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In this exercise we’ll practice encoding manuscript descriptions, at three levels of complexity.
This description is of Bodleian MS. Add. A. 61, as published in Madan et al. 1895-1953. 1
It begins with a catalogue number, followed by a physical description of the manuscript. The next paragraph gives us the contents of the manuscript, De origine et gestis Regum Angliae by Geoffrey of Monmouth, as well as providing a rubric (‘Hic incipit…’) and the incipit, or the first few words of the text (‘Cum mecum multa…’). The last paragraph tells us a bit about the history of the manuscript, including ownership marks and information about how the library obtained the manuscript.
Go to the documents/xml folder and open the file msDescription.xml in oXygen. This file contains a basic TEI manuscript description with a header and the description in the body of the document. The manuscript description has been transcribed in paragraphs.
A few items need to be added to the TEI Header. Put your name in as indicated at "Header creation by" and "Encoded by", and put today's date where indicated as well.
Save this file as "msDescription-simple.xml". Close it and reopen "msDescription.xml". This will ensure that at the end of the exercise you have in your possession both the most simple version of the manuscript description, and the more complex one.
In the next part of the exercise we shall replace the <p> tags with appropriate special-purpose elements, and add some of the phrase-level elements available when the manuscript description module is in use: <msContents>, <physDesc>, and <history>. The <msIdentifier> will remain unchanged.
We will have to re-arrange the text provided in the printed description somewhat. <msDesc> requires a specific order to its child elements. In this instance we will have <msContents> followed by <physDesc> followed by <history>. First, move the second paragraph (‘Hic incipit…’) to above the first paragraph (In Latin…).
Put the relevant elements around each paragraph. Keep the <p> tags, as they are required for validation.
Next, we’ll see that the information in the three paragraphs is not strictly organized according to the divisions described in TEI. The fact that the manuscript is in Latin is an issue of its textual contents, not of its physical construction, so move “In Latin” from <physDesc> to <msContents>. The fact that the manuscript was written in the 13th century in England is an issue of its history, not its physical description, so move that information into the <history> section. Your file should now look something like this:
Finally, let’s fill in some basic phrase-level elements to specifically identify some of the information contained in the different sections.
<msContents> contains two quotes (<quote>), one title (<title>), and one author (<author>). Mark them accordingly. In those cases where there are formatting characters setting particular text apart (for example, the single quotation marks around quotes), remove them. Formatting characters will be provided by the stylesheet.
<physDesc> contains a term that indicates what material (<material>) the manuscript is made of. Mark the term accordingly.
<history> contains information about the place and date of the origin of the manuscript (<origPlace> and <origDate>). It also contains two quotes (<quote>) from the manuscript. Mark all of these accordingly.
When complete, your file will look something like this:
Save your file, then save it again as msDescription-medium.xml. Close that file and reopen msDescription.xml.
At the top of your document msDescription.xml, you will see a line beginning <!--<?xml-stylesheet... This points to a CSS stylesheet that will enable you to display your manuscript description in a browser. Make sure that you have saved your file. Open it in Firefox or Safari (it will not display correctly in IE. You’ll see that the information from the header displays at the top of the page, and is followed by the manuscript identifier (in large red letters) and the description itself. The description is presented simply as a number of paragraphs, with nothing differentiating them aside from their contents. Keep this file open in your browser and return to msDescription.xml in oXygen.
Challenge: Restructure your code to take full advantage of msDesc.
The manuscript description element has many tags available to it that provide very specific description.
<msContents> may contain one or more <msItem> elements, describing each item in the manuscript. These items may be identified by author, title, rubric, incipit, and by the language in which it is written ( <textLang> ). Terms provided in multiple languages may be provided in both (for example, an author in both Latin and English may be identified both as <author xml:lang=”en”>English name</author> and as <author xml:lang=”la”>Latin name</author>).
The <objectDesc> child of <physDesc> may describe the support ( <supportDesc> ) of the manuscript. What is it made out of ( <support> )? How many leaves does it contain ( <extent> )? What size is it ( <dimensions> )? It may also describe the layout ( <layoutDesc> ) of the writing on the surface of the manuscript (How many lines? How many columns?).
The physical description may also contain information about the scribal hands ( <handDesc> ) and decorations in the manuscript, either illuminations or decorated initials or capitals ( <decoDesc> ).
The history of the manuscript may be divided into different sections describing where and when the manuscript was made ( <origin> ), where it was between the time it was made and the time it was acquired by the current owner ( <provenance> ), usually known through marks in the manuscript, and the circumstances under which is was acquired by the current owner ( <acquisition> ).
Your challenge is to restructure your existing TEI manuscript description to take full advantage of the elements available in the TEI Guidelines.
The easiest way to find out how individual elements are used is to go to the Elements section of the Guidelines at http://www.tei-c.org/release/doc/tei-p5-doc/en/html/REF-ELEMENTS.html. This link takes you to an alphabetical list of all TEI elements. Clicking on any element will take you to a description of how the element is to be used. Use this documentation to aid your decisions about how to encode your description.
At any point during the encoding process, you may return to the browser and refresh the view of msDescription.xml, to see how your modifications are interacting with the stylesheet.
When you are done, save the completed complex description as msDescription-complex.xml. You now have examples of three descriptions of various complexity, and a stylesheet that will display all of them. | http://tei.oucs.ox.ac.uk/Talks/2009-07-dublin/exercise4-Manuscript_Description.xml |
Tenganan Pegringsingan is a village in the regency of Karangasem in Bali, Indonesia. Before the 1970s was known by anthropologists to be one of the most secluded societies of the archipelago. Rapid changes have occurred in the village since the 1970s, such as the development of local communications by the central government, the opening up to tourism, the breaking of the endogamic rules. Tourists are attracted to Tenganan by its unique Bali Aga culture that still holds to the original traditions, ceremonies and rules of ancient Balinese, and its unique village layout and architecture. It is known for its Gamelan selunding music and geringsing double ikat textiles. | http://balialternative.com/tenganan-pegringsingan/ |
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-08/32.COM/8B and WHC-08/32.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves the extension of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire, United Kingdom and Germany, to include the Antonine Wall on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
The Antonine Wall fully illustrates the effort of building the Limes on the frontiers of the Roman Empire, at the time of its apogee and greatest extension in the British Isles and worldwide (middle of the 2nd century AD). It embodies a high degree of expertise in the technical mastery of earthen defensive constructions, in the construction of a strategic system of forts and camps, and in the general military organisation of the Limes. The Antonine Wall also demonstrates the diffusion of the military and civil engineering of the Roman civilisation to the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean world.
Criterion (ii): The Antonine Wall is one of the significant elements of the Roman Limes present in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It exhibits important interchanges of human and cultural values at the apogee of the Roman Empire.
Criterion (iii): The Antonine Wall bears testimony to the maximum extension of the power of the Roman Empire, by the consolidation of its frontiers in the north of the British Isles, in the middle of the 2nd century AD. The property illustrates the Roman Empire's ambition to dominate the world in order to establish its law and way of life there in a long-term perspective.
Criterion (iv): The Antonine Wall is an outstanding example of the technological development of Roman military architecture and frontier defence.
The Antonine Wall has preserved its authenticity and integrity both in its physical remains and in its setting.
The legal protection is sufficient, the protection and management measures carried out and planned by the government, by Historic Scotland and by the local authorities appropriately address the potential risks caused by climate, agriculture, industrial and social development, and increasing tourism. Strong control of development plans and all types of activities can preserve the values of the nominated area and that of its buffer zone. Regular monitoring helps preserve the setting of the site.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
- a) pay particular attention to urban and agricultural development plans that could affect the nominated property, particularly as regards non-visible parts in the buffer zone. In the latter case, the planning authorities should work in conjunction with the Historic Scotland department in charge of heritage conservation;
- b) to restore turf areas at certain points of the nominated property if they are absent or have been damaged. The role of turf in the protection of the structure is of course important;
- c) to make sure that the Croy Hill quarry, just next to the buffer zone, does not threaten the site with a landslide in the immediate or more distant future. | http://whc.unesco.org/pg_friendly_print.cfm?id_decision=1501&cid=305 |
Where do we come from? What are we doing here? How does our understanding of this develop? How do the personal circumstances of our lives – age, gender, race, class, culture - relate to the infinite or timeless dimensions of our experience?
These and other themes were part of the jam created by Andi Dumas, with Steve Hoskinson, in this Clinical Mindfulness episode. Listen to the conversation, and reflect on your own personal and trans-personal questions and experiences.
Dr. Berberet is an OI Mentor and relationship expert. She has worked to develop both a conceptual and practical framework of relationship treatment that integrates traditional therapeutic models with the science of biological and psychological evolution which serves as the foundation for Organic Intelligence.
In this Clinical Mindfulness episode, Dr. Berberet shares about how the OI-informed understanding of the autonomic nervous system translates into therapeutic support for couples. This is relevant for therapists and for all in intimate relationships, including support to move beyond typical stuck patterns, like “I’m right and you’re wrong”, “you don’t understand me”, “you never listen”, etc.
The outcome? Both parties perceiving their own behavior more accurately and perceiving the other’s internal world more accurately. Says Dr. Berberet, “What’s interesting, and universally true, for a couple feeling hurt and hopeless about their relationship, is that both are having exactly the same experience."WATCH THE REPLAY
Compassion is a pillar of both Organic Intelligence and Buddhism. Yet what do we mean by compassion, and how do we cultivate it? How does compassion relate to our fundamental nature, including our biology? How do we experience compassion differently through the three phases, and as client, and therapist?
OI faculty and meditation teacher Robin Craig explored these considerations in dialogue with Andi Scott Dumas, another longtime meditator and OI mentor in the latest episode of Clinical Mindfulness.
Martin Schlozer joined Clinical Mindfulness in “BEING in the Middle of Nowhere.” He weaved together his extensive studies in the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, the cooperative approach of Hypnosis from Milton Erickson, and many eastern traditions, including AIKIDO, SEITAI and KI-work, and how they express also the maps of Organic Intelligence®.
His unique life and work experience is reflected in his statement:
“There is an organizing principle in nature which waits to emerge in each of us. What we can do is create the best possible conditions for these intrinsic impulses to find their way — and for us to be found along the way.” —Martin Schlozer
Martin led us in an experience to easily feel this, beginning in imagination. He also guided us in connecting with a physical center of gravity and feel its helpful effects on our being, here-and-now.WATCH THE REPLAY
In this particular time of fragmentation and isolation, the capacity for connection is crucial for our well being and the survival of our beautiful planet. Developing the capacity for forming healthy relationships begins early in life. It also often develops in the context of play (think Peek-a-Boo, Hide and Seek, Red Light-Green Light, swinging on the monkey bars, etc..).
This playful "Call and Response" is encoded in neurotypical, individual biology. It also extends outward into relationships with others, creation of community, and larger systems. In fact, it extends all the way to the level of the Cosmos. Healthy relatedness is a rhythm whose fractal nature is present in all beings and phenomenon.
Join us in a conversation, and perhaps even a commitment, where we aspire to create and repair all nature of connections. Together let’s hold ourselves and all beings in a container. Perhaps collectively we can be as a constellation where each star lights up and mirrors consistency, curiosity and compassion. We can create and fill this container with attuned loving kindness to shine brightly in all, for all.WATCH THE REPLAY
“Shame strikes deepest into the heart.” (Silvan Tomkins)
As adults, we know shame as the distressing and unpleasant emotions, ranging from slight embarrassment to the highly charged and intense feeling of mortification. But underlying the emotion of shame is an innate physiological process present from birth that is protective, enhances our survival, and is free of meaning. As we come to understand the biology of shame, we can begin the process of de-shaming shame and increasing compassion for ourselves. To emerge from the vortex of feeling shame for having shame, we begin the journey of recovering our vitality and sense of aliveness.
Karen Bauman, MA, OI Mentor, returned to Clinical Mindfulness to continue the discussion with Steve Hoskinson on shame. In this talk, they discussed the physiology of shame and how this innate affect becomes the family of emotions we call shame. This understanding points us in the direction of our path: to integrate experiences of sustained interest and enjoyment such that a sense of self can emerge that is less encumbered by shame.
"Is efforting inherently undesirable or disorganizing?" While in OI we emphasize finding the path of ease, not having to work so hard, this might leave us with an idea that if there is effort, maybe we're doing something "wrong." Meanwhile, many meditation approaches emphasize a flavor of efforting or striving that might leave us with an idea that non-efforting is "wrong."
One aspect of Organic Intelligence is understanding the movement between the Phases, and being able to feel into the different textures of efforting and letting go that show up in each Phase. The OI mapping of system development clarifies how to attune to an "auto-organizing" impulse in both effort and non-effort.
In this Clinical Mindfulness episode Robin Craig, OI faculty, and Steve Hoskinson, OI founder, explore the very natural expressions of both effort and letting go, and understanding how these play out in the different Phases.
Watch the replay by signing up for the FREE Clinical Mindfulness series.WATCH THE REPLAY
Effective organizational leaders share the same fundamental longing as their employees: the ability and capacity to handle a world of increasing complexity, and better differentiate the various issues in their companies and organizations.
In this episode of Clinical Mindfulness, Charlie Ruce, LMFT and OI Mentor, joined OI Founder Steve Hoskinson to talk about his experience of applying the principles of OI’s 3-Phase Model to organizations.
As complex systems, organizations can be shepherded through a similar process as individuals to move out of chaos and towards a state of auto-organization. Steve and Charlie discussed what needs to happen in each phase of organizational development for flow to increase and chaos to decrease. Charlie reflected, as well, on his experience with mindfulness and meditation practices and how those also can apply to creating flow within organizations.
In this Clinical Mindfulness episode OI Mentor & Feldenkrais Method® practitioner Tiffany Sankary joined Steve Hoskinson to talk about the intersection of The Feldenkrais Method® and Organic Intelligence®, and how these two approaches together empower a person to live with ease, pleasure, and curiosity.
That freedom gives us access to a wellspring of creativity, and can surprisingly support us in being more well-oriented on our life path.
Joseph Campbell said, “I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive...we want to feel the rapture of being alive.” However, persistent feelings of shame can circumvent that feeling of being alive. And as often happens, we experience even more shame for feeling the deadening effects of shame. | https://www.learnoi.org/clinical-mindfulness-webinar-series |
The all-stars on the Latin AMA panel all took the hard route. “It hasn’t been an easy journey,” noted moderator Leila Cobo, VP, Latin Industry Lead for Billboard.
The superstar session featured Becky G, Farruko, Ozuna, Wisin & Yandel, all of whom play in the urban field and came from a tough background.
“It hasn’t even been easy for Becky who has been working since she was nine-years old,” Cobo continued.
The relaxed atmosphere at Hollywood’s NeueHouse (the original CBS Studios), touched on pressing matters within Latin music and its culture as the urban genre seems to be in a state of flux, finding its own identity within a market brimming with genre-bending sounds and with a group of acts who have navigated challenging waters.
So what were some of the most difficult things for the panelists through this long ride?
Yandel remarked, “one of the hardest things for us was the acceptance of the genre in radio and television. We have been at it since its origins when it wasn’t accepted because of its content but we turned things around, adapting our lyrics. It has been extremely difficult and required a lot of sacrifice, a lot of sleepless nights and trips with no resources.”
Farruko added: “Wisin and Yandel are two of the ones who have paved the way for us, the ones who opened the doors and made things easier. The most difficult thing has been maintenance, to have relevance, to reinvent myself. With the tools our pillars provided the journey has been easier.”
Becky had this to say, “I started singing in English and then switched to Spanish and that was extremely challenging because I feared rejection. Like in Selena’s movie: ‘You are either too Mexican for the Americans or too American for the Mexicans and you can’t be in the middle.’ But luckily all I received was love. It has been an authentic experience but when the public makes you feel uncomfortable I feel obliged to demonstrate that I am a neighborhood gal.”
Billboard highlights some of the key moments from the popular panel session below.
With the increasingly active social media demand by consumers, the artists discuss how to effectively adapt the role of communicators without affecting their creative process, timing, and the danger of disclosing personal information.
Farruko: Social media is the red button, it’s our best friend, our digital partner. An artist needs to have direct contact with the fan, not only so they see your professional development but how you act as a human being. It helps us a lot with our music on a global level.
Becky G: It’s part of branding. It did change my life as I was able to upload YouTube covers when I was 14 years old. But it’s a blessing and a curse: we can connect with anybody on a global scale, it has helped for the music language to become universal but also, as a woman, I see that there are a lot of women who feel entitled to share certain things, showing their bodies, disclosing family information and it could become very judgmental.
On collaborations and remixes.
Ozuna: We are the genre which collaborate the most, there is always been a disposition. There are always differences but when the moment arrives urban artists are always available. It’s a good thing for the newcomers, it opens doors for them and cultivates the presence of the established ones.
Wisin: It also has to do with the essence of the genre. It started to sell as a project of many artists.
If we now decide not to collaborate and give into our ego, the genre wouldn’t have the impact it has today. It’s a demographic movement which is now being seen with respect. Those great artists like Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez decided to bet for our music and it’s then when the genre saw a creative growth. We need to be bold and dare to innovate while being careful to preserve the essence of the genre.
About the lack of presence of the genre in the 2019 Latin GRAMMY nominations.
Farruko: What’s happened with the genre is so big that it’s time to categorize it as something of value. With the urban genre there is trap, reggaetón, reggae/pop, different types of beats and sounds so it can’t be treated as a barbecue or be encapsulated in one.
Wisin: It’s about reorganization. There are so many producers and composers within the urban genre who are unknown to the industry and the market, who have never been nominated and are great protagonists behind many hits. Nobody has dared to acknowledge them in a public forum and consider them for a nomination. The Academy can also educate the audience with promotional campaigns which explain the basis of the nominations. We are artists within the urban genre but all strategies are pro-music. We are not better than any other genre.
Ozuna: There is a key fact which is knowledge. It’s a matter of awareness, of registering and voting. The new generation needs to be educated and as leaders it’s our job to educate them and think of ideal ways to foment presence within the members of the Academy because the Academy is not going to change its own methods. | https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/latin-amas-fest-2019-superstar-panel-8533138/ |
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Say, whatever happpened to those Maya anyway?
Probably the most frequently asked question about the ancient Maya is: "Why did that great civilization collapse?" According to the latest literature, academics no longer condone the use of the term "collapse". We now speak of a period of "realignment" or "restructuring". It seems that "collapse" is now politically incorrect. God, I love academia.
Call it what you will, the evidence points to a serious shift in Maya life around 900 A.D. The great cities and ceremonial centers were abandoned and the jungle quickly overgrew the formidable structures and the roadways that connected them. Maya life, based on the centuries-old tradition of rule by an elite class came to a rather abrupt and inglorious end. Gone forever were the kings and priests and the elaborate ceremonies and rituals that had been the mainstay of Maya life for hundreds of years.
In seeking the cause for the rapid (probably less than fifty years) decline of the Maya world, scholars have considered numerous possibilities:
1. The Maya were abducted by aliens in UFO's. (Actually this explanation's more popular with the National Inquirer crowd and is generally given short shrift by the academics.)
2. The Maya were wiped out by a huge hurricane or some other natural disaster. With Maya numbering in the millions all over Central America- Well, I don't think so.
3. Everybody died of disease or warfare. No archeological evidence to support either of these theories.
4. There was some sort of peasant revolt or revolution against the ruling class that caused the system to break down. This explanation has a lot of appeal to our twentieth century mind-set because recent history is full of revolutions, but a thousand years ago any notion of individual rights and freedoms usually died with the person that thought them up. Remember Spartacus?
Well, if none of the conventional explanations fills the bill, what does the archeological evidence have to say about the relatively sudden demise of the most advanced civilization in the New World?
First of all it is important to note that no totally satisfactory explanation for the Maya collapse- OOPS! (make that restructuring) exists. No one absolutely knows for sure what happened, but it's fair to say that there is a growing consensus among archeologists that the root cause was something we all see from day to day and never expect it to catch up with us.
Let's set the stage in the Maya world around 900 A.D. Firstly, the population was enormous by today's standards. Ambergris Caye must have had between ten and twenty thousand residents. The island, in fact, is one large archeological site. Belize probably supported around two million people if current estimates are anywhere near correct. Given the amount of arable land and the relatively inefficient slash and burn agricultural methods employed by the Maya, just feeding everybody must have been a monumental effort. Since there were no draft animals available to the Maya, plowing and row-crop dry farming was out of the question. Hence the reliance on slash and burn, wherein the jungle was cut down and burned, returning important nutrients to the soil which would then support the growth of corn, beans, squash, etc., for two or three crops after which the soil would be exhausted and the farmer would be forced to move on to a new jungle plot while allowing the previous plot to return to secondary growth. After a few years the original plot could be re-burned, but by that time there were more children- more mouths to feed. With unrestricted population growth and a finite supply of land for farming purposes with inefficient farming methods, it's easy to see how a human population could slowly slip behind the curve- and face the inevitable disaster.
Quoted from Dr. Herman Smith's article "Dig it"
For those that know Casey Moore, ask him what he told Herman was the reason the Mayan population died out, and then ask him how Herman took to his revelation.
Reality..What a concept!
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The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees. | https://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/374321/dig-it.html |
Cruise Travel Advice
For the latest guidance from the UK government on cruise ship travel, see:
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO): COVID-19 international cruise ship travel
- Department for Transport: COVID-19 domestic cruise ship travel
Cruise ship holidays remain popular with people of all ages. Cruise schedules are often to remote and exotic destinations and can range between a few days to several months in duration.
Health problems and disease outbreaks can quickly occur on board a ship due to the crowded environment and limited availability of medical care.
- Before booking a cruise holiday, it is important you consider all of the topics covered on this page to help protect your health, and also the health and safety of others on board.
General Cruise Travel Health Advice
Make sure you are as fit and healthy as possible before embarking on a cruise.
- On board activities and trips on shore can quickly become tiring, particularly if you are sailing to warmer climates.
See your GP, specialist physician or travel health professional to discuss your health and suitability for cruise ship travel if:
- you have a chronic health condition
- are pregnant
- have a condition which affects your immune system
Contact your cruise operator to determine what pre-boarding health screening measures may be required:
- notify your cruise operator of any special needs (such as wheelchair access, dialysis, oxygen tank)
Medical facilities
You should find out what medical facilities are on board the ship you plan to sail on before booking your cruise.
- Cruise ships have a medical centre on board able to provide both GP and emergency level care. Most, but not all ships have beds in their medical centre if you become seriously unwell.
- Be aware that you may need to be evacuated from the ship to a hospital on land if you become seriously unwell whilst on board, and/or the medical staff cannot safely care for your illness or injury.
If you are admitted to hospital abroad, it is likely you will need to fly home following your recovery. Consider this when choosing a cruise and the destinations to be visited, particularly if you are unable to fly for any reason.
There may be restrictions for pregnant women or young children being able to travel on certain itineraries or ships due to the lack of maternity or child medical services on board.
- You should check with your cruise operator before booking if this may affect you or your family.
Dental care is not usually available on board.
- You should consider having a dental check-up and completing any ongoing dental work prior to boarding.
Medications and medical supplies on board may be in limited supply. Make sure you bring:
- enough supply of your own regular medications, kept in the original packaging to cover the whole trip and some extra, in case you are abroad for longer than expected
- a copy of your current repeat prescription
- a medical summary from your GP for any chronic conditions or medical treatment you are receiving
Travel Insurance
Medical care on board a ship is not covered by the NHS.
- You will be charged to see a doctor or nurse and for any medical treatment or medication you receive.
- The cost of medical care on a cruise ship can become expensive very quickly, particularly if you require to be taken off the ship for further medical care.
Buy cruise-specific travel insurance which covers:
- all of the countries on your itinerary
- any pre-existing medical conditions you may have
You should check if your policy covers costs associated with COVID-19 or travel disruptions.
Safety
Cruise ships have strict security screening at the ship's gangway and within the terminal buildings at each port, just like airports. All passengers and crew must pass through security each time they board the ship.
- If you have a pacemaker, you should consider carrying an alert card and advise the security staff if you are unable to pass through the x-ray screening devices.
Consider your own personal safety and respect local laws, customs and cultures whenever you are in port:
- Read the 'safety and security advice' and 'local laws and customs' sections in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development office (FCDO) foreign travel advice pages for the countries you are visiting.
Slips, trips and falls are a frequent cause of injury on ships. Pool side areas, outdoor decks and stairways can become wet and slippery.
- Wear appropriate shoes at all times, particularly around poolside areas and during rough seas.
Reducing Risk of Travel Related Illness
Before you start your cruise, think about ways to reduce the possible health risks you may face, both on land and on the ship.
Vaccinations
At least 6 to 8 weeks before travel see a travel health adviser to find out if you need any vaccinations for the trip.
- You should make sure you are up to date with vaccinations recommended in the UK. Outbreaks of chicken pox, measles, rubella or meningococcal disease on cruise ships are not uncommon.
- Read the country pages of fitfortravel for all the countries you are visiting to find out if you require travel-related vaccinations:
- see a travel health professional if you are unsure, and take a copy of the places you are visiting and activities you are doing.
- If you are travelling to a country where yellow fever might be a risk some cruise operators may advise that you require to have proof of yellow fever:
- if you need a yellow fever vaccine or certificate, you should see a travel health professional at a yellow fever centre.
Coughs, colds and chest infections
Coughs, colds and chest infections are common on ships. Flu is the most common, can happen all year round and can be prevented by vaccination.
The cruise operator may require you to be vaccinated against flu (influenza) and COVID-19:
- make sure you have had your flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccines in the UK if you are eligible
To prevent coughs, colds and chest infections on the ship:
- wash your hands regularly
- follow strict hygiene precautions if you develop symptoms
- you should return to your cabin and report to the ships' medical centre as soon as possible if you develop a high temperature (fever) and/or any coughs, colds or breathlessness when on board
COVID-19 can quickly spread on ships due to the limited space and close mixing of people. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, cruise operators have improved infection control measures on board.
Before booking a cruise, you should:
- read the latest UK government guidance on international cruise ship travel and domestic cruise ship travel
- read the UK Chamber of Shipping guidance for UK passengers on cruises during the COVID-19 pandemic
- check with your cruise operator if you are considered clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable as you may not be able to cruise at this time
- check the protocols of your cruise operator to ensure you are comfortable with the safety measures on board
- read the COVID-19 Health Considerations for Travel page
- follow physical distancing measures, good hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene measures when on board to reduce the chance of catching COVID-19.
Infections from insect bites
Travelling to tropical destinations might expose you to diseases spread by insects, most of which cannot be prevented by vaccines. To reduce your risk, you should:
- follow insect bite precautions, particularly when going ashore or on trips
- wear appropriate clothing and protective footwear, including when you are on the beach or in the sea
- hats, water shoes, and clothing with long sleeves, long skirts or trouser legs to cover up exposed skin should be considered
- see a doctor or nurse if you develop a fever, rash or feel unwell
If your cruise visits country where malaria is present, you may be at risk, especially if the ship stays in port overnight, or you have a trip overnight on shore. You should:
- be aware of the risk of infection
- practise insect and mosquito bite avoidance measures at all times
- take antimalarial tablets if they are recommended by a travel health professional
Diarrhoea and Vomiting illness
Stomach upsets and travellers’ diarrhoea are a common complaint on cruise ships because there are lots of people closer together and changes to your diet. Norovirus infection is one of the common causes of outbreaks on ships.
You can reduce your risk of vomiting and diarrhoea illness by:
- following safe food and water precautions, both on the ship and when on land
- maintaining strict hand hygiene and personal hygiene measures
It is essential to report any episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting immediately to the ships' medical centre to help prevent onward transmission to other passengers and crew.
Other Risks
Environment Risks
Depending on where the ship is going, you might meet extremes of hot and cold temperatures.
It's easy to underestimate the amount of sun you are exposed to on a ship, especially with the cooling effect of sea breezes.
Protect yourself by:
- covering your skin with clothes
- wearing a hat or head scarf
- use a high factor sunscreen
- drink lots of clear fluids throughout the day
When it is cold consider wearing layers of clothing to allow you to adjust according to the temperature:
- always bring a warm jumper and hat with you to wear if there is a ship emergency requiring the use of lifeboats
Sea sickness is common, especially on smaller ships, and/or when the seas are rough.
- Consider taking medications to prevent sea sickness if you suffer from this or if this is your first cruise, talk to your GP or pharmacist.
Behavioural risks
Drinking increased alcohol or using recreational drugs increases the chance of accidents, injuries, unsafe sex or breaking safety rules.
- Falling overboard or leaning or climbing over balconies or rails on board can result in death.
- Take care when swimming in pools on the ship or in the sea when on land as lifeguards are not always available.
- Follow safe sex rules.
- Be aware that the Captain may make people leave the ship at the next port if they break safety rules. | https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/general-travel-health-advice/cruises.aspx |
New research indicates that exercise can help alleviate excessive daytime sleepiness among depressed individuals.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care looked into blood samples that identified two biological markers for hypersomnia, which is characterized by sleeping too much at night as well as excessive daytime sleepiness in those with Major Depressive Disorder. Exercise reduced the levels of the two biomarker proteins, resulting in reduced excessive sleepiness.
“Hypersomnia, as well as insomnia, have been linked in the development, treatment, and recurrence of depression. Sleep disturbances are also some of the most persistent symptoms in depression. Identifying these biomarkers, combined with new understanding of the important role of exercise in reducing hypersomnia, have potential implications in the treatment of major depressive disorder,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Madhukar Trivedi.
People with hypersomnia are compelled to nap repeatedly during the day, often at inappropriate times such as at work, during a meal, or in conversation. They often have difficulty waking from a long sleep, and may feel disoriented upon waking, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other symptoms may include anxiety, increased irritation, decreased energy, restlessness, slow thinking, slow speech, loss of appetite, hallucinations, and memory difficulty. Some patients lose the ability to function in family, social, occupational, or other settings.
Researchers had previously found a negative loop in which sleep, inflammation and depression interact and progressively worsen. The results of the current and previous research on insomnia suggest that exercise may be resetting this negative feedback loop. | https://sleepbetter.org/exercise-helps-ease-sleep-disorders/ |
How Did We Do?
At Independence Equine and Small Animal Clinic we always strive to provide the highest quality patient care and awesome customer service. We always want to know “How We Are Doing?” Your feedback is important to us!
In this age of technology, the Internet has become the primary source of information regarding veterinary care options available for your beloved pets. By sharing your personal experiences at our clinic you can enable others to gain an insight into the veterinary care we can provide. To share your experience, please click on one of the links below. You will be redirected to a site with an option to write a review (you may have to register with the site first), and can add a message with your thoughts.
We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and thank you for your feedback. Please feel free to call us at 940-668-8282 if we can be of further assistance or if you would like to share your thoughts in person.
Thank you for your continued support! | https://independenceanimal.com/how-did-we-do |
World Trade Report of WTO: Key Highlights
The World Trade Organisation recently released the World Trade Report, 2020. The report analyses the adoption of government policies to foster technological progress and digital innovation. The report says that due to covid-19 crisis, around 115 countries have adopted new digital and industrial strategies to fasten the transition towards digital economy. This mainly includes tax breaks to facilitate digital innovation, policies to address access to data, technological hub to maximise knowledge diffusion and research and development report.
The increasing importance of data in the digital world is creating higher demand for new international rules on data localisation, privacy protection and data transfer.
Key findings of the report
- The report highlighted that the World Trade Organisation has supported innovation by eliminating tariffs through the Information Technology Agreement.
- The report says that Asian power houses which has India China and Japan have contributed to 40% of world research and development in 2017. The contribution was 8.2 % in 1996.
- According to the report, Brain gain effects exist in Russia and China but not in India. Brain gain is the increase in number of intelligent and trained professionals entering a country to live and work as the country provides greater opportunities.
- According to the report, the online platforms have gained significant growth since the start of the pandemic. For instance, the MercadoLibre reported 70.5% increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2020. Similarly, Alibaba reported 22% increase in sales in the first quarter.
- The main challenge that lies in the changing digital world is to build up necessary infrastructure that facilitates the transition.
About the World Trade Report
It is published annually. It aims to deepen understanding about the trends in trade, issues, policies. The World Trade report, 2020, has focused on technology and innovation policies in the current digitalizing world economy. The report explains the role of the World Trade Organisation in the changing world. | https://www.gktoday.in/current-affairs/world-trade-report-of-wto-key-highlights/ |
The European Space Agency – of which, for the time being, the UK remains a fully engaged member – has quietly cleared for takeoff a space mission to address the biggest question of all: what is the universe made of? Galaxies, stars, black holes, asteroids, planets and people together add up only to a trifling 4% of all that there is: the remaining 96% is mysterious and very dark. The agency's Euclid is an optical and infrared space telescope that will be launched in 2020, to spend six years a million miles beyond Earth, measuring with subtle techniques and exquisite precision the geometry, distribution and acceleration of billions of galaxies across distances that extend 10bn years back in time.
Modern observational science began when Galileo turned a rudimentary pair of lenses on the moon and Jupiter. The paradox is that each great advance since then has successively also exposed even bigger questions about the firmament above and the emptiness around us. It was only in the 1960s that radio astronomers confirmed that spacetime, radiation and atomic matter all had their origins in a big bang less than 20bn years ago. But even before this, observers had begun to puzzle about the behaviour of the galaxies: none of them seemed to have anything like the gravitational mass implied by their shape and structure.
That was the point at which physicists began to propose a mysterious component of the universe called dark matter. This strange stuff does not shine or glow, does not bounce off anything or announce its existence in any recognised way. Nevertheless it has gravitational mass that glues an estimated 200bn galaxies, each of perhaps 200bn stars, into cohesive and enduring structures. And, clearly, it far outweighs all visible matter. Only 14 years ago, physicists contemplating the most distant galactic supernovae made the Nobel prizewinning discovery that these distant brightnesses were receding at an ever-faster rate, when the logic of gravitational theory suggested they should be slowing down. It was as if some kind of antigravity, detectable only at vast distances, and accounting for an estimated 73% of the total mass-energy of the cosmos, had taken charge, and would eventually disperse all other galaxies beyond the universal horizon, condemning any survivors in a far-distant future to an eternity of frozen blackness.
The Euclid project is a partnership of 1,000 scientists from 100 institutes. Their instruments will make the most meticulous measurements of galactic behaviour, on the principle that riddles that have been revealed by careful examination may logically be solved by even more careful examination. What's the betting, though, that even if it does deliver a compelling answer, Euclid will also unveil an even more astonishing set of questions?
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Spiced cranberry sauce is really easy to make. Perfect for Thanksgiving.
Spiced Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
Fresh or frozen cranberries. Fresh or frozen cranberries both work in this recipe. If your cranberries are frozen, simply use as directed. Cooking time increases slightly when making cranberry sauce from frozen cranberries but not by much.
Granulated sugar. Fresh cranberries are very tart. For sweetness, add granulated sugar to the cranberries. As written, this recipe makes a sweet-tart sauce. If you prefer a sweet cranberry sauce, increase granulated sugar from 3/4 cup to one cup. The water helps the cranberries to cook into a thick sauce.
Pie spice. The spice for this easy spiced cranberry sauce comes from pumpkin pie spice. It’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves and adds a lovely flavor to cranberry sauce without overpowering it. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, replace it with a blend of cinnamon and ginger—or all cinnamon.
Orange juice and zest (optional). The zest and juice of a fresh orange adds a lovely flavor to this spiced cranberry sauce.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Combine all ingredients. Grab a medium pot and combine all the ingredients. As cranberries cook, they pop. It’s a good idea to use a larger pot than you think you need to prevent a mess.
Stir frequently. As the cranberry sauce comes to a boil, stir it frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pot and burning.
Mash the cranberries. After the cranberries are soft, mash them with either the back of a spoon or a potato masher. If you like a really smooth sauce, use an imersion blender.
Cook until thick. Cook the cranberry sauce until thick. This usually takes about 12 to 15 minutes total.
Serve. Cranberry sauce is usually enjoyed cold. Remove the sauce from the stove and allow to cool. Then transfer to a covered container and chill until ready to serve. Cranberry sauce can also be served warm.
Other Holiday Recipes To Try
Creamy Lemon Pie. An easy three ingredient pie.
Easy Chocolate “Mousse” Pie. Instant pudding and heavy cream make it easy to make a fluffy chocolate pie.
Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread. A savory cranberry sauce tops a block of cream cheese for an easy appetizer.
Cranberry Puff Pastry Pies. So good and so easy. Fill puff pastry with a little leftover cranberry sauce and some cream cheese for an easy (and delicious) dessert!
Easy Spiced Cranberry Sauce
It's easy to make homemade cranberry sauce. Cook together fresh cranberries with water, sugar, and some spices. If you've got a fresh orange, it's a lovely addition to this sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (see note)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see note)
- 1 medium orange, zest and juice, optional
Instructions
-
Wash cranberries. In a medium pot, combine cranberries, water, granulated sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. If using an orange, add the zest and juice. Stir to combine.
-
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir frequently. When cranberries are soft, mash with either a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Do this right in the pot. Stir to combine. Cook until thick, about 12 minutes total.
-
Remove from heat. Serve sauce warm or allow to cool and then store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Sugar. As written, this recipe makes a sweet and tart sauce. For a sweeter cranberry sauce, increase sugar to one cup.
Pie Spice. Replace pie spice with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
Orange Juice. The fresh orange can be replaced with 1/2 cup orange juice. | https://cookfasteatwell.com/spiced-cranberry-sauce/ |
At Raven Makes Gallery; Lillian’s contemporary fine art pieces and jewelry delight today’s art lovers, and at the same time, honor the history and legends of her people. A highly accomplished and well-regarded artist, Lillian began her career working in clay. Since then her works include artistic creations in bronze, glass, prints, mixed media, and jewelry. Her vision, which is contemporary in nature, reflects the traditions, lifeways, and symbols of her ancestors, innovative traders and artists of the Columbia River Gorge. Artist Reception and opening Friday, 4:00-7:00 pm; show continues through Sunday. | https://www.visitbend.com/events/lillian-pitt-gallery-showing-and-reception-in-sisters-2018-06-24/ |
Taking the Pain Out of Putting Practice
Most golfers understand the need to stretch and warm-up before hitting full swings on the practice range. But did you know that it is just as important to warm up and stretch before practicing putting? Doing so can help you prevent injury and lessen those back, hip and neck aches that often accompany extended putting practice.
So let's go over three stretches/exercises to do before, during and after a practice putting session.
Before Practicing Putting: Overhead Deep Squat
This exercise will warm up your back, hips, knees, shoulders and ankles and it will prepare your body for the time you are about to spend bent over your putter.
- Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your putter with both hands above your head.
- Step 2: Slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, keeping the putter above your head and your heels planted firmly on the ground. Hold for a moment and then slowly stand up.
- Step 3: Repeat overhead deep squat 6 to 8 times. Now you are ready to begin your practice putting session.
During the Practice Putting Session: Self-Massage
If you want to avoid soreness after a putting green session, not only should you warm up properly, but you should also take some breaks during practice. Your back, hips and neck will thank you.
During those breaks, performing a quick self-massage can help keep muscles relaxed, improve range of motion and even help release endorphins (the chemicals in your body that make you feel good). Performing self-massage while you practice your putting will help you stay loose and keep you on the putting green longer.
- Step 1: Using your putter shaft, place the club behind your back and simply roll the club up and down, massaging your back.
- Step 2: Massage each side of your lower back for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Step 3: Repeat frequently during your practice putting session.
After Practicing Putting: Forward Bend
- Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your putter parallel to the ground behind your back.
- Step 2: Slowly bend forward hinging from the hips, dropping the club to your ankles. Hold position for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Step 3: Slowly come back up to starting position by rolling your spine up one vertebra at a time. Your head should be the last part of your body to come up. Repeat exercise two to three times. | https://www.golfcompendium.com/2021/07/stretches-for-pain-free-putting-practice.html |
According to the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability, one-quarter of all adults with disabilities work at either a full- or part-time job. Although some of the remaining three-quarters are unable to work at all due to their disability, many others don't have a job because they lack the skills necessary for gainful employment or fear losing vital government benefits if they do work.
Once a child reaches 18 and receives Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) payments, the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers several programs to encourage her to work. The best-known program, the Ticket to Work Plan, is a somewhat complicated program designed to offer beneficiaries a way to begin a career without having to worry about losing their SSDI benefits.
Through the Ticket to Work Plan's work incentives program, any month that an SSDI beneficiary earns more than $700 counts as a month of "trial work." If during any five-year period an SSDI beneficiary has nine months where he earns more than this $700 limit, the trial period ends. When this happens, the SSDI beneficiary does not receive an SSDI payment in any month where he makes "substantial earnings" of more than $980 (in 2009). For three years after the end of the trial period a beneficiary can immediately regain benefits if he falls below the substantial earnings level and still has a disability.
Also, a beneficiary receiving Medicare because of participation in SSDI can continue to receive free Medicare Part A services for up to four and a half years following the end of the trial period.
While complicated, these rules make an SSDI beneficiary's transition into the workforce slightly less burdensome than if benefits immediately ended. Unfortunately, the rules for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries are much more focused on income and asset levels, which makes it harder for an SSI beneficiary to hold a full time job, even under the Ticket to Work program, and maintain benefits.
Many programs are available for people with special needs to seek employment if they would like to do so, and more programs will be discussed in future articles. Unfortunately, the rules for most of these programs are complicated and the SSA is often not very good at explaining them. Parental attention and planning well before a child turns 18, usually with the assistance of local vocational agencies and qualified attorneys, offers the best chance for successfully navigating the maze of educational and employment opportunities. | http://tracytysonmiller.com/newsArchives/december09.html |
Up For Consideration on Tuesday before the Oakland City Council's Public Safety Committee, a Transparency Ordinance Grants Community Control Over Spying Equipment Use.
Oakland-On May 9 at 6pm, the Public Safety Committee of the Oakland City Council will vote on approving a sweeping ordinance that requires City Council approval prior to possible acquisition and use of surveillance technology. For approved proposals, the ordinance mandates implementation of usage policies, determinations of cost/benefit analysis, civil rights and privacy impact reports, and ongoing oversight via annual reporting.
The comprehensive ordinance was developed by the city's Privacy Advisory Commission. The PAC was created after Oakland's community waged a multi-year battle to prevent a Homeland Security-funded citywide spying dragnet called the Domain Awareness Center.
The Privacy Advisory Commission modeled their version of the ordinance after a Santa Clara County law adopted in June of 2016, a groundbreaking achievement as the first local surveillance equipment transparency ordinance in the nation. The Oakland ordinance seeks to codify the informal framework that resulted in the PAC's creation of privacy and use policies for FLIR (Thermal Imaging Camera) and Stingray (Cell Phone Interceptors) equipment, both of which were adopted unanimously by Oakland's City Council. The ordinance also provides for whistleblower protection, and prohibits entering into non-disclosure agreements.
Oakland's City Attorney and City Administrator have recommended adoption of the ordinance, following a unanimous vote by the Privacy Advisory Commission. Similar ordinances are under discussion in several Bay Area cities, counties and regional entities including Alameda County, Palo Alto, Richmond, Berkeley and the Bay Area Rapid Transit District. | https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2017/05/08/18799255.php |
Kuper, Adam (2005) The reinvention of primitive society: transformations of a myth. Routledge, London, UK. ISBN 9780415357616Full text not available from this repository.
Abstract
The Invention of Primitive Society, Adam Kuper’s best selling critique of ideas about the origins of society and religion that have been much debated since Darwin, has been hugely influential in anthropology and post-colonial studies. This topical new edition, entitled The Reinvention of Primitive Society, has been thoroughly revised and updated to take account of new research in the field. It coincides with a revival of the myth of primitive society by the ‘indigenous peoples’ movement’, which taps into a widespread popular belief about the noble savage and reflects a romantic reaction against ‘civilisation’ and ‘science’. By way of fascinating accounts of classic texts in anthropology, classical studies and law, the book reveals how wholly mistaken theories can become the basis for academic research and political programmes. In new chapters, Kuper challenges this most recent version of the myth of primitive society and traces conceptions of the barbarian, savage and primitive back through the centuries to ancient Greece. Lucidly written and student friendly, this is the must-have text for those interested in anthropological theory and current post-colonial debates. | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/54601/ |
The Legacy of Pride in Opera
June 1st marks the beginning of Pride Month, which takes place in June to honor the Stonewall Riots of 1969. During a time where authorities refused to provide liquor licenses to bars that served gay people, cops raided the Stonewall Inn for operating without a permit. The majority of people arrested were drag queens and gay men of color. In response, the LGBTQ+ community fought back against unfair and violent practices. The Stonewall Riots marked the tipping point for the American Gay Liberation Movement. Today, the month of June is used to celebrate LGBTQ+ people, hold memorials for those lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS, and recognize the huge impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on our world.
Opera is no exception to the magnitude of impact made by LGBTQ+ people. Some of your favorite composers may have had to hide their identities during their lifetimes, but we can celebrate their works and true selves today!
Jean-Baptiste de Lully (1632-1687)
Lully is often hailed as the father of early French opera. As the best friend of Louis XIV and Master of the King’s Music, Lully collaborated with French poet Molière to write plays with music and ballet. Lully staged at least 15 operas within his lifetime, establishing many operatic traditions, including the use of dance within operas. Although Lully married the daughter of a court composer, it was confirmed many times that he had extramarital affairs with men and women. After being caught in an affair with a young page in Louis XIV’s court, Lully was unfortunately relieved of his position and stripped of his influence. Although homosexual activity was a capital offense at this time in France, King Louis XIV was sympathetic and allowed the nobility to carry out a discreet subculture in his court because his brother, Philippe, was a celebrated warrior and drag queen, who would often ride into battle wearing women’s dresses and makeup. Lully’s impact on the opera world is immeasurable, as he mastered the French Baroque style and subsequently set the course for opera through history.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Handel’s contributions to opera are expansive, as a baroque composer who brought early Italian opera to its peak. One of opera’s most prolific composers, his works remain often-performed today, including Rinaldo, Giulio Cesare, and Agrippina. Other works include The Messiah (yes, THAT one), Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. He created new genres of oratorios, concertos, and English church music. Handel was widely believed to be gay due to the social circles he frequented, although no concrete evidence proves whether he was or was not. Either way, his music was no doubt influenced by the gay subculture he was surrounded with. Handel’s chamber cantatas were composed for smaller audiences of his friends and supporters; therefore, his compositions were often influenced by the homosexual men he was friends with and majorly influenced the rest of his works. During his time living in England, police broke down the underground gay community, which caused Handel to rewrite some of his lyrics to avoid any suspicion.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (TW: Suicide)
Considered by some to be the father of the Classical Era, Beethoven often deliberately wrote of women who were unavailable or not of his class to cover up his own desires and leanings. Although his sexuality has never been officially determined, Beethoven enjoyed relationships with various women and men. He was rumored to be in love with his nephew, Karl, and adopted him once Karl’s father (Beethoven’s brother) passed away. This was the end of any female relationships in Beethoven’s life, as he turned all of his love and affection to Karl. Beethoven was jealous and controlling, often dismissing Karl’s male friends and forcing Karl to stay with him at all times. This drove Karl to attempt suicide, leading to a month-long hospitalization during which Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was debuted. Beethoven’s letters have been well-researched and detail many intimate moments in his relationships.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) (TW: Suicide)
The famous composer of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and operas Eugene Onegin and Iolanta, was openly gay within his lifetime. His homosexuality has since been hastily covered up by the Russian government. Tchaikovsky’s sexuality is well-documented by his own letters. He fell in love with his own nephew and dedicated his Symphonie Pathétique to him. Another one of his lovers influenced the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. His true identity has been continuously and very recently rewritten by the Russian government, who deemed promotion of gay stories punishable by imprisonment. With many failed marriages to women, Tchaikovsky was reported to the Tsar by an acquaintance that had found out about his homosexual leanings. Tchaikovsky soon died of cholera, but it is now widely suspected he was forced to take his own life because of his sexuality.
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Poulenc struggled to come to terms with his sexuality, as he was extremely religious, and he went through a few periods of deep depression due to this internal conflict. Writing music in almost every genre of music, he was also part of Les Six, which was a group of famous young French composers. He had many relationships with men and women throughout his life, fathering one child with a woman he did not eventually marry. He wrote his one-act opera, La voix humaine, based on a libretto written by Jean Cocteau, a French homosexual icon.
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
In a musical era where dissonance was encouraged, Copland became known as the father of American music. He infused American folk and jazz traditions into his compositions, while capitalizing on open fourths and fifths to portray the sprawling of American land. Copland was openly gay, but due to the hostile climate toward homosexuality in America at the time, Copland avoided political and social justice movements and chose to focus on his compositions.
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Many of Britten’s works were inspired by and dedicated to his life partner, Sir Peter Pears. Living in England during a time where it was illegal to be gay, Britten forced to live a discreet life which often impacted his compositions. His operas revolve around loners and outsiders; his librettists were also gay and felt the same anguish he experienced. Britten’s most popular works include Turn of the Screw, Peter Grimes, and War Requiem. After his death, the Queen sent Sir Peter Pears a letter of condolence, which is the way a spouse of a significant person would have been treated. This indicated a potential beginning towards the acceptance of homosexuality in England.
