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I have been living in Fukuoka city now for about a year and I’m slowly learning more about this great city.
One point that many people don’t realise when we talk about population history is how few people used to live in cities. Cities we all know today a mega cities with millions of people but back in the past cities were not as big as they are today.
Firstly, Fukuoka castle used to be the stronghold for the Kuroda lords of Chikuzen province and Hakata was the ancient sea port and merchant town. Modern Fukuoka city was born out of a merger between Fukuoka and Hakata in 1889. The population statistics stated here are for Hakata otherwise stated.
The earliest recorded date I could find was 1150. The population was 9,000.
At this time it was the Heian Period in Japan and the age of the nobles. Hakata port was one of the busiest port towns in Japan.
Very early map of Hakata. Date unknown.
Before I move on, I want to note the significance of the next two dates. 1274 and 1281! Kamakura Period. At this time the Mongols tried to invade Japan twice and failed. The most attacking forces landed in Hakata Bay and along the coastline to the east. The second Mongol army numbered 140,000. Defending samurai only numbered about 40,000. The population of Hakata at that time would have been no more than 20,000. Samurai had to come from the surrounding regions to help repel the attackers. Luckily for the samurai, kamikaze was born!
Map of the Mongol invasion sites in Hakata Bay.
The next date is 1471 and the population climbs to about 50,000. This is during the Muromachi Period and the early stages of the Sengoku Period.
Hakata’s population declines from 1500. 30,000 to just 17,000 in 1570 possibly due to the civil war.
By the end of the Sengoku period Hakata has a population of 50,000. This is the time that Fukuoka castle is built and becomes a castle town. However, the two towns (Fukuoka and Hakata) are still separated and continue to grow independently.
The peaceful Edo period was very prosperous for Chikuzen province and the total population grows to 302,160 for the whole region by 1721. It is thought that Fukuoka had 20,410 and Hakata had 25,677 people living there.
Map of Chikuzen province from 1820.
In 1834 there were 15 registered villages in Chikuzen with a total population of 445,278 residents.
Today, Fukuoka is the 6th most populated city in Japan with 1.5 million residents.
I hope you enjoyed this post. | https://rekishinihon.com/2019/02/05/fukuoka-population-statistics-from-1150/ |
In the previous piece we spoke of the basics of doing a simple ritual at home. That involved the invocation of deities in such rites. However, it’s important to note that Dêuoi aren’t always going to be the main focus of such rituals. As Galatîs, and especially in BNG, there are many spirits other than deities with which we have encounters through more or less formal rites.
One of those which is less formal is that concerning the Tegatis, or “one of the house”. From Tegos “house”, and -atis “the one of”, such as in Toutatis “the one of the tribe”. Your house spirit. Of course this also applies if you live in an apartment.
House spirits aren’t something recorded from Gaul because household practices such as this weren’t really recorded. Though it is possible that the severed heads that some Gauls were known for keeping, or perhaps the bones of an ancestor helped serve this function. Or burying the body of a deceased family member within the premises of the homestead. Though we should not judge these ancient practices with modern eyes, they certainly aren’t legal in most places in the modern day. The Gauls were far from alone in doing this. But they are obviously not recommended practices to revive.
However, this is something found in many cultures including many of the neighbours of the Gauls at various points in time. One example is the Roman Lares. Amongst Germanic peoples the Anglo-Saxon Cofgodas, German Kobolds, and Swedish Tomte. The Slavic Domovoi are another example. Often customs related to such beings long outlasted the end of pre-Christian religions in Europe. Others like the Welsh Bwbachod, as well as English and Scottish Brownies are known later still.
The lore for all of these beings is different, of course. As the Tegatis in BNG may differ from the above listed as well, but exists in some similar veins.
As all things have spirits — a principle of Anationton or “Animism” — your dwelling is no exception. Therefore your, yes your home has a spirit. It is important to form a good relationship with that spirit. However, this is not the same as a formal rite in which we invoke a deity. You don’t need to invoke the Tegatis because they’re already there. They live in your home with you.
The Tegatis, when given offering and respect blesses and protects the home. In BNG, there is a synthesis of many origins for the Tegatis. As a known Gaulish take isn’t really to be found, we have taken the step to help establish this piece of Galatis folk culture. As the house spirit has a centuries, and more, long place in many cultures throughout the world. And so they come in many shapes and forms.
On the subject of house spirits, an excerpt from the aptly titled ‘Tradition of the Household Spirits’ by Claude Lecoteux (Kindle edition) has this to say:
“The house spirit therefore falls primarily under the jurisdiction of folk religion; he was part of our ancestors’ mental structures and embodied a transcendent element that people could turn to in need. It corrected adverse situations, redressed inequalities, and provided valuable assistance. In short, its existence offered reassurance because it gave physical expression to happiness and to the order without which nothing could prosper.”
And so it is in this tradition. Thus the Tegatis has a deep importance. Even if the way in which we may address this being is done in a less formal manner.
From the experience of members of BNG, the Tegatis actually asks for quite little in return for its blessings. Two things immediately come to mind. The first is to keep the house reasonably clean. After all, the Tegatis lives there as well. They tend to prefer a safe, clean place to live.
The second is regular offerings. As the Tegatis gives, the Cantos Ratî (Circle of Gifting) strongly suggests that we give something back. Whole milk, butter, oatmeal, porridge, incense, or coins tend to be safe offerings. But individual Tegatîs (the plural form of the word) may also have their own tastes and so it’s important to try to be aware of that.
One can fashion their own image of a Tegatis. Or a miniature of a gnome, dwarf, fairy (even in the way they are depicted these days) can work as well. There are many options here. They can be any gender. To offer to the Tegatis in the BNG way is quite simple. When speaking, a simple address, salutation, and offering are sufficient. As the Tegatis specifically blesses and protects the home.
A sample, in both Iextis Galation and English follows: | https://nouiogalatis.org/2020/06/17/tegobessus-2-house-spirit/ |
To address the problem for accuracy evaluation, we propose a systematic method. With MSE, a parameter to measure the accuracy in statistics, we design the accuracy evaluation framework for multi-modal data. Within this framework, we classify data types into three categories and develop accuracy evaluation algorithms for each category in cases of in presence and absence of true values. Extensive experimental results show the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed framework and algorithms.
Keywordsdata quality accuracy sensed data
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF. | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-07782-6_19 |
• Lead subject matter expert on Salesforce Experience Cloud capabilities, features and offerings.
• Participate in the technical design of Salesforce Experience Cloud and related software components
• Develop and implement governance for Salesforce Experience Cloud
• Drive UI changes to meet business persona needs
• Collaborate with the different product vendors/app groups while designing and implementing new changes
• Perform quality assurance on deliverables
• Recommend best practices to continually improve development practices
• Stay current with rapidly developing Salesforce ecosystem
• Conduct data analysis and optimizing performance of slowly running queries
• Drive configuration of all design, development, and deployment associated with assigned topics, including all technical configuration settings, administration settings, code reviews and provide overall Salesforce platform domain expertise.
• Drive standards for development and design techniques for infrastructure and/or enterprise architecture.
• Assist with solution project estimation, scope definition, resource allocation and formulating project timeline.
• Help the team plan and execute each sprint and assist with impediments to the sprint goal, and in identifying ways to unblock tasks as needed.
• Ensure software developed adheres to best practices and quality standards through code and design reviews
• Write quality documentation at both the code and business level
• Collaborate with non-technical sponsors and stakeholders to understand their requirements, and translate the requirements into well-architected solutions that best leverage the Salesforce platform and products
Basic Requirements
• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Engineering, Computer Science or related field
• The following certifications: Salesforce User Experience (UX) Designer
• At least 5 years’ experience working with Experience Cloud/Communities
• Additional preferred certifications: Salesforce Administrator, Platform Developer I
• Consulting background and experience with business process definition, gap analysis, and implementation of best practices is a plus
• Capability to work with a Technical Team to create interpret & implement business requirements into technical specifications, excellent communication and relationship management skills
• Strong UI design skills
Want to talk with us about Staffing and Recruiting? | https://www.stonyp.com/careers/JOB-5448/Houston/Senior-Salesforce-Experience-Cloud-Developer%20I |
One of the major causes of home fires, especially during the winter and Christmas holidays.
Candles provide great warmth and ambiance to any home. It is easy to forget that such a calming artifact is an open flame that can reach 1,400 °C. Most candle fires begin in the bedroom – with a mattress or bedding cited as the first item to ignite – except during the holidays, when more people use candles precariously too close to decorations. Furniture and plastics are also cited as the first items in the home to catch fire from a lit candle.
Statistics reveal that the most common causes of fire are:
- Leaving candles unattended.
- Falling asleep while a candle is lit.
- Using candles for light.
- Candles located too close to burnable objects.
- Candles knocked over by children, pets or sudden drafts.
Safety Tips
- Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.
- Keep lit candles away from items that can catch fire such as toys, clothing, books, curtains, Christmas trees and paper decorations.
- Place candles in sturdy, burn-resistant containers that won’t tip over and are big enough to collect dripping wax.
- Don’t place lit candles near windows, where blinds or curtains may close or blow over them.
- Don’t use candles in high traffic areas where children or pets could knock them over.
- Never let candles burn out completely. Extinguish them when they get to within two inches of the holder or decorative material.
- Never leave children or pets alone in a room with lit candles.
- Do not allow older children to light candles in their bedrooms. A forgotten candle or an accident is all it takes to start a fire.
- During power outages, exercise caution when using candles as a light source. Many destructive fires start when potential fire hazards go unnoticed in the dark.
- Never use a candle for light when fuelling equipment such as a camp fuel heater or lantern.
- Keep candle wicks short at all times. Trim the wick to one-quarter inch (6.4 mm).
- Be wary of buying novelty candles. Avoid candles surrounded by flammable paint, paper, dried flowers, or breakable/meltable containers.
- Extinguish taper and pillar candles when they burn to within two inches of the holder, and container candles before the last half-inch of wax begins to melt.
- When buying or using novelty candles, try to determine if they pose a potential fire hazard (if they contain a combustible component for instance). If they do, or if you suspect that they might, inform your local fire department.
- Use extreme caution when carrying a lit candle, holding it well away from your clothes and any combustibles that may be along your path.
The Law
- There are no legal standards or regulations for candles, including their make, design, safety features, location or use.
- Candles are not tested by a testing agency for safety before they are put on the market for you to buy. | https://shuniahfire.com/fire-safety-prevention/fire-safety/candle-facts/ |
The flower petals and leaves need to bo treated differently from the outline of the bag: these areas should be filled with a solid embroidery stitch. Satin stitch looks deceptively simple, but it takes practice to sew it neatly, Satin stitch can be worked in any direction. First, carry the thread right across the shape to be filled, and then return the needle under the fabric close to the point where it emerged, Build the stitches up close together so they lie flat and create an edge to the shape.
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Rock your personality in a dress you made yourself that reflects who you are, not what a department store thinks you want. Discover The Beginners Guide to Making Your Own Dress. You do not have to wear off the rack dresses any longer. You can make your own fashion statement on the world. | https://www.martelnyc.com/fashion-illustration/info-lfs.html |
Recent reports in the media highlighted concerns over the various facilities at schools and camps within Sime Darby Plantation Liberia’s (SDPL) areas. The Company is well aware of these concerns and are doing our best to address them.
SDPL would like to clarify that these issues are also part of the report by the Liberia House of Representatives ‘Special Legislative Investigative Committee’s Report on the Operation of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia’ The report contains a number of recommendations for SDPL to resolve the issues and the Company is already in the advance stages of implementing these recommendations.
As a responsible company, SDPL appreciates the spirit of the House of Representatives Committee’s report which encourages sustainable and equitable investments in Liberia. We affirm our genuine commitment to continue to work and improve relations with all related stakeholders to promote sustainable and inclusive development.
To date, the progress made by SDPL on the Liberia House of Representatives Committee’s recommendations are as follows:
Currently, a total of 44 hand pumps at estate camps are available of which 29 were constructed by NGOs earlier and fully maintained by SDPL’s engineering unit To date, only 3 units are under repair due to wear and tear on the pump cylinder and replacement of the stolen pump head.
SDPL would like to highlight that the water supply from all our hand pumps have been certified safe for drinking and fit for human consumption by the Ministry of Health & Welfare. The company also conducts monthly assessment of the water supply to ensure that it is well in accordance with WHO standard.
Currently a total of 108 latrines are available at estate camps and 31 units at schools.
Some latrines at the camp sites have malfunctioned due to clogging as a result of improper usage, as rags and paper are used as toilet paper. To-date 39 latrines have been repaired. Awareness on the proper usage of latrine will be intensified along with plans to provide water facilities next to existing latrine i.e poly tank with rainwater harvesting system.
SDPL has budgeted for year 2018 to construct an addition of about 70 latrines for camps and schools without dedicated latrine.
Progressive roofing replacement and housing rehabilitation will be carried out throughout the 1-year period.
Science laboratory and library are already available, however the equipment and upgrading works will be completed by June 2018. An annex for the cafeteria has been budgeted for construction in October 2018
Regular ambulance service is provided and is adequate to cater for all 4 Estates in SDPL during emergency cases, i.e from field to clinic and from clinic to Monrovia. An additional ambulance has been budgeted for in financial year 2018/2019 to enhance the service for employees and community
Those involved in the video are not employees of SDPL, with the exception of Boima Feika (Acting Chief Security) who underwent a domestic inquiry and has consequently been suspended. Boima Feika has surrendered himself to LNP and the case is currently under Police investigation. SDPL will also continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Justice to improve the standard of conduct and compliance, not only of our employees but also our partners from the local communities to be in line with the Liberia Law. This will entail initiatives to increase awareness on the importance of zero-violence, respect for human rights as well as codes of conduct policy and standard procedures manual. In addition to the above progress updates, to date, SDPL is also proud to be able to deliver other various development to the local communities in the country, including among others:
SDPL will continue to do its best to assist in the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the necessary and basic infrastructure and facilities in its areas of operation in Liberia. On that note, it is equally important for SDPL to reiterate that these development efforts will take time to materialise and must also take into account sensible consideration of the Company’s own business performance. 20 May 2018
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A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website. | https://simedarbyplantation.com/statement-in-response-to-report-concerning-facilities-securities-at-sime-darby-plantation-liberia-sdpl-areas/ |
Live Online Professional Development (LOPD) courses form a programme of innovative online courses, designed to enable teachers to develop their teaching with confidence in a convenient, stress-free way.
LOPD courses are delivered using a browser-based online classroom that allows participants to collaborate online in real time. The courses aim both to cover subject content common to all current specifications and to facilitate the exchange of teaching ideas. Rather than attending a one or two day course away from school or college, participants will use the internet to meet weekly online.
This course comprises 5 online sessions with an experienced tutor, each between 60 and 90 minutes in length and delivered in a small group of teachers allowing opportunities for interaction and discussion.
Aims
- To provide teachers who are already familiar with AS level pure maths with an opportunity to look at pedagogical approaches and engaging activities.
- To consider the use of technology in embedding key ideas and the style of recent examination questions.
- To provide opportunities to interact with the course tutors and other delegates in a small group to discuss subject content, resources and teaching ideas.
Who will benefit from attending?
Teachers who have previously taught the AS pure element of the A level Mathematics course or those seeking wider pedagogical approaches and resources.
It is not intended for those teachers wishing to re-learn mathematical techniques who would be advised to consider the AS Maths: Pure Absolute Beginners course instead.
Content
- Functions
- Differentiation
- Integration
- Trigonometry
- Logs & Exponentials
Materials and Equipment
You will need access to a good internet connection, using Chrome or Firefox as a browser. You will need a headset with a microphone to engage with the live sessions and most courses also require a means of sharing handwritten maths, such as a mini-whiteboard and webcam, a visualiser or a graphics tablet. Full details of how to set these up can be found on our online classroom support page. Access to GeoGebra and/or Desmos will be useful.
Other Information
The order of topics may be subject to change.
Eligibility
All teachers are eligible for this course, however free places are available only to teachers in state-funded schools, colleges and academies in England. Applications for free places will be checked to verify eligibility.
Teachers must ensure that they are able to attend the live sessions before applying for a place as our courses are subject to very high demand: please do not apply for a place if you will not be able to attend at least 75% of sessions. Further instances of our courses will be added to meet demand; if you are not able to attend 75% of the sessions in this course, you might like to consider completing our register of interest form (this is NOT an application form) and letting us know when would be better for you.
Cost
This course is free of charge to teachers working in state-funded schools, colleges and academies in England, otherwise the fee is £95.
Study Schedule
|Date||Session content|
|Wed 12 Jan||Functions|
|Wed 19 Jan||Differentiation|
|Wed 26 Jan||Integration|
|Wed 02 Feb||Trigonometry|
|Wed 09 Feb||Exponentials and logarithms|
Key Facts
Event ref:
#9249
Audience:
Teachers
Curriculum focus:
A level Mathematics
Mathematical focus:
Pure
Event format:
Live Online Professional Development
Online sessions:
5
Region:
National
Start date:
Wed 12th Jan 2022
Course times:
16:30 - 18:00
Fee:
Free for state-funded schools; £95 otherwise
Queries?
If you have any queries about this event, please do not hesitate to contact: | https://amsp.org.uk/events/details/9249 |
Jana Brike Goes "Soulsearching" @ Corey Helford Gallery
LA's Corey Helford Gallery presents Soulsearching, a solo show from Latvian surrealist painter Jana Brike, opening Saturday, August 10th.
Mostly using the traditional medium of oil painting on canvas, Brike's art focuses on the internal space and state of a human soul – dreams, longing, love, pain, the vast range of emotions that the human condition offers – and the transcendence of them all; the growing up and self-discovery.
Regarding her new series, Brike shares:
"To me, painting is a strange medium, where countless hours, days, weeks, sometimes even years of constant energy flow into a dedicated piece of work depicting a frozen moment in time. This time and energy is my personal soulsearching time. That alone can give that metaphysical feeling of a window into a world where time just flows differently and one second of the protagonist's time is a million years in our reality."
“Soulsearching consists of all new oil paintings. Through exploring the significance of feminity and transcending the darkness of personal life experiences, I create paintings that are autobiographical; visual poems about the connection to my own body, soul and path, the numinous quality of everyday life, and the curious exploration of natural, living organisms. Life, death, life after death, and rebirth create important themes. As does ecstasy, the shining of pure joy of living. Mysticism, magic, and dreams are mixed with 'real-life' in an inseparable entanglement. It is all a Soulsearching – shifting through your own mysterious depths in search of your truest self and answers to life's most important questions.”
About Jana Brike:
Growing up under Soviet occupation had a profound effect on everything from Brike's work ethic to aesthetic sensibilities. A self-described "reclusive and dreamy child," Brike showed burgeoning talent at a very young age. By 15 years old she was participating in international exhibitions, later going on to receive her Master of Arts degree from the Art Academy of Latvia in 2005.
Informed by everything from Russian Realism and Soviet animation to her Grandmother's religious postcards featuring biblical works of the European masters, Brike's surreal and haunting imagery is culled from folklore, fairytales and children's book illustrations. Her subjects embody a fantastical quality, illustrating what Brike views as the "forbidden imagery of Western pop culture" that took on a "mystical, almost religious tone for Soviet children."
Soulsearching opens Saturday, August 10th, with an opening reception from 7 to 11pm, and is on view through September 14th, 2019. Corey Helford Gallery is located at 571 S. Anderson St. Los Angeles, CA 90033. | https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/painting/jana-brike-goes-soulsearching-corey-helford-gallery/ |
Photo Credit: Alessandra Capodacqua
La Pietra is a Renaissance Villa, a Museum with over forty furnished rooms and a collection of masterpieces, from the Roman Age to the 1920s. But La Pietra is, above all, a home. Today it is the home of NYU Florence, where people meet, study, work and enjoy the beauty of the estate surrounded by its natural landscape; in the past it was the home of important Florentine families, like the Sassetti and the Capponi, and more recently the home of an Anglo-American family: Arthur Acton, Hortense Mitchell, and their children Harold and William. A perfect dialogue between past and present is difficult, but tangible here in the Villa and in the Garden where we strive to balance every day between conservation and creativity.
We study and work to preserve the collections and the collecting taste of the family but at the same time we welcome students, scholars, artists and authors to take inspiration from the Villa: a blend of history, artworks, taste, characters and stories set in a specific geographical and anthropological environment. Curators and conservators from Italy and the U.S. cooperate with the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage to maintain the historic interiors and collections, and keep the authenticity of the ambience; meanwhile our students interact with the museum every day with their classes or their individual interests. The Collection Office activities are based on the students’ direct participation: indeed their voices allow La Pietra to stay alive, to be a vibrant meeting place of cultures and ideas. Do not miss the opportunity to knock at the door and be part of the team.
Due to limited research space and staff time, appointments are required to access collection resources. Requests should be made well in advance, detailing material needed and reason for an on-site visit. Individuals wishing to conduct academic research on materials available within the collection should schedule an appointment with the Collection Manager Francesca Baldry.
Requests to obtain or publish images should be made via the following Request for Photographs and Video Reproduction form.
Public tours of the Acton collection are regularly scheduled throughout the year. Please see our visitor information page for more details.
Museum Studies graduate students enrolled in the M.A. program at NYU pursue internships at Villa La Pietra for credit in fulfilment of their program’s degree requirements. For the past several years, interns have participated in many ways: giving tours of the art collection, organizing concerts and other cultural events, and cataloguing the art collection. | https://lapietra.nyu.edu/collection-resources/ |
Sample preparation is an important step in chemical analysis. The present article gives an overview about the Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) as a technique for sample preparation for chromatographic analysis. Stir bar extraction, desorption steps and optimization of the extraction conditions like pH, extraction time, addition of an inert salt, addition of an organic modifier and stirring speed have been discussed. Extraction mechanism, advantages, disadvantages and some applications in water, environmental, pharmaceutical and food analysis have been also discussed. The application of SBSE can be considered as an attractive alternative to classical extraction methods by reducing the consumption of and exposure to the solvent, disposal cost, and extraction time.
There are four main steps in chemical analysis process, sampling, sample preparation, measurement, and data analysis. Sample preparation was probably the single and the most neglected area in analytical chemistry related to the great interest in instruments. The principal objectives of sample preparation for residue analysis are; isolation of the analytes of interest from as many interfering compounds as possible, dissolution of the analytes in a suitable solvent and pre-concentration. In an analytical method, sample preparation is followed by a separation and detection procedure. The selection of a preparation method is dependent upon: (1) the analyte(s), (2) the analyte concentration level(s), (3) the sample matrix, (4) the instrumental measurement technique, and (5) the required sample size [1-4]. Only few kinds of samples can be introduced to chromatographic analysis without any preparation. In these cases, the lack of reliable calibration is the major problem. Moreover, sample preparation allows the separation and/or pre-concentration of analytes and makes the determination methods more selective and sensitive. Sample preparation step requires ca. 61% of the total time to perform the complete analysis, and is responsible for about 30% of the total analysis error [5]. There are many sample preparation techniques for gas chromatography, but some of these methods suffer from inconveniences such as, lengthy separation, limitation of the volume of sample solution investigated, time consuming, multi steps, lower enrichment factor and consumption of organic harmful solvents [6]. Extraction with large quantities of toxic solvents is difficult to justify the multi-residue determinations and solventless sample preparation technique which should be favored [7]. There is a trend in modern analytical chemistry to combine extraction and pre-concentration of the analyte in a single step to keep the sample preparation time and the related errors at the minimum using solventless techniques as alternatives to liquid extraction. These methods include solid phase extraction (SPE), solid phase micro extraction (SPME), In-tube solid phase micro extraction, and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), which can combine sampling and pre-concentration in one step. Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) is being developed to deliver more sorptive-phase mass and surface area. In this technique, the phase, similar to gas chromatography (GC) stationary phases, is coated and bonded onto a magnetic stir bar. The stir bar is then immersed into the liquid sample for extraction [8]. The availability of different materials is one of the advantages that sorptive techniques have over other extraction techniques. [9] This technique was used for the first time by Baltussen et al. in 1999 [10]. There is a wide range of compounds which can be extracted successfully to trace analysis by SBSE such as pesticides, steroids, fatty acids, and drugs [11-15]. Stir bar overcomes the major disadvantage of SPME which is the amount of available phase. The large amount of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on the surface of stir bar relatively to SPME fiber enhances its sensitvity and the recovery of the analytes.
Extraction Procedure
Stir bars have three essential parts: (a) a magnetic stirring rod which is necessary for transferring the rotating movement of a stirring plate to the liquid sample, (b) a thin glass jacket that covers the magnetic stirring rod and (c) a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sorbent into which the analytes are extracted. The glass envelope which is essential to prevent the decomposition of the PDMS layer would otherwise be catalysed by the metals in the magnetic stirring rod [14,16].
Extraction step
In this step, the stir bar is added to the liquid sample and stirred. After extraction, the stir-bar is removed, rinsed with distilled water in order to remove other sample components, and then dried on a paper tissue to remove water. The partition coefficient of the solutes between the PDMS and the aqueous phase is controlling the extraction of solutes from the aqueous phase. The capacity of PDMS for the analyte is not influenced by the presence of large amount of water or other analytes, since all analytes have their own partitioning equilibrium into the PDMS phase [17,18].
Desorption step
The extraction step is followed by a thermal or liquid desorption before chromatographic separation and detection. Thermal desorption (TD) inserts the stir-bar in the heated GC injection and moves the desorbed analytes to the column for the next step.
Thermal desorption is used in case of thermally stable volatile and semi-volatile solutes and gas chromatography (GC), while Liquid desorption (LD) is the alternative when thermally labile solutes are analysed. Besides, the separation is carried out using liquid chromatography (LC). In liquid desorption, the stir bar is placed in a small amount of a proper solvent (GC) or the mobile phase (LC). LD methodologies has high sensitivity and reproducibility. The main drawback of the SBSE technique is the desorption step, especially to LC, because of the complexity in the automation [17].
Optimizing extraction conditions
There are many factors affecting the extraction process, the most studied are pH, extraction time, addition of an inert salt, addition of an organic modifier and stirring speed, followed by extraction temperature, sample volume and the volume of the acceptor phase [12]. Sample pH is the most important factor in order to control the form of the analyte to be extracted. Highly acidic or highly basic conditions are not recommended to extend the stir bar life time. Organic modifiers like methanol are used to reduce the adsorption of the analyte on the glass walls, but this amount must be optimized since addition of methanol may increase the solubility of the analyte in the aqueous phase. All these factors are well reviewed and discussed in details by Prieto et al. [12]. Addition of salts reduces the water solubility of polar organic analytes, and, therefore, increases their extraction efficiency, although high salt concentrations may decrease the extraction efficiency by increasing solution viscosity hindering analytes diffusion. Lancas et al. have reviewed the developments of SBSE with a focus on the development of new instrumental approaches and sorbent phases. They discussed many theoretical and technical details related to SBSE [18].
Optimization is normally accomplished by measuring analyte recovery as a function of the extraction time. The optimum conditions are obtained when no additional recovery is observed even when the extraction time is increased further [14].
Coated stir bar
In sorptive extraction, the properties of the extraction phase determine the extraction efficiency and selectivity. An ideal material for coating a stir bar should be capable of enriching the target molecules with high concentration factors, whilst leaving other interfering substances in the sample matrix. It is also worth mentioning that molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are tailor-made materials with high selectivity for a target molecule. Since only the PDMS is available as extraction phase on commercial stir bars, the large majority of applications use this coating. Attempts have been made to apply other coatings in recent years. For years, the only commercially available coating for SBSE was the non-polar polymer, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), meaning that SBSE was largely unsuitable for the direct extraction and analysis of polar compounds [19]. To overcome this limitation, polar coatings based on different materials prepared by sol–gel technology, monolithic approach, polyurethane foam or activated carbons have been tested as SBSE coating [11,20,21]. The crucial issues are associated with development of coating method to obtain stable and reproducible coating on the substrate with a magnetic core. Up to now, several coating methods have been reported for preparation of stir bars apart from the commercial PDMS tube jacketed on the glass [22-24]. Recently, SBSE stir bars with the polar coating materials polyacrylate (PA) and ethylene glycol-PDMS copolymer (EG-Silicone) have been marketed [25].
Applications of stir bar sorptive extraction
Water and Environmental analysis
The main advantage of SBSE is that it can be applied to recover trace levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile compounds.
Recently, SBSE has been applied to a range of compounds including volatile aromatics, halogenated solvents, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, preservatives, odour compounds and organotin compounds in many different kinds of water samples. This method has the potential to considerably reduce extraction and analyze time when compared with SPE or LLE [26,15]. Garcia-Falcon et al. optimized the conditions of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector, for determining eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water samples. Detection (0.5–7.3 ng/L) and quantitation (1.0–22 ng/L) limits were estimated and the method presented good linearity, good precision and sensitivity [27].
A stir bar coated with β-cyclodextrin-bonded-silica (CDS) as a novel sorbent has been developed and used by Faraji et. al. to analyze seven phenolic compounds in aqueous samples followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection. The porous structure of CDS coating provides high surface area and allows high extraction efficiency. Under the studied conditions, linearity range of 0.1–400 μg/L, limit of quantifications of 0.08–3.3 μg/L and method detection limits of 0.02–1.00 μg/L have been obtained. The recovery of different natural water samples was higher than 81.5% [28]. Silva et al. studied stir bar sorptive extraction with polyurethane (PU) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymeric phases followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection [SBSE(PU or PDMS)/HPLC-DAD] for the determination of six acidic pharmaceuticals [o-acetylsalicylic acid (ACA), ibuprofen (IBU), diclofenac sodium (DIC), naproxen (NAP), mefenamic acid (MEF) and gemfibrozil (GEM)], selected as non-steroidal acidic anti-inflammatory drugs and lipid regulators model compounds in environmental water matrices. The limits of detection and quantification were between 0.40–1.7µg/Land and 1.5–5.8µg/L, respectively [29]. SBSE procedures for pesticide residues in food and environment have been reviewed by Rojas et al. [15].
Pharmaceuticals
In recent years, Solid phase extraction (SPE) has increasingly been used to extract and estimate drugs, excipients, or degradation products in pharmaceutical formulations especially when a method needs to be stable indicating that the extraction involves a complex formulation matrix such as a cream. Despite obvious advantages of SPE, one of the major factors associated with this technique is its cost along with other problems such as clogging/plugging of cartridges, or channeling [30-33]. In contrast to conventional SPE with packed-bed cartridges, the SPME syringe assembly design allows the combination of all the steps of sample preparation into one step and thus reduces sample preparation time, the use of organic solvents and disposal costs. The foremost advantage of the technique is improved detection limits [34].
A new stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) technique coupled with HPLC-UV method for quantification of diclofenac in pharmaceutical formulations has been developed and validated by Kole et al. They used commercially available polydimethylsiloxane stir bars (TwisterTM) for the method development. The SBSE extraction recovery of the diclofenac was found to be 70% and the LOD and LOQ of the validated method were found to be 16.06 and 48.68 ng/ml, respectively. Furthermore, a forced degradation study of a diclofenac formulation leading to the formation of structurally similar cyclic impurity (indolinone) was carried out [35].
Kassem reviewed a significant number of applications for analysis of some important central nervous system drugs in biological fluids utilizing stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) technique covering the years from 2000 to 2008 and showing the advantages of this technique over the classical extraction techniques [36].
Food Analysis
Ridgway et al. made a comparison between static headspace analysis and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) for the quantitative determination of furan. The SBSE technique was optimized and evaluated using two example of food matrices (coffee and jarred baby food). The use of the SBSE technique in most cases gave comparable results to other methods like static headspace method, using the method of standard additions with d4-labelled furan as an internal standard. In using the SBSE method, limits of detection down to 2 ng/g were achieved with only a 1 h extraction [37]. Possible advantages of SBSE include the use of larger sample sizes compared to automated headspace methods and the increased robustness of stir bars as compared to SPME fibers. There is also the potential for ‘remote’ sampling using the stir bars, as extraction is performed off-line, also enabling the possibility of sampling at lower than ambient temperature.Compared to direct SBSE sampling, headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) may also offer some advantages, such as more selective extraction and hence a reduction in potential matrix affects [29]. The ongoing acceptance of sorptive extraction techniques into official methods clearly indicates that they offer satisfactory reliability and robustness for routine sample processing purposes [15, 38]. The most important limitations of SBSE are related to the manual performing of stir-bar removing from the sample, rinsing, drying and in some cases additional back extraction step in a proper solvent is needed.
Conclusion
Stir-bar solvent extraction (SBSE) is a simple analytical technique used for sample preparation to improve trace analysis. It is a valid alternative for many separation and pre-concentration procedures due to its high recoveries and concentration factors. The application of SBSE offers an attractive alternative to classical extraction methods by reducing the consumption of and exposure to the solvent, disposal cost, and extraction time. The performance of SBSE can be enhanced by stir bar surface coating to increase the extraction selectivity and sensitivity.
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Here is an excerpt from Connor Murray’s blog post, Bitcoin: A complex (decentralized) social network. Read the full piece on Powping.
Note: This piece was published over two years ago when Bitcoin acquired the ticker (BCH) and became known as Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin Cash and the ticker BCH now refer to Bitcoin SV and BSV.
This piece conveys what I have learned from studying Complex Social Complexities, a textbook by Fernando Vega-Redondo. As it happens, Bitcoin may be the most complex social network we’ve seen in history, and Vega-Redondo’s book allows you to understand why. My sincere thanks to Dr. Craig Wright for the recommendation of reading and to the countless individuals who have helped me shape my understanding of this network. I would also like to thank Christopher Ames for his help in making this much more readable. I hope this helps to understand and appreciate the innovative network with which we all interact.
Introduction
How do you read this article? How did it get from my laptop to your screen? By the time you read this, I’ll have posted it on Yours.org, tweeted the link out, and posted it in various other channels. At the time of writing, The BCH Boys podcast has 750 Twitter followers. Some of those followers have thousands of followers, and others have less than 100. Every person who may come into contact with this piece is a “niche” in a large social network. Looking at it this way, we could guess that we have 750 connections with 750 nodes. But are we? How many of those characters are logged in at the time we tweet the piece? How many of those characters will scroll right past the tweet and not even notice? How many will re-tweet to their followers (more goals), continuing the broadcast? If our intention is to spread this article as far as possible, the connections between people are more important than how many followers we have. When we tweet, only the people involved will see the tweet. You will only see this article if the people you follow share it. In Twitter’s social network, a tweet from Kanye West or Donald Trump would be more valuable than a tweet from almost anyone else because of their big following. In this way, not all goals have the same reach. The most valuable goals in the social network for the author are the most connected goals because they disperse the information contained in this piece into a larger set of goals than the less connected goals. If I want to maximize the reach of this article, I should target all nodes with high connectivity in the social network. In computer science, we would say that the edges, or the links, are more important than the number of nodes in a network. We call each node with a high number of loops, highly connected.
Bitcoin does not function differently. If you are a trader, you want the entire Bitcoin network to see your transaction so that the customer cannot pull off double spending. It is in your interest to broadcast the transaction to the highest connected nodes because more of the network will see the transaction faster. Not by accident, the most connected goals are ultimately the miners in the network. If you’re a miner, you’re in a race with every other miner in the network competing to solve the next hash puzzle and win the block prize. The thing is, you only get that block reward if the majority of miners start mining at the top of your block. As a miner, you have a clear motivation to be highly connected with the other miners in the network, so you can announce that as quickly as possible to the rest of the network when you find the block reward. Dr. Craig Wright has been adamant that what this creates is an almost complete small world network. Is he right?
To read the rest of Connor Murray’s piece, head over to Powping.
New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeek’s Bitcoin for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoin – as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto – and blockchain. | https://bitco.news/bitcoin-a-complex-decentralized-social-network.html |
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION (INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES) WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 June 2017
RECOMMENDED ALL-SHARE OFFER
for
THE PROSPECT JAPAN FUND LIMITED
(a non-cellular company incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 28863)
by
PROSPECT CO., LTD. (a company incorporated in Japan)
to be implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement under Part VIII of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008
Publication of Scheme Document
On 31 May 2017, the independent directors of The Prospect Japan Fund Limited (the "Independent TPJF Directors") ("TPJF" or the "Company") and the board of directors of Prospect Co., Ltd. ("Prospect") announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended share for share exchange offer to be made by Prospect for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of TPJF (the "Offer").
It was also announced that the Offer would be implemented by way of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement between TPJF and its shareholders under Part VIII of the Companies Law of Guernsey (the "Scheme").
The Independent TPJF Directors are pleased to announce that the scheme document (the "Scheme Document") in relation to the Offer is being posted, or made available, to TPJF Shareholders today, together with the Forms of Proxy for the Meetings and the Forms of Settlement. The Scheme Document sets out, amongst other things, the full terms and conditions of the Scheme, an explanatory statement, an expected timetable of principal events, details of the settlement process, notices of the Court Meeting and the TPJF General Meeting and details of the action to be taken by TPJF Shareholders.
As further detailed in the Scheme Document, in order to become Effective, the Scheme requires, amongst other things, the approval of a majority in number of the Scheme Shareholders present and voting in person or by proxy at the Court Meeting, representing not less than 75 per cent. in value of the Scheme Shares held by such Scheme Shareholders, together with the sanction of the Court and the passing of any additional resolution necessary to implement the Scheme at the TPJF General Meeting.
The acquisition also requires the approval of Prospect Shareholders at the Prospect ASM being held on 28 June 2017 at 10.00 a.m. (Tokyo time).
Notices convening the Court Meeting for 10.00 a.m. on 19 July 2017 and the TPJF General Meeting for 10.15 a.m. on the same date (or as soon thereafter as the Court Meeting is concluded or adjourned), to be held at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EG, are set out in the Scheme Document. Forms of Proxy, for use at such Meetings, are enclosed with the Scheme Document.
If the Scheme is duly approved by voting Scheme Shareholders, the specified resolutions are approved by TPJF Shareholders, all other Conditions to the Offer are satisfied or (if capable of waiver) waived, the Court sanctions the Scheme and the Scheme becomes Effective in accordance with its terms, it is currently expected that trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities of TPJF Shares will be suspended at 7.30 a.m. on 27 July 2017 and subsequently cancelled from listing and admission to trading at 8.00 a.m. on 28 July 2017.
It is important that, for the Court Meeting, as many votes as possible are cast so that the Court may be satisfied that there is a fair and reasonable representation of voting Scheme Shareholders' opinion. Voting Scheme Shareholders are therefore strongly urged to complete, sign and return the Forms of Proxy (once received) as soon as possible.
Capitalised terms in this announcement (the "Announcement"), unless otherwise defined herein, have the same meanings as set out in the Scheme Document.
Copies of this Announcement and the Scheme Document, together with information incorporated into it by reference to external sources, will be available free of charge (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons in certain overseas jurisdictions) on TPJF's website at www.prospectjapanfund.com up to and including the Effective Date. The contents of this website are not incorporated into, and do not form part of, this Announcement.
Timetable
The expected timetable of principal events for the implementation of the Scheme is set out below. If any of the key dates set out in the expected timetable changes, an announcement will be made through a Regulatory Information Service.
EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS
All references in this Announcement to times are to London time unless otherwise stated.
Prospect ASM
10.00 a.m. (Tokyo time) on 28 June 2017
Latest time for lodging the Pink Form of Proxy for the Court Meeting
10.00 a.m. on 17 July 2017(1)
Latest time for lodging the Blue Form of Proxy for the TPJF General Meeting
10.15 a.m. on 17 July 2017(2)
Latest time for lodging Forms of Settlement (White Form A or Green Form B)
10.30 a.m. on 17 July 2017(3)
Scheme Voting Record Time for the Court Meeting and the TPJF General Meeting
6.00 p.m. on 17 July 2017(4)
Court Meeting
10.00 a.m. on 19 July 2017
TPJF General Meeting
10.15 a.m. on 19 July 2017(5)
The following dates are indicative only and are subject to change:(6)
Last day of dealings in, and registrations of transfers of, and disablement in CREST of, TPJF Shares
26 July 2017
Scheme Record Time
6.00 p.m. on 26 July 2017
Suspension of listing of, and dealings in, TPJF Shares and disablement of TPJF Shares in CREST
7.30 a.m. on 27 July 2017
Court Hearing
9.30 a.m. on 27 July 2017
Effective Date of the Scheme
27 July 2017
Cancellation of listing and admission to trading of TPJF Shares
8.00 a.m. on 28 July 2017
Latest date for settlement and admission to trading of the New Prospect Shares due under the Scheme
10 August 2017
Longstop Date(7)
30 September 2017
(1) It is requested that Pink Forms of Proxy for the Court Meeting be lodged not later than 48 hours prior to the time appointed for the Court Meeting (noting that in taking account of this 48 hour period, no account shall be taken of any part of a day that is not a working day). Pink Forms of Proxy not so lodged may be handed to the Registrar or the Chairman of the Court Meeting before the start of the Court Meeting.
(2) Blue Forms of Proxy for the TPJF General Meeting must be lodged not later than 48 hours prior to the time appointed for the TPJF General Meeting (noting that in taking account of this 48 hour period, no account shall be taken of any part of a day that is not a working day). Blue Forms of Proxy not returned so as to be received by the time mentioned above and in accordance with the instructions on the Blue Form of Proxy will be invalid unless the Independent TPJF Directors direct otherwise.
(3) Either the White Form A or the Green Form B (as appropriate) must be received by the Receiving Agent by 10.30 a.m. on 17 July 2017 (or, in the case of any change to the Scheme Voting Record Time, by no later than 10.30 a.m. on the date on which the revised Scheme Voting Record Time falls).
(4) If either the Court Meeting or the TPJF General Meeting is adjourned, the Scheme Voting Record Time for the relevant adjourned meeting will be 6.00 p.m. on the day which is two days before the adjourned Meeting.
(5) Or as soon thereafter as the Court Meeting shall have concluded or been adjourned.
(6) These dates are indicative only and will depend, among other things, on the dates upon which Conditions are satisfied or (where permitted) waived or when the Court sanctions the Scheme (as appropriate). TPJF will announce any changes to these dates through a Regulatory Information Service.
(7) This is the latest date by which the Scheme may become effective unless TPJF and Prospect agree (and, if required, the Panel and the Court permit) a later date.
Stockdale Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for TPJF as financial adviser in connection with the Offer and other matters set out in this Announcement and for no one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than TPJF for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Offer and other matters set out in this Announcement. Neither Stockdale Securities Limited nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Stockdale Securities Limited in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.
Strand Hanson Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Prospect as joint financial adviser in connection with the Offer and other matters set out in this Announcement and for no one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than Prospect for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Offer and other matters set out in this Announcement. Neither Strand Hanson Limited nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Strand Hanson Limited in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.
Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (Corporate Advisory department), an investment banking arm of Mizuho Financial Group, which is regulated by the Japanese Financial Services Agency, is acting exclusively for Prospect as joint financial adviser in connection with the Offer and other matters set out in this Announcement and for no one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than Prospect for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Offer and other matters set out in this Announcement. Neither Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (Corporate Advisory department) nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (Corporate Advisory department) in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.
Further information
This Announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer or invitation, or the solicitation of an offer, to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to the Offer or otherwise nor will there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.
The Offer is being made solely pursuant to the disclosures and information contained in the Scheme Document which, together with the Forms of Proxy, contains the full terms and conditions of the Offer, including details of how TPJF Shareholders may vote at the Meetings in respect of the Offer.
TPJF urges TPJF Shareholders to read the Scheme Document because it contains important information in relation to the Offer, the New Prospect Shares and the Combined Group. Any vote in respect of the Scheme or other response in relation to the Offer should be made only on the basis of the information contained in the Scheme Document.
This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent document.
If you are in any doubt about the contents of this Announcement or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) if you are resident in the United Kingdom or, if not, from another appropriately authorised independent financial adviser.
Overseas jurisdictions
The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions other than the UK and Guernsey may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the UK and Guernsey should inform themselves about, and observe any applicable requirements. In particular, the ability of persons who are not resident in the UK or Guernsey to participate in the Offer may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. This Announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law and Guernsey law and with the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the UK and Guernsey.
The Offer is subject to the applicable requirements of the Companies Law of Guernsey, the Court (as a result of TPJF being incorporated in Guernsey) and the GFSC (as a result of TPJF being an authorised closed-ended investment scheme in Guernsey and regulated under the POI Law and the Authorised Rules), with the applicable requirements of English law, the Code, the Panel, the London Stock Exchange and the FCA (as a result of TPJF being listed on the London Stock Exchange) and also with the applicable requirements of Japanese laws, JASDEC, the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Japanese Financial Services Agency (as a result of Prospect being a Japanese company, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange).
The Offer may not be made directly or indirectly, in or into, or by the use of (electronic) mail or any means or instrumentality (including, but not limited to, facsimile, e-mail or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and no person may vote in favour of the Scheme by any such use, means, instrumentality or facilities. Accordingly, copies of this Announcement, the Scheme Document, the notices of the Court Meeting and the TPJF General Meeting, the Forms of Proxy, the Forms of Settlement and all other documents relating to the Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send them in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. All persons receiving this Announcement (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) should observe these restrictions and any applicable legal or regulatory requirements of their jurisdiction and must not mail or otherwise forward, send or distribute this Announcement in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction.
The receipt of securities pursuant to the Offer by Overseas Shareholders may be a taxable transaction under applicable national, state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each Overseas Shareholder is urged to consult their independent professional adviser regarding the tax consequences of accepting the Offer.
Further details in relation to Overseas Shareholders is contained in the Scheme Document.
Additional information for US investors
These materials are not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia). These materials do not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States.
The New Prospect Shares have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the "US Securities Act") or under the securities laws of any State or other jurisdiction of the United States. Accordingly, the New Prospect Shares may not be offered, sold, resold, delivered, distributed or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States absent registration under the US Securities Act or an exemption therefrom. The New Prospect Shares issued pursuant to the Offer are expected to be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act provided by Section 3(a)(10) thereof. There will be no public offer of New Prospect Shares in the United States.
TPJF is organised under the laws of Guernsey and Prospect is organised under the laws of Japan. All of the officers and directors of TPJF are residents of countries other than the United States, and most of the officers and directors of Prospect are residents of countries other than the United States. It may not be possible to sue TPJF and Prospect in a non-US court for violations of US securities laws. It may be difficult to compel TPJF, Prospect and their respective affiliates to subject themselves to the jurisdiction and judgment of a US court.
The Offer, to be implemented by way of the Scheme, is being made to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of a company incorporated in Guernsey by way of a scheme of arrangement provided for under Part VIII of the Companies Law of Guernsey. A transaction effected by way of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to the proxy solicitation or tender offer rules under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "US Exchange Act"). Accordingly, the Scheme is subject to the disclosure requirements, rules and practices applicable in the UK and Guernsey to schemes of arrangement and takeover offers, which differ from the disclosure requirements, style and format of US tender offer and proxy solicitation rules. If Prospect determines to extend the offer into the US, the Offer will be made in compliance with applicable US laws and regulations. Financial information included in this Announcement and the Scheme Document has been or will have been prepared in accordance with non-US accounting standards that may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the US. However, if Prospect were to elect to implement the Offer by means of a contractual offer, rather than the Scheme, such offer will be made in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including Section 14(e) of the US Exchange Act and Regulation 14E thereunder. Such offer would be made in the US by Prospect and no one else.
Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities commission of any state of the United States has approved or disapproved the Offer, nor have such authorities passed upon or determined the fairness of the Offer or the adequacy or accuracy of the information contained in this Announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.
If the Offer is required to be made in the US, it will be done in compliance with the applicable tender offer rules under the US Exchange Act.
Forward-looking statements
This Announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Prospect and/or TPJF and certain plans and objectives of Prospect with respect thereto. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements also often use words such as "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "believe", "hope", "aims", "continue", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could", or other words of similar meaning. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by Prospect and/or TPJF (as applicable) in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, future developments and other factors they believe appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty, because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future and the factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this Announcement could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to be correct and you are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as at the date of this Announcement. Prospect does not assume any obligation to update or correct the information contained in this Announcement (whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by the Panel, the Code or by applicable law.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results and are based on certain key assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Announcement. Neither Prospect nor TPJF undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.
There are several factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are changes in the global, political, economic, business and competitive environments, market and regulatory forces, future exchange and interest rates, changes in tax rates, and future business combinations or dispositions.
For a discussion of important factors which could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements in relation to the Prospect Group or the TPJF Group, refer to the annual report and accounts of the Prospect Group for the financial year ended 31 March 2016 and of the TPJF Group for the financial year ended 31 December 2016, respectively.
No statement in this Announcement is intended, or is to be construed, as a profit forecast, profit estimate or quantified financial benefit statement for any period. No statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings per TPJF Share or earnings per Prospect Share for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per TPJF Share or earnings per Prospect Share.
Dealing and Opening Position Disclosure requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of the offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
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Living StreamsSermonsWarfareThe Prophetic Acts in Warfare!
Today, we are focused on what we are experiencing – the power of prophetic acts in warfare! Are you aware of the fact that the enemy has been using this to steal, kill and destroy! It is time the church begin to fully understand and use the power of prophetic acts in warfare! The bible is full of them.
What is a prophetic act? It is a Prophetically Empowered Natural Act that releases Powerful moves and results in the Supernatural that will be manifested in the Natural! Paul in 1 Corinthians outlined a very important principle – 1 Cor 15:46 “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual”.
The principle is powerful – something we do in the natural realm when we are led by the Lord will then have powerful ramifications in the supernatural realm.
When you are listening to the sermon, pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do – a prophetic act/s that will impact the spiritual realm manifesting the results in the natural realm for you! Get ready for a new Breakthrough! Amen. | http://www.livingstreams.com/sermons/warfare/the-prophetic-acts-in-warfare/ |
Promoting and maintaining the natural beauty of our community, a fund of the Allegheny Land Trust. The mission of the Bradford Woods Conservancy is to promote education, appreciation and conservation of the community, and to encourage environmental stewardship of natural resources as they affect Bradford Woods and the surrounding communities. The Conservancy conducts several events throughout the year on how to educate residents and protect natural resources in the Borough.
For more information on the Bradford Woods Conservancy efforts, please email the Conservancy.
The installation of the Lake Loop Trail benches was a Conservancy project provided by a grant through Dominion. Richard Sorek, a resident who worked for Dominion, lead the project and grant work. He coordinated the volunteers to mulch the trail. There was a second day for bench installation in which resident volunteers installed the benches. Those volunteers for the bench installation was John Burdick, Richard Sorek, Shelly Muhlenkamp, Roger Clark, and Ward Allebach. The Borough thanks the Conservancy, Dominion, and especially Richard Sorek and Ward Allebach for the hard work installing benches on the Lake Loop Trail. | https://www.bradfordwoodspa.org/2155/Conservancy |
How To Care For Your Child’s TeethApril 22, 2019
Many parents struggle with keeping up with their children’s oral care. As they grow, their teeth change and need different care. It is important to know what to do at every stage. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you understand proper teeth care for every stage of your children’s lives.
