Gaussian in the $q \to \infty$ limit. We collect further properties of these Wannier functions in Appendix \[app:wannier\]. We may expand the gauge frame wavefunction[^24] $$\mathcal{A}(A, t) = \sum_{n, \ell} d_{n, \ell}(t)\, w_{n, \ell}(A) \label{eq:wannExpansion}$$ and using the matrix element (\[eq:energyFourier\]), we may rewrite the Schrödinger equation (\[eq:gfSE\]) as $$i \hbar \,\dot{d}_{n, \ell} - \sum_{\ell'} E^{(\ell' {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\ell)}_{n} d_{n, \ell'} - \sum_{n', \ell'} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell} \, \mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{t}}}\, w_{n', \ell'} \right] d_{n', \ell'} = 0\,, \label{eq:wannSE}$$ where we have introduced the Fourier coefficients of the $n$’th energy band, $$E_{n}(\varphi) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} E^{(\ell)}_{n} e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}\,.$$ We expect that the $n=0$ sector of (\[eq:wannSE\]) describes the dynamics of the system when the gauge field is near its ground state. Now, how do we recover the effective description (\[eq:effEq\])? Up to a normalization, the axion expectation value (\[eq:gfEV\]) can be expressed as $$\langle e^{2 \pi i k \varphi} \rangle \propto \sum_{n, \ell} \bar{d}_{n, \ell} d_{n, \ell - k}\,.$$ We may repackage the Wannier coefficients $d_{n, \ell}$ into periodic generating functions of a “dummy variable” that, with the benefit of foresight we call $\Phi_n$ and $\varphi$, respectively, $$\Phi_n(\varphi, t) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} d_{n, \ell} \,e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}\,.$$ At this point, the functions $\Phi_{n}(\varphi, t)$ serve as a convenient way to package the time-dependent coefficients $d_{n, \ell}(t)$. However, since $$\sum_{n} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}1/2}^{1/2}\!{\mathrm{d}}\varphi\, e^{2 \pi i m \varphi}\, |\Phi_{n}(\varphi, t)|^2 = \sum_{n, \ell} \bar{d}_{n, \ell} d_{n, \ell-k} \propto \langle e^{2 \pi i k \varphi} \rangle\,,$$ is the modified Born rule (\[eq:modBornRule\]), we may identify the $\Phi_{n}$ with the axionic wavefunctions in (\[eq:ansatz\]) and use them to reexpress the infinite set of coupled equations (\[eq:wannSE\]) in a simpler form. By multiplying (\[eq:wannSE\]) by $e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}$ and summing over $\ell$, we recover the effective Schrödinger equation $$i \hbar \,\partial_t \Phi_{n} = \left(\frac{p_\varphi^2}{2 f^2} + E_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) + V_{n, n}(\varphi)\right) \!\Phi_n + \sum_{n' \neq n} \left(F_{n, n'}(\varphi) p_\varphi + V_{n, n'}(\varphi)\right)\Phi_{n'}\, ,\label{eq:effEq2}$$ but with new expressions for the potentials $$\begin{aligned} E_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) &= \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell} \,\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}\, w_{n, 0}\right] e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}\,, \\ F_{n, n'}(\varphi) &= \frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f^2} \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell}\, A\, w_{n', 0} \right] e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi} \,,\label{eq:fnnWannier}\\ V_{n, n'}(\varphi) &= \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2\sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell}\, A^2 \, w_{n', 0} \right] e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi} \label{eq:vnnWannier}\,. \end{aligned}$$ That we recover the effective Schrödinger equation (\[eq:effEq\]) is no surprise as this sum over $\ell$ effectively “rerolls” the unrolled description, yielding simple expressions for the individual Fourier harmonics of the potentials. In fact, they can also be derived directly using the Wannier expansion (\[eq:wannBlochRelation\]) in the expressions (\[eq:fnn\]) and (\[eq:vnn\]) for these potentials in terms of the Bloch waves, without a circuitous path through the gauge field frame.[^25] This rephrasing allows us to understand the structure of these potentials that would not be readily apparent from their expression in terms of the Bloch waves, nor from the dilute instanton gas approximation. For example, the reality of the Wannier functions implies that there are no non-trivial phases for higher instanton corrections to these potentials. That is, the phase of the higher Fourier harmonics is always $0$ or $\pi$.[^26] In general, the potentials $F_{n,n'\neq n}$ and $V_{n, n'\neq n}$ are complex. However, if we assume that the gauge field potential is “centrosymmetric,” $V({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}A) = V(A)$, the Wannier functions have definite parity $w_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}A) = (-1)^n w_{n}(A)$. In this case, $F_{n, n'}$ is purely real and $V_{n, n'}$ is purely imaginary when $n+n'$ odd, while the reverse is true if $n+n'$ is even. Furthermore, $F_{n, n'} = (-1)^{n+n'+1} F_{n', n}$ and $V_{n, n'} = (-1)^{n+n'}\left(V_{n',n} - p_\varphi F_{n',n}\right)$. This picture of the dynamics also makes it clear how to improve upon the effective description. In §\[sec:fail\], we found that the mixing $V_{2, 0}(\varphi)$ (c.f. \[eq:vnnApprox\]) caused the effective description to fail quite quickly when compared to the time scale of motion in the effective potential. This failure is not due to some dynamical friction, but rather due to a description of the dynamics in the “wrong basis." Can we alter our Wannier function expansion, and thus our choice of initial state, to suppress this term and find an effective description valid for much longer times? In the absence of the harmonic trap, a single Wannier function $w_{n}(A)$ is an approximate stationary state of the gauge field frame Hamiltonian—its time dependence will only come from its “leaking” into the other potential minima of $V(A)$. However, the harmonic trap changes the concavity of the minimum, which forces $w_{n}(A)$ to oscillate in time. If we use a set of Wannier functions to take this into account, we should be able to suppress these disastrous leaking terms $V_{n,n'}$. So, instead of expanding in the Wannier functions of the crystal Hamiltonian, we may rewrite the gauge field Hamiltonian as $$\mathcal{H} = \frac{g^2 p_{{\mathrm{A}}}^2}{2} + V(A) + \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2 (A - \lfloor A \rceil)^2 + \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2 \left[A^2 - (A - \lfloor A \rceil)^2\right]$$ and expand in the Wannier functions $\tilde{w}_{n}(A)$ of the modified crystal Hamiltonian $$\tilde{\mathcal{H}}_{{\mathrm{c}}} = \frac{g^2 p_{{\mathrm{A}}}^2}{2} + V(A) + \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2 (A - \lfloor A \rceil)^2 \,.