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The size of two internal angles of a triangle ABC are α=6/18π and β=7/18π.
Calculate the size of the third angle.
Result
Calculate the size of the third angle.
Result
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Carpincho refers to a large South American rodent. The leather from this animal is a fine product that ages well and becomes more comfortable over time. It’s similar to peccary leather and is often used to make luxurious gloves. This semi-aquatic species is found only in parts of South America including north Argentina, some parts of Brazil and Paraguay. They are raised on farms and only certified farm-raised carpincho hides are legally used for making gloves. The comfort of this close-fitting unlined glove combined with the very distinct allure of this wild hide with visible pores and markings, make carpincho gloves some of the most sought-after by elegant men around the world. | https://www.galagloves.it/en/product/mens-hand-stitched-bordeaux-carpincho-gloves-unlined/ |
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These notes set out some issues concerning costs of litigation claims and the funding options of litigation claims.
I considered these are important points to discuss (rather than setting out the type of work which my firm undertakes) because potential clients are always worried about legal costs. Cost funding issues need to be overcome before instructions can be provided.
Time Costs and Fixed Prices
Lawyers typically charge on a time-spent basis and provide an hourly charge rate. For some commercial/conveyance transactions fixed priced costs can be agreed. It is very difficult to agree fixed prices for litigation work due to the difficulty in predicting the amount of work that will be required. This will depend upon various matters, such as the detail of the other party in defending the claim, as well as the relevant emails and other material which may be very extensive.
Time costs can be very expensive on the part of opposing solicitors.
Ways of keeping costs within reasonable limits.
1. Junior Lawyers
There are a number of ways to keep the price of litigation down. The first way is to instruct newly qualified lawyers/trainee barristers to undertake the relevant work at an agreed daily/half day charge rates. Relevant work includes preparation of trial bundles or disclosure lists which may take quite a number of hours to undertake. The indexing and numbering of documents can be particularly time consuming, and hence the usual delegation of such work to junior lawyers to save costs. The use of this method can seriously reduce costs, but should be used only in relevant cases where the junior lawyer can be properly supervised.
The use of junior lawyers may save considerable legal costs.
2. Budgets
The second method to keep costs down is to have a budget. Before starting litigation we always provide an estimate of the costs which will be our estimated budget for the proceedings. The budget will always be discussed with the clients, and if the proposed budget is too high, it is possible to agree on how to undertake the case within the clients own required budget.
However, if the client suggests a figure which is too low to run the case properly, we reserve the right to turn away the instructions.
It is important to realize that participating in litigation can be a worthwhile exercise if reasonable budgets are agreed.
It may be possible to endeavour to meet the required budgets, again, through the use of junior lawyers to undertake part or parts of the work.
As a comfort measure, it is possible to agree a costs authority for fees for certain cases. We are normally reluctant to agree to this as in litigation much work can be required to be undertaken at very short notice, particularly in relation to court hearings/ appointments.
3. Adverse Costs
If a litigation case is lost this is very bad news as it can lead to an adverse cost order. This means the other side can claim their costs from you. It is fairly easy for the other side’s legal costs to have run in the tens of thousands of even over one hundred thousand plus in large cases. Generally, not all costs are recoverable by the successful party – normal recoverability is between 60% and 80%.
It is possible to protect a client against an adverse costs order by three devices;-
- Small claims jurisdiction – By initially limiting the claim to the small claims jurisdiction. The small claims track has a limit for claims to a maximum of £10,000, and within this jurisdiction, only limited costs are generally recoverable. Such limited costs include court fees, expert fees and the costs of witnesses attending the hearing to give evidence.
Accordingly, if you are only claiming a small amount under £10,000, you can largely avoid adverse risk exposure.
However, I will add a word of warning, if a party conducts a case unreasonably then costs can be awarded against the unreasonable party even in the small claims jurisdiction.
A claim will be considered unreasonable by the courts if the claim has no merits or the defence of a party has no merits. The Court also views a party not complying with court orders etc as acting in an unreasonable manner.
- Legal Cost Insurance – A person can also protect him/herself from legal costs by taking out insurance. Insurance can be taken out pre or post-litigation.
A person can take out insurance pre-litigation usually under a home contents or business contents insurance. However pre-insurance cover can be quite difficult to secure in a home content or business content policy. You normally would have to support an application for insurance cover with a favorable Counsel’s opinion. Insurance companies also often require/encourage that you use a solicitor of their choice. However once proceedings have been issued you have a statutory right to choose your solicitor. To try to deter the use of outside solicitors insurers often offer very low rates to outside solicitors. However I am generally successful in challenging specified fees through the Ombudsman. We are very experienced in securing cover for insurance policies. This is generally difficult and we need to know what we are doing and be persistent. Insurance companies solicitors are usually in my experience are very junior and carry a heavy workload. Due to their pressure of work they can be at times a little slow to prosecute a claim.
Alternatively a person can acquire an insurance policy after or at the commencement of litigation. This is known as an after the event insurance policy. ATE policies can be relatively expensive, normally a third of the cost insured. They also generally require that the opponent is credit worthy or is covered by their insurance policy and that you have a written Counsels opinion that you have a 60% plus chance of winning your case. Cost protection can also be protected under Part 36 of the Civil Procedure Rules. If the offer is not beaten at trial, the other side will be required to pay costs 21 days from the date of the offer as well as being liable for a 10% additional payment. In relevant cases, enhance interest can also be claimed.
- No win no fee – There are two types of no win no fee agreements, the Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) and the Damages-Based Agreement (DBA).
A CFA is where there is a successful uplift. Only the basic costs may be recovered from the other party under the current rules of costs. If the case is lost, there are no solicitor’s fees – only out-of-pocket reimbursements. However, if the case is won an enhancement will be added to the fees, which is typically between 25 and 100 percent. The enhancement cannot be recovered from the opponent, and so will be deducted from any damages recovered. There is normally a cap of about 33 percent of the amount of damages, subject to the success fee. If you lose the case you pay nothing save for your expert fees and out-of-pocket disbursements.
A DBA is when we agree a percentage of the damages will be taken in legal costs; this is usually about a third. Like with a CFA basic costs are recoverable under an adverse cost order, and the percentage of damages we receive is an extra on top of that.
Settling a Case
The various litigation risks and the cost of litigation are why cases settle, and it is fairly normal for cases to settle. The reason for this is there is no way to guarantee a person that they will win their case (a barrister will not usually give more than a 70% chance of successes) and even if a party wins they normally have unrecovered legal costs whilst if they lose not only will they have to pay the judgment debt but usually two sets of legal costs due to an adverse cost order.
Mediation
Mediation is a common method of settling proceedings. It involves an independent person, normally a lawyer trying to procure a resolution of a case at a meeting. There are normally joint and separate sessions with the mediator at the appointment. Mediation is a very effective way of settling a case. It is very rare for me to leave a mediation meeting without settling a case. If the case does not settle at the mediation appointment, there is a very good chance that it will settle within a few weeks once the parties have has the chance to reflect on their legal positions.
Pre-Action Protocol Procedure
This is mandatory before issuing proceedings. This involves a letter of claim sent in a prescribed format to the opponent. This usually requires a fairly detailed letter setting out the basis of the claim and the remedy/ remedies sought, along with other supporting documentation. The opponent will need to reply with a letter of response setting out in detail why they dispute the claim, and also provide any offers of settlement on a without prejudice basis. The Court rules also require the parties to consider mediation after the receipt of the letter.
I hope that these notes have been informative. I will be very willing to clarify any issues after the meeting. | https://www.sr-law.co.uk/articles/litigation-funding/ |
by Richard Liang ’18
The human brain affects almost everything aspect of existence, from locomotion and speech to feeling. Decision making and self-control are also affected by parts of the brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex. However, a recent study led by Alexander Soutscheck in the Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research of the University of Zurich has shown that there could also be another mechanism for decision making and self-control that involves the posterior temporal parietal junction (pTPJ).
The experiment was carried out on 43 volunteers recruited from the University of Zurich. The procedure involved manipulating the pTPJ of test subjects using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and observing how it affected their decision making. TMS utilizes magnetic impulses to directly stimulate certain regions of the brain in a noninvasive manner. These subjects were then given two different tasks: an intertemporal task (deciding between a small immediate or large delayed reward) and an interpersonal task (deciding between a selfish reward or a pro-social reward).
After performing an ANOVA test to determine whether the differences in values between groups are considered to be statistically significant, it was discovered that there was in fact a significant difference in the decisions made by subjects who were under TMS, as opposed to those who were not. Subjects that had experienced TMS to their pTPJ were more likely to choose the small immediate and selfish rewards over the large delayed and pro-social rewards. This supports the theory that the pTPJ is involved in promoting delayed gratification and pro-social behavior. As of now, the actual mechanism by which the pTPJ affects decision making is still being researched. Further studies are needed to determine how the pTPJ works in tandem with the prefrontal cortex to make decisions. Such research could improve brain mapping and improve out understanding of human choice.
References:
- A. Soutscheck, et al., Brain stimulation reveals crucial role of overcoming self-centeredness in self-control. Science Advances (2016). | https://sbyireview.com/2016/11/08/self-control-beyond-the-prefrontal-cortex/ |
This study investigated commitment in the romantic relationships of 16 African-American men and women, eight men and eight women, aged 20-23. Ten participants were currently in a committed relationship and six participants were not currently in a committed relationship at the time of the study. Interdependence theory guided this qualitative study to examine how participants defined commitment, what they expected from their partners, sources that were instrumental in their development of expectations of how a partner should behave in a committed relationship, and the meanings they attached to relational alternatives, investments, rewards, costs, and barriers. Results indicated that eight relational themes defined commitment: exclusivity, honesty, being supportive, spending time, communicating, getting respect, trust, and love. In addition, two types of commitment were identified, short-term and long-term. From this sample, there was a connection between the definition of commitment and the meanings attached to relational alternatives, investments, rewards, costs, and barriers. The sources of how a partner should behave served as the context for the definition of commitment and meanings attached to alternatives, investments, rewards, costs, and barriers. Suggestions for future research on close relationships among African-Americans are discussed. | https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/36706 |
Airy 1bhk with terrace on 6th floor of 6 floor building. Flat has good light and also great privacy. It is corner flat and good sunlight plus sights of hills and new green environment around of navi mumbai.
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Remine combines consumer data and property data onto a single platform that delivers actionable intelligence to real estate agents.
Ojo Labs
Ojo Labs is engaged in the development of an AI-driven personal assistant for realtors and homebuyers.
StepUp Consulting
StepUp is an international expert in revenue management and Big Data for marketing, sales, trade marketing.
Alchera Technologies
Alchera Technologies is a computer vision and machine learning platform that powers smart cities, intelligent infrastructure, and transport systems. | https://craft.co/remine/competitors?competitors=remine%2Cojo-labs%2Cstepup-consulting%2Calchera-technologies |
Hidden Wisdom and Unseen Treasure: Revisiting Cataloging in Medieval Libraries
Creators:Russell, Beth M.
Issue Date:1998
MetadataShow full item record
Publisher:The Haworth Press
Citation:Beth M. Russell, "Hidden Wisdom and Unseen Treasure: Revisiting Cataloging in Medieval Libraries," Cataloging and Classification Quarterly 26, no. 3 (1998), doi:10.1300/J104v26n03_03
Abstract:
Scholars working in the fields of medieval history and cultural history have recognized that understanding the cataloging and accessioning of books is central to understanding the transmission of ideas. This view should come as no surprise to catalogers themselves, who daily struggle with the problem of providing intellectual, and sometimes physical, access to texts and information. Unfortunately, general histories of libraries and even the library literature seem content to sketch out a chronological development of cataloging in line with the nineteenth and twentieth century view of library development, from a simple list to complex intellectual systems. In truth, however, those individuals responsible for cataloging books in medieval libraries faced many of the same challenges as catalogers today: how to organize information, how to serve local needs, and how to provide access to individual works within larger bibliographic.formats. This article will summarize recent scholarship in the history of the book that relates to library cataloging, as well as providing parallels to the cooperative library environment of today.
Type:Article
ISSN:0163-9374 (Print)
1544-4554 (Online)
Items in Knowledge Bank are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. | https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/47377 |
The invention discloses electricity marketing customer archive analysis method based on address big data. The method specifically comprises the following steps: (1) acquiring and associating address data, namely acquiring address data of user registration data, acquiring address big data from a cloud server through big data service, checking and associating the address data of users through a cloud calculation platform; (2) carrying out customer archive classification; (3) analyzing an electricity use environment; (4) establishing an analysis system, namely establishing a statistic table of electricity use properties, electricity use quantities and electricity use rules, and associating the statistic table with label types in the customer archives so as to conveniently call corresponding information according to labels; (5) generating files automatically. By adopting the method, structures of customer archives are classified and detailed, so that data can be rapidly structuralized andvisualized, electricity use information of users can be accurately handled in real time, electricity use schemes meeting customer requirements can be made, and benefits of electricity marketing can bethus increased. | |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to connector assemblies and, more particularly, to connector assemblies for compliantly and resiliently connecting displaceable elements, such as pivotally connected links of linkage assemblies, and tensioning systems.
The prior art is replete with connector assemblies for and connectors for interconnecting fixed and moving parts. Although skilled artisans have devoted considerable effort toward such connector assemblies, past efforts have yielded connector assemblies that are complicated in structure, difficult and expensive to construct and, in some cases, impracticable. Accordingly, it is a purpose of the present invention to provide improved connector assemblies useful in dynamically connecting displaceable members and tensioning systems that are simple and efficient and that are adjustable and flexible for numerous applications.
According to the principle of the invention, a connector assembly includes a shank having an inner extremity, an outer extremity, an inner abutment proximate to the inner extremity, and an outer abutment proximate to the outer extremity. The shank is arranged about a longitudinal axis that extends from the inner extremity to the outer extremity. A connector includes an inner end, a pivotally mountable outer end, and a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion between the inner end and the pivotally mountable outer end. The inner end is an inner loop. The inner loop encircles the shank between the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The inner loop is movable reciprocally along the shank relative to the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The first portion extends laterally outward from the shank from the inner loop to the second portion. The first portion is transverse relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank and is perpendicular relative to the second portion. The second portion extends alongside the shank from the first portion past the outer extremity and the outer abutment to the third portion ahead of the outer extremity and the outer abutment. The third portion extends inwardly from the second portion toward the longitudinal axis of the shank and forwardly from the second portion to the pivotally mountable outer end. The third portion is aslant relative to the second portion and the longitudinal axis of the shank. The second portion of the connector is longer than each of the first portion and the third portion of the connector. The pivotally mountable outer end of the connector is an outer loop. The inner loop encircles an inner loop axis and the outer loop encircles an outer loop axis. The outer loop axis is perpendicular relative to the outer loop axis. First and second compression springs encircle the shank between the inner loop of the connector and the inner abutment. The first and second compression springs and the inner loop are captured on the shank between the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The first compression spring has a first strength. The second compression spring has a second strength. The first strength of the first compression spring is less than the second strength of the second compression spring. The first compression spring is captured between and is tensioned against the inner loop and the second compression spring, the second compression spring is captured between and is tensioned against the first compression spring and the inner abutment. The first and second compression springs keep tension on the inner loop urging the inner loop toward the outer abutment. In a particular embodiment there are first and second displaceable members. The inner abutment is affixed rigidly to the first displaceable member, and the pivotally mountable outer end of the connector is mounted pivotally to the second displaceable member.
According to the principle of the invention, a connector assembly includes a turnbuckle, a connector, a first compression spring, a second compression spring, and a third compression spring. The turnbuckle includes a frame having a first end and a second end, a first bolt screwed into the first end of the frame, and a second bolt screwed into the second end of the frame. The first bolt is arranged about a longitudinal axis and extends outwardly from the first end of the frame to a head, and the second bolt is an eye bolt that extends outwardly from the second end of the frame to a connecting loop. The connector includes an inner end, an outer end, and a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion between the inner end and the outer end. The inner end is an inner loop. The inner loop encircles the first bolt between the first end of the frame and the head. The inner loop is movable reciprocally along the first bolt relative to the first end of the frame and the head. The first portion extends from the inner loop to the second portion. The first portion extends outward from the longitudinal axis of the first bolt and is transverse relative to the second portion. The second portion extends from the first portion past the head of the first bolt to the third portion ahead of the head of the first bolt. The third portion extends inward from the second portion toward the longitudinal axis of the first bolt to the outer end of the connector. The second portion of the connector is longer than each of the first portion and the third portion of the connector, and the outer end of the connector is an outer loop. First, second, and third compression springs encircle the first bolt. The first, second, and third compression springs and the inner loop are captured on the first bolt between the head and the first end of the frame. The second compression spring is tensioned between the first compression spring and the third compression spring. The first compression spring is tensioned between the head and the second compression spring. The third compression spring is tensioned between the second compression spring and the first end of the frame. The inner loop encircles the first bolt between the second compression spring and one of the first compression spring and the third compression spring. The first, second, and third compression springs are tensioned in series from the head of the first bolt to the first end of the frame. The first compression spring is tensioned against the head, the third compression spring is tensioned against the first end of the frame, the second compression spring and the one of the first compression spring and the third compression spring are tensioned against the inner loop, and the second compression spring and the other one of the first compression spring and the third compression spring are tensioned against one another. The first compression spring has a first strength, the second compression spring has a second strength, and the third compression spring has a third strength. The second strength of the second compression spring is less than each of the first strength of the first compression spring and the third strength of the third compression spring. The first portion of the connector is perpendicular relative to the second portion of the connector and the longitudinal axis of the first bolt. The third portion of the connector is perpendicular relative to the second portion of the connector and the longitudinal axis of the first bolt.
According to the principle of the invention, a connector assembly includes a shank having an inner extremity, an outer extremity, an inner abutment proximate to the inner extremity, and an outer abutment proximate to the outer extremity. The shank is arranged about a longitudinal axis that extends from the inner extremity to the outer extremity. A connector includes an inner end, a pivotally mountable outer end, and a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion between the inner end and the pivotally mountable outer end. The inner end is an inner loop. The inner loop encircles the shank between the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The inner loop is movable reciprocally along the shank relative to the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The first portion extends laterally outward from the shank from the inner loop to the second portion. The first portion is transverse relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank and is perpendicular relative to the second portion. The second portion extends alongside the shank from the first portion past the outer extremity and the outer abutment to the third portion ahead of the outer extremity and the outer abutment. The third portion extends inwardly from the second portion toward the longitudinal axis of the shank and forwardly from the second portion to the pivotally mountable outer end. The third portion is aslant relative to the second portion and the longitudinal axis of the shank. The second portion of the connector is longer than each of the first portion and the third portion of the connector. The pivotally mountable outer end of the connector is an outer loop. The inner loop encircles an inner loop axis and the outer loop encircles an outer loop axis, and the outer loop axis is perpendicular relative to the outer loop axis. First and second compression springs encircle the shank between the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The first and second compression springs and the inner loop are captured on the shank between the inner abutment and the outer abutment. The inner loop encircles the shank between the first compression spring and the second compression spring. The first compression spring is tensioned against the inner abutment and the inner loop. The second compression spring is tensioned against the inner loop and the outer abutment. The first and second compression springs keep tension on either side of the inner loop. In a particular embodiment there are first and second displaceable members, the inner abutment is affixed rigidly to the first displaceable member, and the pivotally mountable outer end of the connector is mounted pivotally to the second displaceable member.
Consistent with the foregoing summary of illustrative embodiments, and the ensuing detailed description, which are to be taken together, the invention also contemplates associated apparatus and method embodiments.
FIG. 1
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Turning now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to in which there is seen a side elevation view of a connector assembly shown connected to displaceable members, including a segment of an inner arm pivotally connected to an outer arm having an outer end formed with an attached stabilizer for interacting with the ground. Inner arm is for being connected to a vehicle that is driven over the ground, such as a bicycle or other pedal-driven vehicle, a trolley, a wagon, or the like, and stabilizer is for interacting with the ground over which such as vehicle is driven like a training wheel assembly to stabilize the vehicle as it is driven to, for instance, prevent it from tipping over or otherwise becoming unstable. In this example, stabilizer is a wheel that is capable of rolling over the ground over which the vehicle connected to inner arm is driven. In an alternate embodiment, stabilizer can be a skid for running over the ground.
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FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
FIG. 1
FIG. 5
FIG. 2
FIG. 6
FIG. 3
Inner arm includes an outer end . Outer arm includes a first part A having inner end , and a second part B having outer end connected to stabilizer , and an intermediate bend C between first part A and second part B. A conventional pivot joint pivotally connects outer end of inner arm to inner end of first part A of outer arm . First part A extends upright from inner end to intermediate bend C in outer arm , and the second part B extends forward or outward from the intermediate bend C in the outer arm to stabilizer , which depends downwardly from outer end of outer arm ahead of and opposing pivot joint . In this example, inner end of outer arm is an eye bar and outer end of inner arm is a clevis. The eye bar of outer end of inner arm is inserted into the clevis of inner end of outer arm , which are attached pivotally with a nut-and-bolt assembly . This characterizes pivot joint , which provides pivotal movement of outer arm relative to inner arm from an inner or loaded position toward inner arm in to an outer or unloaded position away inner arm in from either side of an initial, starting, or neutral position of outer arm in between the inner position of outer arm in and the outer position of outer arm in . Connector assembly is connected to inner arm and the intermediate bend C of outer arm . Connector assembly extends across the inner angle between inner arm and first part A to the intermediate bend C of outer arm . Connector assembly is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm and is mounted pivotally to intermediate bend C in outer arm . Connector assembly acts as a shock absorber between inner arm and outer arm , displacing between shortened and lengthened conditions in response to pivotal movement of outer arm relative to inner arm between its inner/loaded position and its outer/unloaded position. Connector assembly is set to an initial or starting sag corresponding to the initial, neutral, or starting position of outer arm relative to inner arm in , is set to or otherwise assumes a loaded sag corresponding to the inner or loaded position of outer arm relative to inner arm in , and is set to or otherwise assumes an unloaded sag corresponding to the outer or unloaded position of outer arm relative to inner arm in . The term “sag” is a common term in the field of shock absorbers and means the amount of sag or deflection of the shock absorber, here being connector assembly . is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing connector assembly set to its initial sag corresponding to the initial, starting, or neutral position of outer arm relative to inner arm under a normal load condition, is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing connector assembly set to its loaded sag corresponding to the inner or loaded position of outer arm relative to inner arm under a loaded condition that is greater than the normal load condition, and is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing connector assembly set to its unloaded sag corresponding to the outer or unloaded position of outer arm relative to inner arm under an unloaded condition that is less than the normal load condition.
FIGS. 7 and 8
FIG. 7
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70
70
71
72
73
72
104
52
73
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71
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1
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1
104
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70
52
Turning to , connector assembly includes bolt . Bolt is a shank that includes inner extremity , and outer extremity . Inner extremity is mountable rigidly and is formed with lug , which is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm . Outer extremity is threaded. Nut is threaded onto outer extremity . Nut is considered a part of shank when threaded on outer extremity . Lug is an inner abutment of shank proximate to inner extremity , and nut is an outer abutment applied to shank proximate to outer extremity . Accordingly, reference numeral is used to denote both the lug and the inner abutment of shank , and reference numeral is used to denote both the bolt and the outer abutment of shank . Shank is elongate and straight and is arranged about a longitudinal axis X in that extends from inner extremity to outer extremity . In an alternate embodiment, outer abutment can be fixed in place, such as by welding. Longitudinal axis X is a fixed axis because lug of inner extremity of bolt is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm .
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83
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81
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81
FIGS. 8-12
Connector assembly further includes a connector . Connector is an elongate member formed of spring wire that is bent to shape, and that has shape memory. Referring to in relevant part, connector includes an inner end , an outer end , and a first portion , a second portion , and a third portion between inner end and outer end . First, second, and third portions , , and of connector are each elongate, each having a length. The length of second portion of connector is longer than the length of first portion and also the length of third portion . The length of third portion is, in turn, longer than the length of first portion . Inner end is an inner loop A. Inner loop A is not completely closed, but can be completely closed in an alternate embodiment if so desired by rigidly affixing, such as by welding or heat bonding, the tag end of inner loop A to the opposed standing part of inner end .
83
84
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84
85
84
82
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81
2
82
3
2
3
FIG. 12
FIGS. 9 and 10
First, second, and third portions , , and reside in a common plane. First and third portions and extend outwardly in same direction from bends at either end of second portion . First portion is perpendicular relative to second portion , and third portion extends forwardly from second portion and is aslant/oblique relative to second portion at an angle of from 40 degrees to 45 degrees in this example. Outer end is pivotally mountable, and is a pivotally mountable outer loop A. In , inner loop A encircles an inner loop axis P. In , outer loop A encircles outer loop axis P. Inner loop axis P is perpendicular relative to the outer loop axis P.
FIG. 7
81
80
71
104
76
104
76
71
73
104
71
76
71
83
81
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52
1
71
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1
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1
71
In , inner end of connector is mounted reciprocally to shank between inner abutment and outer abutment for movement in reciprocal directions relative to inner abutment and outer abutment indicated by double arrowed line A. Specifically, inner loop encircles shank proximate to outer extremity between lug defining the inner abutment of shank , and nut defining the outer abutment of shank . First portion extends from inner loop A to second portion . First portion extends radially outward from shank away from inner arm and from longitudinal axis X of shank to second portion , and second portion is, as indicated above, perpendicular relative to first portion . Second portion is spaced from, and extends along the side of shank , and extends forwardly from first portion past outer extremity and outer abutment to third portion ahead of outer extremity and outer abutment . Third portion extends inwardly from second portion toward longitudinal axis X of shank and forwardly from second portion to outer loop A of outer end , the third portion being aslant/oblique relative to second portion and also relative to shank including longitudinal axis X of shank .
81
71
81
71
1
71
1
104
76
50
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71
50
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71
81
81
50
80
70
FIG. 7
FIGS. 2 and 5
FIGS. 3 and 6
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
Sufficient clearance between inner loop A and shank permits inner loop A to pivot on shank relative to longitudinal axis X, and to move in reciprocal directions along shank along longitudinal axis X as indicated by double arrowed line A in relative to inner abutment and outer abutment between an inner position in corresponding to the loaded sag of connector assembly and an inner or retracted position of connector relative to shank , an outer position in corresponding to the unloaded sag of connector assembly and an outer or extended position of connector relative to shank , and an intermediate position in between the inner position of inner loop A in and the outer position of loop A in corresponding to the initial sag of connector assembly and an initial, starting, or neutral position of connector relative to shank .
FIG. 8
FIG. 7
50
90
100
90
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90
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90
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70
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81
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76
In , connector assembly further includes a first compression spring and a second compression spring . First and second compression springs and are conventional compression/tension springs that each provides an outward bias. Each of the first and second compression springs and is a wire formed into numerous active coils. First and second compression springs and are each fashioned of spring steel having the customary constant moduli of elasticity as is typical with compression/tension springs. In , first and second compression springs and are installed on shank between inner abutment and outer abutment . Specifically, first and second compression springs and encircle shank between inner loop A of connector and inner abutment of shank . First and second compression springs and and inner loop A are installed onto shank over outer extremity and then nut is threaded onto outer extremity of shank . First compression spring is positioned between inner loop A and second compression spring , inner loop A is positioned between first compression spring and outer abutment , and second compression spring is positioned between inner abutment and first compression spring . First and second compression springs and and inner loop A are captured on shank between inner abutment and outer abutment , which is nut . First compression spring is captured between and is tensioned against inner loop A of connector and second compression spring , and second compression spring is captured between and is tensioned against first compression spring and inner abutment of connector . First and second compression springs are outwardly tensioned and act against inner abutment and inner loop A urging inner loop A toward or otherwise in the direction of outer abutment .
50
90
100
90
100
90
100
90
100
A compression spring is designed with a specific strength or working stress, which is dependent on the material, the diameter of the wire and the pitch of the coils. In connector assembly , first compression spring has a first strength or working stress, second compression spring has a second strength or working stress, and the first strength or working stress of first compression spring is less than the second strength or working stress of second compression spring . Compression springs and are well known “average service” springs. Average service springs make up the majority of springs in general use such as those found in motors, brakes, switches, machines, and mechanical products. Depending on the application, compression springs and can be “light service” compression springs, or “severe service” compression springs in alternate embodiments. Light service compression springs are well known to the skilled artisan and have small deflections with low stress ranges. Severe service compressions springs are also well known to the skilled artisan and are subjected to rapid deflections over long periods of time.
50
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111
3
112
111
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82
FIGS. 1-6
FIGS. 1-7
Connector assembly is useful for resiliently and dynamically connecting displaceable members, such as pivotally connected inner and outer arms and in . As stated above, connector assembly is connected to inner arm and the intermediate bend C of outer arm , and extends across the inner angle between inner arm and first part A to the intermediate bend C of outer arm . Referencing in relevant part, inner extremity of shank is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm with lug , and outer end of connector is mounted pivotally to the intermediate bend C of outer arm between first part A and second part B. In this example, lug is affixed rigidly and immovably to inner arm via welding. A clevis is rigidly affixed to intermediate bend C of outer arm via welding, and outer loop A of outer end of connector is pivotally connected to clevis with nut-and-bolt assembly . Outer loop A pivots at nut-and-bolt assembly about a pivot axis, which is outer loop axis P. Washers encircle the bolt of nut-and-bolt assembly between clevis on either side of outer loop A.
50
52
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54
52
50
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54
90
100
81
76
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
Connector assembly holds inner and outer arms and in operative positions and restrains movement of outer arm relative to inner arm from its inner or loaded position in and its outer or unloaded position in . Connector assembly acts as a shock absorber between inner arm and outer arm . The tension supplied by first and second tension springs and constantly urges inner loop A toward outer abutment .
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 2 and 5
FIG. 3
50
54
52
54
61
81
81
81
80
90
100
50
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In , connector assembly is set to the initial or starting sag corresponding to the initial or neutral or starting position of outer arm relative to inner arm in in a normal load condition. In this starting position of outer arm relative to inner arm, stabilizer is set against the ground and inner loop A is set to its intermediate position between the inner position of inner loop A in and the outer position of loop A in corresponding to the initial position of connector , and first and second compression springs and are tensioned to the initial sag of connector assembly , in which first compression spring is tensioned/compressed comparatively more than second compression spring because the strength of first compression spring is less than the strength of second compression spring .
54
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3
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71
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81
54
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 2 and 5
FIG. 5
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 2 and 5
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 2 and 5
FIGS. 1 and 2
FIG. 5
In response to movement of outer arm from its starting position in to its inner or loaded position in , such as in response to stabilizer striking an object or in response to an increased load applied across inner and outer arms and , outer end of connector pivots at outer loop A about outer loop axis P, and connector is driven in the direction of arrowed line B in from its initial position in to its retracted position in concurrently urging inner loop A along shank in the same direction away from outer abutment and toward inner abutment from its initial position in to its loaded position in concurrently compressing first and second compression springs and between inner loop A and inner abutment . Because second compression spring is stronger than first compression spring , first and second compression springs and cooperate to increasingly resist movement of outer arm as first and second compression springs and are compressed between inner abutment and inner loop A as outer arm moves from its starting position in to its inner or loaded position in .
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3
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1
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61
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 2 and 5
FIGS. 3 and 6
FIG. 6
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 3 and 6
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIGS. 3 and 6
In response to movement of outer arm from its starting position in or its inner or loaded position in to its outer or unloaded position in , outer end of connector pivots at outer loop A about outer loop axis P, and connector is driven in the direction of arrowed line C in from its initial position in to its extended position in concurrently urging inner loop A along shank in the same direction away from inner abutment and toward and against outer abutment concurrently and partially decompressing first and second compression springs and between inner loop A and inner abutment . Outer abutment limits/restrains the outward movement of inner loop A. Because second compression spring is stronger than first compression spring , first and second compression springs and cooperate to decreasingly resist movement of outer arm as it moves from its starting position in to its outer or unloaded position in . In the outermost position of inner loop A against outer abutment , first and second compression springs and remain partially tensioned urging inner loop A toward and against outer abutment . In response to movement of connector from its starting position to its inner position and from its starting position to its outer position, inner loop A freely pivots on shank relative to longitudinal axis X and moves along shank in reciprocal directions relative to inner abutment and outer abutment . Connector assembly provides shock absorption between inner and outer arms and , and tends to keep stabilizer in contact with the ground.
76
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90
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As nut is threaded on outer extremity of shank of bolt , nut forming the outer abutment is adjustable in reciprocal directions along shank in response to rotation of nut relative to shank . This adjustability of nut allows the initial tension of first and second compression springs and to be adjusted as needed.
FIGS. 1-6
81
71
83
81
84
83
71
1
71
52
54
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1
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1
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80
In , inner loop A encircles shank , first portion extends from inner loop A to second portion , first portion extends radially outward from shank and from longitudinal axis X of shank and from the inner angle between inner and outer arms and to second portion , second portion is perpendicular relative to first portion , second portion is spaced from and extends along the side of shank and extends forwardly from first portion past outer extremity and outer abutment to third portion ahead of outer extremity and outer abutment , and third portion extends inwardly from second portion toward longitudinal axis X of shank and forwardly from second portion to outer loop A of outer end pivotally connected to outer arm , the third portion being aslant/oblique relative to second portion and shank including longitudinal axis X of shank , outer loop A of outer end located ahead of an opposing outer extremity and outer abutment . The shape of connector is chosen to produce a mechanical advantage to compress and decompress springs and with the movement of connector between its inner and outer positions in response to pivotal movement of outer arm between its inner and outer positions. The orientation of third portion being aslant/oblique from second portion to the pivotal connection of outer loop A relative to second portion and shank including longitudinal axis X of shank imparts strength in connector and produces the mechanical advantage of connector .
FIGS. 13, 14, and 19-23
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2
show an alternate embodiment of a connector assembly including a turnbuckle . Turnbuckle includes a frame . Frame has a first end and a second end . First end is in-line with respect to second end . A first bolt is threaded/screwed into first end of frame . A second bolt is threaded/screwed into second end of frame . First bolt is arranged about a longitudinal axis X and extends outwardly from first end of frame to a head . Second bolt is an eye bolt that extends outwardly from second end of frame to a connecting loop . Second bolt is in-line with respect to first bolt , and is arranged about longitudinal axis X.
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5
FIGS. 13-23
FIGS. 13-18
FIG. 18
FIGS. 15 and 16
Connector assembly further includes a connector . Referring in relevant part to , connector is an elongate member and is formed of spring wire that is bent to shape, and that has shape memory. Referring to in relevant part, connector includes an inner end , an outer end , and a first portion , a second portion , and a third portion between inner end and outer end . First, second, and third portions , , and of connector are each elongate, each having a length. The length of second portion of connector is longer than the length of first portion and also the length of third portion . The length of third portion is, in turn, equal to the length of first portion . Inner end is an inner loop A. Outer end is an outer loop A. In , inner loop A encircles an inner loop axis P. First, second, and third portions , , and reside in a common plane. First and third portions and extend outwardly from bends at either end of second portion . First portion is perpendicular relative to second portion , and third portion is perpendicular relative to second portion . Outer end is pivotally mountable, and is a pivotally mountable outer loop A. In , outer loop A encircles outer loop axis P. Inner loop axis P is perpendicular relative to the outer loop axis P.
FIGS. 13 and 19
FIG. 13
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2
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5
4
In , inner loop A encircles first bolt between first end of frame and head of first bolt . Sufficient clearance between inner loop A and first bolt permits inner loop A to move in reciprocal directions along first bolt along longitudinal axis X as indicated by double arrowed line D in relative to first end of frame and head of first bolt to permit corresponding movement of connector in reciprocal directions indicated by double arrowed line D. First portion of connector extends from inner loop A to second portion . First portion extends radially outward from inner loop A and first bolt and longitudinal axis X of first bolt . First portion is transverse relative to second portion and, more particularly, is perpendicular relative to second portion . Second portion is spaced apart from and extends forwardly alongside first bolt from first portion past head of first bolt to third portion ahead of head of first bolt . Third portion extends inward from second portion toward longitudinal axis X of first bolt to outer loop A of outer end . Outer loop A of outer end resides along axis X. Inner loop axis P is coincident with longitudinal axis X of first bolt and outer loop axis P is perpendicular relative to inner loop axis P.
FIG. 14
140
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192
In , connector assembly further includes a first compression spring , a second compression , and a third compression spring . First, second, and third compression springs , , and are conventional compression/tension springs that each provides an outward bias and is a wire formed into numerous active coils including two, opposed outermost coils. First, second, and third compression springs , , and are each fashioned of spring steel having the customary constant moduli of elasticity as is typical with compression/tension springs.
190
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First, second, and third compression springs , , and encircle first bolt . First, second, and third compression springs , , and , and inner loop A are captured on first bolt between head and first end of frame . Second compression spring is tensioned between first compression spring and the third compression spring , first compression spring is tensioned between head of first bolt and second compression spring , and third compression spring is tensioned between second compression spring and first end of frame . Inner loop A encircles first bolt between second compression spring and third compression spring . The first, second, and third compression springs , , and are tensioned in series from head of first bolt to first end of frame , first compression spring being tensioned against head and second compression spring , third compression spring being tensioned against first end of frame inner loop A of connector , and second compression spring being tensioned against first compression spring and inner loop A of connector . First and second compression springs and are concurrently constantly tensioned in the direction of inner end of frame against inner loop A of connector encircling first bolt between second compression spring and third compression spring , and third compression spring is constantly tensioned in the opposite direction toward head against inner loop A of connector encircling bolt .
50
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As explained above in connection with connector assembly , a compression spring is designed with a specific strength, which is dependent on the material, the diameter of the wire and the pitch of the coils. In connector assembly , first compression spring has a first strength or working stress, second compression spring has a second strength or working stress, and third compression spring has a third strength or working stress. The second strength or working stress of the second compression spring is less than the first strength or working stress of the first compression spring and is less than the third strength or working stress of the third compression spring . The first strength or working stress of the first compression spring is equal to the third strength or working stress of the third compression spring . In connector assembly , first, second, and third compression springs , , and are well known average service springs. Depending on the application, compression springs , , and can be light service compression springs, or severe service compression springs in alternate embodiments.
140
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182
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145
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Connector assembly is useful for adjusting the tension of tensioning systems, lengths of ropes, cables, wires, and the like. Connecting loop of second bolt and outer loop A can be connected to such a tensioning system, and the tension can be adjusted by rotating frame , which causes first and second bolts and to be simultaneously screwed in or out of first and second ends and , respectively, without twisting first and second bolts and or the tensioning system.
192
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191
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FIG. 19
The tension supplied by third compression spring on one side of outer loop A of connector between first end of frame and inner loop A and the tension of first and second compression springs and on the opposed side of inner loop A of connector between head and inner loop A constantly work against each other urging inner loop A of connector to an initial or at-rest position between second and third compression springs and in along the length of first bolt proximate to first end of frame between head of first bolt and first end of frame . Second compression spring is tensioned/compressed comparatively more than first and third compression springs and because the strength of second compression spring is less than the strength of second and third compression springs and .
FIG. 19
FIG. 20
FIG. 19
FIG. 20
200
182
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201
161
140
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161
80
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In , as a matter of example a ring is shown connecting outer loop A to connecting strap . Connecting strap and connecting loop are connectable to a tensioning system. In response to tensioning of connector assembly , connecting strap and connecting loop of second bolt are pulled apart by the tensioning system, and connector is concurrently driven in the direction of arrowed line E in urging inner loop A along first bolt in the same direction away from first end of frame and toward head of first bolt concurrently compressing first and second compression springs and between inner loop A and head of first bolt while partially relieving the tension of third compression spring between first end of frame and inner loop A allowing third compression spring to partially decompress. Because first compression spring acting between head and second compression spring is stronger than second compression spring , first and second compression springs and cooperate to increasingly resist movement of connector in the direction of arrowed line E as inner loop A moves from its at-rest position in in the direction of arrowed line E in toward head . In response to release of the tension applied across connector assembly from the tensioning system, the tension applied by first, second, and third compression springs , , and cooperate to urge inner loop A, and thus connector , back to the at-rest position until the tension supplied by third compression spring on one side of outer loop A of connector between first end of frame and inner loop A is equalized with respect to the tension of first and second compression springs and on the opposed side of inner loop A of connector between head and inner loop A.
FIG. 19
FIG. 21
FIG. 19
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In , turnbuckle is adjusted via rotation lengthening the distance between head of first bolt and first end of frame , which sets the initial tensions supplied by the respective first, second, and third compression springs , , and . To increase the initial tension supplied by first, second, and third compression springs , , and , turnbuckle can be adjusted via rotation as in to shorten the distance between head of first bolt and first end of frame . To decrease the initial tension supplied by first, second, and third compression springs , , and , turnbuckle can be adjusted from to further increase the distance between head of first bolt and first end of frame .
FIGS. 19, 20, and 21
FIGS. 22 and 23
FIGS. 22 and 23
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In , inner loop A encircles first bolt between second compression spring and third compression spring . In , connector assembly reconfigured in that inner loop A encircles first bolt between second compression spring and first compression spring . In , the first, second, and third compression springs , , and are tensioned in series from head of first bolt to first end of frame , first compression spring being tensioned against head and inner loop A of connector , third compression spring being tensioned against first end of frame and second compression spring , and second compression spring being tensioned against third compression spring and inner loop A of connector . First compression spring is concurrently constantly tensioned in the direction of inner end of frame against inner loop A of connector encircling first bolt between first compression spring and second compression spring , and second and third compression springs and are constantly tensioned in the opposite direction of head against inner loop A of connector encircling bolt .
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FIGS. 22 and 23
FIG. 22
In the embodiment of connector assembly in , the tension supplied by second and third compression springs and on one side of outer loop A of connector between first end of frame and inner loop A and the tension of first compression spring on the opposed side of inner loop A of connector between head and inner loop A constantly work against each other urging inner loop A of connector at an initial or at-rest position between first and second compression springs and in along the length of first bolt proximate to head of first bolt between head of first bolt and first end of frame . Second compression spring is compressed comparatively more than first and third compression springs and because the strength of second compression spring is less than the strength of second and third compression springs and .
FIG. 22
FIG. 20
FIG. 23
FIG. 22
FIG. 23
FIGS. 22 and 23
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In , ring is shown connecting outer loop A to connecting strap , and connecting strap and connecting loop are connectable to a tensioning system. In response to tensioning of the tension system in , connecting strap and connecting loop of second bolt are pulled apart, and connector is concurrently driven in the direction of arrowed line E in urging inner loop A along first bolt in the same direction away from first end of frame and toward head of first bolt compressing first compression spring between inner loop A and head of bolt while partially relieving the tension of second and third compression springs and between first end of frame and inner loop A allowing second and third compression springs and to partially decompress. First compression spring resists movement of connector in the direction of arrowed line E as inner loop A moves from its at-rest position in in the direction of arrowed line E in toward head . In response to release of the tension applied across connector assembly from the tensioning system, the tension applied by first, second, and third compression springs , , and cooperate to urge inner loop A, and thus connector , back to the at-rest position until the tension supplied by first compression spring on one side of outer loop A of connector between head and inner loop A is equalized with respect to the tension of second and third compression springs and on the opposed side of inner loop A of connector between inner end of frame and inner loop A. In , only first compression spring acts between head of first bolt and inner loop A of connector . This lessens the ability for connector assembly to lengthen between outer loop A and connecting loop compared to the ability of connector assembly to lengthen between outer loop A and connecting loop with first and second compression springs and acting between head of first bolt and inner loop A of connector as can be needed depending on the particular application of connector assembly .
FIG. 24
FIG. 4
FIG. 25
FIG. 26
FIG. 24
FIG. 25
FIG. 26
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FIG. 25
FIG. 26
FIG. 24
FIG. 4
FIG. 25
FIG. 5
FIG. 26
FIG. 6
FIG. 27
FIG. 27
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Attention is new directed to illustrating a further embodiment of a connector assembly shown connected to the displaceable members corresponding to , including segment of inner arm pivotally connected to outer arm . Inner arm includes an outer end . Outer arm includes first part A having inner end , and second part B having intermediate bend C. Pivot joint pivotally connects outer end of inner arm to inner end of first part A of outer arm . First part A extends upright from inner end to intermediate bend C in outer arm . In this example, inner end of outer arm is an eye bar and outer end of inner arm is a clevis. The eye bar of outer end of inner arm is inserted into the clevis of inner end of outer arm , which are attached pivotally with nut-and-bolt assembly . This characterizes pivot joint , which provides pivotal movement of outer arm relative to inner arm from an inner position toward inner arm in to an outer position away inner arm in from either side of an initial, starting, or neutral position of outer arm in between the inner position of outer arm in and the outer position of outer arm in . Connector assembly is connected to inner arm and the intermediate bend C of outer arm . Connector assembly extends across the inner angle between inner arm and first part A to the intermediate bend C of outer arm . Connector assembly is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm and is mounted pivotally to intermediate bend C in outer arm . Connector assembly acts as a shock absorber between inner arm and outer arm , displacing between shortened and lengthened conditions in response to pivotal movement of outer arm relative to inner arm between its inner position and its outer position. Connector assembly is set to an initial or starting sag corresponding to the initial, neutral, or starting position of outer arm relative to inner arm in , is set to or otherwise assumes an inner loaded sag corresponding to the inner position of outer arm relative to inner arm in , and is set to or otherwise assumes a outer loaded sag corresponding to the outer position of outer arm relative to inner arm in . Again, the term “sag” is a common term in the field of shock absorbers and means the amount of sag or deflection of the shock absorber, here being connector assembly . is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing connector assembly set to its initial sag corresponding to the initial, starting, or neutral position of outer arm relative to inner arm under a normal load condition, is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing connector assembly set to its inner loaded sag corresponding to the inner or inner loaded position of outer arm relative to inner arm under an inner loaded condition, and is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing connector assembly set to its outer loaded sag corresponding to the outer or outer loaded position of outer arm relative to inner arm under an outer loaded condition. Turning to , connector assembly includes bolt . Bolt is a shank that includes inner extremity , and outer extremity . Inner extremity is mountable rigidly and is formed with lug , which is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm . Outer extremity is threaded. Nut is threaded onto outer extremity . Nut is considered a part of shank when threaded on outer extremity . Lug is an inner abutment of shank proximate to inner extremity , and nut is an outer abutment applied to shank proximate to outer extremity . Accordingly, reference numeral is used to denote both the lug and the inner abutment of shank , and reference numeral is used to denote both the bolt and the outer abutment of shank . Shank is elongate and straight and is arranged about a longitudinal axis X in that extends from inner extremity to outer extremity . In an alternate embodiment, outer abutment can be fixed in place, such as by welding. Longitudinal axis X is a fixed axis because lug of inner extremity of bolt is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm .
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FIGS. 27-31
Connector assembly further includes a connector . Connector is an elongate member formed of spring wire that is bent to shape, and that has shape memory. Referring to in relevant part, connector includes an inner end , an outer end , and a first portion , a second portion , and a third portion between inner end and outer end . First, second, and third portions , , and of connector are each elongate, each having a length. The length of second portion of connector is longer than the length of first portion and also the length of third portion . First and third portions are approximately equal in length. Inner end is an inner loop A. Inner loop A is not completely closed, but can be completely closed in an alternate embodiment if so desired by rigidly affixing, such as by welding or heat bonding, the tag end of inner loop A to the opposed standing part of inner end .
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FIGS. 27, 30 and 31
FIGS. 27-29
First, second, and third portions , , and reside in a common plane. First and third portions and extend outwardly in same direction from bends at either end of second portion . First portion is perpendicular relative to second portion , and third portion extends forwardly from second portion and is aslant/oblique relative to second portion at an angle of from 40 degrees to 50 degrees in this example. Outer end is pivotally mountable, and is a pivotally mountable outer loop A. In , inner loop A encircles an inner loop axis Q. In , outer loop A encircles outer loop axis Q. Inner loop axis Q, along which inner loop A reciprocates, is perpendicular relative to the outer loop axis Q. Outer loop A pivots about outer loop axis Q.
FIGS. 24, 24A, and 25-26
FIG. 24
FIGS. 24A and 27
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In , inner end of connector is mounted reciprocally to shank between inner abutment and outer abutment for movement in reciprocal directions relative to inner abutment and outer abutment indicated by double arrowed line F in . Specifically, inner loop encircles shank proximate to outer extremity between lug defining the inner abutment of shank , and nut defining the outer abutment of shank . First portion extends from inner loop A to second portion . First portion extends radially inward from shank toward inner arm and from longitudinal axis X of shank to second portion , and second portion is, as indicated above, perpendicular relative to first portion . Second portion is spaced from, and extends along the side of shank , and extends forwardly from first portion past outer extremity and outer abutment to third portion ahead of outer extremity and outer abutment . Third portion extends outwardly from second portion toward longitudinal axis X of shank and forwardly from second portion to outer loop A of outer end (), the third portion being aslant/oblique relative to second portion and also relative to shank including longitudinal axis X of shank .
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FIG. 25
FIG. 26
FIG. 24
FIG. 25
FIG. 26
Sufficient clearance between inner loop A and shank permits inner loop A to displace pivotally on shank relative to longitudinal axis X, and to move in reciprocal directions along shank along longitudinal axis X as indicated by double arrowed line F in relative to inner abutment and outer abutment between an inner position in corresponding to the inner loaded sag of connector assembly and an inner or retracted position of connector relative to shank , an outer position in corresponding to the outer loaded sag of connector assembly and an outer or extended position of connector relative to shank , and an intermediate position in between the inner position of inner loop A in and the outer position of loop A in corresponding to the initial sag of connector assembly and an initial, starting, or neutral position of connector relative to shank .
FIGS. 24-27
FIG. 24
FIG. 25
FIG. 26
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In , connector assembly further includes a first compression spring and a second compression spring . First and second compression springs and are conventional compression/tension springs that each provides an outward bias. Each of the first and second compression springs is a wire formed into numerous active coils. Each of the first and second compression springs and is a wire formed into numerous active coils. First and second compression springs and are each fashioned of spring steel having the customary constant moduli of elasticity as is typical with compression/tension springs. First and second compression springs and are installed on shank between inner abutment and outer abutment . First and second compression springs and and inner loop A are installed onto shank over outer extremity and then nut is threaded onto outer extremity of shank . Specifically, first and second compression springs and encircle shank between inner abutment and outer abutment . First and second compression springs and and inner loop A are captured on shank between inner abutment and outer abutment . Inner loop A encircles shank between first compression spring and second compression spring . One washer encircles shank between first compression spring and inner loop A, and another washer encircles shank between second compression spring and inner loop A. A washer encircles shank between second compression spring and outer abutment . First compression spring is tensioned against inner abutment and inner loop A, and second compression spring is tensioned against inner loop A and outer abutment . A washer encircles shank between second compression spring and outer abutment . First and second compression springs and keep tension on either side of the inner loop A urging it into its intermediate position in between the inner position of inner loop A in and the outer position of loop A in corresponding to the initial sag of connector assembly and an initial, starting, or neutral position of connector relative to shank .