Samuel Barber (1910-1981) and Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007)
Although they were famous independently of each other, Barber and Menotti became life partners after meeting at the Curtis Institute of Music. Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, Vanessa, was based on a libretto by Menotti. Barber’s catalogue also include operas Antony and Cleopatra and A Hand of Bridge. Menotti’s commonly performed operas include The Consul, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and The Saint of Bleecker Street. Both of these contemporary composers are celebrated and their operas are widely performed today. | https://inlandnwopera.com/pride-in-opera/ |
Are you an flexible, enthusiastic and committed to delivering high-quality results in a dynamic and fast-paced environment? Do you have experience working across teams and functions to deliver projects on time and budget? If so, Quotient Technology is hiring, and we’d like to talk to you!
As a member of the Project Management Office, the Technical Project Manager contributes, reviews, documents, communicates, analyzes, and manages the various requirements, milestones and deadlines of a project throughout its lifecycle. The Technical Success Manager manages the technical development of business systems and establishment of new processes while insuring that the retailer/partner and overall projects are completed within the set schedule and budget. This person will be responsible for individual projects and work closely with the retailer/partner teams as well as stakeholders from multiple departments. We expect this person to be > 50% in Pleasanton and the rest of the time in Mountain View
What You’ll Do:
- Work as primary point of contact with Retailers/Partners and internal teams to plan and execute integrating and growing a cloud-based retail platform and be the technical and planning expert for the retailers
- Interface directly with the Sales team to maximize their ability to sell and scale revenue at the client
- Identify solutions to problems using existing in place technology
- Develop and manage integration plans and project plans; identify and mitigate risks and issues throughout integration
- Build and improve processes and own pricing structure within
- Analyze, assess and resolve issues as they arise.
- Prepare and coordinate critical onsite and virtual meetings
- Support technical project teams through driving critical milestones and deliverables
- Maintain an ongoing on-site cadence with partners throughout the project
- Participate in Solution Management and Engineering meetings to share feedback from retailers and partners on the solution
What You’ll Bring: | http://jobs.jobvite.com/quotient/job/o8c49fwh |
Essay on Diwali
National festivals are the lifeblood of a nation. They add charm and thrill to our humdrum life. India being a melting -pot of religions, race, and cultures, it has a plethora of festivals and feasts.
Among these, Diwali perhaps is the most pan-Indian festival celebrated with great pomp and mirth throughout the length and breadth of the country. Diwali, better known as, Deepawali among the Indian masses, is a festival of lights.
The exact origin of the festival is not known. Some believe that it is connected with the triumph of Lord Krishna over Nakrasura. Some associate the origin of the festival to the worship of goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
Essay on Diwali
However, the most prevalent belief is that the festival marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. On this day, it is believed that Rama came back to Ayodhya after his victory over evil Ravana of Lanka who had taken away his wife, Sita.
People greatly rejoiced the return of their beloved prince. They lighted up whole Ayodhya with earthen lamps, decorated their houses and welcomed them with pomp and ceremony. The present day celebration of Diwali is held in remembrance of this event.
Diwali is generally celebrated in late October or early November, soon after the rainy season is over. A lot of preparation goes in before the actual festival. Houses are cleansed, white washed and painted. Every nook and corner of the house is swept clean.
Essay on Diwali
Thereafter, in the evening earthen lamps and decorative lights are put in and around the house giving an atmosphere of joy and happiness. As the night approaches, children light up the sky with their firecrackers. The streets and bazaars bear a dazzling look.
Illumination of every hue and colour light up shops and buildings. Thus, there is gaiety, cheerfulness, merrymaking and fun everywhere. There is joy on every face. On this day every one put on their best dress which has been purchased well in advance. People exchange greetings and share sweets and meals as a mark of friendship and brotherhood.
Diwali is an important day for the traders. It is the beginning of Hindu commercial calendar. Many of them start their new account books on this day, after the puja held in honour of goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Special prayers are offered to goddess Lakshmi for her blessings on the household and on business.
Essay on Diwali
The festival of Diwali teaches us many values of life. More than anything else the festival symbolises the ultimate victory of good over evil. It teaches us that one day or other the evil existing in this world would be subdued by goodness and righteousness. Rama’s obedience to parents, Sita’s faithfulness, Lakshman’s unflinching love for his brother, etc., teach us many noble lessons of life.
The festival is a national festival celebrated by everyone irrespective of caste, creed and race. It therefore, promotes unity, common brotherhood, and communal harmony. Hence, in a world like ours, broken by narrow domestic walls of religious fanaticism and social disharmony, a festival like Diwali can bring people together, heal wounds, and can help in fostering national integration.
Of late, external celebrations of Diwali have taken predominance over its religious content. As years proceed the celebration is becoming more commercial and superficial leading to much unhealthy practices, like gambling and drinking. Therefore, there is an urgent need to put sobriety, restraint, and caution in the present-day celebration of Diwali, so as to maintain its sanctity and original grandeur. | https://www.sikotar.com/essay-on-diwali/ |
This article updates users on our plans for implementing double deflation methodology and provides a background to the project. Double deflation is the preferred methodology for deriving estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) and gross value added (GVA) in volume terms.
Users less familiar with concepts or terminology related to National Accounts may wish to consider the introductory reading material that ONS provides, such as the Guide to National Accounts; Balancing the Three Approaches to Measuring Gross Domestic Product; and A guide to the supply and use process.Back to table of contents
2. Gross domestic product, gross value added and double deflation
Gross value added (GVA) measures the contribution to the economy of each individual producer, industry or sector in the UK and is used in the estimation of gross domestic product (GDP). The relationships can be defined as:
output minus intermediate consumption equals GVA
GVA plus taxes on products minus subsidies on products equals GDP
GVA and GDP may be presented in current prices, which include the impact of price changes. Alternatively, they can be presented in chained volume measures (CVMs); meaning effects of price changes are removed by considering changes in quantity between consecutive periods, holding prices from previous periods constant.
Single deflation uses one indicator to derive CVM GVA, such as the deflation of output only. Double deflation, however, is considered the best practice methodology and should be carried out within a supply and use framework1. In simple terms, double deflation is the separate deflation of output and intermediate consumption to arrive at volume GVA.
Notes for: Gross domestic product, gross value added and double deflation
- For more information see Eurostat Manual of Supply, Use and Input-Output Tables.
3. Supply and use
To understand double deflation, it is important for users to also be aware of the three measures of gross domestic product (GDP) and how they relate to supply and use tables. For reference, users are reminded that the three approaches to measuring GDP are:
output – GDP(O): the sum of the value added created through the production of goods and services within the economy
income – GDP(I): the total income generated by the production of goods and services within the economy; this includes income earned by companies, employees and the self-employed
expenditure – GDP(E): the total final expenditure on all finished goods and services produced within the economy
In the short term, differences in data and sources mean that these three measures are not equal. Supply and use balancing addresses these differences and uses detailed indicators, which only become available after 1 to 2 years. In annual supply and use tables (SUTs), the three approaches to GDP (income, output and expenditure) are fully reconciled using a matrix of industries and products1.
Supply and use tables that balance these three measures of GDP are produced at present in current prices, but by moving to compiling them also in previous year’s prices (PYP2), we will implement double deflation methodology by 2020.
Notes for: Supply and use
Additional information can be found in the Commentary on supply and use balanced estimates of annual GDP: 1997 to 2014.
PYPs are used in the calculation of a chained volume measure.
4. Implementation and impact
Introducing double deflation methodology is a high-priority, strategic development for the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Our plan of moving from single to double deflation as a way for determining annual gross domestic product (GDP) in volume terms is supported by recommendations of the National Statistics Quality Review of National Accounts and Balance of Payments (NSQR) and the Independent Review of Economic Statistics, led by Sir Charles Bean (the Bean Review). In addition, changes to the European System of Accounts requirements means that from 2018, the UK must deliver supply and use tables in previous year’s prices (PYP SUTs) to Eurostat for reference year 2015. PYP SUTs are a stepping stone towards double deflation.
Double deflation is applied by a number of National Statistics Institutes, including France, the Netherlands and Canada, whilst most others still follow a single-deflation approach. Although double deflation is considered best practice, its use does not necessarily mean one country’s statistics are more accurate than another’s. There are many other factors to consider, such as the quality of the underlying data in current prices, the quality of price indices for deflators, the appropriateness of deflators used, and the level of detail for industries and products.
Double deflation should and will affect volume growth rates of GDP and gross value added (GVA) for existing years that have been balanced through the supply and use framework, due to differences in methods and the use of different prices. It must be stressed that this does not mean the current estimates of growth are invalid. Countries regularly update their methodologies and introduce new estimates of national accounts. Case studies of double deflation have shown that the directional bias is not universal.Back to table of contents
5. Next steps
As stated in the Bean Review, double deflation will be implemented in 2020 and gross domestic product (GDP) in chained volume measures (CVMs) will be estimated through a supply and use framework in previous year’s prices (PYP). Ahead of implementing double deflation, supply and use tables in previous year’s prices for 2015 will be delivered to Eurostat in 2018. This is part of the standard delivery for these estimates and although the Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not normally publish “PYP data”, we will explore with users if there is demand for these data to be published.
At this stage in development, we have not finalised estimates from the double deflation-approach and research is ongoing in this important area. We do, however, recognise that there is a user demand to understand the impact of double deflation to revisions of gross value added (GVA) and GDP estimates. Throughout 2017, we will be engaging with users and aim to publish methods articles.
To illustrate the methodology, we are working towards publishing case studies of double-deflated GVA. These estimates will begin to be released in 2017. The focus of our research in this area involves deriving a series of supply and use tables in previous year’s prices, which will estimate value added in double-deflated terms. We will also be exploring the impact of deflator selection on estimates. This analysis should prove useful in understanding if any biases may exist in single-deflated estimates. | https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/uksectoraccounts/articles/doubledeflation/updateonprogress |
Canopus, Alpha Carinae (α Car), is a white bright giant star located in the constellation Carina. With an apparent magnitude of -0.74, it is the brightest star in Carina and the second brightest star in the sky, after Sirius. Canopus lies at an approximate distance of 310 light years from Earth. With an absolute magnitude of -5.71, it is the most luminous star within several hundred light years of the Sun.
Star type
Canopus is a bright giant star of the spectral type A9 II. Some sources give the spectral class F0, even though it was changed to A9 after considering the effects of rotation in the late 1980s. In either case, Alpha Carinae appears white in colour. Some sources have described it as yellow-white, but this may be due to the star’s low position in the sky, where its colour is affected by atmospheric effects.
Canopus has run out of hydrogen to burn in its core and, after spending about 30 million years as a blue main sequence star with about 10 solar masses, it has evolved away from the main sequence and lost some of its initial mass. The star’s age is uncertain but, taking its mass into account, its entire lifespan will likely be measured in only tens of millions of years.
Canopus has a mass 8 times that of the Sun and, as it left the main sequence, it has expanded to a size of 71 solar radii. If it were placed at the centre of the solar system, it would come close to the orbit of Mercury (66 – 100 solar radii). With a surface temperature of 7,400 K, Canopus has a luminosity 10,700 times that of the Sun. It is a very slow spinner, with a projected rotational velocity of only 9 km/s.
Canopus has already passed through the red giant branch (RGB) and has ceased burning helium in its core. Now it is in the blue loop phase of its life cycle, where it becomes a hotter star before it starts to cool again. The star may not be massive enough to end its life as a supernova. If it is not massive enough to fuse neon and its core does not collapse, it may leave a remnant neon-oxygen white dwarf.
The currently accepted distance of 310 light years is based on the 2007 Hipparcos reduction and a parallax of 10.43 ± 0.53 milliarcseconds. Before the launch of the Hipparcos satellite, distance estimates ranged from only 96 light years to as much as 1,200 light years.
Canopus exhibits small changes in radial velocity believed to be caused by movements in its atmosphere. The star has a magnetic field that shows variations with the same period (6.90 days). Its magnetically heated corona is about 10 times hotter than the Sun’s and emits radio waves and X-rays.
Canopus may have a red dwarf companion. In 2014, American astronomer Eric Mamajek reported a possible common motion companion located 1.16 degrees south of Canopus. The red dwarf shows strong magnetic activity and appears to be moving through space with Canopus. Even though the projected separation between the two stars is quite large – about 1.9 parsecs – it still puts the red dwarf within the estimated tidal radius of Canopus (2.9 parsecs) if the stars lie at the same distance from Earth. The dwarf has the designation 2MASS J06234738-5351131 in the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) catalogue and is sometimes referred to as Canopus B.
Facts
Canopus is one of the 58 bright stars selected for navigation. Navigational stars are among the brightest and most recognizable stars in the sky, which makes them exceptionally useful in the field of celestial navigation. Canopus and two other Carina stars – the fainter Miaplacidus and Avior – belong to the southernmost group of navigational stars, with a declination between 30° S and 90° S. Other stars in this group include Suhail in the constellation Vela, Ankaa in Phoenix, Alpha Centauri, Hadar and Menkent in Centaurus, Achernar and Acamar in Eridanus, Acrux and Gacrux in Crux, Fomalhaut in Piscis Austrinus, Kaus Australis in Sagittarius, Shaula in Scorpius, and Peacock in Pavo.
Canopus was the brightest star of the Greek constellation Argo Navis, which represented the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed on their quest to get the Golden Fleece. The constellation was split into three smaller ones – Carina, Puppis and Vela, representing the keel, stern and sails of the ship – by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. As the luminary of Argo Navis, Canopus had the designation Alpha Argus Navis (α Arg), which was later changed to Alpha Carinae.
Canopus is one of the 27 bright stars featured on the flag of Brazil. Each star on the flag represents a Brazilian Federative Unit and Canopus symbolizes the state of Goiás.
Canopus is invisible from most northern locations, never rising above the horizon for observers north of the latitude 37° 18’ N. European observers became familiar with the star, as well as with its bright southern neighbours Alpha Centauri and Achernar, through the work of the English geographer and explorer Robert Hues, who described the three southern first-magnitude stars in his Tractatus de Globis (1592).
Due to the Earth’s axial precession, Canopus will come within 10 degrees of the south celestial pole around the year 14,000 CE.
With an absolute magnitude of -5.71, Canopus is more luminous than any other star that is closer to Earth. Even though it is currently the second brightest star in the sky, it is by far more luminous than Sirius. With a luminosity 25.4 times that of the Sun and an absolute magnitude of +1.42, Sirius appears brighter mainly because it is one of our nearest neighbours, lying at a distance of only 8.60 light years.
Canopus has been the brightest star in the sky several times in the last few million years and will be the brightest star again in 480,000 years. It replaced Mirzam (Beta Canis Majoris) as the brightest star 3,700,000 years ago, peaking at magnitude -1.86, and held the title until 1,370,000 years ago, when it was outshone by Ascella (Zeta Sagittarii). Then, 950,000 years ago, it once again became the brightest star, dethroning Zeta Leporis and peaking at magnitude -1.09, and held the title until it was succeeded by Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) 420,000 years ago. About 160,000 years ago, it took the title again, this time from Capella (Alpha Aurigae), and stayed the brightest star until it was replaced by Sirius some 90,000 years ago. At its brightest, it shone at magnitude -0.70. Sirius will stay the brightest star in the Earth’s sky for another 210,000 years, when it will be succeeded by Vega (Alpha Lyrae). Vega will be replaced by Canopus again in about 480,000 years. Canopus will shine at magnitude -0.40 at its brightest and keep the title until it is outshone by Menkalinan (Beta Aurigae) in 990,000 years.
Without interstellar extinction, which is quite low for the star, Canopus would be only 0.08 magnitudes brighter.
Canopus was listed as a standard star for the spectral class F0 in the Henry Draper Catalogue (HD), published between 1918 and 1924, and was considered an F-class star for about a century. It was assigned this class in 1897 as a star with relatively weak hydrogen lines and a strong calcium K line. In 1942, American astronomer Jesse Greenstein reported that the spectrum of Canopus was dominated by strong broad lines of hydrogen after observing the star with the 82-inch Otto Struve Telescope at McDonald Observatory on Mount Locke in West Texas. In 1966, observations in the ultraviolet confirmed that the star’s spectrum was consistent with a class F0 supergiant with an effective temperature of 6,900 K. A more detailed study of the spectrum, published in 1982, gave an effective temperature of 7,350 ± 30 K. When luminosity classes were introduced to the Morgan-Keenan (MK) classification scheme, Canopus was given the class Iab (intermediate luminosity supergiant). In 1991, it was assigned the spectral class F0II, indicating a bright giant and not supergiant, in the 5th edition of the Bright Star Catalogue. In the late 1980s, a study that took into account the effects of rotation on spectral classification adjusted the spectral class of Canopus to A9II.
The angular diameter of Canopus was measured interferometrically in 1968, yielding a value of 6.86 milliarcseconds (mas) for the limb-darkened diameter. The currently accepted diameter of 6.9 mas was obtained using AMBER (Astronomical Multi-BEam combineR), the near-infrared spectro-interferometric instrument of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in 2013. The physical radius of 71 ± 4 solar radii was derived from the angular diameter of 6.92 mas and the star’s distance.
Canopus was once believed to be a member of the Scorpius-Centaurus Association (Sco-Cen, Sco OB2), the nearest OB association to the solar system, that includes Antares, Acrux, Mimosa, Imai, and other stars in the constellations Scorpius, Centaurus, Crux, and Lupus. However, Canopus does not lie near any of the subgroups of Sco OB2 and is currently believed not to belong to this or any other nearby stellar group.
Canopus has been known to observers in southern latitudes since ancient times. While it was invisible to most cultures north of the equator, it could be seen from Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China. It did not rise above the horizon for ancient Greeks and Romans, but the Greek astronomers Eratosthenes and Ptolemy, who lived in the city of Alexandria in Egypt, were both familiar with the star and called it Kanōbos. In ancient Mesopotamia, the star was called NUN-ki. It symbolised the ancient city of Eridu in Babylonian star catalogues and in the astronomical compendium MUL.APIN (c. 1100 BCE). Today, the name Nunki belongs to Sigma Sagittarii, the second brightest star in the constellation Sagittarius.
In China, Canopus was known as Shou Xing, or the Star of Longevity. The name was mentioned in the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), a history of ancient China and one of the foundational texts of the Chinese civilization, finished by the Chinese historian Sima Qian around the year 94 BCE. Sima Qian considered the star to be Sirius’ southern counterpart and mentioned a sanctuary dedicated to it, established by the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin dynasty, between 221 and 210 BCE. In the Middle Ages, Canopus was commonly known as the Old Man of the South Pole in China.
In India, Canopus is known as Agastya. The star’s traditional name comes from Agastya, a Vedic rishi (sage) who authored hymns in Rigveda and other Vedic literature.
The major axis of the Kaaba, a building at the centre of the Great Mosque of Mecca, is aligned with the rising of the star and its southeast wall is directed toward Canopus.
The Negev Bedouin of Israel called the star Suhayl. Canopus and Polaris were the most important stars the Bedouin used in navigation.
The Guanche people of the island of Tenerife associated Canopus with Chaxiraxi, the Sun Mother and one of the principal deities in the Guanche pantheon.
In Botswana, the Nyae Nyae ǃKung people of the Kalahari Desert saw Canopus and Capella as the horns of Tshxum (the Pleiades). Canopus was the male horn and Capella the female one. The appearance of the two stars and the cluster in the sky signalled the beginning of the rainy season. The Sotho people of southern Africa know Canopus as Naka, the Horn Star, and traditionally keep watch for it in late May, awarding a cow for the earliest sighting. The Tswana people would watch for Canopus and start breeding their sheep when the star appeared in the sky before sunrise. The Venda people call the star Nanga, also meaning the Horn Star, and its first sighting in the morning sky is also awarded with a cow. The Zulu knew the star as isAndulela, a messenger appearing in late fall at harvest time, and also called it inKhwenkwezi, meaning “brilliant star.” The /Xam Bushmen knew Canopus as the “digging stick” and the “ant egg star.” They believed that the star could affect the availability of ants’ eggs. Canopus and Sirius announced the appearance of flying ants and termites. The Bushmen prayed to the two stars, believing that they could bring misfortune and death. The Xhosa-speaking people called Canopus U-Canzi-be and associated it with harvest.
The Navajo in the American Southwest called Canopus Maʼii Bizòʼ, the Coyote Star. In Navajo legends, Ma’ii (Coyote) placed the star in the southern sky and named it after himself. The star was also sometimes known as So dondizidi (the No-Month Star).
In Brazil, the Kalapalo people of the state of Mato Grosso saw Canopus as part of an asterism known as Duck. Canopus and Procyon were known as Kofongo (“Duck”) and the Gemini stars Pollux and Castor marked the hands of Duck. The appearance of the hands on the southwestern horizon signalled the coming of the rainy season and an abundance of manioc, a local food staple.
In Hawaii, Canopus was known as Ke Alii-o-kona-i-ka-lewa, meaning “the chief of the southern expanse.” In local lore, it was one of the stars used by Hawai’iloa to navigate when travelling to the Southern Ocean. (In Hawaiian legend, Hawai’iloa was a fisherman who stumbled upon the island of Hawai’i and later returned to settle it.)
Ancient Polynesians also used Canopus and other bright stars to navigate between the islands of the Pacific. Canopus was part of a Great Bird constellation, known as Manu, which divided the sky into two hemispheres. Canopus marked the Great Bird’s southern wingtip, Procyon in Canis Minor was the northern wingtip, and the bright Sirius represented the body.
In Australia, Canopus had a prominent role in several indigenous cultures. The Boorong people of northwest Victoria called the star War. War, a male crow, was the husband of Collowgullouric War, a female crow, likely represented by Eta Carinae, and brother of Warepil, an eagle, represented by Sirius. In local lore, War was a Prometheus-like figure who brought fire to humankind.
The Koori people of southeast Australia also associated Canopus with a crow. The star represented Waa, one of the moiety ancestors. The crow is often a trickster and an ancestral figure in Australian Aboriginal mythology. The other ancestral being is Bunjil, the eaglehawk, represented by Altair in Aquila.
In the legends told by the Pirt-Kopan-noot people of western Victoria, Waa fell in love with a queen, Gneeanggar (“wedge-tailed eagle”), represented by Sirius, and her six attendants, represented by the Pleiades. After being rejected by them, Waa turned himself into a grub after hearing that the women were foraging for grubs and, when one of them dug him out, he transformed into a giant and carried her off.
The Wailwun of New South Wales called Canopus Wumba, meaning “deaf.” In Tasmanian lore, Canopus was associated with Dromerdene, who fought with his brother Moinee until they both fell from the sky. Moinee is an ancestral figure who created the first human being. Dromerdene changed the human’s anatomy, which upset Moinee, and the brothers fought against each other in the heavens. After the fight, Dromerdene is said to have fallen into Louisa Bay and Moinee fell to earth. A large standing stone behind Cox Bight beach in southwest Tasmania is said to be his petrified form.
The Māori people of New Zealand saw Canopus as a solitary star and called it Atutahi, Atuatahi or Aotahi, meaning “stand alone.” They also called it Ariki, meaning “high-born.” The star’s appearance at the winter solstice heralded the coming of winter and the Māori offered food to the star when it appeared. They believed that its light rays foretold the coming winter and whether it would be mild or cold and wet.
In the Society Islands, Canopus was known as Taurua-e-tupu-tai-nanu, meaning “Festivity-whence-comes-the-flux-of-the-sea,” and Taurua-nui-o-te-hiti-apatoa, “Great-festivity-of-the-border-of-the-south.” In the Tuamotu Islands, the star was called Te Tau-rari and Marere-te-tavahi, meaning “he-who-stands-alone.”
The 12th century CE Andalusian astronomer and polymath Ibn Rushd observed Canopus from Marrakesh in 1153. As the star is invisible from his native city of Córdoba, Spain, he used this observation to argue in favour of Aristotle’s claim that the Earth was spherical.
Like other exceptionally bright stars, Canopus has often been used or referenced in works of fiction. In Dante’s Purgatory, it was one of the “three torches” (“tre facelle”) that symbolized three evangelical virtues – faith, hope and charity – along with the fellow southern luminaries Fomalhaut and Achernar. Other notable mentions include the novels The Star Kings (1947) by Edmond Hamilton, Star Bridge (1955) by James Gunn and Jack Williamson, Alfred Bester’s The Stars My Destination (1956), Frank Herbert’s Dune novels (in which it is the host star of the desert planet Arrakis), and Doris Lessing’s Canopus in Argos series. In film and television, the star was notably used in the episodes “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (1966) and “The Ultimate Computer” (1968) of Star Trek: The Original Series, and in the episode “The Kidnappers” (1967) of the television series The Time Tunnel. Canopus is also used in the BattleTech, Frontier: Elite II, and Frontier: First Encounters games.
Name
Canopus (pronunciation: /kəˈnoʊpəs/) has been the traditional name of Alpha Carinae since ancient times. It appeared in Claudius Ptolemy’s Almagest in the 2nd century CE. It has also been spelled Canobus, Kanopus and Kanobos.
The name formally applies only to the component Alpha Carinae A. The origin of the name is uncertain. It is generally believed that it comes from the Greek Κάνωβος (Kanôbos), which was the name of the mythical navigator for Menelaus of Sparta during the Trojan War. In Greek mythology, after the destruction of Troy in 1183 BCE, Menelaus’ fleet stopped in Egypt on their way home, and Canopus was bitten by a snake and died. Menelaus erected a monument in his honour in the Nile Delta, where the town of Canopus later developed. In Homeric myths, it was Menelaus who founded the town and named it after his pilot.
The second possible derivation of the name is from the Egyptian Coptic Kahi Nub, meaning “Golden Earth.” This is a reference to the appearance of Canopus close to the horizon in ancient Egypt.
The name was approved by the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) on June 30, 2016.
Canopus has been known by many other names across different cultures. In English, it was also known as Suhail, Soheil or Soheila, derived from the Arabic suhayl, meaning “smooth plain.” Different spellings included Süheyl/Süheyla (Turkish), Souhail, Suheyl, Sohil, Suhilon, Sahil, Sihil, and Suhayeel. The star shared this name with Lambda Velorum, Gamma Velorum, and Zeta Puppis. Today, Zeta Puppis is formally named Naos, Gamma Velorum is informally known as Regor, and Lambda Velorum has kept the name Suhail.
A 15th century BCE Egyptian poet called Canopus Karbana and, during the Ptolemaic rule, the star was called Ptolemaion. The acronychal rising of Canopus (last rising in the evening after sunset after a period of visibility) marked the beginning of the Ptolemaia festival, held every four years from 279 BCE to 145 BCE.
The Greek poet Aratus (c. 310 – 240 BCE) and astronomers Eudoxus (c. 390 – 337 BCE) and Hipparchus (c. 190 – 120 BCE) called the star Pedalion, which is Greek for “the rudder.” The designation referred to the star’s position in Argo Navis, marking the rudder of the mythical ship. The Roman philosopher Cicero, who translated Aratus’ work into Latin, called the star Gubernaculum, which is Latin for “rudder” or “helm.”
Canopus was also known as Wazn, derived from the Arabic word for “weight,” and as Hadar, meaning “ground.” Today, the names Wezen and Hadar belong to Delta Canis Majoris and Beta Centauri.
The names Ponderosus (“heavy” or weighty”) and Terrestris (“terrestrial” or “earthly”) were also later used for Canopus. Both are believed to refer to the star being close to the horizon. In the Alphonsine Tables, Canopus was designated as Suhel ponderosus, which is a Latinized form of the Arabic Al Suhayl al Wazn. The name Canopus came back into wide use during the Renaissance.
In China, Canopus is known as 老人 (Lǎo Rén), the Old Man. It is the sole star in the Old Man asterism, which is part of the Well mansion, one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird. In Chinese astronomy, Canopus was known as the Old Man of the South Pole (南极老人), a symbol of longevity and happiness. In Chinese lore, the Old Man is depicted as a man with a long white beard and a deer at his side, who was once a sickly boy who had been told that he would die at the age of 19. The boy, named Zhao Yen, was advised to visit a field and bring wine and dried meat. He did as he was told and, when he reached the field, he found two men playing checkers. He offered them the wine and meat and, to thank him, the men changed his life expectancy from 19 to 91 years. The boy later learned that the men were the star of the North Pole and the star of the South Pole, responsible for fixing the dates of birth and death.
Canopus is also known as the Star of Old Age in the neighbouring Korea, Japan and Vietnam. In Japan it is known as Jurōjin, the god of longevity and one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, originated from the Chinese Taoist Old Man of the South Pole. The star’s other traditional names in Japan are Mera-boshi and Roujin-sei, or the Old Man Star. In Mongolia, Canopus was the personification of the White Old Man, while Tibetans called it Genpo karpo (Rgan po dkar po) or Genkar (Rgan dkar), also meaning “white old man.” In Tibet, the more widely used name for Canopus was Karma Rishi. The star’s heliacal rising (the first rising after a period of invisibility) was celebrated with ritual bathing.
Location
Canopus lies in the far southern sky. At the declination −52° 41′ 44.3810″, the star is invisible to most northern observers. It cannot be seen from locations north of the latitude 37° 18’ N, which means that it does not rise above the horizon for most of Europe, all of Canada and the Russian Federation, and a good portion of the continental United States.
For observers living south of the latitude 37° 18’ S, Canopus is circumpolar, i.e. it never sets and is visible throughout the year. Being exceptionally bright, the star can be seen by the unaided eye in the early twilight. It reaches its highest point above the horizon at midnight on December 27 and around 9 pm on February 11.
As the second brightest star in the sky, Canopus is very easy to identify. It is the exceptionally bright star appearing below Sirius, almost exactly south of Sirius’ neighbour Mirzam (Beta Canis Majoris). Sirius can be identified using the three stars of Orion’s Belt – Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka – which point directly at it. Canopus and Sirius are separated by about 36 degrees on the sky and, while most northern observers can only see Sirius, from southern latitudes both stars can often be seen at the same time.
Canopus can be used to find the south celestial pole. The pole forms an equilateral triangle with Canopus and Achernar, the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus, and lies in the direction of the Southern Pointers, Alpha Centauri and Hadar (Beta Centauri).
Constellation
Canopus is located in the constellation Carina. Formerly part of the larger Argo Navis constellation, Carina represents the keel of the ship Argo, on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed to Colchis to get the Golden Fleece. The neighbouring constellations Puppis and Vela, also split off from Argo Navis in the 18th century, represent the ship’s stern and sails.
With an area of 494 square degrees, Carina is not particularly large, but it is easily recognizable. It contains six stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 and some of them are part of two prominent southern asterisms, the Diamond Cross and the False Cross.
The constellation is known for being home to Canopus, the 2nd brightest star in the sky, and Eta Carinae, one of the most massive binary star systems known. Eta Carinae is the central star of the Homunculus Nebula, which is part of the larger Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), a vast region of bright and dark nebulosity that contains several open clusters and some of the most luminous stars in the Milky Way.
Other well-known deep sky objects in Carina are NGC 3603, a large H II region with an open cluster, the Theta Carinae Cluster (IC 2602), a bright, large open cluster nicknamed the Southern Pleiades, the Wishing Well Cluster (NGC 3352), a globular cluster visible to the naked eye, NGC 2802, a massive globular cluster, and the bright Diamond Cluster (NGC 2516), a naked-eye open cluster nicknamed the Southern Beehive.
The best time of year to observe the stars and deep sky objects in Carina is during the month of March, when the constellation is particularly prominent in the evening sky from southern locations. The entire constellation is visible south of the latitude 20° N.
The 10 brightest stars in Carina are Canopus (Alpha Car, mag. -0.74), Miaplacidus (Beta Car, mag. 1.69), Avior (Epsilon Car, mag. 1.86), Aspidiske (Iota Car, mag. 2.21), Theta Carinae (mag. 2.76), Upsilon Carinae (2.97), Omega Carinae (mag. 3.29), PP Carinae (p Car, mag. 3.22 – 3.55), V337 Carinae (q Car, mag. 3.36 – 3.44), and V357 Carinae (a Car, mag. 3.41 – 3.44). | https://www.star-facts.com/canopus/ |
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In October, AHR Expo Show Management announced the forced cancellation of the 2021 AHR Expo due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, after having tentatively rescheduled the show for March 2021. Instead,... | https://www.ejarn.com/news_list.php?c=report&t=Market-Report |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority benefit of International Application No.: PCT/KR2019/011191 filed on Aug. 30, 2019, the entirety of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application.
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
2. Description of Related Art
The present disclosure relates to a robot, and more particularly to a robot capable of unlocking a container in a target area and a method of controlling the same.
In recent years, a transport service using a robot has been provided in various places, such as an airport, a hospital, a shopping mall, a hotel, and a restaurant. An airport robot moves baggage/luggage and other items for people. A hospital robot safely delivers dangerous chemicals. A concierge robot provides room service requested by guests, and a serving robot serves food, including hot food in a heated state.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. KR 10-2019-0055415 A discloses a ward assistant robot device that delivers articles necessary for medical treatment of patients. Here, the ward assistant robot device moves to the front of a bed of a patient while carrying necessary articles, and provides the articles for treatment of the patient to a doctor in charge.
Korean Patent Registration No. KR 10-1495498 B1 discloses an auxiliary robot for patient management that delivers medicine packets containing medicine to be taken by patients. To this end, the auxiliary robot for patient management divides medicine by patient, puts medicine in the packets, and unlocks a receiver assigned to a patient who is recognized as a recipient.
In the technologies disclosed in the above related art, however, the receiver is unlocked through an authentication of a doctor or a patient only at a specific destination, and therefore it is necessary for the robot to arrive at the destination in order to complete delivery. When a plurality of people or obstacles are present near the destination, it is necessary to reduce the driving speed of the robot and to perform collision-avoidance driving, whereby delivery may be delayed.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
An aspect of the present disclosure is to address a shortcoming associated with some related art in which delivery of an article is delayed when it is difficult for a robot to approach a destination, such as when a plurality of people or obstacles are present near the destination.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a robot that switches to an operation mode capable of unlocking a container of the robot when approaching a destination.
A further aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a robot that determines whether the robot has entered a target area using an object recognition model based on an artificial neural network.
Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other aspects not mentioned above will become evident to those skilled in the art from the following description.
A robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure performs switching to a ready to unlock mode when the robot enters a target area near a destination. The target area encompasses the destination and includes an area around the destination. The target area may include (e.g., extend) a predetermined radius or distance (e.g., reference distance) around (e.g., from) the destination. That is, the robot may automatically switch from a lock mode to the ready to unlock mode when the robot enters the target area.
To this end, a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, may include at least one container, a memory configured to store route information from a departure point to a destination, a sensor configured to acquire, based on the route information, space identification data (identification data of the space the robot is located in) while the robot is driving, and a processor (e.g., CPU, controller) configured to control opening and closing of the container according to an operation mode. The memory may be a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable program code configured to instruct the processor to perform functions.
Specifically, the processor may be configured to determine whether the robot has entered a target area capable of unlocking the container based on acquired space identification data and to set the operation mode to a ready to unlock mode upon determining that the robot has entered the target area.
To this end, the processor may be configured to determine whether the robot has entered the target area using an object recognition model based on an artificial neural network.
The robot, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, may further include a display configured to display a user interface screen.
A method of controlling a robot having a container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include acquiring target area information of a target area capable of unlocking the container, of locking the container and of setting an operation mode to a lock mode, acquiring space identification data while the robot is driving based on route information from a departure point to a destination, determining whether the robot has entered a target area near the destination based on the space identification data, and setting the operation mode to a ready to unlock mode upon determining that the robot has entered the target area.
The method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include, when the operation mode is the ready to unlock mode, displaying a lock screen configured to receive input for unlocking through a display.
The method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include transmitting a notification message to an external device when the robot has entered the target area.
Other embodiments, aspects, and features in addition to those described above will become clear from the accompanying drawings, the claims, and the detailed description of the present disclosure.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the driving speed of the robot, which occurs when a plurality of people or obstacles is present near the destination.
In addition, it is possible to reduce delay time required to accurately arrive at the destination due to avoidance driving, thereby improving user convenience.
In addition, it is possible to determine whether the robot has entered the target area using the object recognition model based on the artificial neural network, thereby improving accuracy.
It should be noted that effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects of the present disclosure as mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects of the present disclosure will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from an embodiment described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description of the following aspects in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a diagram showing an example of a robot control environment including a robot, a terminal, a server, and a network that interconnects the same according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a robot according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3
is a block diagram of the robot according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4
is a diagram showing switching between operation modes of the robot according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5
is a flowchart of a robot control method according to an embodiment.
FIG. 6
is a diagram showing an example of a user interface screen based on the operation mode.
FIG. 7
is a block diagram of a server according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the same reference numerals are given to the same or similar components and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted. Also, in describing an embodiment disclosed in the present document, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related art incorporated herein unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiment, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the,” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the description, it should be understood that the terms “include” or “have” indicate existence of a feature, a number, a step, an operation, a structural element, parts, or a combination thereof, and do not previously exclude the existences or probability of addition of one or more another features, numeral, steps, operations, structural elements, parts, or combinations thereof. Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms may be used herein only to describe various elements, but these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
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is a diagram showing an example of a robot control environment including a robot, a terminal, a server, and a network that interconnects the same according to an embodiment. Referring to , the robot control environment may include a robot , a terminal (e.g., a mobile terminal or the like), a server , and a network . Various electronic devices other than the devices shown in may be interconnected through the network and operated.
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The robot may refer to a machine which automatically handles a given task by its own ability, or which operates autonomously. In particular, a robot having a function of recognizing an environment and performing an operation according to its own determination may be referred to as an intelligent robot.
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The robot may be classified into industrial, medical, household, military or any other field/classification, according to the purpose or field of use.
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The robot may include an actuator (e.g., an electrical actuator, hydraulic actuator, or the like) or a driver including a motor in order to perform various physical operations, such as moving joints of the robot. Moreover, a movable robot may include, for example, at least one wheel, at least one brake, and at least one propeller in the driver thereof, and through the driver may thus be capable of traveling on the ground or flying in the air. That is, the at least one propeller provides propulsion to the robot to allow the robot to fly.
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By employing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the robot may be implemented as a guide robot, a transport robot, a cleaning robot, a wearable robot, an entertainment robot, a pet robot, or an unmanned flying robot (or any other type of robot).
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The robot may include a robot control module (e.g., a CPU, processor) for controlling its motion. The robot control module may correspond to a software module or a chip that implements the software module in the form of a hardware device.
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Using sensor information obtained from various types of sensors, the robot may obtain status information of the robot , detect (recognize) the surrounding environment and objects, generate map data, determine a movement route and drive plan, determine a response to a user interaction, or determine an operation.
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Here, in order to determine the movement route and drive plan, the robot may use sensor information obtained from at least one sensor among a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, a radar, and a camera.
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The robot may perform the operations above by using a learning model configured by at least one artificial neural network. For example, the robot may recognize the surrounding environment, including objects in the surrounding environment by using the learning model, and determine its operation by using the recognized surrounding environment information and/or object information. Here, the learning model may be trained by the robot itself or trained by an external device, such as the server .
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At this time, that is, once the robot determines its operation by using the recognized surrounding environment information and/or object information, the robot may perform the operation by generating a result by employing the learning model directly. Further, the robot may also perform the operation by transmitting sensor information to an external device, such as the server and receiving a result from the server (the result being generated by the server).
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The robot may determine the movement route and drive plan by using at least one of object information detected from the map data and sensor information or object information obtained from an external device, and drive according to the determined movement route and drive plan by controlling its driver.
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The map data may include object identification information about various objects disposed in the space in which the robot drives. For example, the map data may include object identification information about static objects, such as walls and doors, and movable objects, such as flowerpots, chairs and desks. In addition, the object identification information may include a name of each object, a type of each object, a distance to each object, and a location (e.g., position) of each object.
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Also, the robot may perform the operation or drive by controlling its driver based on the control/interaction of the user. At this time, the robot may obtain intention information of the interaction according to the user's motion or spoken utterance, and perform an operation by determining a response based on the obtained intention information.
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The robot may provide delivery service as a delivery robot that delivers an article from a departure point to a destination. The robot may communicate with the terminal and the server through the network . For example, the robot may receive departure point information and destination information, set by a user through the terminal , from the terminal and/or the server through the network . For example, the robot may transmit information, such as current location of the robot , an operation state of the robot , whether the robot has arrived at its destination (such as a preset destination), and sensing data obtained by the robot , to the terminal and/or the server through the network .
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The terminal is an electronic device operated by a user or an operator, and the user may drive an application for controlling the robot , or may access an application installed in an external device, including the server , using the terminal . For example, the terminal may acquire target area information designated by the user through the application, and may transmit the same to the robot and/or the server through the network . The terminal may receive state information of the robot from the robot and/or the server through the network . The terminal may provide, to the user, a function of controlling, managing, and monitoring the robot through the application installed therein.
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The terminal may include a communication terminal capable of performing the function of a computing device. The terminal may be a desktop computer, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet PC, a smart TV, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a media player, a micro server, a global positioning system (GPS) device, an electronic book terminal, a digital broadcasting terminal, a navigation device, a kiosk, an MP3 player, a digital camera, an electrical home appliance, or any other mobile or non-mobile computing device(s), without being limited thereto. In addition, the terminal may be a wearable device having a communication function and a data processing function, such as a watch, glasses, a hair band, a ring or the like. The terminal is not limited to the above, and any terminal capable of performing web browsing, via a network (e.g., the network ), may be used without limitation.
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The server may be a database server that provides big data necessary to control the robot and to apply various artificial intelligence algorithms and data related to control of the robot . The server may include a web server or an application server capable of remotely controlling the robot using an application or a web browser installed in the terminal .
Artificial intelligence refers to a field of studying artificial intelligence or a methodology for creating the same. Moreover, machine learning refers to a field of defining various problems dealing in an artificial intelligence field and studying methodologies for solving the same. In addition, machine learning may be defined as an algorithm for improving performance with respect to a task through repeated experience with respect to the task.
An artificial neural network (ANN) is a model used in machine learning, and may refer in general to a model with problem-solving abilities, composed of artificial neurons (nodes) forming a network by a connection of synapses. The ANN may be defined by a connection pattern between neurons on different layers, a learning process for updating model parameters, and an activation function for generating an output value.
The ANN may include an input layer, an output layer, and may selectively include one or more hidden layers. Each layer includes one or more neurons, and the artificial neural network may include synapses that connect the neurons to one another. In an ANN, each neuron may output a function value of an activation function with respect to the input signals inputted through a synapse, weight, and bias.
A model parameter refers to a parameter determined through learning, and may include weight of synapse connection, bias of a neuron, and the like. Moreover, hyperparameters refer to parameters which are set before learning in a machine learning algorithm, and include a learning rate, a number of iterations, a mini-batch size, an initialization function, and the like.
The objective of training an ANN is to determine a model parameter for significantly reducing a loss function. The loss function may be used as an indicator for determining an optimal model parameter in a learning process of an artificial neural network.
The machine learning may be classified into supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning depending on the learning method.
Supervised learning may refer to a method for training an artificial neural network with training data that has been given a label. In addition, the label may refer to a target answer (or a result value) to be guessed by the artificial neural network when the training data is inputted to the artificial neural network. Unsupervised learning may refer to a method for training an artificial neural network using training data that has not been given a label. Reinforcement learning may refer to a learning method for training an agent defined within an environment to select an action or an action order for maximizing cumulative rewards in each state.
Machine learning of an artificial neural network implemented as a deep neural network (DNN) including a plurality of hidden layers may be referred to as deep learning, and the deep learning is one machine learning technique. Hereinafter, the meaning of machine learning includes deep learning.
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The network may serve to connect the robot , the terminal , and the server to each other. The network may include a wired network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or an integrated service digital network (ISDN), and a wireless network such as a wireless LAN, a CDMA, Bluetooth®, or satellite communication, but the present disclosure is not limited to these examples. The network may send and receive information by using the short distance communication and/or the long distance communication. The short distance communication may include Bluetooth®, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technologies, and the long distance communication may include code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), and single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA).
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The network may include a connection of network elements such as a hub, a bridge, a router, a switch, and a gateway. The network may include one or more connected networks, for example, a multi-network environment, including a public network such as an Internet and a private network such as a safe corporate private network. Access to the network may be provided through one or more wire-based or wireless access networks. Further, the network may support 5G communications and/or an Internet of things (IoT) network for exchanging and processing information between distributed components such as objects.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
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is a perspective view of the robot according to an embodiment. illustratively shows the external appearance of the robot . The robot may include various structures capable of accommodating an article.
FIG. 2
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In the robot may include a container . The container may be separated from a main body of the robot, and may be coupled to the main body by a fastener, such as a bolt, screw, pin, or the like. In an example, the container may be formed integrally with the main body. Here, the container may include a space (e.g., an interior space) for accommodating (e.g., storing) an article, and the container may include one or a plurality of walls. The one or a plurality of walls of the container form the interior space of the container
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Further, the container may include a plurality of accommodation spaces as required.
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The article accommodation method of the robot is not limited to a method in which an article is accommodated in the accommodation space or spaces of the container . For example, the robot may transport an article using a robot arm holding the article. In this case, the container may include various accommodation structures including such a robot arm.
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A lock may be mounted to the container . The robot may lock or unlock the lock of the container depending on the driving state of the robot and the accommodation state of the article. For example, the lock may be a mechanical and/or an electronic/electromagnetic lock, without being limited thereto. The robot may store and manage information indicating whether the container is locked or unlocked, and may share the same with other devices.
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FIG. 2
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The robot may include at least one display. In , displays and are illustratively disposed at the main body of the robot , but may be disposed at other positions on the main body or outside the container . In one example, the displays and may be provided so as to be formed integrally with the robot and/or to be detachably attached to the robot .
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The robot may include a first display and a second display . For example, the robot may output a user interface screen via the first display . The robot may also, for example, output a message, such as an alarm message, through the second display
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
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illustrates the main body of the robot . shows the external appearance of the robot , from which the container is separated, for reference.
FIG. 3
is a block diagram of a robot according to an embodiment.
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FIG. 3
The robot may include a transceiver , a sensor , a user interface , an input and output interface , a driver , a power supply , a memory , and a processor . The elements shown in are not essential in realizing the robot , and the robot according to the embodiment may include a larger or smaller number of elements than the above elements.
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The transceiver may transmit and receive data to and from external devices, such as another AI device or the server, using wired and wireless communication technologies. For example, the transceiver may transmit and receive sensor information, user input, a learning model, and a control signal to and from the external devices. The AI device may also, for example, be realized by a stationary or a mobile device, such as a TV, a projector, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, a tablet PC, a wearable device, a set top box (STB), a DMB receiver, a radio, a washer, a refrigerator, digital signage, a robot, or a vehicle.
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In this case, the communications technology used by the communicator may be technology such as global system for mobile communication (GSM), code division multi access (CDMA), long term evolution (LTE), 5G, wireless LAN (WLAN), Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth™, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ZigBee™, and near field communication (NFC).
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The transceiver is linked to the network to provide a communication interface necessary to provide transmission and reception signals between the robot and/or the terminal and/or the server in the form of packet data. Furthermore, the transceiver may be a device including hardware and software required for transmitting and receiving signals, such as a control signal and a data signal, via a wired or wireless connection, to another network device. Furthermore, the transceiver may support a variety of object-to-object intelligent communication, for example, Internet of things (IoT), Internet of everything (IoE), and Internet of small things (IoST), and may support, for example, machine to machine (M2M) communication, vehicle to everything (V2X) communication, and device to device (D2D) communication.
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The transceiver may transmit, to the server , space identification data acquired by the sensor under the control of the processor , and may receive, from the server , space attribute information about a space in which the robot is currently located in response thereto. The robot may determine, under the control of the processor , whether the robot has entered a target area (near the destination) based on the received spatial attribute information. In another example, the transceiver may transmit the space identification data, acquired by the sensor , to the server under the control of the processor , and may receive information about whether the robot has entered the target area in response thereto.
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The sensor may acquire at least one of internal information of the robot , surrounding environment information of the robot , or user information by using various sensors. The sensor may provide the robot with space identification data allowing the robot to create a map based on simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) and to confirm the current location of the robot . SLAM refers to simultaneously locating the robot and mapping the environment (surrounding area of the robot).
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Specifically, the sensor may sense external space objects to create a map. The sensor may calculate vision information of objects, such as an outer dimensions of the objects, from among the external space objects, that can become features in order to store the vision information, together with location information, on the map. In this case, the vision information is space identification data for identifying the space, and may be provided to the processor .
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The sensor may include a vision sensor, a lidar sensor, a depth sensor, and a sensing data analyzer.
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The vision sensor captures images of objects around the robot. For example, the vision sensor may include an image sensor. Some of the image information captured by the vision sensor is converted into vision information having a feature point necessary to set the location. The image information refers to information that has color by pixels, and the vision information refers to meaningful content that is extracted from the image information. The space identification data that the sensor provides to the processor includes the vision information.
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The sensing data analyzer may provide, to the processor , additional information created by adding information, about a specific letter, a specific figure, or a specific color to the image information calculated by the vision sensor. The space identification data that the sensor provides to the processor may include such additional information. In one example, the processor may perform the function of the sensing data analyzer.
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The lidar sensor transmits a laser signal and provides the distance and material of an object that reflects the laser signal. Based thereon, the robot may recognize the distances, locations, and directions of objects sensed by the lidar sensor in order to create a map.
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When SLAM technology is applied, the lidar sensor calculates sensing data allowing a map about a surrounding space to be created. When the created sensing data is stored in the map, the robot may recognize its own location on the map.
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The lidar sensor may provide a pattern, such as time difference or signal intensity, of the laser signal reflected by an object to the sensing data analyzer, and the sensing data analyzer may provide the distance and characteristic information of the sensed object to the processor . The space identification data that the sensor provides to the processor may include the distance and characteristic information of the sensed object.