$$ Repeating the steps that lead to (\[eq:effEq2\]) yields effective Schrödinger equations of the same form, yet with modified potentials, $$\begin{aligned} \tilde{F}_{n, n'}(\varphi) &= \frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f^2} \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \tilde{w}_{n, \ell}\, A\, \tilde{w}_{n', 0} \right] e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}, \, \label{eq:fnnWannier2}\\ \tilde{V}_{n, n'}(\varphi) &= \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2\sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \tilde{w}_{n, \ell}\, \left(A^2 - \left(A - \lfloor A\rceil\right)^2\right) \, \tilde{w}_{n', 0} \right] e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}\,, \label{eq:vnnWannier2} \end{aligned}$$ and a corrected effective potential $$\begin{aligned} \tilde{E}_{n}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\varphi) + \tilde{V}_{n, n}(\varphi) &= \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \left[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \tilde{w}_{n, \ell} \left(\frac{g^2 p_{{\mathrm{A}}}^2}{2} + V(A) + \smash{\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2 \pi \hbar}{f}\right)^2} \!A^2\right) \tilde{w}_{n, 0}\right] e^{2 \pi i \ell \varphi}\,. \label{eq:corrEffPot} \end{aligned}$$ Crucially, the integrand of (\[eq:vnnWannier2\]) vanishes for $|A|\leq 1/2$. This, combined with the exponential suppression of the Wannier functions (\[eq:wannDecay\]), is enough to imply that the mixings $V_{n, n'}$ are exponentially (rather than polynomially) suppressed as $q \to \infty$. Furthermore, such a change of Wannier functions cannot be used to suppress the constant part of the potential $F_{n, n'}$, and so we cannot use a change of basis to avoid the speed limit (\[eq:speedLimit\]) we derived in §\[sec:fail\]. ![The corrected effective potential (\[eq:corrEffPot\]) for $q = 0.5$ as a function of $4/(f g)^2$, in units of $(\pi \hbar g)^2/2$. The blue (bottom) curve is the uncorrected effective potential. \[fig:corrEffPot\]](./correctedPotential.pdf) We plot a representative example of the corrected effective potential (\[eq:corrEffPot\]) in Figure \[fig:corrEffPot\], for several values of $f$. As we take the decay constant $f \to \infty$ and freeze the axion in place, we recover the effective potential (the bottom blue curve) computed via standard equilibrium methods (\[eq:exactEnergyMathieu\]). The effective potential receives corrections for finite $f$, when the axion is allowed to evolve. Near the origin $\varphi = 0$, this correction mainly raises the overall vacuum energy though there is a slight change in concavity. This has a simple interpretation. For $q \gg 1$, the crystal potential can be treated as a series of equally spaced harmonic wells. The inclusion of the harmonic trap changes the concavity of each minimum, and thus the overall vacuum energy. As the axion approaches the edges of its fundamental domain $|\varphi| \sim 1/2$, there are additional corrections that can, depending on the dimensionless quantity $f g$, become significant. Recap ----- Clearly, the axion’s dynamics will depend on the initial state of both it and the gauge field. The challenge, then, is to find a choice of initial states which “minimally” excite the gauge field, so that its dynamics can be ignored and the axion can be treated as evolving in an effective potential. As we saw in §\[sec:effSchrodinger\], this set of initial states is not determined by the gauge field alone—ignoring the axion’s dynamics will cause large corrections to the effective description, even if the axion is sitting still. Fortunately, the gauge field frame usefully reorganizes the system’s degrees of freedom, making it clear how to improve on this description. We found that the axion evolves in the *corrected* effective potential (\[eq:corrEffPot\]), shown in Figure \[fig:corrEffPot\], and can excite the gauge field through the couplings described by $\tilde{V}_{n, n'}$ (\[eq:vnnWannier2\]) and $\tilde{F}_{n, n'}$ (\[eq:fnnWannier2\]), the latter of which implies the axion speed limit (\[eq:speedLimit\]). The relative sizes of these corrections depends on the dimensionless product $f g$ and disappear when the axion is treated as a fixed, classical parameter, as $f \to \infty$. Discussion {#sec:Discussion} ========== We have shown that the effective potential derived by equilibrium methods can fail to capture the actual semi-classical dynamics. Integrating out a degree of freedom assumes a final state and the system need not evolve into this state, so there must be corrections to the typical effective description that encode this. This paper focused specifically on non-perturbatively generated effective potentials, as they are ubiquitous in string and inflationary model building. These potentials are often used out of equilibrium, and our goal was to determine both when the equilibrium effective potential fails to capture the true dynamics of the system and how to repair the description to incorporate those ignored time-dependent effects. Said differently, our goal was to understand how to consistently integrate out non-perturbative effects when a system is driven out of equilibrium. This paper serves as a warmup to attacking this problem in quantum field theory. We focused specifically on a class of quantum mechanical toy models that, we argued, capture the relevant features of their higher-dimensional counterparts. These models feature a “gauge field” whose topologically non-trivial configurations generate an effective potential for a classically shift-symmetric “axion.” We were interested in understanding the true semi-classical dynamics of the axion when the gauge field was—in some sense—near its vacuum state and derived a set of effective Schrödinger equations that made this precise. We showed that the axion evolves according to the effective potential but with two corrections. The first correction—a set of friction-like terms—represents the fact that the axion should be able to transfer energy to the gauge field and excite it away from its vacuum state. These appear as couplings to other wavefunctions that describe the axion propagating in the background of excited gauge field states. The second correction is to the effective potential itself, and is induced by the dynamics of the axion. The usefulness of the effective potential is usually argued on the grounds of adiabaticity—as long as the dynamics are slow enough, the integrated-out degrees of freedom should adiabatically track their vacuum and the ground state energy is a good predictor of the dynamics. This, however, is not the case. The effective potential is derived under the assumption that the axion is fixed in place. It is only accurate when the dynamics is isoaxionic (like isobaric, or isothermal) rather than solely adiabatic. We must point out that the corrections to the axion’s dynamics are *not* due to quantum spreading, or to quantum fluctuations of the axion. Quantum spreading of the axion is encoded in the wavefunction, and the effective Schrödinger equation we derived is independent of our assumptions about the state of the axion. Furthermore, because we have encoded the dynamics in terms of an effective Schrödinger equation, rather than some quantum-corrected equations of motion, we have effectively yet to do the axion’s path integral. In order to argue that this is the correct description of the *low-energy* dynamics of the axion—and not some artifact from our choice of initial state—we introduced two alternative pictures of the dynamics, which we called the axion and gauge field frames. The benefit of these two frames is that they rearrange the dynamics of the two constrained degrees of freedom into a single unconstrained degree of freedom, lending a large amount of interpretative power. It was easy to see that our particular decomposition nearly captured the correct low-energy dynamics, and we showed how to repair it to yield an effective description valid for relatively long times. Furthermore, we could quantitatively estimate when this effective description breaks down. We have only scratched the surface of a fascinating subject, and there is much left to be done. There are many avenues for further research that would be interesting to pursue: - In §\[sec:fail\], we worked in the $q \gg 1$ limit where we could effectively ignore the $\varphi$-dependence of the mixing potentials $F_{n, n'}$ and $V_{n, n'}$. It would be useful to have a more precise understanding of when the effective description fails, especially depending on where the axion sits in its field space, and if it can be made more robust. - A simple extension of the toy model is to multiply the topological coupling by an integer $k$, keeping the periodicities (\[eq:periods\]) fixed. This introduces a ground state degeneracy and divides the theory into discrete sectors—instead of mapping the theory of two constrained degrees of freedom onto a single one that is both noncompact and unconstrained, there will now be $k$ noncompact