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A compression spring is designed with a specific strength or working stress, which is dependent on the material, the diameter of the wire and the pitch of the coils. In connector assembly , each of first and second compression springs and has strength or working stress. The strength or working stress of first and second compression springs and is the same in this example, and can be different in alternate embodiments. Compression springs and are well known “average service” springs. Average service springs make up the majority of springs in general use such as those found in motors, brakes, switches, machines, and mechanical products. Depending on the application, compression springs and can be “light service” compression springs, or “severe service” compression springs in alternate embodiments. Light service compression springs are well known to the skilled artisan and have small deflections with low stress ranges. Severe service compressions springs are also well known to the skilled artisan and are subjected to rapid deflections over long periods of time.
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FIGS. 24-26
Connector assembly is useful for resiliently and dynamically connecting displaceable members, such as pivotally connected inner and outer arms and in . As stated above, connector assembly is connected to inner arm and the intermediate bend C of outer arm , and extends across the inner angle between inner arm and first part A to the intermediate bend C of outer arm . Inner extremity of shank is mounted rigidly and immovably to inner arm with lug , and outer end of connector is mounted pivotally to the intermediate bend C of outer arm between first part A and second part B. In this example, lug is affixed rigidly and immovably to inner arm via welding. A clevis is rigidly affixed to intermediate bend C of outer arm via welding, and outer loop A of outer end of connector is pivotally connected to clevis with nut-and-bolt assembly . Outer loop A pivots at nut-and-bolt assembly about a pivot axis, which is outer loop axis Q. Washers encircle the bolt of nut-and-bolt assembly between clevis on either side of outer loop A.
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FIG. 25
FIG. 26
FIG. 24
FIG. 24
Connector assembly holds inner and outer arms and in operative positions and restrains movement of outer arm relative to inner arm from its inner position in and its outer position in on either side of its neutral position in . Connector assembly acts as a shock absorber between inner arm and outer arm . The tension supplied by first and second tension springs and on either side of inner loop A constantly urges inner loop A toward its intermediate or neutral position in .
FIG. 24
FIGS. 1 and 4
FIG. 25
FIG. 26
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In , connector assembly is set to the initial or starting sag corresponding to the initial or neutral or starting position of outer arm relative to inner arm in in a normal load condition. In this starting position of outer arm relative to inner arm , inner loop A is set to its intermediate position between the inner position of inner loop A in and the outer position of loop A in corresponding to the initial position of connector , and first and second compression springs and are tensioned to the initial sag of connector assembly , in which first and second compression springs and are tensioned on either side of inner loop A holding inner loop A, and thus connector , in its intermediate position.
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FIG. 24
FIG. 25
FIG. 25
FIG. 24
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FIG. 24
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FIG. 24
FIG. 25
In response to movement of outer arm from its starting position in to its inner position in , such as in response to a load applied across inner and outer arms and , outer end of connector pivots at outer loop A about outer loop axis Q, and connector is driven in the direction of arrowed line G in from its initial position in to its retracted position in concurrently urging inner loop A along shank in the same direction away from outer abutment and toward inner abutment from its initial position in to its inner loaded position in concurrently compressing first compression spring between inner abutment and inner loop A and relaxing second compression spring between outer abutment and inner loop A. First compression spring resists movement of outer arm as first compression spring is compressed between inner abutment and inner loop A as outer arm moves from its starting position in to its inner position in .
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FIG. 26
FIG. 24
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FIG. 24
FIG. 26
FIG. 24
FIG. 25
FIG. 26
In response to movement of outer arm from its starting position in or its inner position in to its outer position in , outer end of connector pivots at outer loop A about outer loop axis Q, and connector is driven in the direction of arrowed line H in from its initial position in to its extended position in concurrently urging inner loop A along shank in the same direction away from inner abutment and toward outer abutment concurrently relaxing first compression spring between inner abutment and inner loop A and compressing second compression spring between outer abutment and inner loop A. Second compression spring resists movement of outer arm as first compression spring is compressed between outer abutment and inner loop A as outer arm moves from its starting position in to its outer position in . In response to movement of connector from its starting position to its inner position and from its starting position to its outer position, inner loop A freely pivots on shank relative to longitudinal axis X and moves along shank in reciprocal directions relative to inner abutment and outer abutment . Connector assembly provides shock absorption between inner and outer arms and , and tends to keep outer arm in its neutral position in between the inner position of outer arm in and the outer position of outer arm in .
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As nut is threaded on outer extremity of shank of bolt , nut forming the outer abutment is adjustable in reciprocal directions along shank in response to rotation of nut relative to shank . This adjustability of nut allows the initial tension of first and second compression springs and to be adjusted as needed.
FIGS. 24-26
FIG. 27
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In , inner loop A encircles shank , first portion extends from inner loop A to second portion , first portion extends radially inward from shank and from longitudinal axis X of shank toward inner arm and the inner angle between inner and outer arms and to second portion , second portion is perpendicular relative to first portion , second portion is spaced from and extends along the side of shank and extends forwardly from first portion past outer extremity and outer abutment to third portion ahead of outer extremity and outer abutment , and third portion extends outwardly from second portion toward longitudinal axis X of shank and forwardly from second portion to outer loop A of outer end (see ) pivotally connected to outer arm , the third portion being aslant/oblique relative to second portion and shank including longitudinal axis X of shank , outer loop A of outer end located ahead of an opposing outer extremity and outer abutment . The shape of connector is chosen to produce a mechanical advantage to compress and decompress springs and with the movement of connector between its inner and outer positions in response to pivotal movement of outer arm between its inner and outer positions. The orientation of third portion being aslant/oblique from second portion to the pivotal connection of outer loop A indicated by outer loop axis Q relative to second portion and shank including longitudinal axis X of shank imparts strength in connector and produces the mechanical advantage of connector .
The invention has been described above with reference to illustrative embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the nature and scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the drawings:
FIG. 1
is a side elevation view of a connector assembly connected to displaceable members including a segment of an inner arm pivotally connected to an outer arm having an outer end formed with an attached stabilizer for interacting with the ground, the connector assembly shown set to an initial sag corresponding to an initial position of the outer arm relative to the inner arm;
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
is a view similar to that of illustrating the outer arm pivoted to a loaded position relative to the inner arm, and the connector assembly set to a loaded sag corresponding to the loaded position of the outer arm relative to the inner arm;
FIG. 3
FIG. 1
is a view similar to that of illustrating the outer arm pivoted to an unloaded position relative to the inner arm, and the connector assembly set to an unloaded sag corresponding to the unloaded position of the outer arm relative to the inner arm;
FIG. 4
FIG. 1
is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing the connector assembly set to the initial sag;
FIG. 5
FIG. 2
is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing the connector assembly set to the loaded sag;
FIG. 6
FIG. 3
is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to showing the connector assembly set to the unloaded sag;
FIG. 7
FIG. 1
is a fragmentary perspective view of the displaceable members of and a partially exploded perspective view of the connector assembly;
FIG. 8
FIG. 1
is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 9
FIG. 8
is a right side elevation view of a connector of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 10
FIG. 9
is a left side elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIG. 11
FIG. 9
is a front elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIG. 12
FIG. 9
is a rear elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIG. 13
is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a connector assembly;
FIG. 14
FIG. 13
is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 15
FIG. 13
is a right side elevation view of a connector of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 16
FIG. 15
is a left side elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIG. 17
FIG. 13
is a front elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIG. 18
FIG. 13
is a rear elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIGS. 19-23
FIG. 13
are side elevation views illustrating various operating positions of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 24
FIG. 4
is a fragmented perspective view of the displaceable members corresponding to connected to a further embodiment of a connector assembly shown set to an initial sag corresponding to an initial position of the outer arm relative to the inner arm;
FIG. 24A
FIG. 24
is a side elevation view of the embodiment of , portions of the view being shown in phantom like to better illustrate the components thereof;
FIG. 25
FIG. 24
is a view similar to that of illustrating the outer arm pivoted to an inner position relative to the inner arm, and the connector assembly set to an inner loaded sag corresponding to the inner position of the outer arm relative to the inner arm;
FIG. 26
FIG. 24
is a view similar to that of illustrating the outer arm pivoted to an outer position relative to the inner arm, and the connector assembly set to an outer loaded sag corresponding to the outer position of the outer arm relative to the inner arm;
FIG. 27
FIG. 24
is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 28
FIG. 24
is a left side elevation view of a connector of the connector assembly of ;
FIG. 29
FIG. 28
is a right side elevation view of the embodiment of ;
FIG. 30
FIG. 28
is a rear elevation view of the embodiment of ; and
FIG. 31
FIG. 24
is a front elevation view of the embodiment of . | |
Solving Nursing Home Problems-Sources Outside the Facility that Can Help
In almost all cases, complaints should go first to someone in charge at the nursing home (the administrator, head nurse, etc.). In fact, most outside agencies will take the complaint more seriously if you can show you have already tried to fix the problem through the nursing home.
There are some complaints, however, which should go directly to an outside source. A person with knowledge of physical abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a resident must report it to Adult Protective Services or to a local law enforcement agency. See below for more information about Adult Protective Services.
Here are outside agencies that may be able to help:
Office of Inspector General
The Office of Inspector General (Division of Heath Care Facilities and Service) is responsible for making sure that state and federal requirements are followed. Complaints about resident care, diet, conditions in the nursing home, and residents' rights can be made to the Office of Inspector General. The complaint should be as specific as possible, telling what happened, to whom it happened, who did it, when it happened, and where it happened.
The complaint should also say whether the complainant and resident are willing to have their names used and other special considerations, and how you can be reached for further information. The depth of the investigation will depend greatly on the seriousness of the problem and the degree of detail given about the problem.
Complaint information should include:
- Was the complaint reported to the county Department for Community Based Services office?
- Name of facility.
- Who is the complainant?
- What is the complaint? (Describe the facts of the complaint situation.)
- Who is/are the alleged perpetrator(s)?
- How was the patient/resident affected?
- When did the complaint situation occur? Was it an isolated event or an ongoing situation? (Include the date, time, time between different events.)
- Where did it happen? (In what care unit, patient/resident room.)
- How did it happen? What was the sequence of events?
- Is a patient/resident or the family of a patient/resident involved?
- Who witnessed the complaint situation?
- Names of staff or other residents involved. Also, include other persons involved, such as volunteers or visitors.
- Was facility made aware of complaint?
- What actions were taken by the facility?
To report a complaint regarding a licensed long term or health care facility or service, contact the appropriate enforcement branch as noted below. To determine which branch to report to, use this regional map.
Western Enforcement Branch
Western State Hospital
P.O. Box 2200
2400 Russellville Rd.
Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42241
Phone: (270) 889-6052
Fax: (270) 889-6089
Northern Enforcement Branch
L&N Building, 10-W
908 West Broadway
Louisville, Kentucky 40203
Phone: (502) 595-4079
Fax: (502) 595-4540
Southern Enforcement Branch
116 Commerce Avenue
London, Kentucky 40744
Phone: (606) 330-2030
Fax: (606) 330-2056
Eastern Enforcement Branch
Veteran's Hospital
P.O. Box 12250
2250 Leestown Rd., Bldg 25
Lexington, Kentucky 40582
Phone: (859) 246-2301
Fax: (859) 246-2307
Other sources:Kentucky Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Ombudsman is a Swedish word that means:"citizen representative." A nursing home ombudsman is a representative for residents. Ombudsmen:
- Identify and investigate, and then try to solve complaints about long term care (nursing home care, personal care, family care homes) that affect the health, welfare or quality of life of a long term care resident.
- Protect the rights of residents.
- Help residents assert their rights.
- Work to ensure quality care and treatment of residents.
- Answer questions and provide information about nursing home care and related services.
- Educate residents, families, staff, and community about nursing home residents rights.
State Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (800) 372-2991 or http://chfs.ky.gov/dail/kltcop.htm
Adult Protective Services
Under Kentucky law, it is a crime to physically abuse, neglect, or exploit an endangered adult or a dependent, or to threaten the endangered adult with abuse, neglect, or exploitation. It is also a crime for someone to fail to report known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
An endangered adult is a person at least eighteen years old who cannot manage property or take care of his or her own needs because of some incapacity resulting from infirmity, senility, old age, insanity, mental illness, mental retardation, habitual drunkenness, or drug abuse, and who is harmed or threatened with harm from neglect or battery, or exploitation of personal services or property. Dependent includes an adult who is mentally or physically disabled.
You can reach Adult Protective Services at (800) 752-6200 (Adult Abuse Hot Line) or http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dpp/facs.htm.
Kentucky Office of the Attorney General
View a booklet entitled How to Protect Nursing Home Residents [PDF file] prepared by the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, or call (877) 228-7384.
Division of Special Investigations (Medicaid Fraud)
The Division of Special Investigations in the Kentucky Office of Inspector General investigates fraud and abuse complaints in Medicaid certified facilities. The complaint does not have to involve a Medicaid resident. You can reach this Division at:
Office of Inspector General
Division of Special Investigations
(877) 228-7384
The Division of Special Investigations will investigate any type of fraud or abuse by a physician, dentist or other medical provider, including substitution of drugs, billing for services not performed, abuse, neglect, overbilling, and theft of funds.
Veterans Administration and Office of Kentucky Veterans Centers
If you have been placed in the nursing home through the Veterans Administration or are receiving Veterans benefits, you can contact Adult Protective Services or the Ombudsman and you can also contact the Social Work Services at the nearest VA hospital or nursing home.
To locate information on three state-wide nursing homes for veterans, contact the Office of Kentucky Veterans Centers at http://veterans.ky.gov or (888) 724-7683.
The three nursing homes for veterans are:
- Thomson-Hood Veterans Center, Wilmore, Kentucky (800) 928-4838.
- Western Kentucky Veterans Center, Hanson, Kentucky (877) 662-0008.
- Eastern Kentucky Veterans Center, Hazard, Kentucky (877) 856-0004.
There are social workers on staff at these facilities.Kentucky Protection and Advocacy
Residents who are developmentally disabled or family or friends of these residents can receive help from KY Protection and Advocacy services at:
Protection and Advocacy
100 Fair Oaks Lane, Third Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
Message line & TTY 800-372-2988
Protection and Advocacy services are available statewide. See Protection and Advocacy contact information.
Postal Inspectors
A complaint can be made to the enforcement arm of the United States Post Office if a nursing home interferes with your mail. The office can be found in the telephone book under U.S. Government Offices.
Legal Services Programs
Kentucky has four legal services programs that provide free legal advice and representation to persons with low incomes. If the client is eligible, there is no lawyer's fee.
However, the client may have to pay court filing fees and other costs for the case. Many programs have special projects for persons over the age of sixty. These projects do not have the same income and resource eligibility requirements as do the regular legal services programs. Contact your local legal services program for more information.
Private Attorneys
Many lawyers will take cases on a "contingency fee" basis. For instance, if you have been injured because of something the staff of the nursing home did or did not do, a private lawyer may take the case and get attorney fees out of the money you win, if you win the case. Many county bar associations provide lawyer referral services.
Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform
A non-profit organization seeking reform and oversight of nursing home care in Kentucky at http://www.kynursinghomereform.org or you may call (859) 312-5617. | http://www.kyjustice.org/node/1225 |
Hibbeln JR, Northstone K, Evans J, Golding J (2017) J Affect Disord. 2017 Jul 28;225: 13-17. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.051. [Epub ahead of print]
Vegetarian diets are associate with cardiovascular and other health benefits, but little is known about mental health benefits or risks.
To determine whether self-identification of vegetarian dietary habits is associated with significant depressive symptoms in men.
Self-report data from 9668 adult male partners of pregnant women in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) included identification as vegetarian or vegan, dietary frequency data and the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale (EPDS). Continuous and binary outcomes were assessed using multiple linear and logistic regression taking account of potential confounding variables including: age, marital status, employment status, housing tenure, number of children in the household, religion, family history of depression previous childhood psychiatric contact, cigarette and alcohol consumption.
Vegetarians [n = 350 (3.6% of sample)], had higher depression scores on average than non-vegetarians (mean difference 0.96 points [95%CI + 0.53, + 1.40]) and a greater risk for EPDS scores above 10 (adjusted OR = 1.67 [95% CI: 1.14,2.44]) than non-vegetarians after adjustment for potential confounding factors.
Vegetarian men have more depressive symptoms after adjustment for socio-demographic factors. Nutritional deficiencies (e.g. in cobalamin or iron) are a possible explanation for these findings, however reverse causation cannot be ruled out. | https://www.fabresearch.org/viewItem.php?id=11152 |
Is your business ready for a crash landing?
Clint Eastwood’s latest movie “Sully”, starring Tom Hanks, tells the story behind the US Airways Captain, Chesley Sullenberger, who in January 2009 piloted his US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency landing on the chilly waters of the Hudson River in New York.
What ‘Sully’ did during the that fateful, 208 seconds long flight, was bring forty years of flying experience to bear, with a clarity, calmness and focus, that saved the lives of all 155 crew and passengers.
Over the past decade, the reputations of numerous national institutions, charities, political organisations and many major Irish companies, representing every sector, have crash landed in a fog of public disbelief.
For many organisations the damage to their brand and reputation has been huge and, in some cases, terminal. The negative impact felt among their key stakeholder groups has been exacerbated by the organisation’s inability to respond in a timely, credible and authentic manner.
When a crisis hits, rather than hunkering down, leaders need to be available, as well as open and transparent in their communications. Successful leaders admit mistakes quickly where possible and then explain how they are managing the consequences of the crisis both within and outside the organisation. Demonstrating empathy for affected stakeholders is essential; be they customers, employees, service users or neighbours.
If you can show and tell the story of how you are working with the relevant authorities to find collaborative solutions to the issues involved, you’ll reduce the negative sentiments towards your brand, your products or service offerings.
In times of crisis, business leaders sometimes expect communications professionals to make the bad news or stories just go away. It is rarely possible for a company or individual simply to communicate their way out of a situation that they personally or their company has behaved itself badly into.
Nevertheless – by having a Crisis Communications Strategy (CCS) in place, it is possible to avert or mitigate the damage that will be caused to your reputation by unforeseen events.
Developing a robust CCS requires pre-work and ‘peacetime’ planning. From direct experience, I know that it’s an investment well worth making when you’re serious about protecting an organisation’s reputation.
SCENARIO PLANNING – What constitutes a crisis will differ from sector to sector, so ask colleagues to brainstorm credible scenarios (both operational and reputational) which could cause serious damage to life, property or challenge business continuity.
NAME YOUR TEAM – Define the criteria to identify a crisis and nominate a Crisis Response Team, with separate responsibilities allocated for both operational and reputational issues. Ensure there are adequate alternate resources to cover for staff absences.
NOTIFICATIONS PROCESS – Establish the notification/call-out procedures that will be used in the event of a crisis and test that they are working on a regular basis.
KNOW YOUR STAKEHOLDERS – Map your key stakeholders using relevant criteria (e.g. influence/interest) and identify the appropriate relationship holder for each individual or organisation.
STAFF LOOP – Don’t forget your own employees, as they have a direct stake in the outcome of the crisis. Having well-oiled internal communications channels will determine whether your staff are empowered to act as positive or negative ambassadors in times of crisis.
MEDIA TRAINING – Nominate key spokespeople and ensure they are media trained specifically for crisis scenarios. Prepare holding statement templates and agree a simple sign-off processes for disseminating information externally.
TEAM EXERCISES – Conduct training exercises for all crisis team members, based on the scenarios you’ve identified. A best practice is to organise real-time role play sessions, after which you review your strengths and learning gaps.
While a pre-cooked plan is unlikely to exactly match the actual issue or scenario that emerges, taking a strategic approach to crisis communications, helps leaders to manage business crises more effectively.
With advance preparation and regular practice, like Captain Sullenberger, when faced with major operational/reputational issues, you too can demonstrate calm resolve, purposefully navigate your way through the crisis and emerge with your business and reputation intact.
John Egan is a member of the Alternatives Elect Consulting Panel for Public Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement & Reputation Management. | http://alternativeselect.ie/is-your-business-ready-for-a-crash-landing/ |
TOKYO — China, Japan and South Korea injected fresh confidence into global growth on May 9 by reaffirming their commitment to economic globalization as well as trade and investment liberalization.
Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in made the pledge at a trilateral meeting, giving a big boost for free trade against a rising undercurrent of protectionism in the world.
During the meeting, which marked the resumption of the trilateral leaders’ meeting mechanism after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the three sides agreed to meet on a regular basis to expand their common interests and manage disputes.
China, Japan and South Korea are three big economies in the world, and are each other’s key partner in trade and economic cooperation, said Premier Li, adding that they shoulder great responsibilities for boosting regional development, guiding regional economic integration and safeguarding regional peace and stability.
Strengthening trilateral cooperation, Premier Li said, not only meets the needs of the three countries, but also accords with the expectations of the region and the international community at large.
Abe, for his part, pledged Tokyo’s adherence to free trade. He said that as major traders in the world, the three sides all support free trade and open markets.
He called upon the three countries to come up with high-level trade rules that suit the current circumstances in the 21st century.
Meanwhile, Moon called the three nations inseparable cooperation partners, and said he hopes that the content of trilateral cooperation can be enriched.
The leaders’ meeting came as some developed countries are retreating from free trade and threatening to flog others with soaring tariffs.
Against this background, China, Japan and South Korea can become important forces for promoting trade liberalization, said Tatsuhiko Yoshizaki, chief economist at Japan’s Sojitz Research Institute.
“The world needs more voices calling out the fact that trade is not a zero-sum game, but win-win (cooperation),” Yoshizaki said.
Besides their meeting, the three leaders also attended a business summit of their countries and a joint news conference.
They pledged to accelerate the negotiations for a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and to achieve the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date.
Premier Li also suggested that China, Japan and South Korea join hands to promote the building of an East Asian Economic Community, and stand together in an even more steadfast manner to safeguard the rules-based multilateral free trade system.
Pointing out that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is creating new room for trilateral cooperation, Premier Li said the three sides can carry out cooperation within a “China-Japan-South Korea+X” framework.
He proposed that the three countries roll out joint projects of this kind in production capacity cooperation, poverty reduction, disaster management and energy saving, so as to promote the development of other countries in the region.
The three countries’ political will to speed up talks on a trilateral FTA and the RCEP will surely provide positive energy for promoting regional integration and growth, and for maintaining the trend of trade and investment liberalization, said Jin Jianmin, a senior fellow at Fujitsu Research Institute in Tokyo.
On expanding investment and industrial capacity cooperation, each of the three countries has its advantages, and prospects for their cooperation are broad, Premier Li told the business summit.
Beijing is willing to work with Tokyo and Seoul to strengthen cooperation in such areas as digital economy, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and medical and health services, Premier Li said.
Noting that the next year marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the China-Japan-South Korea cooperation mechanism, Premier Li urged businesses of the three countries to join hands not only to bring benefits to the three countries but also to provide new driving force for world economic growth.
For his part, Abe said that the resumption of trilateral cooperation creates new opportunities for the three countries’ economic development and mutually beneficial cooperation.
He called for more people-to-people exchanges and more cooperation in finance, scientific research and technological development, as well as in dealing with population aging.
Noting that the Korean Peninsula is taking an important turn for peace, the South Korean president said this will create more business opportunities.
Moon urged the three sides to step up cooperation in such fields as joint research and development, energy, medical services, environmental protection and disaster relief, so as to bring tangible benefits to the people of the three nations. | http://english.gov.cn/premier/news/2018/05/10/content_281476141119688.htm |
Why Protocol Insurance?
How It Works
The Protocol
Coverage Pools
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Automated Processes
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The Principles
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Catastrophic Events
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Exploit Taxonomy
The following taxonomy displays detailed definitions of all the exploits, hacks, and compromises captured in our Steady State Risk Analysis Database (RAD). Each DeFi exploit has a distinct architecture, making them unique to the industry.
Steady State's RAD will include a list of continuously evolving parameters used to understand and evaluate risk. Machine learning implementation will accurately and transparently create risk ratings off-chain.
Types of DeFi exploits and hacks
Rebase Error
Rebase or elastic supply tokens work when the circulating supply of a token is algorithmically adjusted based on the price fluctuation of the token. When a rebase occurs, the supply of the token increases or decreases automatically, based on the token's current price. The supply is not fixed and will return to its pegged price dependent on the protocol's base level; otherwise, the circulating supply is adjusted instead.
A rebase error occurs when the protocol fails to adjust the token supply to the desired level after de-pegging from its base price. A rebase bug was found in YAM Finance's protocol by developers in 2020. An excess of YAM tokens was generated after a 10% sell slippage on YAM Finance's parent protocol, Uniswap.
Further Reading
Smart Contract Exploit
A smart contract is a digital contract that autonomously implements standards, conditions, and terms of agreements stored on a blockchain. Unlike standard contracts, smart contracts do not require third-party intermediaries to enforce conditional agreements between transacting parties. The conditions are enforced by cryptographic code that automatically infringes penalties when the agreement is broken.
Smart contract exploits occur when the contract fails to execute as intended, leading to the loss of funds, and in some cases, very severe and unrecoverable losses. Imperial College London researchers discovered that smart contract vulnerabilities are the precursor to smart contract exploits. Smart contracts can only be exploited if the contracts are deemed to be vulnerable. An attacker must acknowledge vulnerability before exploit execution.
Smart contract vulnerabilities include re-entrancy, unhandled exceptions, locked ether, transaction order dependency, integer overflow, and unrestricted actions. In August 2021, hackers compromised the PolyNetwork smart contract holding massive amounts of cryptocurrencies, seizing over $600 million worth of investor assets across three chains, albeit returning the funds afterward.
Further reading
Flash Loan Attack
A flash loan is a decentralized, uncollateralized, and unsecured loan typically within the network. The borrower needs little to no security to receive a flash loan making it highly susceptible to attacks.
Flash loan attacks occur when a hacker takes out the flash loan from a lending protocol to perform market manipulation. In May 2021, Pancake Bunny, a Binance Smart Chain protocol, experienced a severe flash loan attack resulting in its $BUNNY token price crashing by >95%.
Further reading
Fraud "Rug Pull"
These are exit scams occurring specifically in the DeFi industry. The project in question makes unpromised claims and runs off with investor funds.
Compounder Finance garnered over $10 million in investors' funds in 2020. Project developers claimed it to be a replica of Harvest and Yearn Finance farming protocols, but it ended up being a scam, and investors were left short-changed.
Further reading
Mint Exploit
A mint exploit is a malicious event when a smart contract is broken to mint excess tokens leading to hacker seizure of tokens and rewards (% yield). The hacker mints an exponential amount of tokens, increasing the total supply to extreme levels and then dumping the newly minted tokens- leading to a collapse in token price.
New Balancer protocol was exploited for $4.4 million in a mint exploit attack. The hacker exploited the chain by depositing, then withdrawing funds from the smart contract, and continuously minting rewards.
Further reading
Infinite Approval
A smart contract implementation in which the smart contract requires authorization for wallet access to an unlimited number of tokens greater than the amount held in the user's wallet. In 2020, Bancor discovered an egregious vulnerability in which an external hacker could drain funds from user wallets using infinite approval, granting them access to user funds.
Further reading
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Contents
Types of DeFi exploits and hacks
Rebase Error
Smart Contract Exploit
Flash Loan Attack
Fraud "Rug Pull" | https://docs.steadystate.finance/welcome/principles/exploit-taxonomy |
An Article By Vijay Batra
Over the years I have realized that two major causes for anyone of us to become weaker are jealousy and arrogance. Jealousy is triggered when we feel inferior compared to others. Arrogance is triggered when we feel superior compared to others.
The way to become stronger is to overcome the tendency to be jealous, by learning from others and thus improving oneself. At the same time, when we start helping others become better, that is nurturing others we overcome the tendency to be arrogant, and remain humble.
In organizations as in families, there are seniors and there are juniors. The mistake often committed is that the individual starts feeling superior or inferior. A senior and a junior have a common purpose and that is to serve each other, and others in the organization or the family.
When individuals seek being served over serving is when disharmony occurs, leading to weakness. I went to a school called Delhi Public School. On our blazer, we wore the crest which read `service above self.`
A senior should focus on developing the juniors, so they collectively deliver on serving the members of the organization or the family better. If a junior commits a mistake or fails to do his or her part, the senior should not make the junior feel inferior, but develop and guide the junior so he delivers.
Equally important is that the junior at all times should respect the seniors and not feel that he or she is superior or inferior to the senior.
To ensure that the organization grows from strength to strength and that seniors and juniors build and sustain a culture of service, learning and sharing that leads to growth. To ensure that service, learning and sharing take place, the leaders need to role model humility. Increasingly companies such as Google are looking for candidates for leadership positions who are humble, instead of aggressive self-promoters. In a world, where Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) has become a norm, no one person can know what to do, and how to do it.
When individuals in a team, senior or junior practice humility, they ensure that jealousy and arrogance are held at bay, and the organization or the family grows from strength to strength.
The starting point is that as seniors or juniors, we need to realize that practicing humility is challenging and we need to be humble enough to admit and realize that the moment we get some form of power, humility tends to become distant, and that we need to be aware of being overconfident about being humble and make the effort to be humble. | http://www.thinklink.in/blog/jealousy-and-arrogance-the-root-cause-for-pain |
Overview of Position:
Team Member - is responsible for providing efficient, friendly service to Krispy Kreme patrons, as well as maintaining a professional store appearance, in order to ensure complete customer satisfaction and to reflect the high standards that Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation has set.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
Answering questions and providing courteous service to customers
Taking and completing orders accurately and efficiently
Politely engaging in suggestive selling techniques
Accepting payment for product and delivering correct change
Inspecting product for quality according to Krispy Kreme company standards
Preparing all ingredients necessary for doughnut processing (glaze, fillings and icings - using the correct formula)
Restocking products to guarantee freshness
Unloading delivery trucks
Follow procedures and company standards as outlined in the Krispy Kreme Retail and Processing Specialist Training Workbooks
Answer telephone in a timely manner and utilize Krispy Kreme greeting procedures
Offer product samples to customers at GM's discretion
Other miscellaneous duties as assigned
Performing sanitation duties in order to maintain an internal and external clean, safe, and sanitary shop. Including but not limited to:
Sweeping and mopping all required areas inside the store.
Cleaning, sanitizing and stocking bathrooms
Cleaning and sanitizing tables and chairs in customer area
Emptying interior and exterior trash receptacles
Ensuring the parking lot and surrounding areas are kept clean
Washing windows
Related Skills
Essential skills and Experience:
Excellent customer service skills required
Excellent communication skills required
Basic mathematical skills, enough to handle various sums of money, required
Basic literacy skills required
Must be able to pass Drug Screen and criminal background check
Nonessential skills and Experience:
Physical Demands and work environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Activity
Carrying
Lifting
Writing
Bending
Walking
Stooping
Grasping
Standing
Twisting
Mopping
Walking
Communicating with customers and co-workers
Sweeping
Packing donut boxes
Physical Requirements
Lifting up to as much as 50 pounds occasionally; and up to 25 pounds frequently
Using cleaning materials and equipment
Ability to reach the counter or drive through
Must be able to grasp products without crushing
Visual/Audible Acuity Requirements
Must be able to read product boxes, labels and measuring devices
Must be able to communicate with and understand customers and co-workers
Working Conditions: | https://jobs.livecareer.com/l/team-member-wks-restaurant-group-05a3f791440a7e803361759a01bac016 |
Introduction: Ethnographic fieldwork involves the intensive study of people’s daily activities. As you’ve seen in your Chapter 3 reading and powerpoint lecture, there are many difficulties that anthropologists face in the field. Some people may consider ethnographic fieldwork an invasion of their privacy. Others may change their habits when they know they are being watched and recorded.
For this assignment, you again will act as the anthropologist. To do so, carry a notebook with you throughout one regular day this week, a day just like any other during which you carry out your normal routines. On this day, however, you will record all of your own daily activities and then consider the following with your classmates.
Instructions: For Assignment 3, please answer each of the following:
- After examining your own activities and behaviors for a day, how might they change if you knew you were being observed by an anthropologist?
- How might this affect an anthropologist’s understanding of your cultural practices?
- What methods might an anthropologist use to collect accurate data in such a situation? And how might the ethical principles of anthropology discussed in your Chp. 3 reading be important here?
write less 300 words!
write less 300 words!
write less 300 words!
write less 300 words!
write less 300 words!
write less 300 words! | https://urgentnursingwriters.com/anthpology-question/ |
Newswise — AMES, Iowa – An image of your retina may help Iowa State University researchers determine your risk for Alzheimer’s disease even before other symptoms are detectable.
Numerous studies have shown the inner layer of the retina is thinner in people with Alzheimer’s disease. But what if a noninvasive scan could spot changes to the retina before diagnosis and when treatment could be more effective? That is the question Tricia Neppl, an associate professor of human development and family studies, and Heather Greenlee, a professor of biomedical sciences, want to answer.
The Iowa State researchers are working with Natalie Denburg, at the University of Iowa, to collect retinal images, along with cognitive measurements and data on economic and social factors to determine if this information can identify risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The team received a grant from the National Institute on Aging to conduct a pilot study of 100 older adults living in rural Iowa.
Neppl says they will recruit participants from the Family Transitions Project, which she directs. The project started in 1989 and has followed three generations of Iowans for the past 30 years. This existing data will help researchers identify potential demographic and social risk factors.
“We’ve been studying social and economic predictors and consequences since the beginning of the project to determine how people were faring in the economic downturn,” Neppl said. “We’ve shown that social and economic factors impact physical health, but this will be the first time to test cognitive health and decline.”
Collaboration could yield significant benefits
Greenlee has worked extensively with optical coherence tomography to study the retinas of animals with neurodegenerative diseases, such as mad cow disease in cattle. With the help of an ophthalmologist, she will use the same technology to capture retinal images for each participant. The researchers also will conduct a series of cognitive tests to compare the thickness of the retina with individual brain health and function.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to grow to 14 million by 2050. The numbers underscore the importance of this work for Neppl and Greenlee, who are already planning to use the results of the pilot study to build upon the work. While the collaboration between researchers in human science and animal health is a bit unique, Greenlee says the opportunity to combine their expertise could yield significant benefits.
“This is a good example of interdisciplinary collaboration,” Greenlee said. “It gives us an opportunity to identify an affordable, quick way to screen people for disease before they even know they’re sick. The optical test takes only a few minutes and is completely noninvasive. If it’s effective, people could be tested annually to identify those who may be at risk.”
The researchers plan to start collecting data in February and have preliminary findings within a year. | https://www.newswise.com/articles/study-to-examine-biomarkers-economic-factors-that-may-increase-risk-for-cognitive-decline?sc=c124 |
In 1820, Thomas Jefferson wrote that the debate over slavery was a “fire bell in the night” tolling the demise of the union. In 2019, the authors of “The Problem of Democracy” sound a different alarm: The cult of personality is destroying our democracy. Of course, many thoughtful Americans have already heard that bell pealing. What will come as a surprise to readers, however, is Nancy Isenberg and Andrew Burstein’s assertion that John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, predicted our modern crisis. The authors argue that father and son witnessed, documented and fought to contain “the excesses they saw in unchecked democratic posturing and democratic pretense.” The Adamses lost these battles; they could not prevent the country from embracing the demagoguery that gave us the Age of Jefferson, the Age of Andrew Jackson and, implicitly, the Age of Trump.
Most accounts, the authors tell us, lay the blame for the Adamses’ failure on the disagreeable personalities of father and son. They were, according to contemporaries and most scholars, the antithesis of charisma: John was grouchy, pedantic, self-righteous and stubborn; John Quincy was characterized by his own son as a “a cold fish.” But Isenberg and Burstein argue that it was not these traits — none of which the authors deny — that account for the two Adams presidencies and their campaigns against demagoguery landing on history’s dust heap. It was instead their determined and righteous resistance to the hardening of parties and the growth of party spirit. It was father and son’s insistence on nonpartisan statesmanship in “an age of one-upmanship” that explained their defeat. If there is a lesson to be learned here, it seems to be that taking the high road is always a political mistake.
After the bold premise and broad promise of the opening chapter, the book that follows is a surprisingly traditional political biography, covering the familiar ground of political campaigns, diplomatic missions and major crises during the two Adams administrations. There is considerable attention paid to the men’s intellectual lives but only passing coverage of their intimate relationships. Throughout the narrative, the authors use every opportunity to advance their argument that a refusal to conform to party orthodoxy or to advance party agendas accounts for the political disasters and setbacks suffered by the Adamses. But other historians make a reasonable case that the men’s own failures of judgment, coupled with their many jealousies of fellow leaders and their undeniable ambitions, are more reasonable explanations. (For example, no one forced or pressured John Adams to appoint three wildly unsuitable envoys to negotiate detente with France’s master of diplomacy, Talleyrand, in 1797. This abysmal diplomatic failure was entirely his own doing.)
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News
- Tom Engelhardt Writes Personal and Historical Essay: Turning 75 in the Age of Trump
- Historian Drew Gilpin Faust Pens Personal and Historical Essay: "Race, History, and Memories of a Virginia Girlhood" | http://new.hnn.us/article/171938 |
Commentary: Our children’s well-being and social and emotional health is at stake. Here’s why.
Early childhood is typically a time of play, exploration and interaction. For children who are 5 years old and younger, it is when relationship-building skills become critical to their future development and mental health.
This year, due to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, parents and others are having to find creative ways to replicate these peer-to-peer interactions and play environments during a time of anxiety for many. Among the affected are approximately 50,000 children throughout San Diego County typically enrolled in early care and education. Nationally, 5 million children will start pre-kindergarten or kindergarten, and in San Diego, many will be starting their school experience virtually.
The current situation has brought into focus how important the early years are to a strong start in life. Ninety percent of a child’s brain is developed by the time they are 5 years old. Research indicates that play, between children and with adults, can contribute to their mental health. Furthermore, according the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, the early childhood development of emotional and physical health, social skills and cognitive-linguistic capacities are all “important prerequisites for success in school and later in the workplace and community.”
That is why, especially now, we must work together to identify, curate and share interactive and relationship-building activities and resources for families, teachers and childcare providers. They must be easy to use, particularly for parents and caregivers who are pressed for time, engaging and relevant to a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and languages, and accessible.
At the youngest ages, this starts with talking, reading and singing as a way to strengthen relationship bonding between child and their parent or caregiver. To support this, First 5 San Diego compiles a range of resources for this age group, through our network of community partners. A Kit for New Parents helps prepare new parents to support their child’s learning and development at the earliest ages, and to connect them to resources and initiatives like the First 5 First Steps Home Visiting Program, which helps parents strengthen relationship-building with their children.
As children reach that 5-year mark, they expand their ability to communicate and interact, and peer-to-peer relationships through communication and play become increasingly important. So does social emotional learning, which encourages the development of skills in interpersonal relationships in ways that support academic achievement and personal development, and mental health. In addition, neuroscience research is exploring how social emotional skills at the kindergarten level can assist with closing achievement gaps.
These days, as children have fewer opportunities to interact with each other in a traditional school or outdoor setting, there are ways that caregivers, childcare providers, teachers, parents and others can reinforce these skills. Take, for example, this idea from the San Diego-based Sanford Harmony social emotional program, which offers resources online: As a family or small group, gather craft supplies, large boxes and other recyclable or building materials and decide what to create.
On the surface, this sounds like a fun family activity, but there is much more going on here that creates a foundation for skills in collaboration, which is consistently listed as an in-demand workforce skill. The bigger life lesson is that when you work with someone, you can think of new ideas and go beyond the capacity of working alone. The process of collaborating can strengthen teamwork skills, promote fairness and encourage developing an open mind to different ideas.
It’s time for a greater acknowledgment of the value of play and relationship building for our children’s well-being and social and emotional health. Identifying these everyday moments to support our youngest children’s healthy physical, social and emotional development builds our community’s capacity to sustain healthy social relationships that carry long-term benefits. Doing so, whether or not we are in a pandemic, provides hope for a more fair and equitable future.
Arguilez is the executive director of First 5 San Diego. She lives in Chula Vista.
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Cryosphere services (CSs) refer to various benefits that humans directly or indirectly obtain from the cryosphere, which makes significant contributions to human well-being (HWB). To facilitate such research, we first present a classification system for conceptualizing, monitoring and assessing CSs based on the current process-based understanding of their nature and sustainability. Specifically, the CSs are grouped into five major categories (provisioning, regulating, cultural, bearing and supporting services) and 18 sub-categories. Then we provide a detailed overview on formation, current status and anticipated future changes of the identified types of the services, and their impact on HWB. Finally, the spatio-temporal scales, the links of the services with HWB and climate-dependence are further discussed. The research of CSs adopt interdisciplinary approach to address the formation mechanisms of CSs and their dynamic relationships with HWB, which is poised to provide a better understanding of the cryosphere's role in human society and help enhance socio-ecological sustainability and HWB over cryosphere-affected areas. Notably, most CSs have been deteriorating under global warming and cryosphere shrinkage, further leading to negative impacts on associated HWB. Therefore, great attention should be paid to the changes in CSs and their cascading risks. | https://www.gu.se/english/research/publication/?publicationId=284498 |
Note: The 9000 AF was designated α‑9000 in Japan and sold as Maxxum 9000 AF in North America.
Like most (if not all) 9000 AF cameras, mine suffers from LC display bleeding in the little status display inside the mode selector wheel. However, it is still fully operational and completely readable.
The AF 1,4 / 50 mm lens shown in the first picture is listed with the Dynax 600si Classic. It was used for demonstrational purposes here to prevent the 9000 AF from tipping over on my table (which would have occurred if the large and heavy AF 4,0–4,5 / 28–135 mm had been attached).
Item list:
|Item||Type||Remarks|
|SLR Body||Minolta 9000 AF||S/N 16102316; [M]|
|Data Back||Minolta Program Back Super 90||[M]|
|Motor Drive||Minolta Motor Drive MD-90||S/N 52106419; [M]|
|Energy Pack||Minolta Battery Pack BP-90M||[M]|
|Lens||Minolta AF 4,0-4,5 / 28-135 mm||first version (all metal); [M]|
with original Minolta body cap
with original Minolta rubber viewfinder eyecup
with original Minolta neck strap and fittings (not shown)
with original Minolta front and rear lens caps (not shown)
with original Minolta lens shade
[M] with original user’s manual (German edition, not shown)
Matching lenses:
See page Lenses (AF)
Further reading: | https://www.my-minolta-museum.info/9000-af/ |
The purposes of the study were (1) to compare postural sway between participants with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and healthy controls and (2) to develop and validate an automated classification of PD postural control patterns using a machine learning approach. A total of 9 participants in the early stage of PD and 12 healthy controls were recruited. Participants were instructed to stand on a force plate and maintain stillness for 2 minutes with eyes open and eyes closed. The center of pressure data were collected at 50 Hz. Linear displacements, standard deviations, total distances, sway areas, and multiscale entropy of center of pressure were calculated and compared using mixed-model analysis of variance. Five supervised machine learning algorithms (ie, logistic regression, K-nearest neighbors, Naïve Bayes, decision trees, and random forest) were used to classify PD postural control patterns. Participants with PD exhibited greater center of pressure sway and variability compared with controls. The K-nearest neighbor method exhibited the best prediction performance with an accuracy rate of up to 0.86. In conclusion, participants with PD exhibited impaired postural stability and their postural sway features could be identified by machine learning algorithms.
Browse
Yumeng Li, Shuqi Zhang and Christina Odeh
Seth T. Strayer, Seyed Reza M. Moghaddam, Beth Gusenoff, Jeffrey Gusenoff and Kurt E. Beschorner
Pressure offloading is critical to diabetic foot ulcer healing and prevention. A novel product has been proposed to achieve this offloading with an insole that can be easily modified for each user. This insole consists of pressurized bubbles that can be selectively perforated and depressurized to redistribute weight to the nonulcer region of the foot. However, the effect of the insole design parameters, for example, bubble height and stiffness, on offloading effectiveness is unknown. To this end, a 3-dimensional finite element model was developed to simulate contact between the rearfoot and insole. The geometry of the calcaneus bone and soft tissue was based on the medical images of an average male patient, and material properties and loading conditions based on the values reported in the literature were used. The model predicts that increasing bubble height and stiffness leads to a more effectively offloaded region. However, the model also predicts that increasing stiffness leads to increasing contact pressures on the surrounding soft tissue. Thus, a combination of insole design parameters was determined, which completely offloads the desired region, while simultaneously reducing the contact pressure on the surrounding soft tissue. This design is expected to aid in diabetic foot ulcer healing and prevention.
Jason M. Avedesian, Tracey Covassin and Janet S. Dufek
Recent evidence suggests previously concussed athletes are at greater risk for lower-extremity (LE) injuries than are controls. However, little is known regarding the influence of sports-related concussion (SRC) on landing biomechanics that may provide a mechanistic rationale for LE injury risk. The purpose of this investigation was to examine LE drop-landing biomechanics in adolescent athletes with and without a previous SRC history. Participants included 10 adolescent athletes with an SRC history and 11 controls from multiple sports. Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data associated with LE injury risk were analyzed across 5 trials for 30- and 60-cm landing heights. Multivariate analyses indicated group differences in landing patterns from the 30- (P = .041) and 60-cm (P = .015) landing heights. Follow-up analyses indicated that concussed adolescent athletes demonstrated significantly less ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion versus controls when performing drop landings. Our findings suggest that previously concussed adolescent athletes complete drop-landing maneuvers with ankle and knee joint kinematic patterns that suggest greater risk for LE injury. While limitations such as sport variety and explicit LE injury history are present, the results of this study provide a possible biomechanical rationale for the association between SRC and LE injury risk.
Pedro Ángel Latorre-Román, Juan Francisco Fernández-Povedano, Jesús Salas-Sánchez, Felipe García-Pinillos and Juan Antonio Párraga-Montilla
This study aimed to evaluate spatial and temporal perception in endurance runners as a mechanism of pacing control in comparison with other athletes (soccer players). A group of 38 endurance runners and 32 soccer players participated in this study. Runners displayed lower time differences and lower error than soccer players. Taking the athletic levels of endurance runners into consideration, significant differences (p = .011, Cohen’s d = 1.042) were found in the time differences (higher level group = 33.43 ± 29.43 vs. lower level group = 123.53 ±102.61). Significant correlations were found between time differences and performance in a Cooper test (r = −.546) and with the best time in a half marathon (r = .597). Temporal and spatial perception can be considered as a cognitive skill of endurance runners.
Erika D. Van Dyke, Aaron Metzger and Sam J. Zizzi
Little research has integrated mindfulness and perfectionism, particularly within sports wherein athletes are judged on performance to a standard of perfection. The current study had two primary aims: (a) to explore profiles of mindfulness and perfectionism among intercollegiate gymnasts through a person-centered approach and (b) to analyze differences in objective performance across the resulting profiles. The analytic sample consisted of 244 NCAA gymnasts who completed self-report measures of mindfulness and perfectionism. Competitive performance records (i.e., national qualifying scores) were then gathered for participating gymnasts. Cluster analyses revealed a three-cluster solution; however, significant performance differences were not observed across the three profiles due to lower than desired power. Small to moderate effect size estimates provided some evidence that perfectionism may be adaptive to gymnastics performance. Elite-level athletes were represented across three distinct profiles, suggesting that more than one profile of characteristics may be adaptive for reaching high levels of performance.
Anderson Nascimento Guimarães, Herbert Ugrinowitsch, Juliana Bayeux Dascal and Victor Hugo Alves Okazaki
To test Bernstein’s degrees of freedom (DF) hypothesis, the authors analyzed the effect of practice on the DF control and interjoint coordination of a Taekwondo kick. Thirteen inexperienced and 11 expert Taekwondo practitioners were evaluated. Contrary to Bernstein’s hypothesis, the inexperienced group froze the DF at the end of learning, reducing the joint range of motion of the knee. Moderate and strong cross-correlations between joints did not change, demonstrating that the interjoint coordination was maintained. The inexperienced group’s movement pattern was similar to that of the group of experts, from the beginning of the learning process. Thus, even after years of practice, experts continue to explore the strategy of freezing DF. The DF freeing/freezing sequence strategy was explored during the learning process, suggesting that DF-freezing/freeing strategies are task dependent.
Jessica G. Hunter, Alexander M.B. Smith, Lena M. Sciarratta, Stephen Suydam, Jae Kun Shim and Ross H. Miller
Studies of running mechanics often use a standardized lab shoe, ostensibly to reduce variance between subjects; however, this may induce unnatural running mechanics. The purpose of this study was to compare the step rate, vertical average loading rate, and ground contact time when running in standardized lab shoes versus participants’ normal running shoes. Ground reaction forces were measured while the participants ran overground in both shoe conditions at a self-selected speed. The Student’s t-test revealed that the vertical average loading rate magnitude was smaller in lab shoes versus normal shoes (42.09 [11.08] vs 47.35 [10.81] body weight/s, P = .013), while the step rate (170.92 [9.43] vs 168.98 [9.63] steps/min, P = .053) and ground contact time were similar (253 vs 251 ms, P = .5227) and the variance of all outcomes was similar in lab shoes versus normal shoes. Our results indicate that using standardized lab shoes during testing may underestimate the loads runners actually experience during their typical mileage.
Graig M. Chow, Matthew D. Bird, Nicole T. Gabana, Brandon T. Cooper and Martin A. Swanbrow Becker
Student-athletes are susceptible to mental health problems that disrupt optimal functioning and well-being. Despite having many protective factors, student-athletes represent an at-risk subgroup of college students who experience mental health concerns due to the distress of balancing multiple obligations. However, many student-athletes underutilize psychological services. Stigma is the main barrier preventing student-athletes from seeking help, and mental health literacy (MHL) interventions addressing knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders have traditionally been used to destigmatize mental illness. This study investigated the impact of a 4-week program on stigma, MHL, and attitudes and intentions toward seeking help with 33 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I student-athletes. The program was composed of four science-based interventions—MHL, empathy, counter stereotyping, and contact—delivered face-to-face within a group setting. MHL, attitudes toward seeking help, and intentions to seek counseling improved from preintervention to postintervention and to 1-month follow-up. Self-stigma was reduced from preintervention to postintervention.