The depth sensor also calculates the depth (distance information) of objects around the robot. In particular, during conversion of the image information, captured by the vision sensor, into vision information, the depth information of the object is included in the vision information. The space identification data may include the distance information and/or the vision information of the sensed object.
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The sensor may include auxiliary sensors, including an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a temperature sensor, but is not limited thereto, in order to assist the above sensors or increase the accuracy of sensing.
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The sensor may acquire various kinds of data, such as learning data for model learning and input data used when an output is acquired using a learning model. The sensor may obtain raw input data. In this case, the processor or the learning processor may extract an input feature by preprocessing the input data.
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A display in the user interface may output the driving state of the robot under the control of the processor . In one example, the display may form an interlayer structure together with a touch pad in order to constitute a touchscreen. In this case, the display may be used as an operation interface capable of inputting information through a touch of a user. To this end, the display may be configured with a touch-sensitive display controller or other various input and output controllers. The touch recognition display controller may provide an output interface and an input interface between the robot and the user. The touch recognition display controller may transmit and receive electrical signals to and from the processor . Also, the touch recognition display controller may display a visual output to the user, and the visual output may include text, graphics, images, video, and a combination thereof. The display may be a predetermined display member, such as a touch-sensitive organic light emitting display (OLED), liquid crystal display (LCD), or light emitting display (LED).
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An operation interface in the user interface may be provided with a plurality of operation buttons and may transmit a signal corresponding to an inputted button to the processor . This operation interface may be configured with a sensor, a button, or a switch structure, capable of recognizing a touch or pressing operation of the user to the display . The operation interface may transmit an operation signal by a user operation in order to confirm or change various kinds of information related to driving of the robot displayed on the display .
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The display may output a user interface screen for interaction between the robot and the user, by control of the processor . For example, when the robot enters the target area and switches to a ready to unlock mode, the display may display a lock screen under the control of the processor .
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The display may output a message depending on a loading state of the container under the control of the processor . That is the display may display a message indicating whether or not the container is loaded onto the robot . The robot may decide a message to be displayed on the display depending on a loading state of the container under the control of the processor . For example, when the robot drives with an article loaded in the container , the robot may display a message of “transporting” on the display under the control of the processor .
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c
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
The display may include a plurality of displays. For example, the display may include a display for displaying a user interface screen (see ) and a display for displaying a message (see ).
140
The input and output interface may include an input interface for acquiring input data and an output interface for generating output related to visual sensation, aural sensation, or tactile sensation.
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The input interface may acquire various kinds of data. The input interface may include a camera for inputting an image signal, a microphone for receiving an audio signal (e.g., audio input), and a code input interface for receiving information from the user. Here, the camera or the microphone may be regarded as a sensor, and therefore a signal acquired from the camera or the microphone may be sensing data or sensor information.
180
The input interface may acquire various kinds of data, such as learning data for model learning and input data used when an output is acquired using a learning model. The input interface may acquire raw input data. In this case, the processor or a learning processor may extract an input feature point from the input data as preprocessing.
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The output interface may include a display for outputting visual information, a speaker for outputting aural information, and a haptic module for outputting tactile information.
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a
The driver is a module which drives the robot and may include a driving mechanism and a driving motor which moves the driving mechanism. In addition, the driver may further include a door driver for driving a door of the container under the control of the processor .
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The power supply is supplied with external power, such as 120V or 220V alternating current (AC) and internal power, via a battery and/or capacitor, to supply the power to each component of the robot , under the control of the processor . The battery may be an internal (fixed) battery or a replaceable battery. The battery may be charged by a wired or wireless charging method and the wireless charging method may include a magnetic induction method or a self-resonance method.
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The processor may control the robot such that, when the battery of the power supply is insufficient to perform delivery work, the robot moves to a designated charging station in order to charge the battery.
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The memory may include magnetic storage media or flash storage media, without being limited thereto. The memory may include an internal memory and/or an external memory and may include a volatile memory such as a DRAM, a SRAM or a SDRAM, and a non-volatile memory, such as one-time programmable ROM (OTPROM), a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a mask ROM, a flash ROM, a NAND flash memory or a NOR flash memory, a flash drive such as a solid state drive (SSD), a compact flash (CF) card, an SD card, a Micro-SD card, a Mini-SD card, an XD card, a memory stick, or a storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD).
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The memory may store data supporting various functions of the robot . For example, the memory may store input data acquired by the sensor or the input interface, learning data, a learning model, and learning history. For example, the memory may store map data.
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The processor is a type of a central processor unit which may drive control software provided in the memory to control overall operation of the robot . The processor may include all types of devices capable of processing data. Here, the processor may, for example, refer to a data processing device embedded in hardware, which has physically structured circuitry to perform a function represented by codes or instructions contained in a program. As examples of the data processing device embedded in hardware, a microprocessor, a central processor (CPU), a processor core, a multiprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and the like may be included, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
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The processor may determine at least one executable operation of the robot , based on information determined or generated using a data analysis algorithm or a machine learning algorithm. In addition, the processor may control components of the robot to perform the determined operation.
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To this end, the processor may request, retrieve, receive, or use data of the learning processor or the memory , and may control components of the robot to execute a predicted operation or an operation determined to be preferable of the at least one executable operation.
180
When connection with an external device is needed to perform a determined operation, the processor may generate a control signal for controlling the external device and may transmit the generated control signal to the external device.
180
The processor obtains intent information about user input, and may determine a requirement of a user based on the obtained intent information.
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The processor may obtain intent information corresponding to user input by using at least one of a speech to text (STT) engine for converting voice input into a character string or a natural language processing (NLP) engine for obtaining intent information of a natural language. That is, the NLP engine may derive intent information from a natural language audio input from a user, which is received by the microphone .
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In an embodiment, the at least one of the STT engine or the NLP engine may be composed of artificial neural networks, some of which are trained according to a machine learning algorithm. In addition, the at least one of the STT engine or the NLP engine may be trained by the learning processor , trained by a learning processor of a server or trained by distributed processing thereof.
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The processor may collect history information including about operation of the robot or user feedback about the operation of the robot , may store the same in the memory or the learning processor , or may transmit the same to an external device, such as the server . The collected history information may be used to update an object recognition model.
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The processor may control at least some of the elements of the robot in order to drive an application program stored in the memory . Furthermore, the processor may combine and operate two or more of the elements of the robot in order to drive the application program.
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The processor may control the display in order to acquire target area information designated by the user through the user interface screen displayed on the display .
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a
a
The processor may control opening and closing of the container depending on the operation mode. The processor may determine whether the robot has entered a target area capable of unlocking the container based on the space identification data acquired by the sensor . When the robot has entered the target area, the processor may set the operation mode to a ready to unlock mode. When the operation mode is a ready to unlock mode, the processor may cause the robot to stop traveling and to wait until the user arrives.
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The robot may include a learning processor .
330
The learning processor may train an object recognition model constituted by an artificial neural network using learning data. Here, the trained artificial neural network may be referred to as a learning model. The learning model may be used to infer a result value with respect to new input data rather than learning data, and the inferred value may be used as a basis for a determination for performing an operation.
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The learning processor may perform AI processing together with the learning processor of the server .
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The learning processor may be realized by an independent chip or may be included in the processor .
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The learning processor may include a memory that is integrated into the robot or separately implemented. Alternatively, the learning processor may be implemented using the memory , an external memory directly coupled to the robot , or a memory maintained in an external device.
FIG. 4
is a diagram showing switching between operation modes of the robot according to the embodiment.
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The robot may be locked in order to prevent a loaded article from being stolen or lost. Here, locking of the robot refers to locking of the lock of the container . The user may load an article in the container of the robot and may set the container to be locked. A recipient may unlock the container after an authentication process. The authentication process for unlocking includes a process of inputting a predetermined password or biometric information in order to determine whether the user has a right to access the container. The user may unlock the robot only after such an authentication process. Here, the user may include various subjects that interact with the robot . For example, the user may include a subject that instructs the robot to deliver an article or a subject that receives the article, and is not limited to a person and may be another intelligent robot .
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a
The robot may change the locked state of the container depending on the operation mode. In an example, the operation mode may include a lock mode, an unlock mode, and a ready to unlock mode. The robot decides the operation mode and stores the decided operation mode in the memory under the control of the processor . In another example, the operation mode may be decided by the container of the robot . In an example, the operation mode may be decided by the robot .
100
FIG. 4
Hereinafter, switching between operation modes of the robot based on an article delivery process will be described with reference to .
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A user who wishes to deliver an article using a robot calls for a robot , and an available robot among a plurality of robots is assigned to the user. Here, the available robot includes a robot having an empty container or a robot without a container (an idle robot). The user may directly transmit a service request to the robot using a terminal of the user, such as a mobile terminal (e.g., cell phone, or the like), or may transmit the service request to the server . Alternatively, the user may call a robot near the user using a voice command, which is received via the microphone of the robot .
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When the container of the robot is empty or the robot is idle, the robot sets the operation mode of the robot having the empty container or the idle robot to an unlock mode under the control of the processor .
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The robot called according to the service request of the user opens the empty container according to a voice command of the user or an instruction acquired through the user interface , and closes the container after the user loads an article in the container . In an example, the robot may determine whether an article is loaded in the container using a weight sensor, and may determine the weight of the loaded article. That is, the robot or the container may comprise a weight sensor for determining whether an article is loaded in the container
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When the user loads the article in the container of the robot and sets the container to be locked, the robot sets the operation mode of the container having the article loaded therein to a lock mode. For example, the user may instruct the container having the article loaded therein to be locked through a voice command or the user interface screen displayed on the display . The user may also, for example, instruct the container to be locked through the terminal .
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The robot may operate the lock of the container having the article loaded therein to put the container in a locked state according to the locking instruction under the control of the processor . For example, the lock may be a mechanical and/or an electronic/electromagnetic lock, without being limited thereto.
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When the container is set to a lock state (LOCK SUCCESS), the robot may set the operation mode of the container to a lock mode (LOCK MODE).
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In order to deliver the loaded article, the robot starts to drive to a destination (DRIVE). The robot maintains the lock mode while driving in with the article loaded in the container . As a result, it is possible to prevent the loaded article from being lost or stolen and to safely deliver a dangerous article or an important article.
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During driving, the robot acquires space identification data using the sensor . The robot may collect and analyze the space identification data under the control of the processor in order to decide the current location of the robot and to determine whether the robot has entered a target area.
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When the robot enters the target area (TARGET_AREA), the robot stops driving and switches the operation mode from the lock mode to a ready to unlock mode. In the ready to unlock mode, the robot waits for a user (WAIT). The robot maintains the ready to unlock mode until the user approaches and completes an authentication process for unlocking.
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In the ready to unlock mode, the robot may transmit an arrival notification message to the terminal and/or the server , by the network or by wired communication. For example, the arrival notification message may include current location information of the robot . The robot may, for example, periodically transmit the arrival notification message while waiting for the user.
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The user may recognize that the robot has arrived at the target area through a notification message received by the terminal . In the ready to unlock mode, the robot provides a user interface screen allowing the user to unlock the container through the display .
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When the user recognizes that the robot has entered the target area, the user may directly move to the waiting robot in order to receive the article. Consequently, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the driving speed of the robot , which occurs when a plurality of people or obstacles is present near the destination, and thus to reduce delay time required to accurately arrive at the destination due to collision-avoidance driving. Accordingly, the present invention may improve user convenience by delivery an article to a desired location, including in an urgent matter.
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When the user has not arrived at the waiting robot and a predetermined time elapses (TIME_OUT), after the robot has entered the target area, the robot may switch the operation mode to a lock mode again. The robot may transmit an arrival notification message to the terminal and/or the server . In an example, when the user has not arrived after a predetermined time has elapsed after the robot has entered the target area, the robot may switch the operation mode to a lock mode and may move to a departure point or a predetermined ready zone. In this case, the robot may transmit a return notification message or a ready notification message to the terminal and/or the server .
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When the robot is in the ready mode and the user approaches the robot and successfully performs an authentication process, such as input of a password, the robot ends the ready mode and switches the operation mode to an unlock mode.
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In the unlock mode, the robot unlocks the container . The robot stops driving and maintains the unlock mode while the user takes the article out of the unlocked container
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When the user completes reception of the article, the robot moves to another destination or a predetermined ready zone. In this case, the robot may drive with the empty container set to an unlock mode.
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The robot that is returning after completion of delivery may drive with the operation mode set to an unlock mode. The robot that is returning may drive with the operation mode set to a lock mode. In this case, it is possible to unlock the returning robot anywhere.
FIG. 5
is a flowchart of a robot control method according to an embodiment.
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The robot control method may include a step of acquiring target area information of a target area capable of unlocking the container (S), a step of locking the container and setting the operation mode of the robot to a lock mode (S), a step of sensing space identification data while the robot is driving based on route information from a departure point to a destination (S), a step of determining whether the robot has entered the target area based on the space identification data (S), and a step of setting the operation mode to a ready to unlock mode upon determining that the robot has entered the target area (S).
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At step S, the robot may acquire target area information under the control of the processor .
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At step S, the robot may acquire target area information set by a user.
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a
FIG. 3
The target area is an area including the destination, and means an area in which the user is capable of unlocking the container . The target area information means information necessary for the robot to specify the target area from a map stored in the memory . For example, the target area information includes information about a planar or cubic space defined as space coordinates in the map or space identification data. As described above with reference to , the robot switches the operation mode to a ready to unlock mode while in the target area.
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At step S, the robot may receive target area information set by the user from the terminal or the server through the transceiver , may acquire target area information selected by the user from an indoor map expressed through the display , or may acquire target area information designated by the user using voice input through the microphone , under the control of the processor .
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Optionally, the user may designate departure point information and destination information. For example, the user may designate the departure point and the destination through the terminal or on the display of the robot, or may transmit the destination to the robot by voice input through the microphone .
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At step S, the robot may create route information based on the acquired departure point information and destination information. In an example, the robot may create the route information based on identification information of the target area.
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As step S, the robot may lock the container and may set the operation of the robot to a lock mode under the control of the processor .
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At step S, when the user puts an article in the container , the robot closes (e.g., automatically closes) the door of the container , locks the container , sets the operation mode to a lock mode, and starts to deliver the article under control of the processor . In an example, the robot may transmit a departure notification message to a terminal of a user who will receive the article or the server under the control of the processor .
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In an example, the display may have a structure that is rotatable, including rotatable leftwards, rightwards, upwards, and downwards. For example, when the operation mode of the robot is a lock mode, the robot may rotate the display so as to face the direction in which the robot drives under the control of the processor .
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At step S, the robot may acquire space identification data through the sensor while driving, based on route information from the departure point to the destination under the control of the processor .
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FIG. 3
That is, at step S, the robot may acquire space identification data of a space through which the robot passes while driving based on the route information using the sensor . As described above with reference to , the space identification data may include vision information, location information, direction information, and distance information of an object disposed in the space. The robot may use the space identification data as information for determining the current location of the robot in relation to the map stored in the memory .
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At step S, the robot may determine whether the robot has entered a target area based on the space identification data acquired at step S under control of the processor .
540
Hereinafter, a method of determining whether the robot has entered the target area at step S according to each embodiment will be described.
540
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According to a first embodiment, at step S, the robot may determine whether the robot has entered the target area based on the current location information thereof.
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In the first embodiment, step S may include a step of determining the current location of the robot based on the space identification data and a step of determining that the robot has entered the target area when the current location is mapped to the target area.
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The robot may decide a current location of the robot based on the space identification data acquired at step S under the control of the processor . For example, the robot may decide the current location by comparing the space identification data acquired through the sensor with the vision information stored in the map under the control of the processor .
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510
The robot may determine that the robot has entered the target area when the decided current location is mapped to a target area specified in the map by the target area information acquired at step S.
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In a second embodiment, at step S, the robot may determine whether the robot has entered the target area based on reference distance information.
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Step S may include a step of determining the current location of the robot based on the space identification data and a step of deciding on the distance between the current location and the destination and, when the distance between the current location and the destination is within a predetermined reference distance, determining that the robot has entered the target area.
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The robot may decide the current location of the robot based on the space identification data acquired at step S under the control of the processor . This may be performed in the same manner as at the aforementioned step of determining the current location of the robot based on the space identification data.
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The robot may calculate the distance between the decided current location and the destination and, when the distance between the current location and the destination is within a predetermined reference distance, may determine that the robot has entered the target area. Here, the reference distance may be adjusted depending on factors such as congestion of the target area and delivery time zone. For example, when many people or obstacles are present in the target area, the reference distance may be set to a longer distance. For example, when the delivery time zone is a rush hour zone, the reference distance may be set to a shorter distance.
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100
In a third embodiment, at step S, the robot may determine whether the robot has entered the target area based on a spatial attribute.
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Step S may include a step of determining a spatial attribute of a place in which the robot is driving based on the space identification data and a step of determining whether the robot has entered the target area based on the spatial attribute.
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The robot may decide a spatial attribute of a place in which the robot is driving based on the space identification data acquired at step S under control of the processor . In an example, the spatial attribute may include an input feature point extracted from the space identification data.
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The robot may determine whether the robot has entered the target area based on the decided spatial attribute.
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The robot may determine whether the robot has entered the target area based on the decided spatial attribute using an object recognition model based on an artificial neural network under the control of the processor . In an example, the object recognition model may be trained using the space identification data acquired using the sensor of the robot as learning data. The object recognition model may be trained under the control of the processor of the robot or may be trained in the server , and may be provided to the robot .
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For example, when the destination of a robot providing a delivery service at a hospital is a blood collection room, the robot may determine that the robot has entered the blood collection room through the object recognition model using space identification data including a surrounding image acquired in a place in which the robot is driving at step S as input.
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At step S, the robot may perform one or more of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment in order to determine whether the robot has entered the target area. The first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment are named in order to distinguish therebetween, and do not limit the sequence or priority of the embodiments.
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At step S, the robot may set the operation mode to a ready to unlock mode under the control of the processor when the robot has entered the target area at step S.
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Upon determining at step S that the robot has not entered the target area, step S may be continuously performed. In this case, the robot maintains the lock mode.
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Meanwhile, the robot control method may, when the robot has entered the target area at step S, further include a step of transmitting a notification message to an external device through the transceiver under the control of the processor .
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For example, when the robot has entered the target area. The robot may transmit a notification message to the terminal and/or the server through the transceiver under the control of the processor . The robot may also, for example, repeatedly transmit the notification message to the terminal and/or the server while waiting, in a ready to unlock mode, for the user.
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The robot may decide/determine a user interface screen to be displayed on the display depending on the operation mode under the control of the processor .
131
The robot control method may further include a step of displaying, through the display , a lock screen capable of receiving input for unlocking when the operation mode is a ready to unlock mode.
FIG. 6
FIG. 6
610
is a diagram showing an example of a user interface screen based on the operation mode. Element/box of shows a password input screen as an illustrative lock screen (i.e., a user interface screen).
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a
After step S is performed and the operation mode is switched to a ready to unlock mode, the robot may display a lock screen on the display under the control of the processor . The lock screen refers to a user interface screen for performing an authentication process required in order to unlock the container . For example, the authentication process may include password input, biometric information authentication including fingerprint, iris, voice, and facial recognition, tagging of RFID, barcode or QR code, agreed-upon gesture, and an electronic key, and various authentication processes capable of confirming that the user is a recipient. The authentication process may be performed through the display and/or the input and output interface under the control of the processor .
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a
In an example, the display may have a structure that is rotatable leftwards, rightwards, upwards, and downwards. For example, when the operation mode of the robot is a ready to unlock mode, the robot may rotate the display so as to face the direction in which the container is located under control of the processor .
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In addition, the robot control method may further include a step of setting the operation mode to an unlock mode and a step of displaying, through the display , a menu screen capable of instructing opening and closing of the container upon receiving input for unlocking.
Input for unlocking refers to user input required for the above authentication process. For example, the input for unlocking method may include password input, fingerprint recognition, iris recognition, and code tagging.
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When the robot receives the input for unlocking, the robot may control the processor to set the operation mode to an unlocking mode.
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a
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Upon successfully acquiring the input for unlocking, the robot unlocks the locked container and switches the operation mode to an unlocking mode under control of the processor . When the operation mode of the robot is an unlocking mode, the robot may rotate the display so as to face the direction in which the container is located under the control of the processor .
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Subsequently, the unlocked robot may display a menu screen that can offer instructions regarding opening and closing of the container under the control of the processor .
FIG. 6
131
shows an illustrative menu screen displayed on the display in an unlocking mode.
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FIG. 6
a
Element/box of illustratively shows a menu screen of a robot having a structure in which the container includes a plurality of drawers.
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The shown menu screen includes “open upper drawer,” “open lower drawer,” and “move” in an activated state. When the user selects “open upper drawer” on the menu screen, the robot may output, through the display , a menu screen including “close upper drawer,” “open lower drawer,” and “move” while opening the upper drawer of the container . Since the upper drawer is open, the “move” item may be inactivated.
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Likewise, when the user selects “open lower drawer” on the menu screen, the robot may output, through the display , a menu screen including “close lower drawer,” “open upper drawer,” and “move” while opening the lower drawer of the container . Since the lower drawer is open, the “move” item may be inactivated.
FIG. 7
is a block diagram of a server according to an embodiment.
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The server may refer to a control server for controlling the robot . The server may be a central control server for monitoring a plurality of robots . The server may store and manage state information of the robot . For example, the state information may include location information, operation mode, driving route information, past delivery history information, and residual battery quantity information. The server may choose a robot among a plurality of robot to respond to a user service request. In this case, the server may consider the state information of the robot . For example, the server may decide an idle robot located nearest to the user as the robot to respond to the user service request.
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The server may refer to a device for training an artificial neural network using a machine learning algorithm or using a trained artificial neural network. Here, the server may include a plurality of servers to perform distributed processing, or may be defined as a 5G network (or any other type of network as noted above). At this time, the server may be included as a component of the robot in order to perform at least a portion of AI processing together.
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The server may include a transceiver , an input interface , a learning processor , a storage , and a processor .
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The transceiver may transmit and receive data to and from an external device, such as the robot . For example, the transceiver may receive space identification data from the robot and may transmit a spatial attribute extracted from the space identification data to the robot in response thereto. The transceiver may transmit, to the robot , information about whether the robot has entered the target area.
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The input interface may acquire input data for AI processing. For example, the input interface may include an input and output port capable of receiving data stored in an external storage medium.
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The storage may include a model storage . The model storage may store a model (or an artificial neural network ) learning or learned through the learning processor . For example, the storage may store an object recognition model that is being trained or has been trained.
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The learning processor may train the artificial neural network using learning data. The learning model may be used while mounted in the server of the artificial neural network, or may be used while mounted in an external device such as the robot , or the like.
340
The learning model may be implemented as hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. When a portion or the entirety of a learning model is implemented as software, one or more instructions, which constitute the learning model, may be stored in the storage .
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The processor may infer a result value with respect to new input data using the learning model, and generate a response or control command based on the inferred result value. For example, the processor may infer a spatial attribute of new space identification data using an object recognition model, and may respond regarding whether the place in which the robot is driving is a target area.
The order of individual steps in process claims according to the present disclosure does not imply that the steps must be performed in this order; rather, the steps may be performed in any suitable order, unless expressly indicated otherwise. The present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the order of operations given in the description. All examples described herein or the terms indicative thereof (“for example,” etc.) used herein are merely to describe the present disclosure in greater detail. Therefore, it should be understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above or by the use of such terms unless limited by the appended claims. Also, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, and alternations can be made depending on design conditions and factors within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof.
It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, changes and modifications which are not exemplified herein but are still within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure may be made. | |
Strategic Resource Group’s Dispute Advisory team can provide advice and expert witness evidence and analysis to assist in the resolution of disputes and in the processes of arbitration, federal, state, locale and international litigation, mediation, contract issues and bankruptcy and insolvency claims.
SRG has a track record of success in helping unravel challenging financial and economic issues in disputes. We provide valuable financial advisory services to companies, creditors, financial institutions, workers, equity holders, and the legal community for in and out-of court situations. | https://srginsight.com/litigation/dispute-advisory-services/ |
Welcome to the Spenser Archive Finding Aid, a bibliographical database with links to collections all over the world that house sixteenth- and seventeenth-century copies of works by the English poet and colonial administrator Edmund Spenser.
Using the links to your left, you may search this database in a number of complementary ways. We hope this information will prove useful to editors, bibliographers, and curators of collections as well as to private collectors and bibliophiles, students and scholars of the history of the book, and others. The information in this database has been gathered over many years by dozens of contributors, but more copies remain to be identified and included; it has been checked carefully several times, but errors no doubt persist. For both reasons we ask users to notify us of errors they may encounter, or of copies to be added.
We will be especially grateful for curators at major repositories who are willing to confirm our description of their holdings, private collectors who are willing to describe their copies to us, and scholars who may find time to check our data against the holdings of repositories to which they have access.
This Finding Aid is the first part of what will eventually be a comprehensive digital archive devoted to the study and teaching of Spenser's works. Supported by funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities together with generous support from Washington University in St. Louis, the University of South Carolina, and the Pennsylvania State University, construction of the Spenser Archive is supervised by the General Editors of "The Collected Works of Edmund Spenser," under contract to Oxford University Press. | https://talus.artsci.wustl.edu/findingaid/index.html |
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, one of the lead sponsors of bipartisan, comprehensive postal reform legislation, issued the following statement regarding the Postmaster General’s comments today about rural post offices.
Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced that none of the 3,200 post offices slated for closure last year will be forcibly shuttered. However, about 13,000 post offices will either have work hours reduced, be co-located a nearby business such as the local pharmacy, merged with another location, or service will be provided to residents and businesses in the affected community by either rural carrier or highway contract route.
“I am cautiously optimistic that the Postmaster General has now devised a plan that will help preserve some essential postal services for rural America, while allowing the Postal Service to reduce its costs as it must do. Reduced hours at certain post offices or their co-location with another facility or a retail store, if properly designed, could well accomplish both goals. To be effective, such a plan must, however, take into account people’s schedules and post offices should be open at times convenient to their customers. The fact is, there are many options to cut costs and expand revenue while preserving service, such as: reducing the size of processing plants without closing them, shifting hours of some post offices, permitting other state or local services to be administered at post offices, or moving tiny post offices into grocery or other stores within the same community.
“It’s good news if, indeed, most of the 3,200 smaller post offices currently targeted by the Postal Service will not close, but rather that creative ways to reduce their costs will be explored. Involving communities and providing different options for mail service will both save the Postal Service money and also continue to ensure timely and effective access to postal services for customers. There should be clear minimum standards for service — which we establish in the bill just passed through the Senate — and communities should have a real voice in the decision. | http://postalnews.com/postalnewsblog/2012/05/09/senator-collins-cautiously-optimistic-on-new-usps-plan-for-small-pos/ |
Reproduced with permission from the Australian National University Press.
Collection
Abstract
Contemporary historians and educators have a responsibility to highlight marginalised voices in their research and teaching work. The past experiences of gay and lesbian Australians is one area of historical study that should thus be further explored and discussed in undergraduate history courses. Yet, the historical research process must always be informed by a self-reflexive questioning of the role of contemporary discourses in the analysis of past events. This article describes some of the challenges that arise when teachingfocused researchers aim both to highlight new historical knowledge and address the silencing of marginalised voices in the classroom. An exploration of a 1931 Western Australian ‘unnatural offence’ case initially appeared to highlight some historically unique characteristics and apparently fitted neatly into contemporary discourses around the historical marginalisation and victimisation of gay men. However, the case threw up many questions about the role of the researcher in historical research and reinforced the relevance of self-reflexive practice for historians. Harnessing the past for present purposes has many pitfalls but also some unexpected educative benefits.
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Colonial, economic rationalist, or collegial? Indonesian business leaders' perceptions (2001) of G7 behaviourDaale, Peter (2003)This research project aims to determine Indonesian business leaders perceptions of G7 behaviour towards Indonesia after Independence (1945/1949), at a time when the country is experiencing a severe financial and economic ... | https://espace.curtin.edu.au/handle/20.500.11937/81735 |
Corresponding author: Yavuz Güler ( [email protected] )
© Yavuz Güler.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation: Güler Y (2021) Urethral Injury Treatment Challenge. Comparison of Surgical Treatments for Acquired or Iatrogenic Urethral Stenosis and Predictive Values for Failure of Each Surgical Method. Folia Medica 63(1): 42-50. https://doi.org/10.3897/folmed.63.e53739
Introduction: Minimal invasive endo-urologic interventions and prostate surgeries performed through the urethral route are the most commonly used surgeries in the urology field at present. One of the unwanted complications weeks after some of these surgeries is urethral stenosis.
Aim: In this study, we aimed to review our treatment methods for patients with urethral stricture occurring after urologic interventions retrospectively to evaluate our success rates and data predicting recurrence and to determine the most feasible method.
Materials and methods: From 2008 to 2017, we evaluated retrospectively 234, 85, and 51 patients with urethral stenosis due to iatrogenic causes treated with direct visual internal urethrotomy (DVIU), anastomotic excision urethroplasty, and buccal graft urethro-plasty, respectively. Postoperative Qmax above 15 mL/s and >17 CH cystoscope easily passing the urethra was accepted as success for patients. Group variables were compared using ANOVA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine variables with predictive values. Predictive values significant in regression analysis (p<0.005) were evaluated with ROC analysis.
Results: Patients were followed up for mean 48 (16-56) months, 48 (23-60) months, and 50 (32-65) months after DVIU, anastomotic and graft urethroplasty, respectively, and success was obtained for 75 (32.1%), 71 (83.5%) and 42 patients (82.4%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found age, DM, BMI and stenosis length were independent predictive factors for DVIU success, while stenosis length was the independent predictive factor for excision anastomosis and buccal graft urethroplasty success. Cut-off values were determined as 56.5 years of age, 30.2 kg/m2 BMI and 1.85 mm stenosis length for DVIU patients, while 2.15 mm and 5.9 mm stenosis lengths, respectively, were determined for excision anastomosis and buccal graft urethroplasty with ROC analysis.
Conclusions: DVIU is a failed method for urethral stenosis in the long term. In contrast, resection / anastomosis and graft urethro-plasty are very successful methods. | https://foliamedica.bg/article_preview.php?id=53739 |
3 weeks ago i purchased a brand new 2017 Ford Fiesta Se with 25miles on it. About a week ago the weather started getting colder and i started noticing a tick when i would start it. It goes away when the car is warmed up. Do i have a major problem or is this normal?
My car has 1045 miles.
It is possible that this could be normal depending on how severe the noise is. I would recommend taking the vehicle back to the place that you bought it and explain the situation to them. If there is an issue they should be able to fix it or give you a different vehicle.
Q: 2013 Ford Fiesta overheating when ac is on? The air coolant has a peanut butter consistency & color?
Q: Is it possible to drive car with no water pump?
Hello. The two take different part numbers and if the numbers are different then most likely they are not interchangeable. If you need help installing a new speedometer your best bet may be to consult a local dealer. | https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/tick-noise-by-christina-p |
Chicken with Walnuts and Lemon Recipe
Today, we attended an amazing cookbook event hosted by Melissa’s Produce for author Susan Hermann Loomis- Plat du Jour: French Dinners Made Easy. The tutorial started with something I have always wanted to learn how to do – cut apart a whole chicken.
One of the recipes that we learned how to make was Chicken with Walnuts and Lemon. It looked so delicious that I could not wait to get online at Melissas.com to order all the produce to make it for my children next week. The author was so gracious as to share the recipe with us to give to all of you to make at home. Enjoy!!
Chicken with Walnuts and Lemon, from the Dordogne
POULET AUX NOIX ET CITRON
SERVES 4 TO 6
EQUIPMENT: large heavy skillet with a lid, tongs
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes if the chicken is in pieces; 20 if not
COOKING TIME: 40 minutes max
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: simple
This is a dish from a farm in the Dordogne, where the walnuts are sweet, fat, and buttery tasting, and they make a perfect complement to poultry. This is the kind of dish that you settle down to with comfort and anticipation, because it’s got all the right elements, from cloves of garlic bursting with their sweet flavor to the golden chicken and walnuts and the tang of lemon that lifts the dish out of the ordinary. Serve this with a lovely Chardonnay.
2 tablespoons olive oil
One 3½- to 4-pound (1.8 to 2 kg) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (2 breast pieces, 2 wings with portion of breast attached, 2 legs, 2 thighs), giblets reserved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ to 2 cups (375 to 500 ml) white wine, such as a sauvignon blanc
12 garlic cloves
1¼ cups (140 g) walnut halves or large pieces
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs for garnish
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, brown the chicken pieces, seasoning them liberally with salt and pepper, until they are golden, about 5 minutes per side, using tongs to turn the chicken pieces.
2. Add the lemon juice, ½ cup (125 ml) of the wine, and the garlic cloves to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the chicken is nearly cooked through, about 15 minutes. Then stir the walnuts into the skillet, along with the giblets, cover, and continue to cook for about 8 minutes. Remove the cover from the skillet and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan juices have evaporated and the chicken, walnuts, and garlic are golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Be sure to watch the walnuts, for they tend to brown easily. If they are getting too brown at any point in the cooking, remove and return them to the pan just before serving.
3. Transfer the chicken, garlic, and walnuts to a warmed serving platter and deglaze the skillet with the remaining wine, scraping the bottom to loosen any caramelized bits. Begin by adding the smaller amount of wine; if you need more, top it up with the remaining wine and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Then pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley sprigs, and serve immediately.
About Susan Herrmann Loomis
Susan Herrmann Loomis is a France-based, award-winning author with fourteen books to her credit, a professionally trained chef, and a cooking school proprietor.
Included among her titles are THE GREAT AMERICAN SEAFOOD COOKBOOK, FARMHOUSE COOKBOOK, CLAMBAKES AND FISH FRIES, FRENCH FARMHOUSE COOKBOOK, ITALIAN FARMHOUSE COOKBOOK, (all Workman Publishing, Inc.) and ON RUE TATIN (Broadway Books. 2001) a narrative about her life in France, with recipes which won the IACP best literary food book for 2002, TARTE TATIN (Harper Collins UK, 2003), the sequel, COOKING AT HOME ON RUE TATIN, (William Morrow, May 2005) and NUTS IN THE KITCHEN (William Morrow 2010), IN A FRENCH KITCHEN (Penguin, 2015). FRENCH GRILL (Countryman, 2019); PLAT DU JOUR (Countryman, 2020). All are available online.
Loomis has contributed to many newspapers and magazines including the NEW YORK TIMES, LA TIMES, BOSTON GLOBE, COOKING LIGHT, CULTURE. Loomis has participated in many television and radio shows, including Good Morning America (ABC), Home Matters, Epicurious/Discovery, The Splendid Table with Lynn Rosetto [email protected](MPR); A Food Talk with Arthur [email protected] (WOR); A Good Food Hour with Evan [email protected] (KSRO).
Loomis, who has lived in France for more than thirty years, teaches cooking and the history of French gastronomy in Paris and in the U.S. and is now a principal in www.dancingtomatoes.com , an ethical, entertaining and cultural food platform.
About Plat du Jour: French Dinners Made Easy
If you have been on the hunt for a French cookbook that can be proudly perched alongside your beloved copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, you are in luck. Susan Herrmann Loomis’s newest book, Plat du Jour: French Dinners Made Easy [The Countryman Press; January 12, 2021; Hardcover; $30.00], fuses the most traditional of French cuisine with innovative dishes that feature fresh pairing ideas.
Susan has written fourteen books about food, many of them from France where she has made her home for more than thirty years. With a Grand Diplome in cooking from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, a degree in journalism, and a profound passion for the people and traditions that go into all foods, particularly French, she has created Plat du Jour. Based on years of living in a small French town, research conducted on farms throughout France, and the daily joy of eating in a country where food is not just sustenance but the very fabric of life, Susan has assembled the finest, most comforting dishes of France together in this one, lovely volume.
Plat du Jour is anchored by the French formule, with the plat du jour always being “offered as part of a formule that includes a first course or dessert.” After relocating to France from the Pacific Northwest decades ago, Susan fell in love with French food, culture, and, of course, the French dining experience. Her encyclopedic knowledge of French cuisine and her passion for teaching led to her cooking school, On Rue Tatin, out of Paris and Normandy, which offers group cooking classes, market visits, and lectures, all centered around her expertise in French gastronomy. While Plat du Jour is an unashamed celebration of classical French technique and recipes, it’s also a lesson in menu planning and how to complement and enhance flavors throughout multiple courses.
Especially mouthwatering combinations include: Butter-Drizzled Seared Steak with Potato Gratin, Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Orange Syrup, and Fig and Hazelnut Bread with Cocoa Nibs. You would be remiss not to try Susan’s Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream or her Pear, Almond, and Nutmeg Crumble. In a season that has us longing for nightly comfort food, the winter will be made far more tolerable when your kitchen is introduced to Susan’s exquisitely crafted book. While Plat du Jour is filled with new and exciting Gallic flavors, Susan of course includes iconic and classic dishes like Bouillabaisse, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Tarte Tatin.
Luckily, delicious does not have to mean complicated. Plat du Jour lives up to its name and French dinners are made easy with a chapter devoted solely to basics recipes that provide the foundation of so many dishes, and a section dedicated to demystifying common French labels. Susan offers recipes for staples like Chicken Stock and Tender Tart Pastry, along with guidance on navigating French food labels such as AOP, IGP, and STG, each of which gives places food in its traditional context. Susan also distills her lifetime of cooking and teaching into helpful “astuces” or tips on ingredients and techniques. If you have found yourself stuck in a rut of monotonous repeats with too much reliance on the microwave, bring back your culinary joie de vivre with this beautiful, delectable book that is sure to inspire and charm. Bon Appetit!
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One Comment
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Thank you so much for this lovely call-oiut both for the book and for the presentation! I hope your family loves the chicken dish – let me know, please! | https://ocmomblog.com/chicken-walnuts-lemon-recipe/ |
In the harmonic mode, the EBow adds harmonics to every note you play up to the higher registers, where it increases the EBow sustain range.
In the standard mode, harmonics can be achieved by sustaining notes fingered near the nut, the first 5 frets or so, on the E, A, D and G strings. As the EBow is moved away from the pickup and toward the bridge, the string tends to vibrate with more of its upper harmonics. Bends and vibrato help get the harmonics started and add color to the sound.
To avoid harmonics, don't finger notes near the nut of the guitar. Or, muffle the string slightly with your right palm, behind the EBow, near the bridge. | http://ebow.com/pg_page.php?id=184 |
Each and every one of us will probably experience the death or loss of a loved one. We may experience the end of a relationship or divorce or we may experience the loss of our health or the loss of a job. We may even experience the loss of financial stability or the loss of an unborn child. We may possibly experience the loss of our freedom or know of someone who has. Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about can feel very painful. You may feel all kinds of difficult emotions that might feel unending but these are, in fact, normal reactions to loss and the more significant the loss, the more intense the grief. Through all of our life experiences, we will most likely have to work through feelings of grief, sadness loss, anger, and despair. These familiar feelings are symptoms of “grief.” Grief is a natural response to loss. It is the emotional suffering we feel when someone or something we love is taken away.
Grief is an emotion that we experience in private within our African-American culture. It is as if we are not permitted to display our emotions of sorrow and despair. We mistakenly believe that a public display of our emotions or affections is somehow considered not socially etiquette. We are praised for being emotionally controlled at our funerals, wakes, and repasts. We may often be misperceived as “strong” and not permitted to show our vulnerability. This is actually unfortunate because our strength rests in our ability and willingness to be authentically vulnerable, compassionate, and empathetic. When we stifle our emotions we prohibit healthy coping with grief and loss and working through our sorrow in a validating and healing way. We are a resilient and yes, it is okay to cry and show how we are really feeling so that we can get the support that we need to move on. Receiving support is an act of loving kindness not pity. While we may not be able to control the losses in our lives, we can control how we chose to cope with our feelings of loss. One of the key things we can do to begin to help ourselves is to recognize the symptoms of bereavement.
As an African-American culture, we have historically denied mental health problems in ourselves, families, and communities. This is most likely attributed to the stigma associated with emotional suffering and psychological functioning. We must recognize that failure to address and treat these symptoms result in the growing disproportional representation of chronic illness like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in ourselves, families, and community. However there are things we can do to help ourselves and each other.
Do not deny, minimize, or falsely justify your symptoms – Avoid the tendency to let shame, pride, and embarrassment overcome your good judgment to seek help
Spiritual, Faith or Pastoral Counseling – If you are member of your church or faith practice, you can request pastoral counseling and/or seek support from your prayer circle or grief and loss support group.
As a spiritual people and community of faith, our greatest gift is our life. What better way to show and demonstrate our appreciation and love to our higher power and beloved deity by honoring our physical body temple and being proactive in taking care of our emotional and physical health. Let’s take care of our family, friends, and community by first taking care of ourselves. | http://sistahfriends.com/pages/Grief___Loss |
For you to be happy you must first embrace who you are as well as where you are at this point in time. But, just how can you discover more about who you are and embrace who you are to be happy? If you usually wake up and when you step out of bed you are always feeling tired, that’s an indication that you aren’t looking forward to a good day ahead.
For example, if you have a challenge at your workplace or with your daily routine activities and have been longing for a change for a while, you need to first learn how to get past your challenges.
Start by learning how to embrace who you are, your fears as well as your challenges and flaws since your flaws are what make you beautiful and unique. You can also set daily learning objectives if you like to boost your mood and help speed up the changes. Below are some tips on how to get over the fear and ways to embrace who you are to be happy.
1. Be happy no matter your current circumstances
How often do you take a look at yourself in the mirror and smile? People cannot be the same and we are all different in our own special way. Learn to look at yourself and appreciate the far that you have come and all that you have achieved. It gives you another chance to better your life.
The fact that you are breathing is enough for you to be thankful even when you don’t feel good enough. It also gives you another chance to better your life. Smile and be happy knowing that better days are coming.
2. Never compare yourself to others
Understand that everyone is on their own journey which is unique for every person. You do not have to live someone else’s life to be happy. That person that you might be envying might have all the money and flashy things that you desire, but when they are alone, they might be living in the worst state and are unhappy with their lives. But, this does not mean that you should not want better things in your life.
You might be looking at yourself and thinking, “If only I could have a better life, travel all over the world whenever I want without having to worry about tomorrow or what my kids would eat like so and so”. By thinking that you aren’t privileged enough or that life has thrown at you too many lemons, this means that you are comparing yourself to others.
Know that before you achieve better things, you need to learn to appreciate the little things that you already have. Start by looking at what you have already achieved. By showing gratitude, you will be able to build your own empire. In the long run, you will finally achieve what you’ve always desired.
3. Treat yourself well
If you love eating out, going to the movies, participating in extracurricular activities such as sports, hiking or anything that makes you happy. Why not spare that weekend or that evening and go out and have some fun? That weekend outing might be the turnaround that you need. You can go out alone, with your family or with friends and create some happy moments.
Recalling wonderful moments will greatly boost your esteem whenever you are at your lowest point. You can recall a memory and use that particular memory to remove negative energy that might be clouding your subconscious mind.
4. Let go of fear
Don’t fear to embrace who you are because of what others might think, and discover more about you by making a list of abilities that you have. I know that it’s not easy not to worry, but the best way is to stop focusing on what other people might think.
If you have a sport that you love, find someone who knows more about it. Then find out how you can participate. Secondly, to be happy you need to embrace who you are. Also, embrace your flaws and remove any fear that when you are your true self, your circle of friends will narrow down.
Understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Simply learn to be yourself, discover your strengths and stop living in fear of what those around you might think.
5. Appreciate yourself
Start appreciating yourself and discover more about yourself and all the abilities that you have. Embrace your imperfections and change your life in ways that you never thought possible. Loving yourself will have the biggest impact on your life.
Stop worrying about people saying that “YOU CANNOT DO IT”, that’s just an assumption because “YOU CAN DO IT”. Let go of the fear that you have and set yourself free. Have the courage to be you. This will bring you inner peace.
Embrace who you are to be happy, to live a life of purpose and work towards a better future. Remember that once you find, know and understand yourself, you won’t be lost in life.
Why not make lemonade out of your challenges and pain? Simply take all that pain, your past painful experiences and set aside all those feelings and thoughts of pain and disappointments. | https://www.toweringhigh.com/embrace-who-you-are/ |
Mutations in SYNGAP1 have been identified in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or forms of intellectual disability. SYNGAP1 is a brain-specific RAS GAP (GTPase activating protein) that negatively regulates Ras family GTPases. Ras is a molecular switch that activates multiple effector pathways, including the RAF-MEK-ERK kinase cascade that controls cell proliferation and differentiation in dividing cells. In neurons, the RAS pathway is activated in response to synaptic signaling, but the precise mechanisms and targets in neurons are less well understood.
RASopathies are a family of developmental syndromes caused by mutations in components of the RAS-ERK signaling pathway and are often associated with cognitive impairments. Inactivating mutations in the RAS GAP, neurofibromin (NF1), cause the RASopathy neurofibromatosis. As SYNGAP1 is a member of the same RAS GAP family, it’s likely that the mutations in SYNGAP1 identified in individuals with ASD also reflect a loss of SYNGAP1 function. In order to assess the effects of ASD-linked SYNGAP1 mutations, Frank McCormick’s laboratory will establish cell- and tissue-based biochemical techniques and perform proteomic studies. These analyses will enable McCormick’s group to address the molecular mechanism by which SYNGAP1 regulates RAS in neurons and the biochemical mechanisms by which pathologic mutations perturb signaling. The results of this work will also provide insights into possible therapeutic intervention of the RAS pathway that may be beneficial in individuals with SYNGAP1 mutations. | https://www.sfari.org/funded-project/biochemical-analysis-of-autism-linked-mutations-in-syngap1/ |
Also See: Floral Park, NY ZIP Codes & ZIP Code Maps | Local Area Photos
The Village of Bellerose had a population of 1,192 as of July 1, 2019. Bellerose ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density and Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in New York. See peer rankings below.
The primary coordinate point for Bellerose is located at latitude 40.7243 and longitude -73.7151 in Nassau County. The formal boundaries for the Village of Bellerose encompass a land area of 0.12 sq. miles and a water area of 0 sq. miles. Nassau County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5). The elevation is 82 feet.
The Village of Bellerose (GNIS ID: 2391545) has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.
The Village of Bellerose is located within Town of Hempstead, a minor civil division (MCD) of Nassau County.
Also See: Nearby Photos | Nearby Hotels | Driving Directions
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INDEX
|Bellerose, NY Housing Affordability Index is 115
|
State of New York Housing Affordability Index is 85
|The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.|
WEALTH INDEX
|Bellerose, NY Wealth Index is 316
|
State of New York Wealth Index is 109
|The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.|
These new demographic attributes are availiable for cities, Counties, ZIP Codes and even neighborhoods (Census Blocks) when you search by a specific New York address.
See our:
POPULATION
|Total Population||1,192|
|Population in Households||1,192|
|Population in Familes||1,117|
|Population in Group Qrtrs||0|
|Population Density||9,582|
|Diversity Index1||63|
INCOME
|Median Household Income||$159,350|
|Average Household Income||$211,544|
|Per Capita Income||$65,088|
|Wealth Index3||316|
HOUSING
|Total Housing Units||378 (100%)|
|Owner Occupied HU||328 (86.8%)|
|Renter Occupied HU||41 (10.8%)|
|Vacant Housing Units||10 ( 2.6%)|
|Median Home Value||$625,613|
|Housing Affordability Index2||115|
HOUSEHOLDS
|Total Households||368|
|Average Household Size||3.24|
|Family Households||320|
|Average Family Size||3|
|
|
GROWTH RATE / YEAR
|2010-2019||2019-2024|
|Population||-0.01%||-0.1%|
|Households||-0.2%||-0.16%|
|Families||-0.33%||-0.25%|
|Median Household Income||1.47%|
|Per Capita Income||1.4%|
The table below compares Bellerose to the other 1,195 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in New York by rank and percentile using July 1, 2019 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.
|Variable Description||Rank||Percentile|
|Total Population||# 776||35th|
|Population Density||# 32||97th|
|Diversity Index||# 136||89th|
|Median Household Income||# 64||95th|
|Per Capita Income||# 121||90th|
Additional comparisons and rankings can be made with a VERY EASY TO USE New York Census Data Comparison Tool. | https://newyork.hometownlocator.com/ny/nassau/bellerose.cfm |
Bridgewater offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in more than 60 majors and minors, along with multiple concentrations, pre-professional programs such as medicine and law, dual degree programs and teacher certification.
The College is a member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, with 22 intercollegiate athletic teams.
The vibrant 300-acre residential campus includes an equestrian center and is located in the town of Bridgewater, Virginia, near the city of Harrisonburg in the center of the Shenandoah Valley.
An excellent school system, healthy business environment, numerous arts and cultural events, the state's lowest crime rate, and a variety of outdoor opportunities and historic attractions draw many to the region.
To view contact information for this school, register here. It's free!
402 E College St.
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Chorus CH-1 by ag-works is a Virtual Effect Audio Plugin. It functions as a VST Plugin.
|Product||Chorus CH-1|
|Developer||ag-works|
|Price (MSRP)||
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No Longer Available
|Type / Tags||Modulation (Flanger / Phaser / Chorus / Tremolo)|
Plug-in, App & Soundware Format(s)
|Effect(s)|
Operating System Availability
|Operating
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System
|Latest
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Version
|Download||Released|
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1.0
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Miscellaneous Information
|Copy Protection||None|
Chorus CH-1 is a rich chorus effect using "all-pass interpolation" to achieve better frequency modulation quality.