degrees of freedom. It would be interesting to understand the phenomenology of this model as a function of $k$. - We were able to realize a range of instanton behaviors by tuning the gauge field potential, smoothly interpolating between natural inflation, or instanton-like, potentials and monodromy-like potentials. There has been activity towards understanding the role of tunneling in time-dependent scenarios, particularly applied to axion monodromy [@Brown:2016nqt; @Brown:2017wpl; @Ibanez:2015fcv]. The hope is that the Weak Gravity Conjecture, when applied to the membranes that allow tunneling events, provide constraints on the maximal possible axionic excursion. However, the description of time-dependent quantum mechanical tunneling using the path integral is difficult, and requires the use of complicated Picard-Leschetz theory to understand exactly which saddles contribute [@Cherman:2014sba; @Andreassen:2016cff; @Halliwell:2018ejl; @Feldbrugge:2018gin]. The technology developed in this work, in particular the effective Schrödinger equation and the axion frame description, may be helpful in rephrasing some of these problems and shine light on whether tunneling events imposed by the Weak Gravity Conjecture actually do restrict the maximum possible field range to be sub-Planckian. - Throughout this work, we have leveraged a lot of the technology developed by condensed matter physicists to study periodic systems, i.e. crystals. Here, we only needed to consider one-dimensional crystals, but there can be qualitatively new phenomena that appear in higher-dimensional crystals. In our model, this would correspond to coupling the axion to more than one compact gauge field. It would be interesting to understand how this can qualitatively affect the Wannier functions of the system, and thus the instanton expansion of $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi)$. It would also be interesting to understand if there are systems where $V_{{\mathrm{eff}}}(\varphi)$ vanishes, but its correction $V_{0,0}(\varphi)$ does not. - Does Hubble friction qualitatively change the story detailed here? It would be straightforward to couple our system to gravity in minisuperspace by introducing the scale factor as a new degree of freedom. The analysis of the resulting quantum system might teach us how the inflationary trajectories are modified by these effects. - Coherently oscillating axions may be the cold dark matter in our universe, and it would be interesting to understand if our conclusions imply new dynamical effects in these models. - The standard framework to analyze dynamics as a function of initial state in quantum field theory is through the Schwinger-Keldysh, or in-in, formalism. It would be very interesting to understand how to incorporate non-perturbative effects in this language. While these are all interesting questions, it is most important to understand if the conclusions derived here extend to realistic quantum field theories. Since we are mainly interested in the behavior of zero modes, we do not expect our conclusions to qualitatively change by including the field’s local fluctuations. If we make an analogy to quantum tunneling, it is not that the transition from quantum mechanics to quantum field theory completely disallows tunneling events. Rather, there are new considerations, like the size of vacuum bubbles, that become important. What effects are we missing by working with these low-dimensional toy models? The reliance on non-perturbatively generated effective potentials in string and inflationary model building, particularly as a bridge between low-energy physics and quantum gravitational constraints, makes this a rather pressing question. Acknowledgements {#acknowledgements .unnumbered} ---------------- We would like to thank Enrico Pajer for collaboration at the early stages of this project. We also thank Nima Arkani-Hamed, Jonathan Braden, Horng Sheng Chia, Markus Dierigl, Sergei Dubovsky, Raphael Flauger, Vladimir Gritsev, Jim Halverson, Lam Hui, Cody Long, David Marsh, Liam McAllister, Miguel Montero, Alexander Polyakov, Marieke Postma, Tomislav Prokopec, Harvey Reall, Gary Shiu, Irene Valenzuela and Sebastian Zell for many helpful discussions and comments. We also thank Markus Dierigl, Miguel Montero and Enrico Pajer for helpful comments on a draft of this paper. JS thanks the Institute Henri Poincaré and Utrecht University for hospitality while parts of this work were completed. JS presented preliminary versions of this work at Cornell University, the Simons Foundation’s Origins of the Universe Workshop at the IAS, Stockholm University and Utrecht University, and would like to thank the audiences for many interesting discussions and useful comments. GP is supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie-Skłodowska Curie grant agreement number 751778. JS is supported by a Vidi grant of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) that is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The work of GP and JS is part of the Delta-ITP consortium. Wannier Functions {#app:wannier} ================= The Bloch waves are defined as the quasi-periodic eigenstates of a periodic Hamiltonian $$\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}} \psi_{n, \kappa} = E_{n, \kappa} \psi_{n, \kappa}, \qquad\text{with}\qquad \psi_{n, \kappa}(A + 1) = e^{2 \pi i \kappa} \psi_{n, \kappa}(A)\,. \label{eq:blochWaveDef}$$ This quasi-periodicity implies that we can the decompose the Bloch waves either in delocalized Fourier modes or, by a Poisson resummation, as a sum over localized *Wannier functions*, $$\psi_{n, \kappa}(A) = \sum_{\ell \in \mathbbm{Z}} \psi_{n, \kappa}^{{\scriptscriptstyle (\ell)}} e^{2 \pi i(\ell + \kappa) A} = \sum_{\ell' \in \mathbbm{Z}} e^{2 \pi i \kappa \ell'} w_{n}(A - \ell')\,, \label{eq:wannBlochRelation}$$ where $$w_{n}(A) = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}\ell\, \psi_{n, \kappa}^{{\scriptscriptstyle (\ell)}} e^{2 \pi i(\ell + \kappa) A} = \int_{-\frac{1}{2}}^{\frac{1}{2}}\!{\mathrm{d}}\kappa\, \psi_{n, \kappa}(A)\,. \label{eq:wannDef}$$ We will use the notation $w_{n, \ell}(A) \equiv w_{n}(A - \ell)$ to reduce the complexity of the formulae that follow. This definition does not uniquely fix the Wannier functions $w_{n, \ell}$, as the definition (\[eq:blochWaveDef\]) leaves the overall phase of the Bloch waves $\psi_{n, \kappa}$ ambiguous. However, there always exists [@Kohn:1959ana; @He:2001exp] a unique choice $\theta(\kappa)$ of rephasing $\psi_{n, \kappa} \to e^{i \theta(\kappa)} \psi_{n, \kappa}$ that yields a Wannier function that is real, smooth, and falls off exponentially[^27] as $$w_{n}(A) \sim |A|^{-3/4} e^{-h_{n} |A|} \qquad \text{as} \qquad |A| \to \infty\,, \label{eq:wannDecay}$$ This choice of phase is equivalent [@Lensky:2014sch] to finding $w_{n, \ell}$ such that $$\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell}\, A \, w_{n, \ell'} = 0\,.$$ This is the same choice of phase that removes $F_{n, n}$ from the effective Schrödinger equation in §\[sec:effSchrodinger\]. In the case that the periodic potential is “centrosymmetric,” $V(A) = V(-A)$, these Wannier functions are also (anti)symmetric. Furthermore, with the proper choice of Bloch wave normalization, $$\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, \bar{\psi}_{n, \kappa} \, \psi_{n', \kappa'} = \delta_{n, n'} \delta(\kappa - \kappa')\,,$$ the Wannier functions at different sites are orthonormal, $$\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell}\, w_{n', \ell'} = \delta_{n, n'} \delta_{\ell, \ell'}\,.$$ The Fourier coefficients $E_{n}^{{(\ell)}}$ of the energy $E_{n, \kappa}$ can be represented by Wannier matrix elements of the periodic Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}$, $$\begin{aligned} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}A\, w_{n, \ell} \,\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}\, w_{n', \ell'} &= \delta_{n, n'} \int_{{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\frac{1}{2}}^{\frac{1}{2}} \!