Stijn Schouppe, Jessica Van Oosterwijck, Jan R. Wiersema, Stefaan Van Damme, Tine Willems and Lieven Danneels
The contribution of central factors to movement preparation (e.g., the contingent negative variation [CNV]) and the influence of fatigue on such factors are still unclear, even though executive cognitive functions are regarded as key elements in motor control. Therefore, this study examined CNV amplitude with electroencephalography in 22 healthy humans during a rapid arm movement task prior to and following three experimental conditions: (a) a no exertion/control condition, (b) a physical exertion, and (c) a cognitive exertion. CNV amplitude was affected neither by a single bout of physical/cognitive exertion nor by the control condition. Furthermore, no time-on-task effects of the rapid arm movement task on the CNV were found. Exertion did not affect cortical movement preparation, which is in contrast to previous findings regarding time-on-task effects of exertion on CNV. Based on the current findings, the rapid arm movement task is deemed suitable to measure cortical movement preparation, without being affected by learning effects and physical/cognitive exertion.
Lydia M. Kocher, Jonisha P. Pollard, Ashley E. Whitson and Mahiyar F. Nasarwanji
Footwear plays an important role in worker safety. Work boots with safety toes are often utilized at mine sites to protect workers from hazards. Increasingly, mining operations require metatarsal guards in addition to safety toe protection in boots. While these guards provide additional protection, the impact of metatarsal guards on gait are unknown. This study aimed to measure the effects of 4 safety work boots, steel toe, and steel toe with metatarsal protection in wader- and hiker-style boots, on level and inclined walking gait characteristics, during ascent and descent. A total of 10 participants completed this study. A motion capture system measured kinematics that allowed for the calculation of key gait parameters. Results indicated that gait parameters changed due to incline, similar to previous literature. Wader-style work boots reduced ankle range of motion when ascending an incline. Hip, knee, and ankle ranges of motion were also reduced during descent for this style of boot. Wader-style boots with metatarsal guards led to the smallest ankle range of motion when descending an inclined walkway. From these results, it is likely that boot style affects gait parameters and may impact a miner’s risk for slips, trips, or falls. | https://journals.humankinetics.com/browse?page=11&pageSize=10&sort=datedescending&t=SportExSciKin&t_0=S37&t_1=AthlTrainTherRehab |
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About Us
Who We Are
Our Mandates
Contact Us
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Participation and Accountability
Digital Government
Institution Building
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CEPA
World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)
Research
UN e-Government Surveys
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Information, Resolution and Communication Portal (IRCP)
Office of the Prime Minister
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A. Problem Analysis
1. What was the problem before the implementation of the initiative?
Prior to the launch of the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal (IRCP), the Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago relied on many bureaucratic processes to allow access to public services. These processes were tedious and non-responsive. There were generally no feedback mechanisms and processes were based on extensive paper trails. As a result, the complaint resolution processes in most Government Organizations were isolated in silos, with lack of accountability and little visibility to senior management. This contributed to the inefficiencies of the public service and deteriorating relations between general citizenry and the Government. These commonly voiced inefficiencies can be examined using three overarching categories. The first category is based on the accessibility of information and the right of all citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to information. This accessibility, or lack thereof, refers to the absence of a central repository of information for the use of visitors (both locally and regionally) and citizens. It would allow a thoroughfare for the access of all pertinent information with regard to the function of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Another issue was the lack of a forum for users to access information on Permanent Secretaries and key government officials. With the current administration, the “People’s Partnership” focusing on good governance and transparency found that this was in dire need of resolution. Citizens also often complained of the lack of coherent, logical and methodical advice and instruction necessary to access public services. This systematically resulted in numerous resubmissions of requests for service and recycled complaints that added to low response time in an already overburdened public service. As a subcategory of the general citizenry, members of the Civil Service have also suffered from an inability to access information from a human resource perspective. Civil servants are guided by state regulations that stress the importance of process. Personnel matters for members of the civil service typically were dealt with by supervisors, circumventing the ability to gather unbiased information and healthy discourse with higher ranked civil service officials. The second category is resolution. There was a distinct need to bring resolution to a myriad of complaints made against Ministries in a variety of areas. Typical areas for resolution include access to services, poor customer service, etc. The state is the largest provider of services that can range from agricultural licenses to social welfare programs. It is expected given the variety and quantum of services provided, there will be shortcomings in service delivery; however, these shortcomings would not pose a threat if consistent service resolution was institutionalized. Prior to the IRCP, citizens had a number of disjointed means of voicing displeasure with respect to Government Services. These means included via their Member of Parliament’s Office as well as the Office of the Ombudsman. These offices were also burdened by long, bureaucratic and tedious process that provided little redress; under these conditions problem resolution could take years. This was only worsened by the lack of feedback from these Offices once a complaint was submitted, the lack of visibility led to a severe Public Relations issue and resulted in a generally poor image of the civil service. The third category which there was a need to address is communication and engagement with the Citizenry of Trinidad and Tobago. The civil service is guided from a bottom up approach and this customarily restricts access to the senior level public servants, particularly the Head of the Public Service. This approach significantly reduced the opportunity for successful complaint resolution or process enhancement. In a more unilateral manner, the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago also were as a “voice in the dark” directing complaints in systems which had no means of communicating with them, enforcing an image of the Government as a faceless monolith. These issues of: (i) lack of communication; (ii) ineffective resolution; and (iii) the dearth of general information can be looked at singularly as well as holistically.
B. Strategic Approach
2. What was the solution?
“A problem well defined is a problem half solved” (Charles Kettering, 1876-1958) is the guiding principle behind the development of the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal (IRCP). The IRCP originated through collaboration between the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister and Head of the Public Service (Mr. Reynold Cooper) and the Director of the Policy, Strategy and Government Performance Management Division (Mr. Jamir Nazir) within the Office of the Prime Minister. This collaboration sought to address the issues of the lack of information, communication and resolution that deeply affected the image and efficiency of the civil service of Trinidad and Tobago. The collaboration between these offices identified the framework on which the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal would be built. The Information, Resolution and Communication Portal is an innovative and revolutionary system that provides real time, two way communication between the citizenry and the Head of the Public Service. The portal also functions as a single stop online repository that houses all information on the state ranging from links to other ministries to a full listing of contact information for all Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service. The objective of the portal is to utilize technology to vastly improve service delivery and communication between the government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and its stakeholders. We will be looking at the manner in which the IRCP has provided solutions in the following categories: (i) Information; (ii) Resolution; and (iii) Communication. The Information arm represents the system’s ability to provide a single stop setting for a plethora of information of interest to its stakeholders: the citizenry, students, researchers, domestic institutions, public servants, as well, as its international counterparts. Information is now available at the click of a button on World Wide Web (www.ircp.gov.tt), with access on a 24/7 basis, year round. The information arm of the portal provides formal publications governing Trinidad and Tobago such as: The constitution of the Trinidad and Tobago; Legislative information; Government programmes; Code of conduct for the Public Service; History of the Public Service; Links to various Government Ministries and other Offices; Profiles on Ministries that do not currently possess websites; Profile and contact information for key Government and Ministry Officials; Current happenings within the Government; Information on obtaining visas to visit Trinidad and Tobago; A full listing of profiles and contact information for all Permanent Secretaries. This function of the IRCP Portal was developed to address the issue of information unavailability; and Polls and surveys to identify the needs of its citizens. This feature solved the issue of the lack of complete and coherent information needed by the public. The Resolution arm represents the portal’s response to the issue of problem resolution. It allows the system to capture and resolve complaints and service issues from individuals (citizens and expatriates), institutions as well as members of the Public Service. The complaint resolution feature is currently accessible by direct log in, web-based access and SMS messaging. A primary feature of the system is the web based interface that has been designed to simply and automatically categorize the nature of the complaint and direct same to the ministry responsible for its resolution. Upon complaint submission, the issue is also lodged in a database administered by the Office of the Prime Minister. A unique identification ticket is generated and assigned to the complainant. This unique ticket allows the user to track the status of the complaint until its resolution. The Communication feature that allows the free flow of communication also influences the policy making process of the Government. Users are also able to submit policy suggestions, which boost the Government’s internal knowledge base and can direct the development of policy. It also acts as a morale booster for Public Servants by granting confidential access to the Head of the Public Service. The communication arm gives Government the opportunity to become responsive to the needs of the citizens and their views on topics that affect their community and in public affairs.
3. How did the initiative solve the problem and improve people’s lives?
The IRCP’s creativity is based on its use of the fastest and latest web-based communication mediums such as Facebook, SMS, Twitter, live Blog, and Chat-rooms, to encourage positive communication for the future civil service development. Its novel perspective has led to its ability to provide a multitude of services that include a “single stop” online venue for an array of information on the Government and Government Services. It presents an innovative way for the citizenry to feel comfortable and be allowed the privacy to lodge a complaint of poor service with the assurance that it will be addressed by the Ministry on behalf of the Permanent Secretary. Another inventive characteristic is its unique ticket ID system that allows the complainant to track his/her complaint through to its resolution using through various channels such as emails and SMS. The IRCP is revolutionary in its provision of contact to the Head of the Public Service. No previous ICT system in Trinidad and Tobago allowed access to Head of the Public Service to lodge suggestions, complaints or concerns. This portal allows an open policy for communication at the highest level in the Civil Service. These innovative features have solidified the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal as necessary feature in Government transformation.
C. Execution and Implementation
4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
The Portal was conceptualized within the Office of the Prime Minister during strategic discussions between the Permanent Secretary and the Head of the Policy, Strategy and Government Performance Management Division. These discussions lead into the creation of a philosophical construct as well as a detailed brief of benefits, features and interfaces required for the portal. Consequently, a bid for tender was put out seeking an established software developer to assist in realizing the vision of the Office of the Prime Minister’s (OPM’s) two strategic heads. The vendor selected was SIE Services Limited, a well-established Trinidadian vendor with international presence in India, South Africa and a number of other countries. Following the tender completion, there were intense and collaborative brainstorming sessions between the Prime Minister’s officials and the vendor. After several months of concentrated and combined effort a working system was developed. The preliminary beta version of the site went through several rounds of review, user testing and modifications by stakeholder groups before arriving at a final version of the system. Sub-committee meetings were held on a regular basis, these user driven committees included: Governance Board meetings Meetings of the Project management team Prototype discussions User Acceptance Testing (UAT) meetings GoLive team meetings 10 In addition, organizational changes were made which included: The formation of a dedicated Content Management Board The allocation of an Administrator for regular system maintenance The appointment of a researcher for the site The designation of resolution specialists in each ministry The appointment of social media specialists As part of its initial implementation, the Portal was rolled out to Permanent Secretaries for feedback and input. This gave Permanent Secretaries the opportunity to interact with the Portal and ensure that it was versed and equipped to meet the needs of the population, particularly through the services provided through their various Ministries. Please see below a model framework of the feedback mechanisms. The strategy enlisted by the design team disseminated the roles of the Portal into categories to be further developed. These categories were: (i) Social Media Social media applications were incorporated into the IRCP as the main channels of communication that targeted all age groups (youth, adult and elderly) in its interaction with technology. Given the high internet penetration rate of the population2, the IRCP targeted the use of web-based technologies as fast and efficient communication mediums. (ii) The role of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Head of the Public Service. The legislative arm of the portal includes the Office of the Prime Minister. This arm also facilitates unrestricted citizen-centric communication, unlike other government and state agencies and has the ability to guide policy formation and implementation. (iii) Feedback This core aspect of the strategy sought to define a succinct avenue to receive as much information as possible in order to adequately address the concerns of the system user. To achieve same, the portal used an easily accessible and simple form to guide the user when submitting a complaint. This allowed the collection of citizen feedback in a comprehensive manner that allows action and resolution to take place in the long run forming part of policy formulation. (iv) Notification This feature of the portal was designed to incorporate both the backend and the front end interfaces of the portal. The back end sought to be able to display aged report generation for all Ministries and notify the Head of the Public Service of levels of performance through resolution times. At the front-end the design team sought to be able to notify users through unique-ID tickets to facilitate tracking of submissions lodged within the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal for resolution.
5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
The implementation of the IRCP was brought by collaboration between the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister and Head of the Public Service Mr. Reynold Cooper and Head of the Policy, Strategy and Government Performance Management Division, Mr. Jamir Nazir. These discussions prompted the early development and system idealization that was further developed into the IRCP. Other major stakeholders that aided in the development of the IRCP included: (i) Civil Servants that partook in many discussions that highlighted the needs and concerns within the Civil Service that could be changed with the portal conception; (ii) SIE Services Limited, the developer charged with the programming and building of the portal; (iii) Government institutions; (iv) the citizenry of Trinidad and Tobago; (v) the Policy, Strategy and Government Performance Management Division; (vi) the Content Management Board of the Office of the Prime Minister; and (vii) Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Permanent Secretaries.
6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago invested approximately TT$250,000 in software development for the development of the IRCP. As the system becomes more feature and function rich, additional financial resources will be required to support further communication interfaces, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and secured message posting and collaboration which can be used by Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries as well as retired Permanent Secretaries. The nature of the portal promotes the confidential and unfettered access to the Head of the Public Service. For this reason, security detail was of immense importance. As such, the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal is housed within a tier four security facility to provide an added degree of protection. Tier four (4) data center is useful for data center performance, investment and return on investment (ROI) tool. Tier four (4) data centers are considered the most robust and less prone to system failures, down time and designed to host mission critical servers and computer systems with subsystems (cooling, power, network links and storage) and compartmentalized security zones controlled by biometric access controls methods. During project start up and execution, a Content Management Board was set up to monitor and implant the relevant data population fields for the Portal. The Content Management Board was set up to measure the site’s impact by frequently measuring the relevance and usefulness of the site’s content to its targeted audience via polls and surveys. The IRCP was rolled out to Permanent Secretaries in 2013 to maximize interaction and in attempt to identify the earliest possible concerns to be addressed. Upon confirmation of the portal’s usefulness, the Policy, Strategy and Government Performance Management Division operated as the primary access point of the IRCP. This prime access point is charged with monitoring the day to day running of the site, complaint acknowledgement and ticket ID generation. This team also generates progress reports on individual ministries to identify trends such as average response time for resolution, common complaints made by citizens, suggestions that can be used in policy documents, formulation of policy documents as well as any shortcomings of the portal in terms of traffic and connectivity issues.
7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
The IRCP is able to assert many successes inclusive of: Unfettered access to the Head of the Public Service: The Head of the Public Service was not available for such wide and unrestricted access by the civil service as well as from citizens. This advantageous output has increased the visibility of the Head of the Public Service. A central repository that hosts all suggestions, complaints and concerns that influence the effectiveness of the Public Service: This output allowed the Public Service an alternate avenue where suggestions for improved service delivery are given by its users; the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago and anyone that seeks to access any government service. The ability to have citizens feedback directly affect policy formation and implementation: This success, though underestimated, will impact on future policy amendments; and formulation will be directly from the perspective of the citizen. This facet of the portal’s capacity will allow daily meaningful comments/suggestions and a forum to be heard without being lost in the long processes of policy formulation. Access to instant tracking of one’s complaint: This feature has placed the citizen in a more influential and citizen-centric position. Citizens can track the status of their concern at any time convenient to them prompting ease of mind of knowing that they can exercise their right to good customer service and the assurance of resolution. The ability to have significant monitoring impact on Government Performance through the eyes of citizens: The IRCP allows for the generation of stale dated complaint reports. This allows back end users to pull reports reflecting unanswered complaints for periods of 30 days, 60 days and over 90 days. These reports are submitted to the monthly Board Meetings of Permanent Secretaries for their review and to increase accountability and transparency within the Public Service. Further, given the high rate of internet penetration in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (which we have previously cited is over 80%) we also consider that the Social Media presence of the IRCP is a success which will only grow in magnitude in the years to come.
8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
The IRCP is a self-monitoring system that uses communication inputs made by comments, blogs, chats and polls to report on the usefulness of the system by its users. The IRCP’s test team also ensures that the portal is regularly monitored to confirm functionality of all services at all times. For example, a user that complains the portal is not addressing his/her issue in a timely manner serves a reminder to the Portal Resolution team that there is an overdue issue requiring attentions and thereby improves the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the portal. Evaluation of activities was measured through the following outputs of the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal (i) The generation of aged reports. The generated reports will be quantified at thirty (30), sixty (60) and ninety (90) day periods to show the resolution times of concerns submitted to be addressed. These reports provided a monitoring function as it displayed Ministries’ response time to address complaints. In addition to measuring response times, it also monitors a Ministry’s ability to completely address a complaint and file as a closed complaint as a result of its successful resolution. It is stressed that complaints are to be completely resolved and not just relayed in the “in progress” status. (ii) The capacity of the Head of the Public Service to be able to have easily accessible information on each Ministry’s response time and time taken to address issues. This facet of the IRCP brought transparency to all government Ministries that are held to identifiable performance standards by the Head of the Public Service. (iii) The use of live-chat and blogs to allow users to give real time communication channels and further enhance the feedback aspect of the design strategy.
9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
During the development stage of the project there were several obstacles as to final form and format of the user interface of the project. These were subjected to several consultative sessions, including focus groups and final designs that were tested by members of the stakeholder group. Additionally, when the initiative was first discussed with various Ministries (who are the end service providers); there were a number of sceptics given the additional work and effort required to make the system successful. This was overcome by emphasising the high level of automation and the benefits the system would provide improving Ministries’ service delivery and performance. Due to the high level of technical integration needed for full functionality, there were some hiccups vis-à-vis the introduction of text messaging technology to the site. This required some months of user testing and was overcome with the expert skill of SIE Services Limited in conjunction with the telecommunications service providers of the country. User testing was then conducted to ensure full functionality. Another area of concern was the potentially large number of follow ups that may be required in individual cases and the corresponding need for the Prime Minister’s office to assign staff to follow up with various government ministries. In an attempt to prevent hiring of additional staff, a partnership was forged between Customer Service Desks that were set up with another government office and the Ministry of the People and Social Development, to provide follow ups directly with other government ministries.
D. Impact and Sustainability
10. What were the key benefits resulting from this initiative?
Benefits of implementing the IRCP are numerous, far reaching in areas both quantifiable and intangible. These benefits include a more highly motivated work force as a direct result of communication with the Head of the Public Service. This communication medium provided an alternate route for redress in instances where less than cordial supervisors may not allow proper procedure and resolution to take place. The portal also provides civil servants with an avenue to suggest innovative and novel ways of accomplishing goals and fulfilling mandates of Ministries that leads to better service delivery to the public. This benefit taps into the vast knowledge capacity that may include pertinent and influential ideas and methods to expedite government processes and promote often simple and overlooked solutions that can benefit the public service. Another benefit is the portal’s ability to provide a reservoir of feedback from the public. This feedback can be used to shape policy, for example recent policy adjustments to the Dangerous Dogs Act and the provisions made for the nation’s youth population in the National Children’s Life Fund. The IRCP also allows for the provision of cross-functionality between Permanent Secretaries as it encourages a greater understanding of each Permanent Secretary’s job in collaboration with the Head of the Public Service. An increased level of citizen engagement is also a significant benefit of the IRCP as it encourages good governance through citizen surveys and civil servants ideas for problem resolution. It allows a forum where citizens can feel comfortable in voicing their concerns. Coming from this engagement with the citizen, we have found that the image of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Head of Public Service as a citizen-centric organization is further recognized. Over time, use of the portal has increased as seen from the back end counter showing the number of uses and engagements of the portal by its visitors. This increase has served to support its effectiveness and usefulness as tool of good governance. The increased use of the portal has also led to the improved accessibility to government officials and to the functions of the civil service by embracing new technologies. Additionally, the IRCP has increased the transparency of government procedure as complaints and issues to be resolved can be tracked both by the complainant and the government official responsible for resolution. The IRCP has also increased communication levels among Permanent Secretaries and has given a greater understanding of other Permanent Secretaries jobs. This increased collaboration has also increased dialogue and suggestions to increase the efficiency of the Civil Service. Finally, the IRCP gives the Head of the Public Service the benefit of increased oversight of all ministries under his remit. It can be used by the Head of the Public Service to measure and manage performance of other Permanent Secretaries and ministries by monitoring the time taken to resolve issues submitted to respective ministries.
11. Did the initiative improve integrity and/or accountability in public service? (If applicable)
The Information, Resolution and Communication Portal is an easily transferable and a sustainable effort which can be used to foster participation in policy generation through its innovative design. The IRCP is the first system of its kind in the Caribbean that has been developed through comprehensive consultation and discussion that sought to remedy the current cumbersome communication channels when attempting to gain access to the Head of the Public Service. Additionally, the portal interacts with a wide cross-section of the population by using interactive channels such as Facebook, twitter, Google plus, SMS blogs, live chat, as well as future plans of Interactive Voice Response Technology. This facet of the IRCP has been a momentous tool in engaging and encouraging citizen participation and thus supporting its place in good governance as a needed tool in the future. Sustainability of the Public Service is also promoted in the Civil Service’s vision in its shift from ‘Gold to Diamond’ Standard that reflects the “Journey towards the Renewal and Modernization” through modern technologies that can relate to the present needs of the society. The Information, Resolution and Communication Portal promotes the government’s renewed vision of modernization to enhance the sustainability of the state as the most exclusive provider of services for the benefit of citizens in Trinidad and Tobago. The Portal can be replicated to produce a channel that engages decision-support systems, government networking and consultation. This channel of communication can engage more effective policymaking and implementation in other territories as it has done in Trinidad and Tobago as the Information, Resolution and Communication Portal. The IRCP is easily transformable as it enlists the use of simple and comprehensive ideas and replicable technological applications to support the functioning of the unit. Furthermore, the IRCP has won in its category of Innovation in Citizens Engagement and Dialogue for the 2014 Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM). This body has effectively certified the likely international impact this system can have and acknowledges its potential of being a transferable support framework in other territories. The IRCP has also been a featured item at the Caribbean Child Rights Observatory Network (CCRON) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Activate Talks held in October 2014 at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies. These talks were entitled: “The Use of Data and Technology for Informing Children’s Policy”. These were the inaugural Activate Talks for the Eastern Caribbean Region. The Head, Policy, Strategy and Government Performance Management of the Office of the Prime Minister - Mr. Jamir Nazir presented on the benefits of the Portal to a wide cross section of stakeholders in the Public Service, Non-Governmental Organizations as well as the student community.
12. Were special measures put in place to ensure that the initiative benefits women and girls and improves the situation of the poorest and most vulnerable? (If applicable)
The IRCP provided tremendous learning tools in terms of using technology and ICT in bringing the government closer to the citizenry and allowing them to participate in the decision making process and governance. Lessons learnt as a result of implementing the IRCP were based on the old adage that “hindsight is 20/20”. During the portal’s formation there was a high staff turnover which led to an underestimated number of gaps in its timely development and completion. This taught the Division a significant lessons vis-à-vis succession planning, which has been incorporated into the Strategic Plan. Another consideration to be looked at was the task of coordinating the time to meet with the Permanent Secretary. At the executive level, the Permanent Secretary is not always readily available as matters over line ministries may take precedence. It is pertinent to understand the invaluable input that can be made by the senior level official and the design team. However, such time delays are expected and should be planned for when setting milestones and project targets. Accessibility challenges also proved to be a learning juncture whereby it was difficult to integrate pages such as Facebook because the government’s ICT system has blocked such social media websites. Recommendations were solicited from the National Agency for developing the Government’s enterprise-wide ICT strategies and programmes, iGovTT, at an earlier stage to guard against delays in the development of the site. There is also a need for a user-friendly cross functional accessibility function. This is to allow collaboration with Permanent Secretaries through the development of a novel addition of a personal profile-type interface to increase the Permanent Secretary’s discussions and online workshops. Another recommendation is the use of high-level dashboards to provide reports for the Head of the Public Service and other Permanent Secretaries. This private page will allow Permanent Secretaries the advantage of communicating with the Head of the Public Service at convenient times for all as their busy schedules usually restrict such frequent personal meetings. It is recommended that IRCP suggestions and project implementation be allowed to guide policy suggestions and formation. Lastly, the IRCP will also benefit greatly from the integration of other mediums of communication such as a full content centre that allows communication from traditionally typed methods such as letters, phone calls and walk-ins to be integrated with the newer forms used in the IRCP.
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On January 12, 2016, Waverly, Nebraska’s Mayor and City Council passed a resolution prohibiting anyone from using any form of tobacco at, or on any City-owned or operated outdoor or indoor recreational facilities, including restrooms, spectator and concession areas, playgrounds, athletic fields, bleachers, shade/picnic shelters, aquatic areas, and walking/hiking trails.
On June 1 of 2015, the Village of Denton, Nebraska passed a tobacco-free policy covering its park, ball field, and any community property owned by the Village. Denton’s policy bans smoking, littering of smoking materials, and use of electronic cigarettes on village property.
On September 2, 2014, Raymond, Nebraska adopted a tobacco-free policy making their ball field and main park tobacco-free.
Waverly, Denton and Raymond join Lincoln in protecting children at play and people with asthma, from potential dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke. These policies also provide adults the opportunity to be a nontobacco-using role model for youth.
Since September 28, 2012, residents of Lincoln have enjoyed playing tobacco-free in most of the park areas and facilities owned and managed by the City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department.
Lincoln’s policy prohibits use of any form of tobacco products, i.e., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chew or dip, and electronic cigarettes in any park areas or facilities designated as tobacco-free. This is a Parks and Recreation Department policy which is self-enforced by park users. Tobacco-free park areas are clearly identified by “Play Tobacco-free” signs. Specific park areas designated as tobacco-free include: playgrounds, skate parks, picnic shelters, swimming pools and splash parks including bathhouses and parking lots, Jim Ager (youth) Golf Course, ball fields and multi-use sports fields including concession buildings and surrounding areas, and the fenced area of Pinewood Bowl with the exception of a designated smoking area.
While these policies are established to enhance the public’s health, they also decrease litter in the parks and reduce risk of fire caused by discarded cigarette butts. | https://tobaccofreelancastercounty.org/tobacco-free-living/parks/ |
Introduction {#Sec1}
============
Cordilleran arcs form within continental crust above convergent plate margins as trench-parallel belts of voluminous calc-alkaline magmatism. They are important locations for continental crustal growth^[@CR1]^, with the bulk of the igneous rocks being emplaced in episodes of short (5--20 my) duration high magmatic flux, called magmatic flare-ups that have a periodicity of 30--70 my^[@CR2]--[@CR8]^. The production of such large volumes of intermediate to felsic melt requires \~50% contribution of partially melted mafic lower continental crust and lithospheric mantle, and \~50% from melt sourced from the mantle wedge above the subducting oceanic slab^[@CR5],\ [@CR7]--[@CR11]^. As the ratio of plutonic to volcanic rock is typically 30/1 or higher, plutonism is the dominant expression of a flare-up event^[@CR12]^. A dense root of ultramafic residues/cumulates is produced and eventually delaminates and founders into the mantle^[@CR13]--[@CR16]^, possibly balancing the difference between dominantly basaltic island arc crust and the average andesitic composition of continental crust^[@CR1],\ [@CR17],\ [@CR18]^. Long-lived Cordilleran arcs record repetitive thickening via under-thrusting and shortening of the foreland, with partial melting of this fertile crust facilitating the magmatic flare-up event (75--100 km^3^/my per km of arc). Cyclicity is recorded by repeated short-lived (5--20 my) high volume magmatic flux events involving magmas with high Sr/Y ratios and isotopic excursions to evolved signatures that punctuate background "steady state" magmatic flux rates less than 30 ± 10 km^3^/my per km of arc involving magmas with low Sr/Y ratios^[@CR7],\ [@CR12],\ [@CR19]^. It is posited that the removal of the residue/cumulate root through foundering induces a new cycle^[@CR5]^. The ensuing influx of asthenosphere returns the arc to background levels of flux and juvenile isotopic compositions.
In this contribution, we utilise 1:250,000 scale mapping^[@CR20]^, geochemistry and geochronology^[@CR21]--[@CR30]^ to identify a flare-up event in a 200 km long segment of a Mesozoic arc formed along the Pacific margin of Gondwana (Cordillera Zealandia: a title introduced by A. Tulloch in conference presentations). Two contrasting models proposed for this segment of the arc involve allochthonous^[@CR29],\ [@CR31]--[@CR33]^ or autochthonous^[@CR34]--[@CR36]^ older (\>c. 130 Ma) arc material. New *in-situ* zircon Hf isotope data and a reappraisal of published Sr-Nd-Hf data support a relationship between the older and younger arc components.
Geological Setting {#Sec2}
==================
New Zealand comprises Permian to Cretaceous forearc terranes (Eastern Province) that had accreted to the Pacific margin of Gondwana (Western Province) by the Triassic (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}). Both provinces are intruded by the Median Batholith (\>10,000 km^2^), which resulted from episodic Cambrian to Early Cretaceous (500--105 Ma) subduction-related plutonism^[@CR21],\ [@CR22],\ [@CR37]^.Figure 1(**A**) Tectonic reconstruction of the Palaeo-Pacific Gondwana Margin at c. 115 Ma (modified from Mortimer,^[@CR73]^). The Whitsunday Volcanic Province has been viewed as a correlative to the Cretaceous Flare up in New Zealand^[@CR74]^, however some features have been interpreted as a large igneous province^[@CR75]^. NEO = New England Orogen. The yellow shaded region represents the Zealandia orogenic belt prior to rifting and fragmentation at 85 Ma. HP = Hikurangi Plateau (approximate location). (**B**) Geological map of New Zealand showing main plutonic suites; WFO (Western Fiordland Orthogneiss), SPS (Separation Point Suite) and DS (Darran Suite). The ARC (Arthur River Complex) is comprised of an older Carboniferous magmatic component and, and a younger Jurassic to Cretaceous magmatic component that overlaps with the Darren Suite in age^[@CR25],\ [@CR53],\ [@CR54],\ [@CR76]^. This study includes Cretaceous ARC samples that have not been formally assigned to a suite however are considered a correlative of the Darren Suite based on age and geochemistry^[@CR25],\ [@CR53],\ [@CR54]^. A further sample defined as Darren Suite is also included. Modified from Turnbull *et al.* ^[@CR20]^, available under CC BY 4.0 license (<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/>). Inset: Palinspastic reconstruction of Median Batholith prior to dextral displacement along Alpine Fault.
There are three volumetrically important Mesozoic components of the Median Batholith (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}): (i) Triassic--Early Cretaceous (\>129 Ma) calc-alkaline rocks of the Darran Suite characterised by dominantly low Sr/Y ratios (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}; defined as less than 40^[@CR38]^); (ii) Early Cretaceous (\<125 Ma) alkaline-calcic granitoid of the Separation Point Suite; and (iii) Early Cretaceous (\<125 Ma) pyroxene ± hornblende diorite and monzodiorite of the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss. Both the Separation Point Suite and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss are characterised by dominantly high Sr/Y ratios and represent upper and lower crustal components of the flare-up event respectively (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}) ^[@CR21]--[@CR23],\ [@CR32],\ [@CR36],\ [@CR39]^.Figure 2Sr/Y (ppm) over time displays the shift to a garnet rich, plagioclase free source at \<c. 130 Ma (Geochemical data from Allibone *et al.* ^[@CR21],\ [@CR22]^ and references therein).
Crustal Profile {#Sec3}
===============
Crustal profiles of the magmatic arc before and after c. 130 Ma (Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}) were reconstructed by incorporating published seismic velocity and gravity geophysical data, Ce/Y ratios for mafic rocks^[@CR40]^, Sr/Y ratios for intermediate rocks^[@CR41]--[@CR43]^ and maximum pressures recorded throughout the arc. Sr/Y data were filtered by MgO (1--6 wt%) and SiO~2~ (55--70 wt%) content, and then Sr/Y outliers were removed via the modified Thompson tau statistical method, similar to the methods described by Chapman *et al*.^[@CR41]^. Median values were then obtained for the Darran Suite, Separation Point Suite and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss respectively.Figure 3(**A**) Estimated crustal profile of the magmatic arc before and after c. 130 Ma. See Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}. for abbreviations. (source data: Tulloch and Challis^[@CR44]^; Eberhart-Phillips and Reyners^[@CR45]^; Scott, *et al.* ^[@CR29]^; De Paoli *et al.* ^[@CR47]^. Figure adapted from Tibaldi *et al.* ^[@CR77]^). (**B**) Schematic cross section of Cordillera Zealandia showing the inferred under-thrust Gondwana margin converted to an eclogitic root following partial melting during a flare-up event, which produced the voluminous WFO and SPS suite magmatism.
Steady-State (Pre-c.130 Ma: Darran Suite) {#Sec4}
-----------------------------------------
Hornblende-Al geobarometry records an emplacement depth of 15--22 km for the Darran Suite in Fiordland^[@CR29],\ [@CR44]^ providing a minimum estimate of the crustal thickness before c. 130 Ma. Utilizing the whole rock geochemical data of Allibone *et al.* ^[@CR21]^, gabbroic rocks of the Darran Suite have maximum Ce/Y ratios of 2.5, equating to a crustal thickness in excess of 35 km^[@CR40]^. The Darran Suite whole rock data also has median Sr/Y ratios of 28, equating to a crustal thickness of \~40 km^[@CR41],\ [@CR42]^. Seismic velocity data delineates the Moho at approximately 60 km depth beneath the whole of Fiordland^[@CR45]^. However, it is unclear to what degree subsequent arc magmatism and the recent transpressional plate tectonic setting^[@CR46]^ and subduction initiation modified the pre-c. 130 Ma crustal profile. Geochemical data are consistent with arc material older than c. 130 Ma having been emplaced in an arc approximately 40 km thick (Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}).
Flare-up (Post-c. 130 Ma: Separation Point Suite and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss) {#Sec5}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The maximum-recorded emplacement depth of the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss is 18 kbar^[@CR47]^, indicating a crustal thickness in excess of 60 km at c. 130 Ma, confirming early inferences of crustal thickness up to 70 km^[@CR48]^. Utilizing the whole rock geochemical data of Allibone *et al.* ^[@CR22]^, gabbroic rocks from these plutons have maximum Ce/Y ratios \>5, extending the crustal thickness estimates for Fiordland of Mantle and Collins^[@CR40]^ to greater than 60 km. Median Sr/Y ratios of 68 for the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss whole rock data set of Allibone *et al.* ^[@CR22]^ estimate a thickness in excess of \~70 km^[@CR41],\ [@CR42]^. The Separation Point Suite's median Sr/Y ratios of 108 fall outside the correlations established by Profeta *et al.* ^[@CR42]^ and Chapman *et al.* ^[@CR41]^ and may reflect higher degrees of differentiation^[@CR43]^. Seismic velocity data extends the current surface geology to at least 10 km depth^[@CR45]^. Higher velocity material, inferred by Eberhart-Phillips and Reyners^[@CR45]^ to be dense residues/cumulates left behind in the source region of the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss, extends to more than 40 km depth where it is juxtaposed against the newly subducting Australian plate. These observations suggest that the crust may have been more than 80 km thick after c. 130 Ma (Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}). Ducea^[@CR13]^ and Ducea and Barton^[@CR6]^ posit the residue/melt ratio in a batholith as 1/1 to 3/1. This implies that the 30 km of residues/cumulates imaged by Eberhart-Phillips and Reyners^[@CR45]^ beneath the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss is smaller than expected for the predicted 80 km thick arc. The missing residue/cumulates may have either delaminated after flare-up or been tectonically removed during the recent transpressional plate tectonic setting and subduction initiation. The preservation of residue/cumulate materials^[@CR49]--[@CR51]^ is unusual as they commonly founder due to having densities greater than the mantle. The root of residue/cumulates may have been preserved by a buoyant subducting slab, and partially removed by recent subduction similar to the Laramides^[@CR13],\ [@CR16]^.
New Magmatic Flux Rates and Isotopes {#Sec6}
====================================
Richard Jongens (GNS Science) utilized a 1:250 000 digital map^[@CR20]^ to calculate the outcrop area of each of the three volumetrically important Mesozoic components of the Median Batholith. The Darran Suite is exposed over approximately 2700 km^2^, the Separation Point Suite over approximately 1050 km^2^ and the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss Suite over approximately 2700 km^2^. The available geochronological data are consistent with the majority of the Darran Suite have been emplaced over approximately 40 my, and the Separation Point and Western Orthogneiss plutons having been emplaced coevally over approximately 10 my^[@CR21]--[@CR23],\ [@CR28],\ [@CR31],\ [@CR32],\ [@CR36],\ [@CR52]^. The strike length of this segment of the arc is approximately 200 km.
To calculate the flux rate (km^3^/my per km of arc), the volume in km^3^ is estimated by utilising published data on crustal thickness (see Crustal Profile above, pre-130 Ma = 40 km thick, post-130 Ma =\> 60 km thick) and calculations of the area of the suites in km^2^ (see above). This is then divided by the length of the arc in the study (200 km) and further divided by the period for each suite emplacement (see above). This enables a direct comparison of flux rates estimated for the pre-c. 130 Ma Darran Suite and the combined post-c. 130 Ma Separation Point Suite and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss.
The Darran Suite magmatic flux rate is 14 km^3^/my per km of arc. As the Separation Point Suite and Western Orthogneiss were coeval, their combined magmatic flux rate is greater than 100 km^3^/my per km of arc and possibly up to 150 km^3^/my per km of arc depending upon the thickness of the arc at the time. Individual plutons within these suites were assigned ages based on available geochronology or field relationships to create a histogram of age versus exposed area (Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}).Figure 4Hfi evolution over time for the three main Mesozoic plutonic suites of Fiordland combined with the flux rates (km^2^) over time. The excursion to evolved compositions is concomitant with the flare-up, attesting to the crustal component in these magmas. Circles: Western Fiordland Orthogneiss^[@CR28]^, diamonds: Separation Point Suite and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss^[@CR24]^), Triangles: this study, squares^[@CR29]^. Inset of Sr~i~ and εNd^[@CR27],\ [@CR32],\ [@CR33]^ over time (110--170 Ma) display complementing trends of involvement of an evolved crustal source post c. 130 Ma. See Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"} for abbreviations, DM = depleted mantle, CHUR = Chondritic uniform reservoir.
Zircon grains from five rock samples of Darran Suite and their corellatives^[@CR25],\ [@CR53],\ [@CR54]^ (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}), were previously dated via SHRIMP by Hollis *et al.* ^[@CR25]^ and selected for Lu-Hf analyses via MC-LA-ICP-MS at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. See Supplementary Information for raw data and Milan *et al.* ^[@CR28]^, for methods and operating conditions for Lu-Hf data collection.
The initial Hf isotopic ratio (Hf~i~) of the Darran Suite samples is consistent with recycling of a common ancient source with a c. 500 Ma average model age for all samples (this study, Scott *et al.* ^[@CR29]^) during a 40 my period of low magmatic flux. The Hf~i~ of the Separation Point Suite^[@CR24]^, and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss^[@CR28]^ shows an excursion to less radiogenic values over time, during a brief pulse of high-flux magmatism. Sr~i~ and εNd data (Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"} inset) from previous studies^[@CR27],\ [@CR32],\ [@CR33]^ show an identical excursion towards an evolved component in the source region.
Cyclicity in Cordilleran Arcs {#Sec7}
=============================
Cordilleran arcs are characterized by cyclical trends in the flux and isotopic composition of the magma supplied to the upper plate^[@CR5]^. The Mesozoic component of the Median Batholith in Fiordland, New Zealand has remarkable similarities to key features of one cycle identified in Cordilleran arcs of the Americas, including the coincidence of a high-flux event and excursions in both Sr/Y ratios^[@CR36]^ and isotopic data. There is no evidence for a second Mesozoic high-flux event in Fiordland, suggesting that the Cordilleran cycle we have identified was the only cycle that took place there in the Mesozoic. The cycle halted when plate motions changed, leading to the collapse of Cordillera Zealandia and fragmentation of the margin at c. 105 Ma^[@CR55]^. A paucity of exposed rock older than 170 Ma in the Median Batholith suggests that the arc had a low magmatic flux during this time period and precludes the possibility of a second cycle. Rare clasts of c. 200--180 Ma Median Batholith rocks in conglomerates^[@CR56]^ have Ce/Y ratios consistent with the crust having been approximately 35 km thick at this time. These observations suggest the crust was 35--40 km thick from the Permian to c. 130 Ma. A good geological record in Fiordland exists from 170--114 Ma. The first \~40 my stage is characterised by low magmatic flux rates of the Darran Suite, consistent with dominantly mantle derived 'background' levels of arc magmatism^[@CR5],\ [@CR12],\ [@CR19]^. The last 15 my stage is characterised by an increase of magmatic flux rates by one order of magnitude coupled with a significant excursion in Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic ratios and the modification of pre-existing arc crust through melt-rock interaction^[@CR54],\ [@CR57],\ [@CR58]^. Flare-ups and isotopic excursions have been explained in the Americas via the underthrusting of a melt-fertile, lower crustal foreland into the base of the arc^[@CR5],\ [@CR6]^. In Fiordland, zircon inheritance age spectra in the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss are dominated by c. 2480, 770 and 555 Ma peaks which are consistent with the underthrusting or burial, and partial melting of an amalgam of foreland Gondwana margin crust^[@CR28]^. The excursion to more evolved isotopic signatures, coupled with the high-flux event (Figs [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"} and [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}) attests to the importance of this crustal contribution to the magmatic flux.
Arc Migration Over Time {#Sec8}
=======================
Exhumed examples of long-lived Cordilleran arcs reveal they are constructed from a series of vertically aligned, trench-parallel igneous belts of varying age^[@CR7]^. This wide footprint is produced by the migration of the active magmatic front inboard or outboard relative to a fixed position on the upper plate^[@CR7]^. Inboard migrations are well documented in the American Cordilleras^[@CR7],\ [@CR59],\ [@CR60]^, but outboard migrations in arcs also occur^[@CR7]^.
For the Mesozoic Cordilleran Zealandia arc, the inboard migration of the active magmatic front (westward) during the flare up (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}) has been attributed to flat slab subduction^[@CR36]^. The location of pre c. 130 Ma Darran Suite has led to competing tectonic interpretations. The most recent model (Scott *et al.* ^[@CR29]^) calling for an allochthonous history of the Darran Suite and excision of a back-arc basin is based upon: (i) contrasting isotopic signatures either side of c. 130 Ma; (ii) the restriction of Gondwana-derived metasedimentary rocks to the west; (iii) a proposed crustal suture; and (iv) the presence of A-type granites. Here we argue against each of these points in turn and reaffirm an autochthonous relationship between the Darran Suite and western parts of the Mesozoic arc.
The apparent contrast in isotopic signatures are resolved in this study by new data defining a smooth excursion towards an evolved character, reflecting the underthrusting or burial of a Gondwanan lower crustal component, as required by the scale and geochemistry of the flare-up event. Though exposures of metasedimentary units in the proposed 'allochthonous terrane' lack Gondwana-derived detrital zircon, the very restricted nature of these units suggests that they represent small intra-arc basins formed during oblique subduction. In addition, significant Gondwana inheritance has been observed in Mesozoic plutons of the proposed 'allochthonous terrane' (e.g. Pomona Island and Clark Hut granites^[@CR21],\ [@CR61]^). The proposed crustal suture is unusually narrow (300 m wide), and lacks ophiolitic material that might support the argument for basin closure. The same structure has been interpreted (along strike) to reflect transpression within a Cordilleran setting^[@CR34]^. Furthermore, intrusive relationships between the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss and parts of the Darran Suite are preserved in northern Fiordland^[@CR48],\ [@CR62]^.
Though Scott *et al.* ^[@CR29]^ ascribe A-type granites in the Darran Suite to a rift setting, these are restricted to just \~42 km^2^ and a number of tectonic settings have been proposed for A-type granites elsewhere^[@CR63]--[@CR66]^. Furthermore, these rocks have similar Sr and Nd isotope ratios^[@CR32]^ to the entire Darran Suite and intruded at a time of thickened crust inconsistent with a rift setting.
Generation of Crust in Arcs {#Sec9}
===========================
The flux from mantle to crust is basaltic (e.g. Davidson and Arculus^[@CR67]^) in contrast to the andesitic composition of average continental crust^[@CR1],\ [@CR68],\ [@CR69]^. The Fiordland flare-up event represented by the Separation Point Suite and Western Fiordland Orthogneiss equates to two thirds of the total volume of newly created arc crust throughout the Mesozoic in 'Cordillera Zealandia' and highlights the significance of short-lived high-flux episodes in Cordilleran arcs. Long-lived Cordilleran arcs of the Americas record repetitive flare-up contributions as high as 85--90% of the total volume of the arc^[@CR5]--[@CR7],\ [@CR12],\ [@CR70]--[@CR72]^. These high-flux episodes require a significant component of the arc magma to be derived from melt-fertile lower crust. These observations diminish the contribution of mantle-derived melts in Cordilleran arcs and in addition to the foundering of dense residues/cumulates from the roots of arcs^[@CR13]--[@CR16]^, contribute to resolving why the average continental crust is andesitic in composition.
Electronic supplementary material
=================================
{#Sec10}
Dataset Table A
**Electronic supplementary material**
**Supplementary information** accompanies this paper at doi:10.1038/s41598-017-00347-w
**Publisher\'s note:** Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
A postgraduate RAACE scholarship supported LAM. Macquarie University Early Career Research Grant funding and ARC Discovery Project funding (DP120102060 and DP170103946) to NRD provided financial support to conduct this research. Pluton area calculations by R. Jongens were derived from the QMAP programme funded through FRST contract number C05X040. R.H. Flood and N.J. Pearson are thanked for constructive discussions. The analytical data were obtained using instrumentation funded by DEST Systemic Infrastructure Grants, ARC LIEF, NCRIS/AuScope, industry partners and Macquarie University. We are grateful to S. Elhlou for helping with parts of the laboratory work. Reviews by an anonymous referee and A. Tulloch are appreciated, along with editorial handling by M. Yoshida. This is contribution 940 from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems (<http://www.ccfs.mq.edu.au>) and 1145 in the GEMOC Key Centre (<http://www.gemoc.mq.edu.au>).
L.A.M. in conjunction with both N.R.D. and G.L.C. conceived and designed the study. L.A.M. conducted the analyses and wrote the paper. Both co-authors, N.R.D. and G.L.C., assisted with the access to samples, interpretations and have reviewed and approved this paper.
Competing Interests {#FPar1}
===================
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
| |
Arthritis may be worse in poor countries but seem worse in rich ones
LONDON – A study of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) finds that those in wealthy nations are more troubled by it, even though people in poor countries have more severe symptoms.
The results, tallied from 17 countries, suggest that cultural factors may influence patients’ perception of their illness, and possibly even the results of clinical trials in different locations, researchers say.
“Such differences are worrisome as they clearly point to avoidable (not caused by biologic or genetic factors) health inequities,” lead study author Polina Putrik of Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands said by email.
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, affects the joints, connective tissues, muscle, tendons and fibrous tissue, causing pain and deformity. According to the World Health Organization, RA strikes 0.3 to 1 percent of the population.
“Patients experience a lot of anxiety about the future, the unpredictable course of their disease, side effects of medication and loss of social roles,” Putrik said.
Previous studies have found international differences in patients’ perception of their disease, but it’s unclear how those perceptions align with disease severity, she and her colleagues say.
As reported in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the researchers studied 3,920 RA patients in countries with widely varying gross domestic products, ranging from the US (the richest) to Morocco (the poorest).
The average patient was 56; most were women. Doctors counted their tender and swollen joints, tested blood to measure inflammation and made an overall assessment of the patient’s disease on a scale ranging from “inactive” to “severe.”
Patients answered questions about their daily functioning over the past week, such as dressing and grooming, eating, walking, hygiene, errands and chores. They also rated their own overall disease state and level of fatigue.
Patients in Morocco had an average of 6.7 swollen joints, the highest count, those in the Netherlands averaged 0.9, representing the lowest count. Patients in poorer countries, on average, had higher levels of inflammation.
But patients’ rating of their average daily functioning was worst in Taiwan, one of the wealthier nations. On a scale of 0 to 3, with lower scores indicating greater impairment, average scores were 0.7 in Taiwan and 1.5 in the Netherlands.
Venezuela, the third-poorest country on the list, had the lowest fatigue scores at 1.7 on a scale of zero to 10, compared to the Netherlands, the second-wealthiest country, with an average fatigue score of 5.
The differences between wealthier and poorer countries remained significant even after patient age, gender, education, other chronic diseases and medications were taken into account.
Putrik’s team says patients might view their disease as worse in higher income countries because of a combination of expectations and culture.
“On the one hand, in richer countries, the best rheumatoid arthritis care is more accessible and patients may have over-optimistic expectations of the treatment,” Putrik said. “On the other hand . . . patients may also experience higher pressure in terms of performing many social roles (family, work, social life) and therefore feel less satisfied with their health state.”
“The finding that certain people interpret their disease differently from others is not in itself surprising,” said Dr. Joshua Baker, a rheumatologist at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. “What is really fascinating is that the wealth of the place you live can impact that interpretation.”
Baker, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email that more research is needed to see whether patients’ varying perspectives affect the quality and cost of RA care across the world. | https://92newshd.tv/arthritis-may-be-worse-in-poor-countries-but-seem-worse-in-rich-ones/ |
Introduction: Uncharted 2 Journal
Hi there my name is Flávio and I'm a huge Uncharted fan. To get more Uncharted related items, or more pop culture stuff, please follow me on my youtube channel where I show the entire process from the conception to having it on the palm of your hand.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuRhb0hZJBax_Gai0VDxBhg?view_as=subscriber
Step 1: Introduction and a Bit of Background Story
This guide will show you how I created the Uncharted 2 Journal Replica with all the steps to accomplish it.
I have been a huge Uncharted fan since the first game was released on the playstation 3, back in 2007, loving everything about it, the plot, the adventure, the gameplay, pretty much everything. But when I experienced Nathan Drake going through is attic on Uncharted 4, just going trough every item that he collected during is adventures, I decided that I wanted to recreate every item that we owns. So that thought led me in to make his Journal from his adventures in Shambala.
The entire process took me just around 1 month, but I'm very pleased with the out come, and decided to share with you all.