When Should I Start Brushing My Child’s Teeth?
Good dental hygiene begins before your child’s teeth ever start to show. Even though you can’t see their teeth doesn’t mean they aren’t already there. Babies begin developing teeth during the second trimester of pregnancy. At birth, they have a full set of primary teeth developed in the jaw.
Here’s how to care for their teeth at every stage:
Before Teeth Appear- Even before your baby starts teething it is important to pay attention to their dental hygiene. Regularly wipe their gums with a damp cloth to remove any built-up bacteria.
When Teeth Appear- Once your baby has started developing teeth it is time to brush them. Use an infant safe toothbrush and fluoride free toothpaste. You should not use fluoride yet because your child cannot spit it out. You can also begin flossing when their teeth begin to touch.
Around age 3 – Children typically learn how to spit when brushing their teeth between 1-3 years old. At this point, it is safe to switch to fluoride toothpaste. However, do not let your child rinse their mouth with water, this could increase the risk of them swallowing fluoride.
Until age 8 – Children will typically want to start brushing on their own at an early age. If so, give them the independence to develop good oral hygiene habits by letting them brush by themselves. But be sure to brush their teeth again when they are finished and supervise for safety.
When Should They See a Dentist?
The ADA recommends that your child see a dentist by their first birthday. At the first visit, the dentist will explain proper flossing and brushing techniques, while your baby sits in your lap. A dentist can catch signs of problems, plan to prevent them, or fix them. Start bringing your child to the dentist at an early age, it will help establish good oral health later on. It can also prevent your child from having a fear of the dentist.
How to Avoid Cavities?
Cavities develop when particles of food or bacteria are left on teeth and gums and are not properly brushed away. Acid builds up on the teeth creating tiny holes, also known as cavities.
Here’s what to do:
Get Enough Fluoride- Once your child is old enough to use fluoride toothpaste it is important that they do so. Your child should be brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. The fluoride strengthens their tooth enamel, making it harder for acid to penetrate. Many cities have fluoride in their water system to help fight against cavities. Check your city’s water supply, if it does not have fluoride ask your dentist for fluoride tablets for an extra boost to fight against cavities.
Limit/Avoid Certain Foods- Sugary foods such as gummies, sticky candies, and juices should be limited or avoided altogether. These foods erode enamel and can cause cavities. If your child is eating sugary things make sure they are rinsing their mouth out with water or brushing their teeth 30 minutes after eating.
Looking Ahead
As your children grow, they need to see our dentist regularly, we recommend every 6 months. Make sure they are brushing twice a day, flossing often, and staying away from sugary foods. This will help them to have strong teeth and a healthy smile for life!
About Beall Dental Center
Beall Dental Center is now under the leadership and management of Dr. Bowen Beall, son of original founding partner Dr. Avery Beall and offers the latest in dental and aesthetic treatments with a commitment to providing the finest in patient service. | http://www.bealldentalcenter.com/how-to-care-for-your-childs-teeth/ |
The cafeteria is home to many students and staff at Kentucky Wesleyan College. With any small school, the number of places to eat are limited, especially with your student meal plan. Not only is the number of places to eat limited, but also the cafeteria itself is limited in its overall food selection. For those of you who eat at the cafeteria, I conducted a little survey. This was by no means a valid statistical random survey, but it was random from the standpoint that I surveyed multiple people, including students who were friends of mine and students whom I did not know previously.
Here is a little more information about the survey conducted. The five questions asked about the cafeteria are listed below:
- Why do you choose to eat at the cafeteria?
- It’s free
- No where else to eat
- Food is great
- Food isn’t great
- Other
- If you could choose any type of food to have at the cafeteria what would it be?
-
- Do you like the food the cafeteria serves?
- Yes
- No
- Sometimes
- What is your favorite day to come to the cafeteria?
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Should the cafeteria be open later at night?
- Yes
- No
- Other
Of the 70 surveys distributed, I received 30 surveys back. The results of the survey concluded that 70% percent of people said they ate at the cafeteria because it was free (Question 1). The most common answer for the type of food students would prefer to see was steak (Question 2). Also, 56% of people said yes they like the food the cafeteria serves (Question 3). The favorite day to visit the cafeteria is Tuesday (Question 4). Lastly, 90% of respondents would like the cafeteria to be open later in the evening (Question 5).
Now that the results have been tabulated, let’s get a closer look and see what we can do with the results. Our first question identified that most people eat at the cafeteria because it is free and that there are not many other options for students. The second question identified that students would like to see steak offered on the menu, and if it were, perhaps more students would buy meal plans. It was good to see that 56% of the students enjoyed the cafeteria’s food. This is important data because it says that more than half of the people enjoy the cafeteria. I would be more concerned if it were below 50%. This goes to show that the cafeteria does provide quality food and accommodates student needs. The results of the fourth question showed that students enjoy going to the cafeteria on Tuesdays. Why? Tuesday is known as Taco Tuesday. This shows us that students come on certain days because they know exactly what is being served and they like consistency. Lastly, the results of the fifth question showed a desire for the cafeteria to be open later each evening to accommodate the different schedules of students, including night classes and athletic practices and extra-curricular activities.
The cafeteria is a great place to get food and does its best to accommodate us students. The survey was intended to start the conversation regarding how people feel about the cafeteria in different areas. This survey was able to provide some input on what could be served in the cafeteria along with the desired hours of operation. Overall, this could be something to evaluate further with additional surveys in the future. If you have any suggestions, please contact me via email at [email protected]. | https://panogram.kwc.edu/1017/uncategorized/cafeteria-survey/ |
5 Crazy Things about Gravity, the Force that Keeps us Going
The law of gravity weighs similarly on every single being that lives on Earth, and well for that matter on anything on Earth, humans, animals, rocks, trees, etc…While it is a wonder that is completely natural, we frequently take for granted a lot of things and often remain unconcerned about a lot of things that matter a lot and gravity is one of those things. Here we have a few captivating particularities worth knowing about the force that keeps everything together.
Isaac Newton did not found the presence of gravity: he was in fact, who developed the laws describing the effects of gravity; the term "gravity" was utilized to define the force that gives weight to objects before Newton was born. Newton "simply" verified mathematically that it was a universal force and saw the effects of the invisible action at a distance.
A tunnel through Earth: What would happen? If you dig a tunnel crossing the complete planet from one point to another of its surface and jump inside, it would take precisely 42 minutes and 12 seconds to reach the other side where you would stop briefly before starting to fall through the tunnel in the opposite direction. In the first half of the journey a person would speed up due to gravity, and decelerate in the second half, but inertia always would lead towards the other side.
Gravity is in fact the feeblest of the forces we know: THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE, THE STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE, and THE WEAK NUCLEAR FORCE. Though gravity is what gives us weight, and is the reason of planetary orbits and the formation of stars, planets and galaxies.
Lack of Gravity? Did you know that you cannot cry in zero gravity? You cannot cry in space and if you try it pains. Also Astronauts gain up to 5 centimeters in height while in space due to the absence of compression on the vertebrae, due to the lack of gravity.
Want to lose some weight? Try Pluto
Even though Pluto is not a planet it’s a planet that is certainly interesting. Gravity on Pluto is so cool: A person that weighs about 70 kilograms on Earth would weigh less than 5 kilograms on the Dwarf Planet. On the other hand the planet that can make you feel fat is Jupiter which is the planet with the most devastating gravitational force. On Jupiter a person that weighs about 70 kilograms on Earth would weigh over 160 kilograms. | http://www.sensasisabahan.com/2015/10/5-crazy-things-about-gravity-force-that.html |
I mow my yard; I have since … well, since I was about 6-years old. When I was a kid, I did it as a way to make some cash. I could push a lawn mower around the yard for an hour and make $10: Yes, please. Fast forward to my adult days, its not as much fun when you’re not getting paid. When Kim and I were first married and living in the suburbs with a tenth of an acre, it wasn’t a big deal; I could mow the front and back yard in less than an hour. I even splurged and bought one of those self-propelled push mowers; I had finally arrived!
Years later when Kim and I bought 2.5 acres, I had to update my mowing game; It was time to buy a riding lawn mower (I, of course, called it a tractor … which it wasn’t). I couldn’t just buy any lawn mower, I needed a fast, zero-turn mower. That thing drives like an adult go-cart! It suddenly was fun to mow the yard again. That only lasted for a few weeks. In the last couple of years, my oldest son has grown enough and he can competently operate the riding lawn mower. Now, mowing the yard has become his source of income (I pay a bit more than what I was making as a kid).
What has been most interesting is to see the patterns and logic that of each of us use to mow the yard. I like to make long, straight lines and my son likes to make boxes. Neither of the approaches we use is wrong, they’re just different. It got me thinking about perspective in business. So often, I deem my perspective as the correct perspective when I look at a business problem. I’m really open to those on the direct team when they bring their expertise to the conversation; they have earned my trust and I respect their perspective. But, what I’m not very good at is listening to those who may be new to the team; I almost immediately assume their perspective is wrong. Why is that? Why is that our natural reaction to people?
Last week, I mowed the yard because my son wasn’t feeling well. As I was mowing the yard, I found myself looking at the “problem” (how to mow the yard most efficiently) in a different way; I did this because it had been a few months since I last mowed the yard. Stepping away from the problem and tackling it with a new perspective was incredibly helpful. I was able to reduce my mowing time by 15-minutes. Applying this to business, if we allow those new perspectives to come into our business conversations, it can be helpful in finding new ways to overcome problems. The next time you write-off someone’s perspective or point-of-view, pause and allow them to fully articulate their thought; allow that perspective to be a viable solution to the problem you’re trying to solve. | http://www.jeffhaddox.com/2019/04/ |
---
abstract: |
We describe an annotation initiative to capture the scholarly contributions in natural language processing (NLP) articles, particularly, for the articles that discuss machine learning (ML) approaches for various information extraction tasks. We develop the annotation task based on a pilot annotation exercise on 50 NLP-ML scholarly articles presenting contributions to the five information extraction tasks 1. machine translation, 2. named entity recognition, 3. question answering, 4. relation classification, and 5. text classification. In this article, we describe the outcomes of this pilot annotation phase. Through the exercise we have obtained an annotation methodology; and found eight core information units that reflect the contribution of the NLP-ML scholarly investigations. The resulting annotation scheme we developed based on these information units is called <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>.
The overarching goal of our endeavor is four-fold: 1) to find a systematic set of patterns of subject-predicate-object statements for the semantic structuring of scholarly contributions that are more or less generically applicable for NLP-ML research articles; 2) to apply the discovered patterns in the creation of a larger annotated dataset for training machine readers [@etzioni2006machine] of research contributions; 3) to ingest the dataset into the Open Research Knowledge Graph (ORKG) infrastructure as a showcase for creating user-friendly state-of-the-art overviews; 4) to integrate the machine readers into the ORKG to assist users in the manual curation of their respective article contributions. We envision that the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> methodology engenders a wider discussion on the topic toward its further refinement and development. Our pilot annotated dataset of 50 NLP-ML scholarly articles according to the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> scheme is openly available to the research community at <https://github.com/jenlindadsouza/NLPContributions>.
author:
- 'Jennifer D’Souza'
- Sören Auer
bibliography:
- 'sample-sigconf.bib'
title: |
<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>: An Annotation Scheme for\
Machine Reading of Scholarly Contributions in\
Natural Language Processing Literature
---
<ccs2012> <concept> <concept\_id>10002944.10011122.10003459</concept\_id> <concept\_desc>General and reference Computing standards, RFCs and guidelines</concept\_desc> <concept\_significance>300</concept\_significance> </concept> <concept> <concept\_id>10002951.10003317.10003318.10003319</concept\_id> <concept\_desc>Information systems Document structure</concept\_desc> <concept\_significance>500</concept\_significance> </concept> <concept> <concept\_id>10002951.10003317.10003318.10011147</concept\_id> <concept\_desc>Information systems Ontologies</concept\_desc> <concept\_significance>500</concept\_significance> </concept> <concept> <concept\_id>10002951.10003317.10003318.10003323</concept\_id> <concept\_desc>Information systems Data encoding and canonicalization</concept\_desc> <concept\_significance>500</concept\_significance> </concept> </ccs2012>
Introduction
============
As the rate of research publications increases [@stm], there is a growing need within digital libraries to equip researchers with alternative knowledge representations, other than the traditional document-based format, for keeping pace with the rapid research progress [@auer_soren_2018]. In this regard, several efforts exist or are currently underway for semantifying scholarly articles for their improved machine interpretability and ease in comprehension [@fathalla2017towards; @Jaradeh2019ORKG; @oelen2020generate; @vogt2020]. These models equip experts with a tool for semantifying their scholarly publications ranging from strictly-ontologized methodologies [@fathalla2017towards; @vogt2020] to less-strict, flexible description schemes [@Jaradeh2019ORKG; @oelen2019comparing], wherein the latter aim toward the bottom-up, data-driven discovery of an ontology. Consequently, knowledge graphs [@ammar2018construction; @auer2018towards] are being advocated as a promising alternative to the document-based format for representing scholarly knowledge for the enhanced content ingestion enabled via their fine-grained machine interpretability.
The automated semantic extraction from scholarly publications using text mining has seen early initiatives based on sentences as the basic unit of analysis. To this end, ontologies and vocabularies were created [@teufel1999annotation; @Soldatova2006AnOO; @constantin2016document; @pertsas2017scholarly], corpora were annotated [@Liakata2010CorporaFT; @Fisas2016AMA], and machine learning methods were applied [@liakata2012automatic]. Recently, scientific IE has targeted search technology, thus newer corpora have been annotated at the phrasal unit of information with three or six types of scientific concepts in up to ten disciplines [@handschuh2014acl; @augenstein2017semeval; @Luan2018MultiTaskIO; @lrec2020] facilitating machine learning system development [@Ammar2017TheAS; @luan2017scientific; @beltagy2019scibert; @ecir2020]. In general, a phrase-focused annotation scheme more directly influences the building of a scholarly knowledge graph, since phrases constitute knowledge graph statements. Nonetheless, sentence-level annotations are just as poignant offering knowledge graph modelers better context from which the phrases are obtained for improved knowledge graph curation.
Over which, many recent data collection and annotation efforts [@chemrecipes; @labprotocols; @mysore2019materials; @kuniyoshi2020annotating] are steering new directions in natural language processing research on scholarly publications. These initiatives are focused on the shallow semantic structuring of the instructional content in lab protocols or descriptions of chemical synthesis reactions. This has entailed generating annotated datasets via structuring recipes to facilitate their automatic content mining for machine-actionable information which are presented otherwise in adhoc ways within scholarly documentation. Such datasets inadvertently facilitate the development of machine readers. In the past, such similar text mining research was conducted as the unsupervised mining of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Schemas</span> (also called *scripts*, *templates*, or *frames*)—as a generalization of recurring event knowledge with various participants [@schank1977scripts]—primarily over newswire articles [@chambers2008unsupervised; @chambers2009unsupervised; @balasubramanian2013generating; @chambers2013event; @simonson2015interactions; @simonson2016nastea; @simonson2018narrative]. They were a potent task at generalizing over similar but distinct narratives–can be seen as knowledge units–with the goal of revealing their underlying common elements. However, little insight was garnered on their practical task relevance. Thus, with the recent surface semantic structuring initiatives over instructional content, a seemingly new practicable direction is realized that tap into information aggregation initiatives under knowledge themes which were seen as <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Scripts</span>.
Since scientific literature is growing at a rapid rate and researchers today are faced with this publications deluge [@jinha2010article], it is increasingly tedious, if not practically impossible to keep up with the progress even within one’s own narrow discipline. The Open Research Knowledge Graph (ORKG) [@auer2018towards] is posited as a solution to the problem of keeping track of research progress minus the cognitive overload that reading dozens of full papers impose. It aims to build a comprehensive knowledge graph that publishes the research contributions of scholarly publications per paper, where the contributions are interconnected via the graph even across papers. At <https://www.orkg.org/> one can literally view the contribution knowledge graph of a single paper as a summary over its key contribution properties and values, or in a tabulated survey over several papers with similar contribution properties. This safely addresses the knowledge ingestion problem for researchers. With the ORKG solution, researchers are no longer faced with the daunting obstacle of manually scouring through an overwhelming number of papers of unstructured content in their field. Using its contributions comparisons view, where the scouring would take several days or months, the task is reduced to several minutes. They can then simply deconstruct the graph, tap into the aspects they are interested in, and can enhance it for their purposes. Further, for additional details on systems and methods beyond the overview they can selectively choose to read the original articles, but equipped with a better knowledge of which articles they should read in depth. Of-course scholarly article abstracts are intended for this purpose, but they are not machine interpretable, in other words, they cannot be automatically organized or ordered; further, the unstructured abstracts representation still treats research as data silos, thus with this model, research endeavors, in general, continue to be susceptible to redundancy [@ioannidis2016mass], lacking a meaningful way of connecting structured and unstructured information.
Our Contribution
----------------
In this paper, we propose a surface semantically structured dataset of 50 scholarly articles structured for their research contributions in the field of natural language processing focused on machine learning applications (NLP-ML) across five different information extraction tasks to be integrable within the ORKG. To this end, we (1) identify sentences in scholarly publications that reflect research contributions; (2) create structured (subject,predicate,object) annotations from these sentences by identifying mentions of the contribution candidate entities and their relations; and (3) group collections of such triples, that arise from either consecutive or non-consecutive sentences, under one of eight core information units that reflect the contribution of NLP-ML scholarly articles. These core information units are posited as thematic scripts [@schank1977scripts].
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> scheme has the following characteristics: (1) via a contribution centered model, they make realistic the otherwise forbidding task of semantically structuring full-text scholarly articles–our task only needs a surface structuring of the highlights of the approach which often can be found in a paragraph in the Introduction and of the main results obtained; (2) it posits a structuring methodology for the community, albeit still encompassing subjective decisions to a certain degree, thus presenting a uniform model in the way the contributions are structured–note that without a uniform model, such modeling decisions may not end up being comparable across users and their modeled papers (see Figure \[fig:fig1\]); (3) the dataset is annotated in JSON format since it preserves relation hierarchies; (4) the annotated data we produce can be practically leveraged within the ORKG model from where, in this secondary application, it obtains a paper-centered view or a survey view as tabulated comparison of various papers having similar contribution properties. With the integration of our annotated data within the ORKG, we aim to address the tedious and time-consuming scholarly knowledge ingestion problem, and subsequently, within the ORKG, research progress is no longer contained as information silos.
Background and Related Work
===========================
#### **Sentence-based Annotations of Scholarly Publications**
Early initiatives in semantically structuring scholarly publications focused on sentences as the basic unit of analysis. In these sentence-based annotation schemes, all annotation methodologies [@teufel1999annotation; @teufel2009towards; @Liakata2010CorporaFT; @Fisas2016AMA] have had very specific aims for scientific knowledge capture. Seminal works in this direction consider the CoreSC (Core Scientific Concepts) sentence-based annotation scheme [@Liakata2010CorporaFT]. This scheme aimed to model in finer granularity, i.e. at the sentence-level, concepts that are necessary for the description of a scientific investigation, while traditional approaches employ section names serving as coarse-grained paragraph-level annotations. Such semantified scientific knowledge capture was apt at two levels: highlighting selected sentences within computer-based readers, and section-level annotations being too coarse-grained for such a purpose–it is possible that in a <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> section, the author may also provide some *background* information. As another sentence-based scheme is the Argument Zoning( AZ) scheme [@teufel2009towards]. This scheme aimed at modeling the rhetorics around knowledge claims between the current work and cited work. They used semantic classes as “Own\_Method,” “Own\_Result,” “Other,” “Previous\_Own,” “Aim,” etc., each elaborating on the rhetorical path to various knowledge claims. This latter scheme was apt for citation summaries, sentiment analysis and the extraction of information pertaining to knowledge claims. In general, such complementary aims for the sentence-based semantification of scholarly publications can be fused to generate more comprehensive summaries.
#### **Phrase-based Annotations of Scholarly Publications**
The trend towards scientific terminology mining methods in NLP steered the release of phrase-based annotated datasets in various domains. An early dataset in this line of work was the ACL RD-TEC corpus [@handschuh2014acl] which identified seven conceptual classes for terms in the full-text of scholarly publications in Computational Linguistics, viz. *Technology and Method*; *Tool and Library*; *Language Resource*; *Language Resource Product*; *Models*; *Measures and Measurements*; and *Other*. Similar to terminology mining is the task of scientific keyphrase extraction. Extracting keyphrases is an important task in publishing platforms as they help recommend articles to readers, highlight missing citations to authors, identify potential reviewers for submissions, and analyse research trends over time. Scientific keyphrases, in particular, of type *Processes*, *Tasks* and *Materials* were the focus of the SemEval17 corpus annotations [@augenstein2017semeval]. The dataset comprised annotations of the full text articles in Computer Science, Material Sciences, and Physics. Following suit was the SciERC corpus [@Luan2018MultiTaskIO] of annotated abstracts from the Artificial Intelligence domain. It included annotations for six concepts, viz. *Task*, *Method*, *Metric*, *Material*, *Other-Scientific Term*, and *Generic*. Finally, in the realm of corpora having phrase-based annotations, was the recently introduced STEM-ECR corpus [@lrec2020] notable for its multidisciplinarity including the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine domains. It was annotated with four generic concept types, viz. *Process*, *Method*, *Material*, and *Data* that mapped across all domains, and further with terms grounded in the real-world via Wikipedia/Wiktionary links.
Next, we discuss related works that semantically model instructions where the overarching scientific knowledge captured is an end-to-end semantification of an experimental process.
#### **Shallow Semantic Structural Annotations of Instructional Content in Scholarly Publications**
Increasingly, text mining initiatives are seeking out recipes or formulaic semantic patterns to automatically mine machine actionable information from scholarly articles [@chemrecipes; @labprotocols; @mysore2019materials; @kuniyoshi2020annotating].
In [@labprotocols], they annotate wet lab protocols, covering a large spectrum of experimental biology, including neurology, epigenetics, metabolomics, cancer and stem cell biology, with actions corresponding to lab procedures and their attributes including materials, instruments and devices used to perform specific actions. Thereby the protocols then constitute a prespecified machine-readable format as opposed to their previous ad-hoc documentation. [@labprotocols] even release a large human-annotated corpus of semantified wet lab protocols to facilitate machine learning of such shallow semantic parsing over natural language instructions. Within scholarly articles, such instructions are typically published in the Materials and Method section in Biology and Chemistry fields.
Along similar lines, inorganic materials synthesis reactions and procedures continue to reside as natural language descriptions in the text of journal articles. There is a growing impetus in such fields to find ways to systematically reduce the time and effort required to synthesize novel materials that presently remains one of the grand challenges in the field. In [@chemrecipes; @mysore2019materials], to facilitate machine learning models for automatic extraction of materials syntheses from text, they present datasets of synthesis procedures annotated with semantic structure by domain experts in Materials Science. The types of information captured include synthesis operations (i.e. predicates), and the materials, conditions, apparatus and other entities participating in each synthesis step.
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> annotation methodology proposed in this paper draws on each of the earlier categorizations of related work. **First**, the full-text of scholarly articles including the Title and the Abstract section are annotated at the sentence-level with the aim of annotated sentences being only those restricted to the contributions of the investigation. While we say that we annotate the full-text of the article, we are essentially focusing in detail only on specific sections of the article such as the Abstracts, Introduction and Results sections. We resort to a light modeling of the Approach/System description section only if the Introduction does not contain the pertinent highlights of the proposed model. We skip the Background, Related Work, and Conclusion sections altogether. These sentences are then grouped under one of eight main information units, viz. <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Objective</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tasks</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Hyperparameters</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Baselines</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>, and <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">AblationAnalysis</span>. Each of these units are defined in detail in the next section. **Second**, from the grouped contribution-centered sentences, we perform phrase-based annotations for (subject, predicate, object) triples to model in a knowledge graph. And **Third**, the resulting dataset has an overarching objective, that of capturing the contribution of the scholarly article and, in particular, to facilitate the training of machine readers for the purpose along the lines of the machine-interpretable wet-lab protocols.
The NLPContributions Model
==========================
Goals
-----
The development of the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> annotation scheme was backed by four primary goals:
1. We aim to produce a semantic representation based on existing work, that can be well motivated as an annotation scheme for the application domain of NLP-ML scholarly articles, and is specifically aimed at the knowledge capture of the contributions in scholarly articles;
2. The annotated scholarly contributions based on <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> should be integrable in the Open Research Knowledge Graph (ORKG)[^1]–the state-of-the-art knowledge capturing platform for contributions in scholarly articles;
3. The resulting annotated corpus should be useful for training machine learning models in the form of machine readers [@etzioni2006machine] of scholarly contributions to automatically extract such information for downstream applications, either in completely automated or semi-automated workflows within recommenders; and
4. The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> model should be amenable to feedback via a consensus approval or content annotation change suggestions from a large group of authors toward their scholarly article contribution descriptions (an experiment that is beyond the scope of the present work; which will be addressed in the course of the year).
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> annotation model is designed for building a knowledge graph. It is not ontologized, therefore we assume a bottom-up data-driven design toward ontology discovery as more annotated contributions data is available. Nonetheless, we do propose a core skeleton model for organizing the information. This involves a root node called <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Contribution</span> and at the first level of the subsequent knowledge graph, eight nodes representing core information units for modeling the scholarly contributions in NLP-ML articles.
The Eight Core Information Units
--------------------------------
In this section, we describe the eight information units in our model further describing and refining the topmost node <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Contribution</span>.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span>**
determines the research challenge addressed by a contribution using the predicate *hasResearchProblem*. By definition, it is the focus of the research investigation, in other words, *the issue for which the solution must be obtained.*
The task entails identifying only the research problem addressed in the paper and not research problems in general. For instance, in the paper proposing the BioBERT word embedding model [@lee2020biobert] that is custom-trained on biomedical articles for boosting the performance on biomedical text mining tasks, their research problem is only the domain-customization of BERT and not biomedical text mining, which in this case is a secondary objective. Noting “biomedical text mining” is an NLP research problem in general, it is not the primary focus of this paper.
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span> is typically found in an article’s Title, Abstract and first few paragraphs of the Introduction. The task involves annotating one or more sentences and precisely the research problem phrase boundaries in the sentences.
The subsequent information objects are connected to <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Contribution</span> via the generic predicate *has*.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span>**
comprises the following more specific concepts: <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Model</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Method</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Architecture</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">System</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Application</span>. Essentially, this is the contribution of the paper as *the solution proposed for the research problem*.
The annotations are made only for the high-level overview of the approach without going into system details. Therefore, the equations associated with the model and all the system architecture figures are not part of the annotations. While annotating the earlier <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span> did not involve semantic annotation granularity beyond one level, annotating the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span> can. Sometimes the annotations (one or multi-layered) are created using the elements within a single sentence itself (see Figure \[fig:eg1\]); at other times, if they are multi-layered semantic annotations, they are formed by bridging two or more sentences based on their coreference relations. For the annotation element content itself, while, in general, the subject, predicate, and object phrases are obtained directly from the sentence text, at times the predicate phrases have to be introduced as generic terms such as “has” or “on” or “has description” wherein the latter predicate is used for including, as objects, longer text fragments within a finer annotation granularity to describe the top-level node. The actual type of approach is restricted to those sub-types stated in the beginning of the paragraph and is decided based on the the reference to the solution used by the authors or the solution description section name itself. If the reference to the solution or its section name is specific to the paper, such as ‘Joint model,’ then we rename it to just ‘Model.’ In general, any alternate namings of the solution, other than those mentioned earlier, including “idea”, are normalized to “Model.” Finally, as machine learning solutions, they are often given names. E.g., the model BioBERT [@lee2020biobert], in which case we introduce the predicate ‘called,’ as in (Method, called, BioBERT).
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span> is found in the article’s Introduction section in the context of cue phrases such as “we take the *approach*,” “we propose the *model*,” “our system *architecture*,” or “the *method* proposed in this paper.” However, there are exceptions when the Introduction does not present an overview of the system, in which case we analyze the first few lines within the main system description content in the article.
![Fine-grained modeling illustration from a single sentence for part of an <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span> proposed in [@bordes2014open].[]{data-label="fig:eg1"}](images/example1.png){height="6.8cm"}
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Objective</span>**
This is the *defined function for the machine learning algorithm to optimize over*.
In some cases, the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span> objective is a complex function. In such cases, it is isolated as a separate information object connected directly to the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Contribution</span>.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span>**
has the alternate name <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Hyperparameters</span>. It includes details about the platform including both hardware (e.g., GPU) and software (e.g., Tensorflow library) for implementing the machine learning solution; and of variables, that determine the network structure (e.g., number of hidden units) and how the network is trained (e.g., learning rate), for tuning the software to the task objective.
Recent machine learning models are all neural based and such models have several associated variables such as hidden units, model regularization parameters, learning rate, word embedding dimensions, etc. Thus to offer users a glance at the contributed system, this aspect is included in <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>. We only model the experimental setup that are expressed in a few sentences or that are concisely tabulated. There are cases when the experimental setup is not modeled at all within <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>. E.g., for the complex “machine translation” models that involve many parameters. Thus, whether the experimental setup should be modeled or not, may appear as a subjective decision, however, over the course of several annotated articles becomes apparent especially when the annotator begins to recognize the simple sentences that describe the experimental setup.
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span> unit is found in the sections called Experiment, Experimental Setup, Implementation, Hyperparameters, or Training.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>**
can have alternate names restricted to the following: <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalResults</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">QuantitativeAnalysis</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Evaluation</span>.
In scholarly articles, the overview of experimental results are highlighted for its main findings as the article text. Each <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Result</span> unit involves some of the following elements: {dataset, metric, task, performance score}. Regardless of how the sentence(s) are written involving these elements, we assume the following precedence order: \[dataset -> task -> metric -> score\] or \[task -> dataset -> metric -> score\], as far as it can be applied without significantly changing the information in the sentence. Consider this illustrated in Figure \[fig:eg2\]. In the figure, the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">JSON</span> is arranged starting at the dataset, followed by the task, then the metric, and finally the actual reported result. While this information unit is named per those stated in the earlier paragraph, if in a paper the section name is non-generic, e.g., “Main results,” “End-to-end results,” it is normalized to a default name “Results.”
![Illustration of modeling of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Result</span> (from [@zhang2018sentence]) w.r.t. a precedence of its elements as \[dataset -> task -> metric -> score\].[]{data-label="fig:eg2"}](images/resulteg1.png){height="5cm"}
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> unit is found in the Results, Experiments, or Tasks sections. While the results are often highlighted in the Introduction, unlike the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span> unit, in this case, we annotate the dedicated, detailed section on Results because results constitute a primary aspect of the contribution.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tasks</span>**
: Models, particularly in multi-task settings, are tested on more than one task, in which case, we list all the experimental tasks. The experimental tasks are often synonymous with the experimental datasets since it is common in NLP for tasks to be defined over datasets.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Experiments</span>**
is an encompassing information unit that includes one or more of the earlier discussed units. Can include a combination of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span> and <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>, or it can be combination of lists of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tasks</span> and their <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>, or a combination of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span> and <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>. Where lists of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tasks</span> are concerned, the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tasks</span> can include the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span>.
Recently, more and more multitask systems are being developed. Consider, the BERT model [@bert]. Therefore, modeling <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span> with <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tasks</span> with <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> is necessary in such systems since the experimental setup often changes per task producing a different set of results. Hence, this information unit was needed.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">AblationAnalysis</span>**
is a form of <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> that describes the performance of components in systems. Unlike <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">AblationAnalysis</span> is not performed in all papers. Further, in papers that have them, we only model these results if they are expressed in a few sentences, similar to our modeling decision for <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Hyperparameters</span>. The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">AblationAnalysis</span> information unit is found in the sections that have Ablation in their title. Otherwise, it can also be found in the written text without having a dedicated section for it. For instance, in the paper “End-to-End Relation Extraction using LSTMs on Sequences and Tree Structures” [@miwa2016end] there is no section title with Ablation, but this information is extracted from the text via cue phrases that indicate ablation results are being discussed.
#### **<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Baselines</span>**
are those listed systems that a proposed approach is compared against.
The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Baselines</span> information unit is found in sections that have Baseline in their title. Otherwise, it can also be found in sections that are not directly titled Baseline, but require annotator judgement to infer that baseline systems are being discussed. For instance, in the paper “Extracting Multiple-Relations in One-Pass with Pre-Trained Transformers,” [@wang2019extracting] the baselines are discussed in subsection ‘Methods.’ Or in paper “Outrageously large neural networks: The sparsely-gated mixture-of-experts layer,” [@shazeer2017outrageously], the baselines are discussed in a section called “Previous State-of-the-Art.”
Of these eight information units, only three are mandatory. They are <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span>, and <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>; the other five may or may not be present depending on the content of the article.
Contribution Sequences within Information Units
-----------------------------------------------
Except for <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span>, each of the remaining seven information units encapsulate different aspects of the contributions of scholarly investigations in the NLP-ML domain; with the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span> offering the primary contribution context. Within the seven different aspects, there are what we call Contribution Sequences.
Here, with the help of an example depicted in Figure \[fig:eg3\] we illustrate the notion of contribution sequences. In this example, we model contribution sequences in the context of the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span> information unit. In the figure, this information unit has two contribution sequences. The first connected by predicate ‘used’ to the object ‘BERTBase model,’ and the second, also connected by predicate ‘used’ to the object ‘NVIDIA V100 (32GB) GPUs.’ The ‘BERTBase model’ contribution sequence includes a second level of detail expressed via two different predicates ‘pre-trained for’ and ‘pre-trained on.’ As a model of scientific knowledge, the triple with the entities connected by the first predicate, i.e. (BERTBase model, pre-trained for, 1M steps) reflects that the ‘BertBase model’ was pretrained for 1 million steps. The second predicate produces two triples: (BERTBase model, pre-trained on, English Wikipedia) and (BERTBase model, pre-trained on, BooksCorpus). In each case, the scientific knowledge captured by these two triples is that BERTBase was pretrained on {Wikipedia, BooksCorpus}. Note in the JSON data structure, the predicate connects the two objects as an array. Next, the second contribution sequence, hinged at ‘NVIDIA V100 (32GB) GPUs’ as the subject has two levels of granularity. Consider the following three triples: (NVIDIA V100 (32GB) GPUs, used, eight) and (eight, for, pre-training). Note, in this nesting pattern, except for ‘NVIDIA V100 (32 GB) GPUs,’ the predicates {used, for} and remaining entities {eight, pre-training} are nested according to their order of appearance in the written text. Therefore, in conclusion, an information unit can have several contribution sequences, and the contribution sequences need not be identically modeled. For instance, our second contribution sequence is modeled in a fine grained manner, i.e. in multiple levels. And when fine-grained modeling is employed, it is relatively straightforward to spot in the sentence(s) being modeled.
![Illustration of the modeling of Contribution Sequences in the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Experimental Setup</span> Information Unit (from [@lee2020biobert]). []{data-label="fig:eg3"}](images/example2.png){height="11cm"}
The Pilot Annotation Task
=========================
The pilot annotation task was performed by a postdoctoral researcher with a background in natural language processing. The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> model or scheme just described, were developed over the course of the pilot task. At a high-level, the annotations were performed in three main steps. They are presented next, after which we describe the annotation guidelines.
Pilot Task Steps
----------------
[**(a) Contribution-Focused Sentence Annotations.**]{} In this stage, sentences from scholarly articles were selected as candidate contribution sentences under each of the aforementioned mandatory three information units (viz., <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ResearchProblem</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span>, and <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span>) and, if applicable to the article, for one or more of the remaining five information units as well.
To identify the contribution sentences in the article, the full-text of the article is searched. However, as discussed at the end of Section 2, the Background, Related Work, and Conclusions sections are entirely omitted from the search. Further, the section discussing the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span> or the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">System</span> is only referred to when the Introduction section does not offer sufficient highlights of this information unit. In addition, except for tabulated hyperparameters, we do not consider other tables for annotation within the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> model.
To better clarify the pilot task process, in this subsection, we use Figure \[fig:eg2\] as the running example. From the example, at this stage, the sentence “For NER (Table 7), S-LSTM gives an F1-score of 91.57% on the CoNLL test set, which is significantly better compared with BiLSTMs.” is selected as one of the contribution sentence candidates as part of the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> information unit. This sentence is selected from a Results subsection in [@zhang2018sentence], but is just one among three others.
[**(b) Chunking Phrase Spans for Subject, Predicate, Object Entities.**]{} Then for the selected sentences, we annotate their scientific knowledge entities. The entities are annotated by annotators having an implicit understanding of whether they take the subject, predicate, or object roles in a per triple context. As a note, by our annotation scheme, predicates are not mandatorily verbs and can be nouns as well.
Resorting to our running example, for the selected sentence, this stage involves annotating the phrases “For,” “NER,” “F1-score,” “91.57%,” and “CoNLL test set,” with the annotator cognizant of the fact that they will use the \[dataset -> task -> metric -> score\] scientific entity precedence in the next step.
[**(c) Creating contribution sequences.**]{} This involves relating the subjects and objects within triples, which as illustrated in Section 3.3, the object in one triple can be a subject in another triple if the annotation is performed at a fine-grained level of detail. For the most part, the nesting is done per order of appearance of the entities in the text, except for those involving the scientific entities {dataset, task, metric, score} under the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> information unit.
In the context of our running example, given the early annotated scientific entities, in this stage, the annotator will form the following two triples: (CoNLL test set, For, NER), (NER, F1-score, 91.57%) as a single contribution sequence. What is not depicted in Figure 1 are the top-level annotations including the root node and one of the eight information unit nodes. This is modeled as follows: (Contribution, has, Results), and (Results, has, CoNLL test set).
Task Guidelines
---------------
In this section, we elicit a set of general guidelines that inform the annotation task.
[***How are information unit names selected?***]{} For information units such as <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Approach</span>, <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span>, and <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Results</span> that each have a set of candidate names, the applied name is the one selected based on the closest section title or cue phrase.
[***Which of the eight information units does the sentence belong to?***]{} Conversely to the above, if a sentence is first identified as a contribution sentence candidate, it is placed within the information unit category that is identified directly based on the section header for the sentence in the paper or inferred from cue phrases from the first few sentences in its section.
[***Inferring Predicates.***]{} In ideal settings, the constraint on the text used for subjects, objects, and predicates in contribution sequences is that they should be found in their corresponding sentence. However, for predicates this is not always possible. Since predicate information may not always be found in the text, it is sometimes annotated additionally based on the annotator judgment. However, even this open-ended choice remains restricted to a predefined set of candidates. It includes {“has”, “on”, “by”, “for”, “has value”, “has description”, “based on”, “called”}.
[***How are the supporting sentences linked to their corresponding contribution sequence within the overall JSON object?***]{} The sentence(s) is stored in a dictionary with a “from sentence” key, which is then attached to either the first element or, if it is a nested triples hierarchy, sometimes even to the second element of a contribution sequence. The dictionary data-type containing the evidence sentence is either put as an array element, or as a nested dictionary element.
[***Are the nested contribution sequences always obtained from a single sentence?***]{} The triples can be nested based on information from one or more sentences in the article. Further, the sentences need not be consecutive in the running text. As mentioned earlier, the evidence sentences are attached to the first element or the second element by the predicate “from sentence.” If a contribution sequence is generated from a table then the table number in the original paper is referenced.
[***When is the Approach actually modeled from the dedicated section as opposed to the Introduction?***]{} In general, we avoid annotating the Approach or Model sections for their contribution sentences as they tend to delve deeply into the approach or model details, and involve complicated elements such as equations, etc. Instead, we restrict ourselves to the system higlights in the Introduction. However, in some articles the Introduction doesn’t offer system highlights which is when we resort to using the dedicated section for the contribution highlights in this mandatory information unit.
[***Do we explore details about hardware used as part of the contribution?***]{} Yes, if it is explicitly part of the hyperparameters.
[***Are predicates always verbs?***]{} Predicates are not always verbs. They can also be nouns especially in the hyperparameters section.
[***Creating contribution sequences from tabulated hyperparameters.***]{} Only for hyperparameters, we model their tabulated version if given. This is done as follows: 1) for the predicate, we use the name of the parameter; and 2) for the object, the value against the name. Sometimes, however, if there are two-level hierarchical parameters, then the predicate is the first name, object is the value, and the value is qualified by the parameter name lower in the hierarchy. Qualifying the second name involves introducing the “for” predicate.
[***How are lists modeled within contribution sequences?***]{} As part of the contribution sentence candidates, are also included sentences with lists. Such sentences are predominantly found for the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalSetup</span> or <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Result</span> information units. This is modeled as depicted in Figure \[fig:eg4\] for the first two list elements. Here, the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Model</span> information unit has two contribution sequences, each pertaining to a specific list item in the sentence. Further, the predicate “has description” is introduced for linking text descriptions.
![Illustration of the modeling of a sentence with a list as part of the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Model</span> Information Unit (from [@lee2019semantic]). []{data-label="fig:eg4"}](images/example3.png){height="8.5cm"}
[***Which JSON structures are used to represent the data?***]{} Flexibly, they include dictionaries, or nested dictionaries, or arrays of items, where the items can be strings, dictionaries, nested dictionaries, or arrays themselves.
Materials and Tools
===================
Paper Selection
---------------
A collection of scholarly articles is downloaded based on the ones in the publicly available leaderboard of tasks in artificial intelligence called <https://paperswithcode.com/>. It predominantly represents papers in the Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision fields. For the purposes of our <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> model, we restrict ourselves just to the NLP papers. From the set, we randomly select 10 papers in five different NLP-ML research tasks: 1. machine translation, 2. named entity recognition, 3. question answering, 4. relation classification, and 5. text classification.
Data Representation Format and Annotation Tools
-----------------------------------------------
<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">JSON</span> was the chosen data format for storing the semantified parts of the scholarly articles contributions. To avoid syntax errors in creating the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">JSON</span> objects, the annotations were made via <https://jsoneditoronline.org> which imposes valid <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">JSON</span> syntax checks. Finally, in the early stages of the annotation task, some of the annotations were made manually in the ORKG infrastructure <https://www.orkg.org/orkg/> to test their practical suitability in a knowledge graph; three of such annotated papers are depicted in Figure \[fig:fig1\]. The links in the Figure captions can be visited to explore the annotations at their finer granularity of detail.
Use Case: NLPContributions in ORKG
==================================
As a use case of the ORKG infrastructure, instead of presenting just the annotations obtained from <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>, we present a further enriched showcase. Specifically, we model the evolution of the annotation scheme at three different attempts with the third one arriving at <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>. This is depicted in Figure \[fig:fig1\]. Our use case is an enriched one for two reasons: 1) it depicts the ORKG infrastructure flexibility for data-driven ontology discovery that makes allowances for different design decisions; and 2) it also shows how within flexible infrastructures the possibilities can be too wide that arriving at a consensus can potentially prove a challenge if it isn’t mandated at a critical point in the data accumulation.
In Figure \[fig:fig1\], Figure \[fig:a\] belongs among the first modeling attempts of an NLP-ML contribution. For predicates, the model restricts itself to use only those found in the text. The limitation of such a model is that not normalizing linguistic variations very rarely creates comparable models across investigations even if they imply the same thing. Hence, we found that for comparability a common predicate vocabulary at least early in the model needs to be in place. Figure \[fig:b\] is the second attempt of modeling a different NLP-ML contribution. In this attempt, the predicates are mostly normalized to a generic “has,” however, “has” is connected to various information items again lexically based on the text of the scholarly articles, one or more of which can be grouped under a common category. Via making such observations, our aim is to avert linguistic variations if it hampers the comparisons of contributions if they are indeed comparable in principle. Figure \[fig:c\] is the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span> annotations model. Within this model, scholarly contributions with one or more of the elements in commons, viz. “Ablation study,” “Baseline Models,” “Model,” and “Results,” can be uniformly compared.
Limitations
===========
[***Obtaining disjoint (subject, predicate, object) triples as contribution sequences.***]{} It was not possible to extract disjoint triples from all sentences. In many cases, we extract the main predicate and use as object the relevant full sentence or its clausal part. From [@lee2020biobert], for instance, under the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">ExperimentalResults</span> information unit, we model the following: (Contribution, has, Experimental results); (Experimental results, on, all datasets); and (all datasets, achieves, BioBERT achieves higher scores than BERT). Note, in the last triple, “achieves” was used as a predicate and its object “BioBERT achieves higher scores than BERT” is modeled as a clausal sentence part.
[***Employing coreference relations between scientific entities.***]{} In the fine-grained modeling of schemas, scientific entities within triples are sometimes nested across sentences by leveraging their coreference relations. We consider this a limitation toward the automated machine reading task, since coreference resolution itself is often a challenging task to perform automatically.
[***Tabulated results are not incorporated within <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions</span>.***]{} Unlike tabulated hyperparameters which have a standard format, tabulated results have significantly varying formats. Thus their automated table parsing is a challenging task in itself. Nonetheless, by considering the textual results, we relegate ourselves to their summarized description, which often serves sufficient for highlighting the contribution.
[***Can all NLP-ML papers be modeled by <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">NLPContributions?</span>***]{} While we can conclude that some papers are easier to model than others (e.g., articles addressing ‘relation extraction’ vs. ‘machine translation’ which are harder), it is possible that all papers can be modelled by at least some if not all the elements of the model we propose.
Conclusion
==========
The Open Research Knowledge Graph [@Jaradeh2019ORKG] makes scholarly knowledge about research contributions machine actionable: i.e. findable, structured, and comparable. Manually building such a knowledge graph is time-consuming and requires the expertise of paper authors and domain experts. In order to efficiently build a scholarly knowledge contributions graph, we will leverage the technology of machine readers [@etzioni2006machine] to assist the user in annotating scholarly article contributions. But the machine readers will need to be trained for such a task objective. To this end, in this work, we have proposed an annotation scheme for capturing the contributions in natural language processing scholarly articles, in order to create such training datasets for machine readers.
Finally, aligned with the initiatives within research communities to build the Internet of FAIR Data and Services (IFDS) [@ayris_2016], the data within ORKG are compliant [@oelen2020generate] with such FAIR data principles [@wilkinson2016fair] thus making them Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. Since the dataset we will annotate by our proposed scheme is designed to be ORKG-compliant, we adopt the cutting-edge standard of data creation within the research community.
Twice Modeling Agreement
========================
In general, even if the annotations are performed by a single annotator, there will be an annotation discrepancy. Compare the same information unit “Experimental Setup” modeled in Figure \[fig:eg3-det\] below versus that modeled in Figure \[fig:eg3\]. Fig. \[fig:eg3-det\] was the first annotation attempt and includes the second attempted model, done on a different day and blind from the the first. While neither are incorrect, the second has taken the least annotated information route possibly due to annotator fatigue, hence a two-pass methodology is recommended.
{height="17cm"}
[^1]: <https://www.orkg.org/orkg/>
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If a generator uses 3.5 cubic meters of gas per hour and you have a 1000 gallon tank. How many hours will it take to run out of fuel?
Anonymous wrote: If a generator uses 3.5 cubic meters of gas per hour and you have a 1000 gallon tank. How many hours will it take to run out of fuel?
Propane: Cu. Ft. of gas/gal. liquid @ 60F = 36.5 or 1,000 gal = 36,500 cu ft = 1,033.5649 cubic meters.
thus a 1,000 gallon tank would have about 1033 cubic meters of propane gas and a full tank would let the generator run about 295 hours, a little over 12 days, running 24 hours per day. | https://www.convert-me.com/en/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1498 |
Are the stars in constellation fixed?
When we look up at the night sky to see the stars, we are amazed at the vast brilliance above us. Especially when you realize that you are on a small rocky, blue planet swirling across this massive, unimaginable ocean of stars. Though there are billions of stars in the sky, there are very few that we can easily see and identify with our unaided eyes. Ancient observers have connected these stars into constellations, a group of stars that appear to form a pattern or picture like Orion the Great Hunter, Leo the Lion, or Taurus the Bull. Constellations help us orient ourselves using the night sky with easily recognizable patterns. As the astronomers study the night sky with the most modern telescopes, they are able to see more stars and understand them better. In all we have around 88 constellation regions.
British astronomer Edmond Halley, who also has a famous comet named after him, was one of the first to observe that stars move. Today we also know that stars age and that the light we see today might have left the star thousands of years ago. So technically, we when we see stars today, we are looking-back! Because of the finite speed of light, when you gaze up into the night sky, you are actually looking into the past.
The Andromeda Galaxy is the most distant object readily visible to the naked eye and it is 2.5 million light years away. The light from it that we see right now is 2.5 million years old. We are therefore seeing the Andromeda Galaxy as it was at a time long before modern humans existed!
The bright star Sirius is 8.6 light years away. That means the light hitting your eye tonight has been traveling for 8.6 years. To explain it in a simpler way, you are seeing Sirius tonight as it was 8.6 years ago.
Are all the stars in the constellations fixed and don’t change? Not at all, as each of the stars vary greatly in size, distance from Earth, and temperature. Sometimes, some of the dimmer stars may be smaller, farther away, or cooler than brighter stars. However, the brightest stars are not necessarily the closest. Of the stars in Cygnus, the swan, the faintest star is the closest and the brightest star is the farthest! So each of the stars in the constellation varies in distance and time and is not necessarily in the same place!
So the next time you look up at the sky, remember you might be looking back in time or a collection of times! | https://www.plantscience.shop/are-the-stars-in-constellation-fixed/ |
Bridge Partners was honored by two leading publications this week. The firm landed at number 49 in Consulting’s Fastest Growing Firms edition and made another appearance on the Puget Sound Business Journal’s list of fastest-growing private companies in Washington. This marks the fourth consecutive year Bridge has been recognized by Consulting and the fifth time it has earned a spot in the Puget Sound Business Journal.
A group from Bridge’s Kirkland, Washington, headquarters attended the Consulting Awards Gala at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel. The dinner, previously held in New York, made its way to the Pacific Northwest for the first time.
With a three-year growth rate of 83 percent, Bridge Partners has had a busy awards season. Earlier this year, the firm earned spots on the Inc. 5000 and the Puget Sound Business Journal list of fastest-growing private companies on the Eastside.
Bridge Partners is a people-focused, customer-driven consulting firm that helps organizations transform to drive growth, adapt to change, and create enterprise value. Our consultants take pride in their unwavering commitment to client service and bring real-world industry experience and deep subject-matter expertise to every project. Through a unique, cross-functional practice model, we deliver better value, build longer-lasting relationships, and create happier clients. | https://www.bridgepartnersconsulting.com/insights/bridge-partners-ends-october-on-high-note |
An empathy map, originally created by Dave Gray, is a collaborative tool team can use to gain a deeper insight into their customers. It gains popularity in the agile community for understanding the context, psychological and emotional needs of customers.
Much like a user persona, an empathy map can represent a group of users, such as a customer segment that helps us to make better product design-oriented decisions by prioritizing the user’s needs. It is widely used as the foundation of the UX process and hints on what further steps are needed in UX research to create the full-fledged user-persona.
What is a Say – Think – Feel – Do Model?