{\mathrm{d}}\kappa \, E_{n, \kappa} e^{2 \pi i (\ell - \ell') \kappa} = \delta_{n, n'} E_{n}^{{(\ell'{\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}\ell)}}\,. \label{eq:energyFourier} \end{aligned}$$ The exponential decay is determined [@Kohn:1959ana; @He:2001exp] by the analytic structure of the energy $E_{n, \kappa}$, namely $$\kappa_n = \begin{cases} \frac{1}{2} \pm i h_{n}, & n \,\, \text{even}\\ \pm i h_{n}, & n \,\, \text{odd}\,, \end{cases}$$ where $E_{n, \kappa_n} = E_{n+1, \kappa_n}$. That is, the exponential decay is set by the location of the branch cut connecting the Riemann sheets of the $n$’th and $(n+1)$’th energy bands. The Mathieu Crystal {#app:mathieu} =================== As the literature on the Mathieu equation is full of conflicting notation, we lay out our conventions here. Except where noted, we follow the conventions of the DLMF [@NIST:DLMF]. The crystal with a perfect, cosinusoidal potential was first analyzed by Slater [@Slater:1952asp]. The defining equations for the Mathieu-Bloch waves are $$\left(\frac{1}{\pi^2}\partial_{A}^2 + \lambda_{2n + 2 \kappa}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) + 2 q \cos 2 \pi A \right)\psi_{n, \kappa}(A) = 0$$ and $$\psi_{n, \kappa}(A + 1) = e^{2 \pi i \kappa} \psi_{n, \kappa}(A)\,.$$ The properly normalized Bloch wave functions are $$\psi_{n, \kappa}(A) = i^n \begin{cases} {{\mathrm{me}}}_{n+ 2\kappa}(\pi A, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) & n \,\, \text{even and} \,\, \kappa \geq 0 \\ {{\mathrm{me}}}_{-n-1+2\kappa}(\pi A, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) & n \,\, \text{odd and} \,\, \kappa \geq 0 \\ (-1)^n {{\mathrm{me}}}_{n+1+ 2\kappa}(\pi A, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) & n \,\, \text{odd and} \,\, \kappa < 0 \\ {{\mathrm{me}}}_{-n+2\kappa}(\pi A, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) & n \,\, \text{even and} \,\, \kappa < 0 \end{cases},\label{eq:mathieuBloch}$$ where ${{\mathrm{me}}}_{\nu}(\pi A, -q)$ is the Floquet solution to the Mathieu equation and defined such that $${{\mathrm{me}}}_{\nu}(\pi A, 0) = e^{i \pi \nu A}\,.$$ This is the choice of phase conventions that yield real Wannier functions through (\[eq:wannDef\]). The Mathieu function has a Fourier expansion $${{\mathrm{me}}}_{\nu}(\pi A, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) = \sum_{m \in \mathbbm{Z}} c_{2m}^{\nu} e^{i(2 n + \nu) \pi A}\,, \label{eq:mathieuExpansion}$$ whose coefficients satisfy the recurrence relation $$\left( \lambda_{2n - 2 \varphi}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) - 4\left(m - \varphi\right)^2 + 2 q \right) c_{2 m} + q \left(c_{2m+2} - 2 c_{2 m} + c_{2m - 2}\right) = 0\,,$$ where we write $c_{2m} = c_{2m}^{2 n {\scalebox {0.65}[1.0]{$\scriptstyle-$}}2 \varphi}$. For large $q$, the normalizable solutions vary slowly and this recurrence relation can be rewritten as the Schrödinger equation for a harmonic oscillator in $x = m - \varphi$, $$-\frac{{\mathrm{d}}^2 c_n(x)}{{\mathrm{d}}x^2} + \frac{1}{q} \left(4 x^2 - 2 q - \lambda_{2n - 2 \varphi}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) \right) c_n(x) = 0\,,$$ with properly normalized solutions [@NIST:DLMF; @Aunola:2003tdh] $$c^{2n - 2 \varphi}_{2m} = (-i)^n \left(\frac{2}{\pi}\right)^{1/4} \!\!\!\frac{q^{-1/8}}{\sqrt{2^n n!}} \left(H_{n}\big(\sqrt{2}q^{-1/4} (m-\varphi)\big) e^{-(m-\varphi)^2/\sqrt{q}} + \mathcal{O}\big(q^{-1/2}\big)\right), \label{eq:mathieuFourierSolution}$$ and eigenvalues $\lambda_{2n - 2 \varphi}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q) \approx 2\sqrt{q}\, (2n+1) - 2 q$. From numerical experiments, this approximation is valid for large $x$ and small $n$. The Wannier functions can thus be approximated by $$w_{n}(A) = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\!{\mathrm{d}}x\, c_{n}(x) e^{2 \pi i x A} = \frac{(2 \pi)^{1/4}q^{1/8}}{\sqrt{2^n n!}}\left( H_{n}\big(\sqrt{2}\pi \,q^{1/4} A\big) e^{-\pi^2\sqrt{q} A^2} + \mathcal{O}\big(q^{-1/2}\big)\right). \label{eq:wannierApprox}$$ Because the solution (\[eq:mathieuFourierSolution\]) was valid only for large $x$, this expression for $w_{n}(A)$ is strictly only valid for small $A$. The large $A$ behavior can be determined by considering the analytic structure of $\lambda_{2n + 2\kappa}({{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}q)$ for complex $\kappa$, or by a WKB analysis. At large $A$, the lowest band Wannier function behaves as [@Catelani:2011raf] $$w_{0}(A) \sim (2/\pi)^{1/4} q^{1/8} e^{-2\sqrt{q}} |A|^{-3/4} e^{- \sqrt{q} |A|}\,, \qquad \text{as} \quad A \to \pm \infty\,.$$ Relation to QED on a Cylinder {#app:qft} ============================= In this appendix, we describe a quantum field theory, quantum electrodynamics on a spacetime cylinder, with zero-mode sectors described by our gapless model [@Hetrick:1988yg] The quantum field theories that contain the gapped model are massive deformations of this model, so we mention them briefly and refer the reader to the relevant literature, e.g. [@Hetrick:1995wq; @Hetrick:1995yx; @Hosotani:1995zg; @Hosotani:1998za]. Consider $(1+1)$-dimensional QED with a single massless Dirac fermion. The Lagrangian is given by $$\mathcal{L} = -\frac{1}{4} F_{\mu \nu} F^{\mu \nu} + \bar{\psi}\left(i \slashed{\partial} - e \slashed{A}\right) \psi \, .$$ We put this theory on a spacetime cylinder of radius $L$, with boundary conditions $$A_{\mu}(t, x+L) = A_{\mu}(t, x) \qquad \text{and} \qquad \psi(t, x+L) = -e^{2 \pi i \alpha} \psi(t, x)\,.$$ We may always work in a gauge where the spatial component of the gauge field is spatially homogeneous, $A_{1}(t, x) = b(t)$. Under large gauge transformations, i.e. those that wrap non-trivially around the spatial circle, this degree of freedom transforms as $$b(t) \to b(t) + \frac{2 \pi}{e L}.$$ This is the only degree of freedom for the gauge field, as we can eliminate $A_0$ using Gauss’s law. By bosonizing the fermions, this model can be rewritten in terms of the electric charge $Q$, the axial charge $Q_5$, and a single massive bosonic degree of freedom $\bar{\phi}$ [@Hetrick:1988yg], $$\label{eq:HamiltonianQEDc} \mathcal{H} = \frac{F^2}{2 L} + \frac{\pi}{2 L} \left(Q^2 + Q_5^2\right) + \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{L}\!{\mathrm{d}}x\, \mathcal{N}_{e/\sqrt{\pi}} \left[ \bar{\Pi}^2 + (\partial_x \bar{\phi})^2 + \frac{e^2}{\pi} \bar{\phi}^2\right],$$ where $\mathcal{N}_{\mu}$ represents a normal ordering in the Schrödinger picture with respect to the mass parameter $\mu$ and $F= L \dot{b}$ is the momentum conjugate to $b$. To translate back to the original model, we use the bosonization formulae for the light-cone components of the spinor field, $\psi_\pm$, the charges $(Q, Q_5)$, and the background field strength $F$: $$\begin{aligned} \psi_\pm = \frac{C_{\pm}}{\sqrt{L}} \exp\big(\pm i \left[q_{\pm} + 2 \pi p_{\pm}(t \pm x)/L\right]\big) :\!e^{\pm i \phi_{\pm}(t, x)}\!:\,, \qquad\qquad \\ Q = \int_{0}^{L}\!{\mathrm{d}}x\, \psi^\dagger \gamma^0 \psi = -p_+ + p_- \,, \quad \text{and}\quad Q_5 = \int_{0}^{L}\!{\mathrm{d}}x\, \psi^\dagger \gamma_5 \psi = p_+ + p_- + \frac{e b L}{\pi}\,. \end{aligned}$$ Notice that we have separated the contribution from the zero modes $q_\pm$ of the spinors from harmonic oscillators in the bosonized chiral scalars $\phi_\pm$. Physical states obey $$e^{2 \pi i p_\pm} |{{\mathrm{phys}}} \rangle = e^{2 \pi i \alpha} | {{\mathrm{phys}}}\rangle\,,$$ which implies that the coordinate conjugate to $p_{+} + p_{-} \equiv \bar{p}$, which we denote by $\bar{q}$, is periodic $\bar{q} \sim \bar{q} + 2\pi$. Define $p_\varphi \equiv \bar{p}/2\pi$, and $A \equiv e b L/2\pi$. The momentum conjugate to $A$ is then $$p_{{\mathrm{A}}}\equiv \frac{2\pi F}{e L}\,.