Step 2: Materials
The materials I used were these ones:
- A5 Hardcover notebook;
- 120 gr A4 White Paper;
- Glossy Photo Paper A4;
- Transfer Paper A4;
- 2D Printer;
- X-Knife;
- Scissors;
- Black marker 0,5 mm;
- Pencil;
- Glue stick;
- 3D Printer;
- Flowers;
- Transparent duct tape;
- Duct tape;
Step 3: Collecting Photos/drawings
To make the journal in the most authentic way possible, I used the photo mode from the ps4 to capture the photos from the video game "The Nathan Drake Collection" while Nathan was using his journal. This method allowed me to get some HD quality photos so I could recreat them in my journal. After the photos were taken I uploaded them to my pen drive and paste them in to my computer so later I could work on them.
Step 4: Edit/Adjust the Photos
With all the photos taken, it was time to work them to look closer to the ones we see in Nate journal.
To do it, I used the photoshop software and imported every image so i could edit them and tweek it.
Depending on the photo, i used different approuches, if it was a document, like a manuscirt that he took from an old book or some photos like the Elena portrait or Sully's. I used the transform tool to get the right shape, since the photos from withing the game were a little bit tilted because of the angle that Nate was holding the journal. And that was the process for that type of photos.
If it was a drawing, I used the same method with the transform tool, but addictionally, I change the colors on the image to make it black and white. Doing this I was able to remove the color noise and get only the tracing of the drawing.
This part was the one that took longer to make, because I had to do it, for every image, every page, and make it look right.
But now, looking back, it was all worth it.
Step 5: Printing the Pages
When every image and photo was done, it was time to print it and to do it I used 3 different types of paper. For the photos I used the glossy paper, for the drawings I opted to use the transfer paper and finally for the manuscrits and plane tickets, etc, I used the 120 gr paper, which gave a better felling to those items, making them feel more realistic.
Step 6: Creating the Journal
When every page was printed, it was time to move to recreating the actual notebook.
Before i started glueing the pages and drawing the images, i divided every printed page into to separeted sheet to help me organize the journal, and it was also helpful when I had to trace over the drawings.
To create the journal, I decided to go page by page, and only moving on when the page was complety done, either if I had only to glue the image or make some drawings, execpt when the page included the flowers or the coins. I opted to make those later.
In this process the thing that took longer was when I had to trace something over. When I had to glue something, I decided were the image should be placed and place it. But when it was a draw, I had to use the transfer paper and trace over the image, and most often then not, I had to trace it over again, using with the black marker, to give more definition on the draw, like the outlines, and some expressions.
The flowers I used were real, and I took them from my garden :)
Step 7: Creating the Coins
To make the journal more realistic I decided to model the coins and then print them, so they could look like the ones we see in Drake Journal. I did the modeling process in the software SolidWorks and used the photos from the video game to guide me through this process.
When the modeling was done, I printed them in my Anycubic i3 Mega and paint them with a gold spray can.
I will make a separeted video, on modeling, printing and painting, and will give away the STL so you can have the El Dorado coin as well.
Step 8: Final Result
And here we have the final result of 1 month of working on this journal. I'm really happy with the result and I can gladly add it to my Uncharted collection.
Hope you liked it and inspired you to create one of your own, or at least play the Uncharted series :)
Be the First to Share
Recommendations
Comments
can you attach photos for printing, please? | https://www.instructables.com/Uncharted-2-Journal/ |
0001 This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-151042, filed on May 23, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
0002 1. Field of the Invention
0003 The present invention relates to a receiver for digital broadcasting, and more particularly, to a receiver that receives a plurality of digital broadcasting waves. Each of the digital broadcast waves is in frame transmission format that includes a synchronization signal and an information data signal. The receiver selects one of the broadcasted waves for reproducing and outputting the signal carried by the selected wave.
0004 2. Description of the Related Art
0005 In digital broadcasting, a frame structure has been adopted as a transmission format to transmit data over the air. The data to be transmitted is divided into a plurality of frames, in particular, data transmission is carried out in a unit of one frame mainly composed of a synchronization signal and a data signal.
0006 On the other hand, a receiver of a digital broadcasting signal receives the signal, demodulates the received signal, and then decodes the signal into data. At the time after decoding the signal, it is necessary for the receiver to detect the start of a frame as a transmission unit of data. In such processing, the synchronization signal of the frame is utilized by the receiver to detect the start of a frame.
0007 However, when a receiver does not receive a synchronization signal, such as in a case of a change in a reception state, the start point of a frame cannot be specified. Without frame synchronization signal detection, the data within a frame cannot be decoded, even though all data signals in the one frame are received.
0008 This problem is especially prevalent in a receiver within a movable body where detection of a synchronization signal becomes difficult with changes in a reception state, for example, changes caused by multi-path waves or fading. In a moving body, the state of electric wave failure within a band selected by the receiver is remarkably changed, and it is therefore difficult to maintain excellent reception and reproduction. As a result, decoding of reception data cannot be suitably carried out, and thus the operability and convenience of the receiver is remarkably degraded.
0009 Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a receiver for digital broadcasting that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
0010 In one aspect of the present invention, a receiver is provided for a digital broadcasting system that receives broadcasting waves of a plurality of frequency bands. When the receiver cannot detect a synchronization signal from a selected band for reproduction, the receiver can decode received data of the selected band by using a synchronization signal of a broadcasting wave in a band other than the selected band.
0011 To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the receiver for digital broadcasting includes a receiver for receiving a plurality of digital broadcasting waves, wherein each wave has a transmission format made of frames that include a synchronization signal and an information data signal, and the receiver selects one of the broadcasted waves for reproduction. During this process, the respective synchronization signals included in and corresponding to the plurality of respective digital broadcasting waves are first detected. Next, respective timing signals corresponding to the respective detected synchronization signals are generated on the basis of the respective detected synchronization signals. Each of the timing signals correspond to a respective one of the plurality of digital broadcasting waves. The information data signal included in the selected digital broadcasting wave may be extracted and decoded using the timing signal that corresponds to the selected digital broadcasting wave, and the data signal reproduced and outputted. In the case where the synchronization signal cannot be detected from the selected digital broadcasting wave under reproduction, the receiver may create the timing signal corresponding to the selected digital broadcasting wave on the basis of a detected synchronization signal corresponding to at least one of the other received digital broadcasting waves.
0012 It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention, as claimed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
0013 The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
0014FIG. 1 shows an exemplary frame structure of a data transmission format in digital broadcasting.
0015FIG. 2 provides an illustrative schematic diagram showing an exemplary structure of a receiver for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention.
0016FIG. 3 is a time chart illustrative of a relation between detection of a synchronization signal included in reception data and generation of a timing signal for decoding reception data.
0017FIG. 4 is a matrix table and time chart illustrative of exemplary relative time differences of synchronization signal detection times in respective reception systems.
0018FIG. 5 is a time chart illustrative of an exemplary relation between detection of a synchronization signal included in reception data and generation of a timing signal for decoding reception data in accordance with the present invention.
0019FIG. 6 is a time chart illustrative of an exemplary relation between detection of a synchronization signal included in reception data and its average value in accordance with the present invention.
0020FIG. 7 is a time chart illustrative of an exemplary relation between detection of a synchronization signal included in reception data and generation of a timing signal for decoding reception data in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
0021 Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
0022 Recent attention is being paid to constructing a multi-band digital broadcasting system to get rid of blind spots or to take measures against electric wave failure due to multi-path waves or the like. In this system, the same program is broadcasted by using broadcasting waves of a plurality of different bands of a frequency band. For example, one or more satellite and/or terrestrial broadcasting waves may be one of the plurality of bands.
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0023FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary transmission format that has been adopted for transmitting data in digital broadcasting. Data to be transmitted is divided into a plurality of frames . In particular, transmission of the data is carried out in a unit of one frame . One frame is mainly composed of a synchronization signal and a data signal . The synchronization signal is composed of, for example, one synchronization symbol indicating a start of the frame. The data signal is composed of, for example, numerous data symbols . Each of the data symbols is such that data of a digitized picture, sound, or the like to be transmitted is subjected to digital modulation such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM), for example.
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0024 A region provided at the head of each of the data symbols, a so-called guard interval , is provided to prevent interference between symbols caused by multi-path waves or the like. The guard interval is excluded from data time series after demodulation by the setting of the time window at the time of data demodulation.
0025 On the other hand, a receiver receives the digital broadcasting signal. After demodulating a received signal, a receiver decodes this signal into data. At this time, it is necessary that the receiver detect the start of a frame as a transmission unit of data. In such processing, a synchronization signal may be used by the receiver for detecting the start of a frame.
0026 For example, a specific pattern that does not exist in normal data signals may be determined in advance to be a synchronization signal. In the case where the receiver detects such a specific bit pattern in the demodulated data time series, the receiver recognizes the pattern as a synchronization signal, i.e., the receiver detects the start of one frame of transmission data. As an exemplary synchronization signal, a pattern in which 0's continue, so-called null symbols, may be used. Of course, it is consistent with the present invention to use other patterns distinguishable from the transmitted data as a synchronization signal.
0027FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an exemplary structure of a receiver for digital broadcasting according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, as a digital broadcasting system in which the device of the present invention is used, it is assumed that programs of the same content are broadcasted by broadcasting waves of three different frequency bands. However, since the present invention relates to digital broadcasting using broadcasting waves of a plurality of bands, the present invention may use fewer or more bands than are shown in FIG. 2. It also is assumed that data to be transmitted are subjected to interleave (rearrangement of data time orders) as a countermeasure against a burst error in the middle of data transmission. The program of the same content can include a picture image, sound, character, and/or program and the like, for example, and the broadcasting wave can include ground broadcasting and/or satellite broadcasting.
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0028 In FIG. 2, an antenna is constituted by a small antenna such as a rod antenna or a plane antenna, and simultaneously receives a plurality of electric waves from one or more broadcasting stations.
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0029 Processing circuit processes high frequency signal(s) received through the antenna . Specifically, processing circuit performs the role of a so-called front-end circuit in a receiver, performing functions such as amplification and frequency conversion of high frequency signals, for example.
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0030 Demodulation circuits , and are circuits for demodulating reception signals processed through the processing circuit . As a modulation method of the reception signals, various methods, such as OFDM, for example, can be adopted. The demodulation circuits , and extract time series of digital data from the reception signals by demodulation and output.
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0031 The data time series demodulated by the respective demodulation circuits to are held by respective reception data holding circuits to . Holding circuits , and correspond to the demodulation circuits , and , respectively. The respective demodulation circuits output data to de-interleave circuits in synchronization with respective timing signals, described below in more detail. The data that is outputted by a demodulation circuit , or include a unit of one frame of reception data.
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0032 De-multiplexers to include the de-interleave circuits for de-interleaving (rearrangement of data time series) the transmitted data. This circuit returns the demodulated data time series to the original data time series (arrangement).
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0033 A changeover circuit is controlled by instructions from a system control circuit . The changeover circuit selectively outputs one of de-interleaved signals (data time series) outputted from the plurality of demultiplexers , and , to a decoding circuit .
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0034 The decoding processing circuit is a circuit for performing a processing such as data decoding and error correction on the basis of the de-interleaved data taken in through the changeover circuit . After performing such processing, the decoding processing circuit outputs decoded data to an output processing circuit (not shown) of sound, picture and the like.
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0035 The system control circuit may be a circuit for controlling the operation of the whole device. The system control circuit may include a microcomputer and a storage element such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), for example. The ROM may hold programs, such as a main routine and various subroutines for controlling the operation of the device of the present invention. The RAM temporarily holds processing results of respective routines stored in the ROM.
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0036 A timing control circuit mainly includes a synchronization signal detection circuit , a relative synchronization recognition circuit , and a timing signal output circuit . The synchronization signal detection circuit detects synchronization signals included in the reception signals of the respective bands. The relative synchronization recognition circuit grasps relative time differences in synchronization detection of the respective bands on the basis of the respective detected synchronization signals. The timing signal output circuit supplies timing signals (hereinafter referred to as timing signals) for urging the output of the data stored in the data holding circuits to in synchronization with the detected synchronization signals of the respective bands or the instructions from the relative synchronization recognition circuit .
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0037 In operation, three digital broadcasting waves, for example, from a plurality of broadcasting stations, are supplied to the respective demodulation circuits to through the antenna and the high frequency signal processing circuit . The respective reception frequency bands of the respective reception systems correspond to the respective digital broadcasting waves.
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0038 Next, signals subjected to modulation, such as OFDM modulation, for example, are demodulated by the respective demodulation circuits to into digital data. The signals are then supplied to the data holding circuits to for each of the respective reception bands. These demodulated signals are additionally supplied also to the timing control circuit .
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0039 Each of the data holding circuits to is constituted by, for example, a pair of FIFO (First-In-First-Out) type memories. The respective data holding circuits to store the respective demodulated data time series. At this time, the data outputted from the respective demodulation circuits to are stored in one of the pair of FIFO memories in the order of time of the outputted data. At the point when the demodulated data of one frame are stored in the FIFO memory, the timing control circuit supplies each of the timing signals for each of the systems. By such supply of the timing signals, the storage data are outputted to the corresponding de-interleave circuits to . At this time, the data are outputted in the order of storage in the FIFO memories.
0040 While outputting the reception data stored in the FIFO memory, the data holding circuit successively stores demodulated data of a next frame supplied from the demodulation circuit in the other of the pair of FIFO memories. That is, by alternately switching and using the pair of FIFO memories, the data holding circuit can simultaneously process the reception of data from the demodulation circuit and the output of held data to the corresponding de-interleave circuit.
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0041 On the other hand, the synchronization signal detection circuit detects synchronization signals included in the data time series on the basis of the supplied data time series from the respective demodulation circuits to .
0042 The detection of the synchronization signals can be carried out by, for example, a method as described below.
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0043 It is assumed that a bit pattern which does not occur in normal data time series is predetermined as a synchronization signal. As the pattern, for example, a series of 0's, so-called null symbols, may be used. The synchronization detection circuit includes a register in which this bit pattern is set. The synchronization detection circuit also includes a shift register that is structured for parallel output and has the same set bit length as the register having the set bit pattern.
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0044 The demodulated data time series are successively input into the shift register in synchronization with a clock signal. Then, each time when one bit of data is input to the shift register, all bits of the register and all bits of the shift register are compared with each other in parallel. In the case where all bits of both registers coincide, the synchronization detection circuit judges that a synchronization signal is detected. The judgement result is supplied to both the timing signal output circuit and the relative synchronization recognition circuit . The synchronization signal detection circuit detects the synchronization signals of the respective reception bands individually.
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0045FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary relation between detection of a synchronization signal SYN included in reception data and generation of a timing signal for decoding reception data of one system of the present invention. For example, one system may comprise the demodulator , holding circuit and demultiplexer circuit (that includes de-interleave circuits) of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the arrows , , in the synchronization signal detection time axis indicate detection of a synchronization signal SYN of the respective frames (N1), (N), and (N1) of transmission data . As the transmission data time series is output from the demodulator circuit , it may be stored, for example, in the first FIFO memory of the holding circuit . During the next frame of transmission data , i.e., frame (N), data of the previous frame (N1) held in the first FIFO memory is output from holding circuit at timing signal , indicated along data output timing signal axis to the interleave circuits of demultiplexer . During frame (N), the data from frame (N) are stored in the second FIFO memory of the holding circuits after generation of the timing signal , and are held until generation of the next output timing signal , and so on. If a data transmission format in the digital broadcasting adopts a frame structure of a fixed length, such as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a time interval between a synchronization signal of an arbitrary frame and a synchronization signal of a next frame is basically constant at a reception side.
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0046 In the case where the synchronization signal is normally detected, the timing signal output circuit outputs the timing signal to the corresponding data holding circuit after a constant period has elapsed. The constant period is specifically equivalent to a period obtained by subtracting a time (period) of a synchronization signal from a time (period) of one frame. Further, since the synchronization signal detection circuit carries out the detection of the synchronization signals of the respective reception bands individually, the timing signals, e.g., , , are outputted to the corresponding data holding circuits to for the respective reception systems. Consequently, each of the data holding circuits to outputs the data of one frame stored in the internal FIFO memories to the corresponding de-interleave circuits to in synchronization with the supplied timing signal, as described above.
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0047 An exception to the process described above occurs in the case when a synchronization signal could not be received because of data error. The operation in the case where this device cannot detect a synchronization signal in reception signals is described below. Incidentally, the description will be made on the assumption that the data input changeover circuit already selects an arbitrary reception system.
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0048 The respective reception systems of the device shown in FIG. 2 always operate. The system control circuit acquires signal levels, signal error rates and the like of the respective reception systems as evaluation parameters of reception states of the respective bands. Further, the system control circuit controls the data input changeover (selection) circuit so that reception system of the reception band having the best reception state is selected on the basis of the acquired evaluation parameters.
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0049 As described above, since the synchronization signal detection circuit always attempts to detect the respective synchronization signals of the systems which are selected and not selected by the data input changeover circuit , the detection results as to all of the synchronization signals of the respective reception bands are also supplied to the relative synchronization recognition circuit .
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0050 Each time when the synchronization signals of the respective reception systems (e.g., first, second and third) are detected, the relative synchronization recognition circuit respectively stores the times when the synchronization signals are respectively detected. Particularly, T (relating to the first system), T (relating to the second system), and T (relating to the third system) are stored.
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0051 Further, the relative synchronization recognition circuit receives also information as to which reception system is presently selected by the changeover circuit from the system control circuit .
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TABLE I
Reference System
Relative System
First System
Second System
Third System
First System
&Dgr;T12
&Dgr;T13
Second System
&Dgr;T21
&Dgr;T23
Third System
&Dgr;T31
&Dgr;T32
0052 On the basis of the above information, the relative synchronization recognition circuit obtains a relative relation between a reference reception system and the other reception systems. That is, relative relations between timing when the synchronization signal is detected as the reference and timing when the synchronization signal is detected in the other reception system are obtained. These relative relations are stored as relative values in the form of, for example, a matrix as shown in a Table I:
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0053 In Table I, Tmn (m and n are respectively natural numbers) designates a relative time difference as to a reception system m in the case where a reception system n is made a reference. For example, T designates a relative time difference between a synchronization signal detection point T of the second system and a synchronization signal detection point T of the first system as a reference.
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0054 With reference to FIG. 4, it is assumed that the reception state presently selected by the data input changeover circuit is the second reception system. As shown in the timing chart of FIG. 4, from the transmission data the detection timing of a synchronization signal of the second reception system is expressed by (TT), where the reference is the first reception system.
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0055 On the other hand, in the case where the reference is the third reception system, the detection timing of a synchronization signal of the second reception system is expressed by (TT), where T is the synchronization signal detection point of the third system.
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0056 Accordingly, in the case where a next synchronization signal of the reception system selected by the changeover circuit cannot be detected, the relative synchronization recognition circuit can compensate the next signal of the selected system by using the detection timing of a synchronization signal obtained from another reception system.
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0057 This will be described using an example in which the second reception system shown in FIG. 4 could not obtain a synchronization signal, for example, as a result of electric wave failure. White arrow indicates the synchronization signal that could not be obtained.
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0058 That is, though a time of one frame has passed after detection of a synchronization signal, in the case where a synchronization signal of the second reception system is not detected, the relative synchronization recognition circuit may presume a detection point of the synchronization signal of the second reception system by using the detection result of a synchronization signal in another reception system. Specifically, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 4, it is possible to presume that the synchronization signal was detected in the second reception system at the point of (TT). Although this is an example in which the detection result of the third reception system is used as a comparison reference, if the detection result of the first reception system is used, it is also possible to presume that the detection point is (TT).
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0059 Next, after a predetermined period has passed from the presumed detection time, the relative synchronization recognition circuit issues an instruction to the timing signal output circuit . This predetermined period is specifically equivalent to a period obtained by subtracting a time length of a synchronization signal from a time length of one frame, as shown by interval in FIG. 3. Receiving this instruction, the timing signal output circuit outputs a timing signal to the data holding circuit corresponding to the second reception system. Receiving this timing signal, the data holding circuit outputs data held in the holding circuit.
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0060 Accordingly, even in the case where a synchronization signal in a reception signal frame of the second reception system could not be detected, the reception data of the frame can be suitably outputted from the data holding circuit to the de-interleave circuit . This is useful as a recovery in the case where a synchronization signal could not be detected because of electric wave failure, as a result of multi-path or noise, for example.
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0061 Incidentally, in the above embodiment, although both the first reception system and the third reception system can be used, it is also possible to make definition as to which reception system is given priority and is used. For example, the system control circuit monitors the reception states of the respective reception systems. On the basis of the monitor results, the system control circuit may instruct the relative synchronization recognition circuit , for example, to give priority to the one reception system having the best reception state among the other reception systems, to use the one given priority, and/or to presume the detection time of a synchronization signal.
2
2
2
1
21
2
3
23
2
0062 Moreover, the detection time of a synchronization signal of the system also may be presumed on the basis of an average value of presumed detection times obtained from the other systems. A description will be made on the basis of the foregoing example. As shown in FIG. 5, an average value (TT)/2 of synchronization signal detection time T(TT) presumed from the first reception system and synchronization signal detection time T(TT) presumed from the third system is presumed as detection time T of the synchronization signal of the second system.
0063 In the foregoing example, the reference for the presumption is in either reception system where a synchronization signal was detected. A presumed value can be obtained by adding a relative value to a reference value of the reference. Alternatively, it is also possible to make the reference value an average of detection times of the respective reception systems.
123
AVE
AVE
AVE
AVE
AVE
0064 For example, the relative synchronization recognition circuit first obtains an average value T of detection times of synchronization signals of all reception systems receiving synchronization signals (see FIG. 6). Then, a difference value T between the average value Tand the respective detection times T of respective synchronization signals of each of the reception systems is obtained. (The shows each number of the systems). This difference value Tand the average value Tare stored. The timing signal for decoding, which is for this reception system, can be formed on the basis of the average value and the difference value as to the selected reception system.
2
2
2
2
AVE
AVE
AVE
0065 As shown in FIG. 6, if the second reception system is selected, the difference value T of the second system is stored. As shown in FIG. 7, in the case where a synchronization signal T can not be detected, the stored difference value Tis added to a value obtained by adding a time length of one frame to the average value Tso that it becomes possible to generate the timing signal T for decoding that corresponds to the second reception system.
18
18
18
0066 When electric power saving in the whole receiver is taken into consideration, the system control circuit can enable control for stopping all or partial function of the non-selected reception systems in accordance with the electric wave reception state of the selected reception system. For example, the system control circuit can allow driving for at least one of the non-selected reception systems while stopping the drive of another non-selected system. It is also possible that system control circuit allows for driving only the selected system (i.e., stopping drive for all other non-selected systems). With respect to a restart of one or more stopped systems, one exemplary way to return control is to enable a reception/processing function to one or more of the non-selected systems so that detection results of synchronization signals of these reception systems may be used when the reception state of the selected reception system becomes more degraded than a predetermined set level.
0067 In the foregoing embodiments, description has been given of, for example, the case of a digital broadcasting system in which a same program is broadcasted from the plurality of transmission bands. However, as described above, programs of the respective transmission bands may be different from each other if the synchronization signals of the respective transmission bands have a definite relative relation.
0068 It is to be understood that the synchronization signal of the present invention is not limited to the forms described above in the exemplary embodiments, i.e., so-called null symbols. Any signal form may be used as the synchronization signal as long as it corresponds to information that can provide the timing necessary when data is extracted from a reception signal.
0069 It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made receiver for digital broadcasting of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents. | |
This completely reconceived and rewritten guide to the Metropolitan’s encyclopedic holdings—the first new edition of the guidebook in nearly thirty years—provides the ideal introduction to almost 600 essential masterpieces from one of the world’s most popular and beloved museums. It features a compelling and accessible design, beautiful color reproductions, and up-to-date descriptions written by the Museum’s own experts. More than a simple souvenir book, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide provides a comprehensive view of art history spanning more than five millennia and the entire globe, beginning with the Ancient World and ending in contemporary times. It includes media as varied as painting, photography, costume, sculpture, decorative arts, musical instruments, arms and armor, works on paper, and many more. Presenting works ranging from the ancient Egyptian Temple of Dendur to Canova’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa to Sargent’s Madame X, this is an indispensable volume for lovers of art and art history, and for anyone who has ever dreamed of lingering over the most iconic works in the Metropolitan Museum’s unparalleled collection.
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Armed violence can exhibit multiple forms. Whether in the context of conflicts or insurgencies, or of gang violence and killings associated with drug trafficking, hundreds of thousands of people suffer injuries or lose their lives each year. Countless others are forced to flee from their homes and communities. Still more must endure various forms of violence inside the home. Many tragedies—from epidemics to natural disasters—kill people. But violence is distinct in that it entails the deliberate harming of fellow human beings. This concept note considers a number of recurring characteristic of contemporary armed violence. It focuses on the multiple, simultaneous, and shifting motivations of perpetrators, and the links between different forms of violence. It calls for an analytical approach that moves beyond simplistic labels and policy responses. Such an approach would need to develop new ways of understanding the relationships between what were previously held to be distinct forms of armed violence.
Deconstructing armed violence
Conventional analyses often compartmentalize armed violence into distinct categories according to a particular context or underlying intentions of the perpetrator. The two most common distinctions are drawn between organized (collective) and interpersonal (individual) violence, and between conflict (politically motivated) and criminal (economically motivated) violence. These distinctions are intended to capture the level of organization and the motivations shaping violent acts. Governments, multilateral agencies, non-governmental organizations, and research institutes around the world use these categories to assess overall levels of crime and violence or to plan violence intervention programmes and policies. Yet these distinctions give the misleading impression that different forms and incidents of violence fit into neat and separate categories.
High levels of gang violence in Guatemala or Honduras, vigilante justice in postwar and fragile states such as Liberia or Timor- Leste, post-election violence in Côte d’Ivoire or Kenya, and high levels of urban crime in cities such as Kingston or Rio de Janeiro underline how the lines between armed conflict and criminal violence are increasingly blurred. In Iraq since 2003, for example, the targeting of non-combatants by insurgents, militias, and sectarian groups may seem chaotic or random, yet a closer inspection of underlying patterns of violence suggests that seemingly arbitrary or criminal violence may also serve political purposes in line with the goals of armed groups.
In many places, non-conflict violence is linked to highly organized criminal activity, or to different forms of ‘political violence’, either targeting political opponents or government officials (such as mayors, teachers, police officers, or journalists), or seeking to influence and modify government policies through corruption and use of force. In these contexts, the label ‘homicide’—which implies ostensibly apolitical interpersonal and criminal violence —is potentially misleading. As the figure below reveals, it is possible to decompose broad categories of collective and interpersonal – as well as conflict and non-conflict violence – into a host of overlapping categories.
Figure 1. Decomposing armed violence
The violent activities of organized criminal groups frequently have broader political consequences, even if their main motivation remains rent-seeking. Criminal activities such as trafficking in drugs or other illegal goods have also been used to finance war efforts in places such as Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, and Liberia. The operations of organized crime groups, and especially the trafficking of illicit narcotics, are frequently accompanied by high levels of violence.
Such groups have shown an extraordinary capacity for blurring the boundaries between criminal and political types of violence, as evidenced by the drug wars in Mexico and the rest of Central America, the Caribbean, and certain Andean countries. Drug cartels are locked in battle for control over the flow of narcotics while governments in countries across these regions have mobilized their armies to boost a faltering war on drugs. Illicit trafficking of drugs is increasingly recognized as a threat to international, regional, and national security, as well as public safety.
Assessing the global burden
The intensity and organization of violent killings provides a critical indicator of a state’s—and its population’s—relative insecurity. From a statistical perspective, violent deaths tend to be more systematically recorded than other crimes and human rights violations. Based on data on lethal violence from established administrative sources in the criminal justice, health, and conflict studies sectors. The 2011 Global Burden of Armed Violence report detects that 526,000 people died violently per year between 2004 and 2009. The estimate includes civilian conflict deaths, battle deaths, and victims of terrorism (combined as direct conflict deaths), intentional and unintentional homicide, and legal interventions in non-conflict settings.
Figure 2
While war casualties are frequently featured in media headlines, their actual number is far lower than that of victims killed in many ostensibly nonconflict countries. Roughly three-quarters of all violent deaths are the result of intentional homicide, while approximately 10 per cent are direct conflict deaths. This translates into 396,000 intentional homicide victims and 55,000 direct conflict deaths per year. An estimated 54,000 additional people (more than 10 per cent of all violent deaths) die violently as a result of unintentional homicide. The remaining category—killings during legal interventions— accounts for at least 21,000 victims a year, or 4 per cent of all violent deaths. Most of the data is derived from incident reporting systems and surveillance databases, which typically yield conservative estimates since they often undercount the number of victims in any given situation. The reasons for this are obvious: any data harvesting system depends on quality reporting and institutional capacity to monitor incidents.
Assessing regional trends
The 2011 Global Burden of Armed Violence zooms in on the 58 states that are experiencing violent death rates (direct conflict deaths and intentional homicides combined) of more than 10 per 100,000. It finds that one-quarter of the world’s countries—comprising some 1.2 billion people or roughly 18 per cent of the global population— exhibit high and very high rates of armed violence and account for almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of all violent deaths. An estimated 285,000 people are violently killed each year in these countries. Among them, 14 countries are experiencing extremely high violent death rates—more than 30 violent deaths per 100,000 people; these comprise 4.6 per cent of the global population and account for an estimated 124,000 violent deaths.
In other words, 25 per cent of violent deaths occur in just 14 countries, which are home to less than 5 per cent of the world’s population. Of these 14 countries, seven are in the Americas. As these findings reveal, armed violence is highly concentrated in specific regions and in a comparatively small number of countries. The regions most affected by lethal violence include Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central and Southern Africa. At the country level, El Salvador experienced the highest overall annual average violent death rate between 2004 and 2009, followed by Iraq and Jamaica.
Lethal violence is not only distributed unevenly across states or regions, but also within states. While specific municipalities, cities, or neighbourhoods may be highly affected by criminal violence and armed conflict, other areas may be comparatively peaceful. Whereas Mexico’s violent death rate in 2009 stood at 18.4 per 100,000 population, for example, the state of Chihuahua experienced a rate of 108 per 100,000 in the same year. Understanding what is behind such extreme sub-national variations in the incidence of armed violence is a prerequisite for designing and administering effective violence prevention and reduction programmes.
It is also possible to better understand the diverse contexts and settings in which intentional homicides occur. It examines how intentional homicide may arise in the context of violent operations by gangs or organized criminal groups, premeditated or unplanned crimes of passion committed against intimate partners or family members, or other crimes, such as robbery or theft. Such disaggregration of data is important for policy and programmatic reasons. For example, while countries in Asia and Europe show a comparatively high proportion of intimate or family–related homicides (around 30 per cent of total 7 homicides), their overall homicide rates are significantly lower than those of other regions, such as the Americas.
Nonetheless, the high proportion of intimate or family-related homicides in many countries in Asia and Europe underlines the importance of aiming research and local violence reduction and prevention initiatives at these forms of lethal violence. The proportion of intentional homicides associated with gangs or organized crime is significantly higher in countries in Latin America. At the same time, homicide rates related to robbery or theft tend to be higher in countries with greater income inequality.
Moving forward
Containing and reducing the incidence of armed violence requires a proper diagnosis of its causes and consequences. Many governments affected by high levels of armed violence—as well as many others that are not affected—have initiated comprehensive armed violence monitoring systems. Such ‘observatories’, especially when administered in partnership with civil society and reliable research institutions, can provide crucial information on the scale and distribution of lethal violence.
This data is indispensable in unpacking the complex relationships between armed violence and factors such as unemployment, inequality, the presence of illicit markets, corruption, weak rule of law, and impunity. The ability of the international community and national as well as local governments to design appropriate policies and programmes for armed violence prevention and reduction depends critically on an integrated and comprehensive understanding of the distribution and dynamics of lethal (and non-lethal) violence worldwide.
Dr. Robert Muggah is based at the International Relations Institute (IRI-PUC) in Rio de Janeiro. He is also a Principal of the SecDev Group in Ottawa and a fellow at the Center for Conflict, Peacebuilding and Development (CCDP) in Geneva. Dr. Muggah is the coordinator of the Humanitarian Action in Situations Other than War (HASOW) project. | http://sites.tufts.edu/reinventingpeace/2012/03/26/disaggregating-lethal-armed-violence/ |
TCOG to Host Criminal Justice Grant Application Workshop
Sherman, Texas – Stephanie Davidson, head of the Texoma Government Council’s Criminal Justice and Emergency Planning program, today announced a mandatory workshop on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, which will take place in the Eisenhower Room at TCOG . The free workshop is for those interested in applying for criminal justice grants through the Governor’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice (CJD). The event will start at 2:00 p.m.
?? These funds help local agencies in their efforts to help victims of crime and prevent criminal activity in communities in the Texoma area, ?? Ms Davidson said. This workshop will provide applicants with the latest information on eligible activities, the application process and funding schedule.
These grants are funded by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the State Criminal Justice Planning Program, and the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act. Eligible organizations include state agencies, local government units, nonprofit agencies, Native American tribes, community supervision and correction services, and government councils.
The workshop is offered to those who have never applied for CJD, as well as those who have previous experience with the CJD grant application process. No registration will be required.
For more information, please contact the TCOG Public Security Bureau at (903) 813-3552.
The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments of Cooke, Fannin and Grayson counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the Tri-County region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services to low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through various housing programs. the regional agency on aging. The Council also facilitates the awarding of grants for internal security and criminal justice.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: | https://louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/tcog-to-host-criminal-justice-grant-application-workshop/ |
Affecting about 5 percent of American adults, seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) is a form of major depressive disorder (MDD) that occurs in predictable, seasonal patterns during certain months of the year. While some people experience symptoms of SAD during the summer months, it’s far more common during the fall and winter months. For most people with SAD, depression symptoms start in late fall or early winter and dissipate by spring and summer.
While it is typically characterized by winter depression, it’s not the same as the “winter blues” — and it’s also not just major depression that happens to occur randomly when it’s cold outside. To help you better understand SAD’s unique symptoms and risk factors — and, even more importantly, the treatment options — we spoke to two experts. Here’s what they want you to know.
What are the symptoms of SAD?
Since SAD is a type of major depressive disorder, the symptoms can look similar. You might notice changes in your mood — such as sadness, hopelessness, numbness, or irritability — along with changes in appetite and energy levels, loss of interest in activities you typically enjoy, or, in severe cases, suicidal ideation.
While SAD presents some of the same biological and emotional changes as general depression, Harry Brandt, chief of psychiatry at the University of Maryland-St. Joseph Medical Center, says it usually manifests a bit differently than MDD.
In addition to experiencing a sustained, depressed mood for more than two weeks, patients with SAD tend to develop a lethargic depression as opposed to more irritability — think being glued to the couch rather than lashing out at a loved one. And while MDD is usually associated with loss of appetite and insomnia, people with SAD are more prone to overeating and oversleeping.
The primary differentiating factor with SAD symptoms, however, is that they occur seasonally. “These patients can feel okay much of the year, and their MDD episodes, as opposed to being largely random, have a seasonal pattern — when the days start getting shorter, they start feeling worse,” Brandt says.
How is it caused?
Like major depressive disorder, experts think SAD could be caused by an imbalance of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that contributes to a positive mood. Numerous studies show people with SAD have reduced availability of genes that transport serotonin in the brain. Brandt says that people with SAD may experience imbalances in serotonin as a result of lower levels of light in the winter months.
Since lack of light affects serotonin levels, living in a region where you get less sunlight is one risk factor. Studies show that people who live farther from the equator experience SAD at higher rates — for example, only 1 percent of people in Florida experience SAD, while 9 percent of Alaska residents do.
Having a pre-existing mental illness, especially major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, is another risk factor. And since there’s scientific evidence of a genetic component involved in SAD, you’re also at a higher risk if a family member has it.
What's the difference between SAD and general depression?
By definition, seasonal affective disorder is a subtype of major depression. The main difference is that while depressive episodes can occur anytime during the year, SAD occurs in seasonal patterns. However, it’s important to note that just because a depressive episode happens in winter doesn’t mean it’s automatically SAD. Some people experience depression in the winter that doesn’t meet the criteria for a seasonal affective disorder diagnosis. | https://www.allure.com/story/seasonal-affective-disorder-vs-depression |
The first international symposium took place in 2008 (Gijón, Spain) responding to the urgent need for an assessment of the consequences of climate change on the world’s oceans. The second symposium in the series was convened in 2012 (Yeosu, Korea), and explored in detail the many interconnected ways in which climate change affected ocean ecosystems and their living resources, from physical, chemical, biological and ecological perspectives. Both meetings attracted about 400 scientists from almost 50 countries.
The Third International Symposium on “Effects of climate change on the world’s oceans” will be held in Santos (Brazil) by invitation of the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo (IOUSP) demonstrating the engagement and commitment of Brazil to the recommendations of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.
This symposium will provide opportunities for the international science community to bring the latest information, understanding and assessment of the impacts of climate change on our oceans.
Twelve sessions covering different but interconnected themes have been selected, from physical processes and their interaction with ecosystem dynamics, to resource provision and ocean governance. The latest developments in predicting changes in biodiversity, phenology, fisheries and ecosystems as well as in the physical systems that sustains these, will inform discussions on the risks and opportunities that climate change will bring to coastal communities and to society at large. The symposium will also highlight knowledge gaps to stimulate the development of the new generation of science of climate change impacts on our oceans. | http://www.pages.unibe.ch/calendar/past/127-pages/1191-3rd-ices-pices-ioc-intl-symp |
The WE Global Network launches today IDEAS THAT INNOVATE, a collection of state and local public policies that further efforts to pursue immigrant economic development strategies.
Many WE Global Network local actors have been approached by municipal officials, state legislators, and other elected officials who acknowledge the research and economic case for immigrant economic development, but who lack specific public policy measures that they can consider to support our work.
As an increasing number of Rust Belt communities realize the enormous contributions that immigrants make to local economic growth and prosperity, new and innovative economic development initiatives are being launched to build more inclusive and welcoming economies. As rapid as these local programmatic initiatives are being launched, innovations also are being pursued by state and local public policymakers. This collection can assist immigrant economic development players and policymakers working together toward more welcoming and inclusive communities. The chapters provide resources to help you explore replicating these ideas in your community.
Chapters
- Enhancing the Economic Contributions of International Students
- Establishing Welcoming Advisory Boards and Working Groups
- Integrating Highly-Skilled Immigrants and Refugees
- Resident Leadership Academies
- Seal of Biliteracy
- State-Funded Opportunity Centers
- State and Local Government Supported EB-5 Investor Visa Regional Centers
The initial collection focuses on seven state and local best practices, but networks are encouraged to suggest other state and local policies that should be highlighted and replicated. | https://www.welcomingamerica.org/news/ideas-innovate-we-global-toolkit |
Neuronal communication across the synaptic cleft is fundamental to brain function. The study of synaptic transmission in the brain has largely been limited to postsynaptic patch clamp recordings that provide precise real-time measurements of postsynaptic electrical responses that are used to infer presynaptic activity. A notable exception is the calyx of Held synapse, in the auditory brainstem, which allows direct measurement of electrical activity and neurotransmitter release from the presynaptic terminal. Paired nerve terminal and somatic recordings allow simultaneous measurement of pre- and postsynaptic electrical activity. In addition, presynaptic capacitance recordings can be used to measure changes in membrane area to study the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release (exocytosis) and subsequent membrane uptake (endocytosis). The major aim of the work described here is to better understand currents that are triggered by, and associated with, action potential activity. Particularly, how these currents affect the release of neurotransmitter and subsequent postsynaptic response. Work at the calyx has shown that small currents can travel up the axon a significant distance to inhibit or facilitate action potential generation. Other work has demonstrated that small changes in the presynaptic resting membrane potential can have large effects on the postsynaptic response. This strongly indicates that small currents associated with, or triggered by, action potentials will act to modulate synaptic transmission. The goal of this work is to better understand the mechanisms of these currents, and to determine their role in modulating neurotransmitter release (exocytosis). These studies will be done at an early and later stage of development to determine if the kinetics and the effects of these currents are altered during synapse maturation. This work is consistent with the longstanding commitment of the NINDS to understand basic mechanisms of neuronal function, which is an essential component to understanding how normal physiological function differs from pathological conditions. Accordingly, this research on basic physiological mechanisms of synaptic transmission is a critical component of the mission to reduce the burden of neurological disorders.
| |
There are times when I speak to hospice and grief organizations or I'm interviewed on radio shows about the benefits of music during the time of grief resolution. And I'm often asked questions about music assisting individuals experiencing grief. They are good questions and ones that you might have as well. I'd like to share them and my responses with you.
Q: What is the "best" music to listen to when moving through grief?
A: I'm not sure there is a "best" music. The best or right music is ultimately a personal choice. The only criteria is this; that the music brings you some form of pleasure and/or relief at the time you listen to it.
Q: What do other people listen to when grieving?
A: There's a wide range of music people seek out. Besides songs that you grew up to or songs that connect them to the person they lost, people will choose other styles of music.
One is sound scape music. Sometimes called, "trance music", sound-scape music is mostly associated with avant-garde composers who use electronic instruments and synthesizers to create their work. Sound-scapes play a trick on the mind. Generally when a song begins, the brain will stand at attention and wait for the melody to start. But in a sound-scape recording, there is no melody. So the mind is forced to rest and be enveloped in only a continuous fabric of harmonious sound. This fabric or "pad" of music does not rise and fall below a certain pitch which also makes it very popular with many who meditate, practice yoga and "just chill."
Furthermore, though it's not considered music, some people like to listen to environmental recordings. They are simple, peaceful, continuous sounds of nature, such as chirping birds, rain and thunderstorms or ocean waves as they reach the shore.
Then there are individuals who turn to melody and traditional musicianship. For these people there is much to choose from. There are many talented musicians with recordings that feature a solo instrument such as guitar and harp. There are music CDs where two (2) instruments play together, such as piano and flute. Others prefer hearing all the instruments of the orchestra. Classical and jazz music are popular. So is new age, ambient, relaxation and cinematic music or music that feels like it belongs as a soundtrack to a motion picture.
Q: Is instrumental music better to listen to than songs with words?
A: I'm not sure if it's better because again, it's a personal choice. However, I do believe there are a few advantages to listening to instrumental recordings. When I lost my parents a few years back, I found softer, slower, soothing, instrumental music to be the most helpful. Instrumentals were easy to listen to. I also found music that was "beat-less" or with a minimal amount of rhythm and percussion, slowed my body down, enabled me to relax which in turn, helped me to get centered.
Q: Where can I buy this kind of music?
A: Besides the large department stores like Target and Wal-mart, there is the web. Some grief resource sites such as New Leaf Magazine have music available to help you work through grief. Another company that has a wide variety of music perfect for grief resolution is CD Baby. They are the largest on line distributor of music by independent musicians in the world. To get to their site, just Google: www.cdbaby.com. Search by genre or, if you know it, type the name of the artist or title of the CD. For example, if you type, Tony Falzano in the search box on the main page of CD Baby, it will take you to my music. When you get to my page or any artist's site, you can click on the CD to read and listen to the songs to see if you like the music. Also there will be information explaining what the music is intended for and reviews by previous purchasers of the album. If interested, you can purchase right on line. It is very convenient to shop for music at CD Baby, New Leaf or at any reputable company doing business on the web.
Another thing I suggest is to look at the album cover when shopping. Do you connect with the picture/illustration on the cover? Does it convey an image that invites you to listen to the music?
Q: Can you offer any tips on listening to get the most enjoyment and relaxation?
A: First, I think music should be played at or just above the level of your voice in a normal conversation. In addition, it's important to be comfortable in a chair, bed or the floor. Try to plan for distractions by turning off the phone. You can dim the light in the room and light a candle. Listening with head phones can also help to shut out surrounding sounds. Closing your eyes will help you to focus more on the music and less on your surroundings; such as straightening the picture on the wall across the room! Furthermore, I suggest you listen to the selection all the way to the end of the piece. This time is meant for you so don't rush it...enjoy it!
Finally, there's a theory that sequencing music can be effective in altering your mood. Sequencing is when you select a series of different musical compositions that will transition you from one mood to another. For example, rather than say; "I'm depressed, I'll listen to something joyful," it is suggested that the listener sequence out of depression. Select a piece which reflects your current mood. Then another selection that is not so depressing to something lighter and so forth. The belief is that you first honor the mood you are in and then gradually move toward a different and maybe healthier state of mind.
I want to thank you for allowing me to share some of my ideas on music these last few months. I hope they have helped you to see how musical notes turn into "healing notes" when we are grieving a loss. Music is healthy. Music is nurturing. And there is a smorgasbord of it in front of you. Use it often and enjoy it. In the words of the late Michael Jackson, "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough."
Tony Falzano
Tony Falzano is an author, college professor and an award winning songwriter who speaks on the enormous health benefits that music has to offer. His articles on the power in music to heal can be found in all the major grief magazines and websites.
In addition, Tony has just released his new music CD, "Just a Touch Away". Along with his first album, "In Abba's Arms", his music has reached the ears and souls of many grieving a loss. Both CDs contain original instrumentals music designed to be an "inspirational companion" to calm, comfort and nurture those searching for healing and hope.
"Just a Touch Away" and "In Abba's Arms" are available through the New Leaf web store. | http://pollockrandall.com/healing/coping-with-grief/1000637 |
Target Audience: Anyone who works with people or communities of color either in micro, mezzo or macro work.
Many people are aware of the ground-breaking research around the relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) to adult health outcomes. Childhood trauma is now considered the leading determinate of the health and well-being of our nation, and our work is being shaped into trauma informed approaches. However, the original CDC-Kaiser Permanente study that led to our current understanding and framing of Adverse Childhood Experiences focused only on ten types of family trauma and their impact on a largely white, middle income population. What about other types of trauma, specifically trauma that impacts people and communities of color? How can our trauma informed responses be culturally competent, based on an understanding of racial trauma?
This workshop will first present an overview of the original ten Adverse Childhood Experiences, including how trauma impacts the brain and behavior, increasing the likelihood of the ten most common causes of death in the United States. The traditional Trauma Informed Approach will also be discussed. We will then focus on the multiple types of trauma that impact people and communities of color, with a focus on the African American population. We’ll explore culturally competent, trauma informed methods of healing and have an opportunity to discuss resources available in the Louisville community.
At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to. . . | http://louisville.edu/kent/events/healing-our-trauma-impact-and-interventions-for-people-of-color |
Central Asia has long been a crossroads of culture, and likely nothing defines this better than the Silk Road which had many branches passing through countries like Kyrgyzstan. As a result of the long history of civilisation in this region, it is possible to come across ancient Scythian burial mounds, stone inscriptions written in Tibetan script, Nestorian churches, stone gravestones carved in the likeness of the deceased, and a myriad of petroglyphs all throughout Central Asia.
Unfortunately, a true database of these heritage sites has never been created for many of the Central Asian regions. There are many photographs and lots of location data, but there is not a good database that combines visual data with location data. That is what this project is trying to remedy. With the help of citizen scientists, a unique database of sites with cultural heritage value is slowly, but surely, being built. To date, much of the work being done on this project has taken place in the Kyrgyz Ala Too and Jungal Too mountain ranges. Data collection happens as a side project of the Biosphere Expeditions Tien Shan research project each summer. Have a look below at a simple map of petroglyphs and burial mounds found in this study area.
To date, in that area alone, hundreds of unique petroglyphs and burial mounds have been recorded. Since each entry in the database has an image and a GPS location, this provides the opportunity to do some interesting research . The project is now using petroglyphs as historical species distribution mapping tools. Since most petroglyphs in the area contain depictions of identifiable animals and can be dated (to varying levels of accuracy), historical distribution maps of species like the red deer (Cervus elaphus) can be created. Studying historical distribution data and comparing it to current distribution data can provide interesting insights, especially in the case of the red deer as it is no longer found in this region of Kyrgyzstan. | http://www.lapisguides.org/?page_id=3092 |
Modeling a measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution system.
We present a detailed description of a widely applicable mathematical model for quantum key distribution (QKD) systems implementing the measurement-device-independent (MDI) protocol. The model is tested by comparing its predictions with data taken using a proof-of-principle, time-bin qubit-based QKD system in a secure laboratory environment (i.e. in a setting in which eavesdropping can be excluded). The good agreement between the predictions and the experimental data allows the model to be used to optimize mean photon numbers per attenuated laser pulse, which are used to encode quantum bits. This in turn allows optimization of secret key rates of existing MDI-QKD systems, identification of rate-limiting components, and projection of future performance. In addition, we also performed measurements over deployed fiber, showing that our system's performance is not affected by environment-induced perturbations.
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CLAIM OF PRIORITY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
B*
(μis the membership function of the output fuzzy set B*)
This application claims priority from provisional application entitled METHOD FOR ADJUSTING THE NUMBER OF THREADS DYNAMICALLY IN J2EE APPLICATION SERVER SYSTEMS, Application No. 60/821,358, filed on Aug. 3, 2006, by Yan Zhang, and incorporated herein by reference.
The invention is related generally to application servers, and specifically to a system and method for tuning the number of threads in application server at runtime to optimise the performance of application server. The system and method can be further tailored to suit tuning other parameters in application server and to meet other system quality requirements such as security.
FIG. 1
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In a typical e-business environment, application server resides in the middle tier of the multi-tiered e-business system architecture. Its role is to provide middleware services (for example, transactions, security and persistence) to deployed applications. shows a typical topology of an application server deployment. In a Web application, an Internet browser submits HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) requests to and downloads HTML (hypertext markup language) pages from a Web Server . The Web Server directs requests to an application server . The application server is connected to a back-end database where persisted data are stored. In an application not deployed using a browser, stand-alone Java clients or applets can be used, and these Java clients or applets would communicate directly with the application server , using the Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) as the underlying protocol.
The performance of application server has important effect on the performance of the whole e-business system. Experience has shown that the actual number of threads in application server used to serve the requests from clients has a significant impact on the performance of application server. Therefore, it is critical to tune the number of threads in application server. Current application servers have provided thread pool size parameter for administrator to manually adjust the number of threads in application server. However, figuring out the optimal thread pool size (number of threads) is not an easy task.
In practice, administrators experimentally discover the thread pool size that provide the desired levels of performance via performance testing using some industry benchmarks or in-house applications given certain workloads. However, the experimental approach is a time-consuming, expensive and non-trivial method. It requires highly skilled personnel. In addition, since the workloads of e-business sites tend to vary dynamically and exhibit fluctuations, even if the thread pool size is tuned well at one point in time, it will show poor performance at other times. That is, a statically tuned system will perform poorly in the time-varying workloads as present in typical e-business environment.