If you’ve never come across an empathy map before, they provide in-depth context about what a user is saying, thinking, feeling and doing whilst accessing a service, while means that an empathy map (Say – Think – Do – Feel model) is split into 4 quadrants, with the user or persona in the middle as shown in the following figure:
- Says – It generally highlights the problem set and focuses upon what exactly a user is looking for.
- Thinks – “It concludes what the user is thinking all the time while performing different actions in their journey.
- Does – It is used to jot down the observed user behavior while they were performing a set of different actions.
- Feels – It collects the general human emotions like frustration or delight whichsoever is experienced by the interviewee.
- Pain – It describes what their biggest frustrations are, what obstacles stand in their way and which risks might they fear to take?
- Gain – It describes what do they need to achieve and how do they measure success? | https://online.visual-paradigm.com/es/knowledge/business-design/empathy-map-say-think-feel-do-model/ |
Q:
Prevent an arithmetic operator from immediately following another one
I have written a calculator script which currently allows me to type invalid input values like 5*****5. Such inputs (where one arithmetic operator like *, + etc immediately follows another) should be restricted because they make no sense. How can I modify my code to restrict such inputs?
function c(val) {
var1 = $("#bar").val(val);
}
function v(val) {
var2 = $("#bar").val($("#bar").val() + val);
}
function equal() {
var3 = c(eval($("#bar").val()));
}
function reset() {
var4 = $("#bar").val("");
}
$(document).ready(function() {
$("#backspace").click(function() {
var barValue = $("#bar").val();
$("#bar").val(barValue.substring(0, barValue.length - 1));
});
});
<p>
<input type="text" id="bar" size="15" readonly>
<input type="button" value="C" onclick="reset('')">
</p>
<p>
<input type="button" value="←" id="backspace">
<input type="button" value="" onclick="">
<input type="button" value="" onclick="">
<input type="button" value="" onclick="">
<input type="button" value="" onclick="">
</p>
<p>
<input type="button" value="7" onclick="v('7')">
<input type="button" value="8" onclick="v('8')">
<input type="button" value="9" onclick="v('9')">
<input type="button" value="/" onclick="v('/')">
<input type="button" value="" onclick="">
</p>
<p>
<input type="button" value="4" onclick="v('4')">
<input type="button" value="5" onclick="v('5')">
<input type="button" value="6" onclick="v('6')">
<input type="button" value="1" onclick="v('1')">
<input type="button" value="2" onclick="v('2')">
<input type="button" value="3" onclick="v('3')">
<input type="button" value="0" onclick="v('0')">
<input type="button" value="." onclick="v('.')">
<input type="button" value="+" onclick="v('+')">
<input type="button" value="=" onclick="equal()" id="equal">
<input type="button" value="" onclick="">
</p>
<div id="history"></div>
Here is a JSFiddle Link to the full source.
A:
Use regular expressions. Test to see if last value is +,-,*,or /
If the lastChar matches this criteria and so does the passed value do not do anything.
function v(val) {
var patt = /\+|\-|\*|\//
var barValue = $("#bar").val();
var lastChar = barValue.substring(barValue.length, barValue.length - 1);
if (patt.test(lastChar) && patt.test(val)) {
//do nothing as current val and lastChar are mathematical characters
} else {
//update the formula
var2 = $("#bar").val($("#bar").val() + val);
}
}
| |
To determine the length of string you need to cut, complete a light wrap of the technique below and cut your string with a little extra length for tying. Begin by centering the package on the string.... To determine the length of string you need to cut, complete a light wrap of the technique below and cut your string with a little extra length for tying. Begin by centering the package on the string.
30/06/2015�� Take a piece of a dowel rod and make you 2 string splitters, (wax the wood before use) place them in the ends and the string between the colors. Black on top blue on bottom. It should twist from... Follow this simple photo tutorial to make a pretty yarn pom pom. We used this Pom Pom Maker by Clover. To make a mini paper pom pom, or flower, follow this simple photo tutorial.
I like to use a longer piece (about 6") as you can always make it shorter, but you can't make it longer. 3. Tie a bow around the cylindrical object, as you would with a gift.... Bow Location (Straight Bow) Where the bow makes contact with the strings makes a difference too. This is why �straight bowing� is emphasized so strongly during the first years of study.
To determine the length of string you need to cut, complete a light wrap of the technique below and cut your string with a little extra length for tying. Begin by centering the package on the string.
I like to use a longer piece (about 6") as you can always make it shorter, but you can't make it longer. 3. Tie a bow around the cylindrical object, as you would with a gift. | http://iamnaira.com/queensland/how-to-make-a-pretty-bow-with-string.php |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a vehicle interior lamp attached to an interior ceiling of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
Various vehicle interior lamps of this type have been proposed before (see PTL 1 and PTL 2). One example of existing vehicle interior lamps includes a housing attached to the interior ceiling of a vehicle, a switch knob provided on a lower side of the housing, a lens provided on the lower side of the housing, and a light source such as a light-emitting diode arranged inside the housing.
The vehicle interior lamp illuminates the interior of the vehicle by light projected from the light source, the light emitted through the lens. When the lens is a room light lens, it is necessary to make the light emit from the entire area of the lens as uniformly as possible. In existing vehicle interior lamps, therefore, a plurality of light sources are arranged, or a light guide plate is integrally arranged inside the room light lens.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
JP 2016-221984 A
PTL 1:
JP 2002-002375 A
PTL 2:
US 2010/1888338 A1
Further prior art is known from document which discloses a vehicle interior lamp according to the preamble part of claim 1.
SUMMARY
Existing vehicle interior lamps use a plurality of light sources or a light guide plate integrally arranged inside the room light lens to emit light from the entire area of the room light lens as uniformly as possible. However, in this case, the light-emitting surface of such a room light lens has a monotonous appearance, while there are demands for decorative illuminations.
The present invention was made to solve the problem noted above, and it is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle interior lamp that can enhance the design properties of the light-emitting surface of a room light lens through highlighting of protrusions or serrations on the room light lens when light is emitted.
This object is solved by the subject matter of claim 1.
The vehicle interior lamp according to one aspect of the present invention can enhance the design properties of the light-emitting surface of the lens by the protrusion or serration provided to the lens being highlighted when light is emitted from the lens.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1
illustrates a vehicle interior lamp according to an embodiment as viewed from a vehicle interior when one looks up at an interior ceiling.
Fig. 2
Fig. 1
is a cross-sectional view along line A-A in .
Fig. 3
Fig. 1
is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in .
Fig. 4
is a perspective view of a reflector of the vehicle interior lamp according to the embodiment when viewed from the front side.
Fig. 5
is a perspective view of the reflector of the vehicle interior lamp according to the embodiment when viewed from the back side.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
One embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Figs. 1 to 5
illustrate the embodiment. A map lamp 1 that is a vehicle interior lamp according to the embodiment is attached to a point on an interior ceiling 2 more to front than front seats of a vehicle.
The map lamp 1 includes a housing 10 attached to the interior ceiling 2, a pair of left and right spot light lenses 20 and a pair of left and right room light lenses 21 arranged on a lower side of the housing 10, a plurality of switch knobs 25 arranged on the lower side of the housing 10, and a substrate 30 arranged inside the housing 10.
The housing 10 is made of a material that does not transmit light (e.g., opaque synthetic resin). The housing 10 includes a housing main body 11, and a ceiling-side housing part 12 assembled to the housing main body 11 and covering the ceiling side of the housing main body 11. The housing main body 11 is provided with a plurality of light-shielding partition walls 11a. A plurality of first openings 13 and a plurality of second openings 14 are formed on the lower side of the housing main body 11 where compartments defined by the plurality of light-shielding partition walls 11a each opening.
The ceiling-side housing part 12 is provided with a mounting part (not illustrated) for attachment to the interior ceiling 2.
The spot light lenses 20 and the room light lenses 21 are arranged such as to close the first openings 13. Each of the spot light lenses 20 is circular with a small surface area exposed to the vehicle interior. Each of the room light lenses 21 is square-shaped with a large surface area exposed to the vehicle interior.
Fig. 3
Each of the room light lenses 21 is made of synthetic resin and opaque white in color, and have a curved light-emitting surface (front side) 21a with a predetermined curvature. As illustrated in , each of the room light lenses 21 is formed with a plurality of (four in the embodiment) steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f that reduce in thickness stepwise along a direction X orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Y of the lens 21 on a light receiving side (back side) 21b that is the side facing the light source, the thickness reducing as the distance from a three-color light-emitting diode (light source) 31 increases. Protrusions 21g are formed along the boundaries extending in the longitudinal direction Y of the lens 21 between adjacent ones of these steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f. Namely, the back side 21b is formed to change in shape stepwise (in a step-like manner) in which each of the plurality of steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f reduces in thickness according to the distance from the three-color light-emitting diode 31.
Each of the switch knobs 25 is arranged such as to close a corresponding second opening 14 on the lower side of the housing main body 11. Each of the switch knobs 25 is a push switch knob. Each of the switch knobs 25 is made of a material that does not transmit light except for a symbol mark portion 25d. Each of the switch knobs 25 includes an operating part 25a exposed on the front side of the housing main body 11, a switch push rod (not illustrated) protruding into the housing main body 11, and a light-shielding wall (not illustrated) protruding into the housing main body 11.
Each operating part 25a is provided with the symbol mark portion 25d that is made of a light-transmitting material. Each symbol mark portion 25d bears a mark that allows visual recognition of the function that the corresponding switch knob 25 serves. One switch knob 25 additionally includes an indicator lens 25e along with the symbol mark portion 25d on the operating part 25a.
Fig. 3
The substrate 30 is abutted on the upper sides of the light-shielding partition walls 11a of the housing main body 11. The substrate 30 closes the plurality of openings formed by the light-shielding partition walls 11a dividing the housing on the ceiling side (see ). Namely, the illumination light from the three-color light-emitting diodes 31 is stopped from leaking to the ceiling-side housing part 12. The plurality of three-color light-emitting diodes (light sources) 31 and a plurality of switching devices SW and so on are mounted on the substrate 30. Each of the three-color light-emitting diodes 31 is arranged in each of the regions divided by the light-shielding partition walls 11a corresponding to each of the spot light lenses 20, room light lenses 21, and each of the switch knobs 25, respectively. For the switch knob 25 having the indicator lens 25e, a three-color light-emitting diode 31 is arranged in the region corresponding to the indicator lens 25e, in addition to that of the symbol mark portion 25d.
Each of the three-color light-emitting diodes 31 includes therein a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, and a blue (B) light-emitting element, and emits light of a predetermined color in accordance with a current value, for example.
Each of the switching devices SW is arranged directly below the switch push rod (not illustrated) of a corresponding switch knob 25.
Next, the parts where light is emitted from the room light lenses 21 will be described.
Figs. 2
3
Figs. 4
5
As illustrated in and , inside the housing 10 is formed a compartment 17 that surrounds the first opening 13 at which the room light lens 21 is arranged. The three-color light-emitting diode 31 is arranged in a corner of the compartment 17. In the compartment 17 is arranged a box-shaped reflector 15 having a reflection surface that reflects light from the three-color light-emitting diode 31. The reflector 15 has a shape illustrated in and . The surface of the reflector 15 is coated in white color that has high reflectivity or with aluminum by vapor deposition to be reflective. The reflector 15 is arranged to extend over all the inner surfaces of the compartment 17. More specifically, the reflector 15 includes a flat surface part 15a arranged along the ceiling surface of the compartment 17, a slope part 15b positioned on the ceiling side of the compartment 17, and side face parts 15c arranged along all the side faces of the compartment 17. The flat surface part 15a is parallel to the surface of the room light lens 21 and positioned in a region of the ceiling surface near the three-color light-emitting diode 31. The slope part 15b is inclined relative to the room light lens 21 (the slope part 15b is inclined toward the three-color light-emitting diode 31), and positioned in a region of the ceiling surface distanced from the three-color light-emitting diode 31.
Figs. 4
5
As illustrated in and , the reflector 15 is provided with an encircling rib 15d in the center on the back side of the slope part 15b, and a foreign matter proof rib 15e along upper edges on the back side of the side face parts 15c. The foreign matter proof rib 15e prevents foreign matter such as dust from entering the housing 10. The encircling rib 15d catches foreign matter such as dust falling on the slope of the slope part 15b and prevents the foreign matter from falling down below.
As described above, the map lamp 1 includes a housing 10 attached to the interior ceiling 2 of a vehicle and having the first opening 13, the room light lens 21 arranged at the first opening 13, the compartment 17 provided in the housing 10 and surrounding the first opening 13, the three-color light-emitting diode 31 arranged in a corner of the compartment 17 and emitting light toward the room light lens 21, and the reflector 15 arranged on an inner surface of the compartment 17. The plurality of steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f is provided on the back side 21b of the room light lens 21, their thickness decreasing as the distance from the three-color light-emitting diode 31 increases. The protrusions 21g are provided along the boundaries between adjacent ones of the steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f.
Therefore, while part of the light emitted from the three-color light-emitting diode 31 is directly projected to and transmits the room light lens 21 having differing thicknesses, other part of the emitted light is reflected once on the side face part 15c or the slope part 15b of the reflector 15, or reflected a plurality of times (scattered) before being projected to the room light lens 21. Thus, the three-color light-emitting diode 31 can emit light from the room light lens 21 as uniformly as possible over the entire area. Namely, the map lamp 1 can emit light uniformly from the entire area of the lens without increasing the amount of emitted light through use of a plurality of light sources, or without using a light guide plate, as with existing counterparts.
The reflector 15 in the map lamp 1 has the flat surface part 15a parallel to the surface of the room light lens 21 in a region of the ceiling surface near the three-color light-emitting diode 31, and the slope part 15b inclined relative to the surface of the room light lens 21 (the slope part 15b inclined toward the three-color light-emitting diode 31) in a region of the ceiling surface distanced from the three-color light-emitting diode 31.
In the map lamp 1, therefore, the region of the room light lens 21 distanced from the three-color light-emitting diode 31 is irradiated with reflection light from the slope part 15b. The slope part 15b thus contributes to uniform light emission from the entire area of the room light lens 21.
The light emitted from the three-color light-emitting diode 31 is bright straight in front, while the brightness decreases as the distance from the front increases. The brightness also decreases as the thickness of the room light lens 21 increases since less light can transmit, while the brightness increases as the thickness of the lens decreases. This is why the plurality of steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f is provided to the map lamp 1, so that the thickness on the back side 21b of the room light lens 21 is thicker in front of the three-color light-emitting diode 31 while it is thinner as the distance from the front increases. These steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f are formed such that the back side 21b changes in shape in a step-like manner in which the thickness decreases in accordance with the distance from the three-color light-emitting diode 31. This feature of the map lamp 1 allows the brightness (luminance) of the light-emitting surface 21a of each step 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f of the room light lens 21 to be uniform. Moreover, in the map lamp 1, the protrusions 21g are provided along the boundaries between each adjacent pair of the steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f. The light projected on and reflected by the reflector 15 is therefore scattered by the protrusions 21g at the boundaries where the thickness of the room light lens 21 changes so that the light is intensified. This feature of the map lamp 1 improves the appearance of the light-emitting surface (front side) 21a of the room light lens 21, and thus the design properties (decorative features) of the light-emitting surface (front side) 21a of the room light lens 21 can be enhanced.
In the map lamp 1, the reflector 15 is arranged to extend over all the inner surfaces of the compartment 17. Therefore, light is reflected wherever it is projected on the inner surfaces of the compartment 17 in the map lamp 1, so that light emitted from the three-color light-emitting diode 31 is projected to the room light lens 21 with high efficiency, which allows the room light lens 21 to emit bright light.
Moreover, the reflector 15 includes the encircling rib 15d in the center on the back side of the slope part 15b, and the foreign matter proof rib 15e along upper edges on the back side of the side face parts 15c. Therefore, foreign matter such as dust is prevented from entering the back side 21b of the room light lens 21. That is, an insertion hole or the like for a vehicle-side connector (not illustrated) to be connected to a connector 32 on the substrate 30 is opened in the ceiling-side housing part 12. Foreign matter such as dust could enter the housing 10 from such an opening, but the foreign matter proof rib 15e prevents any foreign matter such as dust from entering the housing 10, and even if foreign matter such as dust enters the housing 10, the encircling rib 15d catches the foreign matter and prevents it from falling down below.
The map lamp 1, which is the vehicle interior lamp according to the embodiment, is provided with protrusions 21g along boundaries between adjacent ones of the plurality of steps 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f formed on the light receiving side (back side) 21b, of the side facing the light source 31, of the room light lens 21, for enhancing the design properties of the light-emitting surface (front side) 21a of the room light lens 21 when light is emitted. Alternatively, serrations (not illustrated), or protrusions and serrations (not illustrated), may be provided instead of the protrusions 21g, to enhance the design properties of the light-emitting surface (front side) 21a of the room light lens 21 when light is emitted. Protrusions 21g also serve the function of increasing the rigidity of the room light lens 21. | |
“They were walk in clients. They appeared at my door during my lunch hour one day asking if they could see me right away. Emily was 17 years old, dark hair, pretty face. Her boyfriend, Edwin, was older, almost 19 years old…blond hair, green eyes and athletic looking. They said they just needed a few minutes of my time to ask me a question, and thought if they dropped in during the noon hour they might catch me free.
I told them I still had a half hour before my next clients and asked them to sit down. Once they were settled they told me they just had one question to ask me and it would only take a few minutes of my time.
They started with a preamble about having been dating for over two months. And, they said they found it harder and harder to be apart. And, both sets of parents were getting concerned because it was starting to affect their school work…Emily in her last year of high school, and Edwin in his second year of a university degree in biology.
“You mentioned you had a question to ask…what would it be?” I asked.
They looked quickly at each other, in an embarrassed manner, stumbled a bit over who was going to speak and then Edwin, taking the initiative, said,
“We realize we are young. We also know we don’t have much experience in life. And, we are continually reminded by our parents we each have a long road ahead of us.”
He paused in his thinking not sure what to say next, then Emily jumped in with, “We want to get married and start a family. But everyone tells us we are not in love, we are too young and too naive to know what love is…we want to know if you would tell us if we’re in love or not!”
“We aren’t able to fall in love…”
“What do you think love is?” I asked, looking at each of them in turn.
Emily was the first to respond with, “I think I fell in love with Edwin the first time I saw him…It was his curly hair and his gentle smile.”
“We aren’t able to fall in love, Emily… that’s just our biological sex drive seeking to reproduce our species.” I said, matter of factly, to see how they would respond.
“Falling in love at first sight is a myth?” Edwin asked in surprise.
“Sky divers may fall in love with sky diving, scuba divers may fall in love with scuba diving, but falling in love with a person at first sight is lust, not love, Edwin. We can certainly meet someone who has some of our personal fantasy criteria for a sex partner, but, that’s not love, that’s infatuation. It is temporary, and useful for about six weeks of great sex, then boredom starts setting in.”
Edwin stared at me in disbelief, then Emily said, “Then, how do people get to love each other, Ken?”
“Love, in contrast, is noticing both…”
“Well, it can start with lust but ends up as light which is really enlightenment. Being in love with someone means you get enlightened, smarter and stronger, being around them. Being in love with someone means you gain self esteem and self confidence being around them. It’s really about you, not them!” I said.
“Are you saying we may be confusing infatuation with love?” Edwin asked.
“Infatuation is noticing the positive stuff about your partner and ignoring, the negative stuff. Resentment is noticing the negative stuff and ignoring, the positive stuff. Love, in contrast, is noticing both the positive and the negative stuff, and appreciating how each serve you in your learning and life.” I replied.
Emily jumped in, “Ken, are you suggesting every behaviour Edwin uses, whether I like it or not, is supposed to help me in some way. So, for example, he watches a lot of sports on TV which I find so very boring. That would mean, even though I don’t like all the time he spends doing it…it benefits me in some way?” she said inquisitively.
“Let’s check it out to see if it’s true. What did you do the last time you thought he was watching a lot of sports?”
“Falling in love is a chemical reaction. But it wears off in a year. That’s why you need a strong line of communication… which includes laughter.” – Yakov Smirnoff, comedian
“…you were putting her on a pedestal and yourself in a pit below her.”
Emily sat back in her chair and looked down for a bit recalling recent memories of this. Then she looked at me and replied, “It was last Saturday night when he was watching the hockey game. I went on my laptop and worked on a school project which was due the next week.”
“So, if I assume you value doing well in school, then his TV time gave you an opportunity to do something you valued. Can you see that Emily?” I asked.
“Yea! Sort of…!” she relied,
Then Edwin jumped back into the discussion with, “So, how is it a disservice to me if I think Emily is beautiful?”
“Go to one of those times, Edwin. Tell me one of the memories you have of a moment when you saw her as beautiful.”
“A while back we were in a restaurant eating a pizza and I noticed this waiter repeatedly staring at her, and I was proud to be with her.”
“Can you see, at that moment, you were distracted and so not present with Emily, and not appreciating your own forms of beauty and so displaying lower self esteem and self confidence…you were putting her on a pedestal and yourself in a pit below her.”
“And, if I was saying something really important I wanted you to hear, you could have missed it!” Emily added.
“So, you’re saying infatuating her beauty is really denying my own and distracting me from other important things going on? Is that what you mean?” Edwin asked.
“… equal support and challenge, it takes you to appreciation for yourself and your partner.”
“That’s it exactly. If we infatuate anyone, we demean ourselves at the same second. True, lasting love is when one person can see how both the positive and negative traits of their partner, help them grow themselves, and prepare them for their future. When you can see how Emily’s support is a disadvantage and her challenge is an advantage, then you will be in love with her.” I said.
“Ken, as I think about what you’re saying, and think about growing up watching my parents’ relationship, I can see why they have been together so long…and, why they have disagreements regularly and yet, they are still together…they’re in love!” Emily said smiling.
Edwin chimed in, “My parents are recently divorced, but I can see why they are not together now. Mom was talking about how she was never happy with Dad. But, I think she was expecting more support and less challenge. Does that mean no one can be happy, Ken?”
“If by happy you mean, more support than challenge, then yes…no one will ever be happy. But, when you understand what love really is, equal support and challenge, it takes you to appreciation for yourself and your partner. This is the real aim of life, not happiness, but appreciation or gratitude for who you are, what you do and what you have! That is what you see most frequently in those with the most love experiences in life…which is, of course, our seniors”
“Falling in love and having a relationship are two different things.” – Keanu Reeves, actor
“…you will have built true love!”
Edwin responded, “That’s so true, Ken! My grandmother is in her eighties and, it’s like all she does is smile in appreciation and say thank you, to whoever spends time with her. She seems to be grateful for everyone and everything! But, she can be brutally honest as well. She is so cool to be around! In fact, she was the one who suggested we talk to someone about us being in love.”
“I have a client arriving soon, but feel free to book a time to come back if you need to. And, let me leave you with one more idea to help you determine if you are in love or perhaps just infatuating each other. OK?” I asked.
They both nodded, so I continued.
“I want you both to close your eyes for a moment and imagine your distant future together. Imagine, like your grandmother, you are both in your eighties. Imagine, how your partner might look at that point in time. Have you got an image in your mind?”
They both nodded.
Then I said, “Now, ask yourself, if needed, would you be ready to change your partner’s diapers?”
Both sets of eyes popped open from whatever image they created and they looked at me in surprise.
I added, “If you can envision yourself meeting that challenge, and if you work really hard at growing your relationship until that day, you will have built true love.”
They looked at each other and smiled, then both smiled at me, and then they thanked me for my time.
“By immersing ourselves in what we love or who we love, we find ourselves. We do not lose ourselves. One does not lose one’s identity by being in love, one finds it.” – King Ayles, writer
Until Next time…
Now you know cancer is here to stay. Now you know it’s OK not to be afraid of cancer. Now you know cancer helps people learn to appreciate themselves, their relationships and their life. Now, you can decide how you can use this knowledge and live your life in a way that honours you and your future.
Encourage others to subscribe to our FREE Newsletter and ebook, “Finding Balance in Your Life” at http://mental-health-center.com/our-free-gift/ And, please like us on Facebook, or Twitter.
Our next seminar is entitled, “How to Bring balance to Life and Purpose to Work!” It will be on Saturday, June 3rd, 2016. Details are available at ww.kenpiercepsychologist.com
Send us your feedback and topic suggestions…we love to hear from you! If you have a specific question or wish to schedule a consultation, feel free to contact me. | http://mental-health-center.com/falling-in-love-is-a-fantasy/ |
Lemon Sugar Cookie Cups are tasty little bites of sugar cookies that are filled with luscious lemon pie filling.Nobody will know that this easy recipe uses refrigerated sugar cookie dough and lemon pie filling.Your lemon-loving guests will approve of this semi-homemade lemon cookie recipe.
Yield: 24 COOKIE CUPS
Prep Time: 10 MINUTES
Cook Time: 14 MINUTES
Total Time: 24 MINUTES
✅ INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg (16 oz) Pillsbury Ready To Bake Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough, 24 ct.
- 1 can Duncan Hines Wilderness Lemon Creme Pie Filling
- powdered sugar (optional)
✅ INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 mini muffin cups with parchment paper liners.
- Break apart cookie dough and place 1 piece into each lined mini muffin cup.
- Bake 14-20 minutes until cookie cups are light brown and completely set. Do not underbake.
- Immediately remove from the oven and use the back of a spoon to create an indention in the top of each cookie cup.
- Spoon the lemon creme pie filling into a zip-top plastic baggie. Snip off the tip and use the bag to pipe the pie filling into the indention in each cookie cup.
- Allow lemon cookie cups to cool completely.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
✅ NOTES
- If using a tube of sugar cookie dough, place about 1 tablespoon of dough into each lined mini muffin cup.
Nutrition Information:
YIELD: 24 SERVING SIZE: 1
Amount Per Serving:
- CALORIES: 38
- TOTAL FAT: 1g
- SATURATED FAT: 0g
- TRANS FAT: 0g
- UNSATURATED FAT: 0g
- CHOLESTEROL: 0mg
- SODIUM: 14mg
- CARBOHYDRATES: 8g
- FIBER: 0g
- SUGAR: 6g
- PROTEIN: 0g
Nutrition Information Provided For Educational and Informational Purposes Only.
Lemons have been on my mind quite a lot lately.
From lemon pies to lemon delight to lemon cookies, we’ve got something for every lemon fan out there.
These Lemon Cookie Cups are especially delicious served cold straight from the refrigerator.
We’re baking these pretty lemon cookie cups in mini muffin cups and filling the cups with lemon creme pie filling.
To make it easier to remove the cookies from the muffin pan, line the muffin cups with mini cupcake liners.
I highly recommend the parchment paper liners because you do not need to add any additional grease or oil.
The PaperChef Mini Cupcake Liners are a great option for these Lemon Cookie Cups.
I also use them when I make our favorite Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.
If you want to dress up your cookie cups by using a decorative mini liner, you can bake the cookies in the parchment liners then place the cookie cup in the liner into a decorative liner.
This trick works really well with cupcakes too.
It also allows your liners to stay bright and not get grease-soaked before you serve your treats.
To see this technique in action, look at our Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins recipe post.
When baking these bright and delicious Lemon Sugar Cookie Cups, make sure that the sugar cookie dough is fully cooked through.
The cookie dough will take longer to cook than normal because we’re making them in mini muffin cups.
We’re using the same amount of cookie dough as normal, but the cookies are contained in the small area of a mini muffin cup.
Since the cookies don’t have any room to spread out, they will take longer to fully cook.
When the cookies are fully cooked, the tops will be lightly browned and the tops will be set.
Remove the muffin pan from the oven and set it aside to let the cookies cool for a few minutes.
The tops of the cookies may cave in slightly and this is okay. The more fully they are cooked, the less they will cave in.
If the cookie cups don’t cave in enough, you can use the back of a spoon to create a small crater in the top to allow room to add the lemon pie filling.
KEY TO SUCCESS #3 – PIPE THE LEMON PIE FILLING INTO THE CUPS
Here’s a great hack to get the lemon pie filling into the cookie cups.
First, spoon the lemon creme pie filling into a quart-sized zip-top baggie.
Next, snip the tip off the end of the baggie to form a piping tip.
Finally, pipe the lemon pie filling into the indention in the sugar cookie cups.
Be sure to fill the lemon pie filling slightly higher than the top of the cookie cups to allow for some settling.
If desired, you can top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
The sugar will melt into the pie filling, but it will look pretty on the rim of the sugar cookie cups.
You could also refrigerate the cookies and then top them with a little bit of whipped cream.
So many options to consider with these lemony cookies! | https://www.yourchoiceway.com/2022/03/lemon-sugar-cookie-cups.html |
How tall was Goliath? – Technology Org
It is a historical riddle from the Bible – how tall was Goliath, the giant man defeated by David? Different sources mention two distinct heights of Goliath – he was either 7 feet, or 9 feet 9 inches tall. But which one is closer to the truth?
The biblical story about the fight between David and Goliath is well-known in popular culture. Lots of people know the story of a little David who defeated the mighty Goliath. But was Goliath a giant as he often imagined?
How did this discrepancy in measurements arise?
Two different translations of the Bible into English provide two different versions about the measurements of this historical person. The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) renders the height of Goliath as “nine feet, nine inches tall”:
Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall.
Meanwhile, in the New English Translation (NET), the same phrase is translated as “close to seven feet tall”:
Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall.
The problem comes from different sources of the book of Samuel that were used as a basis for the English translation of the Bible.
Some manuscripts, such as the Masoretic Text, state the Goliath’s height was “six cubits and a span”, which corresponds to approximately 3 metres. However, other manuscripts, like a Hebrew scroll from the Dead Sea Scroll collection, give the height as “four cubits and a span” (approximately 2 meters).
For your reference, a single cubit corresponds approximately to the length of a forearm, from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. According to modern estimates, this is ancient cubit Unit of measurement should be taken equal to 18 inches (457 mm).
In this case, translators have to compare the reliability of the sources. In fact, the corresponding Dead Sea Scroll is fragmentary, and a major part of the text is only a reconstruction. Moreover, some researchers state that this manuscript is more like a commentary than a strict preservation of the biblical text.
Is there an alternative way to estimate the size of Goliath?
To test an alternative way of estimating these measurements of the biblical person, we can take into account other details of Goliath’s description.
For example, it is stated that Goliath wore a coat of mail that weighed 5,000 shekels of bronze (126 LBS, or 57 kg). Also, it is said that the head of his spear weighed 600 shekels of iron. That means that his spear weighed at least 16 LBS (or 7.25 kg).
Therefore, according to this scenario, it is more probable that Goliath was a 9-foot giant rather than an ordinary man. It is highly doubtful if any human of a regular size would be capable of comfortably wearing 126-pound body armor.
And how well does this theory fare from the biological perspective?
The tallest person in history was Robert Pershing Wadlow, born on February, 1918. His maximum height reached 8 feet 11.1 inches (2.72 meters). There could have been even taller humans in the past, but Robert Wadlow is the tallest of those whose height had been measured by medical professionals.
His growth continued right until his death. This abnormal process was conditioned by the hypertrophy of his pituitary gland, producing extremely high levels of human growth hormone. There’s a possibility that the same condition was experienced by biblical Goliath. But, of course, now no one can verify whether it was really the case. | https://teknoku.xyz/2022/11/15/how-tall-was-goliath-technology-org/ |
Cut a bit of gutter 1/2 toes long, using tin snips for steel PVC hand saw or round for an gutters and PVC rain gutters.
Measure and mark 2 7 inches from either end of the gutter to get the center. Make marks 9″ from every end of the gutter to mark the spacing that is proper for planting three crops.
Slide steel end-caps and crimp the edges to the gutter using a pair of pliers. Apply a bead of silicone caulk to the finish that is within -cap seam; enable the silicone to completely dry with planting medium before filling the gutter. For PVC end-caps, press firmly in place and use PVC glue to the end-cap and gutter; enable the PVC glue to completely dry before filling the gutter.
Lay the area of of gutter face-down on a flat area that was work surface. Mark and measure drainage holes onto the underside of the every four to six inches. Drill the holes using a quarter-inch drill bit and power drill.
Place the gutter in an area that offers at least 6 hours of sunlight per day before planting the strawberries and filling the gutter. If putting the planter on a flat area gutters on stones, bricks or landscape pavers to permit drainage. It is possible to mount the gutter planter to the residence siding utilizing brackets or rope to to raise the crops in the floor, deck railing or a fence.
The gutter in a half-inch of the very best lip with planting medium, scooping the planting medium to the gutter byhand or using a gardening trowel. Trim the roots of the transplant to 6″ with scissors. Plant the strawberries in springtime; where winters are milder, you are able to plant in autumn.
Plant three transplants in the gutters, utilizing the three marks as a manual. So your crown is over the soil level, plant the transplants as well as the roots are a-T least 1 / 4-inch below the s Oil. A crown that is buried will rot in the event the strawberries are planted too seriously if planted also shallowly, as well as the roots will dry. Alternatively, it is possible to sow seeds one quarter inch below the s Oil. Sow five or four seeds in every single planting area, then slim again when seedlings arise, to depart the healthier plant.
Pinch off every one of the flower blossoms on June-bearing plants as they seem for the firstyear of development. Pinch the flowers before the conclusion of June forever-bearing and day-neutral strawberries, a better crop yield as well as then enable flowers to create and create fresh fruit; this encourages root development. As the growing location isn’t large enough to to guide the extra crops remove runners in gutter containers.
Water the plants having a backyard watering can. Strawberries require about 1 1/2 inches of water per week. Fertilize June- bearing crops twice a yr: following the plant develops fresh fruit, when plant development commences then again, once really lightly. Ever-bearing and day- neutral crops favor steady mild fertilizing about once every two months. | http://www.butter-ny.com/the-best-way-to-grow-strawberries-in-rain-gutters |
The wavy flight saves the monarchs energy
An award-winning study by a PhD student at the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH) shows that the monarch butterfly’s wavy flight paths are actually more energy efficient than a straight path.
Madhu Sridhar’s article won the 2019 AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Graduate Student Paper competition and was awarded at the AIAA SciTech Forum 2020, which was held recently in Orlando, Florida. The AIAA Scitech Forum is the largest annual aerospace conference and focuses on research and technology results in the aerospace community. The AIAA SciTech Forum 2020 included more than 2,500 technical presentations with over 5,000 participants.
Sridhar modeled and analyzed Monarch Butterfly power consumption while working in UAH’s ATOM (Autonomous Tracking Optical Measurement) laboratory under Dr. Chang-kwon Kang, an associate professor at the Institute of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Dr. Brian Landrum, an associate, worked as a professor and associate chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Research was funded by the National Science Foundation.
Finding that a wavy trajectory uses less energy can be useful for the bio-inspired design of long-range robotic miniature drones.
“One of the underlying goals of our study is to develop a drone that can fly as long as a wandering monarch,” says Sridhar. “The annual migration of the monarch butterflies is the longest among insects. It can be 3,000 kilometers long! Even the most modern drones cannot show these great distances.”
In the study, the researchers used a simplified analytical butterfly model that focuses on the dynamic interaction between wing aerodynamics and body dynamics, says Sridhar from Bangalore, India.
“This paper shows that this model agrees fairly well with experimental data,” he says. “We used motion tracking cameras to record a series of trajectories, wing and body movements of free-flying monarch butterflies in our ATOM laboratory.”
If the wavy trajectory that butterflies use has advantages, why don’t bees or flies use them?
“This study shows that coordinated wing and body movements after a bumpy trajectory require less power for a flapping wing on a monarch scale,” he says. “With smaller insects, this performance advantage diminishes, which is why they are likely to fly in a straight trajectory.”
Whether butterflies use a biologically predetermined flight pattern or simply random waves is one of many questions for future research. Sridhar also examines how the butterflies choose flight altitudes.
“It is known that monarchs fly from the ground at different heights on their migration route, which we find very interesting,” he says. “We don’t know why they prefer to fly higher than at ground level.”
In higher altitudes, the reduced air density could benefit the flight of the monarch, according to the scientists.
“To test this, we carried out experiments with monarch butterflies in the large vacuum chamber of the UAH Propulsion Research Center, where we recorded flights with lower density air up to 4,000 meters above sea level,” says Sridhar. “This helps us observe how their wing and body movements change when the air density is reduced.”
Researchers are also using computer simulations to investigate how low-density air affects the flexibility of monarch wings.
Quote::
Drone designs result from a butterfly study: Wavy flight saves monarchs energy (2020, February 14)
accessed on February 14, 2020
from https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-drone-butterfly-undulating-flight-monarchs.html
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Part may be reproduced without written permission. The content is provided for informational purposes only. | |
1. How did you become involved in geocaching?
My sister-in-law told me about it when we were on vacation together in Georgia.
I didn’t check it out until I got back to Delaware, little did I know I was driving through five states I could have been caching in!
2. How did you choose your caching name?
The twins had just finished hunting school and they were born in 04. I thought that geocaching would be strictly for them – boy was I wrong.
3. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, and puzzle, virtual?
Definitely not multis – virtuals are fun because they take you to some unique places but I would say traditionals are my favorites.
4. Which caches were the most challenging, either physically/mentally?
I love the challenging hiking and climbing caches.
The puzzle caches could take or leave.
5. What are your current geocaching goals?
To cache with my friends as much as possible! Would have been nice to hit 3,000 this year but that’s not going to happen.
6. Where have you always wanted to go caching but haven’t?
Central Park, NY City – Arches and Bridges
I read that cache description about two years ago and have wanted to go ever since. (one day I’ll convince my geo-buddies to go)
7. What is your most memorable caching experience?
So many memorable experiences as I am sure all people say but the one that I enjoyed most was the 1st Metro Mega in NJ. OliversOuting and I went to Duke Farm on our way up to the event. It was a chilly beautiful fall day. Easy puzzles and great traditionals throughout the property and at the end we were rewarded with a Path Tag. Perfect caching day.
I almost forgot HQ was awesome! Oregon and Washington were stunning.
8. What do you like about geocaching?
The best part of geocaching is the friendships I have made – hands down!
9. Do you have some favorite caches in the area?
Your Key to Cache – was one of first we did as a family
Waypointed told me it was a must do with the kids.
Raiders of the lost cache in PA
Went to an event there in September two years ago
Canal trail
Lots of fun biking that with MartinMitchell
10. Do you have any other hobbies or interests?
I like to run, spend time with family and friends, cook and read. | https://www.geocachingde.com/2016/11/30/december-2016-cacher-of-the-month/ |
Ignoring his pile of fungi, Claudius began to recall the knowledge he learnt from Sylvia’s library; to be precise knowledge regarding meditation. According to the books she had in her library, the first step to becoming a spellcaster was to meditate. He tried to follow the steps mentioned in the books, but to him, meditation was no different from taking a nap. Every time Claudius tried to meditate, he ended up falling asleep.
Five days had passed since he settled down on one of the mountains of the Starspire Mountains. Claudius now had a general grasp of his surroundings, excluding Achilles. He did manage to discover another Bronze Dragon living around 60 kilometres away though; it was rather easy to spot as its lair was a small limestone hill with multiple holes. The Bronze Dragon seemed to know of Claudius’ activities too, as it always hid somewhere during his patrols. Various animals and magical beasts resided near Claudius’ lair as well. The most notable discovery was a dead volcano; the volcanic crater had collapsed to form a pitch black cave, and the entrance of the cave was so spooky that it almost seemed to be a path to the underworld.
Claudius concluded that nothing could really threaten his safety, thus he shifted his focus to magic. After falling asleep a number of times while ‘meditating’, he worked on magic tricks, which were basically Level 0 spells, instead. Claudius managed to cast a few of the Level 0 spells without much effort despite not understanding the underlying principle. They were all nothing noteworthy though; he merely changed the colour of a mushroom with his spell. It was quite intriguing nonetheless, as meditation was regarded as a must for even the most basic spells. This was probably the inborn ability of dragons given the circumstances.
Claudius repeatedly casted the Level 0 spells, attempting to grasp the flow of mana. The results were not much of a surprise; magic was similar to a task, where one would complete a process to obtain the desired result. The authority to access spells increases as the casting level of the spellcaster rises. It was nothing deep or complicated like ‘discovering the secrets of dimensions, feeling the reality of the world and sculpting magic from the sea of mana’ as stated in one of the books he read. Magic research was more or less a repetitive process of trial and error, with the fortunate researchers creating a complete spell from random fragments.
At least that was what Claudius could apprehend after messing around with Level 0 spells. What he failed to observe, was the fact that he did not require meditation to cast spells successfully. Claudius’ compatibility to magic would gradually increase over time as a benefit of harbouring a human soul from the world of the Mages of the Seashore. Sylvia’s combat ability lay in her wide collection of spells; what Claudius read and learnt was merely the tip of an iceberg. His knowledge in magic was mostly about the structure and language of Level 0 spells; though they held insignificant power, it could still be counted as Claudius’ first step into the realm of magic.
Claudius was troubled about whether or not he should record the Level 0 spells on the precious bark he obtained. The books clearly stated that the caster would forget about the magic structure of the spell after casting it once, but that did not happen in his case; he could clearly recall all the structures of the spells he had casted before. Unlike others, Claudius had a cheat which broke the restrictions of being a spellcaster. The cheat was called Mana-Dependent Spellcaster — as long as he had sufficient mana, he could cast the spell as many times as he wanted to. A normal spellcaster could only cast a limited number of spells before resting regardless of how many spells a caster knew or prepared.
As Level 0 spells were rather puny when compared to other spells, Claudius believed that they were not regarded as ‘proper spells’, which further caused him to have the misconception that the rules did not apply to Level 0 spells. Without the need to record down the magic structures, Claudius thought about noting down the descriptions and features of the creatures he came across instead. The problem, however, was that there was no spell which allowed him to record pictures on the pieces of bark, and his artistic talents were……unsightly. After giving it some thought, he ultimately decided to record all Level 0 and 1 spells which he knew on the pieces of bark. It was pointless to make ‘books’ regarding creatures if he could not add pictures.
Claudius used a piece of processed treant branch as a pen; it was first sharpened with his claws, then dried and hardened with his Ring of Blaze. He bit himself on the left paw for blood, which was used as ink as he could not find a proper substance for the job. Claudius had to bite himself quite a few times as his high Constitution automatically healed the wound faster than he could draw blood.
Claudius could now cast a range of Level 0 spells, but things were not as smooth for Level 1 spells; every time he tried casting basic spells such as Endure Elements, Mage Armor and True Strike, they would fail right before the spell could be casted. The reason for his failure was due to his Earthly soul and the Mana-Dependent Spellcaster cheat. These overpowered traits and abilities came with a cost; the difficulty to cast spells was increased. For Claudius, casting Level 1 spells was equivalent to normal spellcasters casting Level 3 spells. Thankfully, the level of difficulty to cast Level 0 spells was still 0 after applying the multipliers; 0 would always be 0 no matter how many times it was multiplied anyways. This also meant that Claudius would most likely be unable to cast Level 6 spells before reaching an old age. Other Crimson Dragons would probably be casting Level 8 or 9 spells at that stage though.
Despite being Level 0, the spells he knew were still sort of useful at times. As his lair was semi-open, it would be brightly illuminated by sunlight during daytime. Dragons had night vision as well, thus night time was not an issue for Claudius as well. It would not have been a problem even if he had no such ability; his body was a massive dark crimson light bulb of around 100 watts. Spells which were generally regarded as useful such as Light were pointless for Claudius, but he still casted Light for a whole hour just for the fun of it. Originally, the duration of the spell reflected the spellcaster’s caster level; Level 6 was required for casting a Light spell with duration of 1 hour. Well, at least that was the case for ordinary spellcasters. The duration of Claudius’ spells were random variables; the minimum duration would be equivalent to the duration of the spell being casted by a spellcaster with 1 caster level below Claudius’, while there was no upper limit. Mage Hand was also a fun spell to fool around with, but he could only exert a maximum force of 5 lbs. Apart from babies and mice, it was impossible to kill anything with such a tiny force. He might do well as a street performer though.
Claudius happily messed around with his newly acquired spells while writing down information about several interesting creatures on the spare bark. Writing on a 1 square metre large bark required a lot of effort as his claws were much larger. The huge claws could only hold relatively thick and wide objects, thus the ‘pen’ was almost as thick as the thigh of a human adult. Thankfully Claudius had perfect eyesight, allowing him to read the tiny letters he wrote. If he was short sighted, it would have been impossible to write on such a small piece of ‘paper’.
At the same time, the plan to purge the Crimson Dragon was proceeding at a steady pace. It was only made possible thanks to Achilles’ efforts; as a dragon representing order and kindness, he was an organized dragon. It would be a big mess by now if other dragons were in charge; for example, Copper Dragons were also righteous dragons, but they were rather simple-minded and sometimes chaotic in a sense. This was further proven by the actions of Sleipnir the Copper Dragon. As a well-known prankster, Sleipnir had already thought of several pranks to trick and fool around with the new inhabitant.
Back to Achilles’ plan, various other powers also played a part in purging the uninvited Crimson Dragon. Apart from Copper and Bronze Dragons, other righteous creatures such as Unicorns, Giant Eagles and Druids which led a reclusive life in the mountains were also included in the plan. They all joined hands due to a single piece of information which Achilles acquired — the new inhabitant was confirmed as Claudius ‘The Crimson Disaster’ who had made his debut in the ongoing war known as The Emerald War (the war between the Greenliner coalition and Silvia the Jade Dragoness’ army).
For this very reason, Achilles visited Showdown Town1 near the Starspire Mountains; he was going to seek help from the Udaeus in the seaside town. He also sent young Copper Dragons to search for the Derhii living in the mountains, hoping to gain assistance from the neutral gorillas. | https://zenithnovels.com/the-crimson-dragon/crimson-dragon-chapter-32/ |
Desert Pines receiver Michael Jackson commits to USC
Desert Pines wide receiver Michael Jackson, a four-star commit by rivals.com, announced he will play at Southern California. He caught 34 passes for 627 yards last season.
Eight wide receivers from the University of Southern California are listed on NFL rosters. If Michael Jackson has his way, his name will be added in a few years.
The Desert Pines wide receiver recently announced his commitment to USC, where he will work toward fulfilling that goal. The 6-foot, 198-pounder is a four-star recruit, according to rivals.com, which has him as the second-best prospect in Nevada for the Class of 2021.
“I just sat down with my family and laid out everything,” Jackson said. “I was really just seeing which school is best for me. In terms of education, it speaks for itself how advanced they are. It’s just a well-balanced school.”
Jackson was part of a Desert Pines offense last season that spread the ball around to a number of explosive weapons. He led the Jaguars with 34 receptions and was among team leaders with 627 yards and five touchdowns receiving.
He added two scores on punt returns and helped Desert Pines reach the state semifinals and finish 11-1. Jackson did most of his work after the catch on screens, which showed his explosiveness. But he hopes to add more to his repertoire as a senior and be a more well-rounded player in USC’s offense.
“I talked to (Trojans offensive coordinator) Graham Harrell about how he runs things, and he was saying he’d like to have me as a combo receiver, inside-outside, under routes or one-on-one with the defensive back,” Jackson said. “He also said he saw me returning punts, being used in the backfield, just all the things I’ve been doing in high school.”
Desert Pines figures to be stacked again at the skill positions despite the loss of five-star tight end Darnell Washington, who will play at Georgia, with Deandre Moore and Jett Solomon teaming with Jackson at wide receiver.
That should provide Jackson plenty of room to operate, and he plans to take advantage.
“I’m really focused on making more plays,” he said. “You can never make too many, so I’m working on getting faster and catching more 50-50 balls, going more outside and jumping with defensive backs.”
Jackson is the second player from the valley to commit to a Pac-12 school in the 2021 class, following Liberty tight end Moliki Matavao, who chose Oregon.
Contact Jason Orts at [email protected] or 702-387-2936. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/nevada-preps/np-football/desert-pines-receiver-michael-jackson-commits-to-usc-2048623/ |
---
abstract: 'It is well known that the equation of state (EoS) of compact objects like neutron and quark stars is not determined despite there are several sophisticated models to describe it. From the electromagnetic observations, summarized in [@Lattimer01], and the recent observation of gravitational waves from binary neutron star inspiral GW170817 [@Abbott2017_etal] and GW190425 [@Abbott2019], it is possible to make an estimation of the range of masses and so constraint the mass of the neutron and quark stars, determining not only the best approximation for the EoS, but which kind of stars we would be observing. In this paper we explore several configurations of neutron stars assuming a simple polytropic equation of state, using a single layer model without crust. In particular, when the EoS depends on the mass rest density, $p=K \rho_{0}^{\Gamma}$, and when it depends on the energy density $p=K \rho^{\Gamma}$, considerable differences in the mass-radius relationships are found. On the other hand, we also explore quark stars models using the MIT bag EoS for different values of the vacuum energy density $B$.'
author:
- 'Griselda Arroyo-Chávez'
- 'Alejandro Cruz-Osorio'
- 'F. D. Lora-Clavijo'
- Cuauhtemoc Campuzano Vargas
- Luis Alejandro García Mora
bibliography:
- 'biblio-u1.bib'
title: 'Neutron and quark stars: constraining the parameters for simple EoS using the GW170817.'
---
Introduction {#sec:intro}
============
The new astronomy and astrophysics of multi-messengers were born from the event GW170817, in which the gravitational and electromagnetic radiation coming from the collision of a binary neutron star system was measured for the first time [@Abbott2017_etal; @Abbott2017b]. The masses of neutron stars responsible for this strong emission of gravitational waves have been estimated in the range $1.17 \ M_{\odot}- 1.6 \ M_{\odot}$ with a total mass of the system of $2.74^{+0.04}_{-0.01} M_{\odot}$ [@Abbott2017_etal]. In new detection during the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO-Virgo detectors in the event GW190425, the estimated masses are in the range $1.45 \ M_{\odot}-1.88 \ M_{\odot}$ for low spinning neutron stars with total mass $2.3^{+0.1}_{-0.1} \ M_{\odot}$ [@Abbott2019]. In the last decades, the study of neutron stars has become one of the branches of relativistic astrophysics of more interest in the scientific community, since these objects are extremely dense and there is uncertainty about the behave of matter inside. In order to understand a little more about the behaviour of these ultracompact objects, many general relativistic numerical simulations have been carried out to extract the gravitational waveform coming from the collision of neutron stars for different equations of state [@Andersson:2009yt; @Baiotti2016; @tsokaros2017; @East2016], [see also a recent review @Paschalidis2017b]. Several EoS have been used to model a neutron star, making a comparative analysis of its mass, radius and binding energy [@Lattimer01]. Recently in Most et al. (2018) and Rezzolla et al. (2018), the maximum mass and radius of these objects has been constrained to $2.01^{+0.04}_{-0.04} M_{\odot}<M<2.16 ^{+0.17}_{-0.5}M_{\odot}$ and $12~{\rm km}<R<13.45~{\rm km}$, respectively. The constraint was obtained after studying millions of equilibrium neutron stars with different equations of state.