$$ If we truncate to “mini-superspace" with $Q=0$ and $\bar\phi=0$, we thus find that (\[eq:HamiltonianQEDc\]) reduces to $$\mathcal{H} = \frac{e^2 L}{8 \pi} p_{{\mathrm{A}}}^2 + \frac{1}{2 \pi L} \left(p_\varphi + 2 \pi A\right)^2\,.$$ We may identify this as the gapless model, with $$g^2 = \frac{e^2 L}{4 \pi} \qquad \text{and} \qquad f^2 = \pi L\,.$$ We can ask if there are deformations of this quantum field theory that contain, in the zero-mode sector, the gapped model presented in the main text. That is possible if we introduce a mass term for the fermions in the Lagrangian. Then, the fermions induce a Coulomb potential for the gauge-field winding mode, and there is a truncation of the zero-mode sector that is the gapped model with $V(A)\propto (1-\cos(2\pi A))$ [@Paranjape:1993fc; @Hetrick:1995wq; @Hosotani:1995zg; @Hosotani:1998za]. Gapless Coherent States {#app:coherent} ======================= That the gapless model §\[sec:gaplessPotential\] is Gaussian allows us to solve it completely and, in this appendix, we will construct families of coherent states whose expectation values obey the classical equations of motion.[^28] It will be convenient to write the gapless Hamiltonian in the generalized form $$\hat{\mathcal{H}} = \frac{1}{2} \left(\hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}} - \frac{\hbar \bm{\ell} \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}}{\bar{a}^2}\right)^\top {{\mathbf{K}}} \left(\hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}} - \frac{\hbar \bm{\ell} \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}}{\bar{a}^2}\right)\,.$$ where we have defined $$\hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}} = \begin{pmatrix} \hat{x}_1 \\ \hat{x}_2 \end{pmatrix} \qquad\text{and}\qquad \hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}} = \begin{pmatrix} \hat{p}_1 \\ \hat{p}_2 \end{pmatrix}\,,$$ with generalized periodicities $x_1 \sim x_1 + a_1$ and $x_2 \sim x_2 + a_2$, the harmonic mean of these periodicities $\bar{a}^2 = a_1 a_2$, the kinetic matrix $${{\mathbf{K}}} = {{\mathrm{diag}}}\left(m_1^{-1}, m_2^{-1}\right)\,,$$ and a coupling matrix $$\bm{\ell} = \begin{pmatrix} 0 & \ell_2 \\ \ell_1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}.$$ Throughout, we will distinguish quantum operators with hats. The positions and momenta satisfy the canonical commutation relations $[\hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}, \hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}}] = i \hbar \,\mathbbm{1}$. The benefit of this notation is that it is easily generalizable to higher dimensions, though we may recover our notation of the main text by setting $x_1 = \varphi$, $x_2 = A$, $a_1 = a_2 = 1$, $m_1 = f^2$, $m_2 = g^{-2}$, $\ell_1 = 2 \pi$, and $\ell_2 = 0$. General Procedure ----------------- The construction of coherent states for an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian on a noncompact space has been described in [@Bagrov:1990ex; @Bagrov:2014cas]. The general idea is to define the coherent states as eigenfunctions of an integral of motion. That the Hamiltonian is quadratic implies that we can write this conserved quantity, the analog of the lowering operator for the harmonic oscillator, as the linear combination $$\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}} = {{\mathbf{f}}}\,\hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}/\bar{a} + i \bar{a}\, {{\mathbf{g}}}\,\hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}}/\hbar + \bm{\varphi}\hat{\mathbbm{1}} \label{eq:loweringOp}$$ where ${{\mathbf{f}}}$ and ${{\mathbf{g}}}$ are time-dependent matrices and $\bm{\varphi}$ is a time-dependent vector. We have introduced factors of $\bar{a}$ and $\hbar$ so that $\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}$, ${{\mathbf{f}}}$, ${{\mathbf{g}}}$ and $\bm{\varphi}$ are dimensionless. These time-dependent quantities are determined by requiring that $\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}$ is a conserved quantity, $$[i \hbar\, \partial_t - \hat{\mathcal{H}}, \hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}] = 0\,, \label{eq:integOfMotion}$$ and the normalization conditions $$[\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}, \hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}] = [\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}^{\!\dagger}, \hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}^{\!\dagger}] = 0 \quad \text{and} \quad [\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}, \hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}}^{\!\dagger}] = \mathbbm{1}.$$ These conditions imply that $$\begin{aligned} {{\mathbf{f}}} {{\mathbf{g}}}^\dagger + {{\mathbf{g}}} {{\mathbf{f}}}^\dagger = {{\mathbf{f}}}^\top \bar{{{\mathbf{g}}}} + {{\mathbf{f}}}^\dagger {{\mathbf{g}}} = \bar{{{\mathbf{f}}}} {{\mathbf{g}}}^\top + \bar{{{\mathbf{g}}}} {{\mathbf{f}}}^\top = {{\mathbf{g}}}^\dagger {{\mathbf{f}}} + {{\mathbf{g}}}^\top \bar{{{\mathbf{f}}}} = \mathbbm{1} \,,\\ {{\mathbf{g}}} {{\mathbf{f}}}^\top - {{\mathbf{f}}} {{\mathbf{g}}}^\top = {{\mathbf{g}}}^\dagger {{\mathbf{g}}} - {{\mathbf{g}}}^\top \bar{{{\mathbf{g}}}} = {{\mathbf{f}}}^\dagger {{\mathbf{f}}} - {{\mathbf{f}}}^\top \bar{{{\mathbf{f}}}} = 0\,, \end{aligned}$$ where bars denote complex conjugation. We first define the coherent state on the non-compact space, up to an overall time-dependent normalization, as an eigenvector of this integral of motion, $$\hat{{{\mathbf{A}}}} \,|{{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}} = {{\mathbf{z}}} |{{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}\,.$$ The undetermined normalization is then fixed by requiring this state solve the Schrödinger equation, $$\left(i \hbar \,\partial_t - \hat{\mathcal{H}}\right) |{{\mathbf{z}}}\rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}} = 0.$$ The benefit of this formulation is that the Schrödinger equation reduces from a partial differential equation in multiple variables to a single, ordinary differential equation in time. The complex parameter ${{\mathbf{z}}}$ is related to the expectation values $\langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle = \langle {{\mathbf{z}}} | \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}} | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}$ and ${\langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle = \langle {{\mathbf{z}}} | \hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}} | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}}$ by $${{\mathbf{z}}} = \frac{{{\mathbf{f}}} \langle {{{\mathbf{x}}}}\rangle}{\bar{a}} + \frac{i \bar{a} {{\mathbf{g}}} \langle {{{\mathbf{p}}}} \rangle}{\hbar}\,,$$ which may be inverted to yield $$\langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle = \bar{a} \left({{\mathbf{g}}}^\dagger {{\mathbf{z}}} + {{\mathbf{g}}}^\top \bar{{{\mathbf{z}}}}\right) \qquad \text{and} \qquad \langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle = \frac{\hbar}{i \bar{a}} \left({{\mathbf{f}}}^\dagger {{\mathbf{z}}} - {{\mathbf{f}}}^\top \bar{{{\mathbf{z}}}}\right)\,.$$ With the non-compact coherent state $|{{\mathbf{z}}}\rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}$ in hand, we may define a coherent state on the compact torus using the method of images. The torus is naturally associated with the lattice $$\bar{\Gamma} = \left\{ (n_1 a_1, n_2 a_2)\, | \, (n_1, n_2) \in \mathbbm{Z}_2 \right\}\,,$$ and a well-defined quantum state on the torus must be invariant under all shifts in this lattice, $$\exp\big(i\, \hat{{{\mathbf{Q}}}}_{{\mathrm{s}}} \cdot \bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}/\hbar\big) |\psi \rangle = |\psi \rangle\,, \qquad {{\mathrm{for}}}\quad \bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}} \in \bar{\Gamma}\,,$$ where the operator that generates these translations is $$\hat{{{\mathbf{Q}}}}_{{\mathrm{s}}} = \frac{\hbar}{\bar{a}^2} \bm{\ell}^\top \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}} - \hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}}\,.