Therefore, what is needed is a means for automatically tuning the number of threads in application server at runtime to achieve optimal system performance at all time.
An objective of the present inventions is to optimise the performance of application server.
A further objective of the present invention is to eliminate manual tuning effort and to enable application server self-tuning and self-optimization.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a system and method for autonomic tuning the number of threads in application server at runtime is provided. In accordance with an embodiment, an autonomic performance tuning system is built to perform monitoring, decision and tuning operations on application server without human intervention. A fuzzy control model is constructed and used in the autonomic performance tuning system. A fuzzy inference engine in the fuzzy control model makes decisions on whether the number of threads needs to be adjusted or not and how many threads should be increased or decreased based on the fuzzy control algorithm and fuzzy rules in the rule base in the fuzzy control model.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, during runtime, the system collects the response time of clients' requests and the number of threads handing the requests in application server; the collected response time and the number of threads are fed into the fuzzy control model; the fuzzy inference engine in the fuzzy control model subsequently evaluates activation strength of the available fuzzy rules in the rule base, combines their rule-consequent sides and determines whether the number of threads needs to be adjusted or not and how many threads should be increased or decreased; the results derived from the fuzzy inference engine are translated into actions on the running application server. This process is executed in a feedback-loop manner to provide optimal performance at all time.
The overall result of the system and method is a dramatic performance improvement of application server. The system and method can be further tailored to suit tuning other parameters in application server and to meet other system quality requirements such as security.
Currently, application server plays an important role in a typical e-business environment. It resides in the middle tier of the multi-tiered e-business system architecture and provides the middleware services, such as transactions, security and persistence, to the deployed applications. Experience has shown that the actual number of threads used in the application server has significant effect on the system performance. Application servers provide the thread pool size parameter for administrators to manually adjust the number of threads. However, manual tuning the thread pool size is time consuming and requires highly skilled personnel. In addition, since the workloads of e-business sites tend to vary dynamically and exhibit fluctuations, even if the thread pool size is adjusted well at one point in time, it will show poor performance at other times.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an autonomic performance tuning system automatically adjusts the number of threads in application server at runtime to achieve optimal response time. It also meets objectives of eliminating manual tuning effort and enabling application server self-tuning and self-optimization.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a system and method for autonomic tuning the number of threads in application server at runtime is provided. In accordance with an embodiment, an autonomic performance tuning system is built to perform monitoring, decision and tuning operations on application server without human intervention. A fuzzy control model is constructed and used in the autonomic performance tuning system. A fuzzy inference engine in the fuzzy control model makes decisions on whether the number of threads needs to be adjusted or not and how many threads should be increased or decreased based on the fuzzy control algorithm and fuzzy rules in the rule base in the fuzzy control model.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, during runtime, the system collects the response time of clients' requests and the number of threads handing the requests in application server; the collected response time and the number of threads are fed into the fuzzy control model; the fuzzy inference engine in the fuzzy control model subsequently evaluates activation strength of the available fuzzy rules in the rule base, combines their rule-consequent sides and determines whether the number of threads needs to be adjusted or not and how many threads should be increased or decreased; the results derived from the fuzzy inference engine are translated into actions on the running application server. This process is executed in a feedback-loop manner to provide optimal performance at all time.
The overall result of the system and method is a dramatic performance improvement of application server. The system and method can be further tailored to suit tuning other parameters in application server and to meet other system quality requirements such as security.
FIG. 2
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shows an illustration of the structure of the autonomic performance tuning system with the fuzzy control model, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As shown in , the functionalities of the system are grouped into three main logical modules, namely the performance monitor module , performance controller module and regulator module . The three functional modules constitute an automated, feedback loop. The running environment of the application server is monitored. Which tuning strategy is chosen is decided by the performance controller module . The performance of the application server is optimised and adapted to meet its high-level performance goals in the current environment. The resulting system is subsequently monitored and evaluated, optimization and tuning strategies being possibly tuned in effect.
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the performance monitor module consists of Data Collector component , Data Processor component , and a database . The Data Collector obtains observations of real-time performance data. Example performance data to collect include request arrival rate and response time etc. The collected data are processed by Data Processor to measurements which are stored in a database so that they can be reused or to meet the statistical requirements.
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the regulator module consists of the tuner component . The tuner translates the strategy chosen by the Performance Controller Module into actions, and injects the actions into the application server to meet the system performance requirements.
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the performance controller module consists of the comparator component and the fuzzy control model . The performance controller module is responsible for choosing the right performance tuning strategy for the situation signalled by the monitoring module and Service Level Agreement (SLA) . In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the SLA specifies response time optimization.
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the comparator compares the difference between the real-time performance data such as response time and the level of service specified by the agreement. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the comparator calculates the changes in the number of threads and response time. The calculated results are feed into the fuzzy control model .
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the fuzzy control model consist of the six components:
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1. Input normalization : Perform a scale transformation which maps the actual real-world values of current variables from the comparator component into a normalized universe of discourse.
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2. Fuzzification : Calculate fuzzy input, that is, convert a crisp value (precise numerical value) into a fuzzy set to make it compatible with the fuzzy set representation of the linguistic variable in the rule-antecedent.
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3. Rule Base : This includes linguistic fuzzy rules and membership functions of the linguistic values.
Fuzzy Rules
The fuzzy rules in the rule base take the form: IF [conditions] THEN [actions], where conditions and actions are linguistic labels applied to input and out variables respectively. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the difference in the number of threads between the current and previous time intervals and the difference in the response time between the current and previous time intervals are input variables, and the number of threads to be changed in next time interval is output variable.
FIG. 3
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The fuzzy rules are determined based on the experience that the number of threads has the concave upward effect on response time shown as in . To illustrate how to determine the set of fuzzy rules, suppose that the current number of threads is on the right of the optimal value shown as at point A and point B in ; we would like to decrease the number of threads. However, since the optimal value is not known, the fuzzy rules should first determine whether it is to the left or to the right. The “IF” part of the fuzzy rules determines the position on the response time curve and the distance from the optimal point. For example, if we increase the number of threads and the response time also shows a large increase, then we are far to the right of the optimal value. The “THEN” part indicates the suggested action, that is, to change the number of threads in the opposite direction (decreasing the number of threads by a large amount). Conversely, if we are to the left of the optimal value at point C and point D, we would like to increase the number of threads. Since we do not know the actual the number of threads that minimize the response time, these rules are described in terms of difference in the number of threads and difference in the response time values between the current and previous time intervals.
Two examples of the fuzzy rules are as follows:
If the difference in the number of threads between the current and previous time intervals is Small Positive and the difference in the response time between the current and previous time intervals is Small Positive, then the number of threads to be changed in next time interval is Small Negative.
If the difference in the number of threads between the current and previous time intervals is Small Positive and the difference in the response time between the current and previous time intervals is Large Positive, then the number of threads to be changed in next time interval is Large Negative.
Membership Functions
The linguistic values of a fuzzy variable can use Gaussian, triangular or trapezoidal shaped membership functions.
FIG. 4
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, triangular membership functions are used. shows an illustration of membership function for input variables (the difference in the number of threads between the current and previous time intervals and the difference in the response time between the current and previous time intervals). shows an illustration of membership function for output variable (the number of threads to be changed).
FIG. 4
FIG. 5
In and , LN represents Large Negative, MN represents Medium Negative, SN represents Small Negative, Z represents Zero, SP represents Small Positive, MP represents Medium Positive, and LP represents Large Positive, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Other membership functions, for example, Gaussian and trapezoidal shaped membership functions can also be used instead of triangular function.
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4. Fuzzy inference Engine : Calculate fuzzy output, that is, take the fuzzy sets as input and produce output in the form of fuzzy sets via the evaluating activation strength of every rule and combining their rule-consequent sides. This implements specific fuzzy control algorithms based on a set of linguistic fuzzy rules and a set of membership functions for linguistic values defined in the rule base.
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5. Defuzzication : Calculate actual output, that is, convert fuzzy output into a crisp value. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the centre of gravity method (COG) is used as defuzzification. Other methods of defuzzification, for example, the singleton method, the mean of maximum method, and the weighted sum method, can also be used instead of COG.
COG divides the integral of the membership function of the output fuzzy set into half, and the defuzzified value y out marks the dividing point. Formally, in the continuous case this results in
<math overflow="scroll"><mrow><msub><mi>y</mi><mi>out</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mfrac><mrow><mo>∫</mo><mrow><mi>y</mi><mo></mo><mstyle><mspace width="0.3em" height="0.3ex" /></mstyle><mo></mo><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msup></msub><mo></mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>y</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mo></mo><mrow><mo></mo><mi>y</mi></mrow></mrow></mrow><mrow><mo>∫</mo><mrow><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msup></msub><mo></mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>y</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mo></mo><mrow><mo></mo><mi>y</mi></mrow></mrow></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math>
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6. Output Denormalization : Map the crisp value of the control output into its real world domain.
FIG. 6
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, shows the algorithm used to compute the number of threads to be changed in next time interval given two inputs: the difference in the number of threads (x1) between the current and previous time intervals and the difference in the response time (x2) between the current and previous time intervals. Step obtains x1 and x2 values. Step finds the values of all membership functions given the values for x1 and x2. Step finds the values for the premise membership functions for given x1 and x2 using the minimum operation. Step finds the areas under the membership functions for all possible implied fuzzy sets. Step initializes the COG numerator and denominator values. Step cycles through all areas to determine COG. Step outputs the value of the number of threads to be changed. After step , go back to step and continue to compute the next number of threads to be changed given the next two inputs.
The foregoing description of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalence.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1
shows an illustration of a typical topology of an application server deployment.
FIG. 2
shows an illustration of the structure of the autonomic performance tuning system with the fuzzy control model.
FIG. 3
shows an illustration of determining the set of fuzzy rules.
FIG. 4
shows an illustration of membership function for input variables.
FIG. 5
shows an illustration of membership function for output variables.
FIG. 6
shows an illustration of the fuzzy control algorithm. | |
The Sanskrit word uddiyana when translated to English means “to rise up” or to “ fly upward. On the other hand, a Bandha, or lock as applied in a segment of the body means sealing, binding, or locking it by constricting the area is also known as intra-muscular control. A Bandha is meant to stop the movement of prana across the area of its application. This bandha is sometimes also known as Uddiyana kriya. As per classical yoga literature as the flow of prana is impeded the flow of thoughts loses fuel leading to a calmer mind.
Uddiyana bandha is the muscular contraction – lock – applied to the abdominal region which causes the diaphragm to rise up into the chest. The contraction so applied pushes the abdominal organs placed below the diaphragm up along with it, that is why Uddiyana bandha is also known as stomach lift. Another reason the word Uddiyana is used with this yoga practice is that this physical lock helps push the prana upwards into the Sushumna nadi towards the Sahasrara chakra.
Uddiyana bandha is the most powerful lock out of the three main bandhas – Jalandhara bandha, Moolabandha, and Uddiyana bandha – as it creates a intense vaccum within the chest cavity as the lungs are completely emptied after an active, prolonged exhalation, the vacuum so created sucks the diaphragm and the organs lying below it upwards aided by the simultaneous contraction of the abdominal muscles.
Preparatory Practice for Uddiyana Bandha
Stand erect with the insteps of the feet parallel to each other and with one foot distance between them, take a deep inhalation through the nostrils
Keeping the eyes open slowly bend forward from the hips while exhaling all the air out of the lungs through the mouth
Empty the lungs of air as much as possible
Keep the spine horizontally straight and slightly bend the knees, place the palms on the thighs just above the knees, put the weight of the upper body on the knees, the fingers of both the hands can either point downward or towards each other
Keep the arms straight at the elbows
The abdominal region automatically receives a slight contraction in this position
The head can slightly bend forward but avoid tucking the chin into the sternum
Keeping the glottis closed relax and expand the chest as if taking an inhalation but not drawing in any air (false inhalation), relax the abdomen
Slightly straighten the legs
This will help draw the abdomen upwards and inwards towards the spine on its own to get into Uddiyana bandha
Hold this position – in breath suspension (Sunyaka) - till comfortable without straining
Then release the Abdominal lock by taking a slight inhalation and relax the chest
Now raise the head while straightening the knees
Take a short exhalation to release the lock on the lungs and now breathe slowly through the nose
Keep standing like this till the breath returns to normal before attempting the next round
This can also be done in a upright position but doing it with the torso bent forward position helps with easily detect any errors and make corresponding corrections.
This preparatory practice for Uddiyana bandha can also be done in Padangushthasana, the standing forward bend with the hands holding the big toes.
For doing this stand erect with the feet hip distance apart and parallel to each other
Exhaling slowly bend forward from the hips and grab the big toes of both feet with the index and middle fingers of the corresponding hands
Take a small inhalation, exhaling pull the torso towards the thighs
As the exhalation ends with the lungs emptying out, suspend the breath and pull the torso away from the thighs while maintaining the hold of the hands on to the toes
Such the navel back in towards the spine
As the length of the arms restrict this outward movement of the body the abdominal organs and the diaphragm will receive an upward pull on their own
Hold on to this position till the arms become straight, inhale and begin the next round
How to do Uddiyana Bandha – Sitting Position
Sit in any meditative posture; Sidhasana, Sidha yoni asana, or Padmasana, keep the spine erect, and make sure the knees are touching the floor
In case the knees are not touching the floor use a cushion under the hips to raise them which will lower the knees
Place the palms of the hands flat on the knees
Keep the eyes closed as you relax the entire body
Tighten the arms and firmly grip the hands to the respective knees, take a deep and long inhalation and then exhale completely emptying the lungs as in the case of Sunyaka Pranayama
Hold, suspend the breath outside
Contract the back muscles, stoop a little, grip the knees and exert a mild abdominal pull inwards and upwards – in the ribs - simultaneously arching the spine till ultimately the necessary concave appearance of the abdomen is produced
Hold the suspension of the breath like this for as long as possible without straining
Remain in this position till the breathing returns to normal before attempting the next round
Now slowly loosen the contraction of the muscles of the back, straighten the spine, withdraw the hands from the knees, release the abdomen to its natural contour and then slowly take an inhalation
Do all this at immediately and in the same order
Breathing in Uddiyana Bandha Kriya
Uddiyana Bandha is performed with external breath retension – Sunyaka – only.
Precautions while Doing Uddiyana Bandha
Ain order to benefit completely from Uddiyana bandha one must strictly observe the precautions listed here.
Never perform Uddiyana after an inhalation
Keep the body completely steady – no movements – while maintaining Uddiyana
Work at it slowly in the beginning and avoid any undue strain while compressing the abdomen deep towards the spine
The various movements which lead up to Uddiyana must be well coordinated to make the effort involved look very natural
Always practice Uddiyana on an empty stomach
Avoid inhaling any amount of air while performing false inhalation by properly closing the glottis
Consciously keep the abdominal muscles relaxed, not tight, at the false inhalation stage
Since Uddiyana is an advanced technique practice it under the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher as well as after gaining some proficiency in practicing breath retention (Kumbhaka) as well as Jalandhara and Moola bandhas
When to Avoid practicing Uddiyana Bandha Kriya
Persons suffering from conditions mentioned here must avoid doing Uddiyana Bandha.
Colitis
Stomach or intestinal ulcers
Diaphragmatic hernia
High blood pressure
Cardiac issues
Glaucoma
Raised intracranial pressure
During Pregnancy
During menstruation
Hiatal hernia
Any respiratory issues
Errors and Corrections – Uddiyana bandha
In case one is not able to completely suck, contract the abdomen backwards and upwards make sure one is exhaling and emptying the lungs completely before attempting to suck the abdomen in
Avoid actively pushing the abdominal muscles and organs inwards, as you need to keep the abdominal muscles relaxed, instead let the vacuum created within the chest due to complete exhalation naturally suck the abdominal viscera in and up in the chest
Keep in mind that the vacuum that lifts the abdominal organs naturally up is facilitated by the conscious expansion of the rib case after the exhalation ends, as no air is allowed to enter the lungs the pressure inside the chest decreases, this drop in air pressure sucks the diaphragm and the underlying organs up, as the lock is released the rib cage contracts to normal pushing the organs down, back into their natural places
Learn to release and relax, as many a times some unconscious fear can prevent one from properly practicing Uddiyana bandha, in case one is still having trouble releasing the lock purse the lips together leaving a tiny hole in their center, slowly suck the air in from this hole like one sucks water through the straw, this should equalize the air pressure within and outside the chest relieving the abdominal muscles to their natural state
Suck the air in only through the lips and make sure no air enters from the nostrils
Uddiyana bandha Benefits
Uddiyana bandha kriya has a number of corrective, therapeutic and psychic advantages.
This practice is the best means of maintaining one’s physical and mental vigour
As this lock helps ignite the digestive fire it benefits by healing a number of stomach ailments like constipation, worms, and indigestion
It helps remove toxins from the body
As it involves intense correction of the abdominal region it helps stimulate the pancreas which benefit by healing diabetes
It properly massages and tone the abdominal organs rejuvenating them in the process
It balances out the aderenal glands which help remove lethargy and sooths anxiety and tension
It improves blood circulation in the entire trunk along with strengthening the internal organs as it draws in blood from the lower part of the trunk into the chest and heart, as it relaxes – widen - the capillaries and veins present within the abdominal region they can carry more blood within them and also provides a boost to the exchange of nutrients – carried in the blood - with their target tissues
It directly stimulates the Solar plexus, Manipura chakra, which has many subtle influences on the distribution of energy throughout the body
The upwards suction pressure created by Uddiyana bandha reverses the follow of apana and prana, and unites them with samana
It pushes the subtle force prana up into the Sushumna nadi
Uddiyana bandha kriya helps improve respiratory health as it is the only practice which help stretch the respiratory diaphragm, simple exhalation aided by the contraction of the abdominal muscles can on its own stretch the diaphragm higher into the chest, but if one applies uddiayan bandha after that the diaphragm receives a further stretch up which positively affects its muscles and connective tissue
Regularly practicing this lock helps improve the quality of exhalation which increases the efficiency of respiratory process, deep exhalation lowers the residual volume of the lungs
It is a prerequisite for performing other yogic practices like Nauli kriya, basti kriya, and Vajroli mudra
Uddiyana bandha helps improve the immune system
It calms the mind, improves concentration power, and help relieve anger and irritability
It also helps alleviate depression
It trains the body of free divers to adapt completely to the conditions that prevail at a certain depth under water, as it simulates the effects of water pressure when one dives deep
Uddiyana bandha is crucial to providing the upward push to the Kundilini ( pranic energy) into the Sushumna nadi for realizing the real self as per Kundilini Yoga
Preparatory Asanas for Uddiyana bandha
Agnisar kriya
Sarvangasana
Shirshasana
Adhomukhasvan asana
Badha Konasana
Duration, Awareness, and Sequence - Uddiyana Bandha
Begin with 3 rounds – of duration ( few seconds) to which one can keep the breath suspended comfortably – and gradually as one begins to attain proper control increase to 10 - 20 rounds of 20 – 30 seconds duration for each round.
Maintain the physical awareness on the abdominal region and on synchronizing the breath with each movement, and keep the spiritual awareness on Manipura chakra.
Sequentially it is better to place Uddiyana bandha after an inverted asana, and put id in the beginning of asana practice to kick start the energy residing in the abdomen
Variation – Uddiyana bandha in Lying down position
Lie down on the mat on the back with the arms stretched over head, back of the palms resting on the mat
Stretch the heels of the feet in the opposite direction, this will automatically suck the abdomen in
Breathe normally as the upper abdomen expands with each inhalation, the lower abdomen remains pushed in
This posture resembles Tadagi mudra, Tadagi means tank, as the shape of the abdomen in this position resembles a tank. | https://www.shahzadpurfarmyoga.com/techniques-of-yoga/uddiyana-bandha-kriya |
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an image forming device, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a combined machine thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming device, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a combined machine thereof includes a fixing device for fusing and fixing toner (developer) adhered to a sheet of paper. For the fixing device, a temperature required for fixing a toner image (a fixing temperature), which is not fixed onto the sheet of paper, has been set in advance. However, the required temperature varies depending on a type of the toner image or a type of the sheet of paper.
As a factor that causes the fixing temperature to vary, for example, density of toner adhered to the sheet of paper, and an amount of isolated toner dots adhered to the sheet of paper can be considered. When a coverage rate is high and the amount of the isolated toner dots is large, a higher fixing temperature may be required, compared to a case in which the coverage rate is low and the amount of the isolated toner dots is small. Therefore, for a conventional image forming device, a target fixing temperature is set based on the worst condition for fixing the toner image.
However, if the condition for fixing, which is equivalent to the fixing condition for the case in which it is difficult to fix the toner image, is applied in a case in which it is easy to fix a toner image, the fixing temperature is maintained at an unnecessarily high temperature. Thus, the power is unnecessarily consumed in a heating device, contradicting the requirement of reducing the energy consumption in recent years.
Therefore, techniques have been proposed as described below. Namely, the techniques are for suitably switching the condition for fixing, between a case in which a toner image is easily fixed and a case in which a toner image is not easily fixed. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2009-53421) discloses a technique for optimizing an amount of heat for fixing a toner image by adjusting a nip width depending on an amount of toner used for an image to be fixed.
Further, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2006-133580) discloses a technique for raising the fixing temperature for a low toner consumption mode (a mode for reducing toner consumption) for performing area coverage modulation processing, in which a unit that analyzes data on a pixel-by-pixel basis and applies dithering to, for example, a black image that includes many pixels and a unit that generates a halftone image by controlling a time period for emitting laser light on a dot-by-dot basis are utilized.
Further, Patent Document 3 (Japanese Registered Patent No. 3295273) discloses a technique for switching a start-up time for fixing between a text mode and a photo mode. Further, Patent Document 4 (Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2008-185638) discloses a technique for controlling the fixing temperature by determining whether colored fine pixels are isolatedly arranged. Further, Patent Document 5 (Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2008-268784) discloses a technique that raises an optimum fixing temperature for a portion in which a coverage rate is high, such as a photograph, compared to that of a portion in which a coverage rate is low, such as text. Additionally, Patent Document 5 discloses that coverage rates are calculated for a photo area and a text area, respectively, and that the fixing temperatures are individually optimized for the photo area and the text area. Further, Patent Document 6 (Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2009-181065) discloses a technique for controlling the fixing temperature depending on image density information based on a data dot number per a predetermined area, so as to optimize the fixing temperature depending on image information.
The above patent documents disclose configurations that can optimize the temperature, for a case in which one sheet of recording medium is fed through a device, or for a case in which sheets of recording media are fed through a device in a constant fixing mode (e.g., the photo mode, or the text mode). However, for these configurations, a case is not considered, in which the fixing temperature is varied on a sheet-by-sheet basis while sheets of recording media are continuously fed. Thus, these configurations are not suitable for performing temperature control on a sheet-by-sheet basis during continuous feeding of the sheets of recording media.
Specifically, in Patent Document 1, it is described that the amount of heat for fixing is optimized by adjusting the nip width depending on the amount of the toner included in the image to be fixed. However, it is quite difficult to adjust the nip width for fixing on a sheet-by-sheet basis during continuous feeding of the sheets of recording media. Since the processing speeds of recent image forming devices are increasing, it is not realistic to perform this control on a sheet-by-sheet basis during continuous feeding.
Further, the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are for controlling the fixing temperature depending on the selected mode. Thus, for these configurations, it is not considered to control the fixing temperature on a sheet-by-sheet basis during continuous feeding of the sheets of recording media.
Patent Document 4 discloses the technique for controlling the fixing temperature by determining whether the colored fine pixels are isolatedly arranged. In the technique, when an image is divided into pixels having small areas, and the pixels having small areas are further divided into fine pixels, the fixing control is varied depending on colored areas of the fine pixels. Hence, when the temperature control is performed on a sheet-by-sheet basis during continuous feeding, an amount of information per one sheet becomes huge. Therefore, it becomes difficult to determine to what extent the fixing temperature can be decreased. Even if the control is possible, the load on the information processing is huge.
Further, Patent Document 5 merely discloses the technique for controlling the fixing temperature depending on the area of the image, when an output image, in which photo images and text images are mixed, is fixed. Patent Document 5 does not propose a technique for performing temperature control on a sheet-by-sheet basis during continuous feeding.
Further, Patent Document 6 discloses the technique for controlling the fixing temperature depending on the image density information, which is based on the data dot number per the predetermined area, so as to optimize the fixing temperature depending on the image data. However, in this case, similar to the case of Patent Document 4, an amount of information per one sheet becomes huge, and it is difficult to determine to what extent the fixing temperature can be decreased. Even if the control is possible, the load on the information processing is huge.
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Anthropology, in my experience, is commonly confused in the popular imagination with archaeology. ‘We study live people, whereas archaeologists study dead people,’ I have sometimes explained half-jokingly to the perplexed. Although public understanding of anthropology’s engagement with living human societies and cultures is at times sketchy, Australian anthropologists have in fact made significant contributions since the 1970s to the recognition of prior Aboriginal land ownership over vast tracts of the Australian continent. The essays in this two-volume Festschrift celebrate the multifaceted life and legacy of anthropologist and linguist Peter Sutton, perhaps the most significant exemplar of this ‘applied’ branch of Australian anthropology.
Sutton’s historian colleague Philip Jones defines ethnography – the systematic description of a socio-cultural group based on long-term ‘participant observation’ – in these terms:
Fieldwork was the anthropologist’s necessary rite of passage. As a participant in the life of the community, and an observer of it, the trained anthropologist of the late 20th century became skilled at crafting locally specific accounts of a cultural group’s language, cosmology, kinship system, mythology, material culture, secular and ritual life, with the collaboration and support of the communities involved. Mastery of that complex of skills and techniques reached its apogee in Australia in the period from the late 1960s to the 1980s. Peter Sutton’s anthropological career unfolded within that frame, as an exemplar perhaps of Australian anthropology’s ‘golden age’.
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Supporting Australian writers and readers
Australian Book Review – now sixty years old – stands for independent, reasoned journalism. Never has it been more important. Help us to support Australian writers by making a tax-deductible donation. ABR Patrons sustain and enhance this unique critical resource. | https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/archive/2020/933-anthropology/7143-stephen-bennetts-reviews-more-than-mere-words-edited-by-paul-monaghan-and-michael-walsh-and-ethnographer-and-contrarian-edited-by-julie-d-finlayson-and-frances-morphy |
In a new study, researchers found that eating a big breakfast rather than a large dinner may prevent obesity and high blood sugar.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of Lübeck in Germany.
Our body expends energy when we digest food for the absorption, digestion, transport, and storage of nutrients.
This process, known as diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), is a measure of how well our metabolism is working and can differ depending on mealtime.
The team conducted a three-day laboratory study of 16 men who consumed a low-calorie breakfast and high-calorie dinner, and vice versa in a second round.
They found identical calorie consumption led to 2.5 times higher DIT in the morning than in the evening after high-calorie and low-calorie meals.
The food-induced increase of blood sugar and insulin concentrations was diminished after breakfast compared with dinner.
The results also show eating a low-calorie breakfast increased appetite, specifically for sweets.
The team says that a meal eaten for breakfast, regardless of the amount of calories it contains, creates twice as high diet-induced thermogenesis as the same meal consumed for dinner.
This finding is important for all people as it underlines the value of eating enough at breakfast.
The researchers recommend that patients with obesity as well as healthy people eat a large breakfast rather than a large dinner to reduce body weight and prevent metabolic diseases.
The lead author of the study is Juliane Richter, M.Sc., Ph.D. from the University of Lübeck in Germany.
The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Copyright © 2019 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved. | https://knowridge.com/2020/02/a-big-breakfast-may-help-prevent-obesity-high-blood-sugar/ |
Categories:
Branding and stationery design
Darsham Nurseries (plants, not children), is a beautiful nursery in Suffolk run by plantsman David Keleel.
David asked us to design an identity that could be used in many different ways: business stationery, signage & vehicle livery.
We used a photograph of the surrounding landscape as inspiration for the logo and re-drew it in a very simple way.
What the client said
A thoroughly enjoyable experience. Nick was approachable, patient, informative and utterly professional. I’m looking forward to the next phase of the project. | https://www.monoindustries.com/darsham-nurseries/ |
Strawberry Muffins With Candied Almonds
Classic strawberry muffins get a few modern twists in this cheery take. First, egg yolks replace whole eggs, resulting in a richer, more flavorful crumb. The muffins get a double dose of strawberries: diced fresh berries in the batter and an optional dusting of freeze-dried strawberries on top. Finally, a reserved egg white is tossed with sugar and sliced almonds to make a crunchy topping for the muffins. As always, for the best flavor, pick the ripest, brightest strawberries of the bunch.
- Total:
- Serves: 12 persons
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓cups/320 milliliters whole milk
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 3 ½cups/450 grams all-purpose flour
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 2eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1 ½cups/300 grams granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the topping
- 1cup/95 grams sliced almonds
- 12tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
- 2cups/370 grams fresh strawberries, finely chopped
- ⅓cup/5 grams freeze-dried strawberries (optional)
- 1tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Instructions
Step 1Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Step 2In a cup, stir together the milk, lemon zest and juice; set aside to curdle.
Step 3In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to evenly distribute; set aside.
Step 4In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg white (save the other for another use) with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until slightly frothy. Fold in the almonds; set aside.
Step 5In a large bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and butter until combined. Add egg yolks and continue whisking vigorously until the batter is slightly aerated, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, alternate adding 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the milk mixture, folding gently, until you’ve added three batches of each beginning with the flour and ending with the milk. The batter will be thick. Gently fold in the fresh berries.
Step 6Divide the batter among the liners in the muffin tin. (The liners will be very full, but the muffins will not rise much while baking.)
Step 7Pinch the almond mixture between your fingers and let the excess egg whites drain away before dividing evenly all over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 12 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool for 5 minutes, then gently remove the muffins from the pan to cool completely before serving.
Step 8In a mortar and pestle, food processor or resealable bag, combine the freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar, if using, and crush until fine. Dust generously over the cooled muffins using a fine-mesh strainer. | https://inspiced.co/n/NTlhZmEyMDBjNWMyM2MwYzZiODcxNTU1YmM5MTU2YTRh |
Even the most committed of urbanites will admit that summer in the city can be a sweaty slog. Rush hour in 90 percent humidity? No thanks. Emboldened cockroaches scampering on the sidewalks? No thanks some more. Below are a few Blue Star Museums that will get you out of the concrete jungle and back into nature.
Appalachian Trail Museum Gardners, Pennsylvania
Stretching from Georgia to Maine, the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail is one of the world’s greatest hiking challenges. Learn more about the history, construction, and preservation of the AT at the Appalachian Trail Museum, located in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, about two miles from the trail’s official midway point. The museum, which is housed in a historic grist mill, is also across the street from the Pine Grove General Store, where AT thru-hikers (as those that hike the full trail are called), traditionally celebrate reaching the halfway mark by attempting to eat a half-gallon of ice-cream at once.
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Santa Barbara, California
Considered a living museum, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG) is dedicated to researching, conserving, and sharing native California plants. In light of the state’s current drought, the garden’s focus on sustainable practices is particularly notable, and is a model of how botanical gardens can be both breathtakingly beautiful and responsible stewards of local flora. The SBBG’s 78 acres overlook the Santa Ynez Mountains and Channel Islands, and feature more than 1,000 types of plants and flowers.
Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library Wilmington, Delaware
In 1941, horticulturist and decorative arts collector Henry Francis du Pont combined his interests at Winterthur, his childhood home. The home’s 175 rooms are exquisitely furnished with antiques and artwork, but the exterior landscape is just as meticulously arranged. The 1,000-acre gardens boast 7,508 types of plants, which are artistically arranged to bloom nearly year-round.
Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital Coral Springs, Florida
If you have ever wanted to see a baby alligator nursed back to health (and truthfully, who hasn’t?), then this is the place for you. This wonderful, volunteer-run organization is dedicated to caring for injured and orphaned wildlife, and to teaching visitors how to care for their environments (including pets!).
Tohono Chul Tucson, Arizona
Although the Sonoran Desert doesn’t scream “fertile,” the ecosystem here is incredibly vast and varied. At Tohono Chul, visitors will find 49 acres of art and nature, all designed to showcase the region’s unique culture and environment, and ultimately, encourage its preservation. The gardens feature more than 300 species of cacti and succulents, over 50 species of wildflowers, and rotating art exhibitions.
Lyon Arboretum Honolulu, Hawaii
Want to experience the natural wonders of O’ahu beyond the beach? Head to the University of Hawai’i’s Lyon Arboretum, located across 194 acres of tropical rainforest. Visitors can admire more than 5,000 types of plant species in eight different gardens, ranging from the Zen-like Young Memorial Garden to the popular Herb and Spice Garden, featuring herbs from around the world.
Botanica Wichita, Kansas
Called a “paradise on the plains,” Botanica blooms across 18 acres in the heart of Wichita, Kansas. The collection is divided into 29 themed gardens, including a peony collection, a Chinese friendship garden, and a sensory garden, where visitors of all abilities can experience the fragrance and texture of a living herb wall. There is also a special children’s garden, with a tree house, musical maze, fountain, and special areas for storytelling and puppet shows. | https://www.arts.gov/art-works/2015/getting-outside-blue-star-museums |
Being a scriptwriter allowed me to get by without going into a lot of description but now that I'm also writing prose I need to get better at it. Here's a method I'm finding helpful:
1. Figure out which of your senses you tend to favor.
For me, it's visual. That's why in prose most of my descriptions are about what things look like.
You may find that sound predominates--that is, you tend to focus on what people are saying as well as the tone of their voice and how loudly or quietly they speak. You will also be very aware of music and of the background sounds associated with a setting.
Less common is a tendency to be most aware of smells. People who are especially sensitive to smell may be affected by people wearing very strong perfume or cologne. It may also affect their perception of how certain foods taste.
Finally, some people are most tuned in to how things feel--in terms of their texture, weight, and so forth. Again, this may affect how they feel about certain foods as well. Also, they may choose certain items like mobile phones not only by their functions and how they look but also how they feel in your hand.
Another sensitivity some people have is to the moods and emotions of other people. They may perceive these through all of the above senses. Being unusually empathetic is useful for a writer but it can also be stressful. If you genuinely do feel other people's pain, you'll be in pain quite a lot of the time!
2. The next time you go to a place you've not visited before, pick one of your less dominant senses and think about how you would describe that place in terms of that sense.
For instance, when I go to a street market I tend to notice people's faces, the colors of the things for sale, details of how the stalls look, and so forth. Therefore I might make it my assignment to pay more attention to the smells of the food at the food stalls, the spices or vegetables, the perfumes or colognes of the people there, and so forth.
Focusing on the sounds would sensitize you on the sales pitches of the various stall holders, the comments of the other people shopping there, the background noises, any music, etc.
If you pay attention to how things feel you could consider the textures of the vegetables and the fabrics and other items for sale.
If it's more the emotions you want to make the center of your attention you'd think about what moods or emotions people seem to be experiencing and how those are reflected in their appearance, their body language, their actions, what they say and how they say it, and even how they dress.
3. Take a few minutes later to write a description using the sense you were emphasizing.
At first getting better at attending to a particular sense will take conscious effort but after a while you may find you're noticing more of these details without trying and that it enriches your writing and also your appreciation of your day to day experiences. | https://timetowrite.blogs.com/weblog/2014/03/how-to-get-better-at-writing-description.html |
The Rochdale Schools Linking Project is led by the Equalities Team (Rochdale Borough Council) and has been running since 2017. Initially involving 14 classes from 12 schools, the programme has expanded to now include 30 classes in 2019/20, engaging approximately 860 children from 25 local schools. We are lucky enough to be able to use the fabulous M6 Theatre for our neutral venue. Based in Rochdale, M6 Theatre is one of Britain’s leading theatre companies, specialising in creating and delivering dynamic, high quality and relevant productions for young audiences; not only do they offer a joyful linking experience, but build life skills too! Their ethos and focus on children’s social and emotional development are common to TLN; well thought through workshops help build confidence and break down barriers, whilst having fun. The children meet meet in a positive environment and using theatre as a springboard for meaningful conversation and activities, move from working alone to working as a team. Each year, the workshop activities change, but they always offer positive and engaging experiences for children, helping them to build an understanding of how to live together with kindness and confidence.
As we are unable to physically link at the moment, we have put together a bank of useful websites with home learning ideas and online safety guidelines, for you to access on our Home School Heroes page, please take a look!
All Saints CE and St Luke’s CE – A Year 4 Linking Journey
In 2017/18, alongside ten other Church of England primary schools in Rochdale, All Saints and St Luke’s worked together to produce ‘We Are One’ – a film aimed at exploring Christian values and diversity. The Rochdale Linking Programme offered both schools the opportunity to continue to explore the concepts examined in their film. The Headteachers, Kim Farrall and Sharon Hardy, agreed that their year 4 classes would take part in the 2018/19 linking journey.
‘St. Luke’s decided to participate in the Rochdale Linking Schools Programme to give children who do not have the opportunity to travel out of Heywood, the chance to broaden their mind set and meet new people,’ Kim Farrall, Headteacher, St Luke’s CE
‘All Saints’ decided to be involved in the Rochdale Linking Schools Programme as we believed that it would be a good opportunity for shared learning that would develop the children’s sense of community. Through collaboration with pupils from different contexts, we wanted our pupils to explore shared values and develop friendships,’ Sharon Hardy, Headteacher, All Saints.
‘Our school is committed to giving our pupils every opportunity to develop personally: to increase their sense of self-worth and their appreciation of others, their ability to empathise and their capacity to be a true friend. What better way than through ‘Linking schools,’ Fiona Fogarty, Vice Chair of Governors, St Luke’s CE.
Although All Saints and St Luke’s are both Church of England schools they serve very different communities. As part of the baseline assessment class teachers were asked to what extent they felt their pupils had the opportunity to mix with others from different backgrounds, responding on a 5 point scale. The teacher from All Saints responded 4, most of the time. The teacher from St Luke’s responded 1, not at all.
‘We wanted to encourage the children to consider themselves as part of a larger community with children from diverse backgrounds and to build relationships with others with a focus on identity and belonging,’ Kim Farrall, Headteacher, St Luke’s CE.
‘Initially I was bit sceptical about how this project would work with pupils from very different schools, catchment areas and ethnic back grounds,’ Saba Khalid, teacher, All Saints.
During CPD1 the class teachers identified what they hoped to achieve through linking:
- Creating opportunities for the children to meet others that they would not otherwise meet;
- Promoting understanding and developing respect for others from different backgrounds;
- Developing literacy skills through real reasons for communicating;
- Participating in meaningful exploration of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC), including British Values.
Alongside this, the teachers mapped out how they intended to engage parents and what would be exchanged during the autumn term. The classes explored and exchanged poetry, identity jigsaws, artwork, films and photos.
Poem written by a yr4 child at All Saints
Little Gift– a neutral venue visit
Teacher assessment at the beginning of the journey identified that the children were in very different positions when it came to opportunities to mix with others from different backgrounds. Potentially, the classes might have struggled when they met at the theatre for the first time.
‘I wanted pupils to engage with one another and get to know each other, hoping that they would realise that they are all the same in a lot of ways. I wanted pupils to take part in cooperative learning and maximize their engagement with activities by sharing them with unfamiliar peers,’ Saba Khalid, teacher, All Saints.
Careful planning and thoughtful exchanges between the two classes, prior to the meeting in November, meant that the children already felt a connection. Enthusiastic, curious and creative, the classes came together to explore the core questions of Linking.
‘I wondered what they would be like. I thought they would be different to me. They are a little different, but not much. And it’s ok to be different,’ Year 4 girl, St Luke’s
‘This helps you learn how to make friends when you are all different and all the same,’ Year 4 boy, All Saints
‘The lesson ideas and resources allowed us to get the pupils engaged and enthusiastic about the whole project. Initially they didn’t think that they would have much in common with pupils from another year group and struggled with recording curiosity questions as they weren’t sure if they would be appropriate. However, meeting at the M6 Theatre and taking part in very carefully planned activities helped. Pupils were able to engage in a positive way,’ Saba Khalid, Teacher, All Saints.
‘The smiles on the faces of the children as they leave is a gift to all involved in this project, the words from the beginning of the day ‘nervous, sick, scared’ have long been forgotten and they go back to school feeling ‘happy, excited and joyful’.
The workshop is designed to ensure the children have a positive experience from the moment they arrive at M6 Theatre. Our experienced facilitators are skilled in supporting the children through those initial moments – keeping the atmosphere light and positive and identifying those children who may need extra support. The children’s achievements are highlighted to them throughout the day, particularly in the first section where they meet someone new, talk to them, find out facts and speak in front of the whole group,’ Caroline Kennedy, Participation programme Manager, M6 theatre.
Exchange visits
All Saints hosted a visit from their linked class from St Luke’s CE. Using the topic Around the Worldthe Year 4 teacher provided rich opportunities for children from both classes to:
- use of a range of social skills in different contexts, working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religious and ethnic backgrounds;
- develop a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them;
- use imagination and creativity in their learning.
Activities facilitated the social and cultural development of pupils and encouraged attitudes that should allow them to participate and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.
‘The most exciting bit has been seeing our friends, having St Luke’s here! And making clay masks,’ Year4 boy, All Saints.
‘I’m excited to be here, to do loads of stuff. You think the day will never come but it does!’ Year 4 girl, St Luke’s.
‘It was great to see so many children excitedly participating. Students were eager to share their thoughts in relation to their experiences and many children had obviously grown in confidence through the process. Children reported that they had really enjoyed the experience and that it had been interesting meeting students from other schools. Some children had expressed being nervous and apprehensive prior to the day but felt this experience had made them much more confident in meeting new people and more able to cope with managing new situations,’ Vinnie Howarth, Performance and Achievement Officer (SEND) for the LA.
Our Linking School, St Luke’s, came to visit our school for a day of fun activities from around the world. We all had a fantastic day making masks, working with clay, drawing our own op art and playing games.
– Extract from All Saints website:
https://www.allsaintsce.rochdale.sch.uk/2019/05/linking-project-visit-from-st-lukes/
What has the impact been?
‘I didn’t know anything about St Luke’s before Linking but now I know they are my friends!’ Year 4 boy, All Saints
‘I think it’s a really good idea. You get to learn about each other. You get to share the learning,’ Year 4 girl, St Luke’s
‘All children and staff have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Children have had the opportunity to interact with others they wouldn’t usually get the chance to meet in a structured and focused way. Children have built fantastic relationships over the year with children from All Saints’. They have loved meeting new friends and thoroughly enjoy the experience,’ Kim Farrall, Headteacher, St Luke’s CE
‘The project has proved to be a great success. The work that the children completed has allowed them to strengthen friendship bonds and celebrate differences. The children are always eager to see their new friends and look forward to the next activity. We feel that this has been a memorable learning experience that will stay with the children for a long time. We hope that the influence of this project will break down barriers and impact positively on their future lives,’ Sharon Hardy, Headteacher, All Saints
‘Pupils from my school share the view that we have some differences but mostly we are the same. I do not think that we would have been able to achieve this shift in thinking without taking part in the Linking project,’ Saba Khalid, teacher, All Saints.
‘As a governor, I am proud that our school is part of this worthwhile project that addresses such genuine aims through enjoyable and memorable activities,’ Fiona Fogarty, Vice Chair of Governors, St Luke’s CE
‘There are a wide range of needs within the participating groups from each school. All children were well supported. It has been interesting to see just how quickly children have accepted and engaged with each other,’ Vinnie Howarth, Performance and Achievement Officer (SEND) for the LA
We Are We – a collective poem
Belonging, a sense of affinity, of being part of something larger can feel so important when we are growing up. In Rochdale, ever diverse and steeped in cooperative history, the idea resonates. One of the things that we love about Schools Linking is the way it celebrates a sense of self while championing a sense of belonging. We wanted to find a way to capture this.
We worked with a small group of children to come up with a structure for a poem. | https://thelinkingnetwork.org.uk/national-schools-linking-network/rochdale/ |
"Art is the daughter of the divine," contended philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s. Most art 1overs today would assume that Steiner was referring to a pre-20th-century past. True, art was once the daughter of the divine, they might say. But in the 20th century the once-dutiful daughter has struck out on her own, ignoring her religious heritage (indeed, ignoring religious subject matter altogether) and turned her attention to form. Abstract art is a purely aesthetic activity. Certainly in the late 20th century, it is rarely associated with religion.
However, in recent years this story of abstract art has begun to undergo revision. Art critics have discovered that for many artists, abstraction is a way not to express emptiness but to communicate particular ideals. A number of major exhibitions exploring the roots of abstract art have emphasized artists' utopian hopes bred by the industrial revolution, or their revolutionary political thought, or their revival of primitivism out of a dissatisfaction with the modern world.
The latest of these exhibitions appeared in Los Angeles and Chicago during the first six months of this year: "The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting 1890-1985." (It is on view at the Gemeetemuseum in the Hague from September 1 through November 22.) While the exhibition leaves intact the notion that the "daughter of the divine" has indeed struck out on her own, it offers an intriguing challenge to the widespread belief that she has altogether abandoned her spiritual focus. Rather, like many adventurous spirits through history, and a fair number of seekers during our own age, she has shunned traditional religious expression in favor of esoteric aspects of spiritual life.
For those able to accept a broad definition of the word "spiritual" -- one that encompasses elements of the mystical, the gnostic, Eastern religions and the occult, and has few, if any, discernible connections with the Hebrew or Christian Scriptures -- abstract art might be approached as a doorway to the symbolism of modern culture's spiritual underground. In any case, the arguments advanced by exhibit curator Maurice Tuchman and others in the exhibition catalogue (copublished by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Abbeville Press, New York) deepen our appreciation not only of abstract art but of a little-understood aspect of the religious temper of our times.
To understand the daughter's journey, it is helpful to recall the break with traditional religious art that took place in the Romantic period. Friedrich Schleiermacher gave theological impetus to highly privatized religious forms with his Romantic insistence that inner piety is more important than outer forms. "Indeed," argues Robert Rosenblum in Modem Painting and the Northern Romantic Tradition: Friedrich to Rothko (Harper & Row, 1975) , "Schleiermacher's theological search for divinity outside the trappings of the Church lies at the core of many a Romantic artist's dilemma: how to express experiences of the spiritual, of the transcendental, without having recourse to such traditional themes as the adoration, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension, whose vitality, in the Age of Enlightenment, was constantly being sapped."
Rosenblum, an art historian invoked in one of the catalogue essays, was among the first scholars to assert that abstract art, far from representing a neat break with representational art, is actually part of a Romantic tradition reflected in northern European artists like Caspar David Friedrich and Joseph M. Turner, who infused landscape paintings with a "sense of divinity." Abstract artists faced the same problem as the earlier Romantics, he said: "how to find, in a secular world, a convincing means of expressing those religious experiences that, before the Romantics, had been channeled into the traditional themes of Christian art." According to art historian Charlotte Douglas, the shift to abstract art in the early 20th century was prompted by a need for new dimensions of consciousness, forms suited "to serve as a passport to and report from" the so-called higher realms.
Esoteric cousins of theosophy that attracted the artists featured in the exhibition include Rosicrucianism, alchemy, Tantrism, cabalism and Hermeticism. The writings of psychiatrist Carl Jung, who was himself interested in alchemy, parapsychology and the occult, were a favorite of some artists. Others favored Jacob Boehme, the 16th-century Lutheran shoemaker who combined Neo-platonism, the Jewish Cabala and Hermetic writings and the Bible in explaining his experiences of God. Still other artists made use of symbols from medieval legends, Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, the religion of American Indians, the teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff and the works of medieval Christian mystics such as Meister Eckhart, John of Ruysbroeck and Richard Rolle.
That theosophy and other types of occult and mystical thought have influenced abstract artists is supplemented in the show by 125 books by theosophers, philosophers and mystics whose images and ideas also appear in the tradition of abstract art. The argument for the relationship begins with four artists generally viewed as pioneer abstractionists, all of whom are shown to have been steeped in spiritual concerns.
Piet Mondrian, the Dutch painter best know for his abstract gridwork of interlocking perpendicular black lines and enclosing squares of red and yellow, was an avid reader of theosophy, who once said he learned everything he knew from Madame Blavatsky He joined the Dutch Theosophical Society in 1909, about the same time that his work began its gradual evolution toward the abstract. The shift was heralded in his landscapes: wide expanses of beach and sea; forest scenes that highlight the vertical thrust of trees from a horizontal
expanse of earth. Mondrian's preoccupation with the tension between vertical and horizontal was later depicted in the haunting abstract cruciform patterns that would become his trademark. One critic has said that given the antisocial attitudes apparently underlying abstract works, a viewer unfamiliar with Mondrian's personal religious quest might associate his grids with jail bars. But according to Mondrian's own notebooks, the patterns represent the struggle toward unity of cosmic dualities and the religious symmetry undergirding the material universe. A strong believer in the theosophical doctrine of human evolution from a lower, materialistic stage toward spirituality and higher insight, Mondrian wrote that the hallmark of the New Age would be the "new man" who "can live only in the atmosphere of the universal."
For Wassily Kandinsky, the religious themes implicit in his paintings are made explicit in Concerning the Spiritual in Art, a little book he wrote in 1910, the year he did his first abstract painting. Kandinsky, like many abstract artists, saw himself as a spiritual as well as an aesthetic pioneer. Like Mondrian, Kandinsky was versed in theosophy, and felt that abstraction was the best means available to artists for depicting an unseen realm. With near-messianic fervor, Kandinsky announced that the type of painting he envisioned would advance the new "spiritual epoch." In his book he describes the spiritual realm as a triangle in upward motion. At its apex stands a man whose vision points the way; within are artists, who are "prophets," providing "spiritual food."
Familiarity with this theory is all but crucial to understanding a painting like Kandinsky's "Variegation in the Triangle." This 1927 work consists of an obtuse triangle set against a background of dense clouds that seem to be in motion. At the apex of the triangle is a circle, a symbol of wholeness and unity in much mystical thought, and within the triangle are circles connected by straight lines, likely representing the artist-prophets.
Two other pioneers, Frantisek Kupka, a Czech, and Kasimir Malevitch, a Russian who in 1914 and 1915 exhibited a series of squares on plain backgrounds, were also avid readers of theosophy and other metaphysical works. Kupka studied Greek, German and Oriental philosophy, along with a variety of theosophical texts. Douglas writes that the aesthetics of Malevich and his circle "resulted from a unified world view that encompassed all dichotomies; for them science and Eastern mystical ideas were seamlessly joined in a conceptual continuum, and knowledge of the world might be obtained by beginning at any point."