Since the observation of gravitational waves, the event GW170817, the join of observation of gravitational waves and numerical simulation will become an important tool for astronomy and astrophysics. One of the challenges is finding a state equation for neutron stars which reproduces the waveforms observed. In this sense, a widely accepted candidate as EoS is the quark star [@Alcock86; @Itoh70], which is composed by stable strange quark matter (general Witten’s conjecture) [@Bodmer1971; @Witten84; @Farhi1984]. Moreover, the quark stars satisfy the tidal deformability estimated from the observation of the gravitational wave event GW170817 [@Lai2017b]. The usual EoS to describe a fluid composed by mixed strange quark matter under nuclear forces is the MIT bag model [@Farhi1984]. Recently, general relativistic simulations were performed in order to study the axisymmetric and triaxial solutions of uniformly rotating quark stars [@Zhou2018; @Zhou2018a].
In this work, we solve the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV) equations with a single layer polytropic EoS and the MIT bag model to construct models of non-rotating neutron and quarks stars respectively, in order to determine which set of parameters of the EoS describe the masses and radii reported from the observations [@Lattimer01; @Abbott2017_etal]. The paper is organized as follow: In section \[sec:TOV\], we briefly describe the TOV equations in 1D spherical symmetry as well as the numerical details used to solve such system of equations. Moreover, we add a brief description of the EoS used to model the neutron and quark stars. We show our numerical result for neutron and quark stars in section \[sec:Results\], and finally some final comments in section \[sec:Sum\]. Hereafter, we use the Einstein convention on sums over repeated indices and use geometrized units where $G = c = 1$.
Tolman-Oppenhaimer-Volkoff equations {#sec:TOV}
=====================================
In this section, we built neutron and quarks stars models with different central densities. The models are carried out by solving numerically the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV) equations for a spherically symmetric static spacetime described by the line element $$\begin{aligned}
ds^{2} =-{\alpha}^{2}d{t}^ {2}
+ \frac{d{r}^{2}}{1-\frac{2m(r)}{r}}
+ {r}^{2}\big(d{\theta}^{2}
+ {sin}^{2}\theta d{\phi}^{2}\big), \label{eq:metric}\end{aligned}$$ being $m(r)$ the gravitational mass function inside the radius $r$, and $\alpha= \alpha(r)$ the lapse function associated with 3+1 formalism in general relativity. The matter used in the model is a perfect fluid described by the energy-momentum tensor ${T}^{\mu \nu} = \left(\rho_{0} + \rho_{0}\epsilon + p\right){u}^{\mu}{u}^{\nu} + p{g}^{\mu \nu}$, where $\rho_{0}$ is the baryon rest mass density, $\epsilon$ is the specific internal energy density, $p$ is the fluid pressure, ${u}^{\mu}$ are the components of the 4-velocity and $g_{\mu \nu}$ are the components of the 4-metric (\[eq:metric\]). It is worth mentioning that $\rho_{0}$ and $\epsilon$ are related through the following relation $\rho=\rho_{0}(1+\epsilon)$ called energy density.
Assuming the fluid inside the star is in hydrostatic equilibrium, the TOV equations are given as a system of ordinary differential equations for $m$, $p$ and $\alpha$ $$\begin{aligned}
\frac{dm}{dr} &=& 4 \pi r^{2} \rho, \label{eq:mass} \\
\frac{dp}{dr} &=& -(\rho +p)\frac{m + 4 \pi r^{3} p}{r(r - 2m)}, \label{eq:press} \\
\frac{1}{\alpha} \frac{d\alpha}{dr} &=& \frac{ m +4 \pi r^{3} p }{ r(r -2rm)} \label{eq:alp}. \end{aligned}$$ To integrate the system of equations, it is necessary to introduce an equation of state to close the system. Particularly in this work, we consider two EoS, the first to model neutron stars which consist of a single polytropic EoS and the second to model quark star corresponding to the MIT bag model EoS. Both equations of state will be described in the next sections. The TOV equations become singular at $r=0$ that is avoided performing a Taylor expansion around this point and assuming the contour conditions $m(r=0)=m''(r=0)=m'''(r=0)=0$. Moreover, we use a guess constant value for $\alpha=0.5$ and impose the conditions $\alpha(r_{max})=1/a(r_{max})$, where $a(r)^2=g_{rr}=1/(1-2m/r)$ [@Guzman2012 see for more details]. These conditions satisfy that outside of the star the solution is given by the Schwarzschild space-time. On the other hand, the surface of the star is defined where the rest mass density is equal to the atmosphere density $\rho_{\rm atm}=1\times 10^{-10}$ in geometric units.
The numerical solutions of the TOV equations were carried out by using the CAFE code [@Lora2015] [see also @Lora2013; @Cruz2012; @Cruz2016; @Lora2015219; @Cruz-Osorio:2017epa] with a third order total variation diminishing Runke-Kutta integrator [@Shu88] in 1D spherical coordinates. The domain extends from $r_{min}=0$ to $r_{max}$, which is chosen depending on the model. In all simulations we use a uniform spatial grid with spatial resolution $\Delta r = 0.06$.
Polytropic Equation of State {#subsec:NSEoS}
-----------------------------
The polytropic EoS, which was introduced for the first time by [@tooper_1965_afs], corresponds to a relation between the pressure and the rest mass density profiles $\rho_0$, [*case 1*]{}. However, there is another expression of EoS in a way the pressure depends on the energy density $\rho$ instead of the rest mass density [@Tooper64], [*case 2*]{}.
[*Case 1:*]{} The polytropic equation of state has been used to describe a completely degenerate gas in Newtonian theory and general relativity. Traditionally, in this EoS, the pressure is written as a function of the rest mass density as follows $$p = K \rho_0^{\Gamma} = K \rho_0^{1+1/n}, \label{eq:EoS1}$$ where $K$, $\Gamma$ and $n$ are usually called the polytropic constant, polytropic exponent, and polytropic index, respectively. In this case, the energy density is related to the pressure by $$\begin{aligned}
\rho=\big( \frac{p}{K}\big)^{1/\Gamma} + \frac{p}{(\Gamma-1)},
\label{eq:polirest} \end{aligned}$$ where it has been assumed that the specific internal energy satisfies the ideal gas equation of state $\rho_0 \epsilon = p/(\Gamma - 1)$.
[*Case 2:*]{} The second possibility we have considered in this work assumes that the rest mass density is replaced by the energy density in the polytropic EoS, as follows $$\begin{aligned}
\rho=\left( \frac{p}{K}\right)^{1/\Gamma},
\label{eq:politotal}\end{aligned}$$ where the rest mass density is computed through the definition $\rho=\rho_{0}(1+ \epsilon)$ for comparison purposes.
In this model the density and pressure profiles in neutron stars usually decay from center to the surface in adiabatic fashion, where in the entropy gradients are neglected $dS = 0$, i.e, the specific entropy is constant.
MIT bag Model for Quark Stars {#subsec:MITEoS}
-----------------------------
Typically, quark stars are modelled with an equation of state based on MIT bag-model of quark matter [@chodos1974] [see also @limousin2005; @Zhou2018], which satisfies the weak interaction and neutral charge condition. Neglecting the strange quark mass the EoS is given by the simple formula $$\begin{aligned}
p =\frac{1}{3}(\rho - 4B),
\label{eq:MIT}\end{aligned}$$ where $\rho$ and $B$ are the energy and vacuum energy densities of the bag that contain the confined quarks with three different colors: up, down and strange. From lattice QCD calculations is known that a phase transition from quarks (confined to nucleons) to free quarks occurs before a density of $6\rho_{\rm{nuc}}$ is reached, being $\rho_{\rm{nuc}} = 2.3 \times 10^{14} ~g/cm^{3}$ the nuclear saturation density [@Paschalidis2017b]. For stable strange quark matter the vacuum energy density values ranges from $57~MeV/fm^{3}$ to $92 ~MeV/fm^{3}$ [@Schmitt2010] [^1], nevertheless, a more recently work reports slightly different ranges $58.926~MeV/fm^{3} < B < 91.5~ MeV/fm^{3}$ [@Paschalidis2017b]. It is worth mentioning that there are more sophisticated equations of state, which involve interacting quarks [@Flores:2017kte] or more complex structures, which involve anisotropic quark stars with an interacting quark EoS [@Becerra-Vergara:2019uzm].
Results {#sec:Results}
=======
Neutron stars
-------------
The neutron stars models are constructed by solving the system of equations (\[eq:mass\]), (\[eq:press\]), (\[eq:alp\]) coupled with the state equations (\[eq:polirest\]) and (\[eq:politotal\]) with different central densities. For build up our physical understanding of the neutron stars, in this work we explore different values of the adiabatic index $\Gamma=1.1$, $~4/3$, $~ 5/3$, $~1.181$, $1.87$, $~1.93$, $~ 2.0$, $~2.02$, $~2.05$, $~2.15$, $~2.24$, $~2.40$, $~2.75$, $~5.0$. The results are depicted in Figure \[fig:neutronstars\], where we show the total mass of the star as a function of the radius - the called compactness of the star - for EoS with the adiabatic index $\Gamma$ and constant $K$ such that the sound-speed in the star is less than the speed of light. We found that for equation the acceptable adiabatic index range is $\Gamma \in [5/3, 2.75]$ (see the solid lines) while for the EoS given en equation the range is $\Gamma \in [5/3, 2.0]$ (see the dotted lines), respectively.
![We show the compactness of neutron stars, i.e, the maximum mass versus radius of the several configurations of neutron stars. The solid lines shows the models with EoS defined with rest mass density and the dotted lines corresponds to the EoS defined using the energy density . We include, in horizontal lines three masses estimated from observed pulsars [@Lattimer01]. The light green cover range of estimated masses of individual neutron star from gravitational waves emission [@Abbott2017_etal]. Also shown are in orange and blue shaded regions the recent maximum mass and radii constrictions [@Rezzolla2017; @Most2018]. \[fig:neutronstars\]](fig1.pdf){width="1.0\columnwidth"}
In this figure, green shaded region we also depict the range of non-rotating neutron stars masses ($1.17<M<1.6~ M_{\odot}$) estimated from the gravitational wave event GW170817 [@Abbott2017_etal], the orange region corresponds to the maximum mass interval obtained from the recent constriction of neutron stars [@Rezzolla2017] and finally the blue fringe is the acceptable radius for neutron stars [@Most2018]. We also include some particular pulsars like J1141-6545, B1913+16, and J1903+0327 with masses $M=1.27 \pm 0.01 M_{\odot}$, $1.4398 \pm 0.0002 M_{\odot}$ and $1.667 \pm 0.021 M_{\odot}$, respectively, choosing the pulsars with smallest error bars which are reported in [@Lattimer01]. It is worth mentioning that all the lines were constructed by using several values of the parameter $K$ for each equation of state. We found that the neutron stars modelled with EoS (\[eq:politotal\]) are more compact than the ones where the polytropic EoS is applied directly over the rest mass density. This difference is more noticeable for smaller values of $\Gamma$ than for higher ones. For instance, for a given value of $K$, $\Gamma = 5/3$ and a neutron star mass of $1.2~M_{\odot}$, the radius difference is about $\sim 3~{\rm km}$, being the model with EoS (\[eq:politotal\]) the one with the smallest radius, while for $\Gamma = 5$ such difference is about $\sim 0.5~{\rm km}$. From this figure, we can conclude that when the adiabatic index increases the radius mass relation for neutron stars tends to be the same for both equations of state.
![Close-up view of the Figure \[fig:neutronstars\] to highlight maximum mass and the corresponding radii. We show the fine-tuned values for $\Gamma$ and $K$ such that we cover mostly the range of masses and radii reported in [@Rezzolla2017; @Most2018] for both cases, using the rest mass density in EoS (top panel) and when the pressure is written as function of the energy density (bottom panel). See Table \[tab:par\], for corresponding $\Gamma$ and $K$ to the represented by the dots.[]{data-label="fig:fit"}](fig2.pdf "fig:"){width="0.85\columnwidth"}\
![Close-up view of the Figure \[fig:neutronstars\] to highlight maximum mass and the corresponding radii. We show the fine-tuned values for $\Gamma$ and $K$ such that we cover mostly the range of masses and radii reported in [@Rezzolla2017; @Most2018] for both cases, using the rest mass density in EoS (top panel) and when the pressure is written as function of the energy density (bottom panel). See Table \[tab:par\], for corresponding $\Gamma$ and $K$ to the represented by the dots.[]{data-label="fig:fit"}](fig3.pdf "fig:"){width="0.85\columnwidth"}
Now by assuming that the maximum mass range and radius are $2.01<M<2.16~M_{\odot}$ and $12<R<13.45 ~{\rm km}$, respectively [@Rezzolla2017], we realize a fit on the adiabatic index and constant $K$ in order to see what values of these parameters, for both EoS, are necessary to satisfy this constriction. In Figure \[fig:fit\], we show the corresponding values of $\Gamma$ that satisfies the constraint over the masses and radius for neutron stars reported in [@Rezzolla2017]. Specifically, we found for the [*case 1*]{} values that range from $\Gamma=2.05$ to $\Gamma=2.40$, while for the [*case 2*]{} these values range from $\Gamma=1.81$ to $\Gamma=2.02$. The respective values of constant $K$, adiabatic index, effective temperature, density and pressure are reported in table \[tab:par\].
![Average of the effective temperature expressed either in Kelvin degrees measured at infinity versus the adiabatic index $\Gamma$. Shown with blue and red lines for EoS given in equations and and in dotted line we depict the MIT Eos case. The effective temperature at the star surface is $T_{\rm eff}=10^6 \ {\rm K^{o}}$ [@Yakovlev2004]. See also Table \[tab:par\] where we report the $T_{\rm eff \ \infty}$ for models reported in Figure \[fig:fit\].[]{data-label="fig:teff"}](fig4.pdf){width="1.0\columnwidth"}
Additionally to the global aspect of neutron stars, [*i.e*]{}, the compactness, we compute the effective temperature from neutron stars surface. Is well known that the thermal emission from the surface of neutron stars are estimated from pulsars giving the effective temperatures in the range $3 \times 10^{5} \ K^{o} - 10^6 \ K^{o}$ [@Lattimer04; @Page2004]. The effective temperature definition come up from theoretical cooling calculation trough the Stefan-Boltzmann law $L_{\gamma}:=4\pi R^{2} \sigma T_{\rm eff}^{4}$, where $\sigma$ is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant and $L_{\gamma}$ is the thermal surface luminosity measured in the neutron star frame (see [@Ozel2013] for a detailed study of surface emission). For an arbitrary observer located at infinity - observer in the earth - the apparent luminosity is defined as $L_{\gamma}^{\infty} := L_{\gamma}\sqrt{1-2MG/Rc^{2}}$ resulting in the redshifted effective temperature $T^{\infty}_{\rm eff}=T_{\rm eff} (1+z)=T_{\rm eff} \sqrt{1-2MG/Rc^{2}}$, where $z$ is the redshift [@Yakovlev2004; @Lattimer04]. In the Figure \[fig:teff\] (see also Table \[tab:par\] for specific values) we plotted the average of the effective temperature at infinity versus adiabatic index for models depicted in Figures \[fig:neutronstars\] and \[fig:fit\], the average was performed over all possible values of constant $K$ for EoS defined in equations (blue line) and (red line). Note that, for simplicity here we assume that $T_{\rm eff}=10^{6} \ K^{o}$ motivated in the temperatures estimated from pulsars [@Page2004; @Ozel2013]. We found the redshifted effective temperatures in the range $6.3 \times 10^{5} K^{o}\ - \ 8.6 \times 10^{5}K^{o}$ for $p(\rho_{0})$ and $8.0 \times 10^{5} K^{o}\ - \ 8.4 \times 10^{5}K^{o}$ for $p(\rho)$, respectively. We should remark that those models correspond to the stars with $C_s < c$, while for the maximum mass and radius values we get a reduced range $8.0 \ - \ 8.4 \times 10^{5} \ K^{o}$ in the two EoS models considered in this work.
\[tab:par\]
[**$\Gamma$**]{} $K$ $T_{\rm eff}^{\infty}[K^{o}]$ $\rho [\rho_{\rm{nuc}}]$ $p {\rm [dyn/{cm}^{2}]}$
------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------------- -------------------------- ------------------------------
$p=K\rho^{\Gamma}$
[**$1.81$**]{} $30.5$ $8.38\times 10^{5}$ $8.60$ $1.48 \times {10}^{29}$
[**$1.87$**]{} $45-50.5$ $8.46\times 10^{5}$ $8.31-9.50$ $1.90-2.18 \times {10}^{30}$
[**$1.93$**]{} $66-75$ $8.15\times 10^{5}$ $8.94-10.24$ $2.69-3.07 \times {10}^{30}$
[**$2.02$**]{} $133$ $8.00\times 10^{5}$ $9.84$ $1.38 \times {10}^{33}$
$p=K\rho_{0}^{\Gamma}$
[**$2.05$**]{} $210$ $8.37\times 10^{5}$ $5.49$ $1.90 \times {10}^{33}$
[**$2.15$**]{} $398-465$ $8.25\times 10^{5}$ $5.70-6.54$ $1.48-1.70 \times {10}^{35}$
[**$2.24$**]{} $700-835$ $8.15\times 10^{5}$ $6.07-7.00$ $7.02-8.10 \times {10}^{36}$
[**$2.40$**]{} $2300$ $8.02\times 10^{5}$ $6.68$ $6.45 \times {10}^{39}$
: Numerical outcomes for neutron stars modelled by polytropic EoS with adiabatic $\Gamma$ and adiabatic constant $K$ that satisfy the range of maximum masses and radii [@Rezzolla2017; @Most2018]. In each approach, we report the effective temperature at infinity $T_{\rm eff \ \infty}$ in Kelvin degrees, pressure $p$ in cgs units ($\rm dyn \ / \ {cm}^{2}$) the corresponding energy $\rho$ and rest mass density $\rho_{0}$, respectively, in nuclear density units $\rho_{\rm {nuc}}$.
Quark stars
-----------
The numerical integration of TOV equations (\[eq:mass\]), (\[eq:press\]), (\[eq:alp\]) coupled to the constitutive relation (\[eq:MIT\]) (the MIT bag-model EoS), describe a spherical symmetric non-rotating quark star. We summarize the maximum mass and its corresponding radius in Figure \[fig:MIT\].
![Compactness for quark stars built following the MIT bag model. The dots correspond to some particular vacuum energy in range $57 \ MeV/fm^{3} \ < \ B \ < \ 92\ MeV/fm^{3}$. In the same way, as in Figure \[fig:neutronstars\] we include some representative masses estimated from pulsars, gravitational waves and maximum mass and radii constrictions. \[fig:MIT\]](fig5.pdf){width="1.0\columnwidth"}
Several simulations were carried out for different values of the vacuum energy density parameter, in particular, we explore values between the range $57~MeV/fm^{3}$ to $92 ~MeV/fm^{3}$. For the specific value of $B=60~MeV/fm^{3}$, we have obtained values of the mass and radius in agreement with the ones reported in [@gourgoulhon1999] for non-rotating quark stars. We have also found that quark stars modelled between the range of $90~MeV/fm^{3}<B<92~MeV/fm^{3}$ can reproduce the masses estimated in the event GW170817 [@Abbott2017_etal]. Furthermore, to satisfy the constrained masses for compact stars reported in [@Rezzolla2017], the values of $B$ must be in the range $49.5~MeV/fm^{3}<B<57.3~MeV/fm^{3}$; however, for these values, we get more compact stars with radius in the range from $10.95$ $~{\rm km}$ to $11.78$ $~{\rm km}$, as is expected for quarks stars, which are more compact than neutron stars (see the blue shadowed region in Figure \[fig:MIT\], which corresponds to the acceptable radius of neutron stars [@Most2018]). Additionally to this fact, some of these energy values $B$ are out from the valid range and was excluded in the figure, obtaining that only one case satisfy the maximum mass constriction; $B=57~MeV/fm^{3}$ giving us a mass $M=2.1 \ M_{\odot}$ and $R=11 {\rm km}$. We found that the thermal emission from the surface of quark stars - following the same idea as in neutrons stars - give us an almost constant effective temperatures at infinity $T_{\rm eff}^{\infty}=7.95 \times 10^{5} \ K^{o}$ (see the Figure \[fig:teff\]).
Binding Energy
--------------
Using our numerical results we compute the binding energy for neutron and quark stars using the relation proposed in [@Lattimer01] $$\begin{aligned}
\frac{BE}{M}=\frac{6 q}{5(2 - q)},
\label{eq:BE}\end{aligned}$$ which is a function of the compactness $q=M/R$. This energy is relevant in the astrophysical context since $BE/M$ it is measured from the neutrinos emitted in a supernova explosion. We found that the binding energy are in the range $0.10427<BE/M<0.1194$ with compactness $0.159<q<0.181$ for neutron stars with total masses between $2.01<M<2.16 ~M_{\odot}$ and sizes of $12 < R < 13.45~{\rm km}$. For quark stars the binding energy obtained run in the range $0.12126<BE/M<0.12130$ and compactness $0.1835<q<0.1836$. The compactness of quark stars is greater than compactness in neutron stars, that means that same mass it is contained in a small region. The range of energies using a single layer polytropic and MIT EoS are in agreement with the values reported in [@Lattimer01].
Summary {#sec:Sum}
=======
We have performed numerical simulations of non-rotating neutron and quark stars using single layer polytropic and MIT bag model equations of state, respectively. In particular, the polytropic EoS was applied to the rest mass and energy densities, keeping the models in which the sound speed is subluminal in the interior of the stars. In this first two cases for neutron stars, we found that the stars with adiabatic index in the range $1.81< \Gamma<2.02$ for EoS $p=K \rho^{\Gamma}$ and $2.05 < \Gamma<2.40$ for $p=K \rho_{0}^{\Gamma}$ are optimal to reproduce the constrained maximum masses and the corresponding radius recently reported by [@Rezzolla2017; @Most2018]. We have carried out the same systematic search of parameters to cover the range of individual masses estimated from the GW170817 gravitational wave emission, the outcomes are showed in Figure \[fig:neutronstars\] and values of $K$ reported in table \[tab:par\]. Our numerical result for equation of state applied to the rest mass density are in agreement with recent [*NICER*]{} pulsar detection PSR J0030+0451 where a polytropic EoS with adiabatic index $\Gamma=2.5$ has been used to describe the neutron star matter with mass $M=1.34_{-0.16}^{+0.15} \ M_{\odot}$ [@NICER2019L21; @NICER2019L22].
On the other hand, for the case of quark stars, the constrained maximum masses computed in [@Rezzolla2017; @Most2018] are reached for a single bag energy value $B=57 \ MeV/fm^{3}$ giving us a mass $M=2.1 \ M_{\odot}$ and radius $R=11 \ {\rm km}$, respectively. Now If we assume that the gravitational waves measured in GW170817 come from quarks stars, the parameter $B$ must be in the range $90 \ MeV/fm^{3} \ < \ B \ < \ 92$ $MeV/fm^{3}$ and their respective radius are $\sim 8.65-8.75~{\rm km}$, which gives more compact stars. However, our results for the range $57~MeV/fm^{3}$ $<B<92$ $~MeV/fm^{3}$ can also reproduce the recent estimated mass from gravitational wave detection GW190425 [@Abbott2019]. Notable differences have been found in the radius of neutron and quark stars, the last one gives us more compact stars, i. e., smaller radius.
Together with compactness, we have carried a simplified calculation of effective temperatures measured at infinity by assuming the the temperature at the surface of the star is $T_{\rm eff}=10^{6}$ based in the pulsar observations [@Lattimer04; @Page2004]. We found that the redshifted effective temperatures for neutron stars are in the range $6.3 \times 10^{5} K^{o}\ - \ 8.6 \times 10^{5}K^{o}$, furthermore for quark stars we have been found a constant $T_{\rm eff}^{\infty}=7.95 \times 10^{5} \ K^{o}$.
Finally, we have estimated the binding energy for neutron stars with both single layer polytropic equations of state and found that this quantity ranges from $BE/M = 0.10427$ to $BE/M = 0.1194$. For the case of the stars constituted by quark matter, the binding energy is $BE/M \sim 0.121$. From our numerical results - using the simple EoS - is possible to differentiate by using the set of parameter studied here what kind of star we are observing, in the case that it can be measured.
The outcomes presented here can be improved in many ways. First introducing the spin to the stars; is well known that the rotation of the stars gives us a different range of masses and radii. Second, by including a more realistic EoS with multiple layers and crusts. Finally, consider the possibility of mixed matter in the star. We plan to address these features in future works.
ACO gratefully acknowledges to CONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowship 291168 and 291258. F.D.L-C was supported in part by VIE-UIS, under Grant No. 2493 and by COLCIENCIAS, Colombia, under Grant No. 8863. CC acknowledges partial support by CONACyT Grant CB-2012-177519-F.
[^1]: $1~~ MeV/fm^{3} = 1.6022 \times 10^{33}~dyn/cm^{2}$
| |
The Customer Operations Data Analyst is responsible for the data collection, data integrity, and creation of data visualization tools to monitor, analyze and project performance of Gogo systems for internal or external customers. The Data Analyst role doesn’t just present numbers, they are expected to provide key insights or trends emanating from the data to make recommendations on new or changes to services, continuous improvement and/or operational efficiencies.
The Data Analyst will be part of the Gogo Business Aviation Market Intelligence (MI) team as a data analyst advocate ensuring that all performance monitoring and analysis capabilities are in place. You will play a collaborative role throughout the organization to ensure that the appropriate solutions are made available to Gogo Business Aviation customers and to our internal partners.
COME ON BOARD THE GOGO BUSINESS AVIATION OPERATIONS TEAM!
How will you make a difference?
- Develop and implement data collection systems and other strategies that optimize statistical efficiency and data quality
- Acquire data from primary or secondary data sources and maintain databases/data systems
- Filter and “clean” data, and review computer reports, printouts, and performance indicators to locate and correct code problems
- Work closely with management to prioritize business and information needs
- Build relationships with key stakeholders to gain deep understanding of their business to ensure you develop metrics and OKRs consistent with their requirements and priorities
- Where appropriate, increase MI team’s efficiency by developing and educating key stakeholders about available “self-service tools” to ensure data is quickly and readily available to them without MI team intervention needed
- Effectively document sources and methods to ensure team continuity when you are not available
- Conduct critical analysis of key performance indicators to aid with continuous improvement efforts related to network quality and performance
- Identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets
- Locate and define new process improvement opportunities
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in computer science, telecommunications, mathematics or related technical field or equivalent work experience
- 2+ years of experience in a technical role or as a Data Analyst
Required Skills, Experience and Talents
- Proficient in data preparation; including the sourcing, acquisition, integration, and validation of integrity for data necessary to support business operations
- Coding skills in languages such as SQL, Python and/or R
- Reporting and data visualization skills using software like Tableau
- Understanding of data warehousing and ETL techniques
- Knowledge of statistics and experience using statistical packages for analyzing large datasets (Excel, R, etc.)
- Analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy
- Adept at queries, report writing, and presenting findings
- Ability to work independently to clarify requests, collect and process data from existing and new sources, and work with other groups to understand underlying issues, driving towards completion of stated goals, seeking information and guidance where required
- Ability to translate business requirements into non-technical, lay terms and vice versa
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- Exhibit management courage with confidence to respectfully challenge decisions that are not consistent with data results
Desired Skills, Experience and Talents
- Previous experience working in a wireless network carrier operational environment preferred
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- Knowledge of Python or other scripting language a plus
- SQL programming experience is highly desirable
Gogo is the inflight internet company. Our worldwide inflight Wi-Fi services have made internet and video entertainment a regular part of flying. We are a diverse and mission-minded group of professionals all working together in extraordinary harmony. And that’s just the beginning. We connect the aviation industry and air travelers with innovative technology and applications, and we do it all in a high-energy environment that welcomes the next challenge. Be prepared to join a performance-obsessed team that is passionate about bringing the internet to every device, every flight, everywhere.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Vets/Disabled
Gogo participates in E-Verify. Details in English and Spanish. Right to Work Statement in English and Spanish. | http://jobs.jobvite.com/gogo/job/owpRdfwJ |
Voltage is a representation of the electric potential energy per unit charge. If a unit of electrical charge were placed in a location, the voltage indicates the potential energy of it at that point. In other words, it is a measurement of the energy contained within an electric field, or an electric circuit, at a given point. It is equal to the work that would have to be done per unit charge against the electric field to move the charge from one point to another.
Voltage is a scalar quantity; it does not have direction. Ohm's Law says voltage equals current times resistance.
The SI unit of voltage is the volt, such that 1 volt = 1 joule/coulomb. It is represented by V. The volt is named after Italian physicist Alessandro Volta who invented a chemical battery.
This means that one coulomb of charge will gain one joule of potential energy when it is moved between two locations where the electric potential difference is one volt. For a voltage of 12 between two locations, one coulomb of charge will gain 12 joules of potential energy.
A six-volt battery has a potential for one coulomb of charge to gain six joules of potential energy between two locations. A nine-volt battery has a potential for one coulomb of charge to gain nine joules of potential energy.
A more concrete example of voltage from real life is a water tank with a hose extending from the bottom. Water in the tank represents stored charge. It takes work to fill the tank with water. This creates a store of water, as separating charge does in a battery. The more water in the tank, the more pressure there is and the water can exit through the hose with more energy. If there were less water in the tank, it would exit with less energy.
This pressure potential is equivalent to voltage. The more water in the tank, the more pressure. The more charge stored in a battery, the more voltage.
When you open the hose, the current of water then flows. The pressure in the tank determines how fast it flows out of the hose. Electrical current is measured in Amperes or Amps. The more volts you have, the more amps for the current, same as the more water pressure you have, the faster the water will flow out of the tank.
However, the current is also affected by resistance. In the case of the hose, it is how wide the hose is. A wide hose allows more water to pass in less time, while a narrow hose resists the water flow. With an electrical current, there can also be resistance, measured in ohms.
Ohm's Law says voltage equals current times resistance. V = I * R. If you have a 12-volt battery but your resistance is two ohms, your current will be six amps. If the resistance were one ohm, your current would be 12 amps.
What Is Oscillation in Physics? | https://www.thoughtco.com/voltage-2699022 |
The use of quantum states of light, such as entanglement and squeezing, allows surpassing the limitation of conventional measurement increasing the amount of information extracted from an object under investigation.
Here I will present the realization of the experimental sensing protocols in the framework of quantum hypothesis testing and channel discrimination focusing in three different tasks: quantum reading, quantum conformance test and quantum pattern recognition. The quantum hypothesis test is considered in the case of the parameter under investigation as an optical loss determined by the transmission properties of the object. The quantum enhancement in the estimation of the loss parameter distributed in a 2-D object leads to full field sub-shot-noise imaging.
Here we have considered the general multi-cell scenario, where the information can be stored in complex patterns, rather in each single cell of a memory or individual pixel of an image. The quantum enhanced readout of the cells is expected to produce a more efficient classification of the patterns. In this experiment we have considered the problem of handwritten digit classification with supervised learning algorithms.
Nosrati
Spatial indistinguishability-based thermal machine enabling quantum entanglement and cooling processes
Indistinguishability has a remarkable role when it comes to the understanding of identical quantum entities. Usually, this genuinely quantum property arises from the unaddressability of particles of the same kind when wavefunctions become spatially overlapping. Indistinguishability of identical quantum subsystems is an exploitable resource for quantum information processing, including teleportation, quantum estimation, entanglement distribution between nodes of a quantum network Here we show how an equilibrium thermal state, composed of two identical qubits, can be manipulated by adjusting the spatial indistinguishability (SI) of the qubits. Via this fundamental mechanism, we develop a SI-based quantum machine which produces robust quantum resources, such as entanglement and coherence, at any temperature. We also demonstrate that this thermal machine can act as a refrigerator by harnessing SI. These results open new pathways for SI-fueled quantum thermodynamic processes.
Panizza
Entanglement Witnessing for Lattice Gauge Theories
LGTs are at the core of fundamental physics and, recently, substantial theoretical and experimental efforts have gone into simulating LGTs using quantum technologies., In the quantum realm, entanglement plays a crucial role and its detection can be efficiently performed using entanglement witnesses., Yet, entanglement witnessing in LGTs is extremely challenging due to the gauge constraints, that severely limit the operators that can be employed to detect quantum correlations., In this work, we develop the theoretical framework of entanglement witnessing in lattice gauge theories and, by way of illustration, consider bipartite entanglement witnesses in a U(1) LGT (with and without fermionic matter)., Our framework, which avoids the costly measurements required, e.g., by full-tomography,opens the way to future theoretical and experimental studies of entanglement in an important class of many-body models.
Pellitteri
Cascaded optomechanical systems
In optomechanical systems, light modes interact with massive mechanical oscillators, leading to quantum technologies applications. Depending on the configuration of the system, the optomechanical interaction can be used to drive or cool the mechanical mode near to its ground state , generating squeezing or create entanglement between optical and mechanical modes. A natural extension consists into consider not only one optical and one mechanical, but more modes. One way to do that is to consider a scheme in which the cavity modes are coupled to a unidirectional waveguide, resulting, in this way, placed in a cascaded configuration. This induce a non-reciprocal interaction at first glance between the cavities and indirectly between the mechanical oscillators. In the weak coupling regime the cavity field modes can be adiabatically eliminated resulting in an effective coupling between te two mechanical oscillators. This framework can be used to investigate the dynamics of the system and the possibility of engineering a temperature gradient.
Piccione
Characterization of Kinetic Degrees of Freedom as a Control for Implementing Time-Dependent Hamiltonians
In many situations, the kinetic degree of freedom of moving particles is used to implement time-dependent Hamiltonians on internal degrees of freedom. The supposedly implemented (time-dependent, i.e., non-autonomous) dynamics is exact only in the ideal case of an infinitely massive point-like particle. Here, we compute the correction to the dynamics of the internal degrees of freedom due to the small yet finite spatial extension of the moving particle by using a fully quantum description. Looking at the dynamics from a thermodynamics perspective and using a generalized definition of work, we define the efficiency of the energy transfer between kinetic and internal degrees of freedom and use it to quantify the quality of the time-dependent Hamiltonian implementation. The analytical expression of both the correction to the dynamics and the quality of the time-dependent Hamiltonian implementation turn out to be proportional to the square of the spatial extension of the moving particle wavepacket.
Piccolini
Indistinguishability-based direct measurement of the exchange phase of identical quantum particles
The symmetrization postulate in quantum mechanics, leads to the appearance of, an exchange phase dictating the symmetry of identical, particle global states under particle swapping. Many indirect measurements of such a, fundamental phase have been reported so far, while a direct observation has been only recently, carried out for photons. We introduce, a general scheme capable to directly measure, the exchange phase of any type of particles, (bosons, fermions, anyons), exploiting spatial indistinguishability within the operational framework of spatially localized operations, and classical communication. An experimental, implementation has been performed in an all-optical platform, providing a direct measurement of the real bosonic exchange, phase of photons and a proof-of-principle measurement of different simulated exchange phases., Our results confirm the symmetrization tenet and, provide a tool to explore it in various scenarios: with this regard, an experimental implementation in double quantum dots is being designed to achieve the first direct measurement of the fermionic exchange phase.
Pradhan
Quantum Fisher Information as tool for detecting topological phases
Quantum Fisher Information (QFI) is known to provide a valuable tool for measuring the Multipartite Entanglement (ME) in one-dimensional models, which can give valuable information about the existence of topological phases. In this work we consider two paradigmatic models: the Kitaev chain, a toy model of a topological superconductor, and the Bilinear-Biquadratic model, a general SU(2)-invariant spin-1 chain. The former is also generalized to include a long-range coupling, which decays as function of the distance between sites with a power law. We show that the scaling of the QFI of strictly non-local observables can be used for characterizing the phase diagrams and, in particular, for detecting topological phases, where it scales maximally. Numerical results obtained with the DMRG algorithm, are tested against known results of the Bilinear-Biquadratic model and a new analytical calculation of the QFI for the Kitaev chain, showing the emergence of a a new kind of topological phase in the strongly long- range regime.
Sanavio
Support Vector Machine Classification of Entangled States
Quantum entanglement is one of the main features that distinguish a classical from a quantum state. This distinction has real application, as quantum entanglement is the basic resource for quantum computation advantage. Although the importance of detecting an entangled state is clear to the community, we still miss a universal recipe for entanglement classification, with analytical results obtained for low dimensional system (2 qubits or 1 qubit and 1 qutrit) and some special cases of higher dimensional system. Classification tasks have been solved with high precision by machine learning algorithms. In particular, we are interested in the support vector machine (SVM), which separates two regions of the space by an optimal hyperplane/hypersurface. In this work we develop an algorithm to use SVM classifiers to divide separable and entangled states. We apply this technique to two-qubit and three-qubit system, showing the power of this protocol. Finally, we relate the separating hyperplane to an operational procedure we can implement on a quantum computer, making use of copies of the input state.
Tibaldi
Efficient optimisation for the implementation of QAOA on NISQ devices: a Bayesian approach
Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a variational hybrid
quantum-classical algorithm often considered as a benchmark to test the validity of quantum computers.
It relies on the estimation of the energy on a variational state prepared via a quantum circuit,
depending on parameters fixed via classical optimisation techniques.
While many theoretical results prove the efficiency of this algorithm there are
two main problems to deal with: the presence of barren plateaus in the optimization landscape,
the need to take into consideration the limits of the NISQ era devices.
In this work we propose a Bayesian optimization, a global approach that makes
use of a probabilistic model to sample in an efficient way the evaluation of objective function,
so that to make predictions about the landscape of the energy we are trying to minimize.
We apply it to typical combinatorial problems on graph and show it converges to
a minimum with a very a limited number of calls to the circuit with respect to
standard global optimization routines. We are also able to prove that it is resistant against noise.
Tirone
Noisy quantum batteries: optimizing the output ergotropy
Energy-storing devices which use quantum effects (quantum batteries) are expected to provide an advantage in terms of charging power with respect to their classical counterparts. However another crucial feature that needs to be assessed is the ability of quantum batteries to store energy through a period of time withstanding self-discharging and noise.
In this work we characterize the best way to store a total energy E in an array of n (two-level) noisy quantum batteries, with the aim of retrieving the maximum possible energy after the batteries have undergone some environmental noise. We consider several kinds of detrimental noise: energy decay and thermalization (generalized amplitude damping channels), loss of coherence (dephasing channels) and depolarization.
We consider both the case in which the allowed number of quantum batteries n is restrained to a fixed fraction of the initial energy E to store in the batteries, and the case in which we are allowed to use an unlimited number of quantum batteries (E/n tending to infinity). For some noise channels (most notably, the generalized amplitude damping channel) storing the energy in a large number of batteries is the best way to prevent the degradation of extractable work due to the use of quantum coherence in energy allocation. However, this is not the case for all the kinds of models: we find some quantum channels for which the ergotropy is best preserved by keeping a finite ratio E/n. This result shows that quantum resources, apart from providing an advantage in the charging power of quantum batteries, can also be helpful in preventing their degradation by environmental noise.
Wu
Non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics of a particle trapped in a controllable time-varying potential
Many advanced quantum techniques feature non-Gaussian dynamics, and the ability to manipulate the system in that domain is the next-stage in many experiments. One example of meaningful non-Gaussian dynamics is that of a double-well potential. Here we study the dynamics of a levitated nanoparticle undergoing the transition from an harmonic potential to a double-well in a realistic setting, subjecting to both thermalisation and localisation. We characterise the dynamics of the nanoparticle from a thermodynamic point-of-view, investigating the dynamics with the Wehrl entropy production and its rates. Furthermore, we investigate coupling regimes where the the quantum effect and thermal effect are of the same magnitude, and look at suitable squeezing of the initial state that provides the maximum coherence. The effects and the competitions of the unitary and the dissipative parts onto the system are demonstrated. We quantify the requirements to relate our results to a bonafide experiment with the presence of the environment, and discuss the experimental interpretations of our results in the end.
Zicari
Spin phase-space approach to the study of the effect of coherence on the entropy production rate
Recent studies have pointed out the intrinsic dependence of figures of merit of thermodynamic relevance \[Dash] such as work, heat and entropy production \[Dash] on the amount of quantum coherences that is made available to a system. However, whether coherences hinder or enhance the value taken by such quantifiers of thermodynamic performance is yet to be ascertained. We show that, when considering entropy production generated in a process taking a finite-size bipartite quantum system out of equilibrium through local non-unitary channels, no general
hierarchy exists between the entropy production and degree of quantum coherence in the state of the system. A direct correspondence between such quantities can be retrieved when considering specific forms of open-system dynamics applied to suitably chosen initial states. Our results call for a systematic study of the role of genuine quantum features in the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of quantum processes. | https://iqis2022.unipa.it/posters2/ |
As urbanisation and industrial development continue to cause irreversible damage to the environment, major cities across the world are working hard to protect the planet. The world becomes more polluted with each passing day, and nations must strive to be more responsible towards the planet. A few cities have done exceptionally well when it comes to sustained environmental efforts.These sustainable cities work to eliminate their overall carbon footprint while also investing in several eco-friendly projects that help humans coexist in harmony with nature.
These cities ensure that human intervention is kept to a minimum, allowing the natural environment to flourish. Green, sustainable cities see the government work with citizens to ensure their eco-friendly goals are achieved.
Here Are 12 Of The Most Sustainable Cities In The World
1. Copenhagen, Denmark—Europe’s Green Capital
Copenhagen is considered one of the most sustainable cities in Europe and is also one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Nearly 50 per cent of citizens in Copenhagen ride a bike to work or school. Since 1995, Copenhagen has successfully been able to reduce its CO2 emissions by using alternative energy and hopes to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. Since 2010, Copenhagen has been integrating green roofs into their infrastructure. They also have an array of wind farms. The city aims to use 100 per cent renewable energy in energy and transport sectors by 2050.
2. Singapore—The Garden City
Ever since its independence in 1965, Singapore has consistently prioritised sustainability. Known as the Garden City for its city-wide greenery, Singapore’s government has made sustained efforts to maintain green spaces amid all the urbanisation. 10 per cent of Singapore’s land has been set aside for parks and nature reserves, and the government is committed to making at least 80 per cent of all its buildings green by 2030. Singapore also houses the largest food waste processing facility in Asia which uses microorganisms to break down biodegradable material in fertilizer and power.
3. San Francisco, USA—A Trailblazer In Waste Management
San Francisco is the most sustainable, eco-friendly city in the USA, according to the extensive Siemens Green City Index. The city has made commendable efforts in recycling and waste management. San Francisco was the first city in the USA to make it mandatory for all residents and businesses to separate trash from compost and recyclables. 77 per cent of the waste in San Francisco gets recycled, making it the city with the highest recycling rate in the USA. It was also the first city in the country to ban plastic shopping bags all the way back in 2007.
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands—The City Of Bikes
Amsterdam has more bikes than people. The city relentlessly champions green living, encouraging all citizens to use bikes and electric vehicles to reduce their carbon footprint. The city has 300 charging stations spread across it. Amsterdam also ensures that local farmers get all the support they need so that the city can consume organic, homegrown food. Citizens are increasingly using clothes made from eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes in Amsterdam steer clear of poisonous dyes or agents that could contaminate water.
5. Stockholm, Sweden—Efficient And Eco-Friendly Systems In Place
Stockholm was the first EU city that won the European Green Capital Award in 2010. The city has an efficient system that runs without using up all its fossil fuel reserves. Presently, Stockholm has biofuel conversion plants that take sewage to produce biofuel from them. The city also uses waste heat produced by data centers, shops, and stadiums that are used to provide heating to the residents of Stockholm. By 2050, Stockholm hopes to be completely fossil fuel free.
6. Vancouver, Canada—The Lowest Carbon Emissions In North America
Vancouver is one of the major cities in North America with the least amount of carbon emissions. Efforts to achieve this status began as early as 2010, when Vancouver began supporting cyclists and went on to build separate lanes for them. The city continues to increase the number of charging ports to encourage citizens to use electric vehicles. Multiple waste management projects exist in Vancouver that serve to make the city free of waste and contaminants. The government has also formed a Green City Action Team (GCAT) that will strive to make Vancouver the greenest city in the future years.
7. Curitiba, Brazil—A City Utilizing the Power of Recycling
Curitiba is known as the Green Capital of Brazil. This sustainable city recycles 70 per cent of its waste to generate reusable energy or products. It has an efficient public transportation system that assists commuters to travel around the city without depending on their personal vehicles, thereby reducing their carbon footprint. The city has four forests and 16 parks in the urban area. To ensure the city stays clean, authorities have employed an incentive program that offers tokens, snacks, sweets and sometimes even cash in exchange for recyclable items. While helping keep the city clean, this initiative also assists the underprivileged by giving them food.
8. Helsinki, Finland—Promotes Ecotourism
Helsinki places a huge emphasis on sustainability. Since tourism is one of the biggest contributors to the economy, the city has made sure that 75 per cent of hotel rooms have been certified as environmentally friendly. Within Helsinki is Viikki is a green district. The residential area is 23-hectares and uses solar and wind energy systems. It also houses the first ever apartment building to use solar electricity in Finland.
9. Cape Town, South Africa—Focusing On Sustainability Since 2008
Cape Town started using wind farms for energy in 2008. Additionally, the city aims to get 10 per cent of all its energy from renewable resources. Citizens are known to use bikes to get around and have also taken to using solar panels to power their homes. Cape Town has invested in multiple safe-cycle routes and also allows bikes on buses for free to help people get around without a car.
10. Portland, Oregon—Efficient Waste Management
Portland has consistently made remarkable changes to ensure it stays eco-friendly. 25 per cent of workers in the city commute by carpool, public transportation or by bike. The number of vehicles on the road have significantly reduced because of this. There are nearly 250 miles of bike paths around the city. Eight per cent of the population uses cycling as the main method of transportation. Waste management is also a priority in Portland, it produces 2,434,840 tonnes of waste and recycles 1,235,924 tonnes of it, which is astonishing for a major city. The city also uses 33 per cent of renewable energy and has banned plastic bags.
11. Berlin, Germany—Growing Organic Food Is A Tradition
Berlin started valuing green spaces after WW1, which is also when they started to grow their own food, a tradition that has passed through generations. The city promotes the use of electric vehicles and has 400 charging points across the city. Citizens themselves have started sharing vehicles instead of using their own as they’ve realised the impact it has on the environment.
12. Accra, Ghana—Relies On Hydropower For Its Energy Needs
The capital of Ghana is unique in its approach to environmental governance, especially since Africa has been one of the fastest urbanising continents for decades. The city has policies in place that manage air quality, sanitation and renewable energy. 74 per cent of its energy comes from hydropower. Despite a large financial divide existing in the country, the city encourages organic farmers markets in its bid to support a shift towards environmentalism.
These Cities Are Reminders To The Rest Of The World To Adopt Eco-Friendly Practices
It is easy for cities to get carried away with development and urbanisation at the cost of the environment. However, these sustainable cities are examples of how good governance ensures sustainable development by encouraging citizens to be more eco-conscious. With efficient policies in places, cities have the ability to drastically reduce their carbon footprint by using alternative sources of energy. The climate crisis is real and governments across the world must be more mindful about the kind of policies they implement. | https://travel.earth/12-most-sustainable-cities-around-the-world/ |
To investigate the correlation between the four dimensions of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) constructs in a dental patient population. A cross-sectional study carried out at HealthPartners, Minnesota, USA. This study is a secondary data analysis of available adult dental patients' data. The instruments used to assess the OHRQoL and HRQoL constructs were the Oral Health Impact Profile-version with 49 items (OHIP-49) and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) measures v.1.1 Global Health instruments Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), respectively. We used Structural Equation Modeling to determine the correlation between OHRQoL and HRQoL. Two thousand and seventy-six dental patients participated in the study. OHRQoL and HRQoL scores correlated with 0.56 (95%CI:0.52-0.60). The OHRQoL and Physical Health dimension of HRQoL correlated with 0.55 (95%CI:0.51-0.59). The OHRQoL and Mental Health dimension of HRQoL correlated with 0.51 (95%CI:0.47-0.55). When adjusted for age, gender, and depression, the correlation coefficients changed only slightly and resulted in 0.52 between OHRQoL and HRQoL Physical Health, and 0.47 between OHRQoL and HRQoL Mental Health. Model fit statistics for all analyses were adequate and indicated a good fit. OHRQoL and HRQoL overlap greatly. For dental practitioners, the OHRQoL score is informative for their patients' general health status and vice versa. Study results indicate that effective therapeutic interventions by dentists improve patients' OHRQoL as well as HRQoL.
|Original language||English (US)|
|Pages (from-to)||65-74|
|Number of pages||10|
|Journal||Zdravstveno Varstvo|
|Volume||59|
|Issue number||2|
|DOIs|
|State||Published - Jun 1 2020|
Bibliographical noteFunding Information:
The study data came from a research project (R01DE022331), supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, USA.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 2020 Stella Sekulić et al., published by Sciendo. | https://experts.umn.edu/en/publications/association-between-oral-health-related-and-health-related-qualit |
# Grumpy Old Men (film)
Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 American romantic comedy film directed by Donald Petrie, written by Mark Steven Johnson, and starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis and Buck Henry. It is followed by the sequel film Grumpier Old Men.
## Plot
In Wabasha, Minnesota, retirees John Gustafson and Max Goldman are feuding next-door neighbors. Living alone, they spend their time ice fishing, trading insults, and pulling cruel practical jokes on each other, including John leaving a dead fish in Max's truck. Their rivalry irritates their friend Chuck, owner of the town bait shop, and Max's son Jacob, who is running for mayor. Dodging the attempts of IRS Agent Elliot Snyder to collect a serious debt, John supports his daughter Melanie when she separates from her husband Mike.
John and Max both find themselves attracted to Ariel Truax, a free-spirited English professor who moves in across the street. Chuck has Thanksgiving dinner with Ariel, prompting John and Max to compete for her affections. Chuck dies, and Max discovers John's IRS debt. John spends time with Ariel, revealing that he and Max used to be childhood friends. John and Ariel have sex – his first time since 1978 – and a jealous Max drives John's fishing shanty onto thin ice, which John narrowly escapes. He confronts Max, and the source of their animosity is revealed: Max resents John for marrying Max's high school sweetheart. John explains she was unfaithful and Max was happier with the woman he did marry, but Max reminds John that he will have nothing to offer Ariel once the IRS takes his house. With this on his mind, John ends his relationship with Ariel. Ariel then gives John advice, warning him that he will regret the risks he did not take in life.
Jacob is elected mayor, and Max continues courting Ariel. On Christmas, Melanie comes to visit and John is upset to learn she has reconciled with Mike. Giving Melanie the same warning Ariel gave him, he warns that she will regret the risks she did not take in life, and then John leaves for the local bar. At Melanie's request, Jacob asks Max to settle things with John, but the fathers are unable to mend their dispute and John storms out of the bar. Max soon follows and finds John in the snow, having suffered a heart attack. At the hospital, Max checks in by declaring he is John's friend. He tells Ariel what happened, and she reconciles with John as he recovers.