Chorus CH-1 features:
- Up to 10 voices.
- Brilliant and clean tone (for guitars, voices and pads).
- Extremely wide stereo effect.
NOTE: CH-1 uses the host's default GUI. | https://www.kvraudio.com/product/chorus_ch_1_by_ag_works |
At the end of April, Aruba forced a password change for many of its customers. An operation, this, which is usually done when something did not go as it should go.
Yesterday, after a few months, Aruba sent a communication to all customers explaining what had happened: there had actually been a cyber attack. The text of the communication is this.
Dear Customer,
we wish to inform you that on 23 April we detected and blocked unauthorized access to the network that hosts some of our management systems, but no data has been deleted or altered.
We also specify that no system of production and delivery of our services has been involved, as they are completely separate.
We immediately implemented a series of internal and external measures including informing the Police and the Guarantor for the Protection of Personal Data. At the conclusion of all our analyzes, we felt it was our duty to inform you of the incident even if no action was required on your part.
We attach great importance to IT security and make huge investments in technology, tools and organization, but in this circumstance we have not been able to prevent the event. Unfortunately, this is a very special period, in which cyber attacks, increasingly sophisticated, are on the rise and are hitting companies and public and private organizations of all levels globally.
More information below:
The data present in the systems concerned, whose integrity and availability have not been impacted in any way, are the billing data (name and surname, tax code, address, city, postcode, province, telephone, email address, PEC address) and authentication data to the customer area, such as login and password, the latter protected by strong encryption, and in any case promptly disabled, therefore in any case unusable.
The payment data (eg credit cards), nor the customer services (eg hosting, cloud, email, PEC …) and all the data contained therein were not affected in any way.
The disabling of passwords to access the customer area was performed without notice as per standard security procedure. We are sorry if this may have caused you some inconvenience, but it has allowed us to eliminate any kind of risk, even if potential. If you have not already reset your password following the event, the system will ask you to choose a new one the first time you access the customer area. We remind you that there is no urgency to complete the operation, as the system is already safe.
As a further precaution also in order to defend against common digital scams, we recommend that you:
- always choose different passwords for each service used and change them periodically;
- pay particular attention to emails or certified e-mails of dubious origin or whose content should generate suspicions;
- if the content of an email seems suspicious, unexpected or the sender is unknown, avoid clicking on the links and do not download the attachments;
- keep in mind that Aruba personnel never ask via email, SMS or telephone to communicate their credentials to access the services (username / password) or the references of their electronic payment methods (eg credit card number or PayPal account).
We confirm that no action is required on your part, we apologize for the incident and remain available for further information or clarifications at [email protected]
We took some time to deal with this news because we wanted to make sure we understand what really happened. The first thing to say is that communication it was sent by Aruba to all customers by voluntary decision.
Let’s talk about an attempt because reading between the lines one might think that some personal data that Aruba indicates as “name and surname, tax code, address, city, postcode, province, telephone, email address, certified e-mail address”Have been stolen by someone, in reality it turned out that Aruba has only suffered unauthorized access however was promptly blocked by the Incident Response Team.
“The incident was immediately reported to the Postal Police and the Guarantor for the Protection of Personal Data, was subject to in-depth analysis, further monitoring, identification and classification of other possible threats, with a synergistic and cooperative approach between staff specialized in Aruba and some external specialists in the Cyber Threat Intelligence field. “the company explained to us.
During all the analyzes carried out in recent months, “the way of access”: someone managed to enter a server by exploiting a vulnerability in a third-party CMS used by Aruba to manage the content of the user guides for products and services for customers. In fact, a management server was attacked with some data inside.
In recent months, Aruba has not only used consultants and made a very detailed analysis of the accident, but an intelligence operation was also carried out both on the web and on the darkweb to understand if somehow some data could have been stolen, to confirm what the analyzes reported: there appears to have been no copy and no access to the data.
The monitoring of each “illegal” channel completely excluded the presence, after months, of some data or even of people who tried to sell any data, and this, together with all the documentation, was enough to declare the accident.
Moreover, in recent months Aruba has not received any contact requests from those who would have attacked them (hackers, cyber criminals, …) either for extortion or other purposes. “The conclusion of these analyzes and monitoring gave us the certainty that the data in our systems have not been impacted in any way in their integrity and availability, and have not been taken.”Aruba told us.
The company also told us why it changed passwords in late April. “As per the security protocol, a series of precautionary measures were immediately adopted, including the raising of all levels of sensitivity of our security software tools and threats intelligence. As a further form of precaution, and despite being already protected by strong encryption, we have chosen to disable all passwords for access to the customer area without notice. We were aware that this sudden action could immediately cause inconvenience to some of our customers – and we can now apologize for this – but the timing has allowed us to eliminate any kind of potential risk..”
After two days they couldn’t know what turned out after two months of investigation, and they couldn’t take any risks. The most immediate route was therefore chosen, which caused some discomfort.
Perhaps the communication sent to customers was not very clear at some point: it would have been enough to insert the sentence above: “The conclusion of these analyzes and monitoring has given us the certainty that the data in our systems have not been impacted in any way in their integrity and availability, and were not taken.”
In any case, in a period where attacks are more and more frequent, and those that go well are frequent, this is all in all good news. Aruba customers can breathe a sigh of relief. | https://www.newsylist.com/attack-on-aruba-what-really-happened-no-data-was-stolen/ |
Discusses suicide mortality disparities by different demographics, such as age, race, veteran status, and rurality, among others. Tracks suicide rates from 1999-2019 and highlights rates by specific demographic group.
Author(s)
Seth W. Perry, Jacob C. Rainey, Stephen Allison, et al. | https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/resources/18944 |
Abstract: Datasets have gained an enormous amount of popularity in the computer vision community, from training and evaluation of Deep Learning-based methods to benchmarking Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). Without a doubt, synthetic imagery bears a vast potential due to scalability in terms of amounts of data obtainable without tedious manual ground truth annotations or measurements. Here, we present a dataset with the aim of providing a higher degree of photo-realism, larger scale, more variability as well as serving a wider range of purposes compared to existing datasets. Our dataset leverages the availability of millions of professional interior designs and millions of production-level furniture and object assets -- all coming with fine geometric details and high-resolution texture. We render high-resolution and high frame-rate video sequences following realistic trajectories while supporting various camera types as well as providing inertial measurements. Together with the release of the dataset, we will make executable program of our interactive simulator software as well as our renderer available at this https URL. To showcase the usability and uniqueness of our dataset, we show benchmarking results of both sparse and dense SLAM algorithms.
Submission historyFrom: Sajad Saeedi [view email]
[v1] Mon, 3 Sep 2018 20:42:27 UTC (6,799 KB)
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arXivLabs: experimental projects with community collaborators
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website.
Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them.
Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs and how to get involved. | https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.00716 |
Aviva is expecting to have all issues with its platform resolved by the end of October, adding it has already resolved the main issues that affected financial advisers and its customers.
Lindsey Rix, the provider’s managing director of savings and retirement, told FTAdviser Aviva is currently working to remediate any issues it had in the first half of the year, and wants to ensure customers and advisers are put back in the position they should be in had the troubles not occurred.
She said: "Over the next two to three months we should be fully back to normal. But the vast majority of all of the issues has now been resolved, and it is working as expected."
Aviva’s platform was unavailable for six days in January after it moved to tech company FNZ.
From then on advisers were faced with a litany of problems, including around client reporting functions, technical glitches affecting payments for people in drawdown, and processing adviser payment.
At one point the system sent out Mifid-related reports, warning clients about large drops in their portfolios in error.
Aviva offered advisers compensation but Ms Rix declined to disclose how many advisers have requested compensation due to the glitches.
She said: "We are working through with customers and advisers to ensure they're not negatively impacted by the issues they experienced in the first half of the year."
FTAdviser reported in June that a financial adviser received £875 in compensation from Aviva after several of his clients faced disruption in the early parts of the provider's replatforming exercise - a figure he deemed unsatisfactory at the time.
Despite all these issues, the adviser platform saw positive net fund flows of £2.2bn and increased funds under management in the six months to the end of June, according to the provider’s interim report released today (2 August).
Nevertheless, inflows were down by £800m, when compared with the previous year, while platform assets reached £22.7bn.
Ms Rix classified this as "good growth" coming from mainly existing relationships with advisers who continued to place business with Aviva.
She added: "We look to see that [net growth] increasing back to flow levels that we were seeing in the last year, and want to [improve] on that further.
"That will come over the course of [the business] as we look at 2019."
Minesh Patel, chartered financial planner and managing director at EA Financial Solutions, said the timeline given by Aviva was unreasonable, adding "it is taking a long time for them to resolve their issues".
Regarding the unresolved issues, Mr Patel doesn’t consider them to be ‘minor’. He said: "We heard back from them that the tax certificate won’t be available until September. How is that a minor issue for someone that wants to file their tax return?" | https://www.ftadviser.com/platforms/2018/08/02/aviva-sets-date-for-end-of-platform-woes/ |
Eponyme meanings in Urdu
Eponyme meanings in Urdu is ایپونیم Eponyme in Urdu. More meanings of eponyme, it's definitions, example sentences, related words, idioms and quotations.
What are the meanings of Eponyme in Urdu?
Meanings of the word Eponyme in Urdu are . To understand how would you translate the word Eponyme in Urdu, you can take help from words closely related to Eponyme or it’s Urdu translations. Some of these words can also be considered Eponyme synonyms. In case you want even more details, you can also consider checking out all of the definitions of the word Eponyme. If there is a match we also include idioms & quotations that either use this word or its translations in them or use any of the related words in English or Urdu translations. These idioms or quotations can also be taken as a literary example of how to use Eponyme in a sentence. If you have trouble reading in Urdu we have also provided these meanings in Roman Urdu.
We have tried our level best to provide you as much detail on how to say Eponyme in Urdu as possible so you could understand its correct English to Urdu translation. We encourage everyone to contribute in adding more meanings to MeaningIn Dictionary by adding English to Urdu translations, Urdu to Roman Urdu transliterations and Urdu to English Translations. This will improve our English to Urdu Dictionary, Urdu to English dictionary, English to Urdu Idioms translation and Urdu to English Idioms translations. Although we have added all of the meanings of Eponyme with utmost care but there could be human errors in the translation. So if you encounter any problem in our translation service please feel free to correct it at the spot. All you have to do is to click here and submit your correction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What do you mean by eponyme?
ایپونیم
Whats the definition of eponyme? | https://meaningin.com/english-to-urdu/eponyme-meaning-in-urdu |
The foundation for a healthy hip joint is laid before birth. For a normal hip development a healthy investment is primarily needed, and secondly a non-harmful position for the hip joint in the womb.
Since many decades, infants are studied using X-ray and since more than 30 years carefully and safely with ultrasound, to initiate appropriate treatment in the presence of hip dysplasia (development disorder) or dislocation (luxation).
Through spreading of the infant's leg, the femoral head is screwed deep into the acetabulum, and it arranges for the ripening of the flat acetabulum by a forming stimulus. The aim of this treatment is to obtain a normal hip joint and to prevent subsequent abrasion (osteoarthritis). Dysplasia that are not discovered until late childhood or even adulthood, can be operated by a hip rectifying intervention, so that the very probable early osteoarthritis does not prematurely lead to problems.
Besides development disorders there are these following reasons for the destruction of the sliding surfaces of the hip joint cartilage: injuries, joint infections, rheumatism, osteonecrosis (bone tissue loss), idiopathic osteoarthritis (abrasion due to unknown cause) and others.
Brief anatomy of the hip joint
At the upper end of the femur, the femoral head and the acetabulum of the hip bone form the hip joint. The joint is characterized by a very good positive connection, two thirds of the femoral head are in the acetabulum. The head is not purely spherical, but is rather nut-shaped. Head and acetabulum are connected in the middle by a strong bond. The joint is surrounded by a thick and strong joint capsule, in which four strong ligaments are further embedded. The muscles of the hip joint go from the pelvis to the large rolling bumps (great trochanter) and to the shaft of the femur. Special attention has to be given to the muscles during surgery, because a good muscle function is essential for proper standing and walking after surgery. Please read further in the "Artificial hip" section. | https://www.knieprobleme.at/en/hip-joint/ |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an underwater acoustic communication system capable of improving efficiency of a spatial multiplex transmission in water, and provide a receiving device.
SOLUTION: An underwater acoustic communication system is an underwater acoustic communication system comprising: a transmission device having N transmitters; and a receiving device. The receiving device comprises: M echo sounder receivers that receives M (M is two or more integer numbers) reception signal systems in accordance with N transmission signal systems transmitted from N echo sounder transmitters by using a sound wave; a beam former that suppresses a multi-path wave other than a direct wave in the M reception signal systems to be received, and generates L (L is two or more integer values) signal systems from the M reception signal systems; and a signal estimation part that estimates the N transmission signal systems on the basis of the L signal systems to be generated.
SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
COPYRIGHT: (C)2020,JPO&INPIT | |
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Apple and OpenAI are not part of the new organization.
Some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence (AI) research, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, IBM and Microsoft, have formed a new alliance called the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society. The group plans to “conduct research, recommend best practices, and publish research under an open license in areas such as ethics, fairness and inclusivity; transparency, privacy, and interoperability; collaboration between people and AI systems; and the trustworthiness, reliability and robustness of the technology.”
But two large supporters of AI are noticeably absent: Apple and Elon Musk’s OpenAI research organization. The companies that are part of the partnership say that they plan to invite many other businesses and non-profits to join. | https://www.devx.com/devx-daily-news/google-facebook-amazon-ibm-microsoft-form-ai-partnership/ |
Booting Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 from USB is a very recent but hot topic, according to that all attempts are still experimental. So don't use a productive installation for your first experiments and always create a full backup of the system to be modified.
USBoot has to be activated once on each installation of Windows it is used on by a challenge-response cycle. Therefore the matching response code can be obtained for free from this website after registering with an account.
Actual stable version:
USBoot 2.14.zip
( !!! Please read 'ReadMe.txt' for instructions on usage !!! )
Changelog
Version
| |
change(s)
2.14
fixed an issue that could result in a hang when connecting an USB drive while NOT running from USB
2.11
fixed the "Couldn't initialize license key" issue
2.10
introduced support for booting from IEEE1394/FireWire devices (if this is also implemented in the BIOS)
revised the USBoot ArcGuard
2.09
changed handling of abort requests in the installer
2.08
minor internal improvements
2.07
fixed a minor bug regarding the initialization of the console window in USBoot.exe
2.06
added check for required servicepack versions
enhanced compatibility with tools like sysprep
2.05
complete revision of kernelmode code
2.04 beta 12
slightly improved performance on flash disks
fixed a potential issue in the USBoot ServiceGuard
2.04 beta 11
applied some changes to the policies of the USBoot DriveGuard
introduced deletion of Windows '$Nt...' uninstall folders
2.04 beta 10
applied some changes to the way the USBoot DriveGuard attaches to devices
introduced deletion of Windows 'dllcache'
2.04 beta 9
fixed an issue in the USBoot DriveGuard that resulted from incosistent information in the MS DDK/WDK
2.04 beta 8
fixed a bug that was introduced in beta 7 and caused a hang on some systems
2.04 beta 7
added support for Windows x64
2.04 beta 6
fixed a bug in ewf.inf
improved installation scripts
2.04 beta 5
fixed a bug in the USBoot ServiceGuard
2.04 beta 4
corrected an issue regarding the mounting of registry hives in phase III
2.04 beta 3
changed output format of installer to 96 columns width
2.04 beta 2
applied some optimization to the install scripts
2.04 beta 1
complete internal redesign of all kernel- and usermode components
integrated dynamic handling of the AMD <-> intelppm issue
sorted out a couple of minor glitches
improved overall usability
and more ... | https://www.usboot.org/tiki-index.php?page=Download |
Another discerning factor that is common to most styles of writing is that they dictate the use of title case.
In movie titles in a paper the title case is characterized by the capitalization of all the first letters of important words in the movie title.
However, scholars are faced with challenges when citing and referencing these movie titles in papers using the information available about the writing styles available to them.
However much the teachers and institutions of learning have embraced the use of movies as acceptable academic sources, there is still not enough information on how to write a movie title in a paper.
For example movie titles in MLA such as Pirates of the Caribbean, and Titanic will appear as informative sources within the body of your paper in italics as shown; .
Within the body of your essay; APA, Chicago, and MLA writing styles all specify the use of title case for all film titles you use.
Ascribed titles of ancient works of art are conventionally styled roman, as shown in the following example, from Tobin Siebers’s “Disability Aesthetics”: Would the Venus de Milo still be considered one of the great examples of aesthetic and human beauty if she had both her arms? Work Cited 平成26年度調査結果の概要(初等中等教育機関) [Heisei 26 nendo chōsa kekka no gaiyō (shotō chūtō kyōiku kikan); Summary of 2014 Fiscal Year Survey Results (Primary and Secondary Educational Institutions)].
If you are citing an untitled poem known only by its number, a generic description of the poem can be substituted for the title in the works-cited list and in the in-text citation, if necessary.
For example, you might refer to If you are citing the title of a published work that includes the abbreviations, use the abbreviations.
If you are supplying the title of your own work, be consistent: use whichever form—abbreviation or spelled-out term—that you have used in your paper.
Comments Mla For Movie Titles In An Essay
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Do You Underline or Italicize Movie Titles? - Video & Lesson.
If you've ever wondered how to correctly format movie titles in a written work, then this lesson is for you. How to Cite a Textbook in MLA. anything, including articles, books, essays, poems, short stories, songs, or movies.…
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Title of source - MLA Style Guide, 8th Edition - LibGuides at.
For example, a journal article about a novel, short story, play, film, etc. may mention the title of the work the article is about in the article's title.…
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How to write movie titles in a paper - Quora
In MLA-style papers I'm not really sure about APA, movie titles are italicised. If the paper is being handwritten, underlining is substituted for.…
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Why Do You Italicize Movie Titles In Your Papers?
You can also find paper samples on how to italicize movie titles in your papers the right. Therefore the answer to are poems italicized MLA?…
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How to Accurately Format Movie Titles in Papers Online
Cite and Reference Movie Titles in Papers the Right Way. write movie titles within your papers in italics such as in movie titles MLA while most.…
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Titles of works Archives The MLA Style Center
Many works of art, especially older ones, were not given formal titles by their creators. For instance, in an essay about Shakespeare's sonnets, you might write the. For example, you might refer to a 3-D movie rather than a three-dimensional.…
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How to Write a Title of a Movie in a Paper Pen and the Pad
When referring to a movie in the body of a paper, all of the major. Movie or film titles are formatted the same in APA, Chicago and MLA style.…
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When writing a paper, do I use italics for all titles? - Answers
A general rule of thumb is that within the text of a paper, italicize the title of complete. Title of a movie or play, Name of an act or scene in a movie or a play. But if you have specific MLA formatting questions, I recommend you take a look at.…
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Dealing with Titles in MLA Format
The conventions of properly marking a title in MLA style can seem confusing, but the. Databases often capitalize the entire title of an article or book, while other. Films, TV shows, radio programs, Individual episodes of shows or programs.…
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If the title of an essay I am citing is also the name of a work that. | https://arenda-proektorov.ru/mla-for-movie-titles-in-an-essay-22755.html |
To reduce power consumption in mobile communications equipment, it is frequently desirable to provide for a standby or idle mode of operation. During standby mode, the equipment is active only during short intervals when listening for a page, and is powered down during the remaining intervals. It is important to maintain accurate system timing to ensure that the equipment is active during precisely the correct intervals. It is also highly desirable to reduce the power consumption of the equipment as much as possible in the standby or idle mode.
To maintain system timing in a typical GSM communication device, a clock having a relatively high degree of accuracy (e.g., 1 ppm) is provided which is active at all times, including during standby. Such clocks can consume relatively large amounts of power. An exemplary clock used in mobile phones is a voltage controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO) which runs at, e.g., 13 MHz. In addition, a mobile phone may also have a simple low-power real time clock (RTC) for showing time on a communications device display. This clock runs at a much lower frequency (32.768 kHz) and is typically not very accurate (e.g., 10-20 ppm, depending upon the quality of the clock crystal).
It would therefore be desirable to reduce the power consumption of communications equipment operating in a standby mode by switching the high frequency, high current clock off, yet maintain accurate system timing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,700 to Hietala et al. (Hietala '700) discloses an automatic frequency control (AFC) apparatus for a radiotelephone. The radiotelephone includes a transmitter, a receiver, a user interface, control logic, and a synthesizer which provides signals at an appropriate frequency to the transmitter and receiver, and which provides a clock signal to the user interface and control logic. The control logic controls the frequency of the synthesizer. The synthesizer includes two fractional-N synthesizers and a phase-locked loop. The Hietala '700 patent does not disclose a method for reducing current in a standby mode while maintaining accurate system timing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,802 to Hietala et al. (Hietala '802) discloses a multiaccumulator sigma-delta fractional-N synthesizer which controls the frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator output signal. Relatively small frequency offset increments can be introduced into the synthesizer. The Hietala '802 patent does not disclose a method for reducing current in a standby mode while maintaining accurate system timing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,310 to Hietala et al. (Hietala '310) discloses a multiple latched accumulator fractional N-synthesizer for a digital radio transceiver which avoids data "ripple" through multiple accumulators, and which reduces spurious signals. The Hietala '310 does not disclose a method for reducing current in a standby mode while maintaining accurate system timing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,293 to Shepherd et al. (Shepherd) discloses a digital frequency synthesizer which compensates for spurious signals by demodulating, inverting, and amplifying the synthesizer output to generate a compensation signal which adjusts a reference oscillator. Shepherd does not address the reduction of power consumption by providing for a standby mode while maintaining accurate system timing.
It is known in Pacific Digital Cellular mobile phones to power down a high frequency crystal oscillator and use a second oscillator, which operates at a lower frequency and consumes less power, during an idle mode. In the PDC system, however, the symbol rate is 21 ks/s, which is significantly lower than the 270.833 ks/s in the GSM system. As a result, PDC system timing requirements are significantly less precise than the timing requirements of GSM and other systems, and there is no need for an accurate low frequency oscillator in a PDC system. Thus, the power reduction method in the PDC system is not suitable for GSM or other relatively high bit rate systems having relatively stringent timing requirements.
| |
Revenue from international tourism could reach $800 billion in 2021, a small improvement from 2020, but less than half the $1.7 trillion recorded in 2019, the UN’s World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said on Monday.
According to the world tourism body, the economic contribution of tourism is estimated at $1.9 trillion in 2021 – well below the pre-pandemic value of $3.5 trillion. “Despite recent improvements, uneven vaccination rates around the world and new Covid-19 strains could impact the already slow and fragile recovery,” UNWTO said.
“The economic strain caused by the pandemic could also weigh on travel demand, aggravated by the recent spike in oil prices and disruption of supply chains.”
The UNWTO expects international tourist arrivals to remain 70 percent to 75 percent below 2019 levels in 2021, a similar decline as in 2020. The global tourism sector already lost $2 trillion in revenue last year due to the pandemic, according to the UNWTO, making it one of the hardest-hit sectors of the crisis.
Read More:
Leaders call for easier access to vaccines to help tourism sector recovery
No signs of fast recovery of global labour market in 2022: report
Virgin Galactic has sold 100 more space tickets
The forecast from the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization comes as Europe is grappling with a surge in infections and as a new heavily mutated Covid-19 variant, dubbed Omicron, spreads across the globe. While the UN body charged with promoting tourism does not have an estimate for how the sector will perform next year, its medium-term outlook is not encouraging.
While international tourism has taken a hit from the outbreak of the disease in the past, the coronavirus is unprecedented in its geographical spread. In addition to virus-related travel restrictions, the sector is also grappling with the economic strain caused by the pandemic, the spike in oil prices and the disruption of supply chains, the UNWTO said.
International tourist arrivals “rebounded” during the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere thanks to increased travel confidence, rapid vaccination and the easing of entry restrictions in many nations, the UNWTO said. “Despite the improvement in the third quarter, the pace of recovery remains uneven across world regions due to varying degrees of mobility restrictions, vaccination rates, and traveler confidence,” it added.
A total of 46 destinations — 21 percent of all destinations worldwide — currently have their borders completely closed to tourists, according to the UNWTO. A further 55 have their borders partially closed to foreign visitors, while just four nations have lifted all virus-related restrictions — Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Mexico. | https://techbulletinonline.com/covid-cuts-tourism-economic-share-by-1-6tr/ |
“Your white undershirts look dingy and they don’t smell fresh.” Words to that effect, if said not quite so gently, shared by one of several family members observing me folding my T shirts after my weekly laundry.
At that point, my internal dialog could have gone in a couple of directions. The first – “Why, thank you, I hadn’t recognized the problem, I so appreciate your telling me, I will get started on that first thing, tomorrow.” The second – “What do you mean????? Are you joking??? You’re telling me that I don’t know how to laundry?”
As I said, there were a couple of choices and (sigh… I’m not proud of this) the second one showed up. Internal dialog, as I said and, apparently, nothing can so irritate a person as attacks on their laundry skills. I was still bubbling a bit as I headed off for bed, a couple of hours later.
Next morning, I woke up feeling more curious and, after an invigorating three-mile walk in the dingy gray (but fresh!!) 25 degree early Sunday morning air, I consulted the world’s most advanced thinkers on the subject of white laundry. Here’s the link to an article and, if you scroll down past the discussion of how to take butter out of a car seat, you’ll find a discussion about sheets that begins with, “that build-up could be anything from dead skin because you molt like a snake, oh yes you do, to oils and residue from body washes, to excess laundry detergent, to fabric softener.”
She had me from “molting.” Long story short, the potential culprits in my case are likely to be (1) hard water and (2) built up soap residue in the washing machine. I have much to learn about laundry chemistry.
So, with that in mind, I could have interpreted my family member’s observation as helpful advice. I didn’t. I heard the words as “you s*** at laundry” and then the(internal dialog) fight started.
From this we learn: Even if our clients ask, “What do you think…?”, we may be safe to assume that they’ll hear a direct response (you know, one that starts with something like, “Let me be honest with you….”) as “you s*** at….” whatever. No good can come of this.
We may be better served to take an approach that gives them time to think and reach their own conclusions.
NOTE: If you’d like a couple of examples…
One way to take an indirect approach includes “a change”, “negative impacts of the change,” “what others are doing”, and a question.
Laundry example: “You know, our Cambridge city water is VERY hard and I’ve noticed that I’ve needed to do X to keep the white sheets ‘white’, otherwise they get dingy and don’t smell fresh. Since you’re washing your white clothes in that same hard water, I was thinking that X might be helpful to you.” [Or, “I was wondering whether you’d want to consider X for your laundry.”]
Commercial example: “You know, customer expectations about online convenience have changed so quickly and dramatically that I’ve noticed some of my other clients have needed to do X and Y to retain their customers, otherwise, they lose customers to providers who offer easier access. I’m wondering what you’re experiencing.” [Or, “I’m wondering whether you might be open to a discussion about that challenge and whether X, Y, or similar strategies might be useful for you.”]
Nick Miller and Clarity train banks and bankers to attract and develop deeper relationships with small businesses. Many more Sales Thoughts like this and a host of other articles and resources at https://clarityadvantage.com/knowledge-center/ . | https://clarityadvantage.com/2020/12/brighter-whites/ |
The theater troupe's new creative lead talks about moving to Columbus, finding a sense of community and executing her first shows, all during the pandemic of the century.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made 2020 a strange year for us all, including Leda Hoffmann. The new artistic director of CATCO has made numerous life changes, from getting married and adopting a rescue beagle mix to moving halfway across the country and starting a new job. Hoffmann and her wife, Katherine, moved from Chicago to Worthington this summer after an entirely remote interview process with CATCO.
At 33, Hoffman may seem young for the role—though that isn’t uncommon. “If I think about my peers across the country, some people are 30 years older than me and some people are right around my age,” she says. “I think, especially on the artistic director side, sometimes [leadership is] really excited to take risks and shake things up and go with somebody who’s younger." While she comes to CATCO from a 20-month stint as artistic director of a Chicago theater company, she says this is the first time she’s run a theater group of CATCO’s size. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
Tell us about how you came to be involved in theater. What drew you to the art form?
My dad was a diplomat, so I moved to different countries every three to four years growing up, and theater was always the way I found community. Basically I would arrive, get to a new school, audition for the play and find my people. So that community aspect of theater has always been incredibly important to me.
As I grew up and got involved in college and started to think about career paths, I just fell in love with telling a story together. I think I would make a terrible novelist; I’m not that kind of storyteller. But the idea that we can all bring our ideas to the table and bounce things off each other and make something as a unit is why I absolutely love theater.
Did you always see yourself as being involved in community theater because of that initial connection, or have you ever had aspirations of Broadway or something like that?
Post-college, I got an internship at Hartford Stage in Connecticut, which is a big regional theater that transfers shows to Broadway sometimes. That first year, I worked in the education department, so I taught theater in schools and I got to watch the way that theater builds community. So even at this really professional, high level, I was part of a group that was intentionally doing theater for Hartford, Connecticut. And if it happened to transfer to Broadway or The New York Times gave it a great review, that’s a lovely bonus.
You were involved in education with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, too. How do you think your background working with kids will inform your work with CATCO is Kids programming?
A really important part of theater, to me, is that we’re introducing theater to young people. It’s a big reason I took this job, and I think why people reached out to me in the first place to ask if I was interested. I would hate to have a job where I never got to think about that side of things.
I think that theater has a way of reaching people of all ages, and especially kids, that’s just different than other forms of media that we consume. I fundamentally believe that when you watch a play, you join in the shared collective experience and you think about things [differently]. The actors are, hopefully, right there in the room—but even virtually, the actors are from your community. They’re connected to you in some way, and you can feel like you’re part of that story. And if you can bring kids into the theater at a really young age, get them excited about that, then you have theatergoers for life who get to be a part of this art form.
What are your first impressions about Columbus since moving here in August?
It feels like a really wonderfully connected city. I was in Milwaukee for eight or nine years, and in many ways it feels like my hometown; it’s where I learned to be a part of a community as an adult and be a theater-maker. A lot of those things I love about Milwaukee, I’m finding in Columbus. People really care about the larger community. People are accessible; people want to help out. Just the number of people who have reached out and said, “Hey, I’d love to jump on Zoom and chat about what the city is and help you out,” has been really exciting.
We’re rehearsing “A Columbus Christmas Carol,” so right now I spend four hours a night on Zoom with the same group of actors and creative team members. I took a prop piece to the woman playing Scrooge a couple days ago; we’ve been working together on this and the Idris Goodwin short plays we did earlier for months, and just last week I met her on her front porch, handed her something, waved and drove off. But I feel like all these people are now my collaborators, my friends, people I know really well, even though we haven’t been able to meet in person.
What’s it been like rehearsing virtually for a play that will be presented virtually?
The biggest surprise, I would say, is that they feel a lot like regular rehearsals—just the patterns of getting to know people and talking about characters and what makes these different people tick, the way you approach a line—all those things about directing and working as a rehearsal team feel a whole lot the same.
The biggest challenge has just been figuring out that vocabulary—what does it mean to be a virtual play? It’s really important to me that this is a virtual play; it’s not a movie. We don’t have camera operators in people's homes; the actors are their own technicians. So it’s just been about figuring out what that vocabulary is and how we find theater solutions to storytelling that are different than movie solutions.
Do you think there’s a future for virtual plays after the pandemic ends?
What we’ve learned, from an accessibility standpoint and the chance to reach people in different places, has been really fantastic. I think that’s really where it’s going to go—we're going to be way more aware of taking footage of our in-person shows and being able to share it with people that way. And I think that as a national theater community, those are the discussions we’re having with the playwrights and the rights holders and the actors’ union and the design union and everyone involved about what that looks like. But it’s never going to replace that feeling of being in a theater together.
That’s why I’m a theater artist and not a different kind of artist. I believe in going to the same space together, hearing the sound in the same way, seeing all the same things, hearing the audience gasp or laugh at something. That’s what we’re all missing.
“A Columbus Christmas Carol” runs Dec. 16–27. What’s next on the schedule once it wraps?
It’s our New Works Festival. In the end of January and into February, we’re going to do three shows, and they’re all going to be full-length plays, but we’re going to do readings of them. They will have one week of rehearsal and then at the end, we’re going to share a reading. So it’s more about listening to the words than it is about blocking and costumes and all the other stuff that goes around it. The main goal of this festival is to help playwrights hear their work aloud.
We’ll do two plays for general audiences and one play for young audiences. My goal is to have two Ohio playwrights and then one non-Ohio playwright. I’m still selecting the plays, so they could be at a wide variety of readiness. Sometimes plays come to festivals and they just need this before they’re ready for the big time, and sometimes people want to workshop really early work and see how it’s going. It’s also a way for me to get to know some local playwrights and national playwrights and just start a conversation about what those works might be at CATCO down the road. | https://www.columbusmonthly.com/news/20201216/seven-questions-with-catco-artistic-director-leda-hoffmann |
Ask a Specialist: Safety First When Canning Garden Produce
Food preservation questions arise every year as gardeners harvest produce and preserve it for food storage. In response to the most frequently asked questions, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) offers the following tips and advice.
Is it necessary to sterilize jars before canning?
Jars do not need to be sterilized before canning if they will be filled with food and processed in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes or more or if they will be processed in a pressure canner. Filled jars that will be processed in a boiling water bath canner for less than 10 minutes need to be sterilized first. Boil the jars in hot water for 10 minutes before they're filled. Note that there are no boiling water bath recipes at our altitudes with processing times of 10 minutes or less.
Do I really need to leave a certain amount of headspace in the jar?
Yes. Leaving the specified amount of headspace in a jar is important to assure a vacuum seal. If too little headspace is allowed, the food may expand and bubble out when air is being forced out from under the lid during processing. The bubbling food may leave a deposit on the rim of the jar or the seal of the lid and prevent the jar from sealing properly. If too much headspace is allowed, the food at the top is likely to discolor. Also, the jar may not seal properly because there will not be enough processing time to drive all the air out of the jar.
Can two layers of jars be processed in a canner at one time?
Yes. Two layers can be processed at one time, in either the boiling water bath or pressure canner. Place a small wire rack between the layers so water or steam will circulate around each jar. Make certain the water covers the tops of all jars by 1 inch in a boiling water bath canner. The pressure canner should have 2 to 3 inches of water in the bottom.
Is it okay to reuse jar fittings (lids and bands)?
Lids should not be used a second time since the sealing compound becomes indented by the first use, preventing another airtight seal. Screw bands may be reused unless they are badly rusted or the top edge is pried up, which would prevent a proper seal.
What causes jars to break in a canner?
Breakage can occur for several reasons, including using commercial food jars rather than jars manufactured for home canning, using jars that have hairline cracks, putting jars directly on the bottom of the canner instead of on a rack, putting hot food in cold jars or putting jars of raw or unheated food directly into boiling water in the canner, rather than into hot water. This causes a sudden change in temperature, which is too wide a margin between the temperature of filled jars and water in the canner before processing.
What can I process in half-gallon canning jars?
At least one canning jar manufacturer is selling half-gallon canning jars. That manufacturer has a printed note on the top that says half-gallon jars are only to be used for highly acidic foods in a boiling water canner, with instructions to call a toll-free number for processing information. The only recommended choices are grape juice and apple juice.
Why is canning summer squash or zucchini not recommended?
Recommendations for canning summer squashes, including zucchini, have been withdrawn due to uncertainty about the determination of processing times. Squashes are low-acid vegetables and require pressure canning for a known period of time that will destroy the bacteria that cause botulism. Documentation for the previous processing times cannot be found, and reports that are available do not support the old process. Slices or cubes of cooked summer squash will get quite soft and pack tightly into the jars. The amount of squash filled into a jar will affect the heating pattern in that jar. It is best to freeze summer squashes or pickle them for canning. They may also be dried.
Can I can my own salsa recipe?
No. Salsas are usually mixtures of acid and low-acid ingredients; they are an example of an acidified food. The specific recipe, and sometimes preparation method, will determine if a salsa can be processed in a boiling water canner or a pressure canner. A process must be scientifically determined for each recipe. To can salsa at home, use a USDA, NCHFP or other tested recipe. Your county Extension agent may have additional tested recipes for salsas.
Along with using up-to-date canning guidelines, scientifically tested recipes, adjusting for altitude and using recommended canning equipment that is in good working condition, additional safety precautions should be taken.
When a kitchen turns into a home canning laboratory, those participating in the canning need to become dedicated scientists willing to pay attention to small details. Just as a scientist makes certain the ingredients for a research project are measured properly and monitored throughout the experiment, the home canner must be willing to minimize distractions and stay focused on the canning process — especially when pressure canning. Why are there horror stories of canners exploding or melting onto the burners of the range? Mainly, it is due to neglect and failure to regularly monitor the process.
For additional information, contact your local USU Extension office or visit http://nchfp.uga.edu.
By Kathy Riggs, Utah State University Extension professor, [email protected], 435-586-8132
What Next?
Get useful tips like this as soon as we release them. Sign up here. | https://extension.usu.edu/news_sections/home_family_and_food/canning-safety |
The Romantic Serengeti
At mid-morning we said farewell to the Sopa Lodge and began another long trek to the Serengeti National Park, a drive of over two hours on the usual rutted dirt roads, sometimes crossing small streams. Along the way we passed a number of small Maasai villages in the area known as the Crater Highlands, each a grouping of thatched-roof bomas with cattle pens made from long sticks. From the sizable herds of cattle the young boys were herding, the Maasai in this area appear to be relatively prosperous.
Within about thirty minutes from entering the Serengeti, we spotted our first giraffes grazing on umbrella acacia trees. Before much longer zebra were grazing by the roadside, along with delicate Thompson gazelles. Plenty of opportunities for photos.
At first the wildebeests appeared in small herds leisurely grazing, but soon we began to see thousands of them — our first sight of the great migration. Then the herds stretched to the horizon as far as the eye could see in all directions. It’s estimated that 1.5 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebras and countless gazelles take part in the migration, a round-trip journey of 500 miles.
The Serengeti eclipses the Ngorogoro Conservation area in size, spanning some 5700 square miles just in Tanzania (an area the size of Northern Ireland). It continues into Kenya as the Maasai Mara. Soon it was lunchtime, and our lead guide, Victor, led us off-road into the middle of the migrating herd. Though the animals moved away as we circled our jeeps, it was still remarkable to see 360 degrees of wildebeests!
After lunch, as we were running a bit behind, we beat it for the Nasikia Migration Camp, our base for the next two nights. We had just twenty minutes to be escorted to our tents before we jumped back in the cars for an early evening game drive, starting around 4:30. At this time of day the harsh light changes to a lovely golden glow ideal for photography. As we went back into the bush, clouds were gathering on the southern horizon, and distant flashes of lightning slashed through the clouds. But we were able to get up close to a small tower of giraffes noshing by a lakeside while a spotted hyena (pregnant) scurried behind us looking for prey.
Hyenas aren’t the only threat to the migrating herds: lions, cheetahs and leopards also stalk, looking for the weakest members. We saw a couple of female lions, not hunting, just catnapping as a rain shower moved in, forcing us to roll the canvas roofs back on the Land Cruisers.
By now the sun was gilding the clouds with an apricot-purple glow that stood out in high contrast to the darkening clouds. Umbrella acacias, with their twisty trunks and branches, lent their iconic profile to the horizon, and as darkness deepened there were exquisite reflections in the streams and ponds.
At one such stream, a male and female lion were idling, and we spent a good 15-20 minutes capturing their every pose. They were a handsome, regal couple, and before we left they made signs as if to mate, but it didn’t happen — at least not while twenty people were gaping at them. This encounter was a perfect capstone to the day.
Back at camp we could get our bearings to appreciate the surroundings before dinner. I have my own tent, with double-zippered flaps, a wooden floor with rugs, a queen bed complete with mosquito netting, and a bathroom with a shower. My attendant, Brighton, heats twenty liters of water he puts in a tank for my shower, and there are no controls: it comes out icy at the outset and quickly turns steaming hot. The bathroom sink only dispenses cold water, but that’s not a problem.
They run a generator and use solar panels for electricity, and have a charging station in the dining tent for recharging phones, camera batteries, etc. Every night at 6:30 they offer Tanzania TV: a roaring campfire, cocktails, snacks and the sounds of wildlife in the surrounding bush. Lanterns mark the path to the tents, and someone is always there to escort you to and from the main tent. Dinner was excellent.
As I write this, I’m soothed by the sounds of night critters, and occasionally I can hear the rumble of a lion — not a roar, more like a snore. I’ve never experienced such magic. Those who know how much I loathe camping might be surprised to hear how much I love this! | https://dianakate525.com/2016/01/27/the-romantic-serengeti/ |
ECE student among winners in NASA Mars challenge
Manned missions to Mars (say that three times fast) are considered inevitable, some speculating within the next 15 years. NASA hopes to find solutions to any potential problems with these trips before heading out into the great unknown.
Crowdsourcing for answers, NASA reached out to the public in a call for scientists and engineers to help come up with solutions. The agency created a challenge to help solve one problem: How to protect astronauts in deep space. Read more to learn about the overall winner.
Markus Novak tied for fourth place, earning $1,000 for his solution based on basic science. An Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student at The Ohio State University, he told the publication Fusion in this article that “cosmic radiation wasn’t something I had ever given much thought to before. But it ultimately boiled down to high school physics.”Out of 136 submissions, student
Novak proposed a safe space for astronauts to travel through, lessening their exposure to Galactic Cosmic Rays:
“In a nutshell," Novack told the publication, "I had found some previous NASA research that used magnets to deflect the rays—but the thing is, cosmic rays are coming in with absurd amounts of energy… so it takes quite a lot of power to turn these things back. So instead, I developed a lens, which would alter the trajectory just enough to miss the spacecraft.”
Any other ECE students feeling ambitious? NASA has already announced the follow up to the challenge, now offering an award up to $30,000 for design ideas to protect the crew on long-duration space missions. The agency is accepting applications through June 29.
To participate in the challenge beginning April 29, visit:
https://www.innocentive.com/pavilion/NASA
For additional information about the galactic cosmic ray challenges, visit: | https://ece.osu.edu/news/2015/05/ece-student-among-winners-nasa-mars-challenge |
The Great Plains (French: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. It is the southern and main part of the Interior Plains, which also include the tallgrass prairie between the Great Lakes and Appalachian Plateau, and the Taiga Plains and Boreal Plains ecozones in Northern Canada. The term Western Plains is used to describe the ecoregion of the Great Plains, or alternatively the western portion of the Great Plains.
The Great Plains lies across both Central United States and Western Canada, encompassing:
The term "Great Plains" usually refers specifically to the United States portion of the ecozone while the Canadian portion is known as the Canadian Prairies. In Canada it covers southeastern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan and a narrow band of southwestern Manitoba, these three provinces collectively known as the "Prairie Provinces". The entire region is known for supporting extensive cattle-ranching and dryland farming.
Grasslands are among the least protected biomes with vast areas having been converted for agricultural purposes and pastures.
The term "Great Plains" is used in the United States to describe a sub-section of the even more vast Interior Plains physiographic division, which covers much of the interior of North America. It also has currency as a region of human geography, referring to the Plains Indians or the Plains states.
In Canada the term is rarely used; Natural Resources Canada, the government department responsible for official mapping, treats the Interior Plains as one unit consisting of several related plateaus and plains. There is no region referred to as the "Great Plains" in the Atlas of Canada. In terms of human geography, the term prairie is more commonly used in Canada, and the region is known as the Canadian Prairies, Prairie Provinces or simply "the Prairies".
The North American Environmental Atlas, produced by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, a NAFTA agency composed of the geographical agencies of the Mexican, American, and Canadian governments, uses the "Great Plains" as an ecoregion synonymous with predominant prairies and grasslands rather than as physiographic region defined by topography. The Great Plains ecoregion includes five sub-regions: Temperate Prairies, West-Central Semi-Arid Prairies, South-Central Semi-Arid Prairies, Texas Louisiana Coastal Plains, and Tamaulipas-Texas Semi-Arid Plain, which overlap or expand upon other Great Plains designations.
The region is about 500 mi (800 km) east to west and 2,000 mi (3,200 km) north to south. Much of the region was home to American bison herds until they were hunted to near extinction during the mid/late-19th century. It has an area of approximately 500,000 sq mi (1,300,000 km2). Current thinking regarding the geographic boundaries of the Great Plains is shown by this map at the Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. This definition, however, is primarily ecological, not physiographic. The Boreal Plains of Western Canada are physiographically the same, but differentiated by their tundra and forest (rather than grassland) appearance.
The term "Great Plains", for the region west of about the 96th and east of the Rocky Mountains, was not generally used before the early 20th century. Nevin Fenneman's 1916 study Physiographic Subdivision of the United States brought the term Great Plains into more widespread usage. Before that the region was almost invariably called the High Plains, in contrast to the lower Prairie Plains of the Midwestern states. Today the term "High Plains" is used for a subregion of the Great Plains. The term still remains little-used in Canada compared to the more common, "prairie".
The Great Plains are the westernmost portion of the vast North American Interior Plains, which extend east to the Appalachian Plateau. The United States Geological Survey divides the Great Plains in the United States into ten physiographic subdivisions:
Further to this can be added Canadian physiographic sub-regions such as the Alberta Plain, Cypress Hills, Manitoba Escarpment (eastward), Manitoba Plain, Missouri Coteau (shared), Rocky Mountain Foothills (eastward), and Saskatchewan Plain.
The Great Plains consist of a broad stretch of country underlain by nearly horizontal strata extending westward from the 97th meridian west to the base of the Rocky Mountains, a distance of 300 to 500 miles (480 to 800 km). It extends northward from the Mexican boundary far into Canada. Although the altitude of the plains increases gradually from 600 or 1,200 ft (370 m) on the east to 4,000–5,000 or 6,000 feet (1,800 m) near the mountains, the local relief is generally small. The semi-arid climate excludes tree growth and opens far-reaching views.
The plains are by no means a simple unit. They are of diverse structure and of various stages of erosional development. They are occasionally interrupted by buttes and escarpments. They are frequently broken by valleys. Yet on the whole, a broadly extended surface of moderate relief so often prevails that the name, Great Plains, for the region as a whole is well-deserved.
The western boundary of the plains is usually well-defined by the abrupt ascent of the mountains. The eastern boundary of the plains (in the United States) is more climatic than topographic. The line of 20 inches (51 cm) of annual rainfall trends a little east of northward near the 97th meridian. If a boundary must be drawn where nature presents only a gradual transition, this rainfall line may be taken to divide the drier plains from the moister prairies. However, in Canada the eastern boundary of the plains is well defined by the presence of the Canadian Shield to the northeast.
The plains (within the United States) may be described in northern, intermediate, central and southern sections, in relation to certain peculiar features. In Canada, no such division is used: the climatic and vegetation regions are more impactful on human settlement than mere topography, and therefore the region is split into (from north to south), the taiga plains, boreal plains, aspen parkland, and prairie ecoregion regions.
The northern section of the Great Plains, north of latitude 44°, includes eastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, most of North Dakota and South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota and portions of the Canadian provinces including southeastern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba. The strata here are Cretaceous or early Tertiary, lying nearly horizontal. The surface is shown to be a plain of degradation by a gradual ascent here and there to the crest of a ragged escarpment, the escarpment-remnant of a resistant stratum. There are also the occasional lava-capped mesas and dike formed ridges, surmounting the general level by 500 ft (150 m) or more and manifestly demonstrating the widespread erosion of the surrounding plains. All these reliefs are more plentiful towards the mountains in central Montana. The peneplain is no longer in the cycle of erosion that witnessed its production. It appears to have suffered a regional uplift or increase in elevation, for the upper Missouri River and its branches no longer flow on the surface of the plain, but in well graded, maturely opened valleys, several hundred feet below the general level. A significant exception to the rule of mature valleys occurs, however, in the case of the Missouri, the largest river, which is broken by several falls on hard sandstones about 50 miles (80 km) east of the mountains. This peculiar feature is explained as the result of displacement of the river from a better graded preglacial valley by the Pleistocene ice sheet. Here, the ice sheet overspread the plains from the moderately elevated Canadian highlands far on the north-east, instead of from the much higher mountains nearby on the west. The present altitude of the plains near the mountain base is 4,000 ft (1,200 m).
The northern plains are interrupted by several small mountain areas. The Black Hills, chiefly in western South Dakota, are the largest group. They rise like a large island from the sea, occupying an oval area of about 100 miles (160 km) north-south by 50 miles (80 km) east-west. At Black Elk Peak, they reach an altitude of 7,216 feet (2,199 m) and have an effective relief over the plains of 2000 or 3,000 ft (910 m) This mountain mass is of flat-arched, dome-like structure, now well dissected by radiating consequent streams. The weaker uppermost strata have been eroded down to the level of the plains where their upturned edges are evenly truncated. The next following harder strata have been sufficiently eroded to disclose the core of underlying igneous and metamorphic crystalline rocks in about half of the domed area.
In the intermediate section of the plains, between latitudes 44° and 42°, including southern South Dakota and northern Nebraska, the erosion of certain large districts is peculiarly elaborate. Known as the Badlands, it is a minutely dissected form with a relief of a few hundred feet. This is due to several causes:
The central section of the Great Plains, between latitudes 42° and 36°, occupying eastern Colorado and western Kansas, is mostly a dissected fluviatile plain. That is, this section was once smoothly covered with a gently sloping plain of gravel and sand that had been spread far forward on a broad denuded area as a piedmont deposit by the rivers which issued from the mountains. Since then, it has been more or less dissected by the erosion of valleys. The central section of the plains thus presents a marked contrast to the northern section.