Tuchman stresses that it was not just the founders of abstract art who were interested in spiritual investigations. "Abstraction's emergence throughout the 20th century was continually nourished by elements from the common pool of mystical ideas." What artists found appealing about the various arcane religious and philosophical systems was their underlying premise that the spiritual world is governed by laws that mirror natural laws and that can be expressed in symbols. The idea is akin to Ralph Waldo Emerson's notion that every appearance in nature corresponds to some state of mind. Geometric forms are thus paradigms of spiritual evolution. The spiritua1 world, like the natural world, is charged with energy, producing cosmic vibrations and human auras. The spiritual principles that intrigued certain artists included synesthesia, the overlap between the senses by which a painting can simulate music; duality, the idea that the cosmos reflects an underlying principle of yin and yang; and so-called "sacred geometry," the belief that, as Plato put it, "God geometricizes."
Against this background, the works take on new meanings. For example, the Russian Ivan Kliun's work titled "Red Light, Spherical Composition," which portrays a hazy red-orange sphere against a black background, bears a striking resemblance to Fludd' s mandalas. Yves Klein's "Cosmogony" is a canvas covered with blue, red and black circles that seem to be in movement, as if engaged in a cosmic dance. The works of Marsden Hartley (1877-1943) , an early American abstractionist who was an avid reader of Christian mystics, combine symbols from traditional Christianity and the occult. Hartley once said that it was "out of the heat of his reading" of the mystics that he began his works. In "The Transference of Richard Rolle" (1932-33) Hartley pays tribute to that 14th-century English mystic. The painting is of a cloud, set against a deep blue sky and hovering over a barren red-rock landscape. The cloud is imprinted with a yellow triangle enclosing Rolle's monogram, suggesting transcendence within the Trinity. And the use of American Indian pictography by Jackson Pollock and others indicates the interest in the 1930s and '40s in the vitality and spirituality of Indian culture.
As the century wore on, some artists abandoned the search for iconography and turned to more radical abstraction. Viewing the exhibit, I found it especially fascinating to ponder some of the purer abstract works -- such as the rich, dark, imageless canvases of Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko -- in relation to the apophatic tradition in Christian mysticism. Masters of that tradition, sometimes called the via negativa, choose words like nothingness, darkness and obscurity to symbolize God, the wholly other Absolute who is unknowable by means of the intellect but approachable through love.
Newman's and Rothkos somber, borderless canvases suggest deep silence and infinite void, yet somehow, too, evoke a sense of presence and mystery. Newman, an American who died in 1970, made no attempt to hide his spiritual interests. In 1943 he wrote, "The painter is concerned . . . with the presentation into the world mystery. His imagination is therefore attempting to dig into metaphysical secrets. To that extent, his art is concerned with the sublime. It is a religious art which through symbols will catch the basic truth of life."
For many Christians, the theme of the show is sure to be problematic, perhaps rightly so. Scrutiny of the artists' sources reveals a deep immersion in multiple forms of Neoplatonic spirituality -- a spiritual pursuit that has accompanied Christianity from the time of Irenaeus, who thundered against the gnostics in the second century, to the present, a time in which ultraconservative Christians view the occult as a direct manifestation of evil spirits. The dangers of a spirituality divorced from the disciplines and dogmas of established religion have always been clear to Christian leaders. One is reminded of St. Paul's admonition to "test the spirits."
On the other hand, this reading of abstract art offers yet more evidence that the religious landscape has undergone radical shifts. In their new book American Mainline Religion: Its Changing Shape and Future (Rutgers University Press, 1987). Wade Clark Roof and William McKinney note that traditional Christian symbols can no longer be relied on to forge a synthesis of religion and culture. They cite a need for a new mode of synthesis, one suited to a post-Protestant age. Seeing the connection between abstract art and spiritual exploration is sure to contribute to a better understanding of the metaphysical quests taking place on the fringes of our culture. Though these quests undoubtedly are alien to many, they are rooted in intellectual currents that arose more than a century ago and have never disappeared.
Copyright 1987 CHRISTIAN CENTURY. Reproduced by permission from the September 30, 1987 issue of the CHRISTIAN CENTURY. Subscriptions: $49/year from P.O. Box 378, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. 1-800-208-4097 Email: [email protected]
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I have been reading about 30 books per year for the last 10 years. It’s always fun to select my books for the new year. I usually select books from in the following categories — Christian Life, Biblical Studies, Leadership, Self-Improvement, Creative Non-Fiction, and Fiction. I have several lists I consult to help me in my decision, such as — Pulitzer Prize Winners, Pushcart Winners, Booker Prize, National Book Award, New York Times Bestseller, to name a few.
THIRTY BOOKS TO READ IN 2018
Here’s my list for 2018. This is not a suggested list. In fact, I suggest you NOT read all these books. You should spend time selecting the books that will help you the most. You don’t even need to use the same categories I use. I have chosen these categories over the years because of what I do for a living and the kinds of books that appeal to me. You can create your own categories and list. I offer this list as an example of how it works for me.
Christian Living (4)
75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know: The Fascinating Stories behind Great Works of Art, Literature, Music, and Film by Terry Glaspey
The Imperfect Disciple: Grace for People Who Can’t Get Their Act Together by Jared C. Wilson
Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor by Hansen, Rishmawy, et al.
Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture by David Murray
Biblical Studies (4)
Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels by Richard Hays
Neither Complimentarian nor Egalitarian: A Kingdom Corrective to the Evangelical Gender Debate by Michelle Lee-Barnewall
Destroyer of the gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World by Larry Hurtado
Simply Jesus by N.T. Wright
Leadership (4)
The Unstuck Church: Equipping Churches to Experience Sustained Health by Tony Morgan
Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Some Don’t by Simon Sinek
Organization/Self-Improvement (4)
15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management by Kevin Kruse
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland
Are You Fully Charged?: The 3 Keys to Energizing Your Work and Life by Tom Rath
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
Creative Non-Fiction (7)
The Best American Essays edited by Leslie Jamison
Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher by Debby Applegate (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
Fiction (7)
The Best American Short Stories edited by Meg Wolitzer
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva
The Long Drop by Denise Mina
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
12 ALTERNATES:
Christian Living
This is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel by Trevin Wax
Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado
Biblical Studies
The Historical Figure of Jesus by E.P. Sanders
In the Shadow of Empire by Richard Horsely
Leadership
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
The Mentoring Church: How Pastors and Congregations Cultivate Leaders by Phil Newton
Organization/Self-Improvement
The Fear Factor by Abigail Marsh
The 4-hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
General Non-Fiction
A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Fiction
The Whistler by John Grisham
Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Happy Reading!! | http://5feetaway.com/my-2018-reading-list/ |
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Research results are regularly communicated at the quadrennial series of ESA-organised European Conferences on Space Debris, and at dedicated sessions of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) and Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Scientific Assemblies.
Since 1993, the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) has conducted annual meetings to discuss research results in the areas of measurements, modelling, protection and mitigation.
The IADC is internationally recognised as a space debris 'centre of competence' and influences space debris mitigation activities at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space − Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (UNCOPUOS - STSC) and at meetings of the International Standardisation Organisation − Subcommittee for Space Systems and Operations (ISO-TC20/SC14).
Today, the global dimension of the space debris problem is internationally recognised, and space system designers, space operators and policy makers share the common view that active control of the space debris environment will be necessary to sustain safe space flight activities into the future. | https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2009/02/debris_organisations |
Lab 2: Debugging in Thonny
Thonny has a "debugger," which lets us walk through our program step-by-step to actually see what it is doing. At the top of the Thonny window, next to the run button, you will see a series of buttons that look like this:
To activate the debugger, simply click on the button that looks like a bug (the creepy-crawly kind), instead of the normal run button. When you do that, the buttons will change so that they look like this:
These buttons allow you to control the flow of the program step-by-step, and Thonny will show you exactly what is happening by highlighting the part of the code being evaluated. Note that it can only debug a program (in the top window), not code in the shell (the bottom window).
Also note that if you're doing a screen share and only sharing the Thonny window, your partner will not be able to see the debugging information, and you'll have to share your whole desktop to get things working.
Try it out
Open the
debugger.py file that was provided in your
lab02 folder.
It looks like this:
x = 1 + 2 x = x + 1 print(x)
Now, click the debug button and then use the "step into" button (the middle yellow button with an arrow pointing down between two lines) to go through the steps of this program.
Before you step through it completely, take a guess at how many steps are in this program (it's more than you might think).
Click here to show the answer
You have to click 22 times to run the whole program, although some of those pauses are just to show you what will happen next. Operations like addition, variable assignment, and even the confirmation of individual values are all steps of the program.
The next time you're stuck on something in a problem set, try using the debugger to see what's happening in detail.
Breakpoints
Since programs have so many steps, it may take a while to get to the part
of your code that you're interested in when debugging. To speed things
up, you can set a "breakpoint" by double-clicking on the left-hand margin
where the line numbers are. A red dot will appear in the margin near
whichever line you clicked on (as long as it wasn't a comment or a blank
line where there isn't any code). If you set a breakpoint on line 3 of
debugger.py it will look like this:
Now, if you run in debug mode, it will fast forward straight to that line of code, and if you use the "Resume" button while debugging, it will also stop as soon as it gets to any line of code with a breakpoint on it. To remove a breakpoint, simply double-click the line number again.
The debugger has other features, like showing the value of variables in a function call frame, and we'll come back to it later in the course. | https://cs111.wellesley.edu/labs/lab02/debugger |
JERSEY CITY -- Circuses may soon no longer be welcome in Jersey City, with the City Council next week expected to take action on a bill that would ban performances of wild and exotic animals.
If formally adopted, Jersey City would become one of a host of public entities nationwide that have passed laws aimed at circuses. Bergen County now forbids wild and exotic animal shows on county property. Rhode Island last month became the first state in the nation to ban the use of a tool used by circuses to train elephants.
The proposed law appears to be the first in New Jersey that would restrict the use of wild and exotic animals on private property.
Mayor Steve Fulop made his thoughts known in April when he took The Jersey Journal to task for promoting a circus that was visiting Bayonne.
I hate these circuses+ they shouldn't be accepted in Hudson County at all. A record of abuse+ ppl shouldn't attend https://t.co/Oi1W6aI02S — Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) April 1, 2016
City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said the circus visiting Bayonne prompted the new legislation to "prohibit cruel treatment of animals.
"We are following Bergen County and in order to expand forward, the first and important step is setting an example in our home city," Morrill said.
The law would not be limited to circuses: it would ban trade shows, petting zoos, carnivals, parades and more in which animals are required to perform tricks, fight or give rides.
Stephen Payne, spokesman for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's circus, described the bill as "political grandstanding" on Fulop's part. Payne said he's not aware of any circuses visiting Jersey City.
If they did, he said, they would be subject to current state and federal laws protecting animals. When Ringling Brothers travels to Newark, Payne added, they get frequent surprise inspections from officials to see how the animals are being treated.
"We're proud of our animal care," he said.
The Humane Society of the United States is on Fulop's side here. Debbie Leahy, manager of captive wildlife protection for the animal rights group, said there are two chief problems with the use of animals in circuses.
Circuses lead to prolonged confinement for animals with little veterinary care and there is often abusive training behind the scenes, according to Leahy.
"Animals don't want to do these tricks," she said. "They are afraid not to."
The Humane Society credits anti-circus bills around the country with convincing Ringling Brothers in 2015 to announce it would phase out all elephant acts by 2018.
The council meets on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 280 Grove St.
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
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Fooling the Gods?
Language Hat has an interesting post on the etymology of ‘theodolite’, which he treats as some kind of exotic or obsolete scientific instrument. I have used one on the job, though not in the last quarter-century. From 1978 to 1982 I worked for a company that measured air pollution from moving trucks and airplanes, a process my boss invented, and we used theodolites to measure the winds at various altitudes. They were not carried along on the trucks and planes, but set up on the ground to track pink gas-filled balloons. As I recall, a theodolite is just a device to measure the precise direction in three-dimensional space from one’s own location to any object within sight. For instance, it may show that a neighboring hilltop or mountain peak is located at a bearing of 343°, i.e. north by northwest, and 12° above horizontal. It’s basically a small telescope on a tripod, with a plumb bob to level the platform, a compass to line it up north and south, and horizontal and vertical cranks with numbered dials to aim the sight and measure the vertical angle above (or slightly below) the plane of the earth’s surface and the horizontal angle clockwise from due north. One worker would turn the two cranks to keep the balloon in sight of the little telescope as long as she could, while another recorded the azimuth and elevation at set intervals of time. Our primitive computers (7K RAM, 40-character LED display, audio-casette storage — a bargain at $15,000 each) would then calculate the wind direction and (I think) speed at various heights, or perhaps we did that part on graph paper — it’s been a long time. As I recall, plumes emitted from power plants tended to skew clockwise as they went up, and sometimes had more complex shapes. We needed to know where the winds were blowing to decide where to send the truck or airplane.
As for the etymology, I told my fellow-workers at the time (an overeducated bunch) that ‘theo-dol-ite’ should mean ‘an instrument to fool the gods’. We looked it up, and Webster’s or Funk and Wagnall’s or whoever it was said that it means ‘an instrument for seeing clearly’. If so, the inventor messed up two of the vowels, since that should be a ‘theadelite’.
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One of the most prevalent cultural differences I’ve noticed from being in China is the food culture. Food is serious business in China, and I have been fortunate enough to taste numerous delicacies from around the country. Not surprisingly, one of the first Chinese meals I ate in Beijing was Peking Duck. Beijingers are proud of this local dish and it is often wrapped in China’s version of a soft-shell tortilla, stuffed with cucumber and onion slices, accompanied by a side of hoisin sauce.
Peking Duck
What you see below is a very typical Beijing breakfast. Youtiao (a fried oil stick), millet porridge, and a glass of soymilk. I am no stranger to this meal: about twice a week I venture to a fast food restaurant called Mr. Li to enjoy this hearty breakfast.
Youtiao
Chinese meals are generally eaten family-style, with a plethora of dishes placed on the table for everyone to take “as they please.” At times, this means an eager person will pile enough food on your plate to feed a small army. For this reason, the first Chinese sentence I learned how to say was “I’m full.”
Family style dinner during Spring Festival
Dessert is relatively uncommon in China, but there are bountiful amounts of sweet fruit and nuts. I learned that almonds have shells, and watermelons can be yellow. I was also introduced to more melons than I can count, two of the varieties being “sweet melon” and “fragrant melon”.
Almonds with shells
Yellow watermelon
Beijing is a city obsessed with food, and trying all the delicious meals has been a great way to experience the culture of the city. Although I am looking forward to eating cheese curds again, I will definitely miss the wonderful tastes that Beijing has to offer. | https://bus.wisc.edu/current-student-resources/bba/study-abroad/outgoing-study-abroad-students/student-experiences/blog/2017/06/19/food-culture |
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Science and Islam: Rethinking the Relationship
A recent article in the International Journal of Cardiology entitled “The heart and cardiovascular system in Qur’an and Hadith” analyzes the concept of the heart in Islam with regards to cardiac physiology and cardiovascular disease in the biomedical context, and discusses relevant historical Muslim scholarship about health and disease. Received by the Muslim community with much celebration, this article represents the latest in an attempt to couch Islamic thought in light of modern science.
Our current historical context places a particularly strong emphasis on science as an objective means to test the validity of ideas. Epistemologically, what is science? It is a systematic means of asking questions about the natural world. Scientists make observations about phenomena and fit their understanding of those phenomena into falsifiable frameworks, which are then used to generate hypotheses. These hypotheses educate controlled experiments, allowing for more observations. Rinse and repeat. A scientific theory, thus, must 1) be based on observation, and therefore 2) be falsifiable (i.e., have the potential to be proved wrong by observation of something to the contrary). Science, therefore, is fundamentally limited in scope to the observable.
Unfortunately, the temptation to use science to validate Islam often entraps Muslims with poor understandings of either concept. Given the twin requirements on scientific theory that I outlined above (observable and falsifiable), a cursory consideration of the nature of religion would confirm that science simply doesn’t possess the means to assess it. A metaphysical creator (Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala – exalted is he) is, by definition, unobservable. That’s why the second page of the Qur’an will tell you that the Book is a guide for those who believe in “ghayb.” Roughly translated, ghayb means unseen, or unperceivable–literally unobservable. If Allah is fundamentally unobservable (which is why faith is challenging – if we could all see, touch, hear, smell, or taste Allah, then there would be no question of belief in Him), then He and His actions are non-falsifiable, and therefore completely out of the realm of scientific assessment. The same is true for any metaphysical aspect of faith teachings – such as the spiritual quality of the heart.
Articles like the one discussed above, when triumphantly declared as testaments to the greatness of Islam, highlight a certain uneasiness our community has with inherent beliefs in our religion. We seem to believe that somehow when “big bad science” says that there’s wisdom or miracles in the Qur’an, it makes it truer.
The fundamental danger of this approach of using science as an “objective” validation tool for the Qu’ran is that scientifically-based theories are, by definition, falsifiable, and therefore fallible: theories that were as sacrosanct as gravity have been shattered (falsified) with one simple experiment. Insofar as there are untruths in current scientific theories (and there are – those very untruths are what keep the scientific community in business), and they disagree with descriptions of phenomena in the Qu’ran, which does one who uses science as a validation of the Qur’an believe?
Moreover, our reliance on science as a crutch for our weakness in faith has another harmful externality: it incentivizes poor quality science. Much of the article in question conflates the spiritual heart discussed most often in Muslim scholarship, with the physiological heart of the biomedical literature. Insofar as a metaphysical, the spiritual heart is unobservable and non-falsifiable, it sits completely outside of the bounds of scientific assessment, and therefore, is not appropriate for a biomedical journal. For this reason, conflating religion with science reflects poorly on the part of Muslims with regard to the scientific community.
Rather than using science to interpret Islam, our scholarly community must think more critically about using Islam to interpret scientific findings. Unfortunately, many who trumpet “the scientific miracles of the Qur’an” will also flatly and unabashedly deny the existence of data supporting evolution. While this remains a massively contentious debate across theistic communities, Muslims cannot retreat to stereotyped evangelical Christian opinions. Our religious scholars must consider how Islam might interpret objectively-observed and falsifiable evidence for the processes of genetic drift and non-random adaptation. Rather than jump to stereotyped, knee-jerk opinions (effectively blindly condemning the theory), how can we use Islamic exegesis to interpret these increasingly well-supported scientific data? How can we understand these findings within the context of Islam’s teachings about creation, life, and change? These questions are particularly relevant to biomedical ethical dilemmas such as abortion, stem-cell research, and so forth.
Much of the framework upon which modern scientific reasoning is built was developed by Muslims during the early history of our religion. These early scientists however, recognized the strengths and limits of their approach—Muslims today must approach science with the same zeal as well as the same recognition.
“[Those] who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (3:191)
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The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program allows states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control drug trafficking, drug related crime, and violent crime. Based on their own local needs and conditions, agencies are provided with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they are needed most.
JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas:
JAG funds cannot be used directly or indirectly for security enhancements or equipment for nongovernmental entities not engaged in criminal justice or public safety. Additionally, JAG funds may not be used directly or indirectly to pay for any of the following items:
Up to $547,137 was allocated to the state of Wyoming in FY 2017. In the past, 60% of the allocation has been awarded to the state. The remaining 40% has been waived by all local jurisdictions to fund the Wyoming State Crime Laboratory. As a result, there is currently no grant competition for Wyoming State JAG funds. | http://www.grantsoffice.com/GrantDetails.aspx?gid=25280 |
Learning and Propagating Lagrangian Variable Bounds for Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming
- Optimization-based bound tightening (OBBT) is a domain reduction technique commonly used in nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear programming that solves a sequence of auxiliary linear programs. Each variable is minimized and maximized to obtain the tightest bounds valid for a global linear relaxation. This paper shows how the dual solutions of the auxiliary linear programs can be used to learn what we call Lagrangian variable bound constraints. These are linear inequalities that explain OBBT's domain reductions in terms of the bounds on other variables and the objective value of the incumbent solution. Within a spatial branch-and-bound algorithm, they can be learnt a priori (during OBBT at the root node) and propagated within the search tree at very low computational cost. Experiments with an implementation inside the MINLP solver SCIP show that this reduces the number of branch-and-bound nodes and speeds up solution times. | https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-zib/frontdoor/index/index/docId/4819 |
*Note: All specifications are subject to change without notice. Please consult the English PDF version of this datasheet for the most up-to-date revision.
120W High Voltage Power Supplies
Spellman’s AC input PCM Series of 120 watt high voltage power supply modules feature a power factor corrected front end, providing 0.99 power factor along with universal input voltage (85Vac to 265Vac) capabilities. These fixed polarity modules (specify positive or negative at time of order) feature both voltage and current regulation with automatic crossover, making them ideal for sensitive load applications. The robust design of PCM Series along with comprehensive arc and short circuit protection allow operation in the most demanding environments.
Typical applications:
- Electrospinning
- Hipot Testing
- Detector Arrays
- Electrophoresis
- Cable Testing
Specifications
(Ref. 128006-001 REV. T)
Input:
85-265Vac, 47-63Hz @ 1.8A, power factor corrected.
UL® rated for 85-250Vac input for 1kV to 5kV models.
Power Factor (Typical):
FL: 0.99
NL: 0.98
Efficiency:
80 to 85%, typical
Output:
11 models from 1kV to 70kV. Positive or negative polarity outputs, specify at time of order.
Voltage Regulation:
Load: 0.01% of output voltage, no load to full load.
Line: ±0.01% for ±10% change in input voltage.
Current Regulation:
Load: 0.01% of output current from 0 to rated voltage. Line: 0.01% of rated current over specified input range.
Ripple:
0.1% p-p of maximum output voltage.
Voltage Stability:
0.02% per 8 hours.
Temperature Coefficient:
100ppm per °C, voltage or current regulated.
Environmental:
Operational: 0 to 40°C
Storage: -40°C to +85°C
Humidity: 0 to 90%, non-condensing
Dimensions:
1kV to 50kV: 3.65”H x 5”W x 9”D (9.27cm x 12.7cm x 22.9cm).
60, 70kV: 3.65”H x 5”W x 11”D (9.27cm x 12.7cm x 27.9cm).
Weight:
7 pounds (3.18kg)
AC Input Connectors:
IEC320 with mating cable.
Interface Connector:
15 pin D connector.
HV Output Cable:
Spellman Delrin type connector with 36” (91.4cm) shielded cable.
Front Panel Ground Connection:
Threaded 8-32 ground stud
Regulatory Approvals:
Compliant to EEC EMC Directive. Compliant to EEC Low Voltage Directive. UL/CUL recognized, File E148969 (up to 60kV only). RoHS Compliant
PCM SELECTION TABLE
|Maximum Rating||Model Number|
|kV||mA|
|1||120||PCM 1*120|
|3||40||PCM 3*120|
|5||24||PCM 5*120|
|10||12||PCM 10*120|
|15||8||PCM 15*120|
|20||6||PCM 20*120|
|30||4||PCM 30*120|
|40||3||PCM 40*120|
|50||2.4||PCM 50*120|
|60||2.0||PCM 60*120|
|70||1.7||PCM 70*120|
*Specify “P” for positive polarity or “N” for negative polarity.
PCM D CONNECTOR 15 PIN
|Pin||Signal||Parameters|
|1||Remote mA Program||0 to 10Vdc = 0 to 100% of rated output|
|2||Remote kV Program||0 to 10Vdc = 0 to 100% of rated output|
|3||High Voltage Enable/Inhibit||Open = HV Inhibit, Ground = HV ON|
|4||mA Monitor||0 to 10Vdc = 0 to 100% of rated output|
|5||Interlock Return||Connect to pin 6 to close interlock circuit|
|6||Interlock Out||Connect to pin 5 to close interlock circuit|
|7||kV Monitor||0 to 10Vdc = 0 to 100% of rated output|
|8||Local kV Program||Multi-turn front panel pot (screwdriver)|
|9||Power Supply Fault||0Vdc = No Fault, +15Vdc @ 1mA = Fault|
|10||+10Vdc Reference||+10Vdc @ 1mA maximum|
|11||Signal Ground||Signal Ground|
|12||Spare||No Connection|
|13||Spare||No Connection|
|14||Spare||No Connection|
|15||Local mA Program||Multi-turn front panel pot (screwdriver)|
Tables & Diagrams
DIMENSIONS: in.[mm]
SIDE VIEW
TOP VIEW
BACK VIEW
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Safe Level of High Voltage?
Where Can I Obtain Information on High Voltage Safety Practices?
What Kind of High Voltage Connector Do You Use on Your Supplies?
What Do You Mean That the Output Side of the High Voltage Cable on Most Standard Products Is “Unterminated”?
How Should I Ground Your Supply?
Why Is Arcing an Issue for a High Voltage Power Supply? | https://www.spellmanhv.com/en/high-voltage-power-supplies/PCM |
Android Application Error Occurs
Many users of devices on the Android OS have faced such a problem of the appearance of such an error: “An error occurred in the Launcher Android application.” And after that, the smartphone starts to fail: you cannot go to the menu, contacts, dial a number or SMS, etc.
Android launcher. This is a system application that is responsible for the graphical interface of the system, i.E. Appearance of the desktop and menu. And if it starts to malfunction, then this will lead to unpleasant consequences for your gadget. How to fix the situation you will learn from this article.
Solving the problem with the launcher by restarting Android
Your first step should be to restart your smartphone. Perhaps the application gave a short-term failure and rebooting the system will fix the situation. If it didn’t help. Go to the next step.
Clearing the cache and restarting the launcher itself
If you have the opportunity to go to the menu. Settings, then do the following:
- We go to the section “applications”
Switch to the tab “All”
We are looking for our launcher here. It can be called by different names: Launcher, Desktop, Launcher3. In general, we are looking for something similar.
We go into it and press the button “clear cache”, and then “Stop”
Full reset launcher bug fix
As we already know “hard reset” able to solve many problems and errors associated with the operation of the Android OS and this situation is no exception. How to reset to factory settings is detailed here.
Installing a third-party launcher
If all the above actions did not give a result, then you need to try installing another Launcher. Our site contains the best launchers that will not only save you from annoying errors, but also make your device’s interface more vivid and unusual.
There are no special instructions for installing any of the launchers we have presented: just download, install and select the application as a replacement “to the native”. And to be sure to make a choice, read our comparison “Top 10 Android Launchers”.
Flashing android
The most cardinal method, which is worth starting, only if all of the above actions have failed. How to reflash your device, read in this article, and if it’s scary to flash. Then you can try Hard Reset.
If you still have any questions, ask them in the comments and we will help you!
Com.Android.Phone. The designation of a standard Android application for calls. The messages “An error occurred in the com.Android.Phone application”, “Unfortunately, the com.Android.Phone process was stopped” indicates the application is malfunctioning. Where does the error come from and how to fix it?
- 1 Why does the error appear in the com.Android.Phone application
- 2 Ways to fix the error
- 2.1 Cleaning temporary files
- 2.2 Disabling the date and time synchronization function
- 2.3 Virus Removal
- 2.4 Hard Reset
- 2.5 Flashing
- 2.6: how to fix the error in com.Android.Phone using the Lenovo A328 as an example
Why does the error appear in the com.Android.Phone application
There are several reasons for the error with com.Android.Phone:
- Various random crashes in the Phone app.
- The cache of the Phone app or its associated system functions is full.
- The virus can affect the Phone application and cause it to malfunction.
- The application may be corrupted by the user.
- The Phone application is not compatible with any other applications on the device that use the phone’s functionality in one way or another.
Ways to fix the error
First reboot the device. This will help if the error occurred due to a full cache or some kind of accidentally encountered bug.
If the reboot did not help, you have to rummage around.
Cleaning temporary files
- Open the “Settings” menu. “Applications”. “Phone” (or “Call”);
- We erase the data and clear the application cache;
- To be sure, download programs like CCleaner and use it to clean your smartphone from the remnants of temporary files;
In the “Applications” section, you can clear the cache and data of the “Phone” application (or “Call”)
If the problem persists, proceed to the next step.
Disabling the date and time synchronization function
- Open the “Settings” menu. “Language, time, keyboard”;
- We find the item “Date and time of the network”, uncheck;
In the “Language, time, keyboard” section, you can disable the synchronization of the date and time with the date and time of the network
If the problem is still not resolved, most likely it is a virus.
Virus removal
Install antivirus software from the Google Play Market and perform a deep scan of the device. Remove any viruses found.
You can do without anti-virus for Android. Connect the smartphone to the computer in USB storage mode. And scan the device’s hard drive with computer antivirus. Due to the fact that the source code of mobile and desktop viruses is similar to each other, stationary anti-virus can scan and remove malware on your mobile device.
Hard reset
If the device does not have important data, or you are ready to save it somewhere, try to reset it to the factory settings. A complete reset will delete all data, and along with it the virus. This is called Hard Reset and is done as follows:
- Open the Settings menu. “Recovery and reset.” On the page, select “Reset Settings”.
Resetting the device to the factory settings can be done in the “Recovery and reset” section.
By clicking “Reset phone settings”, you will run Hard Reset: all data will be deleted
You can reset your settings through Recovery Mode. To enable Recovery mode, turn off the device and hold down the power and volume down buttons. Hold them until the manufacturer logo appears on the screen. For some devices, Recovery turns on in another way, find out on the Internet specifically for your model of smartphone or tablet. In the Recovery menu, find the wipe data item (either Clear Data, or something similar). Click on it, then click Yes and check the Delete User Data box. And reboot the device.
You can start the reset in Recovery Mode: select wipe data / factory reset
Flashing
So, if com.Android.Phone still gives an error after removing viruses, you can try to reflash the device. To do this, download the latest system update for your device from the official site, place the downloaded zip archive in the root folder of the device and enable Recovery Mode. In Recovery Mode, click Install zip from sdcard (or something similar depending on the model of the device; more specific instructions for flashing can be found on the website of the manufacturer of your device). Then follow the instructions on the screen (usually you just need to click the “OK” button), do not forget to check the Wipe data box to delete data from the device, otherwise errors may remain.
If flashing the device is unacceptable for you, and the error cannot be fixed in any other way, try installing a “dialer” from Google Play. There are a lot of options in the market, pick up to your taste and install.
What to do so that the problem no longer appears
Do not install applications from untrusted sources on your device, so as not to pick up a virus. A smartphone or tablet should not be cluttered with useless applications, since all of them leave behind not deleted temporary files and an uncleaned cache, which loads and harms the device. Use CCleaner or similar to clear the cache and junk files.
Blog about modems, routers and gpon ont terminals.
At the heart of the Android mobile operating system is another, reliable and safe system. Linux. But even this fact, unfortunately, does not guarantee perfect work. One of the striking examples of failures in the functioning of the system is the system message “An error occurred in the application” (in the English version of “The process has stopped”), after which the program simply crashes and has to be restarted.
There may be several reasons for the appearance of such a problem. Here the possible culprit may be a mobile device, its hardware or software components, or the application in which the error appears, and the method for eliminating it depends on this.
To get started, just reload your gadget. Perhaps a one-time failure and after the restart of Android it will disappear.
Also, be sure to check if there is free space in the phone or tablet. Many programs and especially games are very sensitive to this. This happened to me with the client YouTube, Vkontakte and Navitel.
It’s also worth visiting the official page of this application on the Google Play Store.
1. Data cleaning
If all of the above does not help, then we will approach the solution more thoroughly. Let’s try to clear the cache and temporary data. To do this, go to System Settings and select the “Applications” section:
Open the “Everything” tab, find in the list the program in which errors pop up and click on it to get such a menu:
If it works, then first click on the “Stop” button. Next, click on “Clear Cache”, and then on “Erase Data”. We reboot the phone and check. Thus, it is possible to correct errors in most cases. Especially often this helps if games crash.
2. Reinstalling software
When clearing the temporary data does not help, you can try reinstalling the program. To do this, open the Play Store again, find the desired utility and click the “Delete” button.
After that, we reboot your tablet or smartphone and install it again. This method also removes previous versions of the software that remain after the update and sometimes can cause conflicts.
3. Reset to factory settings
This option is the most dramatic, but you have to use it from time to time when nothing else helps. Especially often it is necessary to resort to it if in Android with the message “An error occurred in the application”, system components such as Google Play services, market, process.Media, phone, contacts, com.Google.Process.Gapps, etc. Begin to fly out in bulk.
To make “Factory Reset” on your mobile device. Go to the settings and find the “Recovery and reset” section. There will be a “Reset Settings” item. We select it and then follow the instructions of the wizard.
This operation usually fixes errors in the Android operating system itself due to which malfunctions in the installed software may occur.
Did it help? Recommend to your friends!. An error occurred in the Android application. What should I do ?! : 23 comments
- Denis November 1, 2018 at 22:15
I have a HTC inspire 4g phone, I did a “reset”, after which the phone needs to be set up at the entrance and with 2 windows I need a SIM card and it flies out there, and all over again, but if the SIM card is on, the screen generally remains the background color and that’s it. Before the reset, everything worked.
HTC Sensation xe 715e v. 4.0.3. Tel I need a dialer, navigator, photos, a notebook, the rest of the rubbish in the trash. Can I put clean firmware without backup, like win, download the rest via PC?
This can only be done if your model has a similar clean firmware. No other way. | https://mbarnette.com/android-application-error-occurs/ |
Well-researched historical fiction can be an excellent way of boosting your subject knowledge and encouraging your students to read around their subjects. Here, some of our new regional advisers recommend their favourites.
The Glass Room by Simon Mawer maps the transition of a house throughout three key historical periods in the ever changing Czechoslovakia. The house goes through the Second World War, and also Communist rule, mapping the happiness and despair of individuals during these periods. This is one of my most favourite works of historical fiction as it is lays out the horror and despair that comes with War and Communist rule as well as giving a profound insight into the lives of the individuals concerned.
Mawer’s book is a fantastic read and I would recommend it to anyone who teaches 20th Century Europe, but to all historians it is an engaging and enjoyable read.
Nicola Barthorpe, Regional Adviser for the North West
For anyone teaching the Russian Revolution I highly recommend Sashenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore. It begins with the drama of revolution in St Petersburg 1917 and then later tells of Sashenka’s life in Moscow 1939 during the terror. I couldn’t put it down and my year 12 class read this during the summer before we started the course to give them a ‘feeling’ for Russia and the excitement of the course we would be studying. Some students have also gone on to read ‘One Night in Winter’ by the same author because they enjoyed Sashenka so much. There is lots of opportunity to use extracts for Yr 9 or GCSE but I wouldn’t give them the whole book!
Sally Burnham, Regional Adviser for the East Midlands
I am not normally a huge reader of historical fiction, however I was quite struck by Yann Martel’s Beatrice and Virgil. Whilst not an historical novel in the usual sense, it is a story which deals with issues of writing about such a horrific event. The book received incredibly mixed reviews when it was released, and continues to be extremely controversial. However, the issues which it wrestles with are ones which we, as history teachers, have to address each and every time we deliver lessons about the Holocaust. The novel is both dark and disturbing, but mainly for the questions it makes us ask ourselves. Whatever you think of it, the book will certainly make you rethink how and why you approach the teaching of one of the most infamous events of the Twentieth Century.
Alex Ford, Regional Adviser for Yorkshire and Humberside
Predictable perhaps, but I have chosen Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. They are incredible books based on extensive historical research and meticulous attention to detail ; they bring the sights, sounds and smells of Tudor London to life and present thought provoking alternative views about Thomas Cromwell (traditionally the ‘baddy’) and Thomas More (the ‘goody’). If you saw the excellent TV series there is much more in the books!
Andy Harmsworth, Regional Adviser for the South East
My recommendation is Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz.
Born in Budapest in 1929, the author Imre Kertesz was deported to Auschwitz in 1944 and freed from Buchenwald in 1945. He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 2002. His novel ‘Fatelessness’ was published in 1975 and tells the story of Gyorgy Koves, a 15-year old Hungarian Jew, during the year he is imprisoned in Auschwitz and then Buchenwald and Zeitz. The book is written from the perspective of young Gyorgy whom the reader follows on his ‘journey’ from his parents’ home in Budapest to the initial arrest and deportation to the camps, and back to his hometown again after he has been freed at the end of the war. Gyorgy, unlike the reader, does not know about the Holocaust and so we encounter each stage in the story through the innocent and puzzled eyes of a 15-year old boy, who tries to make sense of what is happening around him. This means that we listen to Gyorgy trying to understand and then explain the logic employed by the doctor on the ramp at Auschwitz. Gyorgy even notes his disagreement with some of the doctor’s decisions whom he thinks too generous. The author does not judge or dwell on the horrors, but describes the surprising capacity of Gyorgy to adapt to new circumstances and the almost constant waiting and boredom, the painfully slow passing of time. This is what makes this novel so disturbing and unique in its perspective on the Holocaust.
Julia Huber, Regional Adviser for London
I picked up Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman with nostalgic excitement – like many others, wanting to feel the same weaving of powerful narrative and emotive characterisation I had remembered from my first reading of To Kill a Mockingbird as a teenager. I didn’t get to it early enough not to be slightly ruffled by the underwhelmed and disappointed reviews that compared Watchman so unfavourably to Mockingbird, such as these. In the end I agreed – it wasn’t the same literary masterpiece, the dialogue wasn’t as powerful and the last third had me skipping quickly to the end, rather than savouring every word.
However, I couldn’t help but feel that those who were emotionally disappointed by the book – particularly the perceived failings of Atticus and the distance between him and his daughter that emerge during the novel – were failing to appreciate the ways in which Lee had managed to tap in to some of the complexities of Southern, small town America at the height of the civil rights movement. Jean Louise (Scout) was returning home after years of living in New York, where she had been exposed to ideas and norms that were foreign to her old neighbours and family. This captures the ways in which America was changing unevenly during the middle of the 20th century. The tensions caused by sit-ins, bus boycotts and other peaceful protests in nearby towns had disrupted an unequal but stable equilibrium in race relations in Maycomb was disruptive to the lives of everyone – and I think, as a history teacher, that it is important to recognise that progress is not smooth or immediately perceptible. Lee isn’t standing in opposition to the aims of the civil rights movement to say this. And, most controversially and importantly, I didn’t agree with those who cried foul at Atticus’ racism – it may very easily have been possible for him to defend an innocent black man on the principle of truth in the 1930s, when white superiority wasn’t under threat, and then to feel uneasy about wholesale changes in society thirty years later. In these very critical senses, Watchman enhances rather than dulls Mockingbird’s message about racial dynamics in modern America.
My favourite is Dominion by CJ Sansom. I discovered the author through his Shardlake series, which was recommended to me by someone on the admin team at school. I worked my way through all of the adventures of the Tudor hunchback lawyer, enriching my knowledge and understanding of the justice system under Henry VIII and enabling me to provide better context for the GCSE Crime and Punishment study.
Although to topic dealt with in Dominion is completely different, it is as meticulously researched which is really important to me when I’m choosing historical fiction to read. A counterfactual novel set in a world where Britain capitulated to Hitler early in the Second World War, I particularly enjoyed the alternative fates of members of the government presented by Sansom, including Churchill on the run and leading the resistance. It provided some excellent insight into British politics in the interwar period. As a bonus, Sansom includes an explanation of how he crafted the story and where he took artistic licence. I couldn’t put it down! | http://guest.schoolshistoryproject.co.uk/2016/02/09/regional-advisers-recommend-historical-fiction/ |
A critical analysis essay is a popular assignment in all educational institutions and is an important part of the educational program. In the course of writing, students not only enhance their writing skills but also obtain many other skills including critical reading, critical thinking, and analyzing.
What Is a Critical Essay A critical essay is a kind of writing that requires the student to analyze and evaluate literary or scientific work (thesis, article, report). Critical writing involves thinking and analysis of a certain issue, evaluating the evidence and arguments provided in text, and presenting and proving conclusions with evidence.
What is a Critical Essay Critical Essay Definition: A critical essay is a piece of writing intended to analyze, interpret or evaluate a specific text or other media forms. More specifically, this type of critical paper is normally viewed by academic audiences and typically supports an argument made by the writer.
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Essays are usually written in a discursive style, bringing together ideas, evidence and arguments to address a specific problem or question. They follow a particular structure: you will set out your argument in the introduction, build and present your argument in the main body, and should end with your overall key message or argument in the conclusion.
The Critical Essay Structure INTRODUCTION The function of the introduction is to clearly introduce the topic of the essay and set up the line of argument.. You should ALWAYS clearly plan out the aspects of the text that you are going to deal with in the main argument before you start writing. Your argument needs to be clear, logical and well.
Through critically analyzing one’s knowledge and experiences, it is then possible to come up with a valid plan that will lead to self-improvement (Bourgeois 2010). It is important to note that PDP and CPD are not mutually exclusive. Both involve critical reflection on past experience and coming up with a plan for improvement (Sarasvathy 2012).
English Literature essay at University level, including: 1. information on the criteria in relation to which your essay will be judged 2. how to plan and organise an essay o Planning an Essay o Essay Structure o Independence and Critical Reading o Use of Secondary Material 3. advice on writing style 4. a final checklist 5. WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA?
A short guide to critical writing for Postgraduate Taught students 3 The first juxtaposition is between One Week and Gordon Matta-Clark’s Splitting (1974) One Week tells the story of a newly married couple making their first home, and Buster Keaton plays the husband who builds the flat packed house.
This Critical Essay Plan could be challenging as there are plenty of options available, and not all of them are equally Critical Essay Plan great. Keep in mind that while a good writing service should Critical Essay Plan be affordable Critical Essay Plan to you, it definitely shouldn’t be the cheapest you can find.
Find relevant information and use the knowledge to focus on the essay question or subject. Structure knowledge and information logically, clearly and concisely. Read purposefully and critically. (See our page: Critical Reading for more) Relate theory to practical examples. Analyse processes and problems. Be persuasive and argue a case.
A critical review refers to the evaluation of an academic text (for example a book, report, article or essay). A critical review requires you to make judgments (using various criteria), about a book, a chapter, or a journal article. The criteria required to evaluate the information and knowledge contained in a text varies according to discipline.
Critical essays may also cite outside sources if it can help him support his assumption. These citations may come from books, articles, essays, and other scholarly texts. 3. A critical essay has a conclusion. In writing a critical essay, the author has two goals: to make a claim and to arrive at a conclusion. | http://leila.hostility.info/view/Critical-Essay-Plan.html |
6th Grade Rocket Scientists!
12/19/2017
You may have seen the news that Space X recently made history by launching the first reusable rocket! Usually, rockets are only used once. However, that's really expensive, and not sustainable for multiple rocket launches in a row.
You can check out the Space X Launch below:
With the exciting news, we thought it would be fun for students to put their Engineering Design skills to the test and create some reusable rockets of their own! The kit we elected to use was the Alpha III rocket kit, which was provided to us by the local Civil Air Patrol Branch. Thanks, CAP!
The link to the guide Ms. Imhoff and Mrs. Craven created is here: docs.google.com/a/ashfordct.org/presentation/d/1M-qivilCSg6KQgHXJfJnI-hDMbXOLOKucKPbydXXJNk/edit?usp=sharing
Our students worked diligently to assembly their reusable rocket designs. Mrs. Craven and Ms. Imhoff, dressed appropriately in their flight suits, assisting students as needed:
Once they were assembled, student rockets were set aside for their Aerospace Night Display and also for their launch later next month. Stay tuned to see how they fly!
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. | http://ashfordadventures.weebly.com/blog/6th-grade-rocket-scientists |
October 13th 1989 Astrology
When people ask if there is a connection between the stars and the earth’s movements, the answer is usually yes. According to some theories, the planets have lines of sight and can converse with each other. These lines of sight dictate how they interact with each other’s energies. The same goes for standing across a room from someone will produce different energetics than if you are next to them. Astrologers are not to be blamed for making mistakes.
The news these days is often filled with a whole range of stressful events that can affect the health of any person. In times like these, astrology provides a sense of distance from these circumstances and can help people cope with life’s ups and downs. For instance, astrology teaches us that the world doesn’t move linearly and that it moves in cycles, and that the actors in history are archetypes.
Despite widespread skepticism and the skepticism of its benefits, astrology has a long history in Britain and the United States. For example, in the early twentieth century, a famous astrologer, R.H. Naylor, worked with high-society neo-shaman Cheiro. He was routinely tapped to read the palms of famous people, including Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland, and Winston Churchill. Likewise, he was hired by newspapers to predict the lives of famous people, including the prime ministers, and other celebrities.
The Babylonians had begun to divide the zodiac into 12 equal signs by 1500 BC. They also used familiar constellation names and incorporated them into Greek divination. This work led to the creation of the Tetrabiblos, the foundational book of Western astrology. But as the ancients adapted the ideas of astrology, the practice spread throughout the world and branched out into different countries. The most well-known of these forms are Vedic, Tibetan, and Chinese.
The Moon, meanwhile, represents our emotions, and the Sun, our self-confidence. These two planets shape our sense of security and safety. Mercury, for example, is our planet of information and communication. Venus, on the other hand, shapes relationships, art, and money. Mars, on the contrary, influences energy, sexual expression, courage, and energy. These differences are minor but there are common threads among the different zodiac signs.
While there is no definitive reason to believe in astrology, it does not have a bad reputation. Millennials may be more inclined to be skeptical than previous generations. It could be that their tendency to look to astrology is a reflection of how their lives have changed. We can’t prove that these stars have the answers we need, but we can take comfort knowing they are real and not just projections of our hopes or fears.
Astrology has become a vital tool in modern life. Astrology can help explain things such as earthquakes and the rise in social media. Social media’s rise has been linked to the sun of the tenth place, which governs prestige as well as reputation. Psychological astrology, influenced by the work of Carl Jung, uses the birth chart as a mirror of the psyche. You can use your natal chart to give advice or make predictions.
The roots of astrology are found in the ancient world. In ancient times, the signs and constellations of the stars were believed to correlate with the lives of their inhabitants. Later, astronomy, which is the study of the planets and stars, was a separate field. This science was established in the late 17th century. It is possible to predict future events by studying the stars and planets. It can even help people make important decisions about their health.
Although the Sun is the most important star in the sky, the other celestial bodies also play an important role. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the Moon are each related to a particular house in the birth chart. These bodies move in different rates, depending on their location and time of birth. The moon, for example, can spend almost two-and-a-half days in a sign, while Mercury can spend between fifteen and sixty days.
Astrology can be a powerful tool for understanding yourself or others. Basic astrology, the sun and moon, as well as the twelve houses of horoscope, is required. Then you can begin to interpret the signs and their characteristics. You will begin to understand the world around and your fellow human beings. The key to understanding others is knowing your signs, the symbols they represent, and how they relate to each other. | https://benedictines-cib.com/october-13th-1989-astrology/ |
I forked the lutron-caseta-pro project and added long and double press to pico-remote. If you already have this custom_components setup, you just need to:
- overwrite (do backup first) the original script with files in https://github.com/coldfire0200/lutron-caseta-pro
- add these lines to configuration file:
enable_long_and_double: True long_press_time: 1.4 double_press_time: 0.8
- add 64 to original button value to register double press, add 128 to register long press. e.g., if the button value is 1, use 65 for double press and 129 for long press.
- set enable_long_and_double to False will fallback to original behavior.
- Once long and double press is enabled, there would be no more physical button release event. Instead a single release (set state to 0) will immediate follow the press event. | https://community.home-assistant.io/t/double-and-long-press-support-for-lutron-caseta-pro/346435 |
“Akari: Sculpture by Other Means occupies the Museum’s second-floor galleries, with three distinct areas that together explore the versatility, impact, and flexibility of Noguchi’s exquisite paper-bamboo-and-wire lanterns. Including more than 100 Akari, representing about forty individual models, the exhibition allows visitors to experience the ways that Akari can create and transform space. Several installations, including a floor-to-ceiling Akari “cloud” and three Akari “rooms,” create a series of environments that convey the essential values of Akari, drawing on the organizational, structural, and ephemeral qualities of nature, and exemplifying Noguchi’s concept of light as both place and object. A substantial selection of archival material comprises vintage photographs, advertisements, and Akari brochures, all suggesting Noguchi’s thinking about the presentation of Akari as a continually shifting enterprise.
Akari Unfolded: A Collection by YMER&MALTA presents 26 lamps created by this leading French design studio. Six designers were tasked with exploring the essential values of Akari and how Noguchi might work with new materials and processes to expand the wider universe of his light sculptures. The resulting designs are not variations on Akari, but an exciting proof of how Noguchi’s sophisticated hybridities, such as craft and industry, and tradition and progress, continue to provide a powerful model for contemporary design.” — The Noguchi Museum
The exhibitions are organized by The Noguchi Museum. Akari: Sculpture by Other Means is curated by Senior Curator Dakin Hart; Akari Unfolded: A Collection by YMER&MALTA is curated by Mr. Hart in collaboration with YMER&MALTA Director Valérie Maltaverne.
Images courtesy The Noguchi Museum. | https://artssummary.com/2019/01/31/akari-sculpture-by-other-means-and-akari-unfolded-a-collection-by-ymermalta-at-the-noguchi-museum-through-may-5-2019/ |
The incidence of esophageal cancer is increasing, with an estimated 17,460 new cases in the United States in 2012 (1-5). More than 90% of esophageal cancers in the United States are either adenocarcinomas (57%) or squamous cell carcinomas (37%) (1-3,6). The distribution of tumor types varies according to race: 64% of cases in whites are adenocarcinomas, while 82% are of squamous cell origin among the black population (6). Interestingly, the incidence among white males has almost doubled while the incidence among blacks has decreased by almost 50% (6). Tobacco use and a history of mediastinal radiation are risk factors for both tumor types (2). Other risk factors for adenocarcinoma include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obesity, and Barrett’s esophagus (2). Barrett’s esophagus with high-grade dysplasia is considered a premalignant condition as 50% are found to harbor occult malignant disease at time of biopsy (7). Additional risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma are conditions that cause chronic esophageal irritation and inflammation such as alcohol abuse, achalasia, esophageal diverticuli, and frequent consumption of extremely hot beverages (2). Approximately three quarters of all adenocarcinomas are found in the distal esophagus whereas squamous-cell carcinomas are more evenly distributed throughout the distal two thirds (2).