Max tries to resolve John's debt, but the unsympathetic Agent Snyder prepares to sell John's house and possessions. Barricading the house, Max leaves a fish in Snyder's car and buries him in snow, while Jacob manages to temporarily block the property's seizure. Spring arrives, and John and Ariel get married. As a wedding gift, Max informs John that he and Jacob have paid off the debt. The newlyweds drive off, but not before John finds Max has left a fish in the wedding limo car. Max leaves to find a date of his own, as Jacob and an officially divorced Melanie begin a new romance with each other.
## Cast
Jack Lemmon as John Gustafson Jr. Walter Matthau as Max Goldman Ann-Margret as Ariel Truax Burgess Meredith as John Gustafson Sr. Daryl Hannah as Melanie Gustafson Kevin Pollak as Jacob Goldman Ossie Davis as Chuck (Bait Shop Owner) Buck Henry as Elliott Snyder (IRS Agent) Christopher McDonald as Mike Steve Cochran as Weatherman Joe Howard as Phil (Pharmacist)
## Production
The screenplay of Grumpy Old Men was written by Mark Steven Johnson, a film student at Winona State University (Minnesota). John Davis and Richard C. Berman pitched Johnson's script to Bill Gerber. Johnson envisioned the screenplay to star Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Sophia Loren. Matthau was initially hesitant to accept the role but was convinced by Lemmon and his son Charles Matthau. Ann-Margret was cast as the love interest, but Loren would be cast in the sequel. During pre-production the script was also rewritten to be more comedic than originally envisioned.
The cast and crew arrived in Minnesota in January 1993 but had to wait to start shooting until February 2 because of a lack of snowfall. Interior scenes were filmed at the Paisley Park Studios while St. Paul, Faribault, and Center City doubled as Wabasha. The ice-shanty scenes were shot on Lake Rebecca. Filming wrapped on June 23, 1993, after a delay of several months when Matthau contracted pneumonia while filming a fight scene with Lemmon in subzero temperatures.
## Release
Grumpy Old Men was one of the biggest surprise hits of the year at the time of its release. The film opened on December 25, 1993, with a weekend gross of $3,874,911. However, its numbers gradually became stronger, grossing $70 million in the United States and Canada, well above its budget of $35 million. The film was released in the United Kingdom on May 27, 1994. It grossed $10.4 million internationally for a worldwide total of $80.5 million.
### Critical reaction
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 64% based on 44 reviews, with a rating average of 5.8/10. The site's consensus reads, "Grumpy Old Men's stars are better than the material they're given -- but their comedic chemistry is so strong that whenever they share the screen, it hardly matters". On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating to reviews, the film has a score of 53 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Caryn James of The New York Times called the film "the kind of holiday movie a lot of people are searching for." She went on to explain that this is because "It's cheerful, it's well under two hours and it doesn't concern any major social blights, unless you think Jack Lemmon tossing a dead fish into Walter Matthau's car is cause for alarm."
Despite rating it with two stars out of four, and giving it a mixed review about the film's credibility and diction, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times concluded his review by saying that "Matthau and Lemmon are fun to see together, if for no other reason than just for the essence of their beings."
Peter Rainer of the Los Angeles Times said, "Watching Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau sparring with each other in Grumpy Old Men is like watching an old vaudeville routine for the umpteenth time." Rainer added, "They play off their tics and wheezes with the practiced ease of old pros but there's something a bit too chummy and self-congratulatory about it all."
American Film Institute recognition:
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs – Nominated
### Home media
Grumpy Old Men was first released on DVD on June 25, 1997. On August 22, 2006, the film was made available in a DVD "Double Feature" pack along with its sequel Grumpier Old Men. On July 7, 2009, the film was made available by itself on Blu-ray. The "Double Feature" pack was later released onto Blu-ray on February 23, 2010. The Blu-ray releases marked the first time both films have been available in widescreen since the LaserDisc releases. None of the Blu-ray releases contain any special features.
## Sequel
A sequel, entitled Grumpier Old Men, was released in 1995, with Lemmon, Matthau, Meredith and Ann-Margret reprising their roles, and Mark Steven Johnson writing the script. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumpy_Old_Men_(film) |
- This is a two-phased project that will replace the use of potable water currently use to irrigate approximately 438,000 square feet (s.f.) of landscaping at Pearson Park in downtown Anaheim Boulevard with recycled water. Phase 1 construction consists of trenching to a depth of 4-5 ft along Center St, Anaheim Blvd, and Cypress Street in order to install approximately 2,300 linear feet (l.f.) of recycled water pipeline. The newly installed pipeline will connect to the pipelines of the existing WRDF. Also included in Phase 1 is excavation at the southeast end of Person Park for the installation of an underground 75,000 gallon recycled water storage tank, an irrigation pump, and related hardware. The excavation is to be approximately 40' x 70' or equivalent area to a maximum depth of 16'. Phase 2 consists of the installation of 800 l.f. of pipeline, and an underground 36,000 gallon storage tank at the southwest side of Pearson Park. | https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/Project/2016068221 |
2 Baths, 0 Lavs.
Year Built: 1900
TTL Fin Sq Ft: 1936
School Dist. Corunna Public School District
Type: Residential
Garage: 2.00 car
Frontage: 0
Acres 30.24
Lot Size Irregular
County: Shiawassee
Days on Site: 7
Heat: Forced Air
Natural Gas
Cooling: Ceiling Fan(s),Central A/C
Pool: Yes
Basement: Yes
Water: Private Well
Septic/Sewer: Septic
Fireplace: Yes
LivRoom Fireplace
Construction: 1 1/2 Story
Exterior: Vinyl Siding
Appliances Dishwasher , Dryer , Microwave , Range/Oven , Refrigerator
Outbuildings Barn,Shed
Bedroom 1 Size 17 X 12
Bedroom 2 Size 11 X 12
Bedroom 3 Size 13 X 14
Bedroom 4 Size 13 X 12
Living Room Size 20 X 15
Dining Room Size 13 X 13
Kitchen Size 14 X 16
Family Room Size 14 X 28
Laundry Size 9 X 8
Bathroom 1 Size 10 X 9
Bathroom 2 Size 13 X 9
The options are endless at 2054 S State Rd. Hobby farm, horse boarding and training, and so much more on this beautiful 30 rolling acre parcel in an incredible location mere seconds from town. The exterior features 23.5 acres of tillable land, an 85x75 horse barn, 60x32 hip roof barn that is in great condition, a 24x24 detached garage and pool house or the in-ground pool. The home is a generously updated and upgraded 4 bedroom 2 full bath gem. Open floor plan with vaulted ceilings, a second living space, formal dining, upgraded kitchen, main floor laundry, and a stately main floor master suite. Imagine watching the sunset while overlooking your very own slice of heaven or running your very own hobby farm with produce, livestock, and whatever else you can dream up. It's all yours! | https://shiawasseerealtors.com/listings/single.php?view=31386657 |
What is sun like? The temperature, diameter of sun. Distance between sun and earth, the gases and elements that sun includes.
Though the sun is 93 million miles away, it is our main source of heat, light, and most other forms of energy. Without the sun, there would be no green plants. And without green plants, there would be no food for living things. So the sun really keeps you and all other living things alive. It is a star around which the earth and other planets are constantly moving. The sun and all the heavenly bodies that revolve around it are called the solar system.
Because the sun is the nearest of all the stars, it appears larger and brighter than the others. Actually, the sun is only a medium-sized star.Yet its diameter is 864,000 miles, or over 100 times greater than the diameter of the earth. If the sun were hollow, there would be room enough inside for more than a million earths. The sun is very much hotter than anything that you can imagine. At the surface its temperature is about 10,000° F. But scientists have figured that near the center its temperature must be about 27,000,000° F. At either of these temperatures, materials cannot exist as solids or liquids. So the sun is a huge ball of extremely hot, glowing gases. These gases include large amounts of hydrogen, smaller amounts of helium, and much smaller amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, neon, and various other elements.
For many years, scientists have been puzzled about how the sun can keep on giving out enormous amounts of energy. It was once thought that the sun was burning. But if this were true, the sun would have burned itself out long ago. Scientists are now quite sure that the heat and light of the sun are produced by releasing atomic energy from certain elements such as hydrogen and carbon. Most of the sun’s energy seems to be produced when hydrogen changes into helium. Scientists think that this process of releasing atomic energy has been going on for several billion years. They believe that it will probably go on for another ten billion years or perhaps even longer.
Photographs taken through powerful telescopes have shown many interesting things that are happening on the sun. For one thing, great swirling masses appear on its surface. As seen from the earth, these swirling masses have the appearance that storms in the earth’s atmosphere might have if seen from the sun. Astronomers call these swirling masses sunspots, because through a telescope they look like dark spots on the sun’s surface. But they are really streamers of gas rising and spreading out from the sun. They look dark becajıse they are cooler.
Sunspots vary greatly in size. The largest seen so far had an area of 5 billion square miles. Its diameter was about 50,000 miles. Others are no more than 500 miles in diameter. Though their cause has not yet been discovered, they are known to increase and decrease in number about every eleven years. One reason why scientists are interested in learning more about sunspots is that they seem to affect communication by radio and telegraph. They also seem to keep the needles of magnetic compasses from working properly. Some scientists think that sunspots may even have an effect on our weather.
SUN FACTS
The Sun (or Sol) is the star at the center of our solar system and is responsible for the climate and climate of the Earth. The Sun is an almost perfect sphere with a difference of only 10 km in diameter between the poles and the equator. The average radius of the Sun is 695,508 km (109.2 x that of Earth), of which 20-25% is the nucleus.
Star Profile
Age: 4.6 billion years
Type: Yellow dwarf (G2V)
Diameter: 1,392,684 km
Equatorial Circumference 4,370.005.6 km
Mass: 1.99 × 10 ^ 30 kg (333,060 Lands)
Surface temperature: 5,500 ° C
Size of the sun
MINI SUN FACTS
1-At its center, the sun reaches temperatures of 15 million ° C.
2-The Sun are all mixed colors, this seems white to our eyes.
3-The Sun is mainly composed of hydrogen (70%) and helium (28%).
4-The Sun is a main sequence star G2V (or Yellow Dwarf).
5-The Sun is 4.6 billion years old.
6-The Sun is 109 times wider than the Earth and 330,000 times more massive.
FACTS DETAILED SUN
A million Earths could fit inside the Sun.
If a hollow Sun were filled with spherical Earths, about 960,000 would enter. On the other hand, if these Lands were crushed inside without lost space, about 1,300,000 would fit inside. The surface of the Sun is 11,990 times that of Earth.
The Sun contains 99.86% of the mass in the Solar System.
The mass of the Sun is approximately 330,000 times greater than that of Earth. It is almost three quarters of hydrogen, while most of the remaining mass is helium.
The Sun is an almost perfect sphere.
There is only a difference of 10 kilometers in its polar diameter compared to its equatorial diameter. Taking into account the great extent of the Sun, this means that it is the closest thing to a perfect sphere that has been observed in nature.
The temperature inside the Sun can reach 15 million degrees Celsius.
In the Sun’s core, energy is generated by nuclear fusion, as Hydrogen becomes Helium. Because hot objects generally expand, the Sun would explode like a giant bomb if it were not for its enormous gravitational force. The temperature on the surface of the Sun is closer to 5,600 degrees Celsius.
Eventually, the Sun will consume the Earth.
When all hydrogen has been burned, the Sun will continue for about 130 million more years, burning Helium, during which time it will expand to the point where it will engulf Mercury, Venus and Earth. In this stage it will have become a red giant
The Sun will one day be the size of Earth.
After its giant red phase, the Sun will collapse, retaining its enormous mass, but containing the approximate volume of our planet. When this happens, it will be called white dwarf.
Sunlight takes eight minutes to reach Earth.
With an average distance of 150 million kilometers from Earth and with a light traveling at 300,000 kilometers per second, dividing one by the other gives us an approximate time of 500 seconds, or eight minutes and 20 seconds. Although this energy reaches Earth in a few minutes, it will have taken millions of years to travel from the Sun’s core to its surface.
The Sun travels at 220 kilometers per second.
The Sun is 24,000-26,000 light years from the galactic center and the Sun takes 225-250 million years to complete an orbit of the center of the Milky Way.
The distance from the Sun to Earth changes throughout the year.
Because the Earth travels in an elliptical orbit around the Sun, the distance between the two bodies varies from 147 to 152 million kilometers. The distance between the Earth and the Sun is called the Astronomical Unit (AU).
The sun is middle age.
With around 4.5 billion years, the Sun has already consumed approximately half of its Hydrogen reserve. It has enough to continue burning hydrogen for approximately another 5 billion years. The Sun is currently a type of star known as Yellow Dwarf
The Sun has a very strong magnetic field.
Solar flares occur when magnetic energy is released by the Sun during magnetic storms, which we see as sunspots. In sunspots, the magnetic lines twist and twist, as a tornado would on Earth.
The sun generates solar wind.
This is a stream of charged particles that travel through the Solar System at approximately 450 kilometers per second. The solar wind occurs where the Sun’s magnetic field extends into space instead of following its surface. | https://www.8sa.net/information-about-sun/ |
Q:
Compressing binary numbers
If I have a arbitrarily long random binary number with the condition that the probability that a given digit is 0 and 1 is 1/4 and 3/4, respectively. What is the best way to compress this into a binary number, i.e. an algorithm with the smallest expected length of the compressed binary number.
Additionally, what is the information-theoretic bound, and is it achievable.
A:
So you have a Bernoulli$(1/4)$ source (which we presume to be i.i.d), which has entropy $-\frac{1}{4} \log_2 \frac{1}{4} - \frac{3}{4} \log_2 \frac{3}{4}$ which is a lower bound on bits per symbol for any compression scheme.
Now, if you use a universal source coder, such as arithmetic coding which maps infinite source sequences to incompressible binary sequences, you will get within at most 2 bits for any block length.
The Lempel-Ziv algorithms (also universal source codes; the basic variants are sliding window and tree structured) are known to have their asymptotic compression rate approach the entropy rate of the source (asymptotically) if the source is stationary and ergodic - that is, if the amount of symbols you're coding goes to infinity, you'll approach the entropy rate of the source.
For more details (and proofs), see Chapter 13 of Cover and Thomas' Elements of Information Theory 2e.
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How many toes does a hamster have – Hamsters have a total of eighteen toes. Regardless of the breed, you’ll see toes in all the hamsters. However, hamsters’ toes are tiny, and you’ve to look carefully to find them. The number of toes on their front and rare paws differs, with four and five toes on their front and rare feet, respectively.
Hamsters’ toes are more sensitive than all the parts of their body. When you know that your hamster can suffer due to a thing, you’ll surely try to do things better and better for your hamster. Your hamster’s paws need care, and this post will help you learn all about hamsters’ toes and their care in detail.
Why Do Hamsters Chew on Their Feet?
There are many reasons why hamsters can chew their feet. Some are:
- Itching
- Injury
- Infection
Itching
Many things can cause itching in hamsters. The most common are parasites or allergic reactions due to bedding or other items in a hamster’s cage. If your hamster has itching, find out the reason to help your hamster get out of this situation soon. You can take your hamster to a vet if the problem continues even after removing the item responsible for itching.
Keep your hamster and its cage clean to prevent the parasitic attack on your hamster. A weekly cleaning routine can remove all the parasites from your hamster’s cage.
Injury
Another reason your hamster might be chewing his feet is injury. In this case, hamsters will chew their feet to stop the pain. Observe your hamster carefully to identify an injury. If there is any, use a soft cloth to hold your hamster firmly. An injured hamster can bite, so it’s better to be careful beforehand.
If your hamster is injured, you’ll see the following symptoms:
- Limping
- Aggression
- Lack of appetite
- Sleeping often
- Bleeding
- Cries due to pain
You’ll have to scrutinize the wound before you go for treatment. If the injury is severe, never treat your hamster yourself. Take him to the vet to protect your hamster from more pain.
Infection
Many bacteria and injuries can cause infection in your hamster’s foot. Your hamster will often chew his foot that has gotten infected due to irritation. Some common symptoms that indicate feet infection in hamsters are:
- Red or swollen foot
- Limping
- Less movement in the cage
- Sensitive feet
Should You Trim Your Hamster’s Nails?
Yes, you should trim your hamster’s nails. If your hamster has overgrown its toenails, it can lead to many health issues. Moreover, your hamster can get scratches on his body if his nails are long. It will also become difficult for you to hold your hamster. Therefore, trim your hamster’s nails at regular intervals.
How to Trim Your Hamster’s Nails?
To trim your hamster’s nails, you’ll first have to make him comfortable. If your hamster can stay calm and relaxed, you can trim his nails yourself. If this doesn’t happen, take your hamster to a vet to get his nails trimmed.
Keep your hamster in a safe and comfortable place, such as a bed or table. You can also hold your hamster from its back with one hand and trim its nails with your other hand. But you have to ensure that your hamster is comfortable this way.
Use light to look at the nails carefully. This will help you cut only the translucent part of the nail. Don’t rush because you might cut the fleshy area of your hamster’s toenail. It’s better if you use specialized clippers suitable for babies and small animals.
FAQs
The hamster’s foot may get inflamed due to many reasons, including overgrown toenails. This situation is known as bumblefoot. Common symptoms of bumblefoot are lethargy, lack of appetite, red and swollen feet, sensitive feet, ulcers, and scabs on feet. When you notice these symptoms, take your hamster to a vet immediately to relieve the pain.
If your hamster’s toe is bleeding, you can simply use cotton wool dipped in lukewarm water to clean the wound. Human-medicated products such as antiseptics, bandages, plasters, etc., are not suitable for hamsters. If the injury is severe and bleeding is continuous, take your hamster to a vet.
Hamster Toes Wrapped Up
As a loving pet owner, even tiny details about your hamster matter. Now you know that your hamster has eighteen toes, and his sensitive toes can get hurt due to multiple reasons. It may include injuries, infection, itching, or diseases. You must carefully observe when your hamster isn’t acting normally to avoid all these.
Toenails or toes injuries can be really discomforting for your hamster. So, make sure to take the required measures on time! | https://hamster-home.com/hamster-general/how-many-toes-does-a-hamster-have-all-you-need-to-know/ |
La Niña is back and is likely to have an impact on weather around the world, but especially affecting winter weather across the United States.
For Kansas, La Niña winters are generally warm and dry, which is cause for concern given that about a third of the state, especially in the southwest and southeast, are already abnormally dry.
It’s also bad news for southern California where an already devastating wildfire season is likely to last longer than normal.
Forecasters said the models also predict that La Niña conditions will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2020-21 and the consensus favors a borderline moderate event during the peak November to January period.
The strength and duration of the event is also important, because the stronger La Niña is and the longer it lasts the greater the impact on weather in the U.S. and around the world.
Below-average sea surface temperatures were extending across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean according to monitoring by the Center for Climate Prediction’s El Niño/Southern Oscillation diagnostic discussion released on Sept. 10.
All El Niño indices were negative and atmospheric circulation anomalies over the tropical Pacific were also generally consistent with La Niña, the discussion reported, with low-level and upper-level winds near average for the month as a while, but enhanced low-level easterly winds were prominent across the equatorial Pacific Ocean during August.
PRECIPITATION FORECAST: This forecast map for the 90 days from mid-September to mid-December from the Climate Prediction Center shows below-normal rainfall for much of the southern U.S.
The published discussion of El Niño/Southern Oscillation conditions is updated weekly on the Climate Prediction Center website and additional perspectives are shared by a team of scientists who moderate the ENSO blog.
Scientists say that one important impact of a La Niña event is that it tends to bring an “extremely active” Atlantic hurricane season. That is certainly true of 2020, which has seen five active storms observed at one time in September and the number of storms exceeded the letters of alphabet for naming storms in mid-September during a season that doesn’t end until Nov. 30.
Across the U.S., La Niña impacts the Asia-North Pacific jet stream, which is retracted to the west during the winter and is often shifted northward of its average position. In general, that makes La Niña winters in the southern tier of the U.S. tend to be warmer and drier in the southern tier while the northern tier and Canada tend to be colder.
Another La Niña impact important to Kansas is its effect on tornado season. In general, La Niña brings a more active severe storm season, with more tornadoes and hailstorms.
The blog team cautions, however, that no two ENSO events are exactly alike, and there are other factors that can impact weather, including variations in other weather-impacting oceanic and atmospheric events.
The Climate Prediction Center, however, does put together a long-range forecast based on models that take a wide number of variables into account.
TEMPERATURE FORECAST: This is the forecast map for the 90 days from mid-September to mid-December from the Climate Prediction Center shows above-normal temperatures are in the forecast for most of the nation.
That forecast map from Sept. 17 predicts that over the next 90 days, Kansas weather — and much of the southern half of the U.S. will be drier and warmer than normal. The same forecast for the shorter term of just the next 30 days, however, predicts drier and cooler temperatures than normal. | https://www.farmprogress.com/weather/return-la-nia-forecasts-dry-warm-winter-kansas |
As of the end of the third quarter, the report states that 18,304 U.S. residential properties actively in the foreclosure process were vacant. This represents 4.7 percent of all residential properties in foreclosure. In addition, the number of zombie foreclosures decreased 5 percent from the previous quarter as well as decreased 9 percent from Q3 2015.
It was also noted that there were 46,604 vacant bank-owned residential properties as of the end of the third quarter. This was a reported increase of 7 percent from the previous quarter and up 67 percent from Q3 2015.
"A strong seller’s market along with political pressure has likely motivated lenders to complete the foreclosure process over the past year on many vacant properties that were lingering in foreclosure limbo for years,” said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at
The report says that the states with the most vacant REO properties as of the end of the third quarter were Florida with 5,880 properties, Michigan with 4,661 properties, Ohio with 3,585 properties, Illinois with 2,652 properties, and Georgia with 2,626 properties.
In addition, the report states that among 148 metropolitan statistical areas with at least 100,000 residential properties analyzed, those with the most vacant REOs were Detroit with 2,386 properties, Chicago with 2,379 properties, Miami with 1,880 properties, Philadelphia with 1,737 properties, and New York with 1,668 properties. The report notes that other metro areas in the top 10 for most vacant REOs were Baltimore with 1,649 properties, Atlanta with 1,573 properties, Tampa with 1,310 properties, Cleveland with 1,106 properties, and Flint, Michigan with 1,091 properties.
States with the most vacant foreclosures, or zombie properties, were New Jersey with 3,698 properties, New York with 3,556 properties, Florida with 2,528 properties, Illinois with 1,018 properties, and Ohio with 999 properties. The report also says that metro areas with the highest number of vacant foreclosures included New York with 3,590 properties, Philadelphia with 1,525 properties, Chicago with 783 properties, Miami with 694 properties, and Tampa with 603 properties.
A total of 1,035,813 U.S. residential investment properties were vacant as of the end of Q3 2016. This was 76.1 percent of all vacant properties nationwide and the report says that it represents 4.3 percent of all investment properties as well.
It was reported that states with highest investment property vacancy rate included Michigan at 10.3 percent, Indiana at 9.8 percent, Alabama at 6.9 percent, Mississippi at 6.6 percent, and Kansas at 6.5 percent. | http://bankruptcyshortsalesolutions.com/content.php?pagename=news |
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Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
HLTHINFO 725 - The New Zealand Health Data Landscape
15 Points
Semester 2
Online
Description
An overview of key issues to support the appropriate and effecitve use of large volumes of routinely collected data to drive improvements in the delivery of health care. Ethical and equitable use of health data, critical evaluation of health data, identification of analytic methods and appropriate interpretation to support health care decision-making are discussed. Specific datasets are not analysed.
Learning outcomes
Critically evaluate how the use of routinely collected data from health and other sectors can cause harm
Identify opportunities for routinely collected data to be used to support a commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi, a reduction in health inequities and an increase in population health gain
Critically evaluate strengths and limitations in the quality of routinely collected New Zealand health data to optimise the integrity of decision-making based on these data
Develop appropriate questions to support robust health care decision-making in the context of available routinely collected data and information
Interpret findings as appropriate to health care decision-making questions
Communicate findings to a range of audiences using written and oral media
Assessment
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Assessment component e.g. test
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Percentage
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Details e.g. Test length, Word limit
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Relationship with learning outcomes
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Online discussion
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5%
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Contribution to online discussion throughout course
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6
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Test
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10%
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Multi-choice questions on key principles
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1-5
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Assignment 1
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30%
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Students will identify (or be provided with) article(s) that use routinely collected data to inform a health care decision.
They will:
- develop appropriate questions to support the decision (500 words)
- critically evaluate the article(s), with a focus on potential data quality issues and the appropriateness of the findings to the health or research question (1000 words)
- prepare a report with recommendations regarding the health care decision based on the findings of your review of the article(s) (1000 words)
- provide an oral presentation in support of their findings and recommendations (the presentation will be recorded and submitted for assessment)
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1-6
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Assignment 2
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40%
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Students will identify (or be provided with) a health care scenario for which data and quantitative information are required to make a decision.
They will:
- develop appropriate questions to support the decision (500 words)
- identify and justify appropriate data sources (500 words)
- outline the limitations of the data sources (500 words)
- identify key outputs from the analysis (500 words)
- document the data and analysis request they would discuss with your analytics team (500 words)
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1-6
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Assignment 3
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15%
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Students will be provided with an anonymous assignment submitted by one of their classmates for Assignment 2.They will be required to critically assess the assignment
(1500 words)
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1-6
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FOR
- Future undergraduates
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Future postgraduates
- Why study with us? | https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/en/faculty/for/future-postgraduates/postgraduate-study-options/programmes/courses/all-courses/hlthinfo/725.html |
**Comment on:** Jones J, Jones NK, Peil J. The impact of the legalization of recreational marijuana on college students. *Addictive Behaviors*. 2018;77:255-259. doi:[10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.08.015](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.08.015).
Introduction {#section1-1178221819827603}
============
With an ever increasing number of states legalizing the recreational sale of marijuana, and decriminalizing the possession of marijuana throughout the United States, tracking the impact of such a drastic change to the culture surrounding marijuana use is important. Early data on the public health effects of legalizing recreational marijuana provide the opportunity to learn from early legalization efforts, which can assist us in making educated decisions on future policy and public health practices. As such, in a recent article published in *Addictive Behaviors*, we identified several emerging trends among college students in the first state to legalize recreational marijuana, Colorado. These trends, when compared and contrasted to research from other states and countries that have legalized recreational marijuana, can give insight into the short-term effects of legalization and provide a basis for discourse on the potential long-term effects of legalizing recreational marijuana.
Marijuana Use Rates {#section2-1178221819827603}
===================
In our study, spanning four data collections over 17 months, gathering information from 1413 participants via an electronic survey methodology (for more detailed description of the methodology of our research and all research reviewed, please see original articles), we found that the rates of marijuana use did not significantly increase after the opening of recreational marijuana retail shops in Colorado. Similarly, Miller et al^[@bibr1-1178221819827603]^ found no evidence that the legal selling of recreational marijuana influenced the number of marijuana users in Washington; however, they did observe a significant increase in the proportion of undergraduate students using marijuana, a 12%-22% increase, when marijuana was decriminalized. Similarly, researchers in Oregon also saw an increase in college student's marijuana use around decriminalization, and before retail sales.^[@bibr2-1178221819827603]^ A similar pattern was found in Australia, where Damrongplasit et al^[@bibr3-1178221819827603]^ found that marijuana decriminalization led to a 16.3% increase in the probability of smoking marijuana, despite no legal sales of marijuana in the country. In our study, we started collecting data on marijuana use in October 2013, 3 months prior to legal sales at retail shops in Colorado, but almost a full year after recreational marijuana was decriminalized (December 10, 2012). Thus, we were not able to measure the effects of decriminalization, but only the effects of recreational sales at retail shops. Indeed, the rates of marijuana use that we observed after decriminalization, but prior to retail sales, were already much higher in Colorado than the rest of the United States (70% versus 40.5%, respectively). Thus, the timing of data collection could explain why we did not find a significant increase in marijuana use after recreational sales began. It is probable that the increase had already happened over the course of the year between decriminalization and our data collection. Thus, a pattern emerges when comparing our results to the aforementioned studies, suggesting that decriminalization, but not legal sales, is associated with increased marijuana use. Nevertheless, all the aforementioned research is correlational in nature, limiting the ability to make a cause-and-effect conclusion.
Two inferences can be made based on the assertion that use increases after decriminalization rather than legal sales. One of which is that the social and legal implications of legalizing recreational marijuana are stronger than accessibility and price. We have known for some time that social norms surrounding alcohol use (descriptive and injunctive) are very influential on alcohol consumption patterns. So much so, that agreeing with certain descriptive and injunctive alcohol norms, and the internalization of drinking subcultures, leads to more alcohol use and greater difficulties in the cessation of drinking.^[@bibr4-1178221819827603],[@bibr5-1178221819827603]^ Kilmer et al^[@bibr6-1178221819827603]^ applied these ideas to marijuana use and found a robust correlation between descriptive norms and marijuana use. Specifically, they found that 98% of college students overestimated the amount of marijuana use by friends and other students. These perceptions of marijuana use explained variance in one's own marijuana use, by making it more likely for students to use marijuana if they believe friends and fellow students are using. Thus, if you consider our findings (no increase after recreational sales in Colorado), Miller et al's^[@bibr1-1178221819827603]^ findings (legalization, not retail sale of marijuana increased use in Washington), Damrongplasit et al's^[@bibr3-1178221819827603]^ findings (decriminalization without retail sales increased the probability of marijuana use in three Australian territories), and Kilmer et al's findings on the strong relationship between descriptive norms and marijuana use, a pattern begins to emerge that if you remove social and legal barriers to marijuana use (criminalization and social acceptability), use increases even before it is sold to the public through legal means. It is important to note, however, that it is reasonable to assume that people would be more truthful and more likely to report marijuana use after its legalization. Thus, some of the increase in rates of marijuana use may be an artifact of a greater willingness to report such use, since social and legal barriers were removed by legalization.
The second inference that can be drawn is that marijuana is easily accessed even when it is not sold in stores recreationally. Since use increased in Washington and Oregon after legalization despite no retail sale of marijuana, and rates of marijuana use in Colorado were already approximately 30% higher than other states after legalization but before retail sales, it appears marijuana may be easily obtained, even for non-users at the time of legalization. Miech et al^[@bibr7-1178221819827603]^ also supported this notion in a review of the National Survey on Drug Use where they determined that marijuana has been easily obtainable for secondary students for at least a decade. Thus, it seems that current laws and enforcement of these laws may have little effect on the availability of marijuana. It would be expected that differences in rates of marijuana use would not increase until after recreational sales, and marijuana would not be easily obtained by secondary students if marijuana was difficult to attain.
Alcohol and Marijuana {#section3-1178221819827603}
=====================
A second finding of note from our study is that the relationship between alcohol and marijuana has been steadily weakening after recreational legalization in Colorado. The relationship between alcohol and marijuana has been studied for years with the vast majority of research pointing to a strong, positive relationship between the two.^[@bibr8-1178221819827603],[@bibr9-1178221819827603]^ However, recently, a more nuanced picture of that relationship has been discovered, highlighting the complimentary and substitution effects of the use of the two drugs. Specifically, King et al^[@bibr10-1178221819827603]^ hypothesized that lower dose alcohol consumption for happiness and relaxation is being substituted by marijuana use, while higher dose alcohol consumption for intense euphoria or alteration of consciousness is being accompanied by marijuana use.^[@bibr11-1178221819827603],[@bibr12-1178221819827603]^ These ideas fit well within the context of our results. It would make sense that the relationship between marijuana and alcohol would be decreasing if people are starting to use marijuana instead of alcohol to create mild relaxation and happiness. In addition, when you take a closer look at the benefits of using marijuana to achieve mild relaxation and happiness over alcohol, this becomes a likely scenario. First, only extreme use of marijuana can cause a mild hangover effect,^[@bibr13-1178221819827603]^ while even relatively mild-to-moderate alcohol consumption can cause debilitating hangover effects.^[@bibr14-1178221819827603]^ Second, the amount of time to create mild relaxation and happiness is usually much shorter with marijuana when compared with alcohol. Inhaling marijuana smoke a few times takes significantly less time (approximately 1-2 minutes) and has an immediate effect,^[@bibr15-1178221819827603]^ whereas drinking an alcoholic beverage or two takes more time (15-45 minutes) and has a delayed effect.^[@bibr16-1178221819827603]^ Third, marijuana legalization advocates have promoted the idea that marijuana is safer than alcohol, and Schuermeyer et al^[@bibr17-1178221819827603]^ demonstrated that Coloradoans perceptions of the "risks" of marijuana use have been declining in recent years. Thus, marijuana could be viewed as a more practical way to achieve relaxation and happiness than alcohol, because it takes less time, is perceived less harmful, and has less of a chance for a hangover the next day. Future research that focuses on people's motivations and patterns of marijuana and alcohol use could help further explain this interesting dynamic.
Despite the relationship between marijuana and alcohol weakening in our study, the relationship between binge drinking and marijuana use remained high. Similarly, Kerr et al^[@bibr18-1178221819827603]^ found that rates of marijuana use in Oregon after recreational legalization were significantly higher for students reporting recent heavy alcohol use. Similarly, Wen et al^[@bibr12-1178221819827603]^ found that medical marijuana legalization was associated with a 10% increase in the frequency of binge drinking days, but was not associated with the total number of drinks for adults over the age of 21. Furthermore, the researchers also found a 22% increase in the probability of combining binge drinking with marijuana use after legalization. Revisiting King et al's^[@bibr10-1178221819827603]^ research explaining motives for consuming alcohol, these results can be applied. For people wanting to alter their consciousness and achieve a higher sense of euphoria (binge drinkers), combining two easily accessible legal drugs seems to be the most convenient and safest decision, especially if the other choice is engaging in illegal drug use. Also, if someone is drinking large amounts of alcohol, their inhibitions are lowered, decision-making is impaired, and they are more impulsive,^[@bibr19-1178221819827603]^ which could lead to a higher likelihood of using marijuana, especially when it is more commonly found in recreationally legal states. Indeed, we found that participants in our study who reported binge drinking used cannabis at higher rates than other users of alcohol. These findings appear to support the notion that the objective of drug use for binge drinkers is to achieve a high level of euphoria and/or altered state of consciousness, which could be putting them at higher risk for marijuana use upon decriminalization. Future research focusing on the relationship between marijuana and illegal drug use could be very informative. Specifically, one would expect the relationship between marijuana and illegal drugs to be declining since there are two legal options to create a higher level of euphoria. In addition, future research that focuses on binge drinkers as a high-risk group for increased marijuana use after decriminalization may be of significance.
Marijuana and Academic Functioning {#section4-1178221819827603}
==================================
A third finding was the impact marijuana use has on academic functioning, measured by grade point average (GPA) in our study. In the March 2015 data collection of our research, we found significant differences between the "no use or never tried it" marijuana group and the "once a week or more often, but not daily" marijuana user group. The "no use or never tried it" group's GPA was 0.429 points higher than the "once a week or more often, but not daily" group. Even though this difference was found, surprisingly, there was no significant difference between the GPA of the "no use group or never tried it" group and the "daily" use group. We explained this finding through the framework that daily users of marijuana have a higher tolerance, which could lead to less cognitive disruption and a greater ability to handle behavior disruptions caused by marijuana use,^[@bibr20-1178221819827603]^ whereas the "once a week or more often, but not daily" group could have less of a tolerance for the effects of marijuana, as research has demonstrated there is little tolerance to marijuana without persistent use.^[@bibr21-1178221819827603]^
Another way to interpret this finding is to relate back to our previously mentioned binge drinking theory. The "once a week or more often, but not daily" group could fit into a category of "binge smoking," using marijuana one or few times a week to achieve a high level of euphoria. For instance, we found that binge drinkers used marijuana at higher rates than other drinkers. Specifically, the odds ratio of a binge drinker smoking marijuana went from 2.012 in October 2013 (before retail sales) to 6.128 in March 2015 (approximately 1 year after recreational marijuana sales), clearly indicating that since recreational marijuana has been legalized in Colorado, binge drinkers are at a significantly higher risk for smoking marijuana. Thus, it could be that binge drinkers are using marijuana and alcohol together to achieve a high level of euphoria and altered consciousness. This pattern of use would lead to the most intense and frequent level of cognitive disruption, becoming a detriment to academic functioning. Continuing to track this pattern of marijuana and alcohol use, along with academic functioning, could be an important future direction for research.
Summary {#section5-1178221819827603}
=======
First and of the utmost importance is that the conclusions drawn in this commentary are based on observable patterns from correlational research, limiting conclusions of cause and effect. Even so, the goal of this commentary was to compare the results on the impact of the nascent industry of recreational marijuana in Colorado to the results of research conducted on the legalization of marijuana in other states and countries. This has garnered important insights into a number of aspects; however, in no way covers the full scope of the impact of legalizing recreational marijuana on a national or on a global scale. The first important insight is that rates of marijuana use seem to rise with decriminalization, but not recreational sales in stores. This leads us to believe that the social and legal barriers to marijuana use are a greater deterrent to use than the practical (i.e. access and price). Second, overall, the relationship between marijuana and alcohol use appears to decrease with recreational legalization. Specifically, the relationship seems to become weaker for casual and/or moderate drinkers, while the relationship remains strong for binge drinkers, with recreational marijuana legalization possibly putting them at higher risk for marijuana use than other populations of alcohol users. Furthermore, the relationship between marijuana use and academic functioning is similar to the relationship between alcohol and marijuana. It seems that using marijuana in a pattern similar to binge drinking, few times a week at high levels but not every day, is the most detrimental to academic functioning. In summary, as the legalization of recreational marijuana becomes more common in the United States, it is important to continue to track its impact, so we can make more informed policy and public health decisions.
**Funding:**The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
**Declaration of conflicting interests:**The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
**Author Contributions:** JJ researched and analyzed the data. NJ added content and edited the final manuscript.
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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2021-02-04 Origin: Site
Among the many plastic products in the past, most of them will use BPA, but BPA can cause endocrine disorders and threaten the health of fetuses and children. Obesity caused by cancer and metabolic disorders is also thought to be related to this. The EU believes that baby bottles containing bisphenol A can induce precocious puberty. From March 2, 2011, the production of baby bottles containing the chemical substance bisphenol A (BPA) is prohibited. So among the many plastic products today, which ones are BPA-free? What are the development prospects?
Which plastics do not contain BPA today?
What are the development prospects of these plastic canisters?
Where can I buy these plastic canisters?
The most common type of plastic products is plastic cans, so take plastic canisters as an example to introduce what materials are made of plastic containers that are BPA-free.
01 PET plastic cans (PET or PETE, namely polyethylene terephthalate): namely PET bottles, belong to the "drink and throw away" bottles, used for water and beverage packaging. It cannot be used to hold hot water, otherwise it will deform and dissolve substances that are harmful to human health. Can produce carcinogens after 10 months of use.
02 HDPE plastic tank (HDPE, high-density polyethylene): It is not recommended to be used as a water container, mainly used for cleaning and bathing products such as milk, shampoo and detergent. It can withstand a high temperature of 110℃, but some will also be marked as food. It can be reused after careful cleaning, but it is not easy to clean and will gradually be contaminated by bacteria.
03 PVC plastic canisters (PVC, namely polyvinyl chloride): can not be used to hold beverages and food, can only withstand the high temperature of 81 ℃.
04 LDPE plastic containers (LDPE, low-density polyethylene): found at the bottom of the plastic squeeze bottle, only resistant to high temperature 110 ℃.
05 PP plastic jar (PP, namely polypropylene): Some yogurt bottles, ketchup bottles, syrup bottles and medicine bottles will use the 05 label, which is opaque. It can be reused after careful cleaning, and can withstand a high temperature of 130°C.
06 PS plain canisters (PS, or polystyrene): Some disposable cups use the "06" label, and cannot contain strong acid and strong drinks or other substances, such as orange juice.
As the prices of aluminum, tinplate and other canisters rise, packaging costs continue to rise. Traditional canisters are opaque and consumers cannot observe the packaged products. In this context, ordinary food canisters were put on the market. PET food cans are made of PET, which are lighter than traditional canisters and are convenient for long-distance transportation. The outer packaging is transparent. Through effective combination with some transparent labels, the product looks very dynamic and beautiful. At the same time, the consumer's jars are getting closer and closer to the product, and the consumer's experience is more perfect. Therefore, plastic food containers are very popular, and there are professional food can manufacturers in China. Regarding the development of the market, I am optimistic that although ordinary food canisters cannot completely replace canisters, as consumer habits change, the growth of the market is an inevitable trend.
In China, Shanghai Gensyu Packaging Co., Ltd. can provide plastic cans. There are mainly PET plastic canisters, TPR plastic containers, rainbow cans, transparent cans, plain cans and some other products.
PET plastic containers are mainly used to store medicines and capsules. TPR plastic containers are mainly used to store protein powder, pills and capsules. Plain cans are mainly used to store protein powders and medicines, and can also store candy. The perspective tank is mainly used to store whey protein powder, health care drugs and other items. The purpose of rainbow cans is basically the same, but because plastic canister are more colorful, they are more popular.
These plain containers have different surface treatments, continuous thread closure, caps, linings and other functions. If you want to buy our plastic can products, we can provide you with plastic containers with good cost performance.
If you need to buy BPA-free plastic products, you can consider Shanghai Gensyu Packaging Co., Ltd., which will provide you with the best service.
Room 903, Building A8, No. 2555 Xiupu Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, China. | https://gensyu-packaging.com/Which-plastic-material-is-BPA-free-id3109201.html |
Q:
Trouble in calculating the covariance matrix
I'm trying to calculate the covariance matrix for a dummy dataset using the following formula, but it's not matching with the actual result.
Let's say the dummy dataset contains three features, #rooms, sqft and #crimes. Each column is a feature vector, and we have 5 data points. I'm creating this dataset using the following code:
matrix = np.array([[2., 3., 5., 1., 4.],
[500., 700., 1800., 300., 1200.],
[2., 1., 2., 3., 2.]])
Let's normalize the data, so the mean becomes zero.
D = matrix.shape[0]
for row in range(D):
mean, stddev = np.mean(matrix[row,:]), np.std(matrix[row,:])
matrix[row,:] = (matrix[row,:] - mean)/stddev
Now, I can write a naive covariance calculator that looks at all possible pairs of features, and that works perfectly.
def cov_naive(X):
"""Compute the covariance for a dataset of size (D,N)
where D is the dimension and N is the number of data points"""
D, N = X.shape
covariance = np.zeros((D, D))
for i in range(D):
for j in range(i, D):
x = X[i, :]
y = X[j, :]
sum_xy = np.dot(x, y) / N
if i == j:
covariance[i, j] = sum_xy
else:
covariance[i, j] = covariance[j, i] = sum_xy
return covariance
But, if I try to implement the formula mentioned in the beginning, the result is incorrect. The method I am trying out is as follows:
def cov_naive_2(X):
for i in range(N):
x = X[:, i]
covariance += x @ x.T
return covariance / N
What am I doing wrong here?
Expected output:
array([[ 1. , 0.96833426, -0.4472136 ],
[ 0.96833426, 1. , -0.23408229],
[-0.4472136 , -0.23408229, 1. ]])
Actual output from cov_naive_2
array([[3., 3., 3.],
[3., 3., 3.],
[3., 3., 3.]])
A:
Your approach is mathematically right, your problem comes from the fact that numpy matrix multiplication defaults to inner product when providing vectors, independently from them being transposed to row or column.
Try modifying the penultimate line like this to force outer product.
covariance += np.outer(x, x) # <---- here
return covariance / N
```
| |
Easy to make Ravioli with big taste
Mix spices in a small bowl.
Bring a pot of water to boil
Pour the marinara sauce to a pot.
Add spices to the pot.
Blend marinara sauce.
Add ravioli to boiling water and cook for five minutes.
Drain ravioli and return to pot.
Add sauce and mix.
Add parmesan cheese and mix.
Serve!
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
|
|
|Serving Size: 1 Serving (36g)|
|Recipe Makes: 6 Servings|
|
|
|Calories: 81|
|Calories from Fat: 39 (48%)|
|
|
|Amt Per Serving||% DV|
|
|
|Total Fat 4.3g||6 %|
|Saturated Fat 2.4g||12 %|
|Monounsaturated Fat 1.2g|
|Polyunsanturated Fat 0.4g|
|Cholesterol 12.1mg||4 %|
|Sodium 273.9mg||9 %|
|Potassium 93.4mg||2 %|
|Total Carbohydrate 4.8g||1 %|
|Dietary Fiber 0.6g||2 %|
|Sugars, other 4.2g|
|Protein 5.8g||8 %|
|
|
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database
Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition.
Calories per serving: 81
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.
There are no reviews yet. Be the first! | https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/ravioli/2675994 |
Triad Improvisation Over Major 251s
In this lesson we continue to explore the triad improvisation principle over the major 251 progression and the major 2516 progression.
An interesting ‘flavour’ to add over dominant chords is the b9 colour. Over any dominant chord, we can superimpose a major triad build from the 6th/13th degree of the scale which gives us the 13, the b9, and the 3.
We can use this triad as a basis to construct colourful improvised melodies over dominant chords.
Utilising Chromaticism
When playing over 251s, we can utilise chromaticism to add colour, tension, and interesting inner voice movement to our progressions.
In this lesson, Jovino explores and demonstrates chromatic movement using the altered tones b9, #9, #11, and b13, all in context of the major 251 and major 2516 progressions.
Lesson Downloads
-
Major 251s Improv Lesson Notation File Type: pdf
Practice Tips
-
Explore the different triad options over each chord in the major 251.
-
Experiment with chromaticism to accentuate the altered tensions, colours, and flavours within the harmony.
-
Extend the 251 progression to become a 2516 progression by adding a dominant chord built from the 6th degree of the scale.
- This creates a 'circular progression' where the 6 dominant (VI7) leads us back to the 2 minor chord to start the progression again. | https://www.pianogroove.com/bossa-nova-lessons/triads-the-major-251-progression/ |
Naples group ends fundraising for Baker Park; taxpayers will foot largest share of cost
The Naples nonprofit group that hosted fundraisers for the public Baker Park dissolved and sent the city a check for its collections in January.
However, Mayor Bill Barnett said efforts to privately help fund the $16 million park aren’t over.
Barnett said the city still will solicit private donations to add to the roughly $122,000 raised by Friends of Baker Park Inc.
“Maybe the Friends of Baker Park is over, but I think there will be … absolute opportunities for people to donate,” Barnett said. “There’s not going to be a set program, but people will know, and we’ll make it known that there are opportunities.”
The public will foot most of the bill for the park that originally was supposed to be funded largely by private money.
The City Council agreed during last year’s budget deliberations to raid the city’s reserves to pay for the park, including a $6.5 million transfer in the current fiscal year.
Including a $3 million purchase of the park land, the council’s pay-as-you-go approach could end up costing taxpayers more than $16 million, even though a previous council agreed to cap public spending at $7.5 million.
Barnett previously described Baker Park as the most extensive burden on taxpayers in the city’s history.
The expectation from the council in 2014 was that much of the park funding could come from private donations.
But facing concerns about the sustainability of the park site, the council since has voted several times to change the park’s design, erasing some park features for which the city already had collected donations for naming rights.
The city has returned $1.1 million to donors who were promised naming rights for park features that no longer are planned.
The city still has about $2.8 million in donations, including $1.4 million in park naming rights from local philanthropists Jay and Patty Baker. An additional total of about $2 million is pledged.
Barnett said the city’s parks department will post on its website a list of park features available for donor naming rights.
He said the list will be compiled after the council approves the final design for the park along the Gordon River. Construction of the park could begin by the end of this year.
“We’ll have a list that will be available that we agreed upon, and it will be a list of possibilities for donations,” Barnett said. “We’re not just going to shotgun it.”
The city hasn’t actively raised money for the park since officials helped run a park gala in 2014.
Private fundraising efforts were led by former Naples Mayor John Sorey and his wife, Delores, who was president of Friends of Baker Park.
The group, which incorporated in April 2014, dissolved in November after Sorey lost in his campaign for re-election.
The nonprofit group’s records show the group’s lone event in 2015 was a fundraiser at the park site on Riverside Circle. The event raised $79,690, according to IRS tax filings.
Another gala was planned at the Naples Beach Hotel in February 2016, but it’s unclear whether the event raised money.
The city didn’t receive any fundraising checks from the nonprofit group until January, City Manager Bill Moss said.
Sorey said he didn’t know details of the group’s fundraising because he wasn’t an officer. | https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2017/01/26/naples-group-fundraising-baker-park/96998032/ |
This chocolate glaze is so rich, shiny, and flavorful! It's perfect for garnishing drip cakes, topping donuts, or drizzling over bundt cakes. With just 4 simple ingredients, this sauce is to easy you'll find yourself making it over and over again.
Course:
Dessert, Topping
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
chocolate glaze
Servings
:
10
Calories
:
131
kcal
Ingredients
1/2
cup
heavy whipping cream
4
ounces
semisweet chocolate
finely chopped (or chocolate chips)
1/4
cup
light corn syrup
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
US Customary
-
Metric
Instructions
Place the cream in a small pot over medium low heat, until simmering.
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate (or chips).
Add the corn syrup and vanilla.
Whisk together until smooth.
Drizzle while warm.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Use this for drip cakes, as a drizzle on a bundt, to top donuts, or to ice brownies:
Black Forest Cake
Marble Bundt Cake
Sour Cream Baked Donuts
Brownies from Scratch
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Glaze
Amount Per Serving
Calories
131
Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
8g
12%
Saturated Fat 5g
25%
Cholesterol
16mg
5%
Sodium
10mg
0%
Potassium
73mg
2%
Total Carbohydrates
12g
4%
Sugars 10g
Vitamin A
3.6%
Calcium
1.6%
Iron
4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. | https://bakingamoment.com/wprm_print/81002 |
Whether a subject of dread or of fascination, nothing (often spelled with a capital 'N') has intrigued writers, philosophers, and scientists since ancient times. In this sound-bite history of the concept of nothing, distinguished journalist Joan Konner has created a unique anthology devoted to, well ...nothing. The collection brings together, in one portable volume, the thoughts of well-known writers and philosophers, artists and musicians, poets and playwrights, geniuses and jokers, demonstrating that some of the finest minds explored, feared, confronted, experienced, and played with the real or imagined presence of nothing in their lives. Paradoxical? Yes, indeed. This book shows that, like many Eastern sages, deep thinkers in the West also recognised and pondered non-existence as an essential component and complement of existence itself. Organised in short topical chapters from 'Knowing Nothing' to the 'Joy of Unknowing' and 'Nothing is Sacred', the verbal snapshots captured in this collection create a coherent work of insight, wisdom, humour and wonder. The book is compelling enough to be read all at once or in short bursts, as the spirit moves.
"The quotes -- always insightful, sometimes wickedly funny--are by thinkers of all stripes, such as Sylvia Plath, Bob Dylan, Lao Tzu, and Shakespeare." -- Shambhala Sun, December 2009/January 2010
Preface; Introduction; Book I: Before; Book II: Here Goes Nothing; Book III: In Residence; Book IV: Public Library; Book V: Concert Hall; Book VI: School; Book VII: Museum; Book VIII: Theatre District; Book IX: House of Worship; Book X: Downtown; Book XI: City Limits. | https://www.womensbookshop.co.nz/p/spirituality-you-don-t-have-to-be-buddhist-to-know-nothing-an-illustrious-collection-of-thoughts-on-naught |
Welcome to the Bowlegs Elementary Library Page!