$$ So, we may use $|{{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}$ to define a *compact* coherent state by summing over all translations $$|{{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}} \equiv \mathcal{A} \,\sum_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}} \in \bar{\Gamma}} \exp\big(i\, \hat{{{\mathbf{Q}}}}_{{\mathrm{s}}} \cdot \bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}/\hbar\big) |{{\mathbf{z}}}\rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}, \label{eq:noncompactToCompact}$$ where $\mathcal{A}$ is a normalization constant. This construction by the method of images can be shown to be equivalent to other constructions of coherent states on compact spaces [@Kowalski:1998hx]. Specific Construction --------------------- With this general procedure in place, we now construct the coherent states for the gapless model. In what follows, we specialize to $\ell_2 = 0$. The requirement (\[eq:integOfMotion\]) implies the equations of motion $$\begin{aligned} 0 &= \frac{\bar{a}^2}{\hbar} \dot{{{\mathbf{g}}}} - i {{\mathbf{f}}} \mkern 1mu {{\mathbf{K}}}+ {{\mathbf{g}}} \bm{\ell}^\top {{\mathbf{K}}}\,, \\ 0 &= \frac{\bar{a}^2}{\hbar} \dot{{{\mathbf{f}}}} - {{\mathbf{f}}} \mkern 1mu {{\mathbf{K}}} \bm{\ell} - i {{\mathbf{g}}} \bm{\ell}^\top {{\mathbf{K}}} \bm{\ell}\,, \\ 0 &= \dot{\bm{\varphi}}\,. \end{aligned}$$ Without loss of generality, we can simply set $\bm{\varphi} = 0$. These equations of motion, and the initial conditions $${{\mathbf{f}}}(0) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{pmatrix} \alpha_1 & 0 \\ 0 & \alpha_2 \end{pmatrix} \qquad\text{and}\qquad {{\mathbf{g}}}(0) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{pmatrix} \alpha_1^{-1} & 0 \\ 0 & \alpha_2^{-1} \end{pmatrix}\,$$ uniquely fix these coefficient matrices, $$\begin{aligned} {{\mathbf{f}}}(t) &= \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\begin{pmatrix} \alpha_1 \cos \omega t + i \frac{\ell_1}{\alpha_1} \sqrt{\frac{m_1}{m_2}} \sin \omega t & 0 \\ \alpha_2 \sqrt{\frac{m_1}{m_2}} \sin \omega t & \alpha_2 \end{pmatrix}\,, \\ {{\mathbf{g}}}(t) &= \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{pmatrix} \alpha_1^{-1} \cos \omega t + i \frac{\alpha_1}{\ell_1} \sqrt{\frac{m_2}{m_1}} \sin \omega t &\,\, {{\scalebox {0.75}[1.0]{$-$}}}\frac{i\alpha_1}{\ell_1} \left(1 - \cos \omega t\right) - \frac{1}{\alpha_1} \sqrt{\frac{m_1}{m_2}} \sin \omega t \\ i \frac{\alpha_2}{\ell_1}\left(1 - \cos \omega t\right) & \frac{1}{\alpha_2} + i \frac{\alpha_2}{\ell_1} \sqrt{\frac{m_1}{m_2}} \sin \omega t \end{pmatrix}\,, \end{aligned}$$ where we have introduced the frequency $$\omega = \frac{\hbar \ell_1}{\bar{a}^2\sqrt{m_1 m_2}}\,.$$ With an appropriate definition of ${{\mathbf{z}}}$, we may then write the expectation values as $$\langle {{\mathbf{x}}}(t) \rangle = \begin{pmatrix} x_{1,0} \cos \omega t + \frac{\bar{a}^2 }{\hbar \ell_1} p_{2, 0}\left(1 - \cos \omega t\right) + \frac{\bar{a}^2 m_2 }{\hbar\ell_1 m_1 }p_{1, 0}\sin \omega t \\ x_{2, 0} - \frac{\bar{a}^2}{\hbar \ell_1 } p_{1, 0}\left(1 - \cos \omega t\right) - \frac{m_1}{m_2} \left(x_{1,0} - \frac{\bar{a}^2}{\hbar \ell_1} p_{2,0}\right) \sin \omega t \end{pmatrix} \label{eq:xexpect}$$ and $$\langle {{\mathbf{p}}}(t) \rangle = \begin{pmatrix} p_{1,0} \cos \omega t+ \frac{m_1}{m_2}\left(p_{2,0} - \frac{\hbar \ell_1}{\bar{a}^2} x_{1, 0} \right) \sin \omega t \\ p_{2, 0} \end{pmatrix}\,.$$ The defining equation for the coherent state can be written as $$\left(\frac{i \bar{a} {{\mathbf{g}}}}{\hbar} \hat{{{\mathbf{p}}}} + \frac{{{\mathbf{f}}}}{\bar{a}}\left(\hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle \right) - \frac{i \bar{a} {{\mathbf{g}}}}{\hbar} \langle {{\mathbf{p}}}\rangle \right)| {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle = 0\,$$ which has the obvious solution $$\langle {{\mathbf{x}}} | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}} = \frac{\mathcal{A}}{\sqrt{{{\mathrm{det}}}\, {{\mathbf{g}}}}} \exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 \bar{a}^2} \left({{\mathbf{x}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle\right)^\top {{\mathbf{M}}} \left({{\mathbf{x}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}}\rangle\right) + \frac{i \langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle {{\mathbf{x}}}}{\hbar} - \frac{i}{\hbar} \chi(t)\right)\,,$$ where $${{\mathbf{M}}} = {{\mathbf{g}}}^{-1} {{\mathbf{f}}}\,.$$ We will find it convenient to decompose this matrix into its real and imaginary parts, ${{\mathbf{M}}} = {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}} + i \,{{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{i}}}$. One can show that this state satisfies the Schrödinger equation if the phase $\chi(t)$ satisfies $$\chi'(t) = \frac{m_1}{2} \langle \dot{x}_1 \rangle^2 + \frac{m_2}{2} \langle \dot{x}_2^2 \rangle + \frac{\hbar \ell_1}{\bar{a}^2} \langle x_1 \rangle \langle \dot{x}_2\rangle,$$ i.e. if it is the classical action $\chi(t) = S_{{\mathrm{cl}}}(t)$. We may thus write the properly normalized, noncompact coherent state as $$\langle {{\mathbf{x}}} | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 \pi \bar{a}^2{{\mathrm{det}}}\, {{\mathbf{g}}}}} \exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 \bar{a}^2} \left({{\mathbf{x}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle\right)^\top {{\mathbf{g}}}^{-1} {{\mathbf{f}}} \left({{\mathbf{x}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}}\rangle\right) + \frac{i \langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle {{\mathbf{x}}}}{\hbar} - \frac{i}{\hbar} S_{{\mathrm{cl}}}(t)\right).$$ The probability distribution covariance matrix is ${{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}$ which at $t = 0$ is $$\begin{aligned} {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}(0) = \begin{pmatrix} \alpha_1^2 & 0 \\ 0 & \alpha_2^2 \end{pmatrix}. \end{aligned}$$ The parameters $\alpha_1$ and $\alpha_2$ control the initial inverse-width of the Gaussian wavepacket in the $x_1$ and $x_2$ directions, respectively. As the coherent state evolves, this covariance matrix will evolve, and the iso-probability lines of this distribution may be described by an ellipse whose orientation and principal axes oscillate in time. It returns to its original orientation after a half-period, but with $${{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}\!\left(\frac{\pi}{\omega}\right) = \frac{\ell_1^2 }{\ell_1^2 + 4 \alpha_1^2 \alpha_2^2} \,{{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}(0)\,.$$ Generally, if the coherent state was well-localized at $t = 0$, after a half-period it will become quite delocalized. This is not so odd—the harmonic oscillator squeezed states have the same behavior, and it is only for a particular choice of initial width that the variance does not oscillate in time. With this noncompact state in hand, we may construct the compact coherent state using (\[eq:noncompactToCompact\]), yielding $$\begin{aligned} \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}} = \frac{\mathcal{A}}{\sqrt{2 \pi \bar{a}^2\,{{\mathrm{det}}}\, {{\mathbf{g}}}}} \sum_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}} \in \bar{\Gamma}}&\exp\left(-\frac{1}{2 \bar{a}^2} \left({{\mathbf{x}}}_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle\right)^\top {{\mathbf{g}}}^{-1} {{\mathbf{f}}} \left({{\mathbf{x}}}_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}}\rangle\right)\right)\nonumber \\ &\times \exp\left( \frac{i \langle {{\mathbf{p}}}\rangle \cdot {{\mathbf{x}}}_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}}}{\hbar} + \frac{i \bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}} \cdot (\bm{\ell}^\top {{\mathbf{x}}}_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}})}{\bar{a}^2} - \frac{i}{\hbar} S_{{\mathrm{cl}}}(t)\right). \end{aligned}$$ where we have defined ${{\mathbf{x}}}_{\bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}} \equiv {{\mathbf{x}}} - \bar{{{\mathbf{q}}}}$. Since this is a sum over the two-dimensional lattice $\bar{\Gamma}$, it will be helpful to rewrite it in terms of a multi-dimensional Theta function, $$\Theta_{\bm{\alpha}, \bm{\beta}}({{\mathbf{u}}}\, | \, \bm{\Omega}) = \sum_{{{\mathbf{n}}} \in \mathbbm{Z}^N} \exp\left(\pi i ({{\mathbf{n}}} + \bm{\alpha})^\top \bm{\Omega} \,({{\mathbf{n}}} + \bm{\alpha}) + 2 \pi i ({{\mathbf{n}}} + \bm{\alpha})\cdot({{\mathbf{u}}} + \bm{\beta})\right).