Obtaining accurate pre-treatment staging and then subsequently providing stage-appropriate treatment is crucial in optimizing esophageal cancer outcomes. Overall 5-year survival for patients with esophageal cancer remains poor, although some improvement has been achieved with an increase from 5% to 17-19% over the past four decades (4-6). These survival improvements have likely resulted from earlier detection in the setting of Barrett’s esophagus, improvements in perioperative care, and the use of adjuvant and induction chemotherapy and radiation. However esophageal cancer treatment and particularly esophagectomy is also associated with significant morbidity. Accurate staging and appropriate treatment can avoid both inadequate and unnecessary treatment to balance the potential benefits of improving prognosis with risks of treatment-related morbidity.
Staging system and guidelines
Staging definitions
Esophageal cancer staging is defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging System that establishes tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) sub-classifications based on the depth of invasion of the primary tumor (T), lymph node involvement (N), and extent of metastatic disease (M). The most recent, 7th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual for esophagus and esophagogastric junction cancers was developed based on a database of 4,627 esophagectomy patients who were not treated with induction or adjuvant therapy (8). This data from 13 institutions in five countries and three continents was collected by the Worldwide Esophageal Cancer Collaboration (WECC) (9). Table 1 shows the specific 7th edition TNM definitions. The 7th edition differed from the 6th edition in several respects (10,11). The T status classification was changed to define Tis as high-grade dysplasia and all non-invasive neoplastic epithelium. Tumors with T4 status due to invasion of local structures were subdivided into tumors that involved resectable local structures such as pleura and diaphragm (T4a) and unresectable local structures such as aorta and vertebral bodies (T4b).
Full table
Regional lymph nodes were also redefined as any paraesophageal lymph node, including cervical or celiac nodes. The N status had been categorized simply as node-negative or node-positive in the 6th edition and was redefined in the 7th edition to N0-N3 based on the number of lymph nodes. The M1a and M1b subclassifications from the 6th edition were redefined to M1. The 7th edition stage groupings were also defined to consider the importance of histopathologic cell type, tumor grade, and tumor location. Table 2 shows stage grouping for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are no longer equivalent in the 7th edition.
Full table
Diagnostic and staging work-up
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has published guidelines on the diagnosis and staging of patients with esophageal cancer (12). The work-up for esophageal cancer often starts when patients present with symptoms such as dysphagia and weight loss in the setting of an unremarkable physical exam (2,13). Therefore, the most common tests used to initially identify and diagnosis esophageal cancer are upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract contrast studies and upper endoscopy with biopsy. An upper GI contrast study typically shows a stricture or ulceration when malignancy is present. Upper GI endoscopy identifies tumor location and length and allows biopsy for pathologic examination. After a histologic cancer diagnosis has been obtained, subsequent studies are performed to determine clinical stage as accurately as possible before treatment is initiated.
Obtaining a computed tomographic (CT) scan of the chest and abdomen with both oral and intravenous contrast should be the first staging study when esophageal cancer is diagnosed histologically. The CT scan is somewhat limited in defining the local extent and nodal involvement of esophageal cancer but is most useful in identifying the presence of distant disease such as liver or lung metastases. Further studies that evaluate T and N status would not typically impact treatment and therefore are generally unnecessary if distant disease is identified and subsequently confirmed by biopsy. Positron-emission tomography (PET) scans improve staging by detecting previously unsuspected metastatic disease in up to 15-20% of patients and should be considered in place of CT scans or as an additional study when the CT scan does not show metastatic disease (14,15).
If CT and PET do not demonstrate distant disease, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) should be performed to establish the extent of locoregional disease (2). EUS provides more accurate evaluation of the depth of tumor invasion (T status) and the extent of lymph-node involvement (N status) than both PET and CT (16,17). However, EUS is less accurate for early-stage lesions such as T1 or T2 compared to more advanced tumors (18-21). Most incidences of understaging are due to missing nodal disease. The specificity and the sensitivity for identifying lymph node disease are better when EUS is combined with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) compared to EUS alone (22).
Performance of the above staging modalities establishes the pre-treatment clinical stage which can be used to guide subsequent treatment, as will be discussed in the following sections. However, occasionally additional studies may be worthwhile before initiation of treatment. First, bronchoscopy should be considered for tumors in the upper and middle esophagus to rule out airway invasion. CT scan and EUS can be suggestive of airway involvement but are not as accurate as direct visualization of the airway. In addition, distant metastases are unfortunately missed even with completion of the staging evaluation described above. Small liver or lung metastases can be missed by both PET and CT scans, and patients can also have undetected pleural or peritoneal disease (23). Staging via minimally invasive surgical techniques of thoracoscopy and laparoscopy improves the accuracy of the above non-invasive testing (23-25). Use of these invasive techniques is relatively uncommon but should be considered in select patients, such as those who may be considered to have a high risk of treatment-related complications. Staging laparoscopy in particular may have a role for patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or esophagogastric junction (26).
Treatment guidelines
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provides guidelines for the treatment of esophageal cancer (27). Treatment options include local mucosal resection or ablation therapies, esophagectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Recommended treatment is primarily dictated by stage, tumor location, and patients’ medical fitness for receiving a particular therapeutic modality. However, definitive data from randomized trials to guide the treatment of esophageal cancer is lacking for many clinical situations. Outcomes also generally are relatively poor with many treatment strategies, so establishing optimal treatment for different clinical situations remains an area of active research (28). The NCCN guidelines reflect the lack of definitive evidence and often allow a spectrum of potential treatments for many clinical situations. Given both the generally poor overall prognosis and the potential morbidity associated with therapy, multidisciplinary evaluation by surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology should be considered for all patients before a treatment strategy is initiated. Treatment that does not follow guidelines should probably only be used in the context of clinical trials.
The stage groupings described above are very useful for both providing prognosis and guiding treatment. However, patients can be categorized even more simply when considering treatment. When considering treatment for esophageal cancer patients, the approach is initially dictated by whether the patients have been determined to have early stage superficial cancers, cancers that are locally advanced with locoregional disease but no distant metastases, and cancers with distant disease. The general treatment guidelines for each of these categories will be discussed in the following sections.
Superficial cancers
Patients with T1-2N0 esophageal cancer typically are recommended to undergo surgery without induction treatment (27). The prognosis for patients treated for intra- and submucosal (T1) esophageal cancers is significantly better than the prognosis for all other patients found to have esophageal cancer, even those also found in other relatively early-stage disease (8). Esophagectomy is effective oncologically for these cancers, but is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality despite improvements over time and the development of minimally invasive techniques (29-35). Although recent data from high-volume centers have shown low mortality rates of 1% to 3.5%, studies involving population-based databases or multi-center trials show that esophageal resection continues to have relatively high perioperative mortality rates of 8.8% to 14% (30,32,35-37). Local treatments with modalities such as endoscopic mucosal resection, radiofrequency ablation, cryotherapy, and photodynamic therapy can provide effective cancer treatment for superficial cancers with much less treatment-related morbidity (38-50). These local treatments are good treatment options for patients with superficial tumors that involve only the mucosa (T1a), but close endoscopic surveillance should be planned post-treatment. However, local mucosal therapies at the present time are generally not considered appropriate for superficial tumors that involve the submucosa (T1b), as these lesions have occulted lymph node involvement in as many as 50% of patients (51,52). Therefore esophagectomy without induction therapy is recommended for superficial tumors that involve the submucosa (T1b),
The optimal management of esophageal cancer clinically staged as T2N0M0 is somewhat more controversial (53). Clinical staging modalities for this subset are somewhat unreliable, with significant percentages of patients being both under and over staged (18,54-57). Perhaps because clinical staging inaccuracies lead to a relatively high incidence of patients actually having nodal disease present at the time of surgical resection, induction therapy use in this setting has been increasing and was shown recently to exceed 50% for cases that were reported to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Database in 2011 (54). However, data that proves a survival benefit to induction therapy over surgery alone is still lacking (58). Consistent with the uncertainty of optimal treatment, the NCCN guidelines for medically fit patients allow a wide spectrum of treatment possibilities that include definitive chemoradiation and esophagectomy with or without induction or adjuvant therapy (27).
Locoregional or locally advanced disease
Approximately 32% of esophageal cancer patients have regional disease at the time of diagnosis, with a 5-year survival of only 10-30% (1,2,8). The treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer that does not have distant metastases and is potentially resectable (T3-4aN0, T1-4aN1M0) is highly variable in practice (59). The NCCN guidelines reflect a lack of available definitive data on the optimal treatment and essentially consider any combination of esophagectomy and chemoradiation or even definitive chemoradiation as acceptable therapy (27).
Many studies involving various combinations of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to treat locally advanced esophageal cancer have been conducted and showed conflicting results (28,37,60-66). However, recent evidence suggests that induction chemoradiation followed by surgical resection is the optimal treatment for patients with T3-4a tumors or nodal disease. Several recent trials, retrospective studies, and meta-analyses all showed a survival benefit to both combined and induction therapy (67-72). Most importantly, a recently published randomized trial demonstrated a survival benefit to induction chemoradiation followed by surgery compared to surgery alone for esophageal or esophagogastric junction cancer (73).
Radiation alone followed by surgery does not improve survival compared with surgery alone and therefore induction radiation alone is not recommended (27,65). Induction chemotherapy without radiation has variably shown to be beneficial but is used by some high-volume centers, and is recommended as a potential treatment by the NCCN for patients with adenocarcinoma (27,37,64). Definitive chemoradiation is the preferred treatment for patients with T4b (unresectable) tumors and occasionally can facilitate surgical resection in selected cases.
Metastatic or unresectable disease
Approximately 50% of patients have evidence of distant metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis (2,6). Palliative therapy is recommended for these patients, and can include chemotherapy, clinical trial enrollment if available, or best supportive care. Best supportive care is often the most appropriate treatment option. Patients’ performance status should determine whether chemotherapy is added to best supportive care. Specific symptoms that often need palliation include dysphagia, pain, and nausea. Oncologists often are hesitant to pursue feeding tubes in patients with stage IV cancer, but feeding tubes may be reasonable options in some select patients. Radiation or endoscopic management techniques such as dilation and stenting can be used to palliate dysphagia or cases of bleeding from esophageal tumors. Palliative esophagectomy for patients with metastatic disease may have a role in very few cases, but should be considered only in very select cases given the morbidity of surgery and the poor prognosis with or without surgery.
Other considerations
Role of esophagectomy for esophageal cancer
Concurrent chemoradiation is an effective treatment option for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervical esophageal cancer (74-77). The NCCN guidelines recommend definitive chemoradiation for these patients (27). Surgery is recommended as possible treatment for most other cases of esophageal cancer that do not have invasion of unresectable structures or distant metastatic disease. Esophageal resection can be performed via several different techniques, with the most appropriate technique for any specific individual patient being dependent on both patient and surgeon factors. Several studies have suggested that complete surgical resection provides the best chance for cure in patients who do not have distant disease (64,78,79). For patients with stage I-III disease who receive surgical treatment, 5-year survival is 28%, compared to 10% for those treated medically (78). However, surgery for locoregional esophageal cancer is utilized in only 30-40% of resectable cases, perhaps because esophagectomy is historically associated with significant morbidity and mortality and disappointing long-term results (78,80). Minimizing perioperative morbidity in any manner possible is critical to increase the use of surgical resection so that primary nonsurgical treatment is reserved for those who refuse surgery, have unresectable cancers, or are not thought to be surgical candidates for other reasons.
Squamous cell carcinoma versus adenocarcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma was previously the most common histology but now accounts for 37% of esophageal cancers (1,3). Adenocarcinoma is now the most common esophageal cancer. Patients with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma have been observed to have similar long-term survival across major treatment modalities, suggesting that both histologies respond similarly to treatment and may share significant physiologic and cellular features (81). Accordingly, staging and treatment guidelines for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were previously essentially equivalent. However, recognition of prognosis and response to treatment between the two subtypes led to separate stage groupings and treatment algorithms in the latest, revised staging system and in the NCCN guidelines (8,27).
Esophageal cancer treatment guidelines are still generally similar to both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (27). However, the benefit of surgical resection in improving survival compared to definitive chemoradiation for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma has been questioned (82). In particular, several randomized trials have suggested that definitive chemoradiation could offer equivalent survival to treatment that involves surgery for locally advanced, non-metastatic esophageal SCC (83-85). Currently for medically fit patients with resectable disease, the NCCN treatment guidelines only recommend definitive chemoradiation for patients who decline surgery (27). However, some centers advocate treatment with chemoradiation for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, with surgery subsequently used only when there is persistent or recurrent local disease (86).
Adjuvant therapy
Adjuvant therapy after resection may have a role for some esophageal cancer patients. Postoperative radiation may reduce the incidence of local recurrence in those patients who have residual tumor after resection but is not beneficial in the absence of residual disease (2,87,88). Postoperative chemotherapy has not been definitively shown to have an additive effect on survival compared with surgery alone although additional therapy may be warranted in patients who have a high likelihood of metastatic disease based on a large number of tumor positive nodes (89). The NCCN does not recommend adjuvant therapy if patients have a had a complete R0 resection for squamous cell carcinoma, but does recommend consideration of adjuvant chemoradiation, or only adjuvant chemotherapy if induction radiation was administered, for patients who have had resection of adenocarcinoma with either node-positive disease or T2-T4a tumors (27). The guidelines also recommend consideration of adjuvant therapy in the setting of microscopic or macroscopic residual disease after resection.
Conclusions
Survival of esophageal cancer is improving but remains poor. Esophageal cancer stage is based on depth of tumor invasion, involvement of regional lymph nodes, and the presence of metastatic disease. Most patients present with either locally advanced or metastatic disease. Appropriate work-up is critical to identify accurate pre-treatment staging so that both under-treatment and unnecessary treatment is avoided. Staging evaluation should start with CT or PET scan, and patients who do not have metastatic disease should have EUS to determine the locoregional extent of disease. Treatment strategy should follow guideline recommendations, and generally should be developed after multidisciplinary evaluation. Surgery or local mucosal treatments should be considered for superficial cancers. Multimodality therapy that includes surgery is generally considered the best treatment for locally advanced cancers, while patients that have metastatic disease should be considered for chemotherapy along with best supportive care.
Acknowledgements
Dr. Berry has received support from the National Institute of Health (NIH) funded Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network. There are no disclosures or potential conflicts to report.
Disclosure: The author declares no conflict of interest.
References
- Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, et al. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2008, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD. Available online: http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2008/, based on November 2010 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, 2011. 2011.
- Enzinger PC, Mayer RJ. Esophageal cancer. N Engl J Med 2003;349:2241-52. [PubMed]
- Pennathur A, Luketich JD. Resection for esophageal cancer: strategies for optimal management. Ann Thorac Surg 2008;85:S751-6. [PubMed]
- Siegel R, Naishadham D, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J Clin 2012;62:10-29. [PubMed]
- Dubecz A, Gall I, Solymosi N, et al. Temporal trends in long-term survival and cure rates in esophageal cancer: a SEER database analysis. J Thorac Oncol 2012;7:443-7. [PubMed]
- Horner M, Ries L, Krapcho M, et al. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2006, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD. Available online: http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2006/, based on November 2008 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, 2009.
- Nigro JJ, Hagen JA, DeMeester TR, et al. Occult esophageal adenocarcinoma: extent of disease and implications for effective therapy. Ann Surg 1999;230:433-8. [PubMed]
- Rice TW, Rusch VW, Ishwaran H, et al. Cancer of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction: data-driven staging for the seventh edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer Cancer Staging Manuals. Cancer 2010;116:3763-73.
- Rice TW, Rusch VW, Apperson-Hansen C, et al. Worldwide esophageal cancer collaboration. Dis Esophagus 2009;22:1-8. [PubMed]
- Rice TW, Blackstone EH, Rusch VW. 7th Edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual: esophagus and esophagogastric Junction. Ann Surg Oncol 2010;17:1721-4.
- Greene FL, Page DL, Fleming ID, et al. eds. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 6th ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 2003. | https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/2262/html |
Beliefs about the true self explain asymmetries based on moral judgment.
Past research has identified a number of asymmetries based on moral judgments. Beliefs about (a) what a person values, (b) whether a person is happy, (c) whether a person has shown weakness of will, and (d) whether a person deserves praise or blame seem to depend critically on whether participants themselves find the agent's behavior to be morally good or bad. To date, however, the origins of these asymmetries remain unknown. The present studies examine whether beliefs about an agent's "true self" explain these observed asymmetries based on moral judgment. Using the identical materials from previous studies in this area, a series of five experiments indicate that people show a general tendency to conclude that deep inside every individual there is a "true self" calling him or her to behave in ways that are morally virtuous. In turn, this belief causes people to hold different intuitions about what the agent values, whether the agent is happy, whether he or she has shown weakness of will, and whether he or she deserves praise or blame. These results not only help to answer important questions about how people attribute various mental states to others; they also contribute to important theoretical debates regarding how moral values may shape our beliefs about phenomena that, on the surface, appear to be decidedly non-moral in nature.
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A team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has identified a nickel oxide compound as an unconventional but promising candidate material for high-temperature superconductivity.
The team successfully synthesized single crystals of a metallic trilayer nickelate compound, a feat the researchers believe to be a first.
This nickel oxide compound does not superconduct, said John Mitchell, an Argonne Distinguished Fellow and associate director of the laboratory’s Materials Science Division, who led the project, which combined crystal growth, X-ray spectroscopy, and computational theory. But, he added, “It’s poised for superconductivity in a way not found in other nickel oxides. We’re very hopeful that all we have to do now is find the right electron concentration.”
Mitchell and seven co-authors announced their results in this week’s issue of Nature Physics.
Superconducting materials are technologically important because electricity flows through them without resistance. High-temperature superconductors could lead to faster, more efficient electronic devices, grids that can transmit power without energy loss and ultra-fast levitating trains that ride frictionless magnets instead of rails.
Only low-temperature superconductivity seemed possible before 1986, but materials that superconduct at low temperatures are impractical because they must first be cooled to hundreds of degrees below zero. In 1986, however, discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in copper oxide compounds called cuprates engendered new technological potential for the phenomenon.
But after three decades of ensuing research, exactly how cuprate superconductivity works remains a defining problem in the field. One approach to solving this problem has been to study compounds that have similar crystal, magnetic and electronic structures to the cuprates.
Nickel-based oxides – nickelates – have long been considered as potential cuprate analogs because the element sits immediately adjacent to copper in the periodic table. Thus far, Mitchell noted, “That’s been an unsuccessful quest.” As he and his co-authors noted in their Nature Physics paper, “None of these analogs have been superconducting, and few are even metallic.”
The nickelate that the Argonne team has created is a quasi-two-dimensional trilayer compound, meaning that it consists of three layers of nickel oxide that are separated by spacer layers of praseodymium oxide.
“Thus it looks more two-dimensional than three-dimensional, structurally and electronically,” Mitchell said.
This nickelate and a compound containing lanthanum rather than praseodymium both share the quasi-two-dimensional trilayer structure. But the lanthanum analog is non-metallic and adopts a so-called “charge-stripe” phase, an electronic property that makes the material an insulator, the opposite of a superconductor.
“For some yet-unknown reason, the praseodymium system does not form these stripes,” Mitchell said. “It remains metallic and so is certainly the more likely candidate for superconductivity.”
Argonne is one of a few laboratories in the world where the compound could be created. The Materials Science Division’s high-pressure optical-image floating zone furnace has special capabilities. It can attain pressures of 150 atmospheres (equivalent to the crushing pressures found at oceanic depths of nearly 5,000 feet) and temperatures of approximately 2,000 degrees Celsius (more than 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit), conditions needed to grow the crystals.
“We didn’t know for sure we could make these materials,” said Argonne postdoctoral researcher Junjie Zhang, the first author on the study. But indeed, they managed to grow the crystals measuring a few millimeters in diameter (a small fraction of an inch).
The research team verified that the electronic structure of the nickelate resembles that of cuprate
materials by taking X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements at the Advanced Photon Source, a DOE Office of Science User Facility, and by performing density functional theory calculations. Materials scientists use density functional theory to investigate the electronic properties of condensed matter systems.
“I’ve spent my entire career not making high-temperature superconductors,” Mitchell joked. But that could change in the next phase of his team’s research: attempting to induce superconductivity in their nickelate material using a chemical process called electron doping, in which impurities are deliberately added to a material to influence its properties.
For the original study published in Nature Physics, see “Large orbital polarization in a metallic square-planar nickelate.” Other Argonne authors included Materials Science Division scientists Antia Botana, Daniel Phelan, Hong Zheng, Michael Norman, and John Freeland of the Advanced Photon Source; the other author was Victor Pardo of the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science and the National Science Foundation. | https://www.rdworldonline.com/nickel-for-thought-compound-shows-potential-for-high-temperature-superconductivity/ |
Mom, Dad, and Mitochondria
A baby born in May of this year joins the ranks of only 30-501 other people in the world whose personal genetic code comes from three different people: a mother, father, and a mitochondrial donor. Using a method of cytoplasmic transfer called mitochondrial replacement therapy, these unique individuals were conceived by the success of a relatively recent innovation that involves replacing the mitochondria in a mother’s egg with that of a donor.1 This method allows parents who would otherwise pass fatal or highly debilitating mitochondrial defects onto their children to conceive naturally. It is also, however, plagued by controversy. Only fully legal in the UK,2 the procedure has been praised and lambasted by scientists and everyday folk alike.
In the US, a baby girl was born in 19973 by mitochondrial replacement therapy, the first to be born through the procedure. She remains healthy today as a testament to the method’s potential benefits. However, in 2001, the FDA began classifying the procedure as a form of genetic therapy,4 a distinction which comes with a host of further possible bioethical concerns. In 2002, the FDA barred the practice, leading the family and doctors involved in the most recent mitochondria replacement birth to travel to Mexico to carry out the procedure,5 where regulations are less stringent.
In February of this year, a US panel of scientists and bioethicists from US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine gave the matter further consideration and extended their recommendation that mitochondrial replacement therapy be allowed, with some stipulations. The conditions include only allowing clinical trials to be carried out on male babies,6 since mitochondria is inherited by the mother, meaning that any possible negative effects of the procedure would not be passed on to further generations. The opinion of the panel is a deciding factor in many federal regulations, giving hope that the official mandate may be overturned.
As nations continue to consider and revise regulations around mitochondrial replacement therapy and other gene therapies, the arguments both in favor of and in opposition to these procedures remain relatively constant. The potential benefits are huge; 1 out of 5,000 to 10,000 people born will develop symptomatic mitochondrial diseases,7 many of which could be prevented by the therapy. Multiplying this across the global population, millions of lives could be saved, or quality of lives significantly improved.
The concerns, however, are equally powerful. A study carried out in the US has shown that the therapy may result in missing X chromosomes, and at least one child developed cognitive defects.1 Researchers at the University of Tubingen in Germany suggest that mitochondrial and nuclear DNA may be incompatible between individuals,4 as shown in various lab animals. However, this was countered with other examples of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA gene transfer between humans that carried no negative effects.4 Concerns have also been raised about the identity of the ‘third parent’, and the possible emotional consequences that it may bring about in the individuals involved. In cases conducted so far, families of mitochondrial recipients have not known the identity of the donor, and children bear no physical resemblance to the donor.
The minutia of the procedure, however, are far less concerning to many than its theoretical implications. On a broad scale, gene therapy and its various applications (including mitochondrial replacement therapy), carry the weight of future applications to human DNA editing. As a race, we retain a healthy awareness that alterations to our DNA, and by extension our being as we know it, is a step into uncharted territory. Changing a human’s genetic makeup not only affects one person, but each of the following generations; this is known as the germ line.1 Crossing this line means that abnormal DNA created by gene therapy has the potential to spread to thousands of offspring in years to come. In the case of mitochondrial replacement therapy, less than 0.1% of a mitochondrial donor’s DNA is identifiable in a recipient’s total genetic makeup.5 In some cases, the donor’s DNA is not detectable in the recipient at all.1 However, with mitochondria replacement research having only been conducted in the past 20 years, and accounting for less than 100 births,1 therapy remains solidly in the category of ‘uncharted territory’.
Uncharted territory, however, is exactly what medical advancement is. No therapy or treatment ever has been, or ever will be, developed under the assurance of decades of successful trials. It takes decades of trials to prove success. While every medical therapy takes time to be developed (according to the FDA, it takes an average of ten years for a drug to be approved 8), their development is allowed, despite the risk they all carry, because of the potential benefit to human health. In this regard, mitochondrial replacement therapy is no different. Out of known births occurring as a result of the therapy, only two miscarriages have been linked to the procedure.1 To be sure, two miscarriages are two miscarriages too many. However, in a time when common over-the-counter painkillers have been shown to cause an 80% increase in the risk of miscarriage,9 it seems that the risk is far outweighed by the benefit it may have to the 4,000 children who are born in the US alone with deleterious mitochondrial defects.4 Rather, it is far more likely that development of the therapy is held back by reservations about its implications in gene alteration.
In public imagination, the terms ‘gene therapy’ and ‘gene editing’ often conjure up images of designer babies and genetically engineered super-humans. While these ideas will likely remain fiction for some time, behind them lays the more realistic concern of unknown effects that even slight gene alterations may have on generations down the road. Like the use of euthanasia to end life, IVF to conceive children in a test tube, and cryogenics to preserve human tissue, gene therapy is controversial because it seems, in a word, unnatural. The human conscience is at the core of bioethics, guiding the way towards or away from a practice. However, what at the outset seems aversion to the unnatural is often revealed to be a natural fear of the unknown. Medical advancement is made in the face of these concerns, proceeding with caution and respect for human life. At present, mitochondrial replacement therapy results in extremely small, and in some cases undetectable, changes to DNA. The known risk to human life is minimal, and the benefit is potentially huge. If we are able to take a step forward to allow clinical research in this area, it has the potential to markedly reduce the effects of mitochondrial diseases in an ethical and responsible manner.
References:
1 Pritchard, Charlotte. “The girl with three biological parents.” BBC, 1 September 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28986843.
2 Couzin-Frankel, Jennifer. “Unanswered questions surround baby born to three parents.” Science, 27 September 2016, http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/09/unanswered-questions-surround-baby-born-three-parents.
3 Connor, Steve. “Three child babies: ‘As long as she’s healthy, I don’t care’ says mother of IVF child.” Independent, 25 August 2014, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/three-child-babies-the-mothers-view-as-long-as-she-s-healthy-i-don-t-care-9690059.html.
4 Hayden Check, Erica. “Regulators weigh benefits of ‘three-parent’ fertilization.” Nature, 25 October 2013, http://www.nature.com/news/regulators-weigh-benefits-of-three-parent-fertilization-1.13959.
5 Roberts, Michelle. “First ‘three person baby’ born using new method.” BBC, 27 October 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/health-37485263.
6 Vogel, Gretchen. “For boys only? Panel endorses mitochondrial therapy, but says start with male embryos.” Science, 3 February 2016, http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/02/boys-only-panel-endorses-mitochondrial-therapy-says-start-male-embryos.
7 “UMDF position & clinical status of mitochondrial replacement therapy to prevent transmission of mtDNA diseases.” United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, September 2016, http://www.umdf.org/site/c.8qKOJ0MvF7LUG/b.9166823/k.2E25/Mitochondrial_Replacement_Therapy.htm.
8 “How long does it the FDA take to approve a drug?.” US Department of Veteran Affairs, http://www.hiv.va.gov/patient/clinical-trials/drug-approval-process.asp.
9 Greene, Alan. “Common over-the-counter Medicines and Miscarriage.” Pregnancy.org, 22 September 2005, http://www.pregnancy.org/article/common-over-counter-medicines-and-miscarriage. | http://www.vabioethics.com/content/2016/10/20/mom-dad-and-mitochondria |
In light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, we wanted to highlight some of the resources that we provide on our website, and to provide additional ones, as well. Stay up-to-date on everything happening with COA during the pandemic here.
No matter what role you occupy in the social service delivery continuum, chances are that precautions in the face of COVID-19 have drastically changed the way you work in just a few short weeks. This rapid transition in our lifestyles has led to a deluge of information about how to cope and behave during this time, both personally and professionally. COA has put together a list of references to assist you and your colleagues in navigating all of this news and guidance. We’ve organized the information below by topic:
- General guidance from government agencies
- Guidance for child welfare providers
- Guidance for childcare providers
- Guidance for businesses and employers
- Guidance for healthcare professionals
- Guidance for community organizations
- Guidance on reducing stigma
The Interpretation blog is meant, first and foremost, to be a resource for the COA community. We are continually evolving our blog content to meet the needs of our COA network. If you have a resource, article, or tool that you’d like to see posted, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us by email at [email protected]
General guidance from government agencies
It’s important to educate yourself on and follow the guidance of international, national, and local health organizations. The following organizations maintain a collection of resources and information on the spread of COVID-19. COA recommends locating the health agency of your state or territory to find information that is specific to your local community. In addition, make sure that you are signing up for available subscription/distribution lists, where information may be disseminated on an ongoing basis.
- From the World Health Organization (WHO): Coronavirus Disease (COVID-2019) Situation Reports
- From the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC): Coronavirus Disease 2019
- From the Canadian Department of Health: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Outbreak Update
- Directory of state and territory health agencies
Guidance for child welfare providers
The US Children’s Bureau shared this letter with the agencies they oversee the in child welfare system. In addition to this letter, the Children’s Bureau is maintaining this webpage with resources related to COVID-19.
Organizations leading the field in child welfare practice and policy have also created resources to assist agencies in navigating service delivery during this time:
- From the National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease
- From Generations United: COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Grandfamilies and Multigenerational Families
- From Prevent Child Abuse America: Coronavirus Resources & Tips for Parents, Children & Others
- From the National Association of Social Workers: Resources for Social Workers
In addition, The Chronicle of Social Change has redirected their reporting to focus on COVID-19 and have posted a number of stories on developments in the child welfare space. We recommend starting with Coronavirus: What Child Welfare Systems Need to Think About.
Guidance for childcare providers
Childcare providers have been deemed essential workers across many regions, even areas with the strictest social distancing regulations in place. This is because we need to ensure childcare is accessible to other essential workers during this time.
- From the CDC: Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs
Guidance for businesses and employers
There is no doubt that concerns about and restrictions around COVID-19 are impacting how businesses are run. We’ve seen some guidance on how to bear out these changes here:
- From the CDC: Resources for Businesses and Employers
- From the US Department of Labor: COVID-19 Overview
- From the National Council on Nonprofits: The Nonprofit Community Confronts the Coronavirus
Guidance for healthcare professionals
Healthcare facilities are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find resources to help manage resources and protect yourself and your staff below.
- From the CDC: Resources for Clinics and Healthcare Facilities
- From the CDC: Resources for Healthcare Professionals
Guidance for community organizations
Community-based organizations will be integral to ensuring the infrastructure of community needs are able to be met during this time. Fortunately, there are COVID-19 tools available for organizations that serve vulnerable populations:
- From the CDC: Resources for Community- and Faith-Based Leaders
- From the CDC: Resources to Support People Experiencing Homelessness
- The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans also has resources specific to each type of services provider they oversee:
- From the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: COVID-19 Resources
Guidance on reducing stigma
Stigma affects the emotional and mental health of those that the stigma is directed against. Stopping stigma is an important part of making communities and community members resilient during public health emergencies. Even if we are not personally involved with the stigmatized groups, our voice can have an impact.
- From the CDC: Reducing Stigma During a Public Health Crisis
What other helpful resources for managing the COVID-19 outbreak have you seen? Share yours in the comments below. | https://coablog.org/covid-19-resources-extended-version/ |
Researchers have discovered a naturally-occurring protein that could help stop ice cream from melting, potentially saving money as well as reducing napkin use.
The new ice cream recipe, developed by a team from the Universities of Dundee and Edinburgh, features the protein BsIA, which binds the air, fat and water of the ice cream together. This binding process not only helps slow melting, it could also prevent the formation of ice crystals—offering a smoother texture. Beyond simply extending the enjoyable time of the frozen treat, the protein-based recipe could allow manufacturers to make and store the ice cream at lower temperatures. | http://www.moreinspiration.com/article/6190/protein-stops-ice-cream-from-melting?p=different%20components |
Read this short excerpt from the beginning of the chapter “The Inner Lives of TCKs” in Tanya Crossman’s book Misunderstood.
Read the excerpt and begin to think about healthy ways you can be a guide to your child exploring his or her culture-prompted feelings.
Many of the common threads that connect TCKs stem from ways in which they cope with frequent change, and the journey to create personal identity in the midst of transition. These traits are logical reactions to the pressures of circumstances in which TCKs find themselves. While they may sound like personality characteristics, they are instead reactions to, and coping strategies for, international living and constant transition.
Childhood experiences cause TCKs to internalize certain beliefs about the world. Actions prompted by these deep- held beliefs may not be clearly connected to underlying feelings. Adults can easily misinterpret a TCK’s behavior, not understanding the emotional trigger prompting it. This then contributes to a TCK’s feeling of being misunderstood.
This chapter is not a cheat sheet to explain how every TCK ticks; rather it is a window into how experiences may have influenced an individual, and therefore how they may feel, and how to better understand and serve them. The specific feelings and strategies described will not be found in every TCK, and when they are evident may not be deliberate.
Ideas for how to help TCKs grow into healthy and happy adults are not a one-size-fits-all approach, but hints that may help when judiciously applied to unique individuals. Some ideas will be most helpful to parents, others to any adult who spends time with TCKs. Some can be helpful for TCKs themselves, especially those already living independently, or to those who know and love them.
The goal is to give you insights that lead to questions and greater understanding – to give you ideas of what might be affecting TCKs you know, and questions you might ask to understand them better. Many TCKs find it difficult to articulate the things described in this section. Learning about the things hidden in the hearts of many TCKs can help you approach these topics with specific TCKs – opening lines of communication, giving them permission to agree or disagree, and to start sharing their own experiences.
If while reading this section you think ah, so that’s what’s wrong with them, you have missed the point entirely. If, however, you think wow, I never realized how that experience might affect a young person, you are right on target.
Excerpt from Crossman, Tanya. Misunderstood: The impact of growing up overseas in the 21st century (Kindle Locations 3197-3216). Summertime Publishing. Kindle Edition.
A key step parents need to take is away from viewing and interpreting the struggles of their children as something broken that needs to be fixed. A better approach is to understand these struggles as opportunities to develop perspective on life and the world. As a parent, you can make the decision to change the script in your head.
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Liability
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Benefit
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seeing self as a global nomad (wanderer)
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broader concept of home (a spiritual perspective?)
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questioning relationship to “passport nation”
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global patriotism (or multiple patriotism)
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isolation/loneliness – feeling “different” (always being a outlier)
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ability to be a “cultural chameleon”
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experience of loss
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empathy for those who have experienced lost
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exposure/experience of trauma
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identification with the realities of the majority of people
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frequent change
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adaptability in a world with accelerating rates of change
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Using the contrasting phrases in this table, create some questions or discussion starters that may be helpful for exploring with your child the connection between the two items that both have their roots in the same life experience. | https://www.missiontools.org/resources/misunderstood/ |
Reliability-based methodology has yet found only limited application to dam safety assessment, even though it is well known that the same numerical value of a factor of safety may imply very different safety margins in the actual design. A larger factor of safety does not necessarily mean a smaller level of risk due to the presence of large uncertainties in the design environment.
In the last 15-20 years the attention and application of reliability-based methodology for concrete dams is increasing. One example is the 2011 ICOLD Benchmark where one of the themes was to estimate the probability of sliding failure of a concrete dam. The differences among the results presented by different teams were significant. The reason was that the engineers had to make decisions and choose between different options at some points of the process of finding the solution and that even a simple problem may exhibit relatively high degrees of freedom.
In 2016 a reliability-based methodology for design and assessment of concrete dams founded on rock was published in Sweden. The methodology can be seen as a first attempt to put together in a consistent way some of the rules, regulations and explanations necessary for design and assessment of concrete dams from a probabilistic point of view.
In the 14th ICOLD Benchmark Workshop participants are asked to define limit states, estimate probability of failure, sensitivity values and system reliability of a concrete gravity dam using the “Probabilistic model code for concrete dams”. The goal is that the outcome will further improve probabilistic assessment of concrete dams and, in the future provide a framework for unified reliability calculations and thus increase the interest and confidence in risk analysis. | https://www.icold-bw2017.conf.kth.se/workshop/themes/theme-d/ |
As a tradition, Christianity is more than a system of religious belief. It also has generated a culture, a set of ideas and ways of life, practices, and artifacts that have been handed down from generation to generation since Jesus first became the object of faith.
What is Christianity as a religion?
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world’s largest religion, with about 2.4 billion followers. … Christianity began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the 1st century in the Roman province of Judea.
Is Christianity the main religion?
Of the world’s major religions, Christianity is the largest, with more than two billion followers. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old.
What cultures believe in Christianity?
Christian culture has influenced and assimilated much from the Greco-Roman Byzantine, Western culture, Middle Eastern, Slavic, Caucasian, and possibly from Indian culture.
How does Christianity influence culture?
It is in Christians of many and various responses that Christianity gains its unique multi-cultural and polyvocal texture as a world religion. Those Christians who embrace surrounding cultures use indigenous language, music, art forms, and rituals as potent resources for their own ends.
What is the oldest religion?
The word Hindu is an exonym, and while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as Sanātana Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit.
What are 5 major beliefs of Christianity?
Some of the main themes that Jesus taught, which Christians later embraced, include:
- Love God.
- Love your neighbor as yourself.
- Forgive others who have wronged you.
- Love your enemies.
- Ask God for forgiveness of your sins.
- Jesus is the Messiah and was given the authority to forgive others.
- Repentance of sins is essential.
13.10.2017
Which religion is most in the world?
Adherents in 2020
|Religion||Adherents||Percentage|
|Christianity||2.382 billion||31.11%|
|Islam||1.907 billion||24.9%|
|Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist||1.193 billion||15.58%|
|Hinduism||1.161 billion||15.16%|
Which religion is best in the world according to science?
Buddhism and science have been regarded as compatible by numerous authors. Some philosophic and psychological teachings found in Buddhism share points in common with modern Western scientific and philosophic thought.
Why do Christians believe in God?
Christians also believe that God is timeless and eternal. All of these ideas are found in the Christian Bible, which is made up of the Old and New Testaments believed to be part of God’s revelation to humanity. God is the creator and the giver of all life: ‘In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.
What are 3 facts about Christianity?
Followers of the Christian religion base their beliefs on the life, teachings and death of Jesus Christ. Christians believe in one God that created heaven, earth and the universe. The belief in one God originated with the Jewish religion. Christians believe Jesus is the “Messiah” or savior of the world.
Who do Christians worship?
Christians, however, believe in a triune God: God the father, God the son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.
What does culture mean in the Bible?
Culture defined: Culture is the secondary environment that man builds upon the creation, comprising language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values. … We should seek to transform the culture with Christian principles.
What are the main traditions of Christianity?
Prayer and ritual
- Prayer. Candles © …
- The Church. The Christian church is fundamental to believers. …
- Baptism. The Christian church believes in one baptism into the Christian church, whether this be as an infant or as an adult, as an outward sign of an inward commitment to the teachings of Jesus.
- Eucharist.
14.08.2009
How has Christianity changed the world?
Christianity has been intricately intertwined with the history and formation of Western society. Throughout its long history, the Church has been a major source of social services like schooling and medical care; an inspiration for art, culture and philosophy; and an influential player in politics and religion.
How does culture affect religion?
However, cultural influences do not just change the external “shape” of religion. Cultural messages can create tension, conflict and confusion within individuals when they run counter to religious beliefs and teachings, making it harder to integrate religion into their lives. | https://letstalkstudio.com/about-god/question-is-christianity-a-religion-or-culture.html |
References Cited:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,920
Jan. 3, 1989
David M.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,901
Sep. 5, 1989
Ivan L. Green
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,392
Sep. 11, 1990
Reuben Sorkin
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,414
Jan. 28, 1992
Cheng M.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,527
Jan. 26th, 1993
James C.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,117
May 9, 1995
Marquita Wills
U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,757
Jul. 16, 1996
Fleming Jr.
WO2001015624A2
Mar. 8th, 2001
Carlos Solis
US2005/0087193A1
Apr. 28, 2005
Sylvia Scott
US2007/0193586A1
Aug. 23, 2007
Grace Elizabeth Vaughn
US2013/0160774A1
Jun. 27, 9 2013
Robert J. SCHUMAN
US20150128958A1
May 14th, 2015
Chintan M Shah
US2016/0374850A1
Dec. 29, 2016
Arif H. Agha
US2017/0042726A1
Feb. 16, 2017
Carolyn Palmer
US2019/0021902A1
Jan. 24, 2019
James Rhodes
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention discloses wearable devices and solutions for couples aimed to enhance both the protection and quality of sexual activities, making use of such devices more physically and visually attractive for the users, thus help reducing the risk of STD.
The sex dolls and sex robots industries have been evolving rapidly in the recent years. The sex robots and sex dolls now seem much more attractive and realistic both to the eye and the body. However, they are still not real. The present invention has the intention to employ the advancements of manufacturing sex dolls/robots, for using wearables those actually mimic living body parts of the wearer to be used independently or in combination with actual body parts of the wearer.
Wearing butt pads, silicon padded underwear, hip enhancer pads, padded bras and similar products to shape buttocks, hips, legs, and breasts is very common for cosmetic reasons. While such products are mainly worn under the dress of the wearer, the present invention suggests making similarly shaped wearable pieces made of materials mimicking human flesh and skin such as the ones used in sex doll industry both under the dress and during a sexual relationship.
Such products may have cavities, orifices, cleavages, grooves, valleys, depressions, etc. those independently or in combination with the wearers' body parts simulate cleavages or orifices such as but not exclusive to anus, vagina, mouth, throat, breasts cleavage and help to simulate sexual activities such as but not limited to sexual intercourse, mammary intercourse, intergluteal sex, intercrural sex, axillary intercourse, hand job, foot job, etc.
There may be occasions when a person has the intention to get engaged in a sexual activity with a male partner but for personal, religious, medical, hygiene reasons, or physical reasons or limitations does not have the intention or the possibility to have at least one kind of sexual activity such as a sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, mammary intercourse, intercrural sex, interglutal sex, etc. with said partner. Said reasons, conditions or limitations may include but not limited to menstruation, virginity, medical conditions, pregnancy, post-surgery, after or during cancer treatments, injury, size and shape of body parts (e.g. having small breast), being in the early stages of a relationship, personal dislikes, beliefs, preferences, gender, etc. The present invention may be a relationship saver in such situations by providing a natural feeling solution to mimic such sexual activities.
Patent No. US2017/0042726 A1 dated Feb. 16, 2017 by Carolyn Palmer provides a similar approach by attaching a receiver apparatus acting as a female orifice to a garment worn by a user. The main disadvantage of this approach is that the receiver apparatus is a redundant member and does not feel like a natural body part. For instance, in occasions that it gets positioned between two users, it feels uncomfortable to both partners. It also needs a heater to adapt to the body temperature of the wearer since is mounted on the outer surface of a garment. The present invention however, not only acts as an expansion to the body of the wearer, but also may be worn hours before a sexual activity, directly on the body of the wearer and under the dress. So it perfectly adapts to the body temperature of the user.
Patent No. US2019/0021902 A1 dated Jan. 24, 2019 by James Rhodes provides a solution for the similar purpose comprising a condom which is attached inside a garment to be used as a sheath for penetration, while its closed end is attached to a place out of the body of the wearer to guaranty that no intercourse can occur.
While condoms help reduce the risk of Sexually Transmitted diseases (STD), they are not effective against some diseases and infections such as HPV since condoms do not provide any protection against skin to skin contact in areas such as pubic area, scrotum, upper thigh, and upper groin. The present invention provides solutions to eliminate such contacts during sexual activities. Some implementations of the present invention also eliminate every type of contact and can 100% eliminate the risk of STD and STI.
Patent No. US20150128958A1 dated May 14, 2015 by Chintan M Shah provides a solution to cover the pubic area of the female wearer. Patent No. US2016/0374850A1 dated Dec. 29, 2016 by Arif H. Agha, provides an adhering pubic area shield. U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,117 dated May 9, 1995 by Marquita Wills provides a pubic area shield with a sealing/wiping orifice at the genital area. All three patents are suggested to be used together with a male condom in order to be effective against STD. Wearing a female garment having an orifice at the genital area together with a male partner using a male condom is assumed to reduce the probability of transfer of diseases. But these solutions cannot really be effective against STD/STI. The first said two patents do not prevent the bodily fluid of the female user at all from coming out of the orifice and smearing the outer surface of the latex garment/shield, which can transfer infection to the pubic area of the male participant. The third patent provides an absorbent material, and a wiping/sealing slot, but is not actually sealed. Furthermore, during a sexual activity, the extending member of the male partner may come out and be reinserted in the orifice/slot multiple times, and when doing so, it touches the outer surface of the garment which can both smear it with bodily fluids of the potentially infected female user and also since the outer surface is in continuous contact with the pubic area of the male user, it may be infected by the potentially infected male partner. Thus a male condom touching the potentially infected outer area of the shield and then being slid inside the wearers vagina may transfer the infection from the outer surface of the garment to the body of the female wearer. A solution like the first said patent also may tear the male condom due to friction between the orifice of the latex garment and a latex condom. It is very well known that latex friction tears a male condom. The present invention may be more effective to prevent STD than said patents. There is less risk of tearing a male condom due to use of materials such as silicon and TPE for the orifice those are proven to be safe with latex condoms as they are common material for sex dolls. In some implementation of the present invention there is no penetration. In case of penetration sex activities, multiple solutions are suggested those include double sealing the orifice to reduce bodily fluids leakage from the female side, having a drainage system for the bodily fluids which may have an optionally replaceable absorbent pad. Also various shapes for the orifice entrance is suggested for example a sealing orifice to limit the leakage of bodily fluids, a conic orifice entrance to avoid contact of the pubic area of the male partner with the entrance and to facilitate re-entering the male extending body part without touching the surrounding area which with proper education and practice may reduce the chance of contagiousness. A brief style fly shaped barrier solution is also suggested to safely prevent contact between the pubic area of the male user with the smeared outer surface of the pubic area of the protective wearable device and also allow safe oral sex. Also a special male rubber dam mask is suggested to cover STD prone areas those are not generally covered by a condom. Use of such solutions may reduce the risk of STD to almost zero.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,117 also has another disadvantage against the present invention: The absorbent material is in direct contact with the genital of the female user which means it absorbs the bodily fluids and result in a dry penetration after a short period of use. The suggested absorbent material of the present invention is suggested to be in a drainage cavity located after a first seal which means it will only absorb the fluids those pass a first seal and will not result in dryness. Another absorbing solution is suggested for the external surface of a wearable device which may absorb leaked bodily fluids without causing dryness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,527 dated Jan. 26, 1993 by James C. Dorsey provides a wearable pubic area shield with an opening and an expandable sheath acting similar to a female condom. A similar approach is proposed by many patents including patent No. U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,901 dated Sep. 5, 1989 by Ivan L. Green, US2005/0087193A1 dated Apr. 28, 2005 by Sylvia Scott.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,757 date Jul. 16, 1996 by Fleming Jr. provides an undergarment for a female wearer with an opening at the genital area with attachable female condoms and oral sex specific condoms.
Patent No. US 2013/0160774 A1 dated Jun. 27, 2013 by Robert J. SCHUMAN discloses a male condom with an accompanied skirt to cover the penis surrounding area which can be rolled together with the condom. The present invention provides a rubber dam mask solution with a similar approach with strapping means to strap it around the waist, buttocks, and legs of the user which is more practical to use since the dam will be fixed unlike said skirt, and can be mass produced much easier. Rubber dams have been used in dental applications since 1864. Rubber dam or dental dam is a 6 inch square thin sheet of latex or nitrile. In order to use an oral dam for dental works, a small punch hole is made in the rubber dam and the whole is stretched open around one or more teeth. The size of the hole may be stretch to multiple times of the original punch hole size and can withstand such tension. Dental dams are also suggested for performing oral sex for women.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,414 dated Jan. 28, 1992 by Cheng M. Wu has a folding extension for a male condom which is not practical for mass production. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,392 dated Sep. 11, 1990 by Reuben Sorkin, patent No. U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,920 dated Jan. 3, 1989 by David M. Robichaud each provide an accompanying protective extension for a male condom. Patent No. US 2007/0193586 A1 dated Aug. 23, 2007 by Grace Elizabeth Vaughn, provides a male condom with an additional surrounding area shield which has two straps to strap it around the waist of the user. However, A not roll-able condom is not easy to wear.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses wearable prophylactic and intimacy aid devices for couples, being worn by a first user/wearer, to have a sexual activity potentially with at least one second user, said devices may be produced out of material mimicking human flesh, and having outer surfaces mimicking actual human skin and having built in cavities those mimic human body orifices in order to provide new possibilities in a sexual relationship.
The present invention suggests employing the advancements and materials used in sex dolls/robots industry and female sex toys, for producing wearables those actually mimic living body parts of a human, such wearables when worn by a wearer, independently or in combination with parts of the body of the wearer, provide entryways orifices, and cleavages those can be used for penetration.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein said device can be used to visually enhance the size of body parts of the wearer (e.g. breasts, buttocks, hips, thighs) both when worn under the dress or without a dress.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein at least one orifice on the apparatus has two open ends and is positioned in line with a body orifice of the wearer in order to allow sexual intercourse. Depending on the size, such orifice may act as a seal to keep the bodily fluids of the wearer inside. Different designs are suggested, including an orifice with a double sealing design, at least one with a drain preferably between the seals, which may have a replaceable absorbent material in the drain. Said at least one orifice may act similar to a circular muscle/sphincter to enhance the pleasure of the male participant.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein at least one wall of a cavity of the wearable prophylactic and intimacy aid device being a part of the body of the wearer. It may include but not be limited to the wearers clitoris, parts of the chest skin (e.g. between the breasts), nipples, lower back, hip area, thighs and even areas where interest in them is categorized as fetishism including feet and hands.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein one part or the complete outer surface of said wearable apparatus being clad to look like an actual outfit. The outer cladded may look like a pantie, bra, top, shorts, skirt, etc.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein said wearable prophylactic and intimacy aid device is used to push two parts of the body of the wearer together (e.g. breasts, two legs, buttocks) in order to create a cleavage to be used for penetration. Said device may have an orifice to guide the means of penetration in said cleavage.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein a wearable prophylactic and intimacy aid device covers at least one of genital area and anus of a wearer, having at least one entryway in the form of an orifice/slot to allow sexual intercourse with at least one of a vagina and an anus of a wearer, further including a “brief style fly” resembling thin sheet made of a flexible material (e.g. latex) supported at the crotch of said device to make a barrier and prevents the STD prone areas of a second user from touching the area around said orifice which may potentially be smeared by the bodily fluids of said first user/wearer.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein a wearable prophylactic and intimacy aid device covers at least one of genital area and anus of a wearer, having at least one entryway in the form of an orifice/slot to allow sexual intercourse with at least one of a vagina and an anus of a wearer, having an absorbent means to absorb bodily fluids leaking out of said entryway, said absorbing means including a strip made of a layer of absorbent material covering the outer surface of said device encircling said entryway, configured to have a clearance of at least 1 millimeter with a means of penetration penetrating said entryway, the top surface of said layer of absorbent material being covered by at least one layer of STD resistant material.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, further embodiments could include wherein said wearable device is in the form of a sport bra, supporting the breasts of the first user/wearer, having an orifice/cavity which guides the body extending member of a second user between the breasts of the wearer to facilitate having mammary intercourse. Such device may have breast size enhancing means.