Take a few minutes to search and explore our online library catalog!
https://bowlegs.follettdestiny.com
All students may check out library books at the Bowlegs Library.
The normal check out period is 10 days. Students who need additional time with a book may renew it for an additional 10 days.
Students in 1st grade may check out one book at a time.
Students in 2nd - 6th grades may check out two books at a time.
At Bowlegs, the students utilize the Accelerated Reader (AR) program.
AR is a computer program that helps teachers manage and monitor children's independent reading practice. Each student selects books at his/her own interest and reading level. After reading the book, each student logs on to the AR program on a computer and takes a short quiz to assess his/her comprehension. Each student's success on the quiz is an indication that he/she understood what was read.
Need to find out if a book has an Accelerated Reader quiz?
Click below.
http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx
Reading is such an important skill. Having your child read at home 20 minutes a day can have a huge impact on his/her learning. Please click the links below for more information. | http://bowlegs.ss7.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=518244&pageId=2794303 |
Answer:
Introdution:
According to Bennett and Bennett (2004), training and development may be a diverse field and the people employed come from different corners of the world which makes them a diverse group full of different ideas and insights. There have been many types of research which have shed light on the different perspectives of diversity. Organizational diversity has always been existent due to the presence of employees from different corners of the world. They share diverse culture, ideas, insights, views which makes them different from one another. This leads to diversity in communication and organizational development. Diversity occurs in different aspects of life and this diversity affects life to a great extent. In this article, there have been explained different kinds of diverse aspects in the lives of people. Two of the main and important diverse aspects which were deemed as important by me were mindset/skill set and cultural stereotypes. These two aspects have been mentioned by me due to their importance and existence during intercultural interaction among people of different cultures, especially when they work together in one setting.
Mindset is the way that a person perceives a cultural scenario or diversity. The amount of knowledge that a person has towards their own culture and the culture of other people set up the mindset of a person which might be greatly useful in an intercultural communication since it is important that the sentiments of others are not hurt in any way by talking bad about the other person’s culture. The skill set is the way that a person behaves by adhering to the cultural norms and without ignoring the appropriate behavior for other cultures as well. Cultural stereotypes have also been existent in society for a long time. Stereotypes are labels that are given to the people of different cultures which many tend to avoid due to the influence that they have on the mindset of many people. The generalizations that are done on the basis of different cultures may or may not always tend to stand true and have been set due to the behavior of a selected few people which have occurred in the past. People are not treated individually if they belong to a culture and are generalized even if they do not possess certain behavior. This article helps in relating to the other two aspects that have been mentioned in my pre-course assignment text and shows that intercultural communication has several other cultural aspects.
Furthermore, as stated by Deardoff (2006) in the article “Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization”, there are different factors which were determined to measure the competency of a person in an intercultural setting and how they have succeeded in connecting with people of a diverse culture. There have been insights from different authors on the actual meaning of intercultural competence which have derived that in a basic sense the term means the people are able to successfully communicate with each other even though they have emerged from different cultural backgrounds. Intercultural competence is very important since people in current times are more engaged in intercultural communication due to the nature of work that is present in current times. Competency in communication ensures that people are able to freely communicate with each other without hurting the sentiments of the other person. The skills that are required of people to gain the competency in communication with people of diverse culture are derived from the different societal and political influences that are present in everyday life. The article focuses on four approaches of intercultural communication competence which would be able to completely define the actual concept and meaning of intercultural communication. These approaches are the trait approach, perceptual approach, culture-specific approach, and behavioral approach. These four approaches focus on the different aspects of human life which can be important for a good communication with people from other cultures. Other approaches have also been discussed in this article. The article helps me to understand the different ways that I can effectively communicate with intercultural people through the application of the mentioned approaches which are extensively described in the article. Getting a deeper knowledge of the approaches would also help me in the long ruin and to overcome the two main barriers which have been chosen by me in the pre-course assignment text which are language barriers and assumption of similarities.
Hammer, Bennett, and Wiseman (2003), in their article “The intercultural development inventory” describes the importance of intercultural incompetence in domestic and global contexts. Intercultural communication is a very important factor in today’s time since there are many opportunities where people could improve on their relations with the help of intercultural communication. This is why an effective communication is needed so that people understand each other and form strong bonds which would be helpful in the long run. In the article, a model is described to show intercultural sensitivity where the development model is used. The model helps to understand the sensitivity which is present in intercultural individuals and what can help overcome those. A thorough research has been done in this article which discussed the different aspects of intercultural sensitivity and how the cultural difference among the people can affect them and the factors which are responsible for such differences. This article would help me to understand in calculative detail the concept of intercultural communication and what factors affect it so that I may be able to overcome those in a more practical approach and with the help of several empirical evidence. The global need for intercultural communication is supported by the people who are trying to learn the different ways through which they can overcome the differences that are brought about by the diversity in culture and behavior. Even though cultural diversity will always remain, the extensive positivity of such diversity should be derived so that it is not taken in a negative light and can help people connect with each other without any barriers or set back on their part.
The pre-course assignment text talks about the concept of intercultural communication and how it is different for every person in society and for people to belong to different cultures. The assignment states that if there is not a positive attitude which is incorporated in these intercultural communications then there can arise several issues and false perceptions which can hurt the sentiments of the individuals belonging to the other culture. The assignment is based on an article “Stumbling blocks in Intercultural Communication” which was written by LaRay M. Barna and included six different barriers which are present in a cultural dimension. The six barriers are language differences, the assumption of similarities, preconceptions, and stereotypes, tendency to evaluate, high anxiety and nonverbal misinterpretations. These six barriers are often found to be existent during any intercultural communication scenario. I have taken into consideration two barriers which are found to be important for me and very common when speaking to people of other cultures. Language is a barrier is the most common as is the assumption of similarities. I have understood from my everyday life experiences that the major problem faced by people while communicating in other language is the difference in the language and this creates a barrier for understanding each other. To avoid such complications or is necessary to overcome the barriers and make effective communication.
Based on the research that has been done by me in the past few days, I can say that a lot of insight has been gained by me on the concept of intercultural communication. There are certain ways which could ensure that the communication with individuals from other cultures are effective and is done without any barrier or hindrance. For this to occur a good understanding of different cultures needs to be present with the individual. In an organisational context as well, I would have to make sure that I have every basic and intricate detail about the client or the person that I would be communicating with so that I would not create any problems during my communication with them. I would also have to overcome the most common barrier that is present during such communications and that is the language barrier. For a smooth communication, I would either have to learn their language or would have to find a common language which both the parties will be able to understand. Finding a common language is much easier since learning a new language in cases where the communication is either sudden or urgent is not a possible matter. Furthermore, while working in an organization I have to keep in mind that I would have to shed all misconceptions and generalizations that I have come across till the current time and approach the cultural diversity with an open mind. Doing so would help me to connect with the individual better and in a much effective way since I would be away from any misconceptions that might be attacking the culture and blocking the way for an effective communication with the person. By following these certain strategies, I would be able to make effective intercultural communication in the long run and also gain knowledge about different cultures with time.
References:
Bennett, J. M., & Bennett, M. J. (2004). An integrative approach to global and domestic diversity. Handbook of intercultural training, 147-165.
Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of studies in international education, 10(3), 241-266.
Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J., & Wiseman, R. (2003). Measuring intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural development inventory. International journal of intercultural relations, 27(4), 421-443.
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Urgent Homework . ''(Urgent Homework ,2022) https://www.urgenthomework.com/sample-homework/lng11106-intercultural-business-communication-free-samples accessed 03/10/2022. | https://www.urgenthomework.com/sample-homework/lng11106-intercultural-business-communication-free-samples |
466.—EEL, COLLARED. (Fr.—Anguille en Galantine.)
Ingredients.—1 large eel, 3 or 4 ozs. of veal forcemeat (No. 412), a good pinch each of ground cloves, mace, allspice, mixed herbs, sage, salt and pepper, fish stock, and vinegar.
Method.—Cut off the head and tail of the eel, and remove the skin and backbone. Mix all the ingredients enumerated above with the forcemeat, spread the eel flat on the table, and cover its inner side with the mixture. Roll up the eel, beginning with the broad end, and bind it in shape with a strong tape. Have ready some fish stock, made by simmering the backbone, head, and tail of the eel while the forcemeat was being prepared. See that it is well seasoned with salt, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, put in the eel, and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, then press the eel between two dishes or boards until cold. Meanwhile add allspice and a little more vinegar to the liquor in which the eel was cooked, simmer gently for ½ an hour, then strain. When the eel is cold, put it into the liquor and let it remain until required for use. The eel should be glazed before serving.
Time.—About 1¼ hours, to prepare and cook. Average Cost, from 9d. to 1s. per lb. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable all the year round, but best from June to March.
467.—EELS FRIED. (Fr.—Anguilles Frites.)
Ingredients.—1 or 2 medium-sized eels, 1 tablespoonful of flour, ½ a teaspoonful of salt, ⅛ of a teaspoonful of pepper, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper, frying-fat.
Method.—Wash, skin, and dry the eels thoroughly, and divide them into pieces from 2½ to 3 inches long. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together, and roll the pieces of eel separately in the mixture. Coat carefully with egg and breadcrumbs, fry in hot fat until crisp and lightly-browned, then drain well, and serve garnished with crisply-fried parsley.
Time.—About 20 minutes. Average Cost, eels, 8d. to 1s. per lb. Allow 2 lb. for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable from June to March.
468.—EEL PIE. (Fr.—Pâté aux Anguilles.)
Ingredients.—1½ lb. of eels, ½ a pint of meat stock, 1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, 1 dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, pepper and salt, rough puff paste, or puff. | https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Mrs_Beeton%27s_Book_of_Household_Management.djvu/374 |
View popularity trends and statistics for the name Olivia in Tasmania, Australia. Data is currently available for the years 2010‑2018. Olivia has been found in female names only.
Popularity Trend Chart (2010‑2017)
Female Names Data TableShow
|Year||Olivia |
Female Names
Rank
|Change in Rank From Previous Year||Olivia |
Female Names
Count
|Relative Change in Count From Previous Year||Percentage of Total Female Births|
New Search
Search for a name in the available data for Tasmania in Australia.
Search Options
Set the options below to search for names. The results table will update automatically. | https://worldbabynames.fpgenealogy.co.uk/au-tas/names/olivia |
Memories with Grandma and Grandpa are something your child will always cherish. Daily activities with grandparents can create beautiful memories for your child to look back on. And some things your child may enjoy doing with their grandparents. Spending time with grandparents is fun for your child and can benefit their development.
Studies have shown that children who spend time with their grandparents have increased social skills and self-esteem and are more resilient overall. So, if you have the opportunity, take advantage of it and create some beautiful memories for your child to cherish for years to come.
If you’re concerned about your grandparents’ welfare and want to check in on them occasionally,, you can call them or send them a text message. There are a number of reasons why you might want to track your grandparents’ daily activities. For example, maybe you’re worried about their safety and want to ensure they’re not getting lost or simply to keep tabs on their whereabouts and stay active.
Or perhaps you simply want to keep tabs on their whereabouts in case they need help. Whatever the reason, there are a few different ways you can do it.
Just make sure to let them know that you’re doing it, so they don’t feel like you’re spying on them!
If you are concerned about your grandparents’ well-being, you may consider tracking their daily activities. It can be done in a number of ways, including using a GPS tracker, installing an app on their phone, or simply checking in with them regularly.
1. If you want to track your activities manually
- If you want to track your activities manually, all you need is a notebook or journal. Simply write down what you do daily, including the time you spend on each activity. It can be helpful if you want to know how much time you spend on certain tasks or activities.
- You can use a simple notebook or journal to record what you do each day, or you can use one of the many tracking apps available for smartphones and computers.
2. If you prefer to use technology
If you prefer to use technology to track your daily activities, several apps can help. Some popular options include RescueTime, Toggl, and Clockify. These apps can track your time on different tasks, websites, and apps and provide detailed reports about your activity.
3. GPS trackers
GPS trackers are small devices placed in a car or person’s body. They use satellite technology to pinpoint the location of the person or vehicle carrying the tracker. This information can then be accessed by logging into an online account. These devices can be placed in a purse or pocket, and they’ll transmit the wearer’s location to an app or website that you can access. This can be handy if your grandparent tends to wander off or gets lost easily.
4. Many Applications and Software
There are several apps & software like care plan software available that allow you to track someone’s location. Many apps also let you monitor other activities, such as phone calls and text messages. For example, this app lets you see the location of family members in real-time, and it also has features which can notify you if a family member goes outside of a designated area.
5. Home Security System
Another option is to install a home security system that includes cameras. You can check in on them throughout the day to ensure everything is okay.
6. By Asking a Neighbor or Family Member
If you simply want to keep an eye on their daily routines, you can ask a neighbour or family member to check in on them daily.
This way, you can get an idea of when they leave the house, when they return, and what they do in between. Tracking your grandparents’ daily activities can give you peace of mind and help you ensure their safety.
Lastly, it is helpful to review your progress regularly. This will allow you to see how well you are doing and identify any areas where you may need to make some changes.
No matter which method you choose, tracking your daily activities can be a helpful way to boost your productivity and get a better understanding of how you spend your time.
The Bottom Line
Finally, you could check in with your grandparents regularly to see what they’ve been up to. It might mean giving them a call every day or dropping by their house for a visit. Either way, staying in touch is a great way to keep track of your grandparents’ activities and ensure they’re doing alright.
Do you have any other tips for tracking grandparents’ activities? Let us know in the comments! | https://thenewsgod.com/how-to-track-your-grandparents-daily-activities/ |
Hello,
Greetings from Verbolabs!
We are having an upcoming project in the French Canadian Language for which we need male and female artists.
It's an audio description recording task for you, in which we will provide a video and a transcription to you from which you have to record the described part where the narrator is silent.
Also, if you feel there are some extensions or any other issues in the narration part, Kindly record accordingly in the audio description part.
Note- We have to create the script for Audio description and then share it with the client for approval and once we'll get the approval then we have to proceed with VO and need to share the VO file [login to view URL] format.
We will be having a total of 9 videos with different duration. Below I am mentioning the details of the files and duration:
1. Life on Magnolia Plantation: 120 minutes
2. The Spirit of Culture: Cane River Creoles: 90 minutes
3. Making a Way: 90 minutes
4. Juke Joints, Dance Halls and House Parties: A legacy of Music on Cane River: 120 minutes
5. Family & Community Life, Traditionally Associated People, Ethnographic Interviews: 30 minutes
6. Museum Collections Management, Traditionally Associated People, Ethnographic Interviews: 30 minutes
7. Cane River Plantations & Farms in the 21st Century, Traditionally Associated People, Ethnographic Interview: 30 minutes
8. Foodways and Traditionally Associated People, Ethnographic interview: 30 minutes
9. Planters, Sharecroppers, Tenant Farmers, and Day Laborers at the End of the Plantation Era: 30 minutes
Total Duration - 570 Min
If interested then please let me know your per hour charges for the same and Also, please share your VO samples. | https://www.fi.freelancer.com/projects/voice-talent/required-french-candian-voice-over |
Digital 3D content creation and modeling has become an indispensable part of our technology-driven society. Any modern design and manufacturing process involves manipulation of digital 3D shapes. In fact, many industries have been long expecting ubiquitous 3D as the next revolution in multimedia. Yet, contrary to "traditional" media such as digital music and video, 3D content creation and editing is not accessible to the general public, and 3D geometric data is not nearly as wide-spread as it has been anticipated. Despite extensive geometric modeling research in the past two decades, 3D modeling is still a restricted domain and demands tedious, time consuming and expensive work effort even from trained professionals, namely engineers, designers, and digital artists. Geometric modeling is reported to constitute one of the lowest-productivity components of the product life cycle.
The major reason for 3D shape modeling remaining inaccessible and tedious is that our current geometry representation and modeling algorithms focus on low-level mathematical properties of the shapes, entirely missing structural, contextual or semantic information. It is an unavoidable consequence that current modeling systems are unintuitive, inefficient and difficult for humans to work with. We believe that instead of continuing on the current incremental research path, a concentrated effort is required to fundamentally rethink the shape modeling process and re-align research agendas, putting high-level shape structure and function at the core. We put forward a research plan that will lead to intelligent digital 3D modeling tools that integrate semantic knowledge about the objects being modeled and provide the user an intuitive and logical response, fostering creativity and eliminating unnecessary low-level manual modeling tasks. Achieving these goals will represent a fundamental change to our current notion of 3D modeling, and will finally enable us to leverage the true potential of digital 3D content for society.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No. 306877.
See our events page for more short-term visits and colloquia. | https://igl.ethz.ch/research/iModel/ |
---
abstract: 'We propose a new thermodynamic equality and several inequalities concerning the relationship between work and information for an isothermal process with Maxwell’s demon. Our approach is based on the formulation à la Jarzynski of the thermodynamic engine and on the quantum information-theoretic characterization of the demon. The lower bound of each inequality, which is expressed in terms of the information gain by the demon and the accuracy of the demon’s measurement, gives the minimum work that can be performed on a single heat bath in an isothermal process. These results are independent of the state of the demon, be it in thermodynamic equilibrium or not.'
author:
- Takahiro Sagawa$^1$
- 'Masahito Ueda$^{1,2}$'
title: 'Jarzynski Equality with Maxwell’s Demon'
---
Introduction
============
Ever since the proposition of the “demon” by Maxwell [@paper1], numerous studies have been conducted on the consistency between the role of the demon and the second law of thermodynamics [@paper2]. Bennett resolved the apparent contradiction by considering the logically irreversible initialization of the demon [@paper3]. The key observation here is the so-called Landauer principle [@paper4] which states that, in erasing one bit of information from the demon’s memory, at least $k_{\rm B} T \ln 2$ of heat should, on average, be dissipated into the environment with the same amount of work being performed on the demon. Piechocinska has proved this principle without invoking the second law in an isothermal process [@paper5].
The essence of consistency between the role of the demon and the second law of thermodynamics can be illustrated by the setup of the Szilard engine [@paper6]. Suppose that the entire state of the Szilard engine and the demon is initially in thermal equilibrium. The demon gains one bit of information on the state of the Szilard engine. The engine performs just $k_{\rm B} T \ln 2$ of work by using this information, before returning to the initial state. The demon then erases the obtained information from its memory. Consequently, the entire state returns to the initial equilibrium state. The sum of the work performed on the engine and the demon in a full cycle of the Szilard engine is non-negative according to the Landauer principle; thus the Szilard engine is consistent with the second law in this situation. However, the Landauer principle stated above tells us nothing if the demon is far from equilibrium in the initial and/or final states.
Further discussions on Maxwell’s demon involve quantum-mechanical aspects of the demon [@paper7; @paper8; @paper9; @paper10; @paper11; @paper12; @paper13; @paper14; @paper15], and general relationships between the entropy and action of the demon from a quantum information-theoretic point of view [@paper14; @paper15]. On the other hand, the relationship between the work (or heat) and action of the demon is not yet fully understood from this viewpoint. We stress that $\Delta S = Q/ T$ is not valid in a general thermodynamic process.
Jarzynski has proved an irreversible-thermodynamic equality which relates the work to the free energy difference in an arbitrary isothermal process [@paper16; @paper17]: $\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle = \exp (- \beta \Delta F)$, where $\beta = ( k_{\rm B} T )^{-1}$, $W$ is the work done on the system, $\Delta F$ is the difference in the Helmholtz free energy between the initial and final states, and $\langle \cdots \rangle$ is the statistical average over all microscopic paths. Note that this equality is satisfied even when the external parameters are changed at a finite rate. It follows from this equality that the fundamental inequality $$\begin{aligned}
\langle W \rangle \geq \Delta F
\label{1}\end{aligned}$$ holds. While the original Jarzynski equality is classical, quantum-mechanical versions of the Jarzynski equality have been studied [@paper18; @paper19; @paper20; @paper21]. Kim and Qian have recently generalized the equality for a classical Langevin system which is continuously controlled by a Maxwell’s demon [@paper22].
In this paper, we establish a general relationship between the work performed on a thermodynamic system and the amount of information gained from it by the demon, and prove the relevant equality and several corollary inequalities which are generalizations of Eq. (\[1\]). With the present setup, the demon performs a quantum measurement [@paper23; @paper24] during an isothermal process, selects a sub-ensemble according to the outcome of the measurement, and performs unitary transformations on the system depending on the outcome. We follow the method of Ref. [@paper14; @paper24] to characterize the demon only in terms of its action on the system and do not make any assumption about the state of the demon itself. The subsequent results therefore hold true regardless of the state of the demon, be it in equilibrium or out of equilibrium.
This paper is constituted as follows. In Sec. II, we formulate a general setup of isothermal processes with Maxwell’s demon and illustrate the case of a generalized Szilard engine. In Sec. III, we derive the generalized Jarzynski equality, and new thermodynamic equalities generalizing inequality (\[1\]). In Sec. IV A, we clarify the property of an effective information content obtained by the demon’s measurement. In Sec. IV B, we discuss a crucial assumption of the final state of thermodynamic processes, which sheds light on a fundamental aspect of the characterization of thermodynamic equilibrium states. Finally, in Sec. VII, we conclude this paper.
Setup
=====
We consider an isothermal process at temperature $T=(k_{\rm B} \beta)^{-1}$, in which a thermodynamic system is in contact with an environment at the same temperature, and in which the initial and final states of the entire system are in thermodynamic equilibrium. We do not, however, assume that the states in the course of the process are in thermodynamic equilibrium. We treat the isothermal process as the evolution of thermodynamic system S and sufficiently large heat bath B, which are as a whole isolated and only come into contact with some external mechanical systems and a demon. Apart from the demon, the total Hamiltonian can be written as $$\begin{aligned}
H^{\rm S+B}(t) = H^{\rm S} (t) + H^{\rm int} (t) + H^{\rm B},
\label{2}\end{aligned}$$ where the time dependence of $H^{\rm S}(t)$ describes the mechanical operation on S through certain external parameters, such as an applied magnetic field or volume of the gas, and the time dependence of $H^{{\rm int}} (t)$ describes, for example, the attachment of an adiabatic wall to S. We consider a time evolution from $t_{\rm i}$ to $t_{\rm f}$, assume $H^{{\rm int}} (t_{\rm i}) = H^{{\rm int}} (t_{\rm f}) = 0$, and write $H^{\rm S+B} (t_{\rm i} ) = H_{\rm i}$ and $H^{\rm S+B} (t_{\rm f} ) = H_{\rm f}$. We consider the simplest isothermal process in the presence of the demon. This process can be divides into the following five stages:
*Stage 1.*—At time $t_{\rm i}$, the initial state of S+B is in thermal equilibrium at temperature $T$. The density operator of the entire state is given by $$\begin{aligned}
\rho_{\rm i} = \frac{\exp (- \beta H_{\rm i})}{Z_{\rm i}}, \ Z_{\rm i} = {\rm tr} \{ \exp (- \beta H_{\rm i}) \}.
\label{3}\end{aligned}$$ Note that the partition function of S+B is the product of that of S and that of B: $Z_{\rm i} = Z_{\rm i}^{\rm S}Z_{\rm i}^{\rm B}$, and the Helmholtz free energy of S+B is the sum $F_{\rm i} = F_{\rm i}^{\rm S} + F_{\rm i}^{\rm B}$, where $F_{\rm i} = - k_{\rm B} T \ln Z_{\rm i}$, etc.
*Stage 2.*—From $t_{\rm i}$ to $t_1$, system S+B evolves according to the unitary transformation represented by $$\begin{aligned}
U_{\rm i} = T \exp \left( \frac{1}{i \hbar} \int_{t_{\rm i}}^{t_1} H^{\rm S+B} (t) dt \right).
\label{4}\end{aligned}$$
*Stage 3.*—From $t_1$ to $t_2$, a demon performs a quantum measurement described by measurement operators $\{ M_k \}$ on S and obtains each outcome $k$ with probability $p_k$. Let $K$ be the set of all the outcomes $k$ satisfying $p_k \neq 0$. Suppose that the number of elements in $K$ is finite. The process proceeds to *stage 4* only if the outcome belongs to subset $K'$ of $K$, otherwise the demon discards the sample and the process restarts from *stage 1*; we calculate the statistical average over subensemble $K'$.
*Stage 4.*—From $t_2$ to $t_3$, the demon performs a mechanical operation on S depending on outcome $k$. Let $U_k$ be the corresponding unitary operator on S+B. We assume that the state of the system becomes independent of $k$ at the end of this stage, this being a feature characterizing the action of the demon [@paper14]. This stage describes a feedback control by the demon. Note that the action of the demon is characterized only by set $\{ K', M_k, U_k \}$.
*Stage 5.*—From $t_3$ to $t_{\rm f}$, S+B evolves according to unitary operator $U_{\rm f}$ which is independent of outcome $k$. We assume that S+B has reached equilibrium at temperature $T$ by $t_{\rm f}$ from the macroscopic point of view because the degrees of freedom of B is assumed to far exceed that of S. The partition function of the final Hamiltonian is then given by $$\begin{aligned}
\ Z_{\rm f} = {\rm tr} \{ \exp (- \beta H_{\rm f}) \}.
\label{5}\end{aligned}$$ As in *stage 1*, it follows that $Z_{\rm f} = Z_{\rm f}^{\rm S}Z_{\rm f}^{\rm B}$ and $F_{\rm f} = F_{\rm f}^{\rm S} + F_{\rm f}^{\rm B}$, where $F_{\rm i}^{\rm B} = F_{\rm f}^{\rm B}$. We denote as $\rho_{\rm f}$ the density operator of the final state.
After going through all the stages, the state of the system changes from $\rho_{\rm i}$ to $$\begin{aligned}
\rho_{\rm f} = \frac{1}{p} \sum_{k \in K'} E_k \rho_{\rm i} E_k^{\dagger},
\label{6}\end{aligned}$$ where $E_k$ is given by $$\begin{aligned}
E_k = U_{\rm f} U_k M_k U_{\rm i},
\label{7}\end{aligned}$$ and $p$ is the sum of the probabilities of $k$’s belonging to $K'$ as $$\begin{aligned}
p = \sum_{k \in K'} {\rm tr} (E_k^{\dagger}E_k \rho_{\rm i}).
\label{8}\end{aligned}$$ Note that $E_k$ is a nonunitary operator because it involves the action of measurement by the demon. In contrast, in the original setup of Jarzynski, there is no demon and hence $E_k$ is unitary.
In the case of a generalized Szilard engine, the foregoing general process can be illustrated as follows. We use a box containing a single molecule localized in a region that is sufficiently smaller than the box. This molecule interacts with a heat bath at temperature $T$.
![A generalized Szilard engine with $n=5$ and $m=3$. The conventional Szilard engine corresponds to $n=m=2$. *Stage 1.*—The state of the engine and the heat bath is initially in thermodynamic equilibrium. *Stage 2.*—Divide the box into 5 partitions. *Stage 3.*—A demon measures which partition the molecule is in. This measurement is described by measurement operators $\{ M_1, M_2, \cdots, M_5 \}$. *Stage 4.*—The demon performs operation $U_k$ depending on measurement outcome $k$. If $k=1$, $2$ or $3$, the demon moves the $k$th box to the leftmost position. If the outcome is 4 or 5, the demon discards the sample and the process restarts from *stage 1*. *Stage 5.*—The box is expanded quasi-statically and isothermally so that the final state of the entire system returns to the initial state from a macroscopic point of view. This process is a unitary evolution of the entire system. See the text for details.[]{data-label="figure1"}](fig1.eps){width="0.95\linewidth"}
*Stage 1.*—A molecule is initially in equilibrium at temperature $T$. Let $\rho_{\rm i}$ be the density operator of the initial state of the engine and the heat bath.
*Stage 2.*—We divide the box into $n$ partitions of equal volume. The state of the molecule then becomes $\rho_1 = (\rho (1) + \rho (2) + \cdots + \rho (n) )/n$, where $\rho (k)$ represents the state of the molecule in the $k$th partition. We set $K= \{ 1,2, \cdots , n \}$.
*Stage 3.*—A demon performs a measurement on the system to find out where the molecule is. The demon chooses subset $K' = \{ 1,2, \cdots , m \}$ ($m \leq n$), and the process proceeds to *stage 4* only if outcome $k$ belongs to $K'$. The state of the system is $\rho_2= (\rho (1) + \rho (2) + \cdots + \rho (m) )/m$ at the end of this stage.
*Stage 4.*—When the outcome is $k$ ($\in K'$), the demon removes all but the $k$th box, and then moves the $k$th box to the leftmost position. This operation is described by $U_k$. The state of the molecule after this operation is $\rho_3 = \rho (1)$.
*Stage 5.*—We expand the box quasi-statically and isothermally so that the final state of the entire system returns to the initial state from a macroscopic point of view. Here by the last sentence we mean that the expectation value of any macroscopic quantity in the final state is the same as that in the initial state, as will be discussed in detail in Sec. IV B. This process is unitary in respect of the molecule and heat bath; we can thus describe this process by unitary operator $U_{\rm f}$.
Figure \[figure1\] illustrates these processes for the case of $n=5$ and $m=3$. When $n=m=2$, this process is equivalent to the conventional Szilard engine.
Equality and inequalities
=========================
Let us now prove the equality which constitutes the main result of this paper. Let $W$ be the work performed on S+B during the entire process, $\{ E_a^{\rm i} \}$ and $\{ | \varphi_a \rangle \}$ be the respective eigenvalues and eigenvectors of $H_{\rm i}$, and $\{ E^{\rm f}_b \}$ and $\{ | \psi_b \rangle \}$ the respective eigenvalues and eigenvectors of $H_{\rm f}$. We can then calculate the statistical average [@paper18; @paper20] of $\exp (- \beta W)$ over the subensemble specified by condition $k \in K'$ as $$\begin{aligned}
&{}& \langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle_{K'} \nonumber \\
&=& \frac{1}{p} \sum_{a,b,k \in K'} \frac{e^{- \beta E_a^{\rm i}}}{Z_{\rm i}} | \langle \psi_b | E_k | \varphi_a \rangle |^2 e^{- \beta (E^{\rm f}_b - E^{\rm i}_a)} \nonumber \\
&=& \frac{1}{p} \sum_{b,k \in K'} \langle \psi_b | E_k E_k^{\dagger} | \psi_b \rangle \frac{e^{- \beta E^{\rm f}_b}}{Z_{\rm i}} \nonumber \\
&=& \frac{Z_{\rm f}}{Z_{\rm i}} \frac{1}{p} \sum_{b,k \in K'} \langle \psi_b | U_{\rm f} U_k M_k M_k^{\dagger} U_k^{\dagger} U_{\rm f}^{\dagger} | \psi_b \rangle \frac{e^{-\beta E^{\rm f}_b}}{Z_{\rm f}},
\label{9}\end{aligned}$$ where $p$ is given by Eq. (\[8\]). Making the polar decomposition of $M_k$ as $M_k = V_k \sqrt{D_k}$, $\ D_k = M_k^{\dagger}M_k$, where $V_k$ is a unitary operator, we can rewrite Eq. (\[9\]) as $$\begin{aligned}
\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle_{K'} \! = \! \frac{Z_{\rm f}}{Z_{\rm i}} \! \frac{1}{p} \! \sum_{k \in K'} \! {\rm tr} ( \! D_k \! V_k^{\dagger} \! U_k^{\dagger} \! U_{\rm f}^{\dagger} \! \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can} \! U_{\rm f} \! U_k \! V_k \! ),
\label{10}\end{aligned}$$ where $\rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$ is the density operator of the canonical distribution of the final Hamiltonian: $$\begin{aligned}
\rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can} = \frac{\exp (- \beta H_{\rm f})}{Z_{\rm f}}.\end{aligned}$$ Let $\rho_1$ be the density operator just before the measurement, and $\rho_2^{(k)}$ be that immediately after the measurement with outcome $k$. We obtain $\rho_2^{(k)} = M_k \rho_1 M_k^{\dagger} / {\rm tr} (D_k \rho_1)$ and $\rho_2^{(k)} = U_k^{\dagger} U_{\rm f}^{\dagger} \rho_{\rm f} U_{\rm f} U_k$; therefore $$\begin{aligned}
V_k^{\dagger} U_k^{\dagger} U_{\rm f}^{\dagger} \rho_{\rm f} U_{\rm f} U_k V_k = \frac{\sqrt{D_k} \rho_1 \sqrt{D_k}}{{\rm tr} (D_k \rho_1)}.
\label{11}\end{aligned}$$ Thus Eq. (\[10\]) reduces to $$\begin{aligned}
\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle_{K'} = \frac{Z_{\rm f}}{Z_{\rm i}} \frac{\eta}{p} \left( 1+ \frac{\Delta \eta }{\eta} \right),
\label{12}\end{aligned}$$ where we introduced the notation $$\begin{aligned}
\eta \equiv \sum_{k \in K'} \frac{{\rm tr} (D_k^2 \rho_1)}{{\rm tr} (D_k \rho_1)} = \sum_{k \in K'} \frac{{\rm tr} ((E_k^{\dagger}E_k)^2 \rho_{\rm i})}{{\rm tr} (E_k^{\dagger}E_k \rho_{\rm i})}, \\
\Delta \eta \equiv \sum_{k \in K'} {\rm tr} (D_k V_k^{\dagger} U_k^{\dagger} U_{\rm f}^{\dagger} (\rho_{\rm f} - \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}) U_{\rm f} U_k V_k).
\label{13}\end{aligned}$$ The parameter $\eta$ describes the measurement error of the demon’s measurement, the precise meaning of which is discussed in Sec. V. We now *assume* that the final state $\rho_{\rm f}$ satisfies $$\begin{aligned}
\Delta \eta = 0.
\label{assumption}\end{aligned}$$ We discuss in detail the physical meaning and validity of this assumption in Sec. IV B. Note that if the density operator of the final state is the canonical distribution, i.e. $\rho_{\rm f} = \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$, then the above assumption (\[assumption\]) is trivially satisfied. Under this assumption, we finally obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle_{K'} = \exp \left( - \beta \Delta F + \ln \frac{\eta}{p} \right),
\label{14}\end{aligned}$$ where $\Delta F = F_{\rm f} - F_{\rm i} = F^{\rm S}_{\rm f} - F^{\rm S}_{\rm i}$. This is the main result of this paper.
In a special case in which $D_k$’s are projection operators for all $k$, and $K' =K$, Eq. (\[14\]) reduces to $$\begin{aligned}
\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle = \exp \left( - \beta \Delta F + \ln d \right),
\label{17}\end{aligned}$$ where $d$ is the number of elements in $K$. Note that the right-hand side of Eq. (\[17\]) is independent of the details of pre-measurement state $\rho_1$.
We can apply the generalized Jarzynski equality to prove an inequality. It follows from the concavity of the exponential function that $$\begin{aligned}
\exp (- \beta \langle W \rangle_{K'}) \leq \langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle_{K'};
\label{15}\end{aligned}$$ we therefore obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\langle W \rangle_{K'} \geq \Delta F - k_{\rm B} T \ln \frac{\eta}{p}.
\label{16}\end{aligned}$$
Consider the case in which the demon selects single outcome $k$, that is $K' = \{ k \}$. Equation (\[9\]) then reduces to $\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle_k = \exp ( - \beta \Delta F + (\eta_k / p_k))$, where $\eta_k = {\rm tr} (D_k^2 \rho_1) / {\rm tr} (D_k \rho_1)$, and inequality (\[16\]) becomes $$\begin{aligned}
\langle W \rangle_{k} \geq \Delta F - k_{\rm B} T \ln \frac{\eta_k}{p_k}.
\label{18}\end{aligned}$$ Averaging inequality (\[18\]) over all $k \in K$, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\langle W \rangle \geq \Delta F - k_{\rm B} T H^{\rm eff},
\label{19}\end{aligned}$$ where $$\begin{aligned}
H^{\rm eff} \equiv \sum_{k \in K} p_k \ln \frac{\eta_k}{p_k},
\label{20}\end{aligned}$$ describes an effective information content which the demon gains about the system. Inequality (\[19\]) is a generalization of (\[1\]) and is stronger than (\[16\]). It shows that we can extract work larger than $- \Delta F$ from a single heat bath in the presence of the demon, but that we *cannot* extract work larger than $k_{\rm B} T H^{\rm eff} - \Delta F$.
Discussions
===========
Effective Information Content
-----------------------------
We discuss the physical meaning of $\eta_k$ and $H^{\rm eff}$. It can easily be shown that $$\begin{aligned}
p_k \leq \eta_k \leq 1.
\label{21}\end{aligned}$$ Here $p_k = \eta_k$ for all $\rho_1$ if and only if $D_k$ is proportional to the identity operator, and $\eta_k = 1$ for all $\rho_1$ if and only if $D_k$ is a projection operator. In the former case, the demon can gain no information about the system, while in the latter case, the measurement is error-free. Let us consider the case of $D_k = P_k + \varepsilon P_l$ ($l \neq k$), where $P_k$ and $P_l$ are projection operators and $\varepsilon$ is a small positive number. Then $\eta_k$ is given by $$\begin{aligned}
\eta_k = \frac{{\rm tr} (D_k^2 \rho_1)}{{\rm tr} (D_k \rho_1)} = 1- \varepsilon \frac{{\rm tr} (P_l \rho_1)}{{\rm tr} (P_k \rho_1)} + o (\varepsilon).
\label{22}\end{aligned}$$ We can therefore say that $1-\eta_k$ is a measure of distance between $D_k$ and the projection operator. It follows from (\[21\]) that $$\begin{aligned}
0 \leq H^{\rm eff} \leq H,
\label{23}\end{aligned}$$ where $H$ is the Shannon information content that the demon obtains: $H = - \sum_{k \in K} p_k \ln p_k$.
We now derive some special versions of inequality (\[19\]). If the demon does not get information (i.e., $H^{\rm eff} =0$), inequality (\[19\]) becomes $\langle W \rangle \geq \Delta F$, which is simply inequality (\[1\]). On the other hand, in the case of a projection measurement, where $H^{\rm eff} =H$, (\[19\]) becomes $\langle W \rangle \geq \Delta F - k_{\rm B} T H$. An inequality similar (but not equivalent) to this inequality has been proved by Kim and Qian for a classical Langevin system [@paper22].
Characterization of Thermodynamic Equilibrium States
----------------------------------------------------
We next show the physical validity of the assumption (\[assumption\]).
In general, the canonical distribution describes the properties of thermodynamic equilibrium states. However, the thermodynamic equilibrium is a macroscopic property characterized only by the expectation values of macroscopic quantities. In fact, to show that a heat bath is in thermodynamic equilibrium, we do not observe each molecule, but observe only macroscopic quantities of the heat bath, for example the center of mass of a “small” fraction involving a large number (e.g. $\sim 10^{12}$) of molecules. Thus a density operator corresponding to a thermodynamic equilibrium state is *not* necessarily the rigorous canonical distribution; $\rho_{\rm f} = \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$ is too strong an assumption.
Note that no assumption has been made on the final state $\rho_{\rm f}$ in the derivation of the original Jarzynski equality without Maxwell’s demon [@paper16], so $\langle \exp (- \beta W) \rangle = \exp (- \beta \Delta F)$ holds for any final state $\rho_{\rm f}$. Under the condition that the final state of S+B is in thermodynamic equilibrium corresponding to the free energy $F_{\rm f}$ from a macroscopic point of view, we can interpret inequality (\[1\]), which can be shown from the Jarzynski equality, as the thermodynamic inequality for a transition between two thermodynamic equilibrium states, even if $\rho_{\rm f}$ is not a rigorous canonical distribution.
On the other hand, we have required the supplementary assumption (\[assumption\]) for the final state $\rho_{\rm f}$ to prove the generalized Jarzynski equality with Maxwell’s demon. The assumption (\[assumption\]) holds if $$\begin{aligned}
{\rm tr} ( \tilde{D}_k \rho_{\rm f} ) = {\rm tr} (\tilde{D}_k \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}),
\label{a}\end{aligned}$$ for all $k$ in $K'$, where $\tilde{D}_k \equiv U_{\rm f} U_k V_k D_k V_k^{\dagger} U_k^{\dagger} U_{\rm f}^{\dagger}$. We can say that under the assumption (\[assumption\]), $\rho_{\rm f}$ is restricted not only in terms of macroscopic quantities, but also constrained so as to meet Eq. (\[a\]). It appears that the latter constraint is connected with the fact that the system in state $\rho_{\rm f}$ and that in state $\rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$ should not be distinguished by the demon.
We stress that our assumption (\[assumption\]) is extremely weak compared with the assumption $\rho_{\rm f} = \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$. To see this, we denote as $f$ the degree of freedom of S+B (e.g. $f \sim 10^{23}$), as $N$ the dimension of the Hilbert space corresponding to S+B, and as $d'$ the number of elements in $K'$. We can easily show that $N \geq O(2^f)$. On the other hand, $d' = O(1)$ holds in a situation that the role of the demon is experimentally realizable. For example, suppose that S is a spin-1 system and B consists of harmonic oscillators, and the demon made up from optical devices performs a projection measurement on S. In this case, $d' \leq d=3$ and $N=\infty$. The rigorous equality $\rho_{\rm f} = \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$ holds, in general, if and only if all the matrix elements in $\rho_{\rm f}$ coincides with that of $\rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can}$, and note that the number of independent real valuables in the density operators is $N^2-1$. On the other hand, only $d'$ equalities in (\[a\]) are required to meet the assumption $\Delta \eta = 0$.
Although it is a conjecture that the assumption (\[assumption\]) is virtually realized in real physical situations, we believe that it is indeed realized in many situations. A more detailed analysis on the assumption (\[assumption\]) is needed to understand the concept of thermodynamic equilibrium.
Finally, we consider the case that the assumption ([\[assumption\]]{}) is not satisfied and $$\begin{aligned}
\Bigl|{\rm tr} \left( \tilde{D}_k ( \rho_{\rm f} - \rho_{\rm f}^{\rm can} ) \right) \Bigr| \leq \varepsilon
\label{b}\end{aligned}$$ holds for all $k$ in $K'$. We can then estimate the value of $| \Delta \eta / \eta |$ as $$\begin{aligned}
\Bigl|\frac{\Delta \eta}{\eta} \Bigr| \leq \frac{d'}{p} \varepsilon.\end{aligned}$$ Thus the deviation from the generalized Jarzynski equation is bounded only by the difference on the left-hand side of Eq. (\[b\]).
Conclusion
==========
In conclusion, we have generalized the Jarzynski equality to a situation involving Maxwell’s demon and derived several inequalities in thermodynamic systems. The demon in our formulation performs a quantum measurement and a unitary transformation depending on the outcome of the measurement. Independent of the state of the demon, however, our equality (\[17\]) establishes a close connection between the work and the information which can be extracted from a thermodynamic system, and our inequality (\[19\]) shows that one can extract from a single heat bath work greater than $- \Delta F$ due to an effective information content that the demon gains about the system. To analyze broader aspects of information thermodynamic processes merits further study.
This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Grant No. 17071005) and by a 21st Century COE program at Tokyo Tech, “Nanometer-Scale Quantum Physics”, from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. MU acknowledges support by a CREST program of JST.
[24]{} J. C. Maxwell, *“Theory of Heat”* (Appleton, London, 1871). *“Maxwell’s demon 2: Entropy, Classical and Quantum Information, Computing”*, H. S. Leff and A. F. Rex (eds.), (Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 2003). C. H. Bennett, Int. J. Theor. Phys. **21**, 905 (1982). R. Landauer, IBM J. Res. Develop. **5**, 183 (1961). B. Piechocinska, Phys. Rev. A **61**, 062314 (2000). L. Szilard, Z. Phys. **53**, 840 (1929). W. Zurek, e-Print: quant-ph/0301076. S. Lloyd, Phys. Rev. A **56**, 3374 (1997). G. J. Milburn, Aus. J. Phys. **51**, 1 (1998). M. O. Scully, Phys. Rev. Lett. **87**, 220601 (2001). T. D. Kieu, Phys. Rev. Lett. **93**, 140403 (2004). J. Oppenheim, M. Horodecki, P. Horodecki, and R. Horodecki, Phys. Rev. Lett. **89**, 180402 (2002). K. Maruyama, F. Morikoshi, and V. Vedral, Phys. Rev. A **71**, 012108 (2005). M. A. Nielsen, C. M. Caves, B. Schumacher, and H. Barnum, Proc. R. Soc. London A, **454**, 277 (1998). V. Vedral, Proc. R. Soc. London A, **456**, 969 (2000). C. Jarzynski, Phys. Rev. Lett. **78**, 2690 (1997). C. Jarzynski, Phys. Rev. E **56**, 5018 (1997). H. Tasaki, e-Print: cond-mat/0009244. S. Yukawa, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. **69**, 2367 (2000). S. Mukamel, Phys. Rev. Lett. **90**, 170604 (2003). W. DeRoeck and C. Maes, Phys. Rev. E **69**, 026115 (2004). K. H. Kim and H. Qian, e-Print: physics/0601085. E. B. Davies and J. T. Lewis, Commun. Math. Phys. **17**, 239 (1970). M. A. Nielsen and I. L. Chuang, *“Quantum Computation and Quantum Information”* (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000).
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Fractions quite simply are a way to represent a percentage. The top number is the numerator and the bottom is the denominator. The fraction, 3/8, is the same as saying 3 out of 8 or 37.5%. From this we can see that it is necessary for all fractions to be added to have the same denominator and to realize that when the fractions are added the denominator remains the same (the denominators do not get added together) and only the numerators are summed.
In a case where we adding fractions with like denominators the process is quite simple. For example, 3/8 + 4/8 = 7/8, here is our final fraction reduced fully.
In the case where you are adding fractions with different denominators, you need to do a little more work. You can equate these unlike denominators by reducing or simplifying the fractions, as follows, 3/4 + 4/8 = 3/4 + 2/4 = 5/4. In this case by inspection it can be seen that 4/8 easily reduces to 2/4, just dividing both the numerator and denominator by 2 this is accomplished. Note that when an operation is applied to the numerator it must also be applied to the denominator and vice versa.
You can also equate the denominators in your fractions by multiplying the numerator and denominator of the first fraction each by the denominator of the second fraction. You can then repeat this process for the numerator and denominator of the second fraction by multiplying each of them by the denominator of the first fraction. You will notice that this results in you having two new denominators that are the product of the two old denominators and exactly the same.
Let’s see an example of this. 3/7 + 5/9 = (3 x 9)/(7 x 9) + (5 x 7)/(9 x 7) = 27/63 +35/63 = 62/63. Notice how the multiplication of the each fraction (numerator and denominator) by the denominator of the other was the same as multiplying the fraction by 1 but just scaling the fraction up. This is perfectly acceptable as we perform the same operation for both the numerator and denominator. This process can also be used for more than two fractions at a time. If you are adding three fractions with different denominators, you would have the numerator and denominator of each fraction being multiplied by the denominator of each of the other two fractions. This would give new numerators for each of the three fractions that are each a product of three terms and the new denominators also as products of three terms. At this point the fractions would have like denominators and could easily be added.
When adding several fractions with unlike denominators, it’s best to use a combination of the two methods listed above for simplifying the fractions as applicable. | https://wizzley.com/how-to-add-fractions/ |
‘Marine litter: are there solutions to this global environmental challenge?’ is the title of a free public lecture at 7pm tonight (Thursday 10 January) in the main concourse of GMIT’s main Galway campus.
Prof Richard Thompson from the School of Biological and Marine Sciences at Plymouth University will deliver the lecture ahead of the second Ecology and Evolution Ireland Conference at GMIT and NUI Galway this weekend.
Prof Thomson will discuss issues surrounding the widespread distribution of plastic debris at the sea surface, on the sea bed and on shorelines.
Nearly 700 marine wildlife species are known to encounter marine litter, with many reports of physical harm resulting from entanglement in and ingestion of plastic.
At the same time it is very clear that plastic items bring many societal benefits. Can these benefits be achieved without emissions of waste to the environment?
Progress requires systemic changes in the way we produce, use and dispose of plastic. Prof Thomson will suggest that a key solution to two major environmental problems, our non-sustainable use of fossil carbon (to produce plastics) and the accumulation waste, lies in recycling end-of-life plastics into new products.
While the two days of the conference on Friday 11 ad Saturday 12 January are now fully booked, attendance at this evening’s lecture is remains open and free to all. | https://afloat.ie/marine-environment/coastal-notes/item/41477-public-lecture-on-marine-litter-tonight-in-galway |
Machine learning techniques play an important role in building predictive models by learning from Electronic Health Records (EHR). Predictive models building from Electronic Health Records still remains as a challenge as the clinical healthcare data is complex in nature and analysing such data is a difficult task. This paper proposes prediction models built using random forest ensemble by using three different classifiers viz. J48, C4.5 and Naïve Bayes classifiers. The proposed random forest ensemble was used for classifying four stages of liver cancer. Using a feature selection method the reliable features are identified and this subset serves as input for the ensemble of classifiers. Further a majority voting mechanism is used to predict the class labels of the liver cancer data. Experiments were conducted by varying the number of decision trees generated using the J48, C4.5 and Naïve Bayes classifiers and compared with the classification made using decision stump and Adaboost algorithms.
Keywords : Ensemble, Feature Selection, C4.5, J48 and Random Forest
I. INTRODUCTION
In health care industry, patient’s medical data size grows day to day. The process of applying computer based information system (CBIS), including new techniques, for discovering knowledge from data is called data mining. The process of machine learning is similar to that of data mining. Machine learning algorithms may be distinguished by either supervised or unsupervised learning methods. Supervised learning methods are widely used for predictive modelling. Predictive modelling is a branch of clinical and business intelligence branch which is used for health risk classification and also to predict the future health status of the individuals. Electronic health records (EHR) are used to store large scale information of patient conditions, treatments etc. The EHR information may be structured or unstructured. Using controlled vocabulary, electronic health records are maintained in structured data
format for documenting patient information than narrative text which is unstructured in nature. EHR helps to streamline the clinical workflow information. Ensemble learning is a well-known approach used in machine learning for prediction by combining various ensemble models . Ensemble of classifiers is aggregations of multiple classifiers are J48, C4.5 and Naive Bayes etc. . Ensembles aim for better performance than any of the base classifiers. The proposed work aims to improve the accuracy of healthcare data for prediction and classification, by building a hybrid predictive classifier model using ensemble of classifiers .
The remaining part of the paper described in the following section.
electronic health records. Section 3 explains the overall architecture of proposed system. Section 4 reports the experimental results. Section 5 concludes the paper.