$$ where we will use the shorthand $\Theta({{\mathbf{u}}}\, | \, \bm{\Omega}) = \Theta_{\bm{0}, \bm{0}}({{\mathbf{u}}}\, | \, \bm{\Omega})$. We first introduce the basis matrix ${{\mathbf{B}}}$ for $\bar{\Gamma}$, $${{\mathbf{B}}} = \begin{pmatrix} a_1 & 0 \\ 0 & a_2 \end{pmatrix},$$ and define the Riemann matrix, characteristic, and argument $$\bm{\Omega} = \frac{i}{2 \pi \bar{a}^2} {{\mathbf{B}}}^\top {{\mathbf{g}}}^{-1} {{\mathbf{f}}}\, {{\mathbf{B}}}\,, \quad \bm{\alpha} = -{{\mathbf{B}}}^{-1}\left({{\mathbf{x}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle\right)\, \quad \text{and} \quad {{\mathbf{u}}} = \frac{{{\mathbf{B}}}^\top}{2 \pi}\left(\frac{\bm{\ell}^\top {{\mathbf{x}}}}{\bar{a}^2} - \frac{\langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle}{\hbar}\right)\,.$$ The coherent state wavefunction may then be written as $$\begin{aligned} \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}} = \frac{\mathcal{A}}{\sqrt{2 \pi \bar{a}^2 \, {{\mathrm{det}}}\, {{\mathbf{g}}}}} \exp\left(\frac{i \langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle \!\cdot \!\langle{{\mathbf{x}}}\rangle}{\hbar} + \frac{i \left({{\mathbf{x}}} - \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle\right)\cdot \left(\bm{\ell}^\top {{\mathbf{x}}}\right)}{\bar{a}^2} - \frac{i}{\hbar} S_{{\mathrm{cl}}}(t)\right) \Theta_{\bm{\alpha},{{\mathbf{0}}}}\left({{\mathbf{u}}}\, |\, \bm{\Omega}\right). \end{aligned}$$ We may consider expectation values of the operators $$\exp\left(2 \pi i\, {{\mathbf{q}}} \cdot \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}\right), \quad \text{for} \quad {{\mathbf{q}}} \in \Gamma,$$ where $\Gamma$ is the lattice dual to $\bar{\Gamma}$, i.e. $\Gamma = \{(k_1/a_1, k_2/a_2) \, | \, (k_1, k_2) \in \mathbbm{Z}_2\}$. In the non-compact coherent state, this reads $$\begin{aligned} \langle {{\mathbf{z}}} | \exp\left(2 \pi i {{\mathbf{q}}} \cdot \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}\right) | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}} = \exp\left(2 \pi i {{\mathbf{q}}} \cdot \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle - \pi^2 \bar{a}^2 {{\mathbf{q}}}^\top {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}^{-1} {{\mathbf{q}}}\right) \,. \label{eq:nccsev} \end{aligned}$$ while in the compact space we have, $$\begin{aligned} &\frac{\langle {{\mathbf{z}}}| \exp\left(2 \pi i \,{{\mathbf{q}}} \cdot \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}\right) |{{\mathbf{z}}}\rangle_{{\mathrm{c}}}\,\,}{\langle {{\mathbf{z}}} | \exp\left(2 \pi i\, {{\mathbf{q}}} \cdot \hat{{{\mathbf{x}}}}\right) | {{\mathbf{z}}} \rangle_{{\mathrm{nc}}}} = \frac{\Theta(\tilde{{{\mathbf{u}}}}({{\mathbf{q}}}) \,|\, \tilde{\bm{\Omega}})}{\Theta (\tilde{{{\mathbf{u}}}}({{\mathbf{0}}})\, |\, \tilde{\bm{\Omega}})}\,. \label{eq:ccsev} \end{aligned}$$ Here, we have defined the notation $$\begin{aligned} \tilde{\bm{\Omega}} &=\frac{1}{4 \pi \bar{a}^2}{{\mathbf{B}}}^\top \left((\bm{\ell} + \bm{\ell}^\top) + i \left[ {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}} + \left(\bm{\ell} + {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{i}}}\right)^\top {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}^{-1} \left(\bm{\ell} + {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{i}}}\right) \right]\right){{\mathbf{B}}} \nonumber \\ &= \frac{1}{4 \pi} \begin{pmatrix} i a_1 (\alpha_1^2 + \ell_1^2/\alpha_2^2)/a_2 & \ell_1 \\ \ell_1 & i a_2 \alpha_2^2/a_1\end{pmatrix} \\ \tilde{{{\mathbf{u}}}}({{\mathbf{q}}}) &= \frac{1}{2 \pi} {{\mathbf{B}}}^\top \left(\pi \left[\mathbbm{1} + i \left(\bm{\ell} + {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{i}}}\right)^\top {{\mathbf{M}}}_{{\mathrm{r}}}^{-1}\right] {{\mathbf{q}}} + \left(\frac{\bm{\ell}^\top \langle {{\mathbf{x}}} \rangle}{\bar{a}^2} - \frac{\langle {{\mathbf{p}}} \rangle}{\hbar}\right) \right). \end{aligned}$$ This compact expectation value factorizes into the non-compact result and a piece that we can attribute entirely to the compact space. We see that the only difference in the expected position between the compact and non-compact spaces will come from $\Theta(\tilde{{{\mathbf{u}}}}({{\mathbf{q}}}) \,|\, \tilde{\bm{\Omega}})$, since the denominator $\Theta (\tilde{{{\mathbf{u}}}}({{\mathbf{0}}})\, |\, \tilde{\bm{\Omega}})$ is time-independent. From (\[eq:xexpect\]), the expected position of $x_1$ on the *non-compact* space will not time-evolve if $p_{2, 0} = \hbar \ell_1 x_{1, 0}/\bar{a}^2$ and $p_{1, 0} = 0$. That is, $x_1$ may sit still anywhere along its field space, as long as we compensate by giving momentum to $x_{2}$. However, taking ${{\mathbf{q}}} = (k_1/a_1, k_2/a_2)$, we can write $$\begin{aligned} \Theta(\tilde{{{\mathbf{u}}}}({{\mathbf{q}}}) \,|\, \tilde{\bm{\Omega}}) = \sum_{(n_1, n_2) \in \mathbbm{Z}^2} |\mathcal{A}(n_1, n_2, t)| &\times \exp\left(\pi i \left(k_1 n_1 + k_2 n_2 + \ell_1 n_1 n_2/(2\pi) \right) \right) \nonumber \\ &\times \exp\left(i n_1 \left(\frac{\ell_1 x_{2, 0}}{a_2} - \frac{a_1 p_{1, 0}}{\hbar}\right) - \frac{i n_2 a_2 p_{2, 0}}{\hbar} \right), \end{aligned}$$ where $|\mathcal{A}(n_1, n_2, t)|$ is a real, positive, time-dependent quantity. The phase in the first line always works out to be $\pm 1$, so the only way this sum can have a non-trivial time-dependent phase is through the second line. We thus see that $x_{1}$ will oscillate whenever $p_{2, 0} \neq 0$, and so we can not have a coherent state that sits still anywhere along $x_{1}$’s field space. Finally, we can recover the class of coherent states mentioned in §\[sec:Gaussian\] by considering the class of coherent states that are maximally delocalized along the $x_2$ direction, i.e. by taking $\alpha_2 \to 0$. If we also take $\alpha_1^2 = \ell_1 \sqrt{m_1/m_2}$, we find a set of coherent states that do not spread, $$\begin{aligned} &\langle x_1, x_2 | x_{1,0}, p_{1, 0} \rangle = \mathcal{A} \sum_{\bar{q}_1 \in a_1 \mathbbm{Z}} \exp\left(-\frac{\ell_1}{2 \bar{a}^2}\sqrt{\frac{m_1}{m_2}} \left(x_1 - \bar{q}_1 - \langle x_1 \rangle \right)^2 \right)\nonumber \\ &\qquad \qquad \qquad \times \exp\left(\frac{i \langle p_1 \rangle (x_1 - \bar{q}_1)}{\hbar} + \frac{i \ell_1 \bar{q}_1 x_2}{\bar{a}^2} - \frac{i}{\hbar} S_{{\mathrm{cl}}}(t) \right). \end{aligned}$$ Taking $a_1 = a_2 = 1$, $m_1 = f^2$, and $m_2 = g^{-2}$ recovers the variance $\sigma_\varphi^{-2} = 2\pi f g$ we derived via the axion frame. [^1]: In this paper, we ignore gravity and do not incorporate effects like Hubble friction or a dynamical scale factor. Nonetheless, studying the evolution of a semiclassical “rolling” trajectory, sans gravity, will help us understand how the system behaves when spacetime is allowed to evolve. [^2]: For instance, see [@Adams:1992bn; @ArkaniHamed:2003mz; @ArkaniHamed:2003wu; @Banks:2003sx; @BlancoPillado:2004ns; @Kim:2004rp; @Grimm:2007hs]. [^3]: We may also need to integrate over other instanton (quasi)zero modes, like the size of the instanton and its orientation in the gauge group. [^4]: These systems are interesting on a conceptual level, even without the connection to inflation, as theories whose semi-classical dynamics are determined completely by quantum mechanical effects. From this point of view, we expect our findings could also be useful for condensed matter systems driven out of equilibrium. [^5]: For a review of inflationary models in string theory, see [@Baumann:2014nda]. [^6]: A non-equilibrium understanding of non-perturbatively generated effective potentials would also help elucidate their role in string compactifications. The validity of the approximations used in establishing that non-perturbative effects controllably stabilize moduli has been the subject of recurring debate (see, e.g. [@Sethi:2017phn; @Kachru:2018aqn]). Though our findings are only tangentially related, we believe that developing an out-of-equilibrium picture of these effects will provide a better understanding of when they are under control. [^7]: We are primarily interested in the dynamics of the *zero modes* of quantum fields in instanton-induced effective potentials. We will not be concerned with the theory of fluctuations around such trajectories. This focus on zero modes makes the connection between these toy models and their more realistic four-dimensional brethren less far-fetched. [^8]: This is analogous to the choice of gauge group for QED. If the gauge group is compact, then magnetic monopoles are part of the Hilbert space, and their existence generally implies some interesting non-trivial dynamics at long distances, like confinement [@Polyakov:1976fu]. [^9]: The topological term $k\times 2 \pi \hbar \varphi \dot{A}$ must be quantized ($k \in \mathbbm{Z}$) if the redundancies (\[eq:periods\]) are to be consistent at the quantum level—we can view this as magnetic flux quantization on the torus. In this paper, we only consider the simplest case, $k=1$. [^10]: We have dropped the topological coupling’s dependence on $\hbar$ here, to avoid confusion about what constitutes as “classical.” While it is unimportant at the classical level, its $\hbar$-dependence is necessary for the Feynman measure to be invariant under $\varphi \to \varphi +1$. [^11]: Another way to view the toy models, where the analogy is more direct, is as the dimensional reduction of an axion coupled to a top-form gauge field, where $F_4 = {\mathrm{d}}C_3$, and $C_{3} = {{\mathrm{tr}}}\left(A\, {\mathrm{d}}A - 2 A^3/3\right) = {\mathord{*}}J_{{\mathrm{CS}}}$ [@Luscher:1978rn; @DiVecchia:1980yfw; @Dvali:2005an]. In this case, the coupling of the axion to the topological term is linear in both the axion and the top-form field strength. [^12]: As is well known from the study of the quantum mechanical angle operator [@Barnett:2007qpo], these canonical commutation relations are modified if $\varphi$ or $A$ are compact. These technical complications are avoidable as long as we work with gauge invariant observables like (\[eq:expValPhi\]), and so we only mention them in passing. [^13]: While an additional $\theta$-angle for the gauge field can be absorbed by a shift of the axion $\varphi \to \varphi -\theta/2\pi$, a $\theta$-angle for the axion would change the very low-energy dynamics of the theory. We leave an exploration of this to future work. [^14]: For example, $\lfloor 1.25 \rceil=1$, $\lfloor 1.5 \rceil=1$, and $\lfloor 1.7 \rceil=2$. [^15]: We explain our conventions for the Mathieu functions in §\[app:mathieu\]. [^16]: We thank Nima Arkani-Hamed for raising this point. [^17]: Note that the phase conventions used in (\[eq:gaplessBloch2\]) are not the same as those in (\[eq:mathieuBloch\]), so that the potentials shown in Figure \[fig:newPotentials\] (except, incidentally, those with $n = n' = 0$) do not match (\[eq:gaplessFnn\]) and (\[eq:gaplessVnn\]) above. It is simple, albeit tedious, to take the $q \to 0$ limit of (\[eq:mathieuBloch\]) and repeat the computation. However, the expressions are overly long and since we will eventually analyze the gapless model using a different picture, we will just note this difference and move along. [^18]: Note that the leading order, non-exponentially suppressed terms are purely real, as can be seen in Figure \[fig:newPotentials\]. The purely imaginary potentials (i.e. $V_{1, 0}$ and $F_{0, 2}$) are always suppressed relative to these real potentials. [^19]: This overlap is time-dependent since the Schrödinger equations for the $\Phi_n$ are sourced by the other axionic wavefunctions. Unitarity implies that $\sum_n \langle \Phi_n(t)|\Phi_n(t)\rangle =1$. [^20]: Typical time-dependent perturbation theory computes the probability of going from one state into another. A more honest analysis of this overlap involves a weighted sum over all the ways $|\Phi_0\rangle$ can transition into different eigenstates of $\mathcal{H}_1$. Because we are only interested in its typical scale, and we are summing over a complete basis of functions of $\varphi$, we approximate the left-hand ket as $\langle \Phi_0 |$. [^21]: Recall that the topological term $k \times 2 \pi \hbar \varphi \dot{A}$ was necessarily quantized, $k \in \mathbbm{Z}$, and that we only consider $k = 1$ in this paper. If we instead take $k$ to be a larger integer, this theory falls into $k$ independent sectors [@Seiberg:2010qd]. [^22]: Note that $\varphi$ is compact on the left-hand side of this equation, but noncompact on the right. [^23]: These “oscillations in momentum space” were originally studied in the context of a crystal subject to a linear potential, i.e. an electric field. For a review, see [@Kolovsky:2004boo]. [^24]: To avoid overcomplicating the following expressions, we take sums over $n, n', \dots$ to range over non-negative integers and sums over $\ell, \ell', \dots$ to range over integers. [^25]: As explained in Appendix \[app:wannier\], our choice that the $w_{n}(A)$ are real and maximally localized implies that the $F_{n, n}$ vanish and the $V_{n, n}$ are real. [^26]: It would be interesting to understand how the introduction of spin-orbit coupling to $\mathcal{H}_{{\mathrm{c}}}$, which can produce complex-valued Wannier functions, changes these conclusions. [^27]: In the presence of spin-orbit coupling, the Wannier functions can be complex [@Marzari:2012max]. Similarly, if one or more bands degenerate their decay can be less than exponential. For instance, for the gapless model we study above, they decay as $|A|^{-1}$. [^28]: A smaller class of coherent states for this model has been constructed in [@Fremling:2013csw; @Fremling:2014csw] to study the quantum hall effect on manifolds with non-trivial topology.

Preparation and evaluation of microcapsules using polymerized rosin as a novel wall forming material. Sustained release diclofenac sodium microcapsules were prepared using polymerized rosin as a novel wall-forming material by a solvent evaporation technique. A novel method developed in our laboratory with the potential for scale-up and production of polymerized rosin microcapsules is detailed. These microcapsules might have application for development of implant/depot systems, primarily due to a sustained/controlled release capability and potential biocompatibility of polymerized rosin. The effect of variables like solvent systems, stirring speed and temperature were previously optimized. The solution system of drug and polymerized rosin dissolved in iso-propyl alcohol and acetone is sprayed with the help of a 0.5 mm nozzle spray gun in liquid paraffin maintained at 60 degrees C in the stirring condition. Varying drug:polymer ratios, namely 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3 and 3:1, were employed for microcapsule preparation. The prepared microcapsules were evaluated for size, shape, drug content and in vitro drug release. The morphology of microcapsules was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The microcapsules show sustained release curves at pH 7.4 phosphate buffer for up to 10 h. The data obtained from the dissolution profiles were compared in the light of different kinetics models and the regression coefficients were compared. The in vitro dissolution study confirmed the Higuchi-order release pattern. Particle size and release data analysis from five consecutive batches prepared in the laboratory indicated suitable reproducibility of the proposed solvent evaporation process.