While the northern section owes its smoothness to the removal of local gravels and sands from a formerly uneven surface by the action of degrading rivers and their inflowing tributaries, the southern section owes its smoothness to the deposition of imported gravels and sands upon a previously uneven surface by the action of aggrading rivers and their outgoing distributaries. The two sections are also alike in that residual eminences still here and there surmount the peneplain of the northern section, while the fluviatile plain of the central section completely buried the pre-existent relief. An exception to this statement must be made for the southwest, close to the mountains in southern Colorado, where some lava-capped mesas (Mesa de Maya, Raton Mesa) stand several thousand feet above the general plain level, and thus testify to the widespread erosion of this region before it was aggraded.
The southern section of the Great Plains, between latitudes 35.5° and 25.5°, lies in western Texas, eastern New Mexico, and western Oklahoma. Like the central section, it is for the most part a dissected fluviatile plain. However, the lower lands which surround it on all sides place it in such strong relief that it stands up as a table-land, known from the time of Mexican occupation as the Llano Estacado. It measures roughly 150 miles (240 km) east-west and 400 miles (640 km) north-south. It is of very irregular outline, narrowing to the south. Its altitude is 5,500 feet (1,700 m) at the highest western point, nearest the mountains whence its gravels were supplied. From there, it slopes southeastward at a decreasing rate, first about 12 ft (3.7 m), then about 7 ft per mile (1.3 m/km), to its eastern and southern borders, where it is 2,000 feet (610 m) in altitude. Like the High Plains farther north, it is extraordinarily smooth.
It is very dry, except for occasional shallow and temporary water sheets after rains. Llano is separated from the plains on the north by the mature consequent valley of the Canadian River, and from the mountains on the west by the broad and probably mature valley of the Pecos River. On the east, it is strongly undercut by the retrogressive erosion of the headwaters of the Red, Brazos, and Colorado rivers of Texas and presents a ragged escarpment approximately 500 to 800 ft (150 to 240 m) high, overlooking the central denuded area of that state. There, between the Brazos and Colorado rivers, occurs a series of isolated outliers capped by limestone that underlies both the Llano Uplift on the west and the Grand Prairies escarpment on the east. The southern and narrow part of the table-land, called the Edwards Plateau, is more dissected than the rest, and falls off to the south in a frayed-out fault scarp. This scarp overlooks the coastal plain of the Rio Grande embayment. The central denuded area, east of the Llano, resembles the east-central section of the plains in exposing older rocks. Between these two similar areas, in the space limited by the Canadian and Red Rivers, rise the subdued forms of the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma, the westernmost member of the Ouachita system.
The term "Western Plains" is used to describe the ecoregion of the Great Plains, or alternatively the western portion of the Great Plains.
In general, the Great Plains have a wide range of weather, with very cold and harsh winters and very hot and humid summers. Wind speeds are often very high, especially in winter.
The 100th meridian roughly corresponds with the line that divides the Great Plains into an area that receives 20 in (510 mm) or more of rainfall per year and an area that receives less than 20 in (510 mm). In this context, the High Plains, as well as Southern Alberta, south-western Saskatchewan and Eastern Montana are mainly semi arid steppe land and are generally characterised by rangeland or marginal farmland. The region (especially the High Plains) is periodically subjected to extended periods of drought; high winds in the region may then generate devastating dust storms. The eastern Great Plains near the eastern boundary falls in the humid subtropical climate zone in the southern areas, and the northern and central areas fall in the humid continental climate.
Many thunderstorms occur in the plains in the spring through summer. The southeastern portion of the Great Plains is the most tornado active area in the world and is sometimes referred to as Tornado Alley.
The Great Plains are part of the floristic North American Prairies Province, which extends from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians.
Mammals: Although the American bison (Bison bison) historically ranged throughout much of North America (from New York to Oregon and Canada to northern Mexico), they are strongly associated with the Great Plains where they once roamed in immense herds. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) range into western areas of the region. The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is another iconic species among several rodents that are linked to the region including the thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus), spotted ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma), Franklin's ground squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii), plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius), hispid pocket mouse (Chaetodipus hispidus), olive-backed pocket mouse (Perognathus fasciatus), plains pocket mouse (Perognathus flavescens), and plains harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus), Two carnivores associated with the Great Plains include the swift fox (Vulpes velox) and the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes).
Birds: The lesser prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) is endemic to the Great Plains and the distribution of the greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) predominantly occurs in the region, although the latter historically ranged further eastward. The Harris's sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) spends winter months in southern areas of the region. Other species migrate from the south in the spring and spend their breeding season on the plains, including the white-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi), mountain plover (Charadrius montanus), marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa), Sprague's pipit (Anthus spragueii), Cassin's sparrow (Peucaea cassinii), Baird's sparrow (Centronyx bairdii), lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus), thick-billed longspur or McCown's longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii), and dickcissel (Spiza americana).
Reptiles: The prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) ranges throughout much of the Great Plains and into the valleys and lower elevations of the eastern Rocky Mountains and portions of the American southwest. Other snakes include the plains hog-nosed snake (Heterodon nasicus), western milksnake (Lampropeltis gentilis), great plains ratsnake (Pantherophis emoryi), bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi), plains black-headed snake (Tantilla nigriceps), plains gartersnake (Thamnophis radix), and lined snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum). Reptile diversity increases significantly in southern regions of the Great Plains. The ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) and great plains skink (Plestiodon obsoletus) occur in southern areas.
Amphibians: Although few salamanders are strongly associated with region, the western tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) ranges through much of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, as does the Rocky Mountain toad (Anaxyrus w. woodhousi). Other anurans related to region include the Great Plains toad (Anaxyrus cognatus), plains leopard frog (Lithobates blairi), and plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons).
Fish: Some species predominately associated with various river basins in the Great Plains include sturgeon chub (Macrhybopsis gelida), peppered chub (Macrhybopsis tetranema), prairie chub (Macrhybopsis australis), western silvery minnow (Hybognathus argyritis), plains minnow (Hybognathus placitus), smalleye shiner (Notropis buccula), Arkansas River shiner (Notropis girardi), Red River shiner (Notropis bairdi), Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka), plains topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus), plains killifish (Fundulus zebrinus), Red River pupfish (Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis), and Arkansas darter (Etheostoma cragini).
During the Cretaceous Period (145–66 million years ago), the Great Plains were covered by a shallow inland sea called the Western Interior Seaway. However, during the Late Cretaceous to the Paleocene (65–55 million years ago), the seaway had begun to recede, leaving behind thick marine deposits and a relatively flat terrain which the seaway had once occupied.
During the Cenozoic era, specifically about 25 million years ago during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, the continental climate became favorable to the evolution of grasslands. Existing forest biomes declined and grasslands became much more widespread. The grasslands provided a new niche for mammals, including many ungulates and glires, that switched from browsing diets to grazing diets. Traditionally, the spread of grasslands and the development of grazers have been strongly linked. However, an examination of mammalian teeth suggests that it is the open, gritty habitat and not the grass itself which is linked to diet changes in mammals, giving rise to the "grit, not grass" hypothesis.
Paleontological finds in the area have yielded bones of mammoths, saber-toothed cats and other ancient animals, as well as dozens of other megafauna (large animals over 100 lb [45 kg]) – such as giant sloths, horses, mastodons, and American lion – that dominated the area of the ancient Great Plains for thousands to millions of years. The vast majority of these animals became extinct in North America at the end of the Pleistocene (around 13,000 years ago).
A number of significant fossil sites are located in the Great Plains including Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (Nebraska), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Nebraska), Clayton Lake State Park (New Mexico), Dinosaur Valley State Park (Texas), Hudson-Meng Bison Kill (Nebraska), Makoshika State Park (Montana), and The Mammoth Site (South Dakota).
Public and protected lands in the Great Plains include National Parks and National Monuments, administers by the National Park Service with the responsibility of preserving ecological and historical places and making them available to the public. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manages the National Wildlife Refuges, with the primary responsibility of conserving and protecting fish, wildlife, plants, and habitat in the public trust. Both are agencies of the Department of the Interior.
In contrast, U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, administers the National Forests and National Grasslands, under a multiple-use concept. By law, the U.S. Forest Service must consider all resources, with no single resource emphasized to the detriment of others, including water, soil, grazing, timber harvesting, and minerals (mining and drilling), as well as recreation and conservation of fish and wildlife. Each individual state also administers state lands, typically smaller areas, for various purposes including conservation and recreation.
Grasslands are among the least protected biomes. Humans have converted much of the prairies for agricultural purposes or to create pastures. Several of the protected lands in the region are centered around aberrant and uncharacteristic features of the region, such as mountains, outcrops, and canyons (e.g. Devil's Tower National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Scotts Bluff National Monument), and as splendid and worthy as they are, they are not primarily focused on conserving the plains and prairies.
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Main article: Plains Indians
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See also: Paleo-Indians
The first Peoples (Paleo-Indians) arrived on the Great Plains thousands of years ago. Historically, the Great Plains were the range of the Blackfoot, Crow, Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and others. Eastern portions of the Great Plains were inhabited by tribes who lived at Etzanoa and in semi-permanent villages of earth lodges, such as the Arikara, Mandan, Pawnee, and Wichita. The introduction of corn around 800 CE allowed the development of the mound-building Mississippian culture along rivers that crossed the Great Plains and that included trade networks west to the Rocky Mountains. Mississippians settled the Great Plains at sites now in Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Siouan language speakers may have originated in the lower Mississippi River region. They were agriculturalists and may have been part of the Mound Builder civilization during the 9th–12th centuries. Wars with the Ojibwe and Cree peoples pushed the Lakota (Teton Sioux) west onto the Great Plains in the mid- to late-17th century. The Shoshone originated in the western Great Basin and spread north and east into present-day Idaho and Wyoming. By 1500, some Eastern Shoshone had crossed the Rocky Mountains into the Great Plains. After 1750, warfare and pressure from the Blackfoot, Crow, Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho pushed Eastern Shoshone south and westward. Some of them moved as far south as Texas, emerging as the Comanche by 1700.
The first known contact between Europeans and Indians in the Great Plains occurred in what is now Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska from 1540 to 1542 with the arrival of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, a Spanish conquistador. In that same period, Hernando de Soto crossed a west-northwest direction in what is now Oklahoma and Texas which is now known as the De Soto Trail. The Spanish thought that the Great Plains were the location of the mythological Quivira and Cíbola, a place said to be rich in gold.
People in the southwest began to acquire horses in the 16th century by trading or stealing them from Spanish colonists in New Mexico. As horse culture moved northward, the Comanche were among the first to commit to a fully mounted nomadic lifestyle. This occurred by the 1730s, when they had acquired enough horses to put all their people on horseback.
The real beginning of the horse culture of the plains began with the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 in New Mexico and the capture of thousands of horses and other livestock. In 1683 a Spanish expedition into Texas found horses among Native people. In 1690, a few horses were found by the Spanish among the Indians living at the mouth of the Colorado River of Texas and the Caddo of eastern Texas had a sizeable number.
The French explorer Claude Charles Du Tisne found 300 horses among the Wichita on the Verdigris River in 1719, but they were still not plentiful. Another Frenchman, Bourgmont, could only buy seven at a high price from the Kaw in 1724, indicating that horses were still scarce among tribes in Kansas. By 1770, that Plains Indians culture was mature, consisting of mounted buffalo-hunting nomads from Saskatchewan and Alberta southward nearly to the Rio Grande.
The milder winters of the southern Plains favored a pastoral economy by the Indians. On the northeastern Plains of Canada, the Indians were less favored, with families owning fewer horses, remaining more dependent upon dogs for transporting goods, and hunting bison on foot. The scarcity of horses in the north encouraged raiding and warfare in competition for the relatively small number of horses that survived the severe winters.
Comanche power peaked in the 1840s when they conducted large-scale raids hundreds of miles into Mexico proper, while also warring against the Anglo-Americans and Tejanos who had settled in independent Texas.
The fur trade brought thousands of colonial settlers into the Great Plains over the next 100 years. Fur trappers made their way across much of the region, making regular contacts with Indians. The United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and conducted the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804–1806, and more information became available concerning the Plains, and various pioneers entered the areas. Fur trading posts were often the basis of later settlements. Through the 19th century, more settlers migrated to the Great Plains as part of a vast westward expansion of population, and new settlements became dotted across the Great Plains.
The settlers also brought diseases against which the Indians had no resistance. Between a half and two-thirds of the Plains Indians are thought to have died of smallpox by the time of the Louisiana Purchase. The 1837 Great Plains smallpox epidemic spread across the Great Plains, killing many thousands between 1837 and 1840. In the end, it is estimated that two-thirds of the Blackfoot population died, along with half of the Assiniboines and Arikaras, a third of the Crows, and a quarter of the Pawnees.
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See also: Cattle drives in the United States
Beginning in 1821, the Santa Fe Trail ran from the Missouri River to New Mexico, skirting north of Comancheria. Beginning in the 1830s, the Oregon Trail led from the Missouri River across the Great Plains.
After 1870, the new railroads across the Plains brought hunters who killed off almost all the bison for their hides. The railroads offered attractive packages of land and transportation to American farmers, who rushed to settle the land. They also took advantage of the homestead laws to obtain farms. Land speculators and local boosters identified many potential towns, and those reached by the railroad had a chance, while the others became ghost towns. Towns flourished if they were favored by proximity to the railroad.
Much of the Great Plains became open range where cattle roamed free, hosting ranching operations where anyone was free to run cattle. In the spring and fall, ranchers held roundups where their cowboys branded new calves, treated animals, and sorted the cattle for sale. Such ranching began in Texas and gradually moved northward. Between 1866 and 1895, cowboys herded 10 million cattle north to rail heads such as Dodge City, Kansas and Ogallala, Nebraska; from there, cattle were shipped east.
The U.S. passed the Homestead Acts of 1862 to encourage agricultural development of the Great Plains and house a growing population. It allowed a settler to claim up to 160 acres (65 hectares) of land, provided that he lived on it for a period of five years and cultivated it. The provisions were expanded under the Kinkaid Act of 1904 to include a homestead of an entire section. Hundreds of thousands of people claimed such homesteads, sometimes building houses out of the very turf of the land. Many of them were not skilled farmers, and failures were frequent. The Dominion Lands Act of 1871 served a similar function for establishing homesteads on the prairies in Canada.
The railroads opened up the Great Plains for settlement, making it possible to ship wheat and other crops at low cost to the urban markets in the East and overseas. Homestead land was free for American settlers. Railroads sold their land at cheap rates to immigrants in the expectation that they would generate traffic as soon as farms were established. Immigrants poured in, especially from Germany and Scandinavia. On the plains, very few single men attempted to operate a farm or ranch by themselves; they understood the need for a hard-working wife and numerous children to handle the many responsibilities. During the early years of settlement, farm women played an integral role in assuring family survival by working outdoors. After approximately one generation, women increasingly left the fields, thus redefining their roles within the family. New technology encouraged women to turn to domestic roles, including sewing and washing machines. Media and government extension agents promoted the "scientific housekeeping" movement, along with county fairs which featured achievements in home cookery and canning, advice columns for women regarding farm book keeping, and home economics courses in the schools.
The eastern image of farm life in the prairies emphasized the isolation of the lonely farmer and wife, yet plains residents created busy social lives for themselves. They often sponsored activities which combined work, food, and entertainment, such as barn raisings, corn huskings, quilting bees, Grange meetings, church activities and school functions. Women organized shared meals and potluck events, as well as extended visits among families.
The region roughly centered on the Oklahoma Panhandle was known as the Dust Bowl during the late 1920s and early 1930s, including southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, and extreme northeastern New Mexico. The effects of an extended drought, inappropriate cultivation, and financial crises of the Great Depression forced many farmers off the land throughout the Great Plains.
From the 1950s on, many areas of the Great Plains have become productive crop-growing areas because of extensive irrigation on large land-holdings. The United States is a major exporter of agricultural products. The southern portion of the Great Plains lies over the Ogallala Aquifer, a huge underground layer of water-bearing strata. Center pivot irrigation is used extensively in drier sections of the Great Plains, resulting in aquifer depletion at a rate that is greater than the ground's ability to recharge.
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Main article: Depopulation of the Great Plains
The rural Plains have lost a third of their population since 1920. Several hundred thousand square miles of the Great Plains have fewer than 6 inhabitants per square mile (2.3 inhabitants per square kilometer), the density standard that Frederick Jackson Turner used to declare the American frontier "closed" in 1893. Many have fewer than 2 inhabitants per square mile (0.77 inhabitants per square kilometer). There are more than 6,000 ghost towns in Kansas alone, according to Kansas historian Daniel Fitzgerald. This problem is often exacerbated by the consolidation of farms and the difficulty of attracting modern industry to the region. In addition, the smaller school-age population has forced the consolidation of school districts and the closure of high schools in some communities. The continuing population loss has led some to suggest that the current use of the drier parts of the Great Plains is not sustainable, and there has been a proposal to return approximately 139,000 sq mi (360,000 km2) of these drier parts to native prairie land as a Buffalo Commons.
The Great Plains contributes substantially to wind power in the United States. T. Boone Pickens developed wind farms after a career as a petroleum executive, and he called for the U.S. to invest $1 trillion to build an additional 200,000 MW of wind power in the Plains as part of his Pickens Plan. He cited Sweetwater, Texas, as an example of economic revitalization driven by wind power development.
Stretching from western Texas and eastern New Mexico up through Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, the Dakotas, and into Canada, the vast western plains often appear sparse... | https://db0nus869y26v.cloudfront.net/en/Great_Plains |
Memex acquires IP, other assets of Dostek Inc.
Will use technology to enhance DNC capabilities of MERLIN shopfloor OEE platform.
BURLINGTON, Ont. — Memex Automation has acquired the intellectual property and other related assets of Dostek Inc., a producer of Computer Numeric Control (CNC) communication products.
It also develops Distributed Numerical Control (DNC) software, which is a method for loading parts programs onto manufacturing machines, and Behind-the-Tape Reader (BTR) interfaces.
The company’s president, Doug Struthers, will join Memex as a MERLIN DNC Architect.
Memex will use the Dostek’s IP to enhance the DNC capabilities of its MERLIN shop floor communications platform.
Memex is a Burlington, Ont.-based Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology platform provider that connects to any machine and delivers real-time manufacturing productivity metrics.
Its MERLIN software provides Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) efficiency metrics in real time, from shop floor to top floor, utilizing MTConnect and other protocols. | https://www.plant.ca/general/memex-acquires-ip-other-assets-of-dostek-inc-149343/ |
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CSD 9 preparation on Energy and Sustainable Development, Second Session
Ad Hoc Open-ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development
Second session
New York, 26 February – 2 Marts 2001
Report by
Michael Kvetny, INFORSE
Procedure
Procedure seems to be very important in these international negotiations. Lots of time was spent on procedure discussions. The CSD secretariat had prepared a Draft Negotiating Text (DNT)prior to the meeting. Before negotiations could start each country had the opportunity to comment on the text and make amendments. On the opening meeting much time was spent on discussing what kind of text should form the basis for the negotiations. Should it be a compilation text including all amendments or should it be a text revised by the secretariat on basis of comments and amendments received. G77/China demanded a compilation text before they would go into negotiations. During the next two days the first reading of the DNT took place with a lot of comments. The situation was almost chaotic. The negotiations could not start until the third day of the meeting.
These discussions of procedure and stressing the secretariat with amendments were the first indications that some countries were not interested in solutions.
Actors.
The co-chairs Ms. Irene Freudenshuss-Reichl and Mr Mohammed Reza Salamat headed the negotiations. The co-chairs were supported by the CSD secretariat.
G77/China started very unstructured with no respect for their chair (Iran) but got organised during the meetings. Still the oil-producing countries like Saudi Arab and Nigeria seems to be very influential which is a bad starting point for negotiations on sustainable energy.
Junzcan co-operated quite elegant trying to create a conflict between EU and G77.
EU was well organised and acted as one country with one chair but EU did not succeed in getting into a dialog with G77 or selected groups of developing countries. It was clear that there is no common EU policy on the nuclear question and thanks to a proposal from Poland a number of EU countries were forces to follow their national policies and refuse inclusion of nuclear power in the DNT.
Russia leaned much against Junzcan while Easter European countries had their eyes on EU.
Only a few NGOs participated in the meeting and it was difficult to raise the voice. However the NGOs were allowed to make a statement on the fourth day of the meeting.
Substance
As agreed during the first meeting in IGEESD last year the DNT comprises 6 chapters: General considerations, General principles for policy actions, Key issues, Overarching issues, Regional cooperation, and International cooperation. Each chapter consist of a number of paragraphs, in total 36 paragraphs to be commented.
After the first reading it was clear that G77/China supported by Junzcan wanted the language sustainable energy replaced by energy for sustainable development. G77 wanted to underline the development aspects of the CSD process. EU accepted this changes and there was no discussion about the understanding of sustainable energy.
It was also clear that the chapter “International cooperation” caused a lot of problems for Junzcan and it was decided to postpone discussions of this chapter to the CSD9 in April.
Junzcan, partly supported by G77, did not want any commitments in the DNT. Language like principles and activities should be replaced by approaches and options. EU would not accept these changes and the words were placed in brackets for further discussion during CSD9.
Before the meeting EU presented the proposal “Shared Goals for Global Action” proposing a number of principles for national governments to set-up national energy development strategies. EU propose national government to commit to carry out a number of actions to be reflected in the DNT. Junzcan and G77 showed no willingness to go into this discussion and even wanted to delete paragraphs referring to public participation. Also ideas like supporting innovative funding schemes like micro-credits was not acceptable to G77/China.
Renewable energy was generally accepted but Junzcan and G77 insisted on the amendment “whenever appropriate”.
Among the few positive things can be mentioned that nuclear power came in brackets meaning that the question was postponed to the politicians participating in the CSD9. The NGOs succeeded in getting the gender perspective on the agenda.
What to do now?
The meeting was a success for the countries that tried to sabotage the negotiations. The text will not commit anyone to do anything.
It is frustrating to se this lack of commitment in the CSD process. In Rio the countries committed themselves to Agenda 21 but in practice there is no willingness to make any commitments about actions towards a sustainable development – especially related to energy issues. The energy issue highlights the hypocrisy in many countries. As an example Brundtlands mother country Norway headed the Junzcan countries efforts to dilute the DNT.
From my point of view the EU proposal was the only proposal taking the Agenda 21 commitment seriously and we should carefully review the EU proposal to focus on the elements we (INFORSE) can support. However, EU will have to specify in which ways the developing countries can benefit from the CSD process. EU must ensure that the environmental concerns of the developed countries do not have priority for the development objectives. On the other hand we must point out that poverty alleviation is fundamental for sustainable development, but compared to other UN processes the Rio process is justified through the focus on environmental issues.
During the next month up to the start of CSD9, NGOs must demand that their governments live up to the Rio commitments and engage in negotiations on actions regarding energy for a sustainable development. It would be helpful if we had NGO contacts in each region (co-ordinators or other interested NGOs) that take the temperatures on governments in their region and report to me before the CSD9 in mid April.
INFORSE has prepared the Vision 2050, which will be presented during CSD9 on April 23, to show that we can reach energy systems with no nuclear and no fossil fuels and access for all to basic energy needs within the next 50 years. What we need now is commitment from Governments.
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August 16-18, 2008 - Seminar at CAT, UK
Project: INFORSE-South Asia NGO Cooperation Project, 2005-08
October 1-5, 2007 Seminar Samso, Denmark
March 20, 2007 EU Policy Seminar in Brussels
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INFORSE Input to CSD14
June 22, 2005 PRESS RELEASE of INFORSE-Europe
June 15, 2005, Energy Policy NGO seminar, Brussels. | http://inforse.org/projects_pro.php3?id=27 |
I joined PBL as a process and analytical method scientist in March 2015 after completing a degree and PhD in Forensic Science at Staffordshire University. I think that one of the key things that helped me secure the job was that during my PhD a lot of the components I was looking at were proteins, so an understanding of their composition and the techniques used to separate them from one another actually meant that I could apply my knowledge.
However, by taking an initial approach that my colleagues should assume that I knew nothing helped me to settle in and very quickly get to know the fundamentals of the techniques used in our labs. Everyone was very helpful and willing to explain. I was given plenty of opportunity to work hands-on with the techniques and processes, enabling me to develop my learning and confidence with every experiment I carried out. So much so that within a short period of time I started to make suggestions as to how we could do things better. That may have shocked some, but demonstrated that I had taken everything on-board, learnt and got up-to speed.
It also helped me to progress because by the November I had applied for, and been promoted into, my current position and I now take a similar approach when training colleagues. That’s the great thing about our team; we are open to discussion. On a daily basis we talk about how things have gone, what to do next or if we have considered different options. So even though we may be working on different projects we are good at communicating across the disciplines.
As well as learning on the job I have also received training from manufacturers on how to use their equipment. I have also been on a design of experiments course to help me make more efficient use of studies at a small scale, so that I can identify the critical parameters to use when scaling up to production scale.
The basis of the projects that I work on is how to design and develop better methods for extracting and purifying biological molecules using the latest methods to improve the consistency of products. Usually I have the time to plan experiments and prepare things from day to day, but occasionally we have to react to circumstances if something is given a higher priority, or material becomes available for us to work on at short notice.
That can be challenging, but I enjoy thinking on my feet and determining what we can do to take advantage of the opportunity to generate useful data. I really enjoy the science as it challenges my brain, sometimes it is common sense, but I find applying logic to a problem and learning by trouble shooting is really fulfilling.
With regards to the future, I am really looking forward to the opening of our new labs and working with all the new equipment we are installing, including small scale chromatography and large scale TFF and other process skids.
Outside of work Charlotte likes to bake; I like to bake cakes and I’m trying to perfect the cookie she says. Some people think baking is difficult but if you follow the recipe then you’ll get it right, which also applies to the job I do.
I also like going to gigs and festivals, whether they are big ones like T in the Park or smaller more local ones. I don’t have a favourite genre of music and will sing along to most things on the radio. | https://www.portonbiopharma.com/staff/charlotte-process-development-scientist/ |
My typical day starts with my alarm at 330am, a cold shower, 20 minutes of language, Wim Hof breathing routine, 32oz of water, coffee and 15-20 minutes of reading (currently Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill). Then I pack my things for the day into a gym bag and a work bag before heading to either my first practice or client at 5am. On days I have nothing scheduled at 5am I try to get more sleep, not later than 6am usually, depending on when I need to be at the gym. My training schedule is usually made up of 10-12 BJJ sessions, 4-5 lifting days and 2-3 metabolic conditioning days depending on whether or not I have an upcoming tournament/event or I’m nursing an injury. That’s my average boring week with good meals and family or ocasional outings interspersed here and there. Some would call me disciplined but I know there is always room for improvement. What not everyone knows is that I was once a lazy entitled fuck (pardon my English).
My journey began at an early age in Vietnam with my fascination for Martial Arts. My heroes at the time were Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris who wielded nun chuks and used fighting techniques to beat up bad guys. On top of that I grew up with three older brothers to wrestle around and fight with. I tried many Martial Arts, Judo being the only one that kept my interest. The other Martial Arts were fun and it was exciting to put on a uniform and practice techniques I saw my idols perform in the movies but I lacked the discipline that would come through having my ego shattered countless times in competitive Jiu Jitsu. Sometimes it’s healthy to be reminded that you can get your ass kicked.
One day, around the age of 14, I caught a glimpse of Chuck Lidell in the UFC and I could not look away. It was Martial Arts yet it was so real! They were using boxing, wrestling techniques and submissions yet it was all so raw and real, unlike anything you saw the movies. Not longer after, the opportunity (due to my delinquence lol) arose for me to go to the US and live with my brother Steve who had just gotten back from the war and was training for his first professional MMA fight. Steve was and still is my greatest hero, he had an intensity to him that I can only imagine is the product of war. Few people understand what our troops go through for us to live our comfortable lives. Not only did Steve go and come back twice but he was good at what he did. As a kid I was in total awe, moving in with him was a dream come true, but little did I know he would take on a father role teaching me about life, discipline and what it meant to be a man. I will forever be indebted.
When I began training my goal was to be a UFC champion and at age 16 I found myself standing in a cage in someone’s backyard for my first unsanctioned amateur cagefight (aka smoker fight). I ended up getting armbarred in the second round which resulted in my desire to learn the ground game eventually leading to my pursuit of World Titles in IBJJF and ADCC. It’s funny to look back and see how my human need to be respected morphed into something that I truly love and changed my life for the better through lessons, family and purpose. But that’s not just my story, the success stories of Martial Arts are endless and date back farther than we can know. My hope is to move Martial Arts in a direction to where it is accepted and encouraged if not above other sports, equally because of the impact we in the community know it will have. Like many great endeavors it will take time but I think by making Jiu Jitsu exciting and educating the public we can garner the attention and eyes we need to popularize the art. | https://christopherhargett.com/2020/08/13/daily-blog-75/ |
Mark Browning Landscape Design created this stunning pool and entertainment area, which required careful lighting to enhance its architectural features.
Central to the design was the linear lighting which creates a ‘floating’ effect, as well as adding safety to the pool edge. The variable pavilion lighting dims for entertaining and sets the mood for an after dinner drink. The emerald pool lighting gives the colour and depth to the landscape. | https://www.gan.com.au/gallery/portsea-residence |
Mark and I dined with Guy Sarton du Jonchay (Guy) and his wife Monika of Maison Vidal-Fleury at a recent event in Paris. After talk, tasting and red wines poured, our discussion got even more interesting. This article discusses the second part of that night when we discussed climate change as it relates to signature wines of a region. To read the first part about Grenache Blanc and Condrieu click here.
Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape are two classic French wine appellations where terroir wines are made. Both derive their personality from Grenache. Like in many wine regions around the world, climate change is making it more difficult to maintain the characteristics of these terroir wines, wines that developed over a long time.
As things warm up, grapes are ripening sooner in the year and have the potential to reach higher sugar levels. At the same time, other compounds in grapes that are important for making good wine may not be developing at the same rate. This presents a harvest and vinification challenge for growers and winemakers: when to pick and how to vinify the wines.
Furthermore, phenolic compounds (phenols) found mostly in grapes skins giving color and tannic structure to the finished wine. If grapes are harvested earlier in the year to manage faster accumulation of sugars, the grapes may not reach “phenolic maturity”, resulting in wine lacking color and tannins.
Let’s look at this with Grenache Noir, a grape that accounts for 71% of vineyard plantings in the Rhone.
Research is under way to ascertain grape varieties better able to handle drought, or water stress. It’s easy to say we’ll replace Grenache with the Portuguese grape Touriga National. But when you replace a grape with one that’s not allowed per AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) rules, you can no longer produce an AOC wine.
The signature of an AOC wine is the grape, i.e., a signature of Côtes du Rhone Rouge is Grenache, which accounts for the majority of the blend in a large number of Rhone Valley AOCs. If you change the grape variety, you change the signature; you are no longer making an AOC “terroir” wine. If you’re a fan of Maison Vidal-Fleury Châteauneuf-du-Pape (85% Grenache +/-) and Grenache is replaced, it’s no longer the same wine. How does the winemaker tackle this challenge?
Below are things you can do from vineyard to wine that enable continued use of Grenache.
Another is selecting yeast that result in wine with a reasonable level of alcohol due to less sugar in the grape juice. Chances are several changes will be needed which brings me to “massal selection”.
Throughout history some growers planted new vineyards, usually from other vineyard cuttings. Or they replaced dead vines with those produced with vine cuttings from vineyards planted before the days of clonal planting. What you end up with is not a vineyard of Clone XYZ Grenache (as an example) but one containing genetic variants of the particular Grenache vine that was originally planted.
How does this help us today? Instead of replacing Grenache with another variety you look inside your Grenache vineyard. Certain vines within a vineyard might behave differently, e.g., thrive in drought conditions. You select those particular vines to propagate a new vineyard. Doing this preserves the clonal variation of the older vineyard, which as stated above, was most likely planted with vines produced from wood taken from a region’s successful vineyards. Thus their vineyards are populated with vines having significant clonal variation; this is known as a massal selection.
Maison Vidal-Fleury is located in Ampuis, nestled among steep, terraced vineyards in the Côte-Rôtie.
At present, Guy is actively searching his Grenache and other vineyards for vines that behave more favorably to water stress and heat, and whose grapes contain less sugar.
Guy’s winemaking involves grapes, lees and time. All Vidal-Fleury red wines age on lees. He doesn’t use any product in his wines because lees do the work. They’re the human system of the wines, protecting them from negative environmental influences. They’re removed a day before bottling. If you remove them before this, the protection is lost.
Each of the following wines undergoes temperature-controlled maceration (30°C) and ferment with indigenous yeast. Wines are naturally clarified and stabilized by settling and one filtration. They are unfined with minimal sulfate use.
Vinification: Long and traditional maceration (2 weeks for Grenache, 3 with Syrah and Mourvèdre).
Aging: 70% in tanks, 30% in foudres (large older barrels).
This round, well structured, and balanced wine offers cherry, raspberry, crushed violet, forest floor, and spices that linger. Bright yet soft tannins, a wine for any day and a variety of foods.
Aging: on lees in large barrels for 2 1/2 years.
Foudres (as seen to the left) are used for longer aging. The top of the barrel has a small opening for air exchange. It’s left open for the first year and regularly tasted.
An intense deep ruby color; strawberry, blackberry, bramble, and soft prune with a sprinkling of violet and spice- these emerge from this medium-plus bodied and textured wine accompanied by rustically soft tannins and impeccable balance; fruity flavors and mildly smoked cherry dominate, finishing with roasted black pepper and cacao notes. A persistent, high quality wine.
Aging: 3 months in tanks then 12 months in large barrels.
Deep ruby in color; black currant, violet, pepper, twigs, and smoky vegetable hints; smooth and fresh, black fruit and wet earth dominate the palate. It showed a bit shy yet elegant. Guy shared it’s good with a variety of foods, especially barbecue and warm weather served slightly chilled.
Vinification: 3-week maceration, indigenous yeast fermentation.
Aging: 3 months in tanks; 12 months in large barrels.
It has red currant, brambly black fruit, spices, and fleeting truffle aromas. Overall it showed a bit shy but you can feel the sassy elegance on the medium bodied, fresh palate. The tannins are fine and silky and the finish is licorice-tinged and thought provoking. I’d like to taste this wine in a year to see how it evolves!
Aging: 2-years in large barrels.
One of the unique things about Côte Rotie wines is this- Syrah is often co-fermented with Viognier. And this wine is a co-ferment of the two. Per appellation rules, the Viognier must be co-planted in the Syrah vineyard. Here the grapes come from two, side-by-side steep vineyard slopes: Côte Brune and Côte blond.
Grapes from the Côte Brune provide the wine with structure. The soils are mica, iron-rich schist, have some red clay and less rocky. It typically results in dark, structured wines with less flavors. Côte Blonde provides finesse and flavors with gneiss, granitic rocky gravel and warmer soils.
An intense, fresh bouquet of red and black-berries followed by violet, black olive, and smoky overtones. A beautifully fresh and balanced, medium-plus body with medium-plus fine tannins opens to cherry, blackcurrants, spices, white pepper, and curry leaf. Silky, forward and inviting. A charmer!
Aging: On lees, 4-years in large barrels.
La Chatillonne is the top wine in Vidal-Fleury’s line up. Syrah grapes are from the northern part of the Côte Rotie famed, Côte Blonde vineyard. In this part of the Rhone they refer to a wine from this vineyard as “a Blonde”. And this Blonde is from a colder part of the vineyard, and thus referred to as a “cold blonde”.
The steep Côte Blonde vineyard is to the right of the sign, Côte Brune on left. “Blonde” wines are aromatic, balanced, and elegant whereas “Brune” wines tend to be dark and structured. The “J” is for Joseph, the early patriarch of Vidal-Fleury.
Vidal-Fleury’s cooler vineyard area in the Côte Blonde is situated with more eastern exposure and granite-schist soils. It lies close to the Renar, a long valley in the Massif Central driving cooler temperatures on each of its sides. Vines here produce grapes with higher acidity and tannins resulting in more structure than other Côte Blonde wines. According to Guy, although La Chatillonne is 100% Côte Blonde, it combines the complexity of flavors and characteristics of a “Blonde” with those from its neighboring Côte Brune vineyard: structure.
Production is small, just 300 cases (3,600 bottles). Because it’s a wine to age, Guy will happily cellar La Chatillonne purchases at his winery, offering perfect conditions.
And so, while we didn’t solve the challenges of growing vines in a warming climate, we had a great view of the Eiffel Tower, learned more about the northern Rhone Valley, and tasted fantastic wines. Should your path cross one of these Vidal-Fleury wines, you won’t be disappointed. Frederick Wildman distributes them in the United States.
For information about Rhone Valley appellations, go to rhone-wines.com, also the source of the Grenache grape cluster photo.
Incredible article, Lynn. I’m going to re-read and take notes. Thank you!
Thanks Jill! This discussion with Guy was super interesting. There are things you know on the surface and things you dont.
It certainly will be an interesting decade, and for all of us involved in wine. We’ll need to be our our toes as grapes, methods and rules potentially change.
Okay, first…what a magical evening, the view, the wine, the company…you are living a charmed life my friend! Second…what fabulous insights on the effects of climate change on these vineyards. The adjustments to pruning, which seem counter intuitive at first glance, make so much sense and looking to massal selection seems a perfect adjustment. Of course eventually things may need to go further. Will the wines simply have to change in style and AOC rules be adjusted as our planet continues to change? It’s an interesting conversation that I see continuing and growing.
Thank you for this wonderful piece.
We just scratched the surface during our “magical” evening! The question was indeed will the wines have to change in style and AOC rules change. But there are a lot of things that can be done to adapt, in addition to what I mentioned in the article. Plus change means the style of wine the consumer has gotten used to will change. Another question is what will the consumer think about that? Thank you for your comment Robin!
Wow! What a wonderful evening, those wines and the view…I enjoyed one of the Cote-Roties last winter with some beef stew, but didn’t have the view. Interesting discussion, showing how winemakers are so attuned to the changing climate.
Every time I go to a seminar, workshop, tasting, etc., the topic of climate comes up. We’ll see how things will change in the wine world. Thankfully that view from the restaurant won’t be changing anytime soon!
Nothing better than reading an essay where you are “boots-on-the-ground” like this one. Actually, you were in the boots, talking with the wine maker and owner directly. I could not imagine a better moment in life as that night. Magical.
Thanks John, it’s very different being with a small group (just four of us) and have an evening with a winemaker. Roll your sleeves up time! As things continue to warm, we will see how Grenache handles the heat in the Rhone.
Chock full of info. Enjoyed it.
It was an info packed discussion, glad you enjoyed the article. Hope you are able to find a few of these wines, and the Condrieu from the first article is also a treat!
I’ve never heard a more concise yet thorough explanation of massal selection! This was a wonderful article, well-researched and easy to understand. And I just love the photo with the Eiffel Tower in the background!
Thanks Lauren! Some of this can get confusing so I appreciate your comment!
Love your first hand experiences that you share on your blog. I always learn something new! Climate change in the vineyards and winemaking pose real challenges and it is interesting to read how the wine industry is evolving to face those challenges.
Thanks Jane! It’s a topic that has been, and will continue to be center stage and charged. | https://savortheharvest.com/grenache-and-the-warming-climate-vidal-fleury-discussions/ |
“Unless we remember, we cannot understand,” the writer E.M. Forster said, and for the philosopher Aristotle, memory was “the scribe of the soul.” Now, new research developments suggest that forgetfulness may have its benefits, too — maybe most especially for those considering addiction treatment and a way to prevent relapse.
Remembering Past Failures Actually Decreases Self-Control
A recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology calls into question the conventional wisdom that success depends at least to a certain degree on recalling our past failures with a view to avoiding them in the future. Researchers from Boston College, the University of Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt University found, on the contrary, that at least when the lesson in question is self-control, test subjects were less likely to exhibit self-control when reminded of their past failures at exercising it. Recollections of past successes, in contrast, contributed to more self-controlled decisions and behavior. For instance, in one of a number of experiments conducted over four years, test subjects recalled times when they were tempted to splurge on an expensive and unnecessary item, and either did or did not refrain from making the purchase. Some participants were asked to provide two recollections; others were instructed to list 10. After listing these recollections, participants then had to imagine an ensuing trip to the mall and what amount of credit card debt they would be willing to incur on an item they wanted to buy. Participants who recalled two past failures or more — participants who had to list 10 such recollections found it harder to remember instances of demonstrated self-control— were notably more willing to indulge in riskier consumer behavior, taking out a greater amount of credit card debt. These results led to the conclusion in a paper titled, “Haunts or Helps From the Past: Understanding the Effect of Recall on Current Self-Control,” that people show more self-control in their present consumption patterns when they are easily able to recall past instances of self-control. “For example, when people recall two past successes at self-control (e.g., instances when they resisted spending money on unnecessary items), these instances come to mind easily. It is relatively easy for everyone to think of two such successes. This ease of recall makes people believe that that they are good at self-control, they are the kind of person who can resist temptations, and since people usually want to be consistent with their views of themselves, they restrain again in tempting situations in the present,” the lead author of the study, Dr. Hristina Nikolova, PhD, an assistant professor of marketing in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, said in an August 2015 news release announcing the results of her team’s research.
Treating Addiction by Erasing Drug-Related Memories
If these findings from the world of business marketing seem tangential to the world of addiction recovery, just ask anyone with a substance use disorder: they’ll be quick to tell you how lingering memories of drug or alcohol use are common triggers of relapse and one of the greatest obstacles to long-term abstinence and sobriety. And current research into new avenues of addiction treatment may now be on the cusp of erasing these memory-stored triggers once and for all. A study published in the Journal of Molecular Psychiatry by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute details how a single injection of the drug candidate blebbistatin (“blebb”) prevents memory-triggered relapse of methamphetamine use in animal trials. Blebb was shown to disrupt the work of a molecular protein in the brain known as nonmuscle myosin II (NMII), which supports the storage of drug-related memories. Disrupting NMII thus in essence destroys the part of the brain’s hard drive that contains all of those reminders of past failures at exerting self-control. “What makes myosin II such an exciting therapeutic target is that a single injection of blebbistatin makes methamphetamine-associated memories go away, along with dendritic spines, the structures in the brain that store memory,” said research associate Erica Young, a member of the Scripps research team, in a news release of its findings. Whether such medically administered “forgetfulness” will be a safe, effective treatment for human test subjects with meth addiction remains to be seen; to what extent it will work for other substance use disorders also remains an open question. But for people with substance use disorders whose memories of poor self-control can be a source of ongoing torment in the form of multiple relapses, these findings suggest that a combination of medical and cognitive behavioral therapies for managing and even erasing such memories is not far off. That may be the one thing they need to hear in order to get treatment for an addiction. | https://www.rightstep.com/rehab-blog/kiss-addiction-relapse-goodbye-with-a-little-forgetfulness/ |
Abstract: A new sensitive sensor based on graphene quantum dots was constructed and used to detect gene mutations in pancreatic cancer (PC). PC is a leading cause of death worldwide and is considered a hard-to-treat malignancy due to its late diagnosis and lowest 5-year survival rate of 2%–7%. Despite significant advances in detection techniques, PC is often diagnosed at advanced stage, with limited treatment options available, which leads to death in the majority of cases. In this regard, it is extremely important to develop methods for early detection of this lethal disease. In this study, we explored the advantages of electrochemical biosensing and designed a simple screen-printed DNA sensor for the detection of gene mutation in PC. p16 is a tumor-suppressor gene, and alterations in the gene sequence are related to PC onset. Therefore, we explored the p16 gene as a cancer marker and designed an electrochemical on-chip sensor system for the early diagnosis of PC. Different electrochemical techniques, such as differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, were applied along with other characterization techniques (eg, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy) for designing a simple DNA hybridization sensor for PC. The biosensor showed a detection capability of 0.10 pM. This study establishes the utilization of graphene quantum dots as a sensor matrix and a new approach for detecting gene mutation on a chip, which can be further developed as an integrated portable detection system. | https://www.dovepress.com/graphene-quantum-dot-based-on-chip-electrochemical-dna-hybridization-s-peer-reviewed-article-RIE |
SGThompson have gathered together a wealth of professional, experienced and knowledgeable consultants that have the skills to understand and develop people/organisations to their full potential.
To develop and deliver 1st class training / consultancy and a 1st class photographic service for the benefit of agencies and organisations worldwide involved in Forensic Crime scene investigation / Crisis and Disaster management.
promote forensic expertise, innovation and service delivery nationally and internationally.
provide leadership and contribute to the development of forensic Crime scene investigation/ Crisis and Disaster management training to support the justice system.
to deliver a 1st class photographic service.
integrity underpinned by adherence to ethical and professional best practice.
excellence in training by providing a one-stop shop to meet the needs of the Forensic and crisis/disaster management community.
innovation in development and implementation of technologies relevant to the practice of forensic crime scene investigation and Crisis and Disaster management training.
to be involved in the ongoing development of organisations in Forensic Crime scene investigation/ Crisis and Disaster management through education and training. | http://www.sgthompson.co.uk/about-us/ |
German Colonial Architecture In America
The mill pond house dearbought the hessian barracks buildings and their sites s mill pond house.
German colonial architecture in america. Spanish colonial architecture was built in florida and the southeastern united states from 1559 to 1821. The life of the german settlers in colonial times. 1600s mid 1800s when germans traveled to north america they settled in new york pennsylvania ohio and maryland. Colonial architecture c1600 1720 the architecture used by the first settlers in north america is traditionally known as colonial architecture.
The colonial rulers at the time also built the bishop. During the 1700s european settlers in north america incorporated the architectural styles of their native countries into their new homes. To take a glimpse at the life of the early pioneers in america is certainly interesting. American colonial art this early architecture was as diverse as the settlers themselves who included spanish english scots irish dutch german french and swedish.
Stone was plentiful and the german colonists constructed sturdy homes with thick walls exposed timbering and hand hewn beams. The conch style is represented in pensacola florida adorning houses with balconies of wrought iron as appears in the mostly spanish built french quarter of new orleans louisiana. Many of these early settlers first built a log house of hewn square timbers as a temporary home until they could construct more substantial housing. German colonial architecture in frederick county.
German neo gothic architecture in togo since 1902 this neo gothic cathedral has adorned the market of lome which is now the capital of togo. Architecture attributed to german speaking immigrants to america primarily in the years from about 1680 to 1780. The styles that arose can be referred to as colonial architecture which includes georgian colonial spanish colonial german colonial french colonial dutch colonial federal and cape cod.
If you are looking for german colonial architecture in america you are coming to the right page. Lintau contains many images about german colonial architecture in america. Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference or share to facebook / twitter if you like this page. | http://lintau.net/german-colonial-architecture-in-america.html |
It’s a great day to be a Newberry Panther!
Here are the announcements for Monday, May 2nd:
Spring tutoring continues this week On Mondays and Wednesdays we are offering tutoring in Algebra 1 in Mr. Birrenkott’s classroom, Geometry in Dr. Bolejack’s classroom, and Biology in Mr. Truesdell’s room. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we will offer 9th English in Ms. Schentrup’s classroom and 10th grade English in Ms. Shelley’s classroom. All of these tutoring sessions will be from 3:00 pm until 4:30 pm.
There will be a ServSafe test given in Chef’s classroom tomorrow after school at 3:00 pm. Don’t be late!
Please remember that there are NO After School CROP Sessions today. After School CROP Sessions will continue tomorrow and THE LAST DAY will be this Thursday (May 5th) in Ms. Burkett’s classroom from 3:00 pm until 5:30 pm. If you are planning to attend, please make sure to be on time and ready to work!
Seniors, please check by often to the Counselor’s Corner on Canvas for new scholarship information. If you have any questions or need assistance, please come by and see Mrs. Cheggeh in the NHS Guidance Office.
DAILY REMINDER
Tardies: Tardies impact school success and student behavior, are a distraction to all students, and cause a disruption in teaching. Make sure you’re on time every day, to every class. Excessive tardies may result in lunch detention or ISD. | https://www.sbac.edu/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=5316&ModuleInstanceID=37846&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=69784&PageID=18467&Comments=true |
This course is an intermediate level mathematics course which covers the introductory concepts as in, EPMATH134 Introductory Mathematics: Basics, as well as further skills in algebra and functions and further practice in problem solving. The course content includes skills in numeracy, algebra, linear and non-linear functions, graphing, exponential and logarithmic theory. The course aims to provide a sound foundation in a wide range of basic mathematical skills and in their application to problem solving.
Recommended for degrees in Business, Commerce, Information Technology and the Sciences, including degrees in Health Science, Social Science and Behavioural Science.
Availability
Not currently offered.
This Course was last offered in Semester 1 - 2021.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Explain and apply number theory, algebra, functions, graphing and exponential and logarithmic theory.
2. Solve mathematical problems using critical reasoning and problem solving skills.
Content
- Algebra: laws, substitution, negative numbers, order of operations, simplification, expanding brackets, factorisation, fractions, indices.
- Equations: basic, with fractions, with powers/roots, word problems, formulas, simultaneous equations, word problems, rate problems.
- Exponentials and Logarithms: exponential and logarithmic notation, solution of exponential equations using logarithms. Applications to real world problems.