II. RELATED WORK
This section discusses the existing methods for pre- processing, feature extraction, boosting methods such as adaptive boosting. Aydin et. al. (2009) investigated the various factors involved on ensemble construction using a wide variety of learning algorithms, data sets and evaluation criteria . They have provided the idea of subset selection to the level of discriminating whether the discrimination is applicable or not at the level of classifier.Ping Li et. al. (2013) surveyed about supervisedmulti-label classification and proposed variable pairwise
constraint projection for mutli-label ensemble. They have adopted boosting methods to construct a multi-label ensemble to increase the generalization ability .
Jia Zhua et. al. (2015) employed multiple classifier systems (MCS) to improve the accuracy of disease detection for Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus. Multi classifier system performs worse when design is not proper . They have proposed a dynamic weighted voting scheme for multiple classifier decision combination. Yan Li et. al. (2015) stated data mining framework for distributed healthcare information based on privacy preserving constraints . Neesha Jothi et. al. (2015) surveyed the data mining techniques and has classified the articles have suggested data mining plays important role in medical diagnosing for predicting diseases .
Table 1. Comparative analysis of different ensembles of classifiers
Author Methods Used Data Sets Used Number of
Iterations
K nearest neighbor, Learning vector quantization, Multi-layer perceptron’s, Radial basis functions, Support
vector machines
Datasets from UCI repository
110 Average, Geometric mean
,Artificial neural networks, Pruned tree classifier
Quadrant discriminant analysis 2 real datasets containing data
classification and
neighbor, Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference classifier
SVM classifier, BPNN classifier Benchmark datasets from UCI repository
11 Average regression
Bing Gong et.al.method (2016)
Artificial neural network, Support vector machines, CART
Adaboost algorithm 9948 real world EHRs of diabetes
Apriori decision, Aposteriori decision comparative analysis of the ensemble of classification methods, the data sets used for experiments by different researchers, the number of iterations for which the experiments were conducted and the metrics used for measuring the classification accuracy are tabulated in the table given below.
From the above table the conclusion drawn is an ensemble of C4.5, J48 and Naïve Bayes classifier with majority voting scheme was not studied and hence this work focusses on building a predictive model based on building a random forest using these three classifiers. The proposed system has been compared with the existing decision stump and Adaboost algorithms. The next section discusses about the
proposed system and how limitations in existing system is resolved.
III. PROPOSED WORK
The proposed architecture is shown in Figure 1. The Electronic health records contain features like patient id, status, age, sex, hepato, ascites, edema, billi, cholestrol, albumin etc. The data considered have to be clinically transformed i.e. to make it suitable for further processing. The clinical transformation step is also identified as preprocessing step.
dataset is imputed with values computed using mode function.
After pre-processing of data, for classifying instances under Random forest, three subsets from the datasets are generated. The subset will be generated considering three features like platelet count, alkaline phosphate and cholesterol values.
The random forests are built using three classification algorithms namely C4.5, J48 and Naïve Bayes. There are many voting mechanisms followed for ensemble of classifiers, here we are using majority vote method to perform voting with different classifiers. Here the output will be the final outcome of the majority of classifiers
Figure 1 shows the architecture of proposed system.
Figure 1. Architecture of Proposed System
The proposed system with its role and advantages is discussed. The experimental result analysis of the proposed work has been discussed in the next section.
IV.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Experiment Results
The proposed system is implemented using Java and Weka tool. The liver cancer dataset having 500 instances and breast cancer dataset are used for the experiments. The ensemble of classifiers is used for classifying these datasets on which voting is performed.
Pre-processing
In this module, pre-processing of data is done. The dataset which we have contains null values, irrelevant values and noisy values. As missing values in the dataset lead to misprediction of the final result, the dataset is pre-processed by filling missed values on basis of mode function. The dataset without pre-processing which contains irrelevant values is shown below in figure 2.
Figure 2. Dataset before preprocessing
Figure 3. Dataset after preprocessing
Feature selection
Feature selection method used for model construction by choosing a subset of relevant predictors. It also called as variable selection or attribute selection .
Figure 4. Dataset after feature selection
Subset Generation
For classifying instances under Random forest, generate three subsets from the datasets. Subset will be generated considering some features as first, middle and last stages as shown in figure 5.
Figure 5. Results achieved after implementing subset generation
Performance Evaluation
This section evaluates the performance of J48 Random forest classifier, C4.5 Random Forest classifier and Naïve Bayes classifier using Accuracy, True positive, False positive, Precision, Recall and F-measure. Figure 6 shows the performance of J48 Random Forest classifier for prediction different stages of liver cancer. Figure 7 show the performance of C4.5 Random forest classifier for prediction different stages of liver cancer and Figure 8 shows the performance of Naïve Bayes classifier for prediction different stages of liver cancer.
Figure 7. Comparison of C4.5 Random forest classifier at different stages
Table 2. Accuracy of Existing and Proposed system based on different threshold values
Syste m
Weight ed Thresh old value 100 in %
Weigh ted Thresh old value 200 in %
Weight ed Thresh old value 500 in %
Weight ed Thresh old value 1000 in % Existi
ng 46 48 46 44
Propo
sed 51 53 50 48
Figure 8. Comparison of Naïve Bayes classifier at different stages
Comparison of Existing and Proposed System
The comparative analysis of classification accuracy for Liver and Breast cancer dataset shown in figure 9 and also existing and proposed system based on different threshold values shown in Table 2 and figure 10.
Figure 9. Comparison of existing and proposed system for two different datasets
Figure 10. Comparison of existing and proposed system based on weighted threshold
V.CONCLUSION
The prediction model is built by series of steps such as clinical feature transformation, feature selection, ensemble of classifiers and Majority voting which aimed to improve rate of correct predictions. The prediction accuracy is improved by an ensemble of classifiers and when majority voting mechanism was applied on them. The proposed system here achieve an accuracy of 40% for C4.5 Random forest classifier, 43% for J48 Random forest classifier, 38% for Naïve bays classifier when tested for Liver cancer dataset which is more than existing system. The accuracy of 45% for C4.5 Random forest classifier, 52% for J48 Random forest classifier and 47% for Naïve Bayes classifier was achieved when tested for Breast cancer dataset which is more than existing system which has an accuracy of 46%. The number of trees generated was varied and the prediction accuracy of the proposed work was studied.
VI.REFERENCES
Dietterich TG.(2000), Ensemble methods in machine learning. In: Proceedings of Multiple Classifier System, vol. 1857, Springer (2000), pp. 1–15.
Zhi-Hua Zhou, Ensemble Methods: Foundations and Algorithms, Machine Learning & Pattern Recognition Series, 2012.
Yongjun Piao, Minghao Piao, Keun Ho Ryu, Multiclass cancer classification using a feature subset- based ensemble from microRNA expression profiles, Computers in Biology and Medicine 80 (2017) 39–44. ManjeevanSeera, Chee Peng Lim, A hybrid
intelligent system for medical data classification, Expert Systems with Applications 41 (2014) 2239– 2249.
Aydın Ulas, Murat Semerci, Olcay Taner Yıldız, Ethem Alpaydın, Incremental
construction of classifier and discriminant ensembles, Information Sciences 179 (2009) 1298–1318.
Ping Li , Hong Li , Min Wu , Multi-label ensemble based on variable pairwise constraint projection, Information Sciences 222 (2013) 269–281.
Jia Zhua,, Qing Xie, Kai Zheng,An improved early detection method of type-2diabetes mellitus using multiple classifier system, Information Sciences 292 (2015) 1–14. Yan Li, Changxin Bai, Chandan K. Reddy, A
distributed ensemble approach for mining healthcare data under privacy constraints, Information Sciences (2015).
Neesha Jothi, Nur’Aini Abdul Rashid, Wahidah Husain, Data Mining in Healthcare – A Review, Procedia Computer Science 72 ( 2015 ) 306 – 313.
Nikunj C. Oza , Kagan Tumer, Classifier ensembles: Select real-world applications, Information Fusion 9 (2008) 4–20.
YongSeog Kim, Boosting and measuring the performance of ensembles for a successful database marketing, Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 2161–2176.
Hesam Sagha, Hamidreza Bayati, José del R. Millán, Ricardo Chavarriaga, On-line anomaly detection and resilience in classifier ensembles, Pattern Recognition Letters (2013).
Ritaban Duttaa, Daniel Smitha, Richard Rawnsley, Greg Bishop-Hurley, James Hills, Greg Timms, Dave Henry, Dynamic cattle behavioural classification using supervised ensemble classifiers, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 111 (2015) 18–28. Yang Zhang, Li Zhang, M.A. Hossain,
Adaptive 3D facial action intensity estimation.
threshold exceedances by preprocessing and ensemble artificial intelligence techniques: Case study of Hong Kong, Environmental Modelling & Software 84 (2016) 290-303. Cátia M. Salgado, Susana M. Vieira, Luís F.
Mendonça, Stan Finkelstein, João M.C. Sousa, Ensemble fuzzy models in personalized medicine: Application to vasopressors administration, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence (2015).
B. Seijo-Pardo, I. Porto-D’iaz, V. Bol’on- Canedo, A. Alonso-Betanzos, Ensemble Feature Selection: Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Approaches, Knowledge-Based Systems (2016).
J.Prathyusha, G.Sandhya, V.Krishna Reddy,” An Improvised Partition-Based Workflow Scheduling Algorithm”, International Innovative Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol 02, no 04,pp.120- 123,2017.
Cite this article as :
L. S. Rohith Anand, B. Shannmuka, R. Uday Chowdary, K. Satya Sai Krishna, "Liver Cancer Detection", International Journal of Scientific Research in Computer Science, Engineering and Information Technology (IJSRCSEIT), ISSN : 2456-3307, Volume 5 Issue 1, pp. , January-February 2019. Available at doi : | https://1library.net/document/y439kp5z-liver-cancer-detection.html |
The prosecuting attorney has the burden to prove you guilty by clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence. The prosecutor will attempt to do this with either physical evidence or sworn testimony. Because the burden of proof is upon the prosecutor, they will present their evidence first.
After each witness testifies you will have the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses. Cross-examine means to ask questions of the witnesses. There is no requirement that you exercise your opportunity to cross-examine. However, if you choose to do so, please remember that you must ask questions of the witness, not make statements. You will have ample opportunity to present your version of the situation when you present your defense at the conclusion of the prosecutor's case.
When asked to present your defense, you may do so just as the prosecution presented their case, through the introduction of testimony, witnesses or physical evidence. If you or a witness testifies, you or they will be subject to cross-examination by the prosecutor, just as you had the opportunity to cross-examine the prosecution's witness.
After all evidence is in, both sides will have the opportunity to present a short summation as t why the Judge should rule in their favor. Normally, a ruling will be made on the trial date. Undoubtedly, someone may disagree with the ruling. Either party may appeal the decision to the Circuit Court. Forms for appeal may be downloaded from this website or obtained from the Municipal Court Clerk after the trial.
Trails are mandatory and failure to appear will result in a guilty plea and the citation(s) stand as is. | https://cityoffoxlake.org/2212/Trial-Procedures |
10 students of a class had a mean score of 70. The remaining 15 students of the class had mean score of 80. What is the mean score of the entire class?
Solution:
Total score of first 10 students = 10 × 70 = 700
Total score of remaining 15 students = 15 × 80 = 1200
Mean score of whole class
Mean Word Problems
Example 1:
Pedro's luncheonette is open six days a week. His income for the first five days was $1,200, $1,200, $2,000, $1,400 and $3,000. How much money must she make on the sixth day to average $2,000 for the six days?
Example 2:
George's scores on three math tests were 70, 90 and 75. What score does he need on the fourth test to have a final average of 80?
How to solve word problems with averages?
Examples:
1. Timothy's average score on the first four tests was 76. On his next five tests his average score was 85. What was his average score on all nine tests?
2. Tracy mowed lawns for two hours and earned $7.40 an hour. Then she washed windows for three hours at $6.50 per hour. What was Tracy's average earnings per hour for all five
hours?
3. After taking three quizzes, your average is 72 out of 100. What must your average be for the next five quizzes to increase your average to 77?
Solving Average Word Problems
Example:
On her first four games, Jennifer bowled 101, 112, 126, 108. What is the minimum score she must bowl in her fifth game in order to have an average of 110?
Rotate to landscape screen format on a mobile phone or small tablet to use the Mathway widget, a free math problem solver that answers your questions with step-by-step explanations.
You can use the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice Algebra or other math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.
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Determinants of health include an individual’s genetic makeup and behaviors as well as the physical, social, and economic environment (WHO, 2015). The two health behaviors that influence the onset of obesity are poor dietary disparities and physical inactivity. Dietary disparities and physical inactivity are influenced by determinants of health. Behavioral, occupational and environmental factors all work together to determine an individual’s diet consumption and physical activity.
According to the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee, diet disparities can be defined as “differences in dietary intake, dietary behaviors, and dietary patterns in different segments of the population, resulting in poorer dietary quality and inferior health outcomes for certain groups and an unequal burden in terms of disease incidence, morbidity, mortality, survival, and quality of life.” In order to explain these disparities, socioeconomic and environmental factors need to be considered. Often times, healthy foods are more expensive, and can be difficult for individuals living in lower income locations to access (State of Obesity, 2015). Some areas have easier access to fast food and convenience stores and limited access to grocery stores (U.S. Department of Agriculture, …show more content…
The social cognitive theory focuses on reciprocal determinism, where the interaction between individual behaviors and their immediate physical and social environment are used to explain behavior (Edberg, 2015, p. 55). Individual characteristics important for behavior change include, self-efficacy, behavioral capability, expectations/expectancies, self-control and emotional coping abilities. Environmental factors determining behavior include: vicarious learning through observing the behaviors of others; the situation in which the factor takes place and the individuals perception of the factor, and by positive of negative reinforcement an individual receives as a result of a behavior (Edberg, p. 56). Self-efficacy is one of the most important frameworks in the SCT. It is the belief that an individual will be able to successfully perform a certain behavior (Young, | https://www.cram.com/essay/Significant-Health-Implications-Of-Childhood-Obesity/P3QKXCRLG6E45 |
Margarita Emelyanova reported RIA Tomsk.
It was previously reported that the EU Film Festival has been held in
Tomsk since 2017. The program includes films of different genres with a common
idea of the value of diversity. In 2018, audience interest exceeded the
expectations of the organizers, and the 12-day film marathon was extended for
two days for repeated screenings. Entry to all sessions was free. The third
festival will take place in the entertainment center Fakel from November 22 to
December 4.
"This year the festival will not be free to attend, tickets will be
sold at a symbolic price – 100 rubles... This is to ensure that everyone gets
to the movie shows, because last year someone got on everything, and someone
didn't get on any because of great interest. This year we decided to equalize
the chances in this way", – Emelyanova said.
It was also reported that in 2019 Tomsk citizens will see films from 15
countries. For the first time organizers included movies from Bulgaria, Romania
and Croatia among the best on the European continent. All films will be shown
in the original language with Russian subtitles. A brief overview of the movies
can be found on the festival website. | https://www.riatomsk.ru/article/20191108/entrance-to-eu-film-festival-in-tomsk-will-be-paid-for-the-first-time/ |
A local man who tried to save a teenage girl trapped under a sand dune in Kerry has described how he and her friends dug desperately with their hands to try to save her.
Niamh McCarthy, 19, from Minane Bridge, Co Cork, died yesterday afternoon, 24 hours after a sand dune collapsed on her on the Back Beach in the Maharees, about 40km from Tralee.
She had been on a life support machine in Kerry General Hospital’s intensive care unit, with her family at her bedside.
Ms McCarthy had been holidaying with a group of student friends in a rented house near the beach,having just completed her first year studying biological and chemical science at UCC.
She and her friends had dug a hole in the 12m dune prior to its collapse.
It is understood the group were preparing for an activity which involves digging a hole in a sand dune, then jumping into it from a more elevated position.
Disaster struck when the dune collapsed on Ms McCarthy
While one of her friends ran to search for help, her other friends began to dig frantically.
Local man Aidan O’Connor yesterday told how the panic-stricken woman approached him as he was leaving his home, and told him her friend had been buried in the dune.
He rushed to the scene and joined the others in digging around the hole with their hands.
However, he said that, as they cleared sand from the hole, more kept falling in from the dune above.
Finally, as they were growing more and more weary, other locals arrived with shovels.
After about 30 minutes, the group finally managed to free Ms McCarthy. She received medical attention and was rushed by ambulance to KGH in Tralee.
Her stunned friends, as well as family friends and neighbours from Minane Bridge, maintained a vigil in the hospital and supported Ms McCarthy’s traumatised father, Tom, mother, Catherine, and her three brothers, Paul, David and Tom Jnr.
While gardaí are investigating the young woman’s death, they are treating it as a tragic accident. | https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/friends-dug-desperately-in-bid-to-save-niamh-195782.html |
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Distributed, green technologies to divert excessive stormwater flows from urban streams are common in many parts of the world, but the U.S. has been slow to adopt them. November 3, 2015—As urban areas have increased in density and sprawled outward over the past decades in the United States, the extensive conversion of green spaces into impervious surfaces, coupled with the infrastructure installed to manage stormwater flows, have created a growing problem known as urban stream syndrome. During heavy rain events, urban streams experience exceptionally high flows of contaminated water-but nearly run dry at other times.
featured image A canal that once connected California reservoirs to agricultural land now lies all but dry, as do many water sources that have fallen prey to urban stream syndrome. Low-impact development and strategies for capturing and reusing stormwater can help solve the problem new research reveals.
In drought-stricken California, a research team from three campuses of the University of California recently collaborated with practioners from government and colleagues at the University of Melbourne to learn more about low-impact development (LID) strategies to restore urban watersheds to a more natural balance.
“Urban stream syndrome is seen in all urban areas, but the character varies based on climate,” says Stanley B. Grant, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, a professor of civil engineering at the University of California, Irvine. “The challenge we face in Southern California is that we get a lot of runoff in a fairly short period of time in the winter. [We have] huge volumes of water hitting the ground.
“Historically we’ve dealt with this excess water by making our drainage system hydraulically efficient and moving as much water to the ocean as quickly as possible—which was a reasonable response to the problem,” he explains. “It made sense when we started doing that back in the early 1900s.”
But with California in the grip of an extended drought, this strategy requires reconsideration. If cities can find ways to capture and reuse that stormwater, they will have created a new source of water to help offset droughts. “The problem is that we’ve developed a system that is now intrinsic to the urban fabric. Our challenge is to somehow unwind that with distributed green infrastructure—and that’s not trivial,” Grant says.
The LID technologies that the team studied, already used extensively in Melbourne, include roof catchment systems that feed water into large tanks, permeable pavement and unlined biofilters that can recharge underground aquifers, and green roofs that reduce the amount of water that ultimately enters urban streams.
“The optimal technologies are going to be very climate- and location-specific, but they are out there,” says Grant, who notes that some areas of the U.S. East Coast could benefit greatly from individual roof catchment systems, whereas California would likely need to utilize larger underground storage. “The emphasis is really on distributed systems,” Grant says. “That’s a common denominator—as opposed to the approach we have been taking in the engineering community, [which is] very focused on centralized systems.”
The team recently published a critical review of LID technologies and the growing body of research on them in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Grant is the corresponding author of the review, “From Rain Tanks to Catchments: Use of Low-Impact Development to Address Hydrologic Symptoms of Urban Stream Syndrome,” which was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
The team examined an environmental flow-management approach to alleviate the causes of urban stream syndrome. As cities grew, green spaces that facilitated both infiltration of water into aquifers and evapotranspiration of water into the atmosphere were replaced by pavement and hard surfaces that dramatically increased flow into urban streams.
In the environmental flow-management approach, researchers determine how a watershed would have functioned in preindustrial times. They then develop a plan to take the additional water that now flows through the stormwater system and allocate it to LID interventions.
The review notes that although many countries use captured stormwater for such in-home functions as toilet flushing or laundry, in most areas of the United States those types of applications are forbidden by plumbing codes or regulations. Public resistance also plays a role.
“There are legitimate concerns, which can lead to inaction instead of solutions,” Grant says. “Some of those relate to concerns over cross-connections. If you have an amateur plumber doing a redesign they could inadvertently connect the rainwater tank to the water supply line and lead to contamination.”
Still, he points out, other areas of the world have found that public education campaigns and construction inspections have alleviated those concerns. In Australia, for instance, rainwater harvesting is a $500-million industry; 5.1 million residents own a rainwater tank, according to the Rainwater Harvesting Association of Australia.
“From an engineering perspective though, there are some clear things we can do as engineers,” Grant points out. “We’ve done a great job developing technology and the engineering science to design centralized infrastructure. Our ideas are used around the world and are the dominant way of servicing the water supply needs of cities. We need to exert the same intellectual leadership for green infrastructure. I think the engineering sciences are not there yet. We need to get the engineering science right, now.”
Grant also believes engineers can add value by collaborating with biologists to develop effective and long-lasting biofilters and by collaborating with social scientists and urban planners to determine and help to alleviate the causes of public resistance to LID interventions.
The team’s next research effort will do just that. Grant plans to bring together his students and colleagues with the many stakeholders in Orange County, California—consultants, stormwater managers, lawyers, public health officials—to determine the barriers to larger-scale adoption of LID strategies there.
“I think it’s going to be a great learning experience for everybody,” Grant says. | http://water-pire.uci.edu/asce-web-exclusive-uci-water-pire-researchers-examine-interventions-for-urban-stream-syndrome/ |
Fossil fuels and carbon origin resources are affecting our environment. Therefore, alternative energy sources have to be established to co-produce energy along with fossil fuels and carbon origin resources until it is the right time to replace them. Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a promising technology in the field of energy production. Compared to the conventional power sources it is more efficient and not controlled by the Carnot cycle. Its high efficiencies, low noise, and less pollutant output could make it revolutionize in the power generation industry with a shift from centrally located generating stations and long-distance transmission lines to dispersed power generation at load sites. In this review, several characteristics of the MFC technology will be highlighted. First, a brief history of abiotic to biological fuel cells and subsequently, microbial fuel cells is presented. Second, the focus is then shifted to elements responsible for the making MFC working with efficiency. Setup of the MFC system for every element and their assembly is then introduced, followed by an explanation of the working machinery principle. Finally, microbial fuel cell designs and types of main configurations used are presented along with scalability of the technology for the proper application. | https://www.preprints.org/search?search1=Sang-Eun%20Oh&field1=authors |
WHAT IS SICKLE CELL DISEASE?
Sickle Cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. It results in an abnormality in hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells). Normal red blood cells are circular and move through small tubes in the body to deliver oxygen. However, sickle cells are hard, sticky, and crescent or sickle shaped red blood cells that clog the flow the small tubes. This causes attack of extreme pain, anemia, swelling, and bacterial infections. These attacks can be set off by a variety of stressors including extreme temperatures, unstable temperature changes, rigorous activity, stress, dehydration, infections, and high altitudes.
Sickle-cell disease occurs when a person inherits two abnormal copies of the hemoglobin gene, one from each parent. A person with a single abnormal copy has the sickle-cell trait, but does not usually experience symptom. They are also referred to as carriers of the disease. Diagnosis via blood tests can occur at birth and sometimes during pregnancy.
Sickle Cell Disease is the most common inherited blood disorder. It occurs in 1 in 500 African Americans (1 in 12 African Americans carry the trait). Although the disease mostly affects African Americans (and others of direct African descent), the disease also affects Hispanic Americans from Central and South America, as well as people of Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian, and Mediterranean descent.
SICKLE CELL COMPLICATIONS AND SYMPTOMS
There are a wide range of complications and symptoms that result from Sickle Cell Disease, and are experienced on an individual basis. These complications include:
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Chronic pain attacks (Sickle Cell Crisis)
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Anemia
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Jaundice
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Infections
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Acute Chest Syndrome
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Stroke
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Leg Ulcers
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Eye Damage
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Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
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Damage to organs (including lungs, liver, heart, kidneys), tissues, or bones
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Gallstones
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Low red blood cell count
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Delayed growth
THE TYPES OF SICKLE CELL DISORDERS
HEMOGLOBIN SS
Hemoglobin SS, or Sickle Cell Anemia, occurs when one receives two sickle cell traits from both parents. It is considered to be the full form of the disease.
HEMOGLOBIN SC
Hemoglobin SC, occurs when one receives a sickle cell trait from one parent and an abnormal gene from another. This is a more moderate form of Sickle Cell Disease.
HEMOGLOBIN SICKLE BETA-THALASSEMIA
Hemoglobin Sickle Beta-Thalassemia is a variation of the disease that is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. | https://www.imsickofit.org/the-opposition |
Welcome back to our series on Classical Rhetoric. Today we’re continuing our five-part segment on the Five Canons of Rhetoric. So far we’ve covered the canons of invention, arrangement, and style. Today we’ll be covering the canon of memory.
The Three Elements of the Canon of Memory
1. Memorizing one’s speech.
Anciently, almost all rhetorical communication was done orally in the public forum. Ancient orators had to memorize their speeches and be able to give them without notes or crib sheets. Note taking as a way to remember things was often looked down upon in many ancient cultures. In his Phaedrus, Plato has Socrates announcing that reliance on writing weakened memory:
If men learn this, [the art of writing] it will implant forgetfulness in their souls: they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves.
So if you were an ancient Greek and busted out some speech notes in the Assembly, you’d probably be laughed at and mocked as weak-minded. The canon of memory then was in many ways a tool to increase an orator’s ethos, or authority with his audience.
In modern times, we still lend more credence to speakers who give their speeches (or at least appear to) from memory. You just need to look at the guff President Obama caught a few years ago when it was revealed that he almost never speaks without the help of a teleprompter. He relies on it whether giving a long speech or a short one, at a campaign event or a rodeo. And when the teleprompter malfunctions, he often flounders. This reliance on an oratorical safety net potentially hurts Obama’s ethos in two ways. First, whether fairly or not, when people know that a speaker needs a “crutch” for their speeches, it weakens their credibility and the confidence the audience has in the speaker’s authenticity. And second, notes put distance between the speaker and the audience. As a television crewman who also covered Clinton and Bush put it in reference to Obama’s use of the teleprompter: “He uses them to death. The problem is, he never looks at you. He’s looking left, right, left, right — not at the camera. It’s almost like he’s not making eye contact with the American people.”
This truth isn’t just limited to the POTUS. Think back to the speakers you’ve heard personally. Which ones seemed more dynamic and engaging? The man with his nose buried in his notes, reading them verbatim from behind the lectern…or the one who seemed like he was giving his speech from the heart and who engaged the audience visually with eye contact and natural body language? I’m pretty sure it was the second type of speaker. It pays to memorize your speech.
2. Making one’s speech memorable.
For ancient orators, the rhetorical canon of memory wasn’t just about the importance of giving speeches extemporaneously. The second element of this canon entailed organizing your oration and using certain figures of speech to help your audience remember what you said. What good is spending hours memorizing a persuasive speech if your listeners forget what you said as soon as they walk out the door?
3. Keeping a treasury of rhetorical fodder.
A third facet of the canon of memory involved storing up quotations, facts, and anecdotes that could be used at any time for future speeches or even an impromptu speech. A master orator always has a treasury of rhetorical fodder in his mind and close at hand. Roman rhetoricians like Cicero and Quintilian didn’t subscribe to the Greek prejudice against note taking and encouraged their students to carry small journals to collect quotes and ideas for future speeches. Renaissance rhetoricians continued and expanded on this tradition with their use of the “commonplace book.”
Below we’ll take a look at some of the methods classical rhetoricians used to implement the three different aspects of the canon of memory in more detail.
Memorizing Long Speeches
Because the orations of ancient rhetoricians could last several hours, they had to develop mnemonic devices (techniques that aid memory) to help them remember all the parts of their speeches. The most famous and popular of these mnemonic devices was the “method of loci” technique.
The method of loci memory technique was first described in written form in a Roman treatise on rhetoric called ad Herennium, but it also made appearances in treatises by Cicero and Quintilian. It’s an extremely effective mnemonic device and is still used by memory champions like Joshua Foer, author of the recent book, Moonwalking With Einstein.
To use the method of loci, the speaker concentrates on the layout of a building or home that he’s familiar with. He then takes a mental walk through each room in the building and commits an engaging visual representation of a part of his speech to each room. So, for example, let’s say the first part of your speech is about the history of the Third Punic War. You can imagine Hannibal and Scipio Africanus duking it out in your living room. You could get more specific and put different parts of the battles of the Third Punic War into different rooms. The method of loci memory technique is powerful because it’s so flexible.
When you deliver your speech, you mentally walk through your “memory house” in order to retrieve the information you’re supposed to deliver. Some wordsmiths believe that the common English phrase “in the first place” came from the method of loci technique. A speaker using the technique might say, “In the first place,” in reference to the fact that the first part of his speech was in the first place or loci in his memory house. Fascinating, isn’t it?
Helping Your Audience Remember Your Speech
For our communication to be truly persuasive and effective, we need to ensure that our audience remembers what we’ve communicated to them. The first step in getting people to remember what you’ve said is to have something interesting to say. If everyone in the audience is zoning out and playing with their iPhones, no amount of organizational tricks will help them remember your speech.
Once you’ve formulated an interesting message, follow the basic pattern set forth in the canon of arrangement to make your speech or text easy to follow and thus easy to remember. Give a solid introduction where you set out clearly what you plan on sharing with your audience. You can say something as simple as, “Today, I’m going to discuss three things. One, blah blah blah. Two, blah blah. Three, bloop bleep blah.”
Throughout your speech, stop and give your audience a roadmap of where you’re at in your speech. If you’ve just finished the first part of your speech, say something like, “We’ve just covered blah blah. We’ll now move on to my second point, blee blop.” This constant reviewing of where you’ve been and where you have left to go will help burn the main points of your speech into the minds of your audience.
As I also discussed in our article on the canon of arrangement, telling a captivating story is one of the best ways to draw your audience in and help them remember your message. You’ve probably seen the power of story in aiding memory in your own life. What’s easier? Reciting back to a friend what you learned in your physics class or reciting the storyline of a movie you just saw? My bet is on recalling the plot of the movie. Harness the power of story by weaving in anecdotes that bolster your point throughout your speech or text.
Another tool to make your rhetoric more memorable are figures of speech. We discussed these a bit in our article on the canon of style. A well-executed figure of speech can assure that your audience remembers what you’ve said. Take Churchill’s famous “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech. Most people can remember segments of this speech after hearing or reading it just once because Churchill masterfully used the figure of speech of anaphora. Anaphora calls for repeating a key word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Check out this stirring section from that famous speech:
Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
See how many times he repeated the phrase “We shall fight?” Seven times. No wonder people remember what Churchill said. If you want people to remember what you say, do likewise.
Storing Up Quotes, Facts, and Stories for Future Speeches
Another important part of the canon of memory is storing up information that can be used in future speeches or texts.
The ancient Roman and Renaissance rhetoricians encouraged the use of commonplace books to help facilitate this collection process and so do we. We’ve talked about the benefits of carrying a pocket notebook and the famous men who made pocket notebooks a part of their everyday arsenal before. If you’ve gotten into the habit, keep it up; if you haven’t, get started today.
Personally, my favorite notebooks to use are the thin Moleskine Cahiers that fit in my back pocket. If I have an idea or see or read something that I want to remember, I just whip out my notebook and scribble it down. A pocket notebook can be a storehouse for all the ideas you generate each day and for all the interesting thoughts and bits of advice you hear and read from other people.
Another tool I use to collect and organize all the information I gather is Evernote. Evernote is a free notetaking software that allows you to organize just about anything. At the end of each day, I’ll take the notes that I’ve made in my pocket notebook and type them into Evernote. Also, when I read a book, I’ll type sections or lines that I want to remember into Evernote before I return it to the library. Whenever I’m working on a speech or a post for the Art of Manliness, I’ll run a search through Evernote to see if I have anything in my personal library of quotes, figures, and stories. It makes putting together a speech or an essay much easier than starting from scratch.
Listen to our podcast with memory champion Nelson Dellis for even more tips: | https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/knowledge-of-men/classical-rhetoric-101-the-five-canons-of-rhetoric-memory/ |
UP to 25 per cent of temperate seaweed species in Australia could be headed for extinction as global warming heats up our oceans, a new study published in journal Current Biology suggests.
Led by UWA Oceans Institute research Assistant Professor Thomas Wernberg, the findings of ‘Seaweed Communities in Retreat from Ocean Warming’ (Wernberg et al), draw from a database of over 20,000 records of macroalgae collected in Australia since the 1940s.
These records show changes in community composition and geographical distribution and suggest a pattern of migration that puts species at risk in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
“Temperate seaweed communities have changed over the past 50 years to become increasingly subtropical,” Prof Wernberg says.
“We estimated that projected ocean warming could lead to several hundred species retracting south and beyond the edge of the Australian continent, where they will have no suitable habitat and may therefore go extinct.”
One seaweed at risk of disappearing from WA waters is Scytothalia doryocarpa—a relatively large and abundant species showing southward migration…
One small problem…it’s fiction: I guess that’s what happens when you believe models and not observations…
Bob Tisdale: The obvious intent of my recent post “17-Year And 30-Year Trends In Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies: The Differences Between Observed And IPCC AR4 Climate Models” was to illustrate the divergence between the IPCC AR4 projected Sea Surface Temperature trends and the trends of the observations as presented by the Hadley Centre’s HADISST Sea Surface Temperature dataset. | https://pindanpost.com/2011/11/21/more-science-fiction/ |
A growing number of research organizations want to establish an international initiative which aims to convert the majority of today’s scholarly journals from subscription to Open Access (OA) publishing. This is the result of the 12th Berlin Open Access Conference hosted by the Max Planck Society in December 2015. An Expression of Interest, published today and already adopted by thirty signatories, invites all parties involved in scholarly publishing to collaborate on a swift and efficient transition for the benefit of scholarship and society at large.
The list of first signatories include among others the Austrian Science Fund, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, and the Spanish National Research Council, as well as the European University Association, the representative organization of more than 800 universities and 36 national rectors’ conferences in 47 European countries. Signatories from Germany include the German Research Foundation, the German Rectors’ Conference, the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association, the Leibniz Association and the Max Planck Society.
The scholarly organizations share a common interest in “the large-scale implementation of free online access to, and largely unrestricted use and re-use of scholarly research articles“. According to the Expression of Interest (EoI), the aim is “to transform a majority of today’s scholarly journals from subscription to OA publishing”. This transition will be pursued by “converting resources currently spent on journal subscriptions into funds to support sustainable OA business models”. At the same time, the signatories agree “to continue to support new and improved forms of OA publishing”.
“In the digital age, immediate access to journal articles is crucial for scientific progress. It is time to make Open Access the standard model of publishing. Only if we all join forces and coordinate our activities across organizations, disciplines and countries, we will manage to reach this important goal,” says Martin Stratmann, president of the Max Planck Society.
The 12th Berlin Open Access Conference brought together delegates from international research and scholarly organizations. In preparation of the EoI, they discussed recent developments and studies indicating that the transformation of journal publishing to OA can be realized within the framework of currently available resources. “As specified in the EoI, a ’smooth, swift and scholarly oriented transition‘ is the central aim of this initiative which originates from and is driven by researchers and scholarly organizations. To reach our goal, it is also important to collaborate with publishers,” explains Ulrich Pöschl, director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, who chaired the Berlin Conference and serves as scientific coordinator for the Open Access activities of the Max Planck Society.
Further institutions from around the world are expected to announce their official endorsement of the EoI in the course of the next months. Similar to the “Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities” that was released in 2003 and has been signed by more than 500 scholarly organizations worldwide, the EoI will remain open to further signatories.
“OA 2020” website launched today
The participants of the 12th Berlin Open Access Conference welcomed the commitment by the Max Planck Society to further advance the OA transformation initiative. Today, a dedicated website was launched by the Max Planck Digital Library in order to facilitate collaboration and exchange between all parties involved in scholarly publishing, including universities, research institutions, funders, libraries, and publishers.
“Specific steps and milestones for the transformation process are outlined in a roadmap that will be further developed as we progress and iteratively adjusted in exchange with all involved parties,” explains Ralf Schimmer who coordinates “OA2020” with a team from the Max Planck Digital Library. A network of “National Points of Contact” will be established across Europe as well as in the Americas, Africa and the Asia Pacific region.
Current state of Open Access
Over the past decade, open access has gained momentum and grown successfully in many ways, including the development of new Open Access publishing platforms, archives and repositories. In scholarly journal publishing, Open Access has achieved a substantial and steadily increasing volume (approx. 15% of peer-reviewed journal publications). But most scholarly journals are still based on the traditional subscription business model “with its inherent deficiencies in terms of access, cost-efficiency, transparency, and restrictions of use”, as stated in the EoI.
The Max Planck Society is well-known for advancing the discourse on Open Access ever since the “Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities” was adopted in 2003. The Berlin Declaration continues to receive fresh support and has been signed by almost 550 institutions and organizations from around the world by now. | https://www.mpg.de/openaccess/oa2020 |
Facts about Historical Clothing
It has been long since these historical clothing emerged in the history of mankind. When people are ready to collect more information about this clothing, it will be good for them to learn from various sources. The fact that this historical clothing exists in the modern age is the reason people have been asked to learn more about them in the present era. Because of this, people have always been asked to read more here about these clothing. The moment these people manage to read about them, they will have a chance of understanding them better. If you want to remain in the right direction, you will have to collect enough information in this process. Some people always wear these clothes because of culture. men and women can find designs of clothes in different designs. Once you acquire the type of information that excites you, at least you can appreciate these cloths. You need to discover more about them by visiting various sites that have information about them. You should read more here for more info. regarding historical clothing.
Larger garments were in existence. You would identify a lot of larger dresses in the past than you could find them in the present era. To most people, this truth may be hard to comprehend on their side. At least some can justify their thinking that larger dresses will always take a lot of clothing. But that is how things used to happen during that time. Once you get to understand that, you will appreciate the culture that was there from the past. Some dresses used to have a button on them. Those women that existed at that time always appreciated their culture and designs. If you want to understand this historical clothing, it will be right for you to start at that point.
Cleanliness was not a priority for the majority of the people at that time. Cleanliness is a factor that the majority of the people in the modern era are so much concerned about. But in the past, that was not a priority to many. What people of the ancient time understood may be hard for those in the present era to accept. What they perceived at that time is what made them design the type of clothes they wore. There are situations when people would coat their hats with animal fat. At least at that time, this was a good way to prevent odor. You should at least appreciate the way people lived.
Both men and women wore a similar fashion. In ancient times, you would find both men and women wearing all those clothes you find women wearing nowadays. In the modern age, you might find it a little bit hard. | http://jared-jewelry.us/what-i-can-teach-you-about-5/ |
The Department of History and Archaeology is committed to high-quality research in the fields of history, archaeology and heritage. The Department’s researchers explore diverse themes and evidence ranging across the prehistoric and historical archaeology of Britain and Europe and the history of the medieval, early modern and modern periods in Britain, Europe and America. Please note that heritage topics may be supervised via either History or Archaeology at research level, as well as the connected fields of public history and public archaeology.
We offer opportunities for students to undertake MPhil or PhD degrees in either History or Archaeology, and we also offer a MRes History and MRes Archaeology.
By joining us for an MPhil or PhD degree you will be joining a vibrant and successful research community that is one of the strongest in the university. Research is fostered through regular seminars and meetings where staff and postgraduates meet to hear about each other’s work as well as reflect on the work of invited speakers. Yearly postgraduate conferences in the Department and in the Faculty of Humanities offer opportunities for our students to collaborate and present their research. The Department postgraduate journal, Context, provides an opportunity for publication and dissemination of research.
The Department has an impressive and growing record of funding awards, publications of international significance and outreach work that has gained recognition at national and international levels.
Completing your application
To complete your application you will need to submit a project proposal. You can find more information about the required format and best practices on our Applying for MPhil/Phd or MRes degrees page.
It is advisable, and often beneficial, to informally approach potential supervisors regarding the viability of your topic ahead of formal application. To ascertain whether we have the expertise to supervise your topic of preference, please check our Department of History and Archaeology staff profiles.
Research Areas
We offer expertise and supervision in a range of areas:
History:
- The ecclesiastical and political history of early medieval England
- The social history of the Low Countries in the late medieval period
- Landscape history
- Early modern and modern British and European military and political history
- The English Civil War
- Popular culture, protest and politics in the 18th and 19th centuries
- 19th - 20th century social and cultural British history
- Gender and immigration and minority studies
- Youth and leisure culture in the 19th-20th centuries
- The history of medicine and therapeutic gardens
- 20th century German history
Archaeology:
- Human osteology
- Mortuary archaeology
- Mesolithic archaeology of Britain and Europe
- Iron Age and Roman Britain
- Early medieval British and Scandinavian archaeology
- Early medieval Insular art
- Environmental and landscape archaeology
- Public archaeology
- Heritage management and practice
- Computer applications in archaeology
- Experimental archaeology
- Archaeology and memory
The Department
Joining the Department of History and Archaeology offers a chance to study in an interdisciplinary research environment. The Department offers various aspects of practical postgraduate training ranging from digital research skills to career development. Our postgraduates have opportunities for involvement in teaching and organising research events.
Entry Months
These Research Degrees usually commence annually in October, February and May.
Contacts
If you are interested in joining us, please contact Professor Meggen Gondek to discuss how to proceed with an application. We look forward to working with you. | https://www1.chester.ac.uk/research-degrees/research-areas/history-and-archaeology |
Welcome to week two of the Flab-to-Fit transformation workouts. As with all weeks, variety and balance are among the fitness principles considered when developing the exercise program.
Including variety of training reduces boredom and increases motivation and progress. This program is successful because it includes multiple different conditioning activities. It is effective because it address all components of physical fitness.
Overemphasizing a single fitness component fails in providing a comprehensive plan where the body is efficiently trained and toned. Many weight lifters lack cardiovascular endurance while many long distance runners lack muscular strength. Balanced training ensures that all components of physical fitness are address and the body is conditioned in a well-rounded manner.
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Ethics means old tricks.
Varieties of business ethics Many people engaged in business activity, including accountants and lawyers, are professionals.
As such, they are bound by codes of conduct promulgated by professional societies. Many firms also have detailed codes of conduct, developed and enforced by teams of ethics and compliance personnel.
Business ethics can thus be understood as the study of professional practices, i. This entry will not consider this form of business ethics.
Instead, it considers business ethics as an academic discipline. Business ethics as an academic discipline is populated by both social scientists and normative theorists. This is reflected in the attendees of academic conferences in business ethics and the types of articles that are published in business ethics journals.
Social scientists—who at this point comprise the largest group within the field—approach the study of business ethics descriptively.
They try to answer questions like: Does corporate social performance improve corporate financial performance, i. I will not consider such questions here. This entry focuses on questions in normative business ethics, most of which are variants on the question: What is ethical and unethical in business?
Considered only as a normative enterprise, business ethics—like many areas of applied ethics—draws from a variety of disciplines, including ethics, political philosophy, economics, psychology, law, and public policy. This is because remedies for unethical behavior in business can take various forms, from exhortations directed at private individuals to change their behavior to new laws, policies, and regulations.
One is that the means of production can be privately owned.
A second is that markets—featuring voluntary exchanges between buyers and sellers at mutually determined prices—should play an important role in the allocation of resources.
Those who deny these assumptions will see some debates in business ethics e. Merck and Wal-Mart are examples of the first type organization; Princeton University and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are examples of the second. Business ethicists sometimes concern themselves with the activities of non-profit organizations, but more commonly focus on for-profit organizations.
Indeed, most people probably understand businesses as for-profit organizations. Corporate moral agency One way to think about business ethics is in terms of the moral obligations of agents engaged in business activity.
Who is a moral agent? To be precise, the question is whether firms are moral agents and morally responsible considered as qua firms, not considered as aggregates of individual members of firms. In the business ethics literature, French is a seminal thinker on this topic.Business ethics also refers to the moral responsibility business owners and corporate boards have not only to their shareholders but above all (in my opinion) to their employees (former and current), their customers, the local community and the environment.
Business ethics (also corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment.
It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations. Companies can take a wide variety of approaches to how to discuss ethics. At one end of the spectrum are companies that rely on their code of ethics or on the exemplary behavior of people at the top.
Business Ethics and Corporate Governance, Second Edition by A. C. Fernando Stay ahead with the world's most comprehensive technology and business learning platform.
With Safari, you learn the way you learn best. Values and Ethics: Situations for Discussion Preparing for Your Session Values and Ethics Training Session Training •Develop a greater understanding of business ethics and values.
• Learn how to correctly respond to ethical situations.
• Learn a three-step checklist to ethical decision making. Bioethics Business Ethics Campus Ethics Character Education Government Ethics Internet Ethics Journalism Ethics Leadership Ethics Religion and Ethics Social Sector Ethics Technology Ethics More. Ethics Resources. | https://gizucua.initiativeblog.com/a-discussion-on-the-ethics-in-business-7292nn.html |
The development of English as a universal language is a fact that we cannot deny, as we cannot deny that the language is inextricably tied to the culture of the country that it represents and even though it is true that an international language can give small languages a better chance to survive, it is also true that in the case of English, the language is been used as a weapon, something to control other countries and to have advantage over them in scientific research, technology and world affairs.
The context of globalized communication systems give us the idea that we are learning English because we like and not because we need it, but the most dangerous side of this linguistic imperialism is not the language, but the cultural domination. Together with the language, a whole culture is been imposed to us, we can clearly see the American culture present in all aspects of our lives, like pop music, the Internet, the movies, food and even in the Portuguese Language Dictionaries.
Like Latin, English became the Lingua Franca through imperialist conquest. An empire is not complete until the conquered peoples adopt and accept the conquerors language and culture since it is communication what decides the size of political states. On the other hand, what made of Roma a complete empire was also what made of Latin a dead tongue. Latin was universal but it never eliminated other languages, because language is related to thoughts and each community has its own ways of thinking. Consequently, Latin was affected by the small languages which originated new dialects that finally became new languages.
Even been widely spoken, English is not uniform because it needs to reflect the social and cultural conditions in which it is used, this differences are not only in... | https://www.writework.com/essay/power-english-language-world |
When your L&D staff is under pressure to deliver on an increasing number of training requests, the natural answer is to hire more people to help. However, justifying those additional resources often requires some persuasion and real facts to demonstrate the necessity for a few more pairs of hands. It may fall on deaf ears if you don’t have specified boundaries and actual figures to back up your demand for additional resources. Capacity planning comes into play in this situation.
The majority of learning and development professionals will have horror stories about training project failures. It might be due to missed deadlines, an overworked and under-pressure workforce, or a struggle to say “no” to training initiatives for which there aren’t enough resources. When your staff is consistently overworked, it slows down all projects and results in lower-quality deliverables. The training crew, as well as the candidate’s, suffer. Project failures can be caused by a variety of factors, including overbearing CEOs and tight budgets. Almost all of them, however, have one thing in common: insufficient (or non-existent) capacity planning and resource management.
You can properly plan resources and obtain rapid insight into the availability of your department for new projects when they are requested if you take the effort to build a closed-loop capacity planning and monitoring mechanism.
When it comes to annual financial considerations, capacity planning should be more than a one-time activity. You’ll have a complete picture of your team’s capacity, workload, and availability at all times if you combine capacity planning with resource management. Here’s your L&D capacity planning checklist to help you get there:
Understand the boundaries of your existing resources
Create a demand forecast report by required time commitment and skills needed – To begin, be aware of the forthcoming demands on your team’s time and skills. Depending on how you operate, this may be done regularly or annually, but it should include everything from the simplest assignment to the largest project.
- One-time strategic projects for the L&D team, such as the creation of whole new training programs.
- A new course series or format is being introduced (e.g. microlearning).
- Existing courses are being converted to new platforms and formats.
- Content that is no longer relevant is being updated.
- Administrative responsibilities on a regular basis.
Your capacity planning will be little more than informed guessing if you don’t take the effort to gather precise data on future and pipeline developments.
Draw skills inventory for each individual team member
Working hours are one thing, but the talents required for each activity and project are quite another. For each member of the team, a skills inventory should be created. This includes the following:
- Qualifications.
- Experience areas.
- Certifications.
- Software and tool familiarity level.
- Secondary skillsets.
A properly generated skills inventory ensures that the best resource for each task on each project is on board.
Estimate capacity vs. demand and create a project resource plan ahead of time.
The practice of projecting resource shortages or surpluses in the short or long term is known as capacity vs. demand. It’s done by looking at the disparities between resource capacity and resource demand. Allowing sufficient advance time helps reduce last-minute hiring/firing expenses and guarantees that the correct personnel are available at the proper time and cost for projects. Resource capacity planning aids in the formation of an optimal project team, the reduction of project costs, and the future proofing of the workforce against market volatility and economic uncertainty.
Set up Capacity Monitoring to meet capacity requirements.
Unexpected projects and responsibilities might arise even with the greatest intentions and the most well-organized training team management. Unexpected resource losses can also occur, such as the loss of experienced employees, layoffs, and budget cuts for temps and contractors. As a result, it’s critical to keep track on your capacity on a regular basis. Make sure you’re getting the most out of your team’s capabilities by creating specific timetables that allocate resources to tasks.
In order to satisfy capacity needs, the most important piece of information to take away from continuous capacity monitoring is your minimal capacity availability.
Create a Contingency plan to address urgent requests and unexpected difficulties.
If the worst happens and your team is short on resources and in great demand, having contingency plans in place to deal with urgent requests and unanticipated issues is critical. What if a project proves to be more difficult than anticipated, requiring some of your most experienced staff to work for twice as long as expected? Which projects will be the first to be cut if your department faces budget cuts or layoffs?
Address long term capacity shortages which can be addressed through
While it may appear that your training team is doing great, a well-defined capacity planning approach may help you identify areas where resources are being stretched. Capacity planning may help you solve short and long-term shortfalls, whether they are caused by time constraints or a lack of skills.
Capacity limitations can be alleviated by:
- Training.
- Long term hires.
- New tools and software’s.
- Ensure high resource utilization and protect the business’s profitability.
The system should be able to anticipate billable, strategic, and total usage in the near and long run. It aids in the implementation of corrective actions to ensure high utilization and safeguard the profitability of the company. The capacity planning system estimates billable and strategic staff use in advance. It will assist you in moving personnel away from non-billable or low-priority tasks and toward billable or high-priority initiatives. Billable utilization is an important KPI for a professional service firm’s profitability and long-term viability.
Align capacity with resources planning
Now that you have a thorough understanding of your team’s capabilities, you can utilize it to efficiently allocate resources to various projects and analyze the need for more funding, skills, and personnel during the resource planning process. To do so, you’ll need a more detailed understanding of the demands that various training requests and scheduled projects will impose on your workforce.
- Define distinct project requirements so that hours and expertise may be allocated properly to each project.
- Devise a team schedule for effective resource allocation.
Streamline the Resource Requisition process to meet project deadlines.
The majority of resource requests and allocations are made by email or phone. It creates a great deal of havoc. It’s vital to use workflow to streamline the process and ensure that resources are provided with the required permissions and notifications. Unnecessary emails/phone conversations should be avoided since they are difficult to reconcile, document, and evaluate afterwards.
If more resources are not available, capacity planning may assist management in determining which initiatives to priorities and which the business can afford to shelve. Resource planning aids L&D management in determining how to priorities projects most efficiently depending on resource availability.
Taking a deeper look at capacity planning and resource planning might assist if you’re having trouble convincing executives that you need more resources or if you’re noticing resource waste in your team’s operations. | https://techademy.net/resources/blogs/9-ways-to-optimize-your-ld-capacity-planning-for-2022/ |
Kipchoge to compete in the Berlin Marathon
Double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has confirmed participation in the Berlin Marathon in September.
The World marathon record holder will be seeking for his fourth title in a course he last made an appearance in 2018.
Kipchoge,37, broke the world record (2:01:39) in his last appearance and the record remains unscathed to date.
Last year in Japan, Kipchoge successfully retained his title at the Olympics winning gold in Sapporo falling short of meeting his own world record by just over a minute.
The Berlin course is known to be the fastest course in marathon and this might give the King of Marathon yet another hope of posting an impressive time when the race takes place on September 25.
Kipchoge has raced 16 career marathons winning 14 of them.
In March this year, the world marathon record holder returned to Japan for the Tokyo marathon and he won the race, posting the third fastest time in the marathon.
In Berlin, Kipchoge will be up against the 2021 winner Guye Adola of Ethiopia.
The two will be meeting again for the second time having previously competed together at the 2017 Berlin Marathon which Kipchoge emerged triumphant in a time of 2:03.32
with the two having previously competed together in rainy conditions at the 2017 Berlin marathon with Kipchoge winning in 2:03.32.
"Berlin is the fastest course, it's where a human being can showcase its potential to push the limits," Kipchoge told race organisers. | https://www.pd.co.ke/sports/eliud-kipchoge-to-compete-in-the-berlin-marathon-137204/ |
In the year 1939 an American professor of history, Dr. Paul Kosok, of Long Island University, came to Nazca, his specialty was ancient irrigation systems, which he had studied in the north of Peru that year. Interested in investigating the newly discovered area, that some had speculated were ancient irrigation canals, Kosok ventured to the Nazca Pampa. Upon close examination he concluded that the ground surface was much too superficial to have carried water, but during his research something else soon became apparent, the first Nazca “figures” including a bird, were revealed.
Kosak went on to locate an area where straight lines created a star-like array, then quite by accident something more dazzling was revealed, the first solstice alignment which he photographed by chance on the 21st of June, the winter Solstice in the southern hemisphere.
In 1946 Maria Reiche would discover many more solstice markers and begin her life’s work, mapping the celestial matrix of the Nazca Pampa. Four decades later she was asked what events in her life had prepared her for this lifelong passion, and she replied, “It was a kind of destiny. When I first came to Peru by sea the ship went passing through the center of four consecutive rainbows, four arcs, one inside the other. It was a marvelous spectacle! It must have been some kind of prediction or something. Imagine a boat, a boat driving through the open sea, passing through arching rainbows that touched the waves”.
I began my research in 1940, but then the war came and Peru joined the allies. We Germans were not allowed to leave Lima. In ’46 I could see that the solstice lines existed in different places especially from centers, of which almost every one of them has one, or two, solstice lines. There are also solstice triangles! In general, one can say that not only straight lines, but also the edges of triangles and quadrangles, have specific directions which are repeated everywhere. More than sun directions there are moon directions, which is in agreement with the knowledge that the moon was observed before the sun.
For instance, the big quadrangle beside the figure of the spider is a moon direction and the other one beside the figure of the Heron with the winding neck, is one side in the single direction and the other side in the solstice direction! Such a quadrangle could have served to predict eclipses, which were a powerful means of subjecting the people. Even Columbus used an eclipse to frighten the people as he knew the correct time to do so.
During this work of measuring lines I saw that there were many figures.
I could recognize them because I had seen one! Others couldn’t.
That is why the Pan American highway cut the figure of the lizard in half. Before the highways construction in 1938 people drove randomly over the lines and figures without seeing anything! From the air the figures were not visible either due to the nature of the soil at the time. You see the figures are of a whitish color on a brown surface, this brown surface is a thin covering of dark stone about 10 cm, which suffers the process of oxidation giving the entire region its particular brownish effect. Underneath the soil is still whitish, not brown, comprised of a mixture of rock that had been split into small fragments due to extreme temperatures, and clay, which ultimately was blown away by strong winds coming down from the Andes. The huge basin was filled with this mixture creating this flat surface we call the Pampa. This is why we only have these small pebbles on the surface.
There are extremely strong winds here, even sandstorms, but the sand never deposits over the drawings. On the contrary, the wind has a cleansing effect taking away all the loose material. This way the drawings were preserved for thousands of years. It is also one of the driest places on earth, drier then the Sahara. It rains only half an hour every two years! Now all this has changed due to air pollution. Huge masses of dust and sand blow in from a large iron mine southwest of Nasca and fill the entire region with contamination, this produces precipitation, not enough for agriculture, but enough to endanger the figures.
The figures, the drawings, are very superficial furrows never more then 30 cm in depth, and very shallow. For this reason the wind has obscured them by filling them with small dark pebbles from the surrounding surface like grain, making them difficult to detect from the air. To make them more accessible for viewing I cleaned them with a broom, one broom after another throughout the years. I went through so many brooms rumors circulated that I might be a witch!
I presented the Peruvian Air force with charts of the figures of the Pampa, and this began a wonderful cooperation between us resulting in many photographic flights.
The number of drawings on the Pampa is immense. There are thousands of straight lines, hundreds of triangles and quadrangles, and dozens of figures. All this spread over 50 kilometers from north to south, and 5 to 7 kilometers from the foot of the Andes toward the sea. The biggest concentration of drawings is always found at the edges of the different plains where the descent to the valleys begin because this is the nearest place to where the people who made the drawings lived though they never lived among the drawings, nor buried their dead there.
On the other hand there are some very isolated drawings in the midst of the desert. Others are on high mountain tops or behind mountain ridges where the people who drew them had to travel for hours to get there. This is very strange and inexplicable. Something else that is difficult to explain is why they wanted to draw on such different scales.
There are figures only 4 meters long and others with a length of 200 to 300 meters. The same applies to geometric surfaces. There are some that are only a few meters long; the longest quadrangle further north has a length of 1,600 meters. The sizes come in several categories. The next category begins with a line that is 800 meters long. That’s the length of the lines next to the spider and heron. There is another one half that size, a little over 400 meters. It is the quadrangle next to the lizard.
It’s evident that not only directions of the geometric drawings may be of importance, but also their dimensions. The length of the straight lines also varies. I know two that are 9 kilometers in length and absolutely straight. This fact of straightness may be explained by the extraordinary eyesight of the ancient people of Peru. There are only two places in the world where we have this kind of telescopic eyesight, where people can see small things at immense distances, the one is in Mongolia in the Gobi Desert, and the other is here among these people.
I presented one of these people to an Oculist (Ophthalmologist) to see if drawing might harm his eyes. The Oculist was stunned because the letter chart was not small enough to test the limit of his extraordinary vision, which was equal in both eyes. He called him hypometric. This boy can also draw very tiny images to a fraction of accuracy. I believe this explains many things about the Nazca drawings.
The longest straight lines are those that connect one center with another, there are others that don’t lead anywhere but go back and forth several times. Sometimes there are two forms of them – zigzag lines and oscillating lines, by which I mean those that have individual pieces going back and forth almost parallel. These forms also appear in different sizes from a few meters in length. The two longest ones – one zigzag and the other oscillating, have individual pieces of about 1 km in length. The width also varies. In the small figures of 4 meters in length, the width is of 5 and 10 meters. Recently a snake-like figure was discovered from the air with a width of 40 1/2 meters, from the ground you cannot detect this figure if you don’t know exactly where it is, but from the air it’s immense!
The people who made the Nazca drawings lived in different valleys over a period of 3,000 years or more and left as a testament to their existence millions of layers in which are found fine gold and silver work, excellent pottery, and the finest cloth in the world. We do not know when they made the drawings. The immense quantity of drawings, each executed with utmost precision, must have taken at least half a generation to make. A Carbon 14 test made on a stick found at the end of a quadrangle in a heap of stones gives the year 550 AD, but I am sure that they are much older then that! We know that the drawing activity extended through the time of the Inca because there are several drawings which are typical to the Inca style, sometimes drawn over older smaller figures, which are still visible underneath. This way, the drawing activity very well could have been extended over 2,000 years or more.
The geometric drawings are directed toward horizon points marking the rising and setting of the heavenly bodies and most likely served to mark the sowing and harvest time, and the distribution of food during the dry period of the year. The figures indicated the division of the year by way of constellations, with respect to their positions at night. The most important epoch of the year was, until now, December. This was the month the rivers would fill to the brim with muddy water that brought life to the fields. Now this has all stopped. There is an eternal drought here due to the contamination of air quality preventing the clouds from reaching the high mountains to fill the rivers.
Years ago one could see the people making furrows in the fields to prepare for the arrival of the water. In ancient times they knew when to begin this labor which was similar to the Ancient Egyptian custom when they prepared the land for the flooding of the Nile after observing the appearance of the big dog Sirius. Here the Big Dipper (a.k.a. Big Bear) announces the water. This constellation is only visible between December and March and is seen here upside down with the handle curved upward. It’s possible that the Dipper was represented by one of the large drawings – the monkey. The handle of the Dipper would be the arms of the Monkey. Above it there is a small constellation called the Hunting Gloves, which would be the head. You see one leg, and at the top left a huge constellation, Orion, corresponds to the tail. An interesting fact is that the long arrow-like triangle and several straight lines point to the rising and setting of the largest star in the Dipper in the year 900 AD.
The contour line of the monkey continues as a zigzag shape considered the symbol for water by North American Indians. The Egyptians too considered the zigzag water. Here they call it “fineo mio,” mio, being the word for river. The appearance of the Dipper, the Monkey, and the River was the origin of water worship. The divinity that had to be appealed to, by creating a huge image on the landscape to behold from high above, and implored to bring more water to the lands. In Mayan lore the Monkey is associated with fertility and agriculture. The most sensible explanation for the existence of the figures, for their large size and perfect execution, is that they were made for the gods.
The Spider with two straight lines passing through it points to a star in the constellation of Orion. The Hummingbird too, was observed in the sky as a constellation by the mountain folk. Other constellations have yet to be identified because everybody sees something different in the heavens, the jungle people for instance have a constellation of a man eaten by a crocodile, but the people in this region see the same constellation as a llama.
I am most interested in how the ancient people solved the technical problem of producing these huge figure drawings in such perfect proportions, at the same time not being able to recognize their shape from the ground. Enlarging the image from a smaller model could have only done this. But the model could not have been too small! For instance, it would take the figure of the monkey (18 meters in diameter), the toes having a length of less then 2 meters. In order to have every detail of the figure appear on the chart in its proper size and direction, proportion, and position, within the figures in a way that could have been enlarged, the chart must have been at least the length of 2 meters. The only material for such a chart is cloth.
In excavations at the foot of the plains people have found huge bolts of plain cloth without drawings. I have often found small pieces of red and white chalk on the Pampa which did not belong to the area, but which could have been used to make drawings on the cloth. We know that these people not only wove their patterns on cloth, but also drew, and painted them.
Another thing that was necessary for enlarging images from one scale to the other was a unit of measurement. It took me many years to find it but now I believe I have it with great certainty. It is a simple unit derived from the length of the human body and also half its length that we can see in the figure of the “Tumi”, the so-called ceremonial knife with a human representation. It is about 80 cm or 1 step. Half of this, about 40 cm, is the Egyptian cubit measured from the thumb to the elbow. I derived this unit from the comparative study of the curves of the figures. There are figures that consist exclusively of curves like the monkey, and the spider, so regular that we can be sure that they have been made with a stake and a cord, like a huge compass. For many places the curve was a unit 40-cm, they also had half a unit of about 20-cm, or a span. That is the absolute smallest unit in all the figures, and it is found in the toes of the monkey and in the 4 -meter long fingers.
The method of constructing the succeeding arcs of the figure is the same method employed in road construction where a curved road is considered a succession of arcs of different radii. In order to obtain the continuity of the curve the builders employed this method, and also a method where the center of the following, curves to be on the end radius of the preceding. Then we have a tangent in common where the curve continues. If we have an accurate map of a figure to within 2 cm accuracy we can superimpose on such a chart a very geometric construction based on these principles and on the unit of measurement, and get a perfect coincidence, proving that this work was done with absolute accuracy. This accuracy was employed in abstract figures like spirals and figures derived from spirals. So there must have been a reason. I believe we can find it in the same way that the pyramids are explained – that the length was considered as intervals of time.
In several figures I found the radii of succeeding curves added after certain intervals, arrives at the number 29 1/2, which is the lunar month from one full moon to the next. The importance of the length of the month and of the different lunar phases can be explained for agricultural purposes. Here in Peru from ancient times to present, the people had this knowledge that certain seeds have to be sown at a certain age of the moon, times when the moon is 8 days old or 2 weeks old, and so forth. This would explain the fact that drawing activity was done to preserve knowledge, the knowledge that humanity has garnered over hundreds and thousands of years for the practical purpose of survival.
For years before the lines became a UNESCO World Heritage site, Reiche guarded them so zealously that even after she was confined to a wheelchair she was known to chase trespassers off the sand dunes near the lines. “This is a really painful and sad loss for Peruvian archeology,” President Alberto Fujimori told reporters during a trip to the United States.
“We will remember her as a scientist who made a mark of transcendental importance for the good of the lines. Perhaps the ‘Nasca lines’ should even be renamed after her,” he said. Reiche, who became a Peruvian citizen in 1994, died in an Air Force hospital in Lima surrounded by family members. German and Peruvian flags flew at half-staff in Nasca and authorities declared a day of mourning in the southern town, where she will be buried tomorrow on the site of her home, adjacent to the Nazca Lines.
The scholar’s tireless work promoting the pre-Columbian drawings persuaded UNESCO to declare the 200 square mile area a world heritage site in 1995. The figures of a hummingbird, a monkey, a man, a spider and other geometric figures were thought to have been created by members of the Nasca culture between 700 B.C. and 900 A.D. although other investigations show the Lines to be much older. Their meaning is a mystery and has been the object of centuries of speculation. Reiche, who invested all of her money in a foundation to preserve the lines, earned international respect for her theories that the Nasca peoples used the drawings’ alignment with the sun as a calendar.
But her work was also costly to her health. Exposure in the bright sun eventually caused her to go blind and she suffered skin ailments as her white complexion became heavily-wrinkled and turned a black-berry color. In the last few years, illnesses, including Parkinson’s Disease, kept her away from the lines and she has spent long periods in hospital for cancer treatment.
During her life she received numerous honors and acknowledgement, especially from the town of Nazca that named her “Nazca’s Favorite Daughter”. In 1992, the Government of Peru granted her Peruvian nationality in recognition of her work carried out through 50 years. In 1993 she was honored by the Government with the Medal to the Merit, “Orden del Sol” in the degree of Great Cross by the Peruvian Prime Minister. She was buried in Nazca with Honors of State. | http://www.labyrinthina.com/maria-reiche-nazca-lines-theory.html |
Wotan, The Road to Valhalla is a comprehensive and in-depth guide on the god Wotan/Odin. The book covers everything you ever wanted to know about Odin. It shows us his origins, relevant lore, and historical worship throughout the centuries. The book includes modern stories about the current followers of Odin and rituals for practical use. Join the author, Kveldúlf Gundarsson in his personal thought to understanding Wotan.
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The Teutonic Way: Magic
Book One of The Teutonic Way series. This single-volume set includes the original content published in the 90s as well as updated information, charts, tables, and more.
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Amulets
A comprehensive guide to the history and religious significance of amulets, stones, runes and herbs found throughout Germanic and Teutonic cultures. Amulets is Gundarsson’s finest work on the subject, providing an immense depth of knowledge on each and every amulet uncovered, giving you all the historical information needed to create your very own piece of history. | https://shop.the3littlesisters.com/product-tag/kveldulf-gundarsson/ |
- Slice zucchini and eggplant into 2 inch thick slices. Salt liberally with kosher salt and let stand for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425F and oil a half sheet pan.
- Wipe excess salt and water from the zucchini and eggplant and arrange in a single layer, flesh-side up, on the pan and brush or spray with oil. Place into the lower half of the oven for 20 minutes, turning the pan once, until flesh is soft, golden brown, and skin is wrinkled.
- While vegetables are roasting, prepare cheese filling: mix 1/2 of the mozzarella with all of the ricotta and the egg in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- While vegetables are roasting, prepare the sauce: Brown the meat and mushrooms, adding the prepared sauce and reducing heat to low. The sauce should have an excess of liquid-- add vinegar, dry red wine, or broth to thin if necessary.
- Return to the roasted vegetables after they are cool enough to handle. Scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin, chopping into rough cubes where the flesh is still firm. Grate the zucchini and squeeze excess water out (another excellent thinning liquid for the sauce). Combine the grated zucchini, eggplant flesh, and spinach in a mixing bowl.
- Build the lasagna: Layer the following in a well-oiled, half-sized casserole:
- * 2/3 of the vegetable filling
- * raw lasagna noodles to cover
- * 2/3 of the cheese filling
- * raw lasagna noodles to cover
- * mixture of remaining cheese & vegetable fillings
- * half of the meat sauce
- * Raw lasagna noodles to cover
- * remaining sauce
- * Remaining mozzarella cheese, with parm or asiago to taste
- Allow lasagna to sit for at least 30 minutes so the noodles can begin to soften.
- Place lasagna, uncovered, in a 350F oven for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Allow 10-15 minutes to cool and set after removing from the oven before cutting.
Roasted vegetables Close
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People Who Like This Dish 7
Reviews & Comments 4
The Cookadri San Antonio, TX
The Rating2 people
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Really good and comforting.notyourmomma in South St. Petersburg loved it
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great recipe thanks!lillyann in Colorado Springs loved it
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What are people afraid of? Ranked-choice voting is a step forward in voter power. It is not a difficult or complex system — the Australians have been voting that way since 1918, and they are not any smarter than Mainers are. In fact, preferential voting has often been used in local elections all over the U.S.
Is the fear that more choice encourages a variety of views instead of only one or two? Is the fear that the candidate field is more open, allowing greater participation? Is the fear that a second choice could gain a majority, thereby encouraging candidates to appeal to a wider audience?
Ranked-choice voting encourages greater participation, more civil discourse and officials elected by a majority of voters. Why are certain political groups so afraid of a more democratic system?
The June primaries are open to all voters to express their views on RCV, yet again. I will be voting to support ranked-choice voting; I will be voting to support democracy.
Bonnie Green, Monmouth
Comments are not available on this story. | https://www.sunjournal.com/2018/05/09/support-for-ranked-choice-voting-3/ |
As digitization and the shift to the cloud gain momentum, regulation is trying to catch up with its accelerated pace, especially post the pandemic, which highlighted the increasingly critical nature of the digital and cloud ecosystem and the massive impact and costs of cyber incidents such as the Solar Winds hack.
The US government has taken significant steps to address cybersecurity concerns. In 2018, the Trump administration issued an executive order to improve the cybersecurity of federal networks and critical infrastructure. In 2019, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bipartisan congressional commission, released a report with 75 recommendations for improving cybersecurity in the United States.
Now, National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) is the latest in a series of regulatory steps to spur concentrated and collective public and private defensive and offensive efforts to safeguard the rising digital surface and make cybersecurity more pervasive across different industries. In addition to urging software developers and businesses to assume greater accountability in ensuring the security of their systems against hacking, the strategy also aims to intensify its collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Department in thwarting the operations of hackers and ransomware organizations across the globe.
Read more: A Way Forward: Cybersecurity Trends to Watch out for in 2023
Overview of the Cyber Threat Landscape in the US
The US is the biggest victim of cyber-attacks across the globe. With 46% of all cyberattacks in the world aimed at Americans, the United States continues to be the most frequently attacked nation. While globally, the average cost of a ransomware attack was over $4.5 million, the cost in the US was $9.4 million in 2022, over 2x higher, per IBM
Key statistics around cybersecurity in the US are as follows:
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Nearly 80% of cyber attackers, according to Microsoft, chose to target governmental institutions, think tanks, and other non-governmental entities
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Additionally, according to Microsoft, 58% of cyberattacks in the USA have Russian origins
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In the first half of 2022, phishing attacks rose by 48%, with reports of 11,395 incidents costing companies a total of $12.3 million
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In 2022, ransomware assaults increased by 41%, and it took 49 more days than usual to identify and fix a breach
Read more: Outlook 2023: Top Strategic Technology Challenges
The shift to cloud-native software development has been a key reason for the rise in complexity and surface area of cyber threats as well as the surge in reported incidences in the last two years. Instead of monolithic applications residing in a single codebase, cloud-based development comprising microservices architecture based on a modular approach – an aggregation of loosely coupled independent functional units/software components – coming from multiple sources, magnifies the risk potential. Accordingly, the cybersecurity strategy and regulatory policies must continue to evolve with new regulations looking to both supplement and address the gaps in the previous legislation.
Figure 1: Cloud Native vs. Monolithic Application
Source: SparkFabrik
Against this backdrop, the NCS is a much-needed step. The latest regulation proposes three policies that could fundamentally alter the cybersecurity space.
Read more: America's TikTok Conundrum - Increasing Scrutiny of TikTok in the US
Firstly, the NCS proposes to shift the responsibility of securing cyberspace away from the users (individuals, enterprises, and governments) to the software vendors. This is a paradigm shift that aligns the interests of both clients and security vendors, in contrast to the earlier approach, where cybersecurity companies avoided all responsibility for any cyber incident that might occur via disclaimers in license agreements. The NCS seeks to make cybersecurity firms accountable for the vulnerabilities/deficiencies in their product that may lead to a breach/hack, which they have so far managed to evade.
“Right now, we have a regime where the costs of liability are borne by the end user. This isn’t just unfair, it's ineffective.” – Kemba Walden, Acting National Cyber Director.
“Software vendors will certainly argue that they will be required to raise their prices, eventually harming the end users and innocent consumers. This is, however, comparable to carmakers complaining about “unnecessarily expensive” airbag systems and seatbelts, arguing that each manufacturer should have the freedom to build cars as it sees fit.” – Ilia Kolochenko, Founder & CEO, ImmuniWeb.
Secondly, the strategy proposes to bring in a sector-specific regulatory framework to ensure mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all industries.
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Another key concept, “defend-forward”, adopted as a strategy in NCS, seeks to address the growing use of state-backed rogue agencies to target critical infrastructure in the US or its allies and partners. It proposes to use a collaborative geo-political approach leveraging diplomatic tools and economic sanctions to curb ransomware. There is a strong focus on reinforcing the stipulation in Executive Order 14028 (May 2021) that mandates the adoption of “Zero Trust Architectures”. The government has doubled down on making the Zero-Trust approach a prerequisite for the procurement of cybersecurity products or services by federal agencies from vendors. The move will benefit both established and a slew of emerging companies, including CrowdStrike, Palo Alto, Cloudflare, Zscaler, Okta, Cisco, Forcepoint, Illumio, Perimeter 81, Twingate, and Forcepoint.
Figure 2: Zero Trust Security Framework
Source: Gartner
While the NCS could pave the way for a targeted and highly effective regulatory framework for defending the digital ecosystem, its implementation would be crucial. That said, the focus on long-term investment for developing cutting-edge and innovative technologies to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving threat landscape will spur the startup cyber and cloud security space in the US, making it an attractive private investment target.
With a presence in New York, San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, Toronto, London, Zurich, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, SG Analytics, a pioneer in Research and Analytics, offers tailor-made services to enterprises worldwide. | https://us.sganalytics.com/blog/national-cyber-threat-landscape-in-the-USA/ |
Lingfield recognises that digital learning is a key concept that needs to be embraced by educators in today’s classrooms. Technology has tremendous potential to engage, excite and inspire young people. It has the ability to make learning more flexible and to cater for different learning styles and abilities.
Lingfield’s digital strategy has become an intrinsic part of teaching and learning. In the Prep School we have worked hard to incorporate the Government’s new strategies for Computing in Key Stage 1 & 2 as outlined in the National Curriculum. Across the Prep School, pupils are educated in e-safety and online etiquette to ensure that they are fully aware of how to stay safe in our digital age. Due to the fact that we are confident that pupils are able to behave responsibly, we are able to introduce them to exciting activities involving digital learning from a very young age.
We have two class sets of iPads in the Prep School, in addition to two fully equipped ICT suites which are regularly used to support pupils’ independent learning; as well as being utilised in dedicated Computing lessons, they are also used extensively in lessons across the curriculum to support learning. Pupils from Year 1 upwards are now also taught the basics of computer programming, before progressing to designing computer games in Year 2 and using programmes such as Scratch from Year 3. By Year 6 pupils are designing their own digital apps!
For more information about the Computing curriculum in the Prep School, please see the Computing tab in the Academic section of the website. | https://www.lingfieldcollege.co.uk/prep/digital-learning/ |
It has been pointed out that since Chapter 1 is marked up pretty much the same way as any other chapter, those who have never read Pride and Prejudice before may find a confusing plethora of links in the first few chapters -- don't feel you have to click on everything. How Jane and Elizabeth turned out to be well bred is a wonder, considering the type of mother they are born with. You have to really like tootsie rolls to appreciate them. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense. But you're no Mr Darcy. مردی سرشناس و ثروتمند به نام: چارلز بینگلی، در باغ خویش، و در همسایگی آنها زندگی میکند.
The beauty, wit, and sparkling liveliness of the character are perfectly captured in her performance. When they all meet up at a local ball, Mr. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever. First impressions are not always what they seem, however, and the Bennet girls, particularly Elizabeth and Jane, learn where pride and trust are justified, and where they are not, as the romantic story unfolds. And just like Lizzie, I was horrified by the way he dissed her family while he did it! Such perseverance in wilful self-deception! Pride is a constant presence in the characters' attitudes and treatment of each other, coloring their judgments and leading them to make rash mistakes. One, I thought it might be a bit too romantical for me.
I just adore it all. Whatever you choose to do, I hope that you enjoy Pride and Prejudice; it's such a great book : Though not exactly a 'comedy of manner' per se, Catch-22 is arguably the definitive work of satire. Darcy, for I am a romantic at heart, and he conquered me with his truthful statement, and even more crucial for me, ended up changing for Elizabeth: In vain have I struggled. Their encounters are frequent and spirited yet far from encouraging. In short I was completely absorbed.
How come we have no rights or political power? To get anywhere with this book one has to immerse oneself in the realities of life and marriage in the nineteenth century. Bingley abruptly departs for London, devastating Jane, Lizzie holds Mr. Guys, do not fear the Austen. Why would he possibly do that? In the context of the book, what marriages are successful and which are not? But don't save the date quite yet: Mr. Austen's heroines are famously caught between love and money are famously criticized for always getting both in the end. One practical point is that when web browsers follow a link, they tend to put the text referenced by the link at the extreme top of the screen or window, which can be a little awkward for a document which includes many links which go to the middle of a paragraph, as this one does. Every time I reread this novel, I love it more.
Of course, Lydia has to go and ruin everything! They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family? Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion. I went to school to half heartedly discuss it and waffled and wavered in an effort to please my teacher. It portrays life in the genteel rural society of the day, and tells of the initial misunderstandings and later mutual enlightenment between whose liveliness and quick wit have often attracted readers and the haughty. Definitely worth the purchase price! At the turn of the century, the old debate between rationality and emotions was heating up again. Collins was the first person I marvelled at. And then, Lady Catherine visits Longbourn to strong-arm Elizabeth into rejecting any proposal from Darcy, which obviously doesn't work. What can they possibly expect an upper-middle class English woman to write about in 1813 but what she knows or can imagine? Add it to your collection, but don't make it your only copy, since it's hard to tuck under your pillow.
My feelings will not be repressed. Fitzwilliam Darcy's reply when Ms. In Pride and Prejudice, many women such as must marry solely for the sake of financial security. Because of all that, the novel came out anonymously, as had her book only a year earlier. Somewhere they have formed the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I firmly believe that Moby Dick is the last book in the world that they could ever be prevailed on to read. I consider Jane Austen a forerunner of feminism.
آقا و خانم بنت پنج دختر دارند: جین، الیزابت، لیدیا، مری، کیتیا. I'm 14 years old and I read it this year so age shouldn't be a problem. Sometimes, of course, what one learns is how very shallow and vapid some people are. Bennet and Lady Catherine - are ridiculous caricatures. You got a problem with that? The led to an overthrow of the entire monarchy. The most recent production stars Keira Knightley as Elizabeth and was filmed in 2005.
Clearly people put a lot of time and effort into codifying and arguing about societal structure, status and behavior, and I think that would be a fascinating thing to read. Links to passages illustrating the themes of and. He helped her in so many ways and he needed no credit for it. Darcy, of all people, asks Elizabeth to dance, and Lizzy's entire family is unbearably embarrassing—like her mom loudly announcing that they all expect Bingley to marry Jane. I now count myself as a convert to the Austen cult. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Austen's depiction of life in the tranquil English countryside takes place at the same time when England was fighting for its life against the threat of Napoleon, and all of Europe was embroiled in war and political chaos. خانم بنت کوشش میکند مرد جوان یکی از دخترانش را به همسری خویش برگزیند. | http://tinnitusarchive.org/pride-and-prejudice.html |
The AP article (January 3, 2007) lauding the status of women in Washington State tells only part of the story. A political strategist was quoted as using the phrase “chicks in charge” to describe the situation.
After catching my breath over the “chicks” quote, I looked more closely at a couple of things that could be incorrectly inferred from the article.
The strategist credits the number of our state’s successful women to an “… early passage of women’s suffrage and equal rights …” which may lead readers to believe that the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) was passed and now is part of the U.S. Constitution. Untrue! The ERA received ratification from only 35 states; 38 are needed to pass.
Another implication that caught my eye references the current status of elected women in Washington State. The article cites the reduction of the majority of women in the state Supreme Court, as well as the reduced percentage of women serving in the state legislator (down almost 10% in the past six years). Is this a trend, perhaps because women’s rights still have not been spelled out in the Constitution?
Have voters forgotten why the ERA was written in the first place? Things like “egalitarian spirit” that levels the playing field; improves women’s health, retirement, athletic opportunity, and day care; fights domestic violence; and brings women’s pay equal to men’s. In short, the ERA would place into the U.S. Constitution a statement that women’s and men’s rights are equal.
Did you know: The United States of America Constitution is the only one among major nations that does not explicitly guarantee equal rights to women.
It’s not too late! Bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress to re-introduce the ERA Amendment. In December 2005, Senator Edward Kennedy reintroduced the ERA in the Senate (noting Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell among the co-sponsors); Representative Carolyn Maloney and Representative Robert Andrews reintroduced the resolution in the House. These bills explain precedent that will allow passage with ratification from just three states.
Three states have bills in the hopper to ratify the amendment and make it law – Florida, Illinois and Arkansas. If these fail, there are 12 other states that have not ratified the amendment as yet.
Results of a recent survey of adult women and men, students in women’s studies classes, and members of leading women’s organizations show a frightening lack of information about this important subject.
Here are the survey questions – just six of them. How do you fare?
1. What does ERA stand for, as it pertains to women?
2. a.) The ERA was first proposed in 1923, by Alice Paul.
3. A trick question. The ERA has not been become law – yet.
4. b) The ERA was ratified by only 35 states. A total of 38 are necessary to amend the Constitution.
5. b) Rights of women are clearly protected in the new Iraq Constitution.
6. d) All of the above; separate amendments were necessary to secure the “vote” for women, blacks, and later 18-year-olds.
Contact your congressional representatives in Washington and urge them to get down to work and take care of this small but very important housekeeping detail. Washington State was one of the early states to ratify Amendment 29. The time has come for our women in Congress to make it happen nationally.
This entry was posted in Equal Rights Amendment, Val's Views, Women's Issues. Bookmark the permalink. | http://www.valdumond.com/article-valviewpoint/ |
Volunteer and internship programs in Costa Rica for sustainable travelers, be part of solutions and make a difference in the places you'll visit while you discover the natural beauty and culture of the country.
We have a plenty of programs which require the collaboration of volunteers of different areas of expertise, according to the needs of the locations you'll visit. You have the opportunity to participate in education programs helping in schools and kindergartens, wildlife and environmental protection programs, urban development, agriculture, rural tourism and the cultural preservation of indigenous communities.
Most of the programs require some level of Spanish fluency, as a complement, we offer Spanish lessons in our Spanish school that you could take in parallel while you're participating as volunteer to improve your communication abilities, visit our Spanish programs to get more information about our Spanish courses.
Support daily work in one of the rehabilitation centres of wild species with the end goal of releasing the animals back into the wild.
Social project where volunteers support rural nutrition project in a public institution for children from 2-6. Volunteers will participate on a daily to support staff.
Volunteers will participate in a variety of tasks around the project which includes beach patrol, observation of the nests and sea turtle eggs in the season.
We work on several Environmental campaigns to promote the reduction of disposable plastics, provide alternatives, and achieve awareness about how plastics are affecting our daily life and harming the natural environment.
Volunteers will be working alongside a team of international professionals and local workers. Using their skills to enrich the lives of the birds.
This project supports elementary rural schools located in the South Pacific and Caribbean of Costa Rica.
This project supports preschool groups (children aged 4-6) in rural public schools located in the South Pacific and Caribbean of Costa Rica.
This project supports the public children’s day care facility in Hone Creek, Puerto Viejo, in a public institution for children from working class families.
This project supports elementary private schools located in the South Pacific and Caribbean of Costa Rica.
Volunteers will be working on a variety of projects e.g. provide assistance on the reforestation planning, helping the local workers tend the saplings in the greenhouse, hike into the mountains and plant the trees and assist in the monitoring of the reforestation progress.
This project supports preschool groups (children aged 4-6) in rural private schools located in the South Pacific and Caribbean of Costa Rica.
The focus of the project is to support communities and sustainable tourism destinations and their specific tasks.
Volunteer in an indigenous community, a unique experience as participants will live within the community and experience another culture.
The Environmental Education program was established as the Environmental Kids Club that aims to generate consciousness about environmental issues, providing the necessary knowledge to children and generating sensitivity towards environmental solutions and healthy actions.
Support and learn about environmentally sustainable agricultural methods to maximize farm production in an ecological way.
Looking for something different? ask for a different program. | https://diversityschool.org/volunteer-internships |
Please improve it as you see fit. Editing help is available.
- For a complete list of instruments in the Zelda series, see Category:Instruments.
Throughtout The Legend of Zelda series, there are numerous instruments used to make music. Some of these serve important purposes, while others are simply for entertainment.
Contents
Types of Instrument
Woodwind Instruments
The most frequently occurring and most notable woodwind instrument in the Zelda series is the Ocarina. This includes the Bone Ocarina, the Fairy Ocarina, the Ocarina of Wind and most importantly, the Ocarina of Time. Of these, only the Fairy Ocarina and the Ocarina of Time are actually played note by note under Link's control, using the four C-Buttons and the A Button.
Other woodwind instruments include various Flutes, such as the Recorder, the Strange Flute and the Spirit Flute (also known as the Spirit Pipes). Once again, only the Spirit Flute can be played note by note, using the touch screen and microphone of the Nintendo DS. Carben and Rael also play a flute and an oboe respectively.
The Horse Call and the Grass Whistles from Twilight Princess maybe also be considered woodwind instruments, as well as the Howling Stones and Air Stones, though it is Wolf Link's vocals that are played in the case of the former.
Brass Instruments
The Deku Pipes from Majora's Mask is a multi-belled horn. It is a transformation of the Ocarina of Time, activated when Link dons the Deku Mask. In Twilight Princess, the Skull Kid uses a strange four-bell horn to summon his Puppets. Skull Kid's horn is very similar to the Deku Pipes, both instruments being multi-belled horns, but the Deku Pipes has one more bell than Skull Kid's horn.
String Instruments
There are many string instruments which feature in the Zelda series, many of which play a major role in the quest.
The first to appear was Sheik's Harp, which she used to teach Link warping songs.
The Zora Guitar is also a string instrument, but again, it is simply a transformation of the Ocarina of Time, activated when Link dons the Zora Mask. Japas is also the bass player of The Indigo-Gos.
The Harp of Ages was next to come, which was the first string instrument to be played by Link. There are three possible songs to be played on it, all of which allow Link to travel through time in a similar way to the Ocarina of Time. The Sea Ukulele, another string instrument in Oracle of Ages, is one of the final objects of the Trading Quest. It is never seen in use, however.
Later, during the events of The Wind Waker, two string instruments were wielded by the Sages of Earth and Wind. The first was Medli's Harp which resembles a golden lyre, while the second was Makar's Violin, which resembles a cello crafted from a large leaf, due to Makar's size.
In Spirit Tracks, Gage plays a cello, and Steem plays a biwa.
Most recently was the appearance of the Goddess's Harp in Skyward Sword, which was first owned by Zelda as a descendant of the Goddess, Hylia. However, Link did eventually claim it and used it to play various songs which would open the gates to the Silent Realms. It is played by swinging the Wii Remote in time with a tempo or beat, using the Wii Motion Plus's added precision motion-sensing controls. This harp is supposedly the same harp that Sheik used later on during Ocarina of Time.
Percussion Instruments
There are only two percussion instruments which are playable in the Zelda series; the Bell, which Link uses to transport himself around Hyrule and Lorule in A Link Between Worlds, and the Goron Drums (though these are a transformation of the Ocarina of Time activated when Link dons the Goron Mask). However, various gongs are seen throughout the series, including within the Swordsman's School. Link can strike these with his sword and they will sound one note.
Likewise, Tijo and Evan from The Indigo-Go's play a drumkit and piano, respectively, and the Happy Mask Salesman teaches Link the Song of Healing on a piano. In Spirit Tracks, Embrose plays a timpani.
Other Instruments
The Instruments of the Sirens are musical instruments obtained from each dungeon in Link's Awakening and used to awaken the Wind Fish. They span multiple music families and include a cello, a bell, and a marimba, among others.
The Wind Waker, although not an instrument, is treated as one in the game of the same name; when used, musical notes play according to the direction the Wind Waker is pointed at. It can control the direction of the wind, as well as the passage of day and night and can even summon cyclones to carry Link around the Great Sea.
In Majora's Mask, there is the Music Box House, a building which contains a giant version of a normal music box's mechanism, which is powered by a waterwheel.
Finally, vocals play a part in a few games, most prominently Wolf Link's Howl in Twilight Princess, which can mimic the sounds of the Grass Whistles and Howling Stones. Fi also appears to sing along to the notes of the Goddess Harp each time Link plays a song. | https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Instruments_of_the_Legend_of_Zelda_Series |
What You Should Know About Playing Soccer
How much do you love the game of soccer? Do you wish that you could learn more so that you could become one of the greats? Whether you’re playing for fun or striving to be a star, you have passion and desire to become better. Keep reading to learn how you can do that.
Switch the ball from one side to the other if you are trying to get away from a defender. Kick the ball with the inside of your foot and try gaining speed so you can escape the defender. Shield the ball with your body if the defender catches up to you.
Practice passing by placing two small cones approximately a foot apart. Kick the ball through the obstacles to help you learn to pass between opponents and get it to your teammate. As you get better at this passing technique go for longer passes and move the cones closer together.
When passing the ball make sure that your heel is down and your toes are pointed upward. This allows you to use your foot like a putter. By practicing this technique often, it will soon come naturally when it is time to pass the ball to a teammate during an actual game.
Learn everything you can about soccer and the different techniques. There are many resources available including books and resources on the Internet. Scour these sources to find the latest techniques to help you improve the game. When you find a new technique, practice it until you have it down pat.
If you want to receive a pass in soccer, go to an open spot of the field. You should be constantly on the move, even when you don’t have the ball. This gives you an opportunity to find a spot where you can receive a a strategic pass, and possibly a shot on goal.
Analyze the game immediately following each game. Bring a notebook to the game and write down pertinent information such as how many shots you took, how many times you scored, how many went high and if you seem to always be shooting to one side or the other. By keeping a written record, you will begin to notice ways to improve your game.
There are all different types of soccer shots, and you should try your best to use a variety of them. It may seem practical for you to use standard shots a lot of the time, but there are other times where it may be necessary to make a chip shot, inside shot, or some other type of shot.
When you are trying to improve your skills at soccer, one key is overcoming self-doubt. You must convince yourself that you can accomplish your goal and not let anything hold you back. If you believe that you can succeed, you will be able to maintain the determination to stick with your preparation and practice and achieve your training goals.
Make sure you take full advantage of every second you spend on the field to improve your soccer playing technique. Don’t waste time during training. You are there to work on your technique, train, and make practice. Maximize your time by resisting the tendency to use training time socializing and playing around.
The most important thing to remember when playing soccer is to always take the shot if you see the goal. You are guaranteed to fail if you don’t try, so always give yourself a chance to make a goal by at least kicking the ball. The more shots you take, the higher your chances are of making it in.
Winning relies upon a winning attitude. Believing in your team can help to give you the confidence you need to win the games. By keeping your team pumped up for a win, you can help increase the team’s morale.
You should try your best to stay very light and bouncy on your feet when you are out on the soccer field. Even though it may seem to you like it makes more sense to be aggressive, this is the best way for you to keep total control over the ball.
Soccer video games are a great way to help you learn the game better. However, your game is more on the field than it is in your hands. Still, video games are quick and hands-on and can be enjoyed during your downtime. They are often highly realistic and are a great form of simulation and learning particular formations and strategies.
When using your head to hit the ball, you want to use your forehead. This is the stronger part of your head, and it is the most effective play. Using the top of your head can hurt and cause dizziness. And, of course you don’t use the back of your head. This can take some practice to get down!
All team members should practice kicking, dribbling and passing daily. Make sure all the players on your team understand why these drills are important. Show footage of pro players practicing so your players will understand how important it is.
Passing the ball can be relatively tricky for beginning soccer players. To teach them, start by using targets that are stationary. Once they are able to kick the ball and have it go directly to the target, they are ready to move on to moving targets and players that move at different speeds.
As players get more experience with the game of soccer, they will begin to learn new handling skills. One in particular is headers. This is when the ball is bounced off of the head. Make sure that the ball is only making contact with the forehead. This will help decrease the chances of concussions.
Now that you know the information that has been discussed here, you are ready to take things to the next level with your soccer game. All you need to do is put the tips into practice so that you can find out how practice and dedication can enhance your efforts. Be sure that you never stop learning.Sports Picks (view mobile),Click here! The Picks Buffet: Access Up To Hundreds Of Sports Handicapper Picks! (view mobile),Click here! | http://waiwaitech.com/what-you-should-know-about-playing-soccer-9/ |
Although the world has seen several health crises and emergencies, the Covid-19 pandemic is a public health emergency that has impacted every industry in a significant way. Most of the organizations are struggling to come back to normal, which is uncertain, unpredictable and is redefined every day. In this emergency crisis, consumer demand pattern is changing, supply chains are disrupted and the government is coming up with new interventions regularly. Companies are finding it challenging to deal with uncertain times (Accenture, 2020).
The Covid-19 pandemic is changing the way how we work, exercise, learn, communicate, socialize and, most importantly, think. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, organizations and individuals used to plan for the long-term and called this type of plan as a strategic plan. All across the world, in most of the countries, Covid-19 has taken only a few weeks to lockdown most of the service enterprises, such as schools, colleges, restaurants, bars, shops and gyms. Most of the employees are forced to work from home in the service as well as manufacturing firms. People engaged in essential and emergency services like healthcare are overworked and under a lot of stress. Organizations are forced to lay off workers, freeze hiring and training, and support employees to work from home. A large number of citizens are being forced to apply for unemployment benefits and work under government schemes. A large number of employees are finding it difficult to cope up with the changes due to Covid-19 lockdown.
Covid-19 pandemic has disturbed the mobility of employees and has disrupted the normal ways of working. Organizations and employees are finding it difficult to cope up with the challenges arising out of little economic activity during the lockdown. Employees are finding difficulties in managing challenges of remote work and collaboration across distributed teams (Meister, 2020).
HR professionals are finding it difficult to manage employee motivation and morale in the time of crisis. Solving employee engagement puzzle in times of emergency crisis arising in the hour of Covid-19 pandemic is a make or break decision. Harter (n.d.) reports that a large number of employees are disengaged at their workplaces. This disengagement has several economic as well as behavioural consequences, including reduced productivity and turnover. Even now, most of the modern businesses rely on feedback and periodic performance appraisals. These annual or quarterly appraisals do not provide an opportunity for a continuous review of performance and mentoring, thus creating a gap. These continuous performance management (PM) exercises, aided by technology, provide an opportunity for ongoing and prompt coaching and engagement.
Experts suggest that companies need to ramp up training, invest in remote working technologies and take care of the well-being of the workers. Experts believe that the Covid-19 pandemic has created an opportunity to redefine business and strengthen the finance, operations, marketing and HR processes. Companies need to leverage on the opportunity that has been created by the pandemic to disrupt their business and HR processes to gear up for the dynamic postCovid-19 world. Organizations need to utilize the Covid-19 crisis as an opportunity to accelerate technological and artificial intelligence (AI)-based investments in remote working, reskilling, skills-based hiring and corporate learning.
Why AI in the Post-Covid-19 World
According to Boston Consulting research, during the four previous global economic downturns, 14 per cent of companies were able to increase both sales growth and profit margins (Candelon et al., 2020).
A large number of companies have already experimented with digital applications such as automation and basic data analytics. But, with AI, the gains from the application and functionality of ML go far beyond what has been witnessed till date. A lot of the tasks that required decision-making, which only humans were able to do, are now being done with the help of AI tools. With AI, systems can analyse big data to learn patterns, thus enabling these AI-based systems to make complex decisions and predictions. With the power to learn and adapt continuously, AI-enabled systems have a huge potential of application in human resource management (HRM).
Companies have started looking for solutions for AI-based automation journey for several HR processes such as recruitment, selection, onboarding, training PM and mentoring to manage human resources (HR) and their work-life balance in the post-Covid world.
AI and Work-life Balance
AI-powered machines are replacing humans at work and are expected to replace more humans at jobs that are repetitive and rule based. Managing the new-found insecurity of job being replaced by a machine has emerged as a new challenge. Managing the work-life balance has emerged as a formidable challenge. AI-powered machines will raise the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing employees.
Experts believe that future employees will find more time and energy to pursue their new-found interests. HR managers are also finding it challenging to identify skills that may be relevant in the future. But a lot of experts think that humans and machines will coexist and work in synergy. It is important to review how employees will engage with new AI-based systems and study the impact of AI on work-life balance.
AI can impact jobs in multiple ways. In some cases, jobs may be lost to these AI assistants. In some cases, it is expected that AI will raise the efficiency of existing employees. AI will allow these employees to pursue meaningful and strategic activities in their free time.
It is expected that employees, as well as organizations, will be able to have productivity gains. The negative impacts on jobs can be mitigated by making investments in the education and training of existing employees. With AI, companies are expecting HR managers to engage employees in more meaningful and relevant ways.
Fire versus Develop: The Paradigm Shift
It is now, by and large, conceded that traditional stack ranking systems would be inadequate to evaluate the performance or failure of employees in a dynamic and ever-changing work environment. However, some confusion remains as to what could replace the traditional metrics ranking system—and this where AI holds great promise.
In some organizations, AI is already transforming traditional ways of measuring and evaluating the performance of individuals, teams and organizations by providing PM platforms that are much quicker, smarter and better.
AI can process volumes of data at supersonic speed and offer interpretations that are real time and accurate.
PM is defined by Aguinis (2013) ‘as a continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams and aligning performance with the strategic goals of the organization’.
Based on the study by Kinicki et al. (2013), key PM tasks can be listed as follows: ‘defining performance expectations, observing performance, integrating information, formal summative performance evaluation, production and delivery of feedback, the formal review meeting, and coaching to improve performance’ (Schleicher et al., 2018).
As things stand today, performance evaluation or appraisal is simply one step in the process of PM.
AI: The Scoreboard
Although the use of AI in HR is comparatively new, it could empower the manager to rely on real-time data to make decisions that are more meaningful and grounded, resulting in better performance reviews.
Sometimes employees collaborate and work on multiple teams. During the review of such employees, collecting information manually from multiple supervisors is a challenge. Often, the manager reviewing the performance of such a team player ends up relying on a single source of information instead of collating information from every department where the employee has worked. This sometimes results in the reviewer missing out on valuable facets of the performance, which could demotivate the employee.
Some of the widely reported ills of the number-driven employee ranking system include bias, favouritism, nepotism and failure arising from the inability of the assessing manager to cope with the workload.
On the contrary, AI has the inherent capabilities to process complex data more accurately and according to predefined algorithms. Also, it can replicate the human brain and the thought processes of people to a great extent, and thus bring a modicum of fairness and balance to the appraisal process.
Another issue is that traditional performance reviews tend to be dominated by immediate events, instead of taking into consideration the long-term performance of the employee under review. Since annual performance reviews were—and still are in some organization—an annual, once-a-year event, one excellent or lousy incident towards the end of the year and near to the review date had the potential to make or break the individual’s chances of getting promotions, rewards and salary hikes that year.
Leveraging AI for Good Work-life Balance
Technology has an impact on our personal and professional lives. AI makes it easier and faster to work and leaves us free time to unclog our minds. It is necessary to keep a balance in the use of technology for both personal and professional life. These days, when people are forced to work from home the boundary between personal and professional life, it is important to use AI to help employees find free time for strategic work and to pursue their interests. One of the biggest challenges with digitization is that work and home life are blurring. Checking e-mails and watching television with the family has become a reality. Attending business calls during a movie is again common.
Finding the perfect work-life balance is a flighting dream for many. A lot of people are witnessing the impact of extended work on health in the form of lifestyle diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes. A lot of professionals suffer from stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression. Incorporating wellness into an everyday routine is now being facilitated by AI-based applications. AI is now a means to leverage a good work-life balance. Let us look at how AI can help restore work-life balance.
Enhancing productivity: Companies like Google are enabling the integration of e-mail, video conferencing, document collaboration, instant messaging and so much more. These tools can easily fix and coordinate schedules. AI-based tools are being used to fix meetings and complete work on the go for workers as well as supervisors.
Making work easy: A lot of AI-based apps make work easy with the automation of a lot of menial and repetitive tasks. Automatic reminder apps can remind when the meeting is coming up. These tools even remind people to take medicines, walk and take a break.
Technology ropes in flexibility: AI incorporates flexibility at work. With AI and other tools, employees can now work remotely. Tools such as Google Hangouts and Zoom facilitate online and virtual meetings. Physically attending a meeting is not needed now, resulting in savings in travel time and cost. Technology helps in saving time for attaining work-life balance.
Transparent: AI-based systems create seamless and transparent communications between teams.
Wellness apps: Employees use wellness apps to manage their health and well-being. Technology acts as a tool to attain good work-life balance. The use of AI can lead to meaningful networking, productivity and focus (Mathur, 2019).
An excerpt from AI Revolution in HRM: The New Scorecard by Ashwani Upadhyay, Komal Khandelwal and Jayanthi Iyengar, published by SAGE Publications India. | https://www.businessmanager.in/current-topics/183/ai-revolution-in-hrm |
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