- Linear Functions: equation of a straight line, graphing linear functions, intersection of lines, line of best fit, application to real world problems.
- Non-linear functions: graphs of non-linear functions, quadratic, cubic, reciprocal, exponential, logarithmic, mathematical modelling.
Requisite
You can only enrol in this course if you are active in the Open Foundation Program or the Yapug Program. You cannot enrol in this course if you have successfully completed or are enrolled in EPMATH134, EPMATH153, EPMATH302, EPMATH303 or EPMATH309.
Assumed knowledge
Advanced or Intermediate Level School Certificate Mathematics or equivalent.
Students who have not studied mathematics for some time may benefit from taking a Mathematics Bridging course before enrolling in this course.
Assessment items
Quiz: Quizzes
In Term Test: Class Test
Formal Examination: Final Exam
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present. | https://www.newcastle.edu.au/course/EPMATH135 |
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent adult stem cells that are present in multiple tissues including umbilical cord, bone marrow and fat tissue. MSCs can self-renew by dividing and can differentiate into multiple tissues including bone, cartilage, adipose tissue, and connective tissue. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms are important signaling molecules for different types of mesenchymal cells, and these isoforms stimulate the proliferation, migration and survival of cells including MSCs. The PDGF family consists of two transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase subunits (PDGF receptor alpha [α-PDGFR] and PDGF receptor beta [β-PDGFR]) and four ligands (PDGF A, B, C, and D). Little is currently known about how PDGF controls the differentiation of MSCs into certain lineages.
In a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry: Tri Pham, Abdo Najy, and led by Professor Hyeong-Reh Choi Kim from Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute demonstrated that PDGF D stimulates the differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) into osteoblasts and prevents hBMSC differentiation into adipocytes.
The research team reported the unique function of PDGF D in bone formation by concurrently promoting the commitment of osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs while blocking their commitment to adipogenesis using the growth factor domain dimers of recombinant PDGF D (rPDGF D) proteins. This is the first study to show that PDGF may control MSC development into a certain lineage directly. Importantly, the authors offer proof that PDGF D-activated β-PDGFR inhibits MSCs from differentiating into adipocytes by preserving the actin cytoskeleton and downregulating the expression of adipogenic genes. PDGF D facilitates remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, coupled with the manifestation of osteogenic gene expression. According to the authors, PDGF D induces hBMSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts via increasing cytoskeleton tension, presumably involving networks of RhoA-ROCK-MCL-actin.
The authors further reported that PDGF D induces massive polyubiquitination of β-PDGFR mediated by the E3 ligase HUWE1 and demonstrated that HUWE1 expression is critical for PDGF D regulation of hBMSCs’ osteogenic differentiation. Even in the absence of a ubiquitin-proteasome system inhibitor, HUWE1-mediated polyubiquitination of β-PDGFR was easily detected by immunoblot analysis of whole cell lysates. Contrary to the Cbl family, HUWE1-mediated β-PDGFR extends the protein stability of β-PDGFR and its osteogenic signals by keeping β-PDGFR on the cell surface. The findings clearly illustrated the functional significance of HUWE1 in the regulation of PDGFR-mediated osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Taken together, the discovery made by Professor Hyeong-Reh Kim and her research team widens our understanding on the detailed molecular mechanism by which PDGF D controls the commitment of hBMSCs to the osteoblastic lineage and opens up the potential of the use of rPDGF D for promoting bone repair and regeneration.
Reference
Pham T, Najy AJ, Kim HR. E3 ligase HUWE1 promotes PDGF D-mediated osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells by effecting polyubiquitination of β-PDGFR. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2022 ;298(6). | https://medicineinnovates.com/pdgf-d-regulation-mesenchymal-stem-cell-msc-biology/ |
318-5 Adaptation Of Cover Crops In The Texas Rolling Plains.
See more from this Division: ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems
See more from this Session: Symposium--The Role and Challenges of Cover Crops in Semi-Arid Dryland Cropping Systems
Wednesday, November 6, 2013: 9:30 AM
Marriott Tampa Waterside, Grand Ballroom G
Abstract:
Cover crops have been shown as a proven technology that can improve numerous soil parameters. One region that warrants demonstration of cover crops to further adoption is the semi-arid Texas Rolling Plains. As water is often the most limiting factor in crop production within semi-arid environments, practices that are perceived to reduce the capability of soils to capture rainfall will hinder adoption. The objective of this research is to demonstrate, contrast, and quantify the impact of cover crops in no-till cotton and wheat cropping systems on soil chemical and physical properties, soil moisture, crop growth, and water quality. The dryland system consists of seven treatments: 1) conventional tillage without a cover crop; 2) no-till without a cover crop; and no-till with cover crops consisting of 3) crimson clover; 4) Austrian winter field pea; 5) hairy vetch; 6) wheat, and 7) legume/grass mixture. The irrigated system consists of four treatments: 1) conventional tillage without a cover crop; 2) no-till without a cover crop; 3) no-tillage with a wheat cover crop; and 4) no-till with a legume/grass cover crop mixture. Neutron probes were inserted into each plot and soil moisture was evaluated bi-weekly throughout the year. Cover crops were chemically terminated prior to planting. Clipping were taken to determine cover crop biomass and C:N ratios and subsequent cotton yields were monitored. Cover crop performance for two growing seasons and subsequent effects on soil moisture and lint yields will be discussed. Initial impact of warm-season cover crops on soil moisture within wheat cropping systems will also be discussed. | https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2013am/webprogram/Paper79350.html |
When she's in Chicago, Oprah resides in a 15,000-square-foot duplex at Water Tower Place on Michigan Ave.
She's owned this idyllic farmhouse in Kula, Hawaii, since 2002.
Oprah's Maui spread, located in Kula, was renovated by N.Y. designer Elissa "Ellie" Cullman to reflect contemporary American farmhouse style. The home, a showcase for Winfrey's folk art, was featured in O! Magazine back in 2006.
6/
And purchased an additional 63 acres of land near Maui's Hamoa Beach several years later. | |
The hālau is under the direction of Kumu Hula Micah Kamohoaliʻi. Known for their powerful energy, ʻaihaʻa and emphatic style of chant and dance stemming from Hawaiʻi Island, they are linked to the powerful rains of their homeland and known to bring on a downpour.
Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu is celebrated for revitalizing many ancient art forms and practices within hula not commonly seen today. They are most famed for revitalizing the art and practices of ancient Kapa within the lines of hula.
Cultural leaders within the Waimea landscapes they strive to preserve, perpetuate and practice native tradition to honor the akua, the kanaka, and the ʻāina.
The Hālau
Interested in learning more?
Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu is a traditional Hawaiian dance school that is rooted in the practices of ancient Hawaiʻi, the great Kamehameha family and his famous Kīpuʻupuʻu Warriors. This hālau is anchored in the Hawaiian culture and language while immersed in the traditions and teachings of the Kamohoaliʻi family of Waimea. Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu is based on the Puʻukapu plains of Waimea, Hawai’i.
We strive to educate all our students about the Hawaiian culture through chant, hula, lua, language, practices, and protocols. This hālau is dedicated to the perpetuation and preservation of the Hawaiian culture.
New hula classes open once every 2 years, please contact the Hālau if you are interested in learning about Waimeaʻs traditions and hula.
New Class Hula Practice @ Kūhiō Hale Hall
Monday 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Wednesday 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Presentations & Highlights:
2014
HTA Awards Ceremony (Oʻahu)
2014
Hālauaola World Conference of Hula (Kauaʻi)
2014
Honu Release at Mauna Lani (Kalahuipuaʻa)
2014
Kahoʻolawe Tour and Ke Ala Polohiwa a Kane (Kanaloa)
2014
MAMo Fashion Show Opening @ Kahilu Theater (Waimea)
2014
Hānau Ke Aliʻi Hula Drama Tour (Kona, Honokaʻa, Hilo)
2014
Merrie Monarch Miss Aloha Hula (Hilo)
2014
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hula Kahiko (Kaʻauea)
2013
Waimea Hawaiian Homes Annual Lūʻau (Waimea)
2013
Hawaii Island Festivals Investiture (Hōnaunau)
2013
Hoʻokuʻikahi Puʻukoholā Festival (Kawaihae)
2013
Ala Kahakai Kokua Tour (Keahualono)
2013
Honu Independence Release (Kalahuipuaʻa)
2013
Kamehameha Day (Kohala Loko)
2013
Big Island Film Festival (Waikoloa)
2013
Hoʻōla Punana Leo (Waimea)
2013
Featured in Ka Wai Ola O OHA “ Hulilaulaii”
2013
Hulilaualiʻi Hula Drama Kahilu Theatre (Waimea)
2013
Featured in Ke Ola Magazine “The Fabrics of Community”
2013
Kūhiō Day Celebration (Waimea)
2012
Wahi Pana Maunakea Tour (Waimea)
2012
Wahi Pana Waiʻaka Tour (Waimea)
2012
Wahi Pana Hōkūʻula Tour (Waimea)
2012
Wahi Pana Mahiki Tour (Waimea)
2012
NWIO Hoʻike at the Queens Bowl (Waikoloa)
2012
Big Island Film Festival (Waikoloa)
2012
Kūhiō Day Celebration (Waimea)
2011
Moku o Keawe Kapa Festival (Kona)
2011
Big Island Traveler Magazine “History in the Making”
2011
Kaʻauea Hula Series Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
2011
Kūhiō Day Celebration (Waimea)
2010
Kawaihae festivals of canoes (Kawaihae)
2010
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hoʻolauleʻa
2010
MAMo Celebration (Kona)
2010
Mauliauhonua Hula Drama People Theatre (Honokaʻa)
2010
Honotua Submarine Cable Landing (Kawaihae)
2009
Hoʻonani Punana Leo (Waimea)
Previous Projects were funded and or supported by Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Richard Smart Foundation, The Hapa Fund, WOW Farm, Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders’ Association, Rivertop Solutions, Parker Ranch, Kamehameha Schools, Waipi‘o Valley Tours, Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy, The Peopleʻs Theatre in Honokaʻa, Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. | http://www.halaunakipuupuu.org/About-Us.html |
Major risk factors for periodontal disease include:
This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com
- genetic susceptibility (30% of the population)
- medications (oral contraceptives, antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, chemotherapy)
- diabetes
- autoimmune diseases (Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, lupus)
- obesity
- poor diet
- pregnancy
- osteoporosis
- genetic diseases (Down's syndrome)
- immunocompromising viruses (HIV, herpes)
This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com
The major risk factors for periodontal disease include the following:
- Cigarette smoking. Smoking is one of the greatest risk factors for gum disease or gingivitis.
- Imbalanced hormones in women. Hormone swings can increase gum sensitivity.
- Diabetes. Diabetes, a disorder that disrupts the way the body uses glucose, increases the risk of dry mouth and infections that include gum disease. Saliva serves a healing purpose as it cleanses the teeth and gums. With dry mouth there is a reduction of saliva, resulting in bacteria and infections.
- Certain medications. Some medications reduce saliva and increase gum infections.
- Diseases. Cancer, AIDs, and medications used to treat these diseases can result in unhealthy gum tissue.
- Genetics. Some people are more genetically predestined to get gum disease and periodontal disease.
Continue Learning about Periodontitis
Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs. | https://www.sharecare.com/health/periodontitis/major-risk-factors-periodontal-disease |
1. Introduction {#s1}
===============
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has become one of the main staples for understanding the functioning human brain (Biswal, [@B4]). When it comes to basic principles of brain function, the brain at rest, meaning in the absence of a dedicated task, seems to be a fruitful resource for brain state interpretations (Zhang and Raichle, [@B37]). Several studies demonstrated that, the resting brain is organized into independently acting, as well as interacting networks (Fox et al., [@B10]; Damoiseaux et al., [@B8]; Fox and Raichle, [@B9]; Smith et al., [@B29]; Binder, [@B3]; Shirer et al., [@B25]). Undoubtedly, the human brain is one of natures most complex information processing systems, but finding a measure to describe this complexity has been difficult (Sokunbi, [@B31]). Analyzing age-related changes in brain function is a nonetheless complex endeavor (Brodoehl et al., [@B6]).
Methods for studying the dimensional complexity of brain activity were already introduced for EEG-Data in the nineties, e.g., Ω-Entropy (Wackermann, [@B36]). As fMRI data quality and temporal resolution has increased significantly through multiband MRI sequences (temporal resolutions of whole brain recordings at a TR of ≈1s are easily achievable), these measures might now be of great value to understand the complex organization of brain function. Also with the help of online data sharing initiatives, like the 1,000 functional connectomes project[^1^](#fn0001){ref-type="fn"}, access to vast amounts of high quality resting-state fMRI datasets has never been easier.
Predominantly, temporal patterns in rs-fMRI recordings are analyzed using linear correlation methods, averaging multiple voxel time courses to generate so called functional connectomes, neglecting non-linear temporal relations. This restriction to linearity might not be advised, as demonstrated by Pritchard et al. ([@B20]). Using a non-linear information theory approach (cross-sample entropy) Pritchard et al. found the brain to be organized in "mega-hubs" with a scale-free degree distribution. In a review manuscript Sokunbi ([@B31]) provides an overview on non-linear information theory based techniques, analyzing complexity of fMRI data in healthy aging, cognitive performance, Alzheimer\'s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless, these approaches, based on Shannon entropy, operate on singular voxel (or averaged) time courses, some information theory approaches have extensions to two or multiple time courses but the immense computational demands to these measures make it almost impossible to get a holistic overview of brain states and brain complexity.
Here we want to introduce a new, whole brain complexity measure, analog to Ω-Entropy (Wackermann, [@B36]) but with adaptations to fit the needs of rs-fMRI. Like Ω, the normalized Multivariate Principal Subspace Entropy (nMPSE) uses the Eigenvalue spectrum of a subjects time and space data matrix. Contrary to Ω, nMPSE can be restricted in the amount of used EV energy, so that only the *k* dimensions with the highest variances are taken into consideration. Thus it is possible to reduce the state space to the most important dimensions. MPSE (not normalized), was shown to be efficient in differentiating between task and non-task periods in a task based fMRI study (Schütze et al., [@B24]). However, in a resting state scenario, due to the lack of normalization, MPSE is not independent of global data variance changes. Supplementary Figure [9](#SM1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} illustrates this effect on simulated data: While global data variance increases, MPSE also increases, nMPSE on the contrary, is not susceptible to this effect and stays constant even in the advent of global changes in data variance. Global variance is strongly influenced by multi-variate noise, at the foremost, subject motion. Even advanced artifact reduction methods like ICA-AROMA (Pruim et al., [@B21]) and multiband adapted physiological noise regression (Scheel et al., [@B22]) are not able to fully eliminate this effect (Scheel et al., [@B23]). In addition to physiological noise, global data variance is even more likely to modulate MPSE on real data, which would make any systemic interpretation very difficult. Thus, in this manuscript we will focus on normalized complexity measures, i.e., nMPSE and Ω, which are not predisposed to this effect.
With direct relation to independent component analysis (ICA) of spatial Resting-State-Networks (RSNs) and corresponding Temporal-Functional-Modes (TFMs) (Damoiseaux et al., [@B8]; Smith et al., [@B30]), dimensional complexity measures, such as nMPSE and Ω, aim to quantify the dynamics that drive functional brain networks: Assuming all networks are operating in approximately the same dynamic states, i.e., if energy is evenly distributed over all brain activity patterns, overall entropy is expected to be high. If there is a clear focus on one (or a few) networks, overall entropy of the system will be small. With measures as such, it would thus be possible to characterize the organization of temporal processes in the human brain.
Changes in brain organization due to healthy aging have been reported in several studies (e.g., Brodoehl et al., [@B6]; Beason-Held et al., [@B2]; Goldstone et al., [@B11]; La Corte et al., [@B16]; He et al., [@B12]; Peterson et al., [@B19]; Siman-Tov et al., [@B26]; Tremblay et al., [@B34]; Zhuang et al., [@B39]; Zhu et al., [@B38]). In accordance to Liu et al. ([@B17]), Toussaint et al. ([@B33]), and Sokunbi et al. ([@B32]) non-linear brain complexity measures, derived from information theory, find changes in brain complexity as a result of healthy aging as well. This makes aging a perfect example to study holistic changes in brain complexity, as we expect dimensional complexity also to be affected by aging. With nMPSE applied to healthy aging, as a proof of concept, we want to demonstrate that dimensional complexity measures can be used to describe changes in brain organization, due to external factors. We want to advocate this unique way of looking at brain function, as a method that might give rise to biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as a tool to describe basic brain function.
2. Material and methods {#s2}
=======================
2.1. Nathan kline institute rockland sample
-------------------------------------------
We used the so called Rockland sample (Nooner et al., [@B18]), a public dataset from the Nathan Kline Institute, that provides a community sample of a great number of subjects that underwent a multitude of scanning protocols. In the scope of this study we employed the multiband session with a spatial resolution of 2 × 2 × 2 mm, a TR of 1,400 ms and 404 volumes. All Rockland sample subjects from releases 1--4 (of now 10 releases), who were at least 18 years of age and had a maximum movement displacement of 3 mm were included. This lead to 186 viable subjects with a mean age of 46.6 (standard deviation = 18) years. The dataset also provides physiological recordings (heart rate and breathing), which were removed from the fMRI data using the multiband adapted version of RETROICOR-RVHR (Scheel et al., [@B22]). Further preprocessing steps included head motion realignment (McFlirt, Jenkinson et al., [@B13]), brain extraction (BET, Smith, [@B27]) and 4mm isotropic smoothing (SUSAN, Smith and Brady, [@B28]), all from the FMRIB Software Library - FSL (Jenkinson et al., [@B14]). Remaining head motion induced artifacts were further reduced using ICA-AROMA (Pruim et al., [@B21]). All subsequent preprocessing steps were carried out using the Data Processing Assistant for Resting-State fMRI (DPARSFA) V4.3 (Chao-Gan and Yu-Feng, [@B7]). These steps consisted of cropping and reorienting the T1 anatomical volumes, co-registration of functional and anatomical volumes, functional volume normalization to MNI space using DARTEL (Ashburner, [@B1]), regression of nuisance covariates (linear trends, cerebro-spinal fluid and white matter signals) as well as temporal bandpass filtering from 0.01 to 0.08 Hz.
2.2. Dimensional complexity measures
------------------------------------
A series of rs-fMRI volumes can be seen as an abstract geometrical representation of neurological states at discrete moments in time. This representation is known as the state space (Wackermann, [@B36]). It can be described by a matrix $X\ = \ \left\lbrack {{\overset{\rightarrow}{x}}_{1},\ldots,{\overset{\rightarrow}{x}}_{n}} \right\rbrack \in {\mathbb{R}}^{d\text{x}n}$, where *d* equals the amount of data points for each discrete moment in time *n* of all *N* time points. Principal Component Analysis - PCA (Jolliffe, [@B15]) can be used to find an orthonormal system of base vectors, so that any data vector ${\overset{\rightarrow}{x}}_{n} \in X$ can be expressed as a linear combination of orthonormal base vectors. For this, PCA calculates the Eigenvectors ${\overset{\rightarrow}{v}}_{1},\ldots,{\overset{\rightarrow}{v}}_{d - 1}$ of the covariance matrix *C*, which is defined by
c
i
j
=
1
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∑
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=
1
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i
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)
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¯
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,
where $\overline{X}$ is the mean of *X*. The magnitude of an Eigenvalue (EV) λ~*i*~ of the corresponding Eigenvector ${\overset{\rightarrow}{v}}_{i}$, correlates with the variance of the data in direction of ${\overset{\rightarrow}{v}}_{i}$ (Jolliffe, [@B15]). This leads to multiple boundaries: firstly the trivial (*n*−1) boundary, where all EVs greater than *n* = *min*\[*dim*(*x*), *dim*(*y*)\] are zero. By removing all $\overset{\rightarrow}{v}$ where the EVs are zero, a loss-less reduction and optimal projection of the original data, into a space of lower dimension can be achieved. The second threshold lies below the (*n*−1) boundary: here we define it at the point, where the summed energy of the EV spectrum reaches 99%. Depending on the EV distribution, it might be the case, that 99% of EV energy is reached with a fraction of all possible (*n*−1) EVs. The remaining dimensions, above this boundary, are usually interpreted as additive noise and discarded. Boundaries, set at even lower percentages of EV energy are probably the most interesting ones: they only use the first dimensions, carrying the most prominent data variance. While the 99% boundary can be seen as a noise filter, lower boundaries might give an interesting insight into the most discriminating dimensions.
The first measure of dimensional complexity we use, is Ω-Entropy (Wackermann, [@B36]):
Ω
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It uses the information of the proportions between **all** EVs (normalized to a unit sum):
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.
A dimensional complexity measure, that allows scalable levels of EV-energy is called Multivariate Principal Subspace Entropy (MPSE) and was introduced by Schütze et al. ([@B24]). With MPSE, it is possible to restrict the number of EVs, using a parameter *k*:
MPSE
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Using normalized Eigenvalues λ′ (as used with Ω) instead of λ adds a normalization step to the *k*-scalable MPSE and leads to the normalized Multivariate Principal Subspace Entropy (nMPSE):
nMPSE
(
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Here only the *k* largest EV dimensions (normalized to a unit sum) are taken into consideration. Supplementary Figure [9](#SM1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} shows a simulation of Ω, MPSE and nMPSE, displaying the invariance of nMPSE and Ω to global shifts in data variance. A Matlab implementation of nMPSE can be found in the [Supplementary Material](#SM1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
2.3. Brain parcellation, complexity and aging
---------------------------------------------
In order to examine and study complexity of the aging brain, we used different brain parcellation approaches. The Automated Anatomical Labeling (AAL) atlas (Tzourio-Mazoyer et al., [@B35]) consists of 90 anatomical brain regions. Merging all 90 regions results in a full brain mask, subsuming all cortical brain regions. This mask served for whole brain analyses. The next approach examined complexity on each anatomical region separately. Here brain complexity was computed within each single AAL region. As a counterpart to anatomical parcellation, we also calculated complexity on functional network level by using the resting-state network atlas by Shirer et al. ([@B25]). Here, we retrieved a complexity measure for each of the 14 resting-state networks. An even more fine-grained picture was achieved by employing a computationally demanding search light approach. For every voxel (search light) a sphere with a radius of 10 mm was created. This way we were able to calculate complexity within each of these spheres and assign a complexity value to every single voxel of the brain. Finally, to find a connection between brain complexity and biological age, we calculated the corresponding Pearson correlation of complexity and age for each parcellation approach. To evaluate statistical significance we used permutation tests and corrected for multiple testing using the Bonferroni method (Bonferroni, [@B5]). Figure [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"} provides an overview of all different steps carried out.
{#F1}
3. Results {#s3}
==========
Dimensional complexity measures, Ω and nMPSE alike, are based on a subjects Eigenvalue (EV) spectrum. Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"} displays the cumulated, whole brain, EV spectrum, normalized to a unit sum, showing the mean of all subjects with the corresponding standard deviation. As expected, 99% of Eigenenergy are reached using just a fraction of all possible non zero EV dimensions, namely 70 of 403. Already the first 6 dimensions make up for 50% of data variance, while 75% of Eigenenergy is represented in the first 20. This is in line with the expectation, that most of the data variance is dominated by resting-state network activity, as previous studies reported approximately 20 non-noise components, subsumming the activity of 14 resting-state networks (Shirer et al., [@B25]).
{#F2}
The next steps consist of analyzing the correlation of functional brain complexity and the subjects actual ages. Here, complexity is measured by either Ω (using the complete EV spectrum of each subject) or nMPSE (using *k*-thresholded EV spectra of each subject). In line with Figure [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}, the following results are sectioned into the four different parcellation strategies: the analysis of whole brain functional complexity, followed by (hypothesis driven) anatomical regions, as well as functional resting-state networks, culminating in hypothesis free, whole-brain - small neighborhood search lights.
We can report a strong significant correlation for whole-brain Ω entropy and age (*p* ≤ 10^−3^, incl. Bonferroni correction), see Figure [3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}. Note that Ω uses all dimensions, meaning the complete EV spectrum to calculate the complexity. On the contrary, whole-brain nMPSE results show that 50% of EV energy (meaning using only the first six dimensions) already yield a significant, yet not strong correlation of nMPSE and age (*p* ≤ 0.05). Adding dimensions causes nMPSE-age correlation to increase. At roughly 91% of EV energy (45 components), nMPSE is on par with Ω, even surpassing it with more added EV energy. Using these observations, we can now try to identify EV energy bands, prone to age related changes and it turns out that the age effect is not restricted to some, or only the first few dimensions, as one would expect with 14 dominant resting-state networks. Apparently all meaningful whole brain components are affected by age related changes.
{#F3}
As global, whole brain, age effects are quite distributed over the EV spectrum, the question arises, if there is a spatial effect of different separate substructures of the brain. Looking at complexity within single anatomical regions, essentially replicates the finding of whole-brain effects (Figure [4](#F4){ref-type="fig"}). On average, Ω vs. age correlation is strongly significant (using the complete EV spectrum), while nMPSE vs. age correlation depends on the amount of EV energy used. The mean characteristic curve of nMPSE, subject to *k*, reaches Ω level at the intersection point of 81% of EV energy. Also, nMPSE significantly surpasses Ω, reaching *r* = 0.4 using 99% of EV energy. Again, we need a *k* higher than we would expect from Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}, to obtain an nMPSE-age correlation in the range of Ω vs. age.
{#F4}
Additionally, even though the whole-brain effect is replicated on average with AAL regions, age-complexity correlations are regionally very diverse. Some regions show a strong significant complexity-age correlation, others do not. All in all, 81 (of 90) reach a significant complexity-age correlation using nMPSE, 71 using Ω. All 9 regions, not reaching significance with nMPSE, are a subset of the 19 regions not reaching significance with Ω. Furthermore, for regional nMPSE, very different amounts of EV energy are needed, see Figure [5](#F5){ref-type="fig"}. Some regions only demand very few dimensions, whereas others take up almost all of the EV energy to reach significance: e.g., the right insula or the right lingual AAL region only need the first two dimensions, corresponding to 29% of EV energy, in contrast, the right angular gyrus needs 74 components at 99% of EV energy. Most of the regions using less than the first 50% of EV energy, reach significance with only 2 or 3 dimensions. Supplementary Table [3](#SM1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} provides a lookup table for the results of each anatomical brain region.
{ref-type="supplementary-material"} for a listing of AAL regions with corresponding dimensionality results.](fnhum-12-00451-g0005){#F5}
An alternative to anatomical brain parcellation is a functional approach, dividing the brain into functional rather than anatomical units, namely resting-state networks. Analyzing the age-effect from this point of view (Figure [6](#F6){ref-type="fig"}), we found that, as for anatomical regions, some networks are significantly correlated even for small *k*, others are more demanding. The Sensorimotor network needs the smallest number of dimensions to decode the age difference, whereas the left executive control network needs most of the EV energy to reach significance. Again, keep in mind that Ω uses the whole EV spectrum and reaches strong age correlations in all resting-state networks but one: Remarkably, corresponding to the AAL regions, the higher visual network did not show a significant correlation for Ω or nMPSE at any *k*.
{#F6}
Finally, in order to have an hypothesis free grasp of brain regions, displaying complexity changes due to healthy aging, we look at whole brain, local neighborhood searchlights: Figure [7](#F7){ref-type="fig"} shows the voxel populations yielding the highest age-complexity correlations, subject to the different levels of used EV energy. Figures [7A--D](#F7){ref-type="fig"} show, that using 99% of EV energy leads to wide spread, strong positive correlations between age and nMPSE. Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"} lists the top ten voxel coordinates with corresponding locations and *r* values. On the contrary Figures [7E--H](#F7){ref-type="fig"}, using only 50% of EV energy, show a more concise view of aging effects, as only the first six dimensions were taken into consideration. Table [2](#T2){ref-type="table"} gives the corresponding list of top ten voxel coordinates. Results for Ω and intermediate nMPSE results (at different *k* levels) can be found in the [Supplementary Material](#SM1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}. Essentially, regional and network results are replicated by the searchlight approach. It seems like there is a filter-like transition from small *k* to big *k*: small regions grow naturally, while *k* increases. Small *k* regions appear to be seeds for larger *k* regions. Additionally some regions only appear when using higher *k* values (see frontal regions of left hemisphere).
{#F7}
######
Top 10 significant voxels for nMPSE (*k* = 76, 99% of EV energy) searchlights.
***X*** ***Y*** ***Z*** ***r*** **AAL Region**
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------------------
48 18 18 0.6664 Frontal Inf Tri R
6 8 50 0.6272 Supp Motor Area R
−58 −32 48 0.619 Parietal Inf L
28 6 56 0.6179 Frontal Mid R
−58 12 18 0.6119 Frontal Inf Oper L
46 −36 58 0.601 Postcentral R
62 −24 42 0.5983 SupraMarginal R
−20 8 58 0.5766 Frontal Sup L
−8 −38 28 0.5663 Cingulum Post L
−30 32 20 0.5662 Frontal Mid L
######
Top 10 significant voxels for nMPSE (*k* = 6, 50% of EV energy) searchlights.
***X*** ***Y*** ***Z*** ***r*** **AAL Region**
--------- --------- --------- --------- ----------------------
10 8 56 0.5352 Supp Motor Area R
32 24 −12 0.5165 Frontal Inf Orb R
46 16 16 0.4924 Frontal Inf Oper R
−62 10 16 0.4852 Frontal Inf Oper L
−24 −40 −12 0.4814 Fusiform L
−6 8 0 0.4803 Caudate L
24 −40 64 0.4784 Postcentral R
−6 4 50 0.4732 Supp Motor Area L
18 −26 66 0.4718 Precentral R
−18 −24 64 0.4718 Paracentral Lobule L
4. Discussion {#s4}
=============
Looking at the results, we can see that dimensional complexity measures, describing the entropy of (sub-)spaces of a subjects Eigenvalue (EV) spectrum, can be successfully deployed on resting-state fMRI data, in order to find subtle differences in the organization and complexity of brain function. In addition to Ω for fMRI (initially introduced by Wackermann in 1996 for EEG analysis) we introduced and evaluated the normalized Multivariate Principal Subspace Entropy (nMPSE) for resting-state fMRI data. One of the main differences between Ω and nMPSE is the fact that, with nMPSE we can analyze entropy at different levels of *k*, i.e., for subsets of Eigenvectors (subspaces). This becomes especially interesting in the scope of resting-state networks, because we expect them to be related to the most variant principal components (PCs). Resting-state networks have been studied in many ways and have proven to be consistent across multiple data sets, as 10--20 components are reliably identified as parts of the 14 resting-state networks (Damoiseaux et al., [@B8]; Shirer et al., [@B25]). Looking at the averaged Eigenspectrum in Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"} we see a close resemblance to these findings: 20 components make up for 75% of cumulated EV energy, thus most of the data variance can be attributed to a comparable number of components.
As a proof of concept, we looked at the effects of healthy aging on dimensional complexity measures. In the following, we discuss the results of the whole brain functional complexity analysis. To further discern the contribution of substructures of the brain to the aging effect, we then discuss the results for functional networks as well as anatomical regions. The results of the regional hypothesis free, local neighborhood, whole brain searchlights will be discussed thereafter.
Whole brain functional complexity analysis (Figure [3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}) illustrates that, the first 10 dimensions, accounting for more than 50% of information, already include major age-related changes. The remaining dimensions cover the other half of the age-related effects. Routinely the analysis would be limited to 30 dimensions (approx. 85% of data variance) for comparable component based analyses. Doing so, barely leads to a stronger correlation. We found that nMPSE becomes more and more discriminative for a growing *k* at values even larger than 30. This indicates that *all* dimensions are changed by age-related processes, and not only the principal components with the largest Eigenvalues. Obviously there is a lot of discriminative information in higher dimensions with lower variance. In other words, the age-related correlation is not depending on just some prominent factors (e.g., single resting-state networks) but it seems like a globally distributed effect, that is independent of global variance (ruled out through normalization in Ω and nMPSE).
Not surprisingly, therefore all networks (except the higher visual network) showed a significant correlation between Ω and age. Using nMPSE, we could further examine the amount of EV energy needed to reach this significance. Here the higher visual network also never shows a significant correlation to age, which goes along with the observations using AAL regions. A closer look at Figure [6](#F6){ref-type="fig"} reveals, that basic networks (i.e., sensorimotor, basal ganglia, and auditory), only need a small number of dimensions. Higher-order networks (i.e., executive control or language) need a lot more EV energy. One possible interpretation would be, that age-related changes for basic networks occur already in the first PCs of those networks, while higher order network changes along age, are wide-spread over many components. The dissent between the language network results here and respective areas from the AAL or search light based approach, can be explained by the fact, that the language network map is comprised of multiple language processing areas, while for the AAL and search light approach specific language related regions are tested separately.
We were able to replicate these findings quantitatively for all tested parcellation approaches. Specifically, using the AAL atlas demonstrated that, on average, we also need most of the components to retrieve a strong significant complexity-age correlation. Looking at AAL regions separately, we see that some yield significant correlations, using only the most dominant PCs (*k* ≤ 6). It seems, that areas naturally attributed to aging are also needing the least amount of EV energy to yield a significant result. Most interestingly areas responsible for motion control and motor processes, cognitive processing and decision making, memory encoding and retrieval, decision-making, emotions, language processing, inhibitory control and regulation of sleep as well as alertness (namely putamen, orbifrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, amygdala, caudate nucleus and thalamus) are displaying the strongest correlations and are in line with other publications reporting aging effects in the brain (e.g., Brodoehl et al., [@B6]; Zhuang et al., [@B39]; Zhu et al., [@B38]). On the contrary, areas for processing visual information like calcarine, cuneus, angular gyrus among other occipital regions need almost all EV energy if they reach significance at all, hinting at an age independence, see Supplementary Table [3](#SM1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
Employing the searchlight approach, we tried to understand how the spatial distribution of the complexity-related age-correlation looks like, without prior parcellation into regions or networks. Figure [7](#F7){ref-type="fig"} shows that the positively correlated regions are not randomly spread over the whole brain. When visualizing the searchlight results for 99% EV energy, clusters in large frontal inferior and sensorimotor areas become apparent. These regions seem to shrink when we remove more and more Eigenvectors from nMPSE, leaving only some small, concise areas, congruent to previous results (compare Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"} and Table [2](#T2){ref-type="table"}). Also, for only 50% of EV energy, the significant regions are not randomly scattered within the regions reaching significance with 99% of EV energy, but seem to be seed regions to those.
Finally, the question might arise, why brain entropy is positively correlated with age. Is brain activity in older brains really more complex? Here, we have to take a closer look on the exact meaning of complexity. A signal is less complex (or has a lower entropy) if the signal is dominated by only a few strong components, e.g., sensory networks for younger subjects. If then in older brains other (possibly compensatory) tasks become more demanding, the EV energy would be more equally leveled and thus lead to a higher entropy. From this perspective the signal is more complex. Mathematically spoken, this effect can be explained by a more equally distributed EV spectrum for the elderly subjects, and thus leading to a higher entropy for an increasing *k* in respect to younger subjects (see Figure [8](#F8){ref-type="fig"}). Another scenario that might have been possible is, that using only the first dimensions leads to high age-complexity correlations and adding more and more dimensions diminishes correlation strength. This would mean that most of the information, relevant for aging, would be encoded in the first dimensions. So, in a way, the characteristic curve of nMPSE describes the distribution of the investigated problem on dimensional subspaces. Especially the intersection point of Ω and nMPSE might be of great value, as it could be used as a biomarker, for instance comparing early and later stages of neurodegenerative diseases.
{#F8}
In summary, the analysis of dimensional complexity of resting-state functional connectivity promises to be a fruitful resource for finding biomarkers. Here, healthy aging served as a proof of concept to provide a method to further study human brain complexity. The intersection point of Ω and nMPSE might be a way to compare the complexity of different problems, e.g., Parkinson\'s disease progression vs. healthy controls or earlier vs. later stages of Alzheimers disease. Another interesting research question might be the performance of a modified, *k* restricted Ω, compared to nMPSE, as well as a detailed analysis of the properties of dimensions with close to zero Eigenvalues, which are discarded in nMPSE. A windowed approach, looking at temporal dynamics, might reveal different complexity states and help understanding temporal processes in the brain (especially for task experiments). Answering these questions are computationally very demanding and out of the scope of this first publication, but might be very insightful in the future.
Ethics statement {#s5}
================
This study used human subject recordings from an open access data set. The dataset was published with a positive ethics statement. Thus, this article is exempt from an additional ethics committee approval.
Author contributions {#s6}
====================
Main and corresponding author is NS. NS performed the analysis and designed the figures. AM was involved in planning and supervised the work. NS and AM drafted the manuscript. EF administered the data preprocessing and principal subspace computations. TM aided in interpreting the results. All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.
Conflict of interest statement
------------------------------
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
^1^1000 Functional Connectomes Project datasets are freely accessible at [www.nitrc.org/projects/fcon_1000/](http://www.nitrc.org/projects/fcon_1000/).
Supplementary material {#s7}
======================
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: <https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00451/full#supplementary-material>
######
Click here for additional data file.
The supplementary material provides further figures and tables for intermediate nMPSE results at different levels of k. Also a Matlab implementation for nMPSE is provided.
[^1]: Edited by: Camillo Porcaro, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione (ISTC), Italy
[^2]: Reviewed by: Quanying Liu, California Institute of Technology, United States; Rui Li, Institute of Psychology (CAS), China
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“Some ways of presenting art are more valid than other,” says the Norwegian director/curator Erlend G. Høyersten at Aarhus Art Museum in Jutland, Denmark. Is it possible to create an exhibition that is neither historically nor thematically chronological, and which does not leave the public in the middle of a cloud without instruments?
ARoS Aarhus Art Center in Denmark has taken the challenge by presenting the exhibition Out of Darkness- The exhibition runs through December 31.
Some ways of presenting art are more valid than others. The most widespread are modelled on traditional art history and structure their presentation according to date, geography, schools of art or relationships. We talk of this as a historical and chronological approach. It is based on the Darwinist idea that art undergoes a development to which there is a beginning and an end.
In the western world’s homogenous view of the world and culture as having relatively few outstanding figures, as was the case during the 15th-century Renaissance or the 17th-century Baroque period, this makes sense. Indeed, even far into the 19th century this is an appropriate way of describing and presenting the artistic cohesion. Today, however, there are not many who would be inclined to view developments in the history of art purely in this way. Both the world and art are too complex for this. There are various currents and counter-currents, breaches and developments that at times are related to each other and at other times bear no relationship to each other at all.
A series of different explanatory models – social, economic, gender related – are used to gain an understanding of the creative force behind that thing we call art. In the light of this, the chronological approach emerges as something of an ana- chronism. And yet it nevertheless makes sense. So many museums, including ARoS, still choose to present art as a series of connected events. Picasso always comes after Cézanne. Why? Because we need structure and systematism and because we need meaningful stories.
Although there is a great difference between the first Wunderkammers (in which every conceivable kind of curiosity could be brought together in a single room) and the colossal museums of today containing millions of objects, it is all about the same thing: understanding the world by catching hold of the world. It makes sense to understand context by means of a story.
For the last 20 years – alongside the collapse of the grand narrative – curatorial approaches have been based on a fundamental idea or a theme that has become the guiding principle behind an exhibition. Chronology has become less important, although it is still fundamental when presenting “the political 60s”, “gender and identity”, “art and sport” or “art and urbanism”.
To present art without structure is like flying into a cloud without flight instruments. We have too little to help us find our bearings. Conceptual exhibitions provide a clear structure, but within the concept it is left to the individual to pick and shop and zap.
Human beings have always told each other stories. About creation, about heroism, about events. All great religions derive from a story of creation. A transformation from nothing, a word or some primal force into a world, an order and a harmony.
When the world has been created, it is in constant conflict between harmony and disharmony, between light and darkness, in an everlasting search for balance. Just as life is for all of us. The attempt to recover control and balance is the dominant principle in all great narrative art, whether in the form of religious texts, novels, drama or film. Some people will maintain that the narrative is the basis of all understanding: the Bhagavad Gita, the Book of Genesis, The Suffering of Christ, the final stories in the Koran, Hamlet, A Doll’s House, Death of a Salesman, Star Wars, The Matrix,
The Wire, The Bridge, My Struggle, House of Cards. All are based on the same fundamental structure: a beginning and an end, conflict and change.
In our exhibitions, we strive to create a framework that drives the experience on – in just the same way as an author drives a story on. With its large, clearly defined galleries, narrow corridors and passages, the architecture of the exhibition represents a series of formal tactics. The same can be said of the use made of light and darkness. The selected artworks are the content, and they are open to interpretation both individually and as a totality. Each gallery has an entrance and an exit. The public is not left to its own devices – there is an authoritative structure to the exhibition. Each gallery is unique, but at the same time it is related to those preceding and following it; like the chapters in a book, like scenes in a film or like one of the seven days in Genesis. This means that the experience of the artworks becomes a collective event rather than an individual happening. A formal game? Yes. An attempt to achieve something more? Yes, to make visible mankind’s everlasting and universal search for meaning.
The question now is: How does one create meaning and understanding in a world lacking cohesion, a world that is going through a dramatic process of change? This question could equally well have been asked by Søren Kierkegaard and Schiller as by Casper David Friedrich and J.C. Dahl. The conflicts between the cultural currents and thoughts of the Enlightenment and Romanticism in the decades around 1800 were about many things, including faith and doubt, regarding the place of mankind in Creation. The throbbing sense of being on the threshold of something new and at the same time recognizing with some melancholy that the safe world with which they were familiar was irrevocably a thing of the past must have been striking for people of the Enlightenment.
In the same way today, many look on the world in hope and despair. But the consequences of this ferment are far greater than was the case 200 years ago. In many respects, our age is defined by the fact that for the first time in the history of the world we are standing in the face of a global challenge and a collective fate; a potential abyss or a potential new way of living.
“We promise our visitors a most beautiful view at the top of the mountain. But they are not to have everything served on a plate; they must themselves make an effort to reach the top,” says Erlend Høyersten.
ARoS is an internationally oriented museum of art in Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city. The 17,000 m2 cube-shaped building was designed by the architects Schmidt, Hammer & Lassen and opened in 2004. In 2011, the world-renowned Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson’s large-scale installation Your Rainbow Panorama was unveiled as a permanent decorative feature of ARoS. The museum is open all year round Tuesday to Sunday and visitors have access to Olafur Eliasson’s work at the top of the museum. | https://www.dailyscandinavian.com/action-film-and-the-bible-in-denmark/ |
(Bel Air, MD – October 8, 2008) – – Harford County Executive David R. Craig and the Office of Economic Development will host the fourth BRAC Town Hall meeting on October 15, 2008. The event will be held in the auditorium of Havre de Grace High School and will begin at 6:30 p.m.
“We have been extremely pleased with the turnout and interest in the BRAC Town Hall meetings we’ve held thus far and are looking forward to the fourth one in Havre de Grace,” remarked County Executive David R. Craig. “These forums allow our citizens to gain first hand information as to the progress and preparations we are making to meet the challenges of BRAC,” Craig stated.
A panel of officials and experts from several county agencies and departments will participate in the forum. Those scheduled to attend include the Office of the County Executive, Office of Economic Development, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Harford County Public Schools, Harford Community College, Aberdeen Proving Ground and the City of Havre de Grace to mention a few.
BRAC Town Hall meetings are part of County Executive Craig’s “Open Government” initiative, sharing information with citizens and those interested in BRAC and the potential impact to Harford County. Following the public forum, the Town Meeting can be viewed on the Harford County Government website.
For further information regarding BRAC, visit the Harford County government website at www.harfordcountymd.gov or the Office of Economic Development website at www.harfordbusiness.org. | https://www.daggerpress.com/2008/10/14/brac-town-hall-meeting-hosted-by-county-exec-craig-in-havre-de-grace/ |
In June the Arava Institute hosted a delegation from the University of the Free State (UFS) to explore opportunities for collaboration with Israeli researchers and our faculty. The UFS delegation included three faculty and one graduate student from the UFS QwaQwa and Bloemfontein campuses, as well as one representative from the QwaQwa municipality in charge of water and sanitation services.
The purpose of the visit was for the UFS delegation to learn and be exposed to water and sanitation management in Israel, and to develop academic and research ties around water and other environmental issues within a transboundary context with the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Dr. Clive Lipchin, Director of the Institute’s Center for Transboundary Water Management hosted the delegation.
A main objective of the visit was to learn about the work of the Arava Institute in the water sector, and to consider how to bring this information back to South Africa. Potable water is a scarce resource in South Africa, aggravated by the lack of systems and infrastructure that would alleviate these ongoing issues. South Africa has also been plagued by droughts, resulting in “water-shedding”; Nelson Mandela Bay is a case in point as it nears the imminent ‘Day Zero’.
The delegation first visited one of Israel’s wastewater treatment plants where water is not only treated but also reused for irrigation by neighboring farms. The Israeli approach to wastewater management for increasing water supply through water reuse is a key policy in the country’s water management approach. Water goes through a sophisticated and sustainable economic cycle, creating synergy between domestic and agricultural use.
The delegation also engaged in collaborative dialogue with Arava institute faculty, during which transboundary environmental policy issues were presented. For example, water issues impacting the Bedouin communities in Israel are very similar to the ones being experienced by South Africans in rural communities, or communities that struggle to have access to a steady supply of water. The delegation also met with Palestinian partners working with the Arava Institute, and visited Palestinian farmers on site. The Arava Institute’s work with Bedouin, Palestinian, and Jordanian communities helped to shed some light and hope for tangible solutions that can be taken up by South African communities. Collaboration between South African and Israeli academics, students, and researchers is a significant demonstration of the benefits of countries working together for the betterment of their citizens’ and peoples’ livelihoods.
South Africa suffers immense challenges when it comes to supplying water to rural or informal communities. The UFS delegation took a tour of off-grid water and energy projects in the West Bank. These projects are undertaken jointly by the Arava Institute and Palestinian colleagues.
This comprehensive trip provided the delegation with a unique perspective of the intuitive and cutting-edge technologies used in the Israeli water industry, as well as the challenges being faced. These challenges are relatable to the issues faced in South Africa, yet illustrate how they may be overcome.
May this be the start of more transboundary scientific collaborations of this kind. We look forward to a return visit of Arava Institute representatives in South Africa in the not-too-distant future, and encourage more collaboration of this nature between the two countries. | https://arava.org/2022/07/ufs-visit/ |
Inhibition of the RhoA/Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase-1 pathway is involved in the therapeutic effects of simvastatin on pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Recent research has shown that statins improve pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of RhoA/ROCK1 regulation in the therapeutic effects of simvastatin on PAH. For in vivo experiments, rats (N = 40) were randomly assigned to four groups: control, simvastatin, monocrotaline (MCT), and MCT + simvastatin. The MCT group and MCT + simvastatin groups received proline dithiocarbamate (50 mg/kg, i.p.) on the first day of the study. The MCT + simvastatin group received simvastatin (2 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks, after which pulmonary arterial pressure was measured by right heart catheterization. The protein and mRNA levels of Rho and ROCK1 were measured by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and PCR. For in vitro experiments, human pulmonary endothelial cells were divided into seven groups: control, simvastatin, monocrotaline pyrrole (MCTP), MCTP + simvastatin, MCTP + simvastatin + mevalonate, MCTP + simvastatin + farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and MCTP + simvastatin + FPP + geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). After 72 h exposed to the drugs, the protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 were measured by Western blot and PCR. The MCT group showed increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure, marked vascular remodeling, and increased protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). In vitro, the MCTP group showed a marked proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, as well as increased protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 compared to the MCTP + simvastatin group. The MCTP + simvastatin + mevalonate group, MCTP + simvastatin+ FPP group, and MCTP + simvastatin + FPP + GGPP group showed increased mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1, as well as increased protein levels of RhoA, compared to the MCTP + simvastatin group. Simvastatin improved vascular remodeling and inhibited the development of PAH. The effects of simvastatin were mediated by inhibition of RhoA/ROCK1. Simvastatin decreased RhoA/ROCK1 overexpression by inhibition of mevalonate, FPP, and GGPP synthesis.
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FIELD
The present invention relates to a vibration suppression device for a rope-like body of an elevator.
BACKGROUND
PTL 1 discloses an example of a vibration suppression device. The vibration suppression device is provided close to an end portion of a main rope above a car. The vibration suppression device exerts a negative restoring force on the main rope of an elevator and thereby amplifies displacement of the main rope. The vibration suppression device inhibits vibration of the main rope by a friction resistance accompanying vibration.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[PTL 1] JP H3-26682 A
SUMMARY
Technical Problem
However, the vibration suppression device of PTL 1 produces a nonlinear negative restoring force by an instability mechanism in which an inverted lever and a spring are combined together. When the negative restoring force produced by the vibration suppression device becomes larger than a positive restoring force of a main rope, displacement of the main rope becomes unstable. That is, in order not to make displacement of the main rope unstable, a movable range of the main rope becomes narrow.
The present invention has been made to solve such problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a vibration suppression device for a rope-like body of an elevator such as a main rope. The vibration suppression device can inhibit displacement of the rope-like body from becoming unstable due to amplification of the displacement and can make a movable range of the rope-like body wider.
Solution to Problem
Advantageous Effects of Invention
A vibration suppression device according to the present invention for a rope-like body of an elevator, the vibration suppression device includes: a first unit which is capable of movement in a direction in which a distance from an equilibrium position of vibration of a rope-like body of an elevator changes; and a first stopper which restricts movement of the first unit to a position closer than a first distance from the equilibrium position, wherein the first unit includes: a first displacement amplifier which is arranged to be directed to a first position in a longitudinal direction of the rope-like body and amplifies displacement of vibration of the rope-like body by an attractive force which becomes stronger as the rope-like body approaches closer, and a first restriction member which inhibits the rope-like body from approaching the first displacement amplifier closer than a distance which is in advance set.
A vibration suppression device according to the present invention can inhibit displacement from becoming unstable due to amplification of displacement of a rope-like body of an elevator and can make a movable range of the rope-like body wider.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
A configuration diagram of an elevator according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 2
A configuration diagram of an elevator according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 3
A configuration diagram of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 4
A configuration diagram of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 5
A configuration diagram of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 6
A configuration diagram of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 7
A diagram illustrating an example of a negative restoring force by the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 8
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 9
A configuration diagram of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 10
A diagram illustrating an example of a negative restoring force by the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 11
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 12
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 13
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of the Embodiment 2.
FIG. 14
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of the Embodiment 2.
FIG. 15
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of the Embodiment 2.
FIG. 16
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 17
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 3.
FIG. 18
A configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 3.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Embodiment 1
Embodiment 2
Embodiment 3
Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each figure, the same reference signs are assigned to the same or corresponding parts, and redundant description is appropriately simplified or omitted.
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
and are configuration diagrams of an elevator according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1
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In an example illustrated in , the elevator is applied to a building having a plurality of floors. In the elevator , a hoistway is formed throughout the plurality of floors of the building . In the elevator , a machine room is provided above the hoistway . In the machine room , a rope duct is formed in a floor surface. The rope duct is an opening leading to the hoistway from the machine room . In the elevator , a pit is provided in a lower end of the hoistway , for example.
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The elevator includes a traction machine , a main rope , a car , a counterweight , a compensation rope , and tension sheaves . The traction machine is provided in the machine room , for example. The traction machine has a sheave and a motor. The sheave of the traction machine is connected to a rotation shaft of the motor of the traction machine . The motor of the traction machine is a device configured to generate a driving force for rotating the sheave of the traction machine . The main rope is wrapped around the sheave of the traction machine . The main rope extends from the machine room to the hoistway through the rope duct . The car and the counterweight are suspended by the main rope in the hoistway . The car is a device configured to transport passengers or the like among the plurality of floors by running vertically in the hoistway . The counterweight is a device configured to balance a load applied to the sheave of the traction machine with the car through the main rope . The car and the counterweight run in the opposite direction to each other in the hoistway when the main rope moves by rotation of the sheave of the traction machine . The compensation rope is a device configured to compensate for unbalance between a dead load on the car side of the main rope and a dead load on the counterweight side of the main rope , the unbalance being caused by movement of the main rope . One end of the compensation rope is attached to the car . The other end of the compensation rope is attached to the counterweight . The compensation rope is wrapped around the tension sheaves . The tension sheaves are sheaves for applying tension to the compensation rope . The tension sheaves are provided in the pit , for example. The main rope is an example of the rope-like body of the elevator . The compensation rope is an example of the rope-like body of the elevator . Examples of the rope-like body of the elevator may include a steel wire rope, a belt rope, and a chain.
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The elevator includes a governor , a governor rope , and a governor rope tension sheave . The governor is provided in the machine room , for example. The governor is a device configure to reduce an excessive running velocity of the car . The governor has a sheave. The governor rope is wrapped around the sheave of the governor . Both ends of the governor rope are attached to the car . The governor rope is wrapped around the governor rope tension sheave . The governor rope tension sheave is a sheave for applying tension to the governor rope . The governor rope tension sheave is provided in the pit , for example. The governor rope is an example of the rope-like body of the elevator .
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The elevator includes a traveling cable and a control panel . The traveling cable is a cable for communicating a control signal or the like. One end of the traveling cable is connected to the car . The other end of the traveling cable is attached to a wall surface of the hoistway , for example. The control panel is a device configured to control the operation of the elevator . The control panel is provided in the machine room , for example. The control panel communicates a control signal to the car through the traveling cable , for example. The traveling cable is an example of the rope-like body of the elevator .
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The following description will be made using an xyz orthogonal coordinate system set as follows. A positive direction of the x-axis corresponds to a vertical downward direction. The yz plane is a horizontal plane. A direction of the z-axis corresponds to a direction of a rotation shaft of the sheave of the traction machine , for example.
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is a diagram illustrating a state where building sway is occurring in the elevator . The building sway is a swaying motion of the building which occurs due to turbulence such as an earthquake or a wind, for example. When the building sway occurs, the traction machine and the governor which are fixed to the building sway together with the building . Thus, the vibration is applied to the main rope , the compensation rope , the governor rope , and the traveling cable which are examples of the rope-like body of the elevator . Here, when the frequency of the building sway coincides with the natural frequency of any of the rope-like bodies, the sway of the rope-like body increases due to the resonance phenomenon. When the resonance phenomenon occurs in the elevator , the rope-like body often resonates with the fundamental vibration. The fundamental vibration is vibration corresponding to the lowest natural frequency. In an example illustrated in , the resonance phenomenon is occurring with the fundamental vibration of a portion on the car side of the main rope .
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In this example, the portion on the car side of the main rope is drawn from the sheave of the traction machine toward the hoistway and is attached to the car . Therefore, nodes of the fundamental vibration of the portion on the car side of the main rope are a point N1 drawn from the sheave of the traction machine and a point N2 attached to the car . An antinode of the fundamental vibration of the portion on the car side of the main rope is a midpoint M between the two nodes. The portion on the car side of the main rope vibrates in a lateral direction about an equilibrium position due to a positive restoring force. The equilibrium position is a position of the rope-like body in a state where it is not vibrating. The positive restoring force is a force acting on the rope-like body that is displaced from the equilibrium position in a direction of returning the rope-like body to the equilibrium position . The positive restoring force is a force of the tension of the rope-like body, for example. The lateral direction is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body, for example. In the following, the portion on the car side of the main rope will be described as an example of a vibrating portion of the rope-like body. Here, the rope-like body such as the main rope has ferromagnetism by containing a ferromagnetic body or the like, for example.
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When the rope-like body such as the main rope greatly vibrates, it may cause a trouble in operation of the elevator . Therefore, a vibration suppression device is provided in the elevator . The vibration suppression device is a device for suppressing the vibration of the vibrating portion of the rope-like body. The vibration suppression device is provided in a portion closer to the node than to the antinode of the vibrating portion of the rope-like body, for example. In this example, the vibration suppression device is provided in a portion above the car .
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FIG. 3
FIG. 4
Subsequently, a configuration of a vibration suppression device will be described with reference to and .
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
and are configuration diagrams of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 3
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. In this example, the vibration suppression device inhibits vibration of the main rope in a y-axis direction. Note that the vibration suppression device may be arranged to inhibit vibration of the rope-like body such as the main rope in other directions in a yz plane, which include a z-axis direction. The vibration suppression device is provided to a car frame in a portion above the car , for example. Support bases are provided in portions above the car . The support bases are provided to be fixed to the car . In this example, an upper surface of the support base is a flat surface. The vibration suppression device includes one pair of movable units and one pair of stoppers .
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The pair of movable units are arranged to be symmetric with respect to the main rope . One of the movable units is arranged on a positive side of the main rope in the y-axis direction. The other movable unit is arranged on a negative side of the main rope in the y-axis direction. Each of the pair of movable units is arranged to be directed to a first position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The first position P is a position closer to the node than the antinode of the fundamental vibration of the rope-like body such as the main rope , for example. Each of the pair of movable units is an example of a first unit. Each of the pair of movable units includes a movable dolly and a magnet unit .
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The movable dolly is a dolly which is capable of movement in a direction in which the distance from the equilibrium position of the main rope changes. In this example, the movable dolly is capable of moving in the y-axis direction. Further, the movable dolly moves in a vibration plane of the main rope . The movable dolly includes wheels . The wheel rolls on the upper surface of the support base in the y-axis direction. The wheels support the weight of the movable unit . The movable unit moves, by the movable dolly , in a direction in which the distance from the equilibrium position of the main rope changes.
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The magnet unit moves together with the movable dolly . The magnet unit includes a displacement amplification magnet and a restriction member .
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The displacement amplification magnet is a permanent magnet, for example. A magnetic pole of an end portion of the displacement amplification magnet is directed to the first position P of the main rope . The displacement amplification magnet causes a magnetic force to act, as an attractive force, on the rope-like body by a magnetic field. The attractive force by the magnetic force becomes stronger as the main rope approaches the displacement amplification magnet closer. When the main rope is displaced by vibration, the displacement amplification magnet causes the attractive force to act on the main rope in the same direction as the displacement of the main rope . This attractive force serves as a negative restoring force which amplifies the displacement of vibration of the main rope . The negative restoring force is a negative rigidity force, for example. The displacement amplification magnet is an example of a first displacement amplifier which amplifies displacement of vibration of the main rope .
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The restriction member is provided to the magnetic pole of the displacement amplification magnet which is directed to the first position P of the main rope . The restriction member is arranged between the magnetic pole of the end portion of the displacement amplification magnet and the main rope . The restriction member inhibits the main rope from approaching the displacement amplification magnet closer than the thickness of the restriction member . The restriction member is an example of a first restriction member. The restriction member is a non-magnetic body.
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Each of the pair of stoppers is fixed to the support base , for example. The pair of stoppers are arranged to be symmetric with respect to the main rope . One of the stoppers is arranged on a positive side of the main rope in the y-axis direction. The other stopper is arranged on a negative side of the main rope in the y-axis direction. The stopper on the positive side in the y-axis direction corresponds to the movable unit on the positive side in the y-axis direction. The stopper on the negative side in the y-axis direction corresponds to the movable unit on the negative side in the y-axis direction. The stopper is a member which restricts movement of the corresponding movable unit . Each of the pair of stoppers is an example of a first stopper.
FIG. 4
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from above. The stopper restricts movement of the corresponding movable unit to a position closer than a first distance d from the equilibrium position of the main rope . The first distance d is a distance which is in advance set based on vibration suppression performance necessary for the vibration suppression device . The vibration suppression performance of the vibration suppression device is defined by the magnetic force which is caused to act by the displacement amplification magnet , for example. The stopper supports the restriction member from a side of the main rope and thereby restricts movement of the movable unit . The stopper is arranged on the outside of the vibration plane of the main rope . In this example, the stopper is divided into two portions which form symmetry with respect to the vibration plane.
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The thickness of the restriction member is set based on the positive restoring force of the main rope and on the magnetic force which is caused to act by the displacement amplification magnet . The thickness of the restriction member is set to such a thickness that the magnetic force at a time when the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the movable unit , the restriction member being in a position at the first distance d from the equilibrium position , does not exceed the positive restoring force of the main rope . That is, the thickness of the restriction member is set to such a thickness that a negative restoring force by a displacement amplifier does not exceed a positive restoring force of the rope-like body such as the main rope .
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FIG. 5
FIG. 7
Subsequently, an example of action of the vibration suppression device will be described with reference to to .
FIG. 5
FIG. 6
and are configuration diagrams of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 7
is a diagram illustrating an example of a negative restoring force by the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1.
FIG. 5
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. The main rope is displaced in the lateral direction by vibration. The main rope vibrates around the equilibrium position as a center by the positive restoring force such as a tension. When the main rope is present in the vicinity of the equilibrium position , the main rope does not contact with the restriction member . In this case, the movable unit is in the position at the first distance d from the equilibrium position . The movable unit in this position causes an attractive force in the same direction as displacement of the main rope to act on the main rope by the magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet . Here, the movable unit receives a force, as a reaction, in a direction to approach the equilibrium position . In this case, because the stopper restricts movement of the corresponding movable unit , the movable unit does not move. Accordingly, displacement of the first position P of the main rope is amplified. The displacement of the first position P is amplified, and dissipation of energy by a friction resistance or the like in a connection portion between the main rope and the car is thereby amplified, for example. Further, in order to further enhance dissipation of energy, a separate damper may be mounted between the support base and the movable unit . That is, the energy of vibration of the main rope is consumed, and vibration of the main rope is thereby suppressed.
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Meanwhile, in a case where the building sway is large, for example, the magnitude of displacement of the first position P by vibration of the main rope may exceed the first distance d.
FIG. 6
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from above. Because the stopper is arranged on the outside of the vibration plane of the main rope , the main rope contacts with the restriction member . The main rope continues motion in a direction separating from the equilibrium position by inertia. The main rope pushes the movable unit in a direction separating from the equilibrium position via the restriction member . The movable unit moves, on the upper surface of the support base , in the direction separating from the equilibrium position . In this case, the movable unit performs motion together with the main rope . The magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet serves as an internal force of a system including the movable unit and the main rope . Thus, the magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet does not cause a negative restoring force to act on the main rope when the movable unit performs motion together with the main rope . In this period, the restriction member inhibits the distance between the main rope and the displacement amplification magnet from becoming closer than the thickness of the restriction member .
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In a process where the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by the positive restoring force, the movable unit which performs motion together with the main rope contacts with the stopper . The restriction member causes the main rope not to approach the displacement amplification magnet closer than the thickness of the restriction member . Thus, the magnitude of the positive restoring force of the main rope at a time when the movable unit contacts with the stopper is larger than the magnitude of the negative restoring force by the displacement amplification magnet . Accordingly, the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by the positive restoring force.
FIG. 7
FIG. 7
FIG. 7
FIG. 7
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illustrates the relationship between the displacement of the first position P of the main rope and the magnitude of the negative restoring force. The horizontal axis of the graph in represents the magnitude of displacement of the first position P of the main rope in the lateral direction. The vertical axis of the graph in represents the magnitude of the negative restoring force applied to the main rope by the displacement amplification magnet . In the graph in , displacement vrepresents displacement at a time when the main rope contacts with the restriction member .
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FIG. 7
The vibration suppression device amplifies the displacement of the first position P and thereby suppresses vibration of the main rope . Thus, when the magnitude of the negative restoring force is close to the magnitude of the positive restoring force, the vibration suppression performance of the vibration suppression device is enhanced. On the other hand, when the magnitude of the negative restoring force exceeds the magnitude of the positive restoring force, the displacement of the main rope becomes unstable. In this case, the main rope does not return to the equilibrium position . A straight line a indicates the magnitude of the linear positive restoring force exerted on the main rope . In the graph in , an area above the straight line a is an unstable area.
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A curve f indicates the negative restoring force by the vibration suppression device . In an area where the displacement is smaller than v, the main rope receives the negative restoring force from the displacement amplification magnet . The negative restoring force by instability is a non-linear force with respect to displacement. Thus, in a case where the negative restoring force is caused to continue to act even when displacement becomes large, the magnitude of the negative restoring force may exceed the magnitude of the linear positive restoring force. Meanwhile, in an area where displacement is larger than v, the movable unit performs motion together with the main rope . In this case, the movable unit does not cause the negative restoring force to act on the main rope . Further, even in the area where displacement is larger than v, the positive restoring force acts on the main rope . Thus, even when displacement exceeds v, the displacement of the main rope does not become unstable.
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As described above, the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 1 includes the first unit and the first stopper. The first unit is a portion which is capable of movement in a direction in which the distance from the equilibrium position of vibration of the rope-like body of the elevator changes. The first stopper restricts movement of the first unit to a position closer than the first distance d from the equilibrium position . The first unit includes the first displacement amplifier and the first restriction member. The first displacement amplifier is arranged to be directed to the first position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The first displacement amplifier amplifies displacement of vibration of the rope-like body by an attractive force which becomes stronger as the rope-like body approaches closer. The first restriction member inhibits the rope-like body from approaching the first displacement amplifier closer than a distance which is in advance set.
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The first restriction member causes the rope-like body not to come close to the first displacement amplifier, to the distance in which displacement of the rope-like body becomes unstable. This inhibits the displacement of the rope-like body from becoming unstable due to amplification of displacement. Further, the first unit is a portion which is capable of movement in a direction separating from the equilibrium position . Thus, when the rope-like body contacts with the first restriction member, the first unit can move together with the rope-like body. Accordingly, a movable range of the first position P of the rope-like body becomes wider. Consequently, the vibration suppression device can more effectively suppress vibration of the rope-like body.
Further, the first displacement amplifier amplifies displacement of the rope-like body by a magnetic force, the rope-like body having magnetism. The first restriction member is provided to an end portion of the first displacement amplifier on a side directed to the rope-like body. The first restriction member is a non-magnetic body.
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Accordingly, the vibration suppression device can be configured as a device which is passive. In particular, in a case where the first displacement amplifier uses a permanent magnet, the vibration suppression device does not need energy supply from the outside.
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Note that the movable unit may not have to have the movable dolly . The movable unit may be a magnet unit which moves in a horizontal direction by a guide rail or the like provided to the support base , for example.
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Further, the rope-like body of the elevator may be a long structure which has flexibility and can bear a tension load particularly in the longitudinal direction, for example. The rope-like body may be a bundle of a plurality of a main ropes , for example.
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Further, the vibration suppression device may be provided to the machine room . In a case where the rope-like body is wrapped around the sheave provided to the pit , for example, the vibration suppression device may be provided, in the pit , in a position closer to the sheave than the antinode. Further, in a case where the elevator does not have the machine room , the traction machine is provided to an upper portion or a lower portion of the hoistway , for example. In this case, the vibration suppression device may be provided in a position closer to the traction machine than the antinode in the hoistway .
A particularly detailed description will be made about points in Embodiment 2 which are different from examples disclosed in Embodiment 1. As characteristics which will not be described in Embodiment 2, any characteristics of the examples disclosed in Embodiment 1 may be employed.
FIG. 8
is a configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 8
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illustrates a vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. The vibration suppression device is provided to a car frame in a portion above the car , for example. Support bases are provided in portions above the car . The support bases are provided to be fixed to the car . In this example, an upper surface of the support base is a flat surface. The vibration suppression device includes one pair of movable units , one pair of stoppers , and one pair of fixed units .
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The pair of fixed units are arranged to be symmetric with respect to the main rope . One of the fixed units is arranged on a positive side of the main rope in the y-axis direction. The other fixed unit is arranged on a negative side of the main rope in the y-axis direction. The fixed unit on the positive side in the y-axis direction is arranged to be in parallel juxtaposed to the movable unit on the positive side in the y-axis direction in a vertical plane. The fixed unit on the negative side in the y-axis direction is arranged to be in parallel juxtaposed to the movable unit on the negative side in the y-axis direction in a vertical plane. Each of the pair of fixed units is arranged to be directed to a second position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The second position P is a position closer to a node than an antinode of the fundamental vibration of the rope-like body such as the main rope , for example. The second position P is a different position from the first position P in the longitudinal direction of the main rope . In this example, the second position P is a position closer to the antinode of the fundamental vibration than the first position P. Each of the pair of the fixed units is arranged in a position at a second distance d from the equilibrium position of the main rope . The second distance d is a distance which is in advance set based on vibration suppression performance necessary for the vibration suppression device . In this example, the second distance d is a longer distance than the first distance d. Each of the pair of fixed units is an example of a second unit. Each of the pair of fixed units includes the magnet unit .
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The magnet unit of the fixed unit includes the displacement amplification magnet and the restriction member .
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The displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit is configured similarly to the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit , for example. A magnetic pole of an end portion of the displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit is directed to the second position P of the main rope . The displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit is an example of a second displacement amplifier.
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The restriction member of the fixed unit is configured similarly to the restriction member of the movable unit , for example. The restriction member of the fixed unit is provided to the magnetic pole of the displacement amplification magnet which is directed to the second position P of the main rope . The restriction member of the fixed unit is an example of a second restriction member.
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The thickness of the restriction member of the fixed unit is set based on a positive restoring force of the main rope and on a magnetic force which is caused to act by the displacement amplification magnet . The thickness of the restriction member of the fixed unit is set to such a thickness that the magnetic force at a time when the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the fixed unit , the restriction member being in a position at the second distance d from the equilibrium position , does not exceed the positive restoring force of the main rope . That is, the thickness of the restriction member of the fixed unit is set to such a thickness that a negative restoring force by a displacement amplifier does not exceed a positive restoring force of the rope-like body such as the main rope . The thickness of the restriction member of the fixed unit may be different from the thickness of the restriction member of the movable unit .
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FIG. 9
FIG. 10
Subsequently, an example of action of the vibration suppression device will be described with reference to and .
FIG. 9
is a configuration diagram of the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 10
is a diagram illustrating an example of a negative restoring force by the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 9
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. The main rope is displaced in the lateral direction by vibration. The main rope vibrates around the equilibrium position as a center by the positive restoring force such as a tension. When the main rope is present in the vicinity of the equilibrium position , the main rope does not contact with the restriction member of the movable unit . In this case, the movable unit is in the position at the first distance d from the equilibrium position . The movable unit in this position causes an attractive force in the same direction as displacement of the main rope to act on the main rope by the magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet . Here, the movable unit receives a force, as a reaction, in a direction to approach the equilibrium position . In this case, because the stopper restricts movement of the corresponding movable unit , the movable unit does not move. Accordingly, displacement of the first position P of the main rope is amplified. Further, the fixed unit causes an attractive force in the same direction as displacement of the main rope to act on the main rope by the magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet . The fixed unit is fixed in a portion above the car . Thus, displacement of the second position P of the main rope is amplified. The displacement of the first position P and the displacement of the second position P are amplified, and dissipation of energy by a friction resistance or the like in a connection portion between the main rope and the car is thereby amplified, for example. That is, the energy of vibration of the main rope is consumed, and vibration of the main rope is thereby suppressed.
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Meanwhile, in a case where the building sway is large, for example, the magnitude of displacement of the first position P by vibration of the main rope may exceed the first distance d. In this case, the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the movable unit . The main rope continues motion in a direction separating from the equilibrium position by inertia. The main rope pushes the movable unit in a direction separating from the equilibrium position via the restriction member . The movable unit moves, on the upper surface of the support base , in the direction separating from the equilibrium position . In this case, the movable unit performs motion together with the main rope . The magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit serves as an internal force of a system including the movable unit and the main rope . Thus, the magnetic force of the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit does not cause a negative restoring force to act on the main rope when the movable unit performs motion together with the main rope . In this period, the restriction member of the movable unit inhibits the distance between the main rope and the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit from becoming closer than the thickness of the restriction member .
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While the magnitude of displacement of the second position P by vibration of the main rope does not exceed the second distance d, the displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit continues to amplify the displacement of the second position P of the main rope .
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Here, in a case where the building sway is much larger, for example, the magnitude of displacement of the second position P by vibration of the main rope may reach the second distance d. In this case, the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the fixed unit . A portion of the main rope which is closer to the antinode than the second position P continues motion by inertia. On the other hand, a portion of the second position P of the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the fixed unit and thereby stops. In this period, the restriction member of the fixed unit inhibits the distance between the main rope and the displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit from becoming closer than the thickness of the restriction member .
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In a process where the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by the positive restoring force, the main rope is separated from the restriction member of the fixed unit . The restriction member of the fixed unit causes the main rope not to approach the displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit closer than the thickness of the restriction member . Thus, the magnitude of the positive restoring force of the main rope at a time when the main rope is separated from the restriction member of the fixed unit is larger than the magnitude of the negative restoring force by the displacement amplification magnet . Accordingly, the main rope continues motion to return to the equilibrium position by the positive restoring force.
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Subsequently, the movable unit which performs motion together with the main rope contacts with the stopper . The restriction member of the movable unit causes the main rope not to approach the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit closer than the thickness of the restriction member . Thus, the magnitude of the positive restoring force of the main rope at a time when the movable unit contacts with the stopper is larger than the magnitude of the negative restoring force by the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit . Accordingly, the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by the positive restoring force.
FIG. 7
FIG. 10
FIG. 10
FIG. 10
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Similarly to , illustrates the relationship between the displacement of the main rope and the magnitude of the negative restoring force. In the graph in , displacement vrepresents displacement at a time when a portion of the first position P of the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the movable unit . In the graph in , displacement vrepresents displacement at a time when a portion of the second position P of the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the fixed unit .
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Here, a curve b indicates a negative restoring force by a vibration suppression device which includes fixed units but includes no movable unit. The negative restoring force by instability is a non-linear force with respect to displacement. Thus, in displacement v, the magnitude of the negative restoring force exceeds the magnitude of the linear positive restoring force. In such a vibration suppression device, the displacement of the main rope is restricted to a range which does not exceed v.
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On the other hand, a curve g indicates the negative restoring force by the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2. In an area where the displacement is smaller than v, the main rope receives the negative restoring forces from the displacement amplification magnets of both the movable unit and the fixed unit . Meanwhile, in an area where displacement is larger than v, the movable unit performs motion together with the main rope . In this case, the movable unit does not cause the negative restoring force to act on the main rope . Here, in an area where the displacement is smaller than v, the main rope receives the negative restoring force from the displacement amplification magnet of the fixed unit . Thus, the negative restoring force temporarily lowers when the displacement exceeds v. In this case, the negative restoring force does not become zero. Because the movable unit does not cause the negative restoring force to act in the area where the displacement is larger than v, the negative restoring force by the fixed unit does not exceed the magnitude of the positive restoring force until the displacement reaches the displacement vwhich is larger than the displacement v. That is, a movable range of the displacement of the main rope is expanded to a range which exceeds v.
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As described above, the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 2 includes the second unit. The second unit is provided in the position at the second distance d from the equilibrium position . The second unit includes the second displacement amplifier and the second restriction member. The second displacement amplifier is arranged to be directed to the second position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The second position P is a different position from the first position P in the longitudinal direction. The second displacement amplifier amplifies displacement of vibration of the rope-like body by an attractive force which becomes stronger as the rope-like body approaches closer. The second restriction member inhibits the rope-like body from approaching the second displacement amplifier closer than a distance which is in advance set.
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Accordingly, even after the rope-like body contacts with the first restriction member of the first unit, the vibration suppression device can amplify displacement of the rope-like body by the second unit. Further, a movable range of the displacement of the rope-like body becomes wider than a case where a single fixed unit suppresses vibration.
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Note that the second position P may be a position farther from the antinode of the fundamental vibration of the main rope than the first position P. In this case, the displacement of the main rope in the second position P is smaller than the displacement of the main rope in the first position P. Thus, the second distance d may be a shorter distance than the first distance d. Further, the second distance d may be the same distance as the first distance d.
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Further, the vibration suppression device may include two or more stages of fixed units. That is, the vibration suppression device may further include fixed units which are directed to a third position in the longitudinal direction of the main rope , the third position being different from the first position P and the second position P.
FIG. 11
Subsequently, a modification of Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to .
FIG. 11
is a configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 11
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a
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illustrates a vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. The vibration suppression device may include two or more stages of movable units and stoppers. For example, the vibration suppression device includes main movable units which are directed to the first position P of the main rope and auxiliary movable units which are directed to the second position P of the main rope . Further, the vibration suppression device includes stoppers corresponding to the main movable unit and stoppers corresponding to the auxiliary movable units
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A magnet unit of the auxiliary movable unit is configured similarly to the magnet unit of the fixed unit . The stopper corresponding to the auxiliary movable unit restricts movement of the corresponding movable unit to a position closer than a third distance d from the equilibrium position of the main rope . The third distance d is a distance which is in advance set based on vibration suppression performance necessary for the vibration suppression device . The third distance d is set similarly to the second distance d, for example. The auxiliary movable unit is an example of a third unit. The stopper corresponding to the third unit is an example of a third stopper. The displacement amplification magnet of the magnet unit of the third unit is an example of a third displacement amplifier. The restriction member of the magnet unit is an example of a third restriction member.
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While the magnitude of displacement of the second position P by vibration of the main rope does not exceed the third distance d, the auxiliary movable unit performs an action similarly to the fixed unit . While the magnitude of displacement of the second position P by vibration of the main rope does not exceed the third distance d, the displacement amplification magnet of the auxiliary movable unit continues to amplify the displacement of the second position P of the main rope .
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Here, in a case where the building sway is much larger, for example, the magnitude of displacement of the second position P by vibration of the main rope may reach the third distance d. In this case, the main rope contacts with the restriction member of the auxiliary movable unit . Similarly to the main movable unit , the auxiliary movable unit moves together with the main rope in a direction separating from the equilibrium position of the main rope .
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Subsequently, in a process where the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by a positive restoring force, the auxiliary movable unit contacts with the stopper . The stopper restricts movement of the auxiliary movable unit in a direction to approach the equilibrium position . The restriction member of the auxiliary movable unit causes the main rope not to approach the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit closer than the thickness of the restriction member . Thus, the magnitude of the positive restoring force of the main rope at a time when the auxiliary movable unit contacts with the stopper is larger than the magnitude of a negative restoring force by the displacement amplification magnet of the movable unit . Accordingly, the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by the positive restoring force.
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In such a manner, the vibration suppression device includes the third unit and the third stopper. The third unit is a portion which is capable of movement in a direction in which the distance from the equilibrium position changes. The third stopper restricts movement of the third unit to a position closer than the third distance d from the equilibrium position of vibration of the rope-like body. The third unit includes the third displacement amplifier and the third restriction member. The third displacement amplifier is arranged to be directed to the second position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The second position P is a different position from the first position P in the longitudinal direction. The third displacement amplifier amplifies displacement of vibration of the rope-like body by an attractive force which becomes stronger as the rope-like body approaches closer. The third restriction member inhibits the rope-like body from approaching the third displacement amplifier closer than a distance which is in advance set.
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Accordingly, even after the rope-like body contacts with the first restriction member of the first unit, the vibration suppression device can amplify displacement of the rope-like body by the third unit. Further, when the rope-like body contacts with the third restriction member, the third unit can move together with the rope-like body. Accordingly, a movable range of the rope-like body becomes wider. Consequently, the vibration suppression device can more effectively suppress vibration of the rope-like body.
FIG. 12
Subsequently, another modification of Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to .
FIG. 12
is a configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 12
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illustrates a perspective view of a vibration suppression device . In this example, the vibration suppression device inhibits vibration of the main rope in the z-axis direction. Note that the vibration suppression device may be arranged to inhibit vibration of the rope-like body such as the main rope in other directions in a yz plane, which include the y-axis direction. The vibration suppression device is provided to the machine room . The vibration suppression device is provided around the rope duct . The vibration suppression device includes one pair of movable units , one pair of stoppers , and one pair of fixed units .
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In the movable dolly of the movable unit , a slot which extends in the z-axis direction is provided on a farther side from the equilibrium position than the magnet unit . The wheel of the movable dolly rolls on a floor surface of the machine room in the z-axis direction.
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The stopper is fixed to the floor surface of the machine room , for example. In this example, the stopper is a bar-shaped member which protrudes upward from the floor surface of the machine room . The stopper is made to pass through the slot of the movable dolly . When the stopper contacts an end portion of the slot , the stopper restricts movement of the movable unit . The stopper may be arranged in the vibration plane of the main rope . Because the stopper is arranged on a farther side from the equilibrium position than the magnet unit , the main rope does not contact with the stopper .
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The movable unit and the magnet unit of the fixed unit are similarly configured, for example. The magnet unit includes two displacement amplification magnets , two restriction members , a yoke , a coil , and a resistor .
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The two displacement amplification magnets are permanent magnets, for example. Magnetic poles of end portions of the two displacement amplification magnets are directed in parallel with each other. Magnetic poles of the two displacement amplification magnets are directed to the first position P of the main rope . The two displacement amplification magnets are juxtaposed in an up-down direction. The magnetic poles of the two displacement amplification magnets are directed in antiparallel.
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The two restriction members are non-magnetic bodies. The two restriction members are juxtaposed in the up-down direction. The restriction member on an upper side corresponds to the displacement amplification magnet on the upper side. The restriction member on a lower side corresponds to the displacement amplification magnet on the lower side. The restriction member is provided to the magnetic pole, which is directed to the main rope , of the corresponding displacement amplification magnet . The restriction member is arranged between the magnetic pole of the end portion of the corresponding displacement amplification magnet and the main rope . Note that in the movable units and the fixed units , the thicknesses of the restriction members may be different from each other.
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The yoke is provided through the magnetic poles of the two displacement amplification magnets on a far side from the main rope . The coil is wound around the yoke . The resistor is electrically connected with the coil .
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When the movable unit and the magnet unit of the fixed unit amplify the displacement of the main rope , due to a change in the displacement of the main rope , a magnetic flux passing through an internal portion of the yoke changes. The magnetic flux passing through the internal portion of the yoke is a magnetic flux which penetrates the coil . Thus, due to the change in the displacement of the main rope , an electromotive force is produced in the coil by an electromagnetic induction phenomenon. The electromotive force produced in the coil causes an electric current to flow in the resistor . Energy of the electric current flowing in the resistor is dissipated as Joule heat. Thus, energy of the vibration of the main rope is converted into thermal energy by the yoke , the coil , and the resistor and is thereby consumed. Accordingly, displacement of the position of the main rope to which the magnet unit is directed is attenuated. That is, the combination of the yoke , the coil , and the resistor is an example of an attenuator.
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In such a manner, the vibration suppression device includes an attenuator. The attenuator attenuates vibration of the first position P of the rope-like body. The displacement of the first position P of the rope-like body is amplified by the first unit and so forth. Because the attenuator attenuates vibration in a portion where displacement is amplified, the vibration suppression device more effectively suppresses vibration of the rope-like body.
FIG. 13
FIG. 15
Subsequently, another modification of the Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to to .
FIG. 13
FIG. 15
to are configuration diagrams of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of the Embodiment 2.
FIG. 13
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illustrates a perspective view of a vibration suppression device . In this example, the car of the elevator is suspended by a plurality of the main ropes . The plurality of the main ropes are bundled by a constraint member . The constraint member is a member which keeps positions of the plurality of the main ropes in the horizontal direction in regular positions. The constraint member is a block-shaped member which is fixed to each of the plurality of the main ropes , for example. The constraint member bundles the main ropes in the first position P. The bundle of the plurality of the main ropes with the constraint member is an example of a rope-like body of the elevator . The constraint member is formed with a ferromagnetic body, for example. In this case, the main ropes do not have to have ferromagnetism.
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In this example, the vibration suppression device inhibits vibration of the rope-like body in the z-axis direction. Note that the vibration suppression device may be arranged to inhibit vibration of the rope-like body in other directions in a yz plane, which include the y-axis direction. The vibration suppression device is provided to a portion above the car . The vibration suppression device includes one pair of movable units , one pair of stoppers , and four fixed units .
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The pair of movable units are arranged to be symmetric with respect to the rope-like body. One of the movable units is arranged on a positive side of the rope-like body in the z-axis direction. The other movable unit is arranged on a negative side of the rope-like body in the z-axis direction. Each of the pair of movable units is arranged to be directed to the constraint member of the rope-like body.
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Each of the pair of stoppers is fixed to the support base , for example. The pair of stoppers are arranged to be symmetric with respect to the rope-like body. One of the stoppers is arranged on a positive side of the rope-like body in the z-axis direction. The other stopper is arranged on a negative side of the rope-like body in the z-axis direction. The stopper on the positive side in the y-axis direction corresponds to the movable unit on the positive side in the z-axis direction. The stopper on the negative side in the z-axis direction corresponds to the movable unit on the negative side in the z-axis direction.
FIG. 14
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from above. Four fixed units are arranged to be symmetric with respect to an xz plane as a vibration plane of the rope-like body. The four fixed units are arranged to be symmetric with respect to an xy plane as a plane of symmetry of vibration of the rope-like body. The two fixed units arranged on the positive side in the z-axis direction are arranged to interpose the movable unit on the positive side in the z-axis direction from both sides in the y-axis direction. The two fixed units arranged on the negative side in the z-axis direction are arranged to interpose the movable unit on the negative side in the z-axis direction from both sides in the y-axis direction. Each of the four fixed units is arranged to be directed to the constraint member of the rope-like body. Each of the four fixed units is arranged in a position at a fourth distance d from the equilibrium position of the rope-like body. The fourth distance d is a distance which is in advance set based on vibration suppression performance necessary for the vibration suppression device . The fourth distance d is a longer distance than the first distance d. Each of the four fixed units is an example of a fourth unit. The displacement amplification magnet of the magnet unit of the fourth unit is an example of a fourth displacement amplifier. The restriction member of the magnet unit is an example of a fourth restriction member.
FIG. 15
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illustrates the vibration suppression device as seen from above. When the plurality of the main ropes vibrate, the constraint member keeps the positions of the plurality of the main ropes in the horizontal direction in the regular positions. Thus, the plurality of the main ropes and the constraint member integrally vibrate as the rope-like body. The movable unit and the fixed unit of the vibration suppression device cause a negative restoring force to act on the rope-like body via the constraint member . When the constraint member contacts with the restriction member of the movable unit , the movable unit moves together with the rope-like body. In this case, the movable unit does not cause the negative restoring force to act on the rope-like body.
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In such a manner, the vibration suppression device includes the fourth unit. The fourth unit is provided in the position at the fourth distance d from the equilibrium position . The fourth distance d is a longer distance than the first distance d. The fourth unit includes the fourth displacement amplifier and the fourth restriction member. The fourth displacement amplifier is arranged to be directed to the first position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The fourth displacement amplifier amplifies displacement of vibration of the rope-like body by an attractive force which becomes stronger as the rope-like body approach closer. The fourth restriction member inhibits the rope-like body from approaching the fourth displacement amplifier closer than a distance which is in advance set.
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Accordingly, even after the rope-like body contact with the first restriction member of the first unit, the vibration suppression device can amplify displacement of the rope-like body by the fourth unit. Further, a movable range of the displacement of the rope-like body becomes wider than a case where a single fixed unit suppresses vibration. Further, the fourth unit is arranged at the same height as the first unit and is thus unlikely to interfere with other devices of the vibration suppression device .
FIG. 16
Subsequently, another modification of Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to .
FIG. 16
is a configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 16
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illustrates a vibration suppression device as seen from above. The vibration suppression device may further include additional movable units which are arranged in far positions from the equilibrium position of the rope-like body in addition to one pair of movable units . For example, the vibration suppression device includes one pair of main movable units which are arranged in a plane including a center line of the rope-like body and four auxiliary movable units which are arranged to interpose the pair of main movable units from both sides in the y-axis direction. Further, the vibration suppression device includes the stoppers corresponding to the main movable unit and the stoppers corresponding to the auxiliary movable units . The vibration suppression device may include four fixed units which are arranged to interpose the main movable units and the auxiliary movable units from both sides in the y-axis direction.
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The magnet unit of the auxiliary movable unit is configured similarly to the magnet unit of the main movable unit . The stopper corresponding to the auxiliary movable unit restricts movement of the corresponding movable unit to a position closer than a fifth distance d from the equilibrium position of the main ropes . The fifth distance d is a distance which is in advance set based on vibration suppression performance necessary for the vibration suppression device . The fifth distance d is set similarly to the fourth distance d, for example. The auxiliary movable unit is an example of a fifth unit. The stopper corresponding to the fifth unit is an example of a fifth stopper. The displacement amplification magnet of the magnet unit of the fifth unit is an example of a fifth displacement amplifier. The restriction member of the magnet unit is an example of a fifth restriction member.
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In such a manner, the vibration suppression device includes the fifth unit and the fifth stopper. The fifth unit is a portion which is capable of movement in a direction in which the distance from the equilibrium position changes. The fifth stopper restricts movement of the fifth unit to a position closer than the fifth distance d from the equilibrium position of vibration of the rope-like body. The fifth distance d is a longer distance than the first distance d. The fifth unit includes the fifth displacement amplifier and the fifth restriction member. The fifth displacement amplifier is arranged to be directed to the first position P in the longitudinal direction of the rope-like body. The fifth displacement amplifier amplifies displacement of vibration of the rope-like body by an attractive force which becomes stronger as the rope-like body approach closer. The fifth restriction member inhibits the rope-like body from approaching the fifth displacement amplifier closer than a distance which is in advance set.
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Accordingly, even after the rope-like body contact with the first restriction member of the first unit, the vibration suppression device can amplify displacement of the rope-like body by the fifth unit. Further, when the rope-like body contact with the fifth restriction member, the fifth unit can move together with the rope-like body. Accordingly, a movable range of the rope-like body become wider. Consequently, the vibration suppression device can more effectively suppress vibration of the rope-like body. Further, the fifth unit is arranged at the same height as the first unit and is thus unlikely to interfere with other devices of the vibration suppression device .
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Note that the vibration suppression device may combine a part or all of units which are the second unit to the fifth unit with the first unit. The magnet units of the first unit to the fifth unit may have different configurations from each other. The magnet units of the first unit to the fifth unit may have similar configurations to each other. All or a part of the respective displacement amplifiers which are the first displacement amplifier to the fifth displacement amplifier may amplify displacement of the rope-like body by a mechanical mechanism which has instability or by a force other than a magnetic force such as an electrostatic force, for example.
A particularly detailed description will be made about points in Embodiment 3 which are different from examples disclosed in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. As characteristics which will not be described in Embodiment 3, any characteristics of the examples disclosed in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 may be employed.
FIG. 17
is a configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 3.
FIG. 17
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illustrates a vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. In this example, the vibration suppression device inhibits vibration of the main rope in the y-axis direction. Note that the vibration suppression device may be arranged to inhibit vibration of the rope-like body such as the main rope in other directions in a yz plane, which include the z-axis direction. The vibration suppression device is provided to a portion above the car . The vibration suppression device includes one pair of movable units , one pair of stoppers , and one pair of restitution springs .
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One of the restitution springs is provided to the movable unit on a positive side in the y-axis direction. The other restitution spring is provided to the movable unit on a negative side in the y-axis direction. The restitution spring is provided to an end portion of the movable unit on the opposite side to the stopper in a compressed condition so as to press the movable unit to the stopper by an elastic force. The restitution spring is fixed to a structure or the like in a portion above the car , which includes the support base , for example. The restitution spring is an example of a restitution mechanism.
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In a process where the main rope returns to the equilibrium position by a positive restoring force, the movable unit moves in a direction to approach the equilibrium position by a force acting between the displacement amplification magnet and the main rope . In this case, when the restitution spring is not provided, the movable unit possibly stands still due to a friction resistance or the like, for example, before contacting with the stopper . Further, due to a reaction to a collision with the stopper , the movable unit possibly again moves in a direction separating from the equilibrium position and stands still. When the movable unit stands still in a position farther from the equilibrium position than the stopper , the displacement of the main rope is not effectively amplified by the displacement amplification magnet . Thus, the restitution spring pushes the movable unit to cause it to approach the equilibrium position by the elastic force. Thus, the movable unit is inhibited from standing still in a position farther from the equilibrium position than the stopper .
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As described above, the vibration suppression device according to Embodiment 3 includes the restitution mechanism. When the first unit is separated from the equilibrium position farther than the first distance d, the restitution mechanism causes the first unit to approach the equilibrium position . The restitution mechanism is the restitution spring . The restitution spring causes the first unit to approach the equilibrium position by the elastic force. Accordingly, the first unit can be inhibited from standing still, by friction or the like, in a position separated farther than the first distance d from the equilibrium position . Thus, the vibration suppression device can more stably suppress vibration of the rope-like body.
FIG. 18
Subsequently, a modification of Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to .
FIG. 18
is a configuration diagram of a vibration suppression device according to the modification of Embodiment 3.
FIG. 18
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illustrates a vibration suppression device as seen from a direction parallel with the z axis. In this example, the vibration suppression device inhibits vibration of the main rope in the y-axis direction. Note that the vibration suppression device may be arranged to inhibit vibration of the rope-like body such as the main rope in other directions in a yz plane, which include the z-axis direction. The vibration suppression device is provided to a portion above the car . The vibration suppression device includes one pair of movable units , one pair of stoppers , and one pair of restitution slopes .
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A lower surface of the movable dolly of the movable unit is inclined such that a side closer to the equilibrium position of the main rope becomes lower. The wheel of the movable dolly is arranged to be inclined along the inclined lower surface.
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Each of the pair of restitution slopes is fixed to an upper surface of the support base , for example. Alternatively, each of the pair of restitution slopes may be formed integrally with the support base . One of the restitution slopes is provided below the movable unit on a positive side in the y-axis direction. The other restitution slope is provided below the movable unit on a negative side in the y-axis direction. The restitution slope is inclined such that a side closer to the equilibrium position becomes lower so that the movable unit is caused to receive a force by its dead load, which is directed to the stopper . An inclined surface of the restitution slope is set parallel with the lower surface of the movable dolly , for example. The restitution slope is an example of the restitution mechanism.
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Here, the restitution slope causes the movable unit to receive a component force of the gravity of its dead load in a direction to approach the equilibrium position . Thus, the movable unit is inhibited from standing still in a position farther from the equilibrium position than the stopper .
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As described above, the restitution mechanism of the vibration suppression device is the restitution slope . The restitution slope causes the first unit to approach the equilibrium position by the gravity applied to the first unit. Accordingly, the first unit can be inhibited from standing still, by friction or the like, in a position separated farther than the first distance d from the equilibrium position . Thus, the vibration suppression device can more stably suppress vibration of the rope-like body.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
A vibration suppression device according to the present invention can be applied to an elevator.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
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Elevator
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Building
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Hoistway
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Machine room
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Rope duct
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Pit
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Traction machine
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Main rope
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Car
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Counterweight
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Compensation rope
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Tension sheave
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Governor
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Governor rope
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Governor rope tension sheave
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Traveling cable
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Control panel
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Building sway
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Equilibrium position
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Vibration suppression device
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Support base
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Movable dolly
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Magnet unit
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Wheel
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Displacement amplification magnet
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Restriction member
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Fixed unit
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Slot
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Yoke
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Coil
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Resistor
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Constraint member
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Restitution spring
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Restitution slope
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P First position
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P Second position
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d First distance
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d Second distance
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d Third distance
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d Fourth distance
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d Fifth distance | |
Tuesday, March 19th at 6.30 p.m.
– Janet W. Foster, Architectural Historian and Historic Preservation Consultant, Pattern Books and 19th Century American Building
During her lecture, Architectural Historian & Preservation Consultant, Janet W. Foster will discuss how published books of designs, or pattern books, had a significant role in changing the appearance of buildings, and the techniques of their construction, in 19th century America. The role of pattern books in shaping the developing suburban landscape, their impact on a changing construction labor market, and the rise of several New York City publishing houses that promoted these books of architectural design all combine to tell both a very New York story and a broader look at national trends in building.
The Lectures start at 6:30 pm in The General Society Library, 20 West 44th Street, New York City. Reception to follow.
Advance registration is required. $15 General admission; $10 General Society members, NY Landmarks Conservancy Members & Senior Citizens; $5 Students.
1.0 AIA LU credit is available for qualifying participants.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. We would also like to acknowledge the support of New York Landmarks Conservancy. | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landmark-lecture-pattern-books-and-19th-century-american-building-tickets-56683812810 |
“Push them back down!” Gasper yelled as he kicked one of the defenders that had just ascended the stairs to the top of the wall. His men were by his side, attempting to prevent the defenders’ reinforcements from gaining ground on the wall.
There were several dozen defenders packed on the inner stairs and below the wall, waiting to climb to the top of the wall and reinforce the weakening sellswords above. Some of them were already on top of the wall, but they had a hard time making room for their climbing comrades because they were held in place by Gasper’s men.
He’d just gained his fourth foothold on the wall. And the defenders were getting weaker every moment. Soon, all his ladders would be pouring men on top of the walls and there would be no stopping him.
During combat, Gasper adopted a habit of delivering unexpected thrusts at unexpected times towards random defenders. His quick thrusts had reaped the lives of three defenders so far, and his men had killed many others meanwhile.
He sniffed. “Something is burning.” The smell was coming from one of the other walls. He spotted some smoke in the air above the eastern wall where Viper was attacking. It wasn’t long before the burning smell turned into the odour of melting flesh, and he finally had an idea of what was happening.
He ignored the smell and focused on combat. If he could push his way through these reinforcements, then he would be the first to step inside the fortress. That would likely make him the first to reach Edgar’s living quarters as well, which was what the Viscount needed him to do.
His men were spreading around the wall, flanking any defenders that were still hindering his ladder climbers. It didn’t take long for the wall to fall into his hands, but the defenders on the stairs were still holding their ground, though no longer trying to climb onto the wall.
Gasper signaled for a few of his men who were bearing shields. “Take the lead.” There were several dozen defenders prepared to stop him on the narrow stairs and below. Killing three or four of them wouldn’t help him descend into the fortress. He had to push them down.
The shield bearers came to the front of combat and took the lead. They entangled themselves with the defenders and locked the combat into a balance of strength.
“Push behind them,” Gasper shouted.
His men complied and fell behind the shield bearers that were pushing against the defenders on the stairs. He joined his men’s ranks and began pushing along with all his strength.
The defenders on the ground below were trying to support the ones faltering on the stairs, but they failed to stop Gasper’s men from going down step by step.
Steadily, Gasper and his men began to climb down the stairs. The stairs were hardly wide enough for two men to climb down side by side, but if there was combat, it was likely that one of them would fall off. Fortunately, the front line of his men were the shield bearers that didn’t have to do much in the way of combat at the moment. They just had to push and endure any attempted strikes from the enemy.
A few arrows flew from below and struck at his men. It was fortunate that he had a man between him and the arrows flying up, because that man received two arrows, one of them to the ribs. Several of his men fell down. But others soon replaced them. There were too many for the enemy to kill. But the arrows did slow his men’s descent.
“Be careful of the arrows,” Gasper yelled. “Those who have shields would do well to fucking use them.”
After the first two waves of arrows, his men adapted and began to keep an eye on the archers and take cover behind their shields if they had any.
The descent continued, and soon the first few of his men stepped on the ground. The defenders quickly surrounded the first arrivers of his men and cut them down faster than they could be replaced. But the push didn’t stop. His men kept pushing down, and soon more of them were down on the ground.
The defenders surrounded them, but the ones that fell from Gasper’s men were quickly replaced by others. In a few moments, Gasper found himself stepping onto the ground as well, surrounded by his men who were surrounded by enemies.
The man in front of him fell to an enemy’s blow and he found himself facing one of the defenders. He stepped forward and took the place of the fallen subordinate.
His opponent took no respite and stepped in for a slash. Gasper blocked, and his eyes narrowed as the swords clanged against each other. His opponent was a Warrior.
Gasper noticed a bandage extending from the man’s neck and towards his shoulder under the armor. At least they were both wounded. He stepped forward for a thrust, and his opponent parried it with a step back.
Gasper followed by a slash which the enemy Warrior blocked and returned twofold. Gasper blocked the first slash and parried the second one softly, following by a riposte towards the uninjured shoulder of his opponent. The latter barely evaded with a clumsy sidestep, losing him his balance. Gasper stepped in for a decisive strike, but another defender appeared beside him just at that moment. The defender struck at him fiercely.
Gasper tried to evade, but the new enemy was too close. He got his sword in the way, but the tip of the enemy’s sword cut into his armor. Fortunately, it didn’t break his skin. His sword and armor worked well together to strip all strength from the strike.
The Warrior that had lost his balance regained it and tried to make use of the opportunity to flank Gasper from the other side.
Gasper leapt back and created some distance between him and the two enemies. He fell back into the ranks of his men. He’d slightly stepped out of the ranks while fighting the enemy Warrior which had given the other enemy a chance to flank him.
His men kept pouring down the stairs, but their spread on the ground was limited by the enemies’ encirclement. What the climbing defenders had faced on top of the wall, he was now facing below it.
But the numbers of the defenders were very limited. The encirclement would be broken sooner or later. Gasper preferred sooner though.
He stepped forward again and bait the second enemy into attempting a slash at him. He stopped and the slash whirred an inch in front of him. The failed slash gave him a moment for an attack. He extended both his foot and shoulder towards the enemy, delivering a quick thrust. The tip of his sword struck the shoulder of the enemy swiftly, drawing blood but not incapacitating the defender.
He stepped back into the ranks of the his men again. The wounded enemy followed him and tried to strike at him with an underhand slash. Gasper absorbed it with his sword, and one of his men who were by his side stepped forward, slashing his opponent’s neck.
The Warrior that Gasper had been fighting before stepped in and killed the attacker that had just killed Gasper’s opponent.
Gasper stepped forward to face the Warrior again. He’d almost killed the enemy Warrior a few moments ago. He didn’t mind trying again.
The Warrior began by a swift thrust, which Gasper parried. Gasper’s opponent tried another strike, slashing from the side, but Gasper easily blocked it. He answered the slash with two strikes which his opponent blocked as well.
The enemy Warrior appeared impatient and stepped forward with a weighty overhand strike. Gasper took a half a step back and parried the strike as softly as he could, rendering it harmless. He answered it with two thrusts, one to the Warrior’s shoulder and the other towards his gut.
The Warrior bent to the side and avoided the first thrust, then hopped back and avoided the second. He then tried to swing his sword for another strike, but Gasper’s thrusts weren’t all he was going to receive. Gasper followed the thrusts with a kick that barely did anything aside from surprising the Warrior. But the surprise gave Gasper enough time to retract his sword and go for a serious stab.
Gasper’s opponent saw the stab coming and stepped back at the same moment, attempting to push it aside with his sword. The Warrior’s sword hit Gasper’s but it wasn’t strong enough to completely divert it away. It simply changed the stab’s target from the chest to the shoulder. Gasper’s sword sank into his opponent’s flesh, severely wounding his shoulder.
The Warrior tried to use the momentary pause to deliver a strike of his own, but Gasper leapt to the side with his sword, and his opponent’s strike missed.
Gasper didn’t give the enemy Warrior time to attempt another strike. He swung his sword and bent down for a low slash.
The Warrior put his sword in the slash’s way just in time to block it. Gasper’s sword bounced back, and he used the strength of the bounce to circle his blade around for another slash, which pressed his opponent into barely blocking again.
Gasper followed with a thrust that his opponent parried while sidestepping. Then he added two quick slashes which the enemy Warrior blocked with obvious weakness. Gasper pressed forward and swung his sword with all his weight, delivering a slash that pushed his opponent’s sword away, rendering his body open for a stab. Gasper didn’t miss the chance. He stabbed his sword into his opponent’s heart, right through the leather armor.
The Warrior fell to the ground, dead. And Gasper leapt back into the ranks of his men.
He glanced around. The inexperience of his crew was apparent. For each defender that fell, at least two of Gasper’s men had to pay their lives. But as more defenders fell, his men were given wider berth. More men poured down from the stairs, and the encirclement was reaching its limit.
“Charge!” Gasper roared and paced forward, and his men exploded with similar pace, attempting to break the encirclement.
The defenders didn’t withstand the push for long. They held on for a few moments before the encirclement collapsed. Most of the few remaining defenders in the encirclement fled in different directions when they realized that there was no chance of holding the attackers back.
Gasper took some respite and gazed at the opposite wall where Lucas’s men were attacking. The walls was already taken by the former knight’s men, which meant that his men were already pouring into the grounds of the fortress just like Gasper’s.
Gasper frowned and urged his men forward. He abandoned all thought of an organized advance and commanded his men to charge.
He joined the chaotic charge that flooded the cramped camp of tents and cabins. His men seeped through the camp and landed in combat with the few defenders that were left.
Gasper avoided combat and tried to move deeper into the camp. There was not much resistance left on this side, and he successfully avoided any unneeded combat. At most, he would support his men who were fighting here or there without getting himself committed to any bout of combat.
Soon, he saw a larger house amid the tents and cabins. There, he spied two men fighting. One of them wore a copper mask that Gasper would never mistake for another.
Master Rudolf was fighting against a handsome man who wore a shiny breastplate. Gasper assumed that the man was Edgar, the mercenaries’ captain. He watched for a moment and realized that the old steward was having the worst of the fight. In fair combat, Edgar had the upper hand and was pushing the old man back.
Master Rudolf was barely stopping his opponent’s strikes and contributing too little to the fight. Gasper paced towards the two who were surrounded by emptiness. He spied no one else around but the two combatants.
As soon as he drew close, the two of them noticed him. Master Rudolf gave him a glance, while Edgar stared at him with eyes like daggers.
“Who are you?” Edgar mouthed as he hopped back and away from Master Rudolf, giving himself some room.
Gasper eyed the mercenary captain and prepared his sword. “Gasper,” he said. “You’ll certainly die today. If you don’t make it too difficult for us, we will give your corpse a decent burial.”
Edgar snorted. “So it’s you. I couldn’t believe that Isaac failed when he didn’t return, but it seems that I hadn’t prepared for the unexpected.” He glanced at Master Rudolf as if knowing that he was the one who’d saved Gasper. Then his eyes fell on Gasper again. “You’re holding your sword with one hand, and your other arm is stuck to your side like the wing of a chicken. I’d wager you have lost the use of that arm.” He pointed at Gasper’s left arm. “Why don’t you two just step back and let me go. I will appreciate it and point you towards the gold in this camp. You have rivals here after all.” He gestured towards the walls. “I’m certain you want a bigger share of the gold. If you can find it first and before anyone else sees it, then you don’t have to split it with the others.”
Gasper didn’t reply. He stepped forward and attempted a high thrust.
The mercenary parried, but from his flank came another strike. A slash that was fast enough to force him into stepping back. The tip of Master Rudolf’s sword scratched Edgar’s breastplate and slid off.
Gasper pressed on with a low slash. The mercenary captain blocked it easily, but he was still struggling to regain his full balance.
Master Rudolf didn’t slow down. He approached Edgar and stabbed at his neck swiftly.
The mercenary side stepped the attempted stab nimbly. He tried to swing his sword for a retaliatory slash, but Gasper stepped in for a fierce slash of his own, forcing the mercenary to leap back and evade.
Edgar’s balance was all but gone with the last leap. Master Rudolf took a wide step forward and extended his shoulder for a stinging thrust. Edgar barely parried it, only to receive a fast slash from his flank, Gasper’s slash.
Gasper’s sword didn’t find Edgar’s neck like he’d wished, but the mercenary captain failed to avoid it completely. The sword cut into his cheek and ear, drawing a line of blood on the handsome face.
Edgar gritted his teeth visibly and retaliated with a quick thrust towards Gasper’s chest.
Gasper leapt back, avoiding it by a mere inch, while Master Rudolf stepped in for a heavy slash towards Edgar’s side.
The mercenary failed to evade and the slash cut into his left arm’s flesh. He leapt back, creating some distance from the two of them. But Gasper stepped forward to shrink the distance, and so did Master Rudolf.
Edgar’s face was twisted into a furious expression as his cheek and ear wounds cascaded blood all the way down to his neck.
Gasper stepped to the side and Master Rudolf flanked the mercenary from the other side. Edgar’s face slowly relaxed, as if he’d just surrendered to his fate. The mercenary captain decided to take the biggest of the two birds with him. He leapt towards Master Rudolf with his sword prepared for a reckless strike.
Master Rudolf noticed the danger instantly and leapt to the side, only to be followed by Edgar. The mercenary’s sword rose forth for a mighty descending strike, while the old steward’s sword braced for the arriving blade.
Master Rudolf blocked Edgar’s overhand strike with great effort, and the latter’s sword stopped only two inches from the old steward’s face.
Gasper had already paced towards the mercenary captain’s back. He raised his sword for a high thrust that whirred through the air and pierced into the back of Edgar’s neck, finding its way down towards his heart.
Most of Gasper’s blade sank into the body of the mercenary captain. Master Rudolf sighed in relief as Edgar’s swordhand softened and relaxed. Gasper slowly pulled his sword up and out of Edgar’s neck, watching the blade drenched in blood slowly sliding out of the wound.
Gasper looked at Master Rudolf as Edgar slumped to the ground, dead. | https://kisslightnovels.info/novel/rise-of-the-lord/rise-of-the-lord-chapter-51/ |
Understanding PI: A Project ECHO Clinician Education Series
Provided by Project ECHO at Penn State College of Medicine and the Immune Deficiency Foundation, this no-cost, CME-eligible virtual education series was designed to help providers recognize the signs of PI and the appropriate and timely steps to diagnosis. This series will also provide an overview of up-to-date, evidence-based treatment recommendations and guidelines for patients with PI.
CME Presentations on PI
Two CME presentations on PI are available until July 12, 2023. The Journey of the Patient with PI: What Frontline Clinicians Need to Know, and Ig Replacement Therapies for PI: Clinical Trials and Real-world Evidence to Enhance Diagnosis and Individualize Treatment
The primary target audience includes US-based immunologists, pulmonologists, infectious-disease specialists, and specialty NPs and PAs who treat PIDD. The secondary target audience includes PCPs, pediatricians, internal-medicine specialists, neurologists, rheumatologists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, specialty pharmacists, and non-specialty NPs and PAs.
CME Course from AAAAI
In 2021, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), the AXDEV Group, and the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) conducted a survey of over 300 PIDD patients. The findings indicated a need to address healthcare providers' skills and confidence in recognizing signs and symptoms of PI, the use and interpretation of diagnostic tests, how to engage patients in essential health discussions, and maintaining optimal patient care via telehealth. To address these gaps in knowledge and practice, the AAAAI has developed a new online CME program.
Hiding in Plain Sight
Watch the following video to learn more about identifying, managing, and monitoring immune dysregulation disorders across the clinical spectrum. This webinar primarily explores complex cytopenias and hyperinflammatory disorders.
Presenter: Shanmuganathan Chandrakasan, MD -- Emory University Medical School, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Finding a Zebra in your Practice
Do you have patients in your practice with recurring infections, chronic illnesses, and undiagnosed conditions? Watch the following video to learn more about recognizing the clinical symptoms of primary immunodeficiencies (PI) and how to establish a PI diagnosis. This webinar also explores treatment options for patients with a PI diagnosis.
Presenter: Sarah Henrickson, MD -- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Found a Zebra? Now What?
Do you have patients in your practice with a primary immunodeficiency (PI) diagnosis? Watch the following video to learn what you need to know about Immunoglobulin replacement therapy and novel treatments as well as how to care for children and adults with PI. This webinar also explores outside resources for clinicians and patients.
Presenters: Karin Chen, MD -- University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital
John Routes, MD -- Medical College of Wisconsin
IDF Video Series for Nurses
IDF Video Series for Nurses is an initiative of the IDF Nurse Advisory Committee. Originally developed as continuing education courses, these videos provide important background for any clinician involved with the administration and management of immunoglobulin therapy or the disease states where immunoglobulin is used. | https://primaryimmune.org/clinician-education-program |
This one-day training will explore Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevention for young (18-29 years) people who inject drugs (PWID) in both urban and non-urban settings. The training will emphasize the link between viral hepatitis infection, prescription opioid misuse, and ...
Tag Archive for: Drug Use
A network building capacity to prevent, manage and treat hepatitis B and C in NYC
Substance Use, Drug Addition, PWID (people who inject drugs)
Hep C Advocates – Take action against the Hep C epidemic!Advocacy, Advocacy Alert, Drug Use, Hep B, Hep C, Hepatitis B & C, Hepatitis C & HIV
NASTAD has issued a Call to Action for an urgent response to the nation's hepatitis C epidemic.
Video | Hep C Is On The Rise Among NYC Youth (Tackling Youth Substance Abuse)News, Patient Education Materials, Drug Use, Hep C Task Force, Hepatitis C, HepCX News, Opioids, Team HOPE, Video, Youth Programs
Watch and share this new video about prescription medication misuse and Hep C risk among young people in Staten Island. | https://hepfree.nyc/tag/drug-use/ |
Connecting the Dots: A Case of Myeloid Sarcoma
A 73-year-old white gentleman with a medical history significant for stage IIA (pT3a, N0, M0) malignant melanoma managed by wide local excision from his right shoulder was referred to our cutaneous clinic for evaluation of locally recurrent disease. An excisional biopsy of the lesion 3 months prior had been interpreted as consistent with malignant melanoma, spindle cell type, with an invasive component and positive margins. Immunohistochemical staining was negative for pankeratin, desmin, HMB 45, and Melan A, yet positive for S100, supporting the assigned diagnosis. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging ordered for staging reported no evidence of focal hypermetabolic activity but did note splenomegaly and diffuse enhancement throughout the skeletal system consistent with marrow stimulation. During his follow-up appointment to review the imaging, his examination revealed an interval appearance of multiple painless, nonpruritic erythematous nodules on the torso and arms. He denied any associated constitutional symptoms (eg, fevers, night sweats, unintended weight loss, excessive fatigue). Three years prior to presentation, he had undergone an extensive workup for thrombocytopenia and leukocytosis. This included a bone marrow biopsy that was negative for malignancy or myelodysplastic syndrome. The patient was otherwise healthy and active.
Assessment
On examination, there were multiple subcentimeter erythematous to purple-colored papules on bilateral shoulders, left arm, and left chest (Figure 1A), as well as two 3-cm, flesh-colored, solid nodules on the left forearm. His white blood cell count was 12 k/uL, hemoglobin 14 g/dL, and platelets 70 k/uL. Biopsy was an initial step in his workup given his recently diagnosed recurrent malignant melanoma. Primary differential diagnoses at this time included malignant melanoma, leukemia cutis, myeloid sarcoma, and cutaneous lymphoma. A biopsy of one of the new lesions was obtained, and pathologic analysis was consistent with myeloid sarcoma with immunohistochemistry positive for CD45, vimentin, CD4, CD43, CD56weak, and CD68, yet negative for CD34, CD117, AE1/AE3/Cam5.2, S100, CD123, CD3, CD20, TdT, and TCL1 (Figure 2). Immunohistochemical stains were strongly positive for CD45, vimentin, CD4, and CD43; weakly positive for CD56; and cytoplasmic granular positivity for CD68. Bone marrow biopsy showed trilineage hyperplasia with 80% cellularity, a few abnormal megakaryocytes, and no blasts. FISH and cytogenetics on bone marrow aspirate were negative for myelodysplastic-related changes; however, a diagnosis of low-grade myelodysplastic syndrome was favored. There was no marrow involvement of acute myeloid leukemia.
Diagnosis
The patient was diagnosed with secondary myeloid sarcoma, as his bone marrow biopsy demonstrated subtle changes consistent with myelodysplasia. Myeloid sarcoma is a rare, extramedullary manifestation of acute leukemia that occurs in about 2%-8% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.1 It is also known as granulocytic sarcoma or chloroma. It can manifest in a variety of tissues, such as bone, soft tissue, skin, gastrointestinal, lymph nodes, and other less common sites. This can occur concomitantly with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome, as a sign of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia, or rarely, preceding acute myeloid leukemia.2 The present case is one of myeloid sarcoma in a patient with minimal myelodysplastic changes who subsequently developed acute myeloid leukemia after induction chemotherapy.
Because myeloid sarcoma can arise in a variety of different tissue types, it may present differently in each patient. The size of myeloid sarcoma is highly variable, typically ranging between 2 and 20 cm.1 In the setting of known myelodysplastic syndrome or leukemia, biopsy and diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma may be timely obtained; however, in the absence of these, diagnosis can be difficult. Myeloid sarcoma is often misdiagnosed as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (46% of the time), malignant melanoma, undifferentiated malignancy, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and inflammation.2, 3, 4 It has been associated with certain chromosomal abnormalities, most notably 8;21 translocation.2, 5 Few studies have been reported on patients with myeloid sarcoma, likely due to its rare occurrence. One study found that 14% of patients had NPM1 mutations, whereas another found that 15% had FLT3-ITD mutations.6, 7 The presence of myeloid sarcoma has been associated with a poor prognosis.2, 8 A recent multicenter review of myeloid sarcoma patients treated with several different chemotherapy regimens, with half of them receiving allogeneic stem cell transplant, found the 5-year overall survival rate to be 33%.9
Management
Treatment for myeloid sarcoma is dependent on the status of leukemia, such as whether the disease presents at the time of initial leukemia diagnosis, as relapsed disease, or as isolated myeloid sarcoma.2 In cases of isolated myeloid sarcoma with no bone marrow involvement, delayed or inadequate treatment will progress to acute myeloid leukemia in about 75% of cases.4 This patient was treated with induction chemotherapy using CLAG-M (cladribine, cytarabine, filgrastim, and mitoxantrone). On day 9 of therapy, he had complete resolution of the flesh-colored nodules on his forearm and drastic improvement in papules on bilateral shoulders, left chest, and left arm (Figure 1B). Postinduction bone marrow biopsy showed acute myeloid leukemia M5b, FLT3-ITD positive with 35% cellularity and 21% blasts. A myeloid mutation panel showed PTPN11, SETBP1, U2AF1, and ZRSR2 mutations. The patient was then reinduced with 5+2 (cytarabine and idarubicin). His course was complicated by persistence of disease and infectious complications, and he ultimately passed away.
To read this article in its entirety please visit our website.
-Ashley Rose, MD, Jason Brayer, MD
This article originally appeared in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine. | http://amjmed.org/connecting-the-dots-a-case-of-myeloid-sarcoma/ |
SHENZHEN — An art exhibition exploring the impact of facial recognition technology has opened in China, offering a rare public space for reflection on increasingly pervasive surveillance by tech companies and the government.
Hosted jointly by the southern mainland city of Shenzhen and its neighbor Hong Kong, the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture features more than 60 installations from Chinese and foreign artists exploring the loss of urban anonymity brought about by technological change.
The “Eyes of the City” exhibition is being held at Shenzhen’s Futian station, the first mainland stop on a high-speed rail link that opened in 2018 amid apprehension in Hong Kong about its deepening integration with mainland China.
“Stations have traditionally been a place of anonymity, but they’re becoming places where actually everything is known,” the show’s chief curator, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Carlo Ratti told Reuters.
“This is one of the things we want to discuss.”
The exhibition comes at a sensitive time in China.
Protests against China’s influence have rocked the former British colony of Hong Kong for months and the rapid spread of facial recognition technology has triggered debate about privacy.
The New York Times reported in November that a Beijing arts center canceled Chinese-American artist Hung Liu’s show of antiwar paintings for no clear reason though she believed it was related to Hong Kong.
Asked if he was surprised the exhibition had been allowed to open given the unrest in Hong Kong, Ratti said he “found an openness for discussion” in Shenzhen.
“There’s probably not a better place to discuss these issues … this is a global issue and the best way to deal with it is to open up these technologies and put them in the hands of the public,” he said.
Reuters was unable to contact the event’s organizers and foreign media were not invited to an opening news conference amid concern they would ask about Hong Kong, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The exhibition features a facial recognition system that visitors can opt out of, to draw attention to the inability to opt out in public, Ratti said.
Other works include facial monitors that track visitors’ emotional engagement with the exhibits and digitalised images of fishing boats in one of Shenzhen’s older harbors using advanced Lidar technology by artists Ai Deng and Li Lipeng. (Reporting by David Kirton Editing by Robert Birsel)
A blood-soaked trail of interconnected traffickers and deals ran from the RCMP's Operation Harrington to the Sinaloa Cartel
This Week's Flyers
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Unlocked Graduates aim to attract high-calibre graduate talent to work in the UK prison service and inject new ideas, insights and energy into the rehabilitation of prisons: to lead subtle changes on the inside that deliver huge benefits on the outside.
Unlocked Graduates is running residential training this summer, training graduates to become inspiring leaders and prison officers. We have appointed qualified prison officers to lead our training. We are now looking for team players who can work alongside them to bring the training to life.
Classroom intern: supporting trainers to run sessions, using personal anecdotes and examples, and modelling realistic prison scenarios.
Summer Institute interns will support trainers during sessions, set-up and logistical help outside of sessions, and advocates of the Unlocked Graduates values throughout.
We welcome applications from people who have convictions.
Interns are required to work Monday to Friday for one-week periods between 15th July and 5th September. You may apply to work for any, some or all of the weeks in this period.
Interviews will be held on a rolling basis and we may close applications prior to this if we fill all vacancies. | http://www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.aspx?jobid=69170 |
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Rules for Saying Goodbye is Katherine Taylor’s debut novel, in which the protagonist is named Katherine Taylor, and several aspects of the author and character’s lives intersect. But don’t call it a memoir. Maybe you can call it an autobiographical novel, but still, remember, this is fiction. And it’s literary fiction, to be sure -- not chick lit, as the author makes a point of asserting in interviews. You may have heard of Katherine Taylor (the author) elsewhere -- she’s hot (check out that book jacket), she participated in lightweight pugilism with Ben Kunkel (he took offense to her calling Indecision “simple”), and rumor had it that Rules would be picked up by and distributed in Starbucks -- the low-brow version of Oprah’s Book Club. And usually all of this is beside the point. But when the author and protagonist are so clearly closely related, it somehow becomes more relevant. Or at least more interesting.
In Rules, Katherine’s story begins when she’s an adolescent in a ho-hum agricultural town in California. She is sent to a boarding school on the East Coast, comes back to California for college, and eventually makes her way to New York City, ostensibly to go through the final growing pains of young adulthood; and here, about a third of the way in, is where the novel really starts. She dabbles in writing and falls into a destructive cycle of following men to Europe and returning to New York when the passive-aggression becomes unbearable. Her friends undulate in number and significance throughout the book, remarkable mostly for the number of vodka tonics and their clever remarks. She experiences heartbreak and dread and a dull depression, and, with more and more frequency, she begins to “pretend I am dead” when confronting uncomfortable situations. And, as dramatic as this all may sound, it somehow isn’t.
Taylor is a skilled writer, maintaining a consistent tone throughout the novel that squelches any sense of over-dramatization while teasing out endearing observations from the most commonplace events. She is never sensational, rarely trite, always smart. For example, rule number two: “Leave if he starts writing songs about other people. These will be songs of loss and their details will have nothing to do with you. Shame on you for dating a musician. At your age.” Or rule number 10: “Write a note on very nice paper. Make it simple. Dear Henry, I have loved you completely. Be too hurt to sign your name.”
The characters in Rules live charmed lives, and so can be alternately appealing and irritating; can’t only a very specific type of reader relate to a lovely young narrator who has a rent-controlled apartment in New York, works occasionally as a bartender, and enjoys jaunts around Europe? Does anybody care about another novel set in sexy Manhattan, where evenings begun in bars end in early morning and everyone is talented and witty? Like the ones in Brett Easton Ellis’s or Jay McInerny’s New York novels, the characters in Rules seem slightly bored with their own fabulousness.
It could be a coming-of-age novel -- indeed, Katherine must navigate getting older, losing loves, finding a sense of purpose -- but Rules lacks any hint of urgency or discovery. Events pump along at the lowest blood pressure possible. Break-ups are done with contrived dignity and self-consciousness. It’s entirely cinematic, as though Taylor had watched it all play out on film, distant and alluring. And, perhaps, in that sense, it is a coming-of-age novel for post-modernity, where life is only experienced at a remove through various screens, and we’re all starring in our very own memoir -- though ours, certainly, are nowhere near as glamorous as Katherine Taylor’s. | http://www.bookslut.com/fiction/2007_07_011357.php |
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Though it has taken some time, blockchain technology has been developing over the years and now finally it has become something that a lot of people are taking note of…. | https://test.btcwires.com/tag/regulation/ |
TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES FOREWORD ACKNOWLDGEMENTS PART I. RETHINKING EARLY AGRICULTURE CHAPTER 1. EARLY AGRICULTURE IN THE HIGHLANDS: AN UNEXPECTED STORY Why is early agriculture in New Guinea contentious? A focus on practices CHAPTER 2. DEFINING EARLY AGRICULTURE IN NEW GUINEA A continuum of human-environment interactions Low-level food production and the middle-ground' Social dependence and environmental transformation The conditions of growth: A post-processual turn? Towards a contingent conception of early agriculture Articulating space and place Domains, transformative mechanisms and archaeological expression Temporalities of associated phenomena Context, specificity and visibility Clarification of terminology PART II. PLACES, PRACTICES AND PLANTS CHAPTER 3. THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACE Ages of discovery Archaeological frames of reference An introduction to highland environments CHAPTER 4. CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN THE HIGHLANDS A vegetative disposition Diversity of plant exploitation in New Guinea Practices of cultivation Plot clearance Ground preparation and earthworks Mounds Raised beds Ditches Terraces Planting, weeding and harvesting Fallowing and nutrient cycling Types of plot Tools of cultivation Ambiguity of early practices: questions of archaeological visibility Lower-intensity practices Higher-intensity practices A practice-based method for the investigation of early agriculture A chronology of constituent practices Bundling practices in time and place Transposing plants and practices Transformation through time CHAPTER 5. THE PLANTS OF HIGHLAND CULTIVATION Domesticatory relationships, degrees of domestication and cultivation mosaics Loss of sex in vegetatively propagated plants Hypothetical domestication scenarios for the highlands Crop plants in the highlands Staple Crops Bananas (Musa cvs.) Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Yams (Dioscorea spp.) Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) Other traditional staples Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) Manioc, or cassava (Manihot esculenta) Vegetables Assorted green leafy vegetables Edible cane grasses (pitpit) Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) Gourds Nut and fruit trees Castanopsis (Castanopsis acuminatissima) Pandanus - karuka (Pandanus julianettii/iwen/brosimos complex) and marita (Pandanus conoideus) Archaeobotanical visibility of vegetative domestication and cultivation PART III. PRACTICES IN THE PAST CHAPTER 6: EXPLOITING DIVERSITY IN THE PLEISTOCENE To Sahul Archaeological traces Palaeoecological inference Not just trees and tubers ... Pandanus species in the highlands More than hunting and the seasonal exploitation of Pandanus Rethinking occupation of the interior during the Pleistocene Common practices in diverse contexts CHAPTER 7: AMBIGUITIES OF PRACTICE DURING THE EARLY HOLOCENE Multidisciplinary evidence at Kuk, c. 10,000 years ago A gap, patch or plot on the wetland margin? People's use of plants Natural ranges and loci of plant domestication Transitional steps to cultivation A novel form of plant exploitation CHAPTER 8. THE EMERGENCE OF SHIFTING CULTIVATION What are we looking for? Is there a neolithic signature? Ground stone axe-adzes Tanged blades Stone mortars, pestles and figurines Palaeoecology, geomorphology and landscape change From patch to plot: the transition to cultivation CHAPTER 9. THE ADOPTION OF MOUND CULTIVATION DURING THE MID HOLOCENE Dramatic deforestation in the Upper Wahgi Valley The archaeological evidence for mound cultivation at Kuk Palaeoenvironments within cultivated plots Multidisciplinary consilience Mounds at other sites The purpose of mounds A later development Summary of agronomic innovation CHAPTER 10. THE DIGGING OF DRAINAGE DITCHES DURING THE LATE HOLOCENE Drainage ditches in the highlands The Tambul spade The archaeological sequence of early ditches at Kuk Chronology Ditch complexes Artificiality The emergence of rectilinear field systems The dispersal of ditch-digging, 2750-2150 cal BP Warrawau Minjigina Haeapugua Kana Additional technological considerations The design, planning and organisation of drainage Wooden tools Cultivation of drains Planting seed in a vegetative world Agricultural innovation and transfer of practical knowledge Social transformations in the highlands Ditches and sedentism Group identity, territoriality and inscription Some thoughts on timing and causation CHAPTER 11. LATER INNOVATIONS, INTRODUCTIONS AND ADOPTIONS Tillage Formalisation of ditch networks The introduction of animal domesticates from Island Southeast Asia Plant introductions from Island Southeast Asia Casuarina tree-fallowing Ethnography, ethnohistory and local-scale exchange: A Kalam case study Sweet potato, pigs and big men Why adopt? PART IV. TAKING A BROADER VIEW CHAPTER 12. HISTORICAL RESILIENCE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE HIGHLANDS Learning from the past Agricultural sustainability Crop diversity and improvement Adapting to climate change Making social sense A look to the future CHAPTER 13. THE GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EARLY AGRICULTURE ON NEW GUINEA Telling a story from the margins Is New Guinea unique within the Asia-Pacific region? Plant exploitation in the tropics is different The search for origins: a regulative idea BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES FOREWORD ACKNOWLDGEMENTS PART I. RETHINKING EARLY AGRICULTURE CHAPTER 1. EARLY AGRICULTURE IN THE HIGHLANDS: AN UNEXPECTED STORY Why is early agriculture in New Guinea contentious? A focus on practices CHAPTER 2. DEFINING EARLY AGRICULTURE IN NEW GUINEA A continuum of human-environment interactions Low-level food production and the middle-ground' Social dependence and environmental transformation The conditions of growth: A post-processual turn? Towards a contingent conception of early agriculture Articulating space and place Domains, transformative mechanisms and archaeological expression Temporalities of associated phenomena Context, specificity and visibility Clarification of terminology PART II. PLACES, PRACTICES AND PLANTS CHAPTER 3. THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACE Ages of discovery Archaeological frames of reference An introduction to highland environments CHAPTER 4. CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN THE HIGHLANDS A vegetative disposition Diversity of plant exploitation in New Guinea Practices of cultivation Plot clearance Ground preparation and earthworks Mounds Raised beds Ditches Terraces Planting, weeding and harvesting Fallowing and nutrient cycling Types of plot Tools of cultivation Ambiguity of early practices: questions of archaeological visibility Lower-intensity practices Higher-intensity practices A practice-based method for the investigation of early agriculture A chronology of constituent practices Bundling practices in time and place Transposing plants and practices Transformation through time CHAPTER 5. THE PLANTS OF HIGHLAND CULTIVATION Domesticatory relationships, degrees of domestication and cultivation mosaics Loss of sex in vegetatively propagated plants Hypothetical domestication scenarios for the highlands Crop plants in the highlands Staple Crops Bananas (Musa cvs.) Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Yams (Dioscorea spp.) Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) Other traditional staples Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) Manioc, or cassava (Manihot esculenta) Vegetables Assorted green leafy vegetables Edible cane grasses (pitpit) Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) Gourds Nut and fruit trees Castanopsis (Castanopsis acuminatissima) Pandanus - karuka (Pandanus julianettii/iwen/brosimos complex) and marita (Pandanus conoideus) Archaeobotanical visibility of vegetative domestication and cultivation PART III. PRACTICES IN THE PAST CHAPTER 6: EXPLOITING DIVERSITY IN THE PLEISTOCENE To Sahul Archaeological traces Palaeoecological inference Not just trees and tubers ... Pandanus species in the highlands More than hunting and the seasonal exploitation of Pandanus Rethinking occupation of the interior during the Pleistocene Common practices in diverse contexts CHAPTER 7: AMBIGUITIES OF PRACTICE DURING THE EARLY HOLOCENE Multidisciplinary evidence at Kuk, c. 10,000 years ago A gap, patch or plot on the wetland margin? People's use of plants Natural ranges and loci of plant domestication Transitional steps to cultivation A novel form of plant exploitation CHAPTER 8. THE EMERGENCE OF SHIFTING CULTIVATION What are we looking for? Is there a neolithic signature? Ground stone axe-adzes Tanged blades Stone mortars, pestles and figurines Palaeoecology, geomorphology and landscape change From patch to plot: the transition to cultivation CHAPTER 9. THE ADOPTION OF MOUND CULTIVATION DURING THE MID HOLOCENE Dramatic deforestation in the Upper Wahgi Valley The archaeological evidence for mound cultivation at Kuk Palaeoenvironments within cultivated plots Multidisciplinary consilience Mounds at other sites The purpose of mounds A later development Summary of agronomic innovation CHAPTER 10. THE DIGGING OF DRAINAGE DITCHES DURING THE LATE HOLOCENE Drainage ditches in the highlands The Tambul spade The archaeological sequence of early ditches at Kuk Chronology Ditch complexes Artificiality The emergence of rectilinear field systems The dispersal of ditch-digging, 2750-2150 cal BP Warrawau Minjigina Haeapugua Kana Additional technological considerations The design, planning and organisation of drainage Wooden tools Cultivation of drains Planting seed in a vegetative world Agricultural innovation and transfer of practical knowledge Social transformations in the highlands Ditches and sedentism Group identity, territoriality and inscription Some thoughts on timing and causation CHAPTER 11. LATER INNOVATIONS, INTRODUCTIONS AND ADOPTIONS Tillage Formalisation of ditch networks The introduction of animal domesticates from Island Southeast Asia Plant introductions from Island Southeast Asia Casuarina tree-fallowing Ethnography, ethnohistory and local-scale exchange: A Kalam case study Sweet potato, pigs and big men Why adopt? PART IV. TAKING A BROADER VIEW CHAPTER 12. HISTORICAL RESILIENCE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE HIGHLANDS Learning from the past Agricultural sustainability Crop diversity and improvement Adapting to climate change Making social sense A look to the future CHAPTER 13. THE GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EARLY AGRICULTURE ON NEW GUINEA Telling a story from the margins Is New Guinea unique within the Asia-Pacific region? Plant exploitation in the tropics is different The search for origins: a regulative idea BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
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(Reuters) - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith are demanding an accounting from the Federal Reserve and other U.S. financial regulators of banks' cryptocurrency activity and ties to the industry following the implosion of crypto exchange FTX.
"While the banking system has so far been relatively unscathed by the latest crypto crash, FTX’s collapse shows that crypto may be more integrated into the banking system than regulators are aware," the lawmakers wrote to the chiefs of the Fed, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in letters dated Wednesday and released by Warren's office on Thursday.
"We write to express concern ... and to inquire about how your agency assesses the risks to banks and the banking system associated with those relationships," wrote the senators, both Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee.
The letters asked for details on oversight of banks' cryptocurrency trading and loans to crypto firms, and asked if regulators plan to conduct a review of crypto firms' relationships with banks. They gave regulators two weeks to respond to their requests.
Lawmakers have launched inquiries into the cryptocurrency industry following the collapse of Bahamas-based FTX, which filed for bankruptcy last month after the disappearance of at least $1 billion of customer funds. | https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/business/senators-warren-smith-ask-fed-for-accounting-of-banks-crypto-ties-100803981/ |
The order of ideas which has given birth to the modern theory of organic evolution is by its nature essentially quantitative. We know that Darwin, and Wallace as well, were drawn to the enunciation of the principle of survival of the fittest through reflection on the problem first posed by Malthus: how is the number of living organisms maintained within the limits we in fact observe? By a rather singular coincidence this aspect of the problem of evolution, which, it would seem, would have been the first to attract the attention of biologists predisposed to mathematical analysis, has only quite recently received their serious attention. A certain school, it is true, profiting by the work in genetics of Gregor Mendel among others, has been occupied for some years with biometrical anal-ysis applied to questions of survival and reproduction in their relation to the problem of organic evolution. But, in their research, the disciples of this school have limited themselves almost entirely to the discussion of the characteristics of a single species and the consequences of these characteristics as they affect its survival. The interaction of diverse species among themselves and with their habitat has received at most passing and incidental consideration by these authors. Ecologists, by contrast, have been content almost entirely with empirical studies on this subject.
KeywordsOrganic Evolution Biological Evolution Collective Effect Parent Individual Biological Organism
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF. | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4757-9176-1_1 |
18 July Nelson Mandela Day
As the world reflects Nelson Mandela's legacy, we thank his life, leadership, devotion to humanity, and humanitarian causes.
Mandela (18 July 1918--5 December 2013)
Nelson Mandela, the Republic of South Africa's first president, does not need an introduction to the world. His birthday, July 18, is declared Nelson Mandela International Day, and South Africans take this opportunity to celebrate his life the entire month.
South Africa became an independent republic in 1994, overhauling the apartheid that ran the show as a legal regime since 1948, Mandela, its first president.
Mandela's contribution to the peaceful transformation of South Africa, from a racially pitting people into a rainbow nation, is the most celebrated example of positivity. This positivity shines on every individual when they make an individual positive action to help and reach others. July is a month for taking this action and spread the Mandela values--fighting injustice, helping people in need and practising reconciliation.
Nelson Mandela day goals include:
- Education and Literacy
- Food and Nutrition
- Shelter
- Sanitation
- Active citizenship
At Burgundy Estate group, we spread the day's message by doing our individual action--collecting foodstuff to help the needy in the neighbourhood.
"I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born free, free in every way that I could know. Free to run in the fields near my mother's hut, free to swim in the clear stream that ran through my village, free to roast mealies under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-moving bulls. As long as I obeyed my father and abided by the customs of my tribe, I was not troubled by the laws of man or God." From Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.
Here watch the video: a brief biography of Mandela. | https://www.prasannaraghavan.com/2021/07/nelson-mandela-day.html |
is a public relation and communications agency dedicated to digital promotion, content creation and marketing campaigns across music and entertainment.
We are dedicated to understanding your vision and implementing visions creatively and effectively whilst staying ahead of the curve and keeping our ears to the streets. Our team has years of experience in different areas of music, promotion, marketing, radio and press with our aim being to collaborate and create.
Entertainment moves with a click of a finger so we aim to collaborate with most exciting emerging as well established content creators who share our vision and we share theirs. | http://www.mungzmedia.com/about-us |
This article discusses a pilot evaluation of the National Mental Health Leadership Mentoring Program, which is operated through the Veterans Health Administration in the US.
Abstract
New mental health leaders must be given leadership development opportunities to support the expansion of critical skills often not conveyed within mental health graduate programs. To meet this need, the Veterans Health Administration piloted a structured national mental health leadership mentoring program focused upon the development of leadership skills in these areas: strategic planning, human resources, systems understanding, administrative operations and program evaluation, and professional and personal development. Thirty-one participants were recruited from among new mental health facility leaders or mental health discipline service chiefs. Statistically significant improvement was found across all 5 skill areas. External validation of the program’s success was also shown, with improvement in local mental health providers’ employee satisfaction and burnout. Implications for other organizational settings desiring to develop mental health leadership mentoring programs are discussed.
Full Reference
Kearney, L. K., Smith, C., Carroll, D., Burk, J. P., Cohen, J. L., & Henderson, K., 2018. Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) National Mental Health Leadership Mentoring Program: A pilot evaluation. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 12(1). | https://www.vfrhub.com/article/veterans-health-administrations-vha-national-mental-health-leadership-mentoring-program-a-pilot-evaluation/ |
Volume Twelve 2015 Part Two Water
Serious system limitations prevented TAFE NSW from providing sufficient and appropriate evidence to support recorded student revenue of $477 million, student receivables and accrued income of $47.6 million and unearned revenue of $398 million, according to a report released by the New South Wales Acting Auditor-General, Tony Whitfield.
These limitations resulted in:
-
a qualified audit opinion being issued for TAFE NSW
-
delays in enrolling students
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inability to fully reconcile cash balances
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difficulties in reconciling student enrolments with revenues recorded in the financial statements
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large volumes of manual processing.
'TAFE NSW should identify and resolve significant issues with its student and administration system', the Acting Auditor-General said.
The system was delivered to TAFE NSW during October 2014 as part of the Government’s LMBR program.
This was one of the findings the Acting Auditor-General reported in Volume Twelve 2015 of the Auditor-General's Report to Parliament, which covers agencies within the then Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services (DTIRIS) cluster. From 1 July 2015, DTIRIS was abolished and the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development was created.
The quality of financial reporting has improved In 2014-15 five agencies had six significant matters reported to the relevant Minister and Treasurer. This is a significant improvement from 13 agencies with 24 significant matters last year.
Agencies can still improve their revaluations
A number of agencies were unable to finalise their revaluations of property, plant and equipment by the early close deadline. Revaluation results were not always robustly reviewed by management prior to their inclusion in the financial statements.
Due to the nature of the fixed assets within the cluster, revaluations can require extensive timeframes for planning and completion.
'Management should ensure that revaluation results are appropriate before accepting the results and including them in the financial statements', said Mr Whitfield.
Unprocessed Aboriginal Land Claims rose by 2,330 or nine per cent
The number of unprocessed Aboriginal Land Claims at 30 June 2015 was 28,054 (25,724 at 30 June 2014). Based on the five year average clearance rate, it will take approximately 80 years to clear the existing backlog, not accounting for any future claims.
Water utilities distributed $1.0 billion to the NSW Government in 2014-15
The distributions to the NSW Government increased from $690 million in 2013-14 to $1.0 billion in 2014-15. The increase was largely due to a higher dividend from Sydney Water Corporation. | https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/media/volume-twelve-2015-part-two-water |
Q:
Euler product formula
Why is it that
$$\prod_{p\,\le\, y}\sum_{k=0}^\infty p^{-ks} = \sum_{n\,\in\,\{n \,:\, p \,\mid\, n \, \Rightarrow \, p\,\le\,y\}} n^{-s} \text{ ?}$$
I understand that we have a product of finitely many absolute convergent series and therefore rearrangement is allowed, but I do not see how exactly the terms are being rearranged.
A:
Here numbers are rearranged according to their $p$-addic valuations.
One non formal way of seeing this :
Since any integer can be uniquely written in a unique way as a product of primes, by expanding $$(1+2+4+\cdots)(1+3+9+\cdots)\cdots(1+p_i^1+p_i^2+\cdots)\cdots$$
you get all integers once because of the fundamental theorem of arithmetic which states that any integer has a unique prime factorisation.
Similarilly, by expanding
$$(1+{1\over2^s}+{1\over4^s}+\cdots)(1+{1\over3^s}+{1\over9^s}+\cdots)\cdots(1+{1\over p_i^s}+{1\over p_i^{2s}}+\cdots)\cdots$$
You get all numbers of the form $\dfrac 1 {n^s}$.
One nice (formal) proof relies on (very basic) probability theory and is:
Consider the probability $P_s$ on $\Bbb N ^*$ such that $P_s(\{n\}) = {1\over \zeta(s)n^s}$ for $n\ge1$ where $\zeta(s) = \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty}{1\over n^s}$ is the Riemann zeta function.
What follows is that $$P_s(m\Bbb N^*) = \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty}P_s(mn)=\sum_{n=1}^{+\infty}{1\over \zeta(s)(mn)^s} = {1\over m^s}$$
Now since $m\Bbb N^* \cap m'\Bbb N^* = \text{lcm}(m, m')\Bbb N^*$, we have
$$P_s(m\Bbb N^* \cap m'\Bbb N^*) = P_s(m\Bbb N^*)P_s( m'\Bbb N^*) \iff \gcd(m, m')=1$$
Let $(p_n)_{n\in \Bbb N^*}$ be the strictly increasing sequence of all prime numbers. From what we just proved we can deduce that $(p_k \Bbb N^*)_{k \in \Bbb N^*}$ is a familly of mutually independant events (this is the key argument which is equivalent to regrouping by p-adic valuations in a very subtle way!).
Therefore their complementary events are also mutually independant, thus :
$$P_s\left(\bigcap_{k=1}^{+\infty} \overline{p_k \Bbb N^*}\right) = \prod_{k=1}^{+\infty}\left(1-{1\over p_k^s}\right)$$
Finally, any integer greater than 2 has at least one prime factor. Therefore
$$P_s\left(\bigcap_{k=1}^{+\infty} \overline{p_k \Bbb N^*}\right) = P_s(\{1\}) = {1\over \zeta(s)}$$
Which states that $$\zeta(s) = \prod_{k=1}^{+\infty}\left(1-{1\over p_k^s}\right)^{-1} = \prod_{k=1}^{+\infty}\sum_{i=0}^{+\infty}{1\over p_k^{si}}$$
And proves your identity !
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You may soon view and delete diagnostic data in Windows 10
Recent Insider Builds of the upcoming Windows 10 version 1803 suggest that the system includes options to view and delete diagnostic data.
Microsoft's stance on privacy has been criticized by privacy advocates and part of the Windows user base since the company released the first version of Windows 10 to the public.
A lack of transparency in regards to what is collected and for what reason, and no option to turn the collecting of diagnostic data off need to be mentioned explicitly.
Microsoft released information on basic and full Telemetry on Windows 10 in 2017 but did not add an option to Windows 10 that would allow users to view the collected data.
View and delete diagnostic data in Windows 10
The most recent Windows 10 Insider Builds, released in December 2017 and January 2018, show two placeholders on the Diagnostic & feedback Settings page.
Open the Settings application with the shortcut Windows-I, and navigate to Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback.
There you may need to scroll down to find "diagnostic data viewer" and "delete diagnostic data" listed as options.
These have no function at the time but since Microsoft included them already, it appears that these will be part of the next feature update.
We don't know exactly what the viewer will do, but it is likely that it will provide users with a list of collected diagnostic data. Whether that listing will offer a snapshot of the data only or the full data remains to be seen.
The delete diagnostic data button removes the collected data from the system. Microsoft needs to provide an explanation on how that works when it releases the feature. Can users delete data before it is sent to Microsoft, or only after the fact? How long is the data kept anyway on the device, and what reason would one have to delete the data after it has been submitted to Microsoft?
Closing Words
I'm still waiting for an opt-out option to disable the collecting and sending of Telemetry data to Microsoft. Adding options to view the collected diagnostic data is certainly appreciated as it lifts the curtain somewhat and improves transparency. | https://www.ghacks.net/2018/01/23/you-may-soon-view-and-delete-diagnostic-data-in-windows-10/ |
Water safety has been in the news again in recent months. This time it is due to trihalomethanes, a water by-product thought to be a possible carcinogen. However, that doesn’t mean all homeowners who use a water well for their daily water supply are at risk.
Water well owners should always try to have a working knowledge about their well, its parts, and possible water contaminants. Below is information about trihalomethanes. However, if questions arise, the best solution is to contact a professional water well contractor and seek his advice.
Trihalomethanes are a group of four chemicals—chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform—formed, along with other disinfection by-products, when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water.
Chloroform—the trihalomethane often found in the highest concentration—is formed by a reaction of chlorine with certain compounds in water. Formation occurs during chlorination and can continue to occur as long as chlorine is available. The other trihalomethanes are formed by a reaction of bromine and iodine with the same certain compounds.
Is chloroform always the most common trihalomethane in water?
Depending on the characteristics of the water, the other three trihalomethanes may be formed at a higher concentration than chloroform.
Are trihalomethanes more prevalent in public water systems than in private settings?
Trihalomethanes are much more prevalent in public water supplies because most use chlorination as a disinfection technology. However, while trihalomethanes are more common in the public water systems, they are a threat to any water supply that uses chlorine—including private water wells.
High levels of trihalomethanes can be dangerous. In fact, in December 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered the maximum allowable annual average level for large surface water public water systems from 100 parts per billion (ppb) to 80 ppb. The 80 ppb limit goes into effect for small surface water and all ground water systems in December 2003.
What health problems can occur as a result of exposure to trihalomethanes? Are certain groups of people at a greater risk than others?
Some studies have suggested a small increase in the risk of bladder and colorectal cancers. Other investigations have found that chlorination by-products may be linked to heart, lung, kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage.
Of the different trihalomethanes, dibromochloromethane has been most closely associated with cancer, followed in order by bromoform, chloroform, and bromodichloromethane.
Pregnant women appear to be at the greatest risk, as some studies have linked trihalomethanes to reproductive problems, including miscarriage.
Are solid chlorine forms just as likely to form trihalomethanes as the liquid form?
Yes. Either form of chlorine — the liquid or hypochlorites (a salt) can form a free chlorine residual in water, and any free residual can react with compounds to form trihalomethanes.
Are there treatment methods for trihalomethanes? | http://wellowner.org/water-quality/trihalomethanes/ |
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