In addition to one or more of the features described above or below, or as an alternative, a special male rubber dam barrier mask is suggested to be worn over a male condom and cover STD prone areas such as pubic area, scrotum, upper thigh an upper groins to enhance protection against STD.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
, is a basic female sexual anatomy sketch that the apparatus shown in the next figures will be illustrated around it.
FIG. 2
, shows a section view of embodiment A of the present invention worn by a female wearer.
FIG. 3
, shows a section view of embodiment A of the present invention.
FIG. 4
, shows a section view of embodiment B of the present invention.
FIG. 5
, shows a section view of embodiment C of the present invention.
FIG. 6
, shows a section view of embodiment D of the present invention.
FIG. 7
, shows a section view of embodiment E of the present invention.
FIG. 8
, shows a section view of sealing orifice of embodiment E of the present invention.
FIG. 9
, shows a section view of double sealing orifice of embodiment F of the present invention.
FIG. 10
, shows fluid absorption solution for embodiment G of the present invention.
FIG. 11
, shows fluid absorption solution for embodiment G of the present invention.
FIG. 12
, shows fluid absorption solution for embodiment H of the present invention.
FIG. 13
, shows a section view of conic sealing orifice of embodiment I of the present invention.
FIG. 14
, shows embodiment J, a brief style protective fly for a protective garment opening with curved free ends.
FIG. 15
, shows a section view of embodiment J, a brief style protective fly for a protective wearable, being stretched to allow penetration.
FIG. 16
, shows a 3d view of embodiment K, having a brief style protective fly for a protective wearable opening.
FIG. 17
, shows embodiments L, M, N, O of male rubber dam mask.
FIG. 18
, shows a sport bra style intimacy aid device as embodiments P.
FIG. 19
, shows embodiments P, Q and R, in the form of sport bra style intimacy aid devices.
FIG. 20
, shows a perspective view of embodiments S of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosed invention and methods is presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
While the disclosure is provided in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments may include only some of the described exemplary aspects. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only. It is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components and/or groups thereof.
The present invention discloses wearable prophylactic and intimacy aid device for couples, being worn by a first user/wearer, to potentially be used for having a sexual activity with a second user, said devices may be produced out of material mimicking human flesh, and having outer surfaces mimicking actual human skin and independently or in combination of with the body of the wearer, provide entryways to be used for a sexual penetration.
There may be occasions when a person has the intention to get engaged in a sexual relationship with a male partner but for personal, religious, medical, hygiene reasons, or physical reasons or limitations does not have the intention or the possibility to have at least one kind of sexual activity such as a sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, mammary intercourse, intercrural sex, etc. with said partner. Said reasons, conditions or limitations may include but not be limited to menstruation, virginity, medical conditions, pregnancy, post-surgery, after or during cancer treatments, injury, size and shape of body parts (e.g. breast), being in the early stages of a relationship, personal dislikes, beliefs or preferences, gender, etc. The present invention may be a relationship saver in such situations by providing a natural feeling solution to mimic such sexual activities.
The sex dolls and sex robots industry has been evolving rapidly in the recent years. The sex robots and sex dolls now seem much more attractive and realistic both for the eye and the body of the person who uses them. However, they are still not real. The present invention has the intention to employ the advancements of manufacturing sex dolls/robots, for using wearables those actually mimic living body parts of the user and using such wearables independently or in combination with actual body parts of the wearer.
Wearing butt pads, silicon padded underwear, hip enhancer pads, padded bras and similar products to shape buttocks, hip, legs, and breasts is very common for cosmetic reasons. While such products are mainly worn under the dress of the wearer, the present invention suggests making similarly shaped wearable pieces made of materials mimicking human flesh and skin such as the ones used in sex doll industry both under the dress and during a sexual relationship. Such products may have cavities, orifices, cleavages, grooves, valleys, depressions, etc. those independently or in combination with wearers' body parts may simulate cleavages or orifices such as anus, vagina, mouth, throat, and help to simulate sexual activities such as but not limited to sexual intercourse, mammary intercourse, intergluteal sex, intercrural sex, axillary intercourse, hand job, foot job, etc.
Common materials used for sex dolls are Silicone and Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Frubber (Flesh rubber) is a patented material use by Hanson Robotics. Advance elastomeric gels are also considered a new material in this field. There are also various trade names such as Cyberskin, Softskin, or UltraskinSilicone. Silicone is considered a safe material due to its non-porous nature. Some areas of the present invention need to provide protection. When a thin layer is required, Latex is considered the first choice for protection. However, latex parts cannot be used together with a latex condom since the condom may tear due to friction. Polyisoprene and polyurethane are considered replacements for commercial latex. Hydrogel is a “slippery, soft” material being developed for use in condoms. Medalist® TPE by Teknor Apex Company is intended to replace latex in many different applications. The present invention is not limited by the materials. Flesh and skin mimicking material are common knowledge in this industry and will be referred as “Flesh mimicking materials” and “Skin mimicking materials”. Flesh mimicking materials are required for making bodies and for some areas, protection layers and barriers may be suggested those may be produced out of every common material used in sex dolls, sex robots, sex toys and condom industries.
FIG. 1
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, is a basic female sexual anatomy sketch of the body of the wearer , a female users that the embodiments shown in the next figures will be illustrated around it. The wearer is also referred as first user of the device in this document. The figure also shows the wearers abdomen , leg , buttocks , Vaginal , Anus , Clitoris . , shows a section view of embodiment A of the present invention worn by a female wearer . The wearable device has legs that cover wearers legs, a body to enhance the size of the buttocks and hips of the wearer. , shows a section view of embodiment A. A cavity mimicking vagina and a cavity mimicking anus on the back of the device are shown. An optional vibrator engine cavity is also displayed for stimulation of the clitoris of the wearer . Said vibrator also vibrates the vagina mimicking cavity as an additional means of stimulation for the second user. A vibrator may be a fixed device inside the faux flesh, or a replaceable insert.
FIG. 4
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If protection is not an issue for users, a cavity may be adjacent to the body of the wearer, and have an open wall to allow contact between the skin of the second user and the wearer. shows such concept as embodiment B. A skin adjacent cavity mimicking a vagina and a skin adjacent cavity mimicking an anus are displayed. However, the cavity , technically may enable stimulation of the penis of a second user with the buttocks of the wearer which is called Interglueal sex and classifies as non-penetrative sex. If protection is a concern, the second user may wear a male condom. As an alternative, a protective underwear may be worn under the embodiment B by the first user. For example an underwear which is partially or totally made of latex. Also replaceable sheets or similar protective material may be devised to be connected inside the device .
FIG. 5
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shows another implementation of the device as embodiment C. A cavity is devised to pass close to the clitoris of the wearer to create stimulation of clitoris when used. The cavity side walls may have reduced thickness or be fully eliminated in order to allow intercrural sex from behind. The intercrural sex using this device may be more pleasurable than the natural way due to the additional grip of the cavity and orifice opening. The cavity may have another opening in the front to allow intercrural sex from the front too. A modified embodiment can be proposed with one leg opening instead of two, allowing one opening of the device to embrace both legs and push them together for a better intercrural sex experience. The thin separating layer separates the second users extending member from the clitoris of the wearer . The thin separator may be eliminated similar to embodiment B by considering the same protection measures in order to provide more stimulation of the clitoris.
FIG. 6
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shows Embodiment D of the present invention. This embodiment has both cavities and together with cavity . So there will be totally three cavities. Thus theoretically, the present invention may provide more orifices than the natural body of the wearer. The protrusion mimics the pubic bone protrusion.
FIG. 7
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shows Embodiment E of the present invention. It's basically made of a thin layer of material and does not have any cavities. However, a tight orifice which is aligned with the vagina of the wearer acts similar to a circular muscle/sphincter and provides additional grip to the penis of the second user resulting in increased pleasure. Also the device if used together with a male condom, eliminates skin to skin contact which means better protection against STD. There may be double sealing both to enhance protection and pleasure. This figure displays a sealing orifice which is aligned with the users vagina . shows a close up view of the same orifice. An inner side of the orifice is shown to have a sharper edge while the outer edge has a more rounded shape. The rounder shape allows liquids attached to the body extending member of the user going inside the orifice easier (e.g. lubricant) while the sharper edges has the tendency to wipe liquids off (e.g. bodily fluids of the first user). shows a double sealing orifice concept as a part of embodiment F. It includes an outer orifice , and an inner orifice , each having a sharper edge on the inside and a more rounded edge on the outside. The sharper edge wipes the bodily fluids off the body extending member of the second user. However, a soft material should be chosen for the orifices in order to offer better sealing and also avoiding excess friction with a condom to avoid tearing it. A cavity/groove is displayed between said orifices. This area acts as a trap for the bodily fluids that escape the inner orifice . It is possible to devise a draining tube/a hole from the trap cavity to drain the bodily fluids. However, such hole may be tricky to clean. As an alternative, an optional replaceable absorbent material is also displayed which may have a round shape to fit inside the trap cavity between said orifices. It has a larger diameter than the body extending member of the user, thus it will not wipe the body extending member of the second user. Only the excess trapped bodily fluids will be absorbed and the absorbent material will not cause a dry intercourse. While the rounded outer edges of the orifices have less wiping effect, they still do wiping, thus it is suggested to inject lubricants inside the vagina instead of applying it on the body extending member of the second user. The groove shaped cavity , may also be used as a seat for the lip of a female condom, so that a female condom being fixed in the groove to be used during a sexual intercourse.
FIG. 10
FIG. 11
FIG. 12
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A absorbent material may also be used on the outer surface of an opening. and show such concept as embodiment G. The opening showed in the images is bigger than the size of a penis . Thus it will not have wiping effect on the penis or condom . A strip made of layer of an absorbent material has encircled the opening . Another layer of STD resistant material (e.g. latex) has covered the external surface of the absorbent material to avoid contagiousness of STD through the absorbent material. shows embodiment H which is the same as embodiment G and the only difference is that the diameter of the absorbent material and protective layer is bigger, thus having more clearance with the penis and condom .
FIG. 13
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shows the concept of having a conic orifice as a part of Embodiment I. The intention of having a conic surface is facilitating the reinsertion of the body extending member of the second user in case it comes out during a sexual intercourse. Having a conic orifice , means reinsertion will most probably smear the conic area than the surrounding area . The pubic area of the second user will contact the surrounding area , and cannot touch the conic area . With a little practice, the second user may be able to avoid smearing the surrounding area . Thus a conic design can reduce the risk of STD by reducing the contact between a smeared area and the pubic area of the second user, while not 100% eliminating the risk.
FIG. 14
FIG. 15
FIG. 16
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shows brief style fly protection layer concept as embodiment J. The displayed embodiment has two slot shaped openings and and two brief style fly protection barriers and . Each fly barrier is fixed at two ends to the right and left sides of the opening, to the crotch or upper groin areas. As it can be seen, the edges may be curved. shows embodiment J during penetration. Curved edges can be helpful since a finger can be slid below the fly type barriers without using nails those can tear the device. Another brief style fly barrier is displayed for the anus. shows a 3d image of embodiment K having a brief style fly barrier . A brief style fly barrier may also be practical for performing oral sex for a female wearer.
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The presented embodiments can each reduce the risk of STD in a way. Novelties described on embodiments E to K can be combined by other embodiments. For example, embodiment A may be configured to have an additional orifice similar to a vagina opening orifice . It is also possible to provide disclosed orifice types, seals, absorbent solutions, and brief style fly barrier disclosed as part of embodiments E to K on a simple prophylactic device made in the form of a latex underwear having at least one opening for penetration, designed to be used together with a male condom. Addition of the presented novelties to a latex underwear will reduce the risk of STD by reducing the probability of contact between STD prone areas of a male user with potentially smeared areas around an opening of said prophylactic Device. For such device, use of a brief style fly will also provide the possibility of performing a safe oral sex. However, another means of protection is begin disclosed which in combination with the presented novelties, can reduce the risk of STD to almost zero. Rubber dams have long been used in dental applications. Rubber dam or dental dam is a 6 inch square thin sheet of latex or nitrile. In order to use an oral dam for dental works, a small punch hole is made in the rubber sheet and the hole is stretched open around one or more teeth. The size of the hole may be stretch to multiple times of the punch hole size and can withstand such tension. Dental dams are also suggested for performing oral sex for women. The presented solution acts similar to the dental use of a rubber dam. It includes a sheet of thin flexible STD resistant material, such as Latex similar to a dental dam. A punch hole is made in said sheet at a diameter of about 10 millimeters. It can be safely stretched to diameters such as 30 or 40 millimeters. The device maybe worn both before and after wearing a condom. But wearing it after wearing a condom is much safer because the stretched punch hole position will be fixed by said condom's rim. Size of said barrier should preferably big enough to mask HPV and wart prone areas such as pubic area, scrotum, groins and even upper thigh. Right and left sides of said barrier need to be connected to a strapping means and the whole assembly is stretched and strapped around the body of the body of the wearer. shows four different embodiments of said device. Embodiment L has a flexible barrier , having a hole for a penis , two strapping means , and a hook and eye fastening means and . Every type of strapping means may be used and the presented novelty is not limited by such means. Also every type of fastening means may be used such as but not exclusive to clasps, snaps, studs, buttons, tie, hook and eye, toggles. The fastening means may be on the back of a wearer similar to a bra, on one side or on the front at one side of the mask. The disclosed novelty may not be limited by the type and position of the fastening means. Embodiment M has a main barrier a hole , two strapping means , and means of fastening and . This embodiment is differentiated from the previous embodiment since the straps are integral with the main barrier. The same approach is used for embodiment N, but all the lines are cut from one single rectangular sheet to limit use of raw material and optimize the package size. Embodiment N includes a main barrier , stretchable strapping means , and fastening means and . Embodiment O has a main barrier , a hole , strapping means , and fastening means and . In case of embodiments N and , some of the lines may not be fully cut and instead be partially perforated to be separated upon pulling the fastening means by the user in order to make handling and packaging easier. Since the material is highly stretchable, the length of straps may be made much shorter than the perimeter of the body of the wearer, to be stretched upon wearing.
FIG. 18
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shows embodiment P of the present invention. This embodiment is in the form of a sport bra and intended to facilitate mammary intercourse. A user's Torso is displayed including the users breasts . Embodiment P has an open end cavity to guide a penis . shows embodiments P, Q and R with more details. Embodiment P is more intended for a wearer with biggest breasts . It may be designed in a way to push the breasts of the user toward each other as illustrated. Three sides of the simulated orifice are provided by the cavity and one wall of the orifice is the wearers chest . The length of the open end cavity is very short and the penis will be embraced by the breasts and the chest after passing the length of the cavity. Embodiments Q and R are intended for wearers with smaller breasts and have size enhancing bodies preferably made of silicone or TPE. In case of embodiment Q the cavity has an open wall to allow the penis to touch the wearers chest . However, the length of the cavity is much longer than embodiment P and may go up all the way along the device height. Embodiment R has a cavity fully devised in the size enhancing body, similar to an orifice of a sex doll. Thus the penis will not touch the chest of the wearer . In case of the embodiments P and Q, a male condom is required if protection is a concern. Embodiment R provides full protection on the sport bra covered area.
FIG. 20
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While the application of the present invention is described for mammary intercourse, intergluteal sex, intercrural sex, axillary intercourse, it is to be understood that the present invention can potentially provide unlimited number of embodiments to create an orifice at every part of the body of the wearer and this fact is considered in the claims too. However, a modular embodiment is also provided as embodiment S which is displayed in . Embodiment S includes a flesh mimicking body , one orifice which may have a closed or open end, one groove at one side which in combination with a body part of the wearer may create an orifice, and fastening means . The body is flexible and can be curved and wrapped around every part and limb of the wearer.
Different designs for mimicking human body orifices such as vagina, anus, mouth, throat has been made and evolved in decades in the sex dolls and sex toys industries. Many industry specific orifices are designed to mimic the feel of vagina, anus, mouth and throat for sex dolls, sex toys and masturbators. They have different internal profiles and patterns. For example there are orifices designed to mimic a throat and they are configured to create a suction effect during a reciprocating penetration. Thus no design has been suggested here for such orifices. Such orifices are considered industry common knowledge and even in the claims section such orifices have only been referred as industry special orifices those mimic vagina, anus, mouth and throat.
Performing penetration by a means of penetration (e.g. a penis, sex toy, finger, tongue, etc.) may provide pleasure both for the first user; the wearer, or the second user, and the act of penetration may be performed by the wearer, or by at least one secondary user.
A cleaning solution may also be suggested for the present invention which includes putting expanders in the orifices of the device and putting the device in a washing machine. The expanders may be in the form of a cylindrical mesh, similar to hair rollers.
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Presented embodiments may also become equipped with a lining layer on the inside to reduce sweating. It is also possible to add a skin breathing layer on the inside made of a porous flexible material to allow air circulation around the skin of the wearer. The embodiments may be made in half bodies to be strapped to the body of the wearer by strapping means. For example the sport bra embodiment P may be modified to only have the front half having straps to fasten it. Strapping means may have made of different materials such as fabric, leather, plastic, steel, wood, etc. It is possible to have a textured inner surface for example for the areas those are in contact with a female wearers genital. An outer surface may also be textured for example to improve a sexual activity involving a female second participant. In case of the surfaces those are in contact with latex condoms, for example orifices or the brief style fly, friction is detrimental since it may tear the condom. If the fly is made of latex, it may tear a latex condom. Then it is suggested to add a layer or a coating of a material which causes less friction with latex (e.g. TPE) to said surface. It is possible to add a lubricant storing cavity close to one of the cavities such as cavities , , . Having such cavity inside the pubic bone protrusion body may be a good trick, since the forces applied by the pubic bone of a male sex partner to said protrusion may pump the lubricant for example inside the cavity . A lubricant pump may also be devised for pumping lubricant. Each of the cavities and orifices may be replaceable similar to common sex doll orifices, to allow better wash-ability and repair-ability. Said device may also be equipped with a fixed vibrator, a heater or sensors such as tracking sensors, acceleration sensors, temperature sensors etc. Adding a means to create suction for a cavity such as cavities , , may also be attractive for some users. While the insert cavity is described for an insert-able vibrator, it may be used for variety of other equipment such as a heater, a sensor, etc. | |
Abstract: The complex ecology and nutrition of “exploding” ants of the Colobopsis cylindrica group (COCY) is still poorly understood. Hitherto, this group of ants was thought to feed mainly on phylloplane biofilms with only scarce observations of carnivorous behaviour. This study focusses on observations and behavioural experiments conducted on Colobopsis badia and Colobopsis leonardi, two species native to Thailand. In experiments with C. leonardi, we investigated recognition and acceptance of diverse arthropod prey, as well as its mode of transport into the nest. In addition, preliminary data on C. badia were collected. We present the first recorded instances of predation for these species and discuss our findings in the light of previously published hypotheses on COCY nutrition and behaviour. | http://www.asian-myrmecology.org/doi/10.20362/am.010011.html |
Water may seem like a dull liquid. But at the molecular scale, there's a party going on. New simulations reveal that water molecules actually form two different types of structures that break apart and recombine at lightning speeds. Such complexity just might be the reason why life as we know it sprang forth in a wet environment.
As simple as an individual water molecule is—two atoms of hydrogen bonded with one of oxygen—it forms weak bonds to its neighbors creating more-complex structures. That's allowed it to serve as the medium for the growth and evolution of the most complex molecules in the universe, including enzymes, proteins, and the mother of all known living creatures, DNA. But why water and not, say, hydrogen peroxide or even ammonia? Scientists have been wrestling with this quandary for over a century. Indeed, 5 years ago, Science called this one of the 125 most important unresolved scientific issues.
A new study might have uncovered an essential clue. Researchers used computer models to probe how water molecules form structures, a phenomenon that has resisted visual examination so far. Working with standard desktop computers, the team applied models originally designed to study complex systems, such as the Internet, the spread of viruses, and the folding of proteins, to investigate the configurations of water at the smallest scales.
What the researchers observed, they reported online in The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, is that water molecules bond with one another in a surprisingly complex and dynamic way. Any given volume of water contains two types of molecular structures—one a blobby, loosely packed agglomeration and the other a tight, regular arrangement resembling a crystal lattice. But both structures tend to break apart and recombine frequently, on the order of extremely tiny fractions of a second. The result is a chaotic mix of water molecules. Within that mix, the hydrogen atoms form connections that function like hooks, onto which carbon or nitrogen atoms can presumably grab to form the beginnings of complex organic molecules. And the process can dramatically influence the motion of even more-complex biological systems, such as proteins, by helping their assembly. As far as anyone knows, no other liquid demonstrates this property.
The finding introduces "a framework to understand how water with its [hidden structure] influences protein function at the fundamental level," says physicist and co-author Francesco Rao of the University of Freiburg in Germany. The models present a "very crude" first look at these structures, adds physical chemist and co-author Peter Hamm of the University of Zürich in Switzerland. "It is becoming clearer and clearer," he says, that "water is more than just a solvent, but actually an integral part of the functional structure of proteins."
It's "a fascinating and provocative paper," says physical chemist James Skinner of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The study, he says, helps to illuminate subtle but important details about molecular motions in water.
The demonstration by a computer model that water exists in two different microscopic constructions is a "wonderful discovery," adds physicist H. Eugene Stanley of Boston University. Although earlier laboratory experiments have suggested this possibility, he says, the authors are the first to model the process in detail. It's a step toward unraveling why this liquid can produce 15 types of ice, for example. More important, Stanley says, "We will never understand biology until we understand water."
The bold statement is the result of an analysis of water samples collected from the world's seas. Jonathan Eisen at the University of California, Davis, Genome Center has identified gene sequences hidden within these samples that are so unusual they seem to have come from organisms that are only distantly related to cellular life as we know it. So distantly related, in fact, that they may belong to an organism that sits in an entirely new domain.
Most species on the planet look like tiny single cells, and to work out where they fit on the tree of life biologists need to be able to grow them in the lab. Colonies like this give them enough DNA to run their genetic analyses. The problem is, the vast majority of these cells species – 99 per cent of them is a reasonable bet – refuse to be cultured in this way. "They really are the dark matter of the biological universe," says Eisen.
Life's dark matter
To probe life's dark matter, Eisen, Craig Venter of the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Maryland, and their colleagues have resorted to a relatively new technique called metagenomics. This can "sequence the crap out of any DNA samples", whether they are collected from the environment or come from lab cultures, says Eisen.
When Eisen and Venter used the technique on samples collected from the Global Ocean Sampling Expedition, they found that some sequences belonging to two superfamilies of genes – recA and rpoB – were unlike any seen before.
Younger than they look?
But some think any talk of a fourth domain of cellular life is premature. Radhey Gupta at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, calls the finding "very exciting", but cautions that there are other explanations.
For instance, the sequences could be from cellular organisms living in unique habitats that caused their genes to undergo rapid evolution. That would give the false impression that the "new" life forms diverged from all others a very long time ago.
"There is still debate [over] how to clearly distinguish the three proposed domains of life, and how they are interrelated," Gupta says. "The suggestion [of] a fourth domain will only add to the confusion." | http://forum.dlf.info/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3828&start=0 |
The first version of this article, which I wrote all the way back in 1997, merely compiled a list of quotes from physicists affirming that something can indeed come from nothing through entirely natural processes, and that the entire universe might be one such thing. I offered the list simply as data, without any attempt at assessing the correctness of the quoted claims, or their relevance to theological debates about the origin of the universe. Afterwards, I studied the matter in greater depth, and developed a line of argument which I pursued in the first entry of my Defender's Guide to Science and Creationism. However, I neglected to revise the first version of this article; this update rectifies that problem. For this version, I have written straight text, and moved the supporting quotes to a section at the very end, which is referenced throughout.
Can Something Come from Nothing?
To most people, the claim that something cannot come from nothing is a truism. However, most physicists disagree. Against the claim, they often cite what are variously known as quantum vacuum fluctuations or virtual particles. These are particle-antiparticle pairs that come into existence in otherwise empty space for very brief periods of time, in agreement with the Heisenberg uncertainty relations. [Q1] [Q2] They produce measurable effects, such as the Lamb shift and the Casimir-Polder force.[Q3] [Q4] These particles are not anomalies; they are so common that some physicists argue that if we think of empty space as nothing, then there is no such thing as nothing, because space never is empty—it is always filled with virtual particles.[Q5] In short, if we follow most people in thinking of empty space as nothing, then we have at least one pervasive example of something that can come from nothing.
Can the Universe Come from Nothing?
Virtual particles are constrained to have short lives because they represent an increase in the energy of the universe; Heisenberg's uncertainty principle affords room for sufficiently short-lived virtual particles, but long-lived ones appearing in a universe such as ours would violate the first law of thermodynamics. One might think, then, that quantum vacuum fluctuations cannot have any relevance for the origin of the universe. On the contrary, some physicists, going back at least to Tryon (1973) believe that the entire universe might be a massive quantum vacuum fluctuation.[Q6] The key feature of the universe that would make this possible would be a total energy of zero. You might wonder how the universe could have a total energy of zero. The answer is that gravitational energy is negative—when summed with the positive energy of the matter in the universe, the two quantities may cancel out.[Q7] [Q8] Neither Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, nor the first law of thermodynamics, place any limit on the length of time a quantum vacuum fluctuation of zero total energy could persist, so the longevity of our universe does not rule out a quantum vacuum fluctuation origin.[Q9] The proposal is not that the entire universe appeared in one shot, but that a quantum vacuum fluctuation served as the seed for a local expansion of spacetime, which would automatically generate matter as a side-effect.[Q10] [Q11]
In these kinds of proposals, the quantum vacuum fluctuations occur in empty spacetime. Other proposals, most notably that of Alex Vilenkin, do not involve a preexisting spacetime at all, and rely upon quantum tunneling rather than vacuum fluctuation.[Q12]
Is the "Nothing" of the Physicists Really Nothing?
Now we come to an objection to all of the above. The objection is that when the physicists quoted refer to "nothing," they are, in fact, referring to something other than the literal absence of anything. To try to keep things as clear as possible, I will refer to the absence of anything as "nothingness." So, the contention is that the "nothing" of physics is not nothingness. Quote [Q5] may seem, at first glance, to bear this out. I contend that that is a misreading—Morris is just trying to say that space never is truly empty—but we need not get into an exegetical dispute here, since it is quite true that on Tryon-type models, the universe-producing quantum vacuum fluctuations occur in a preexisting spacetime.
What can one say about this challenge? There are two things to say:
(i) First off, the reason most people affirm the proposition that something cannot come from nothing is because they do not see things coming into existence out of the empty space around them. They are willing to equate empty space with nothingness. Hence, showing that particles do, and universes might, spontaneously arise from empty space, does address the intent behind popular claims that the universe could not have come into existence from nothing. Once one has shown that universes can arise from empty space, not many people will remain so secure about their metaphysical intuitions that they will insist that empty spacetime itself must have come from something.
(ii) Second, even if we do count spacetime as something, this would have no bearing on Vilenkin-type proposals. At this point, critics contend that Vilenkin's proposal requires quantum mechanics, and that the laws of quantum mechanics are "something." This is a strange claim, for two reasons: (1) It seems as though the critics wish to reify natural laws, which are not things, but just descriptions of the way things work. It is unclear why one should regard the fact (if it is one) that universes come into existence from time to time in a manner describable by quantum mechanics, as a thing. (2) If if one does count facts as things, then nothingness is a logical impossibility: if nothing existed, then it would be a fact that nothing existed, meaning that at least one thing (the fact that nothing exists) exists, which would, in turn, contradict the original hypothesis. Consequently, if one counts facts as things, then some fact must obtain; but, if at least one fact must obtain, why should it not be the fact that quantum mechanics applies?
Conclusion
I have not attempted to argue that the universe did come from nothing, or even to survey everything in cosmology or philosophy that bears upon the question of whether or not the universe was created. All I have attempted to do is to argue that an atheistic universe ex nihilo, in both a popular and a technical understanding of nihil, is possible. Even that modest step is bitterly contested by many theists, but modern physics appears to underwrite it decisively.
Supporting Quotes
[Q1] Paul Davies:
In the everyday world, energy is always unalterably fixed; the law of energy conservation is a cornerstone of classical physics. But in the quantum microworld, energy can appear and disappear out of nowhere in a spontaneous and unpredictable fashion. (Davies 1983: 162)
[Q2] Richard Morris:
The uncertainty principle implies that particles can come into existence for short periods of time even when there is not enough energy to create them. In effect, they are created from uncertainties in energy. One could say that they briefly "borrow" the energy required for their creation, and then, a short time later, they pay the "debt" back and disappear again. Since these particles do not have a permanent existence, they are called virtual particles. (Morris 1990: 24)
[Q3] Paul Davies:
Even though we can't see them, we know that these virtual particles are "really there" in empty space because they leave a detectable trace of their activities. One effect of virtual photons, for example, is to produce a tiny shift in the energy levels of atoms. They also cause an equally tiny change in the magnetic moment of electrons. These minute but significant alterations have been very accurately measured using spectroscopic techniques. (Davies 1994: 32)
[Q4] John Barrow and Joseph Silk:
[Virtual particle pairs] are predicted to have a calculable effect upon the energy levels of atoms. The effect expected is minute—only a change of one part in a billion, but it has been confirmed by experimenters.
In 1953 Willis Lamb measured this excited energy state for a hydrogen atom. This is now called the Lamb shift. The energy difference predicted by the effects of the vacuum on atoms is so small that it is only detectable as a transition at microwave frequencies. The precision of microwave measurements is so great that Lamb was able to measure the shift to five significant figures. He subsequently received the Nobel Prize for his work. No doubt remains that virtual particles are really there. (Barrow & Silk 1993: 65-66)
[Q5] Richard Morris:
In modern physics, there is no such thing as "nothing." Even in a perfect vacuum, pairs of virtual particles are constantly being created and destroyed. The existence of these particles is no mathematical fiction. Though they cannot be directly observed, the effects they create are quite real. The assumption that they exist leads to predictions that have been confirmed by experiment to a high degree of accuracy. (Morris 1990: 25)
[Q6] Heinz Pagels:
Once our minds accept the mutability of matter and the new idea of the vacuum, we can speculate on the origin of the biggest thing we know—the universe. Maybe the universe itself sprang into existence out of nothingness—a gigantic vacuum fluctuation which we know today as the big bang. Remarkably, the laws of modern physics allow for this possibility. (Pagels 1982: 247)
[Q7] Stephen Hawking:
There are something like ten million million million million million million million million million million million million million million (1 with eighty [five] zeroes after it) particles in the region of the universe that we can observe. Where did they all come from? The answer is that, in quantum theory, particles can be created out of energy in the form of particle/antiparticle pairs. But that just raises the question of where the energy came from. The answer is that the total energy of the universe is exactly zero. The matter in the universe is made out of positive energy. However, the matter is all attracting itself by gravity. Two pieces of matter that are close to each other have less energy than the same two pieces a long way apart, because you have to expend energy to separate them against the gravitational force that is pulling them together. Thus, in a sense, the gravitational field has negative energy. In the case of a universe that is approximately uniform in space, one can show that this negative gravitational energy exactly cancels the positive energy represented by the matter. So the total energy of the universe is zero. (Hawking 1988: 129) [thanks to Ross King for this quote]
[Q8] Paul Davies:
There is a still more remarkable possibility, which is the creation of matter from a state of zero energy. This possibility arises because energy can be both positive and negative. The energy of motion or the energy of mass is always positive, but the energy of attraction, such as that due to certain types of gravitational or electromagnetic field, is negative. Circumstances can arise in which the positive energy that goes to make up the mass of newly-created particles of matter is exactly offset by the negative energy of gravity of electromagnetism. For example, in the vicinity of an atomic nucleus the electric field is intense. If a nucleus containing 200 protons could be made (possible but difficult), then the system becomes unstable against the spontaneous production of electron-positron pairs, without any energy input at all. The reason is that the negative electric energy can exactly offset the energy of their masses.
In the gravitational case the situation is still more bizarre, for the gravitational field is only a spacewarp - curved space. The energy locked up in a spacewarp can be converted into particles of matter and antimatter. This occurs, for example, near a black hole, and was probably also the most important source of particles in the big bang. Thus, matter appears spontaneously out of empty space. The question then arises, did the primeval bang possess energy, or is the entire universe a state of zero energy, with the energy of all the material offset by negative energy of gravitational attraction?
It is possible to settle the issue by a simple calculation. Astronomers can measure the masses of galaxies, their average separation, and their speeds of recession. Putting these numbers into a formula yields a quantity which some physicists have interpreted as the total energy of the universe. The answer does indeed come out to be zero within the observational accuracy. The reason for this distinctive result has long been a source of puzzlement to cosmologists. Some have suggested that there is a deep cosmic principle at work which requires the universe to have exactly zero energy. If that is so the cosmos can follow the path of least resistance, coming into existence without requiring any input of matter or energy at all. (Davies 1983: 31-32)
[Q9] Edward Tryon:
[T]he laws of physics place no limit on the scale of vacuum fluctuations. The duration is of course subject to the restriction ΔEΔt ~ h, but this merely implies that our Universe has zero energy, which has already been made plausible. (Tryon 1973:397)
[Q10] Victor Stenger:
In general relativity, spacetime can be empty of matter or radiation and still contain energy stored in its curvature. Uncaused, random quantum fluctuations in a flat, empty, featureless spacetime can produce local regions with positive or negative curvature. This is called the "spacetime foam" and the regions are called "bubbles of false vacuum." Wherever the curvature is positive a bubble of false vacuum will, according to Einstein's equations, exponentially inflate. In 10^-42 seconds the bubble will expand to the size of a proton and the energy within will be sufficient to produce all the mass of the universe.
The bubbles start out with no matter, radiation, or force fields and maximum entropy. They contain energy in their curvature, and so are a "false vacuum." As they expand, the energy within increases exponentially. This does not violate energy conservation since the false vacuum has a negative pressure (believe me, this is all follows from the equations that Einstein wrote down in 1916) so the expanding bubble does work on itself.
As the bubble universe expands, a kind of friction occurs in which energy is converted into particles. The temperature then drops and a series of spontaneous symmetry breaking processes occurs, as in a magnet cooled below the Curie point and a essentially random structure of the particles and forces appears. Inflation stops and we move into the more familiar big bang.
The forces and particles that appear are more-or-less random, governed only by symmetry principles (like the conservation principles of energy and momentum) that are also not the product of design but exactly what one has in the absence of design.
The so-called "anthropic coincidences," in which the particles and forces of physics seem to be "fine-tuned" for the production of Carbon-based life are explained by the fact that the spacetime foam has an infinite number of universes popping off, each different. We just happen to be in the one where the forces and particles lent themselves to the generation of carbon and other atoms with the complexity necessary to evolve living and thinking organisms. (Stenger 1996)
[Q11] William Kaufmann:
Where did all the matter and radiation in the universe come from in the first place? Recent intriguing theoretical research by physicists such as Steven Weinberg of Harvard and Ya B. Zel'dovich in Moscow suggest that the universe began as a perfect vacuum and that all the particles of the material world were created from the expansion of space...
Think about the universe immediately after the Big Bang. Space is violently expanding with explosive vigor. Yet, as we have seen, all space is seething with virtual pairs of particles and antiparticles. Normally, a particle and anti-particle have no trouble getting back together in a time interval ... short enough so that the conservation of mass is satisfied under the uncertainty principle. During the Big Bang, however, space was expanding so fast that particles were rapidly pulled away from their corresponding antiparticles. Deprived of the opportunity to recombine, these virtual particles had to become real particles in the real world. Where did the energy come from to achieve this materialization?
Recall that the Big Bang was like the center of a black hole. A vast supply of gravitational energy was therefore associated with the intense gravity of this cosmic singularity. This resource provided ample energy to completely fill the universe with all conceivable kinds of particles and antiparticles. Thus, immediately after the Planck time, the universe was flooded with particles and antiparticles created by the violent expansion of space. (Kaufmann 1985: 529-532)
[Q12] Martin Bojowald:
Vilenkin's tunneling condition relies on another effect of quantum mechanics, again a consequence of properties of the wave function. A wave function can often penetrate barriers with its tails, even if those would be too high for a corresponding classical particle...Vilenkin proposed in 1983 that the universe itself might have emerged by such a tunneling process. Our universe would the tail of a pioneering wave function that had once penetrated the barrier of the big bang and its singularity. But from where did the universe tunnel, and from where came the bulk of the wave function, whose tail our universe is supposed to be, before the tunneling process? Vilenkin's answer, obvious only at first sight: From nothing ...
One can hardly attribute physical meaning to tunneling from nothing in a literal sense. Regardless, Vilenkin's postulate does have sense with regard to the wave function of the universe, endowed by the tunneling condition with certain initial values at vanishing volume. (Bojowald 2010: 222)
References
Barrow, John D. & Silk, Joseph. 1993. Left Hand of Creation. London: J. M. Dent & Sons.
Bojowald, Martin. 2010. Once Before Time. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Davies, Paul. 1983. God and the New Physics. London: J. M. Dent & Sons.
Davies, Paul. 1994. The Last Three Minutes. New York: BasicBooks.
Hawking, Steven. 1988. A Brief History of Time. Toronto: Bantam.
Kaufmann, William J. 1985. Universe. New York: W.H. Freeman & Co.
Morris, Richard. 1990. The Edges of Science. New York: Prentice Hall.
Pagels, Heinz. 1982. The Cosmic Code. Toronto: Bantam.
Stenger, Victor. 1996. Inflation and creation. URL:<http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/Cosmo/inflat.html>. Spotted 15 April 2011.
Tryon, Edward P. 1973. Is the universe a vacuum fluctuation? Nature 246: 396-397.
Copyright ©2011 Mark I. Vuletic. The electronic version is copyright ©2011 by Internet Infidels, Inc. with the written permission of Mark I. Vuletic. All rights reserved. | https://infidels.org/library/modern/mark_vuletic/vacuum.html |
Anyone who has been in a classroom even remotely related to Developmental Psychology or read a popular article on the topic will be familiar with Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs.
But Maslow was much more interesting than most people would assume. First of all, he was philosophically oriented towards anarchism. If one reads his late work “The Farther Reaches of Human Nature,” especially ”Part V. Society,” then they will surely find out that Maslow’s ideal society is an anarchist one.
Albert Camus’ Anarchist Conclusion
Apparently, almost everyone who has made a statement about Albert Camus’ political ideology skipped the end of his most extensive essay in political philosophy: The
An Anarchist Approach to Policy
To people who don’t know much about anarchism, it seems like a completely unrealistic worldview. To those people who know a little bit about anarchism,
Attractive Inconsistencies: Sex, Gender, Sexuality, and Relationships
The following analysis may be considered in the light of Gender or Queer Theory, but it does not support many of the common assumptions present
Existentialist Anarchism: A Rough Sketch in Progress
Introduction Existentialism and anarchism are both widely misunderstood. Introductory texts related to both philosophies almost always emphasize this difficulty. There is much debate about who
How Liberal and Right Wing Anti-Communism Continues to Fuel Fascism Today
The storming of the US Capitol Building was only one of a series of right-wing attacks on 01/06/2021, adding to decades of nationalist reaction. Yes, | https://cyberdandy.org/ |
The tradition of mass killing feral cats through catch-and-kill, is being replaced by Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), a model where cats are trapped, sterilized, and returned to managed colonies. As evident in the Alley Cat Rescue (ACR) 2016 Feral Cat Survey, more animal control agencies and local governments are supporting TNR efforts for controlling outdoor cat populations, while rescue organizations are improving the lives of feral cats by providing sterilization services and vaccinations.
Over 200 feral cat organizations participated in the survey, which is a follow up to Alley Cat Rescue’s 2012 Feral Cat Survey. In 2016, 77% of rescue groups reported that their local animal control agency approves of TNR for feral cats; that’s a 40% increase from the number of groups that said animal control approves of TNR as reported in 2012. In comparing the two surveys, there’s also a 16% increase in the number of rescue groups reporting their working relationship with animal control agencies as being “easy” or “intermediate.” Similar progress has been made in regards to the relationships between cat organizations and local governments, with a 22% decrease in feral cat rescues finding it “difficult” to work with local policymakers.
“We find these results very encouraging. It takes animal control agencies and local governments working together alongside cat organizations to effectively and humanely manage cat populations,” said President of Alley Cat Rescue Louise Holton. “We are seeing more communities embracing the life-saving model of TNR. However, our survey results also reveal that most county-run shelters do not offer TNR services to their communities, so this area needs to be addressed.”
Additional significant findings include a decrease in the average size of the colonies organizations are caring for (about 35% of groups were caring for colonies of less than 10 in 2012; now 50% of groups’ colonies consist of ten or fewer cats,) which coincides with a decrease in the number of kittens found at colonies before TNR is implemented. There was a 15% drop in the number of groups who found more than 20 kittens at colonies prior to TNR. “We believe that more small colonies and fewer instances of large numbers of kittens indicates an overall reduction in the number of feral cats,” said Holton. Rescue groups are also improving the health of feral cats by offering protection against diseases such as rabies, distemper, and leukemia. Ninety-three percent of respondents inoculate feral cats against rabies (compared to 81% in 2012) and only a small portion of cats test positive for either feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus.
Holton added, “The public no longer supports lethal management practices to control cat populations and we’re encouraged that more animal control agencies, as well as local governments, are approving of TNR.” To review the complete results and summary report of Alley Cat Rescue’s 2016 Feral Cat Survey, visit http://www.saveacat.org.
About Alley Cat Rescue: ACR is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, and feral. We run a no-kill shelter and advocate TNR programs for feral cats. ACR has been awarded the Independent Charities of America’s “Best in America” Seal of Approval, and our newsletter has won several awards from the Cat Writers’ Association. For more information, please visit http://www.saveacat.org.
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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
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Weekly schedule of features:
Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life
Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters
Tuesday: Rescue Stories
Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
Thursday: New Merchandise
Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy
Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats
And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun! | https://thecreativecat.net/alley-cat-rescue-survey-shows-trap-neuter-return-successful-managing-feral-cat-population/ |
Rondette for violin, violoncello, and piano was briefly presented by the composer Leslie Opatril, who focused on her neologism of "rondette," pointing to the miniature nature of her work compared with the traditional rondo form. The trio of Frédéric-Alexandre Michaud violin, Conner Cornick 'cello, and Stephen Eckert piano clearly enjoyed performing this rondette, attacking the opening bars with gusto, punctuated with some of the most enthusiastic pizzicato I have witnessed. Their ensemble playing was very enjoyable, sparked by some virtuosic passages where each instrument briefly held the limelight.
Whisky Jack, by composer Leslie Opatril, uses the character of the bird by the same name as the impetus for the work. The opening melody is skillfully crafted with an intricate display of offset layers, the composite of which reveals the character of the work; a small, ruffled, flighty bird controls the narrative. The complex layering of material and themes constantly displaced over varying harmonious textures highlights a technical level of prowess untouched by many more prominent composers. The remarkable control of structure to bend and manipulate expectation controlled the narrative of gesture by the imagined bird, keeping the audience enthralled until the final note. In an amazing display of skill and potential, Opatril put herself on display, proving her place on the big stage of the new music world.
Leslie Opatril's Caldera was receiving its Western Canada premiere and revealed a young composer of considerable talent and no little skill. From its unquiet opening to its impressive close, this was increasingly involving, highly atmospheric music, idiomatically written for strings. This was the first of her music I've heard; I look forward to hearing more. | https://www.leslieopatril.ca/reviews.html |
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So far in this series, I’ve touched on optical performance, ergonomics, and reticle options. This post looks at advanced features like illumination, focal plane, locking turrets, zero stop, and other features like anodizing, and whether it uses a one-piece tube.
First Focal Plan (FFP) or Second Focal Plane (SFP)
Basically, on FFP scopes the mil/MOA marks are valid at all magnifications, which means the shooter can use the magnification level most appropriate for the situation and still have effective holdover and windage reference marks. While the proportions of the reticle will appear to change when adjusting the magnification, in reality the reticles values are remaining in proportion to the target.
On SFP scopes the mil/MOA marks are only valid at a specific magnification, typically the highest magnification, which may not be ideal for some shots … but if you want to hold for elevation or wind, you need to shoot at that magnification. Here is a video that demos FFP vs SFP.
Most long-range shooters prefer First Focal Plane reticles, because of their flexibility (work at any magnification). One downside is that you need to have a good reticle that can be easily seen at low magnification, and not too thick at high magnification. Trying to strike this balance has really pushed reticle design.
Here is the breakdown of which scopes use which:
First Focal Plane Scopes (FFP) Second Focal Plane Scopes (SFP) Bushnell Elite Tactical 3.5-21×50
Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-30×50
Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56
Kahles K 6-24×56
Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44
Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56
March Tactical 3-24×42 FFP
Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56
Steiner Military 5-25×56
US Optics ER25 5-25×58
Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50
Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50
Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50 Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56
Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×50
Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56
Illumination
The following table shows what reticle illumination features each scope offers. Illumination can be helpful in low light scenarios or when looking at dark backgrounds. But with the huge zoom ratio on some of these scopes, it also may be necessary to see the reticle at low magnifications. I noticed this to be true for the H2CMR reticle on the Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56 High Power scope. For that reticle to not be too thick at 27x, it has to be really thin at 3x. In fact, it is so thin it was very difficult to see, but once you flip on the illumination, it is completely usable. So while in the past illumination may have been viewed as a luxury only applicable for low light scenarios, but as we start to have scopes with 7x or even 10x zoom ratios this other use at low magnification becomes important.
Scope Has Illumination # of Settings Night Vision Compatible Bushnell Elite Tactical 3.5-21×50 – – Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-30×50 – – Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56 Infinite Kahles K 6-24×56 Infinite Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44 – – Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56 8 March Tactical 3-24×42 FFP 4 Only w/ NV module* Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56 1 ** Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56 10 Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×50 1 ** Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56 11 Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56 11 Steiner Military 5-25×56 11 US Optics ER25 5-25×58 12 Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50 11 Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50 11 Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50 11 Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56 Infinite
*If you want to use the illumination on March scopes with night vision equipment, you need to order the special night vision compatible illumination module. They have a standard illumination module with 4 settings, and a night vision illumination module with 4 settings. You can swap out the modules, but there isn’t one that can do both.
**There is a way to adjust the intensity of the illumination on the Nightforce ATACR and NXS, but Nightforce even admits in their manual that it isn’t “field adjustable.” You essentially have to remove the parallax knob and adjust a small rheostat dial hidden under the battery using a small flat-head screwdriver. Since it can’t adjusted on the fly in the field, I specified that it only has one setting in the table above.
MIL/MOA Reticle Availability
All of these scopes are available with mil-based retilces (aka mrad or milliradian reticles), but not all of them are available with MOA reticles. Here’s the breakdown:
Scope Mil Reticle MOA Reticle Bushnell Elite Tactical 3.5-21×50 Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-30×50 Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56 Kahles K 6-24×56 Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44 Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56 March Tactical 3-24×42 FFP Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56 Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56 Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×50 Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56 Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56 Steiner Military 5-25×56 US Optics ER25 5-25×58 Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50 Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50 Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50 Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56
Zero Stop Turret
This feature is referred to by a ton of different names like ZeroStop, Z-Lok, ZeroLock, and other names, but they all work similarly. This is a feature on the elevation turret that allows the shooter to preset the zero and avoid the possibility of dialing below zero. You can essentially adjust the turret so that you can dial down the elevation and it will stop when you return to your zero. Some prefer the stop to be a few clicks below zero (for various reasons), and some like it to be right at zero. If the scope had the option to stop at zero or a few clicks below zero, I counted that as having a zero stop feature.
Scope Zero Stop Allows stop a few clicks below zero Bushnell Elite Tactical 3.5-21×50 Bushnell Elite Tactical 4.5-30×50 Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56 Kahles K 6-24×56 Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44 with ZeroLock Turret Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56 with Pinch & Turn Turret March Tactical 3-24×42 FFP Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56 Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56 Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×50 Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56 Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56 Steiner Military 5-25×56 US Optics ER25 5-25×58 * * Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50 Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50 – Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50 Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56 –
*The US Optics ER-25 scope doesn’t technically have a zero stop feature, but it has something with a similar effect. In the USO manual, it says “The Erector Repositioning Elevation Knob (EREK) incorporates a center screw for rough zeroing. This allows the knob to be zeroed near the bottom of its travel so that all movement of the knob is upward.” George from US Optics described that feature as a way to “allow the shooter to maximize gross elevation travel adjustment independent of the elevation knob. In short, there is more usable travel for shots taken at farther distances.” This is a very cool feature, and I’m not sure any other scope manufacturer offers this capability. At the same time, this feature allows you to make it so the knob “bottoms out” on your zero (or a few clicks under your zero). So while they don’t advertise this as a “Zero Stop” it has a similar net effect from the user’s standpoint, and also gives you the advantage of having a full 26+ mils of adjustment for those Extreme-Range shots (hence the ER in the model name). Watch a video to see how this works.
Turret Direction
Most scopes sold in North America have turrets that turn in a counter-clockwise (CCW) direction, but clockwise (CW) turrets are common in Europe. Honestly, there isn’t an inherent advantage either way. It’s just confusing for a little while if you’re used to one direction and you switch to a scope that is the opposite direction … or potentially painful for a lifetime if you own both and regularly each of them. Most commit to one camp and stick with it.
All of these scopes are CCW turrets, except the Hensoldt and Zeiss scopes are only available with a CW turret. The Schmidt and Bender scopes are conveniently available in either configuration, so pay attention to which you order.
High Speed Turrets
“High Speed” turrets are simply turrets that offer a lot of clicks per revolution. While this used to be an advanced feature only available on some scopes, in recent years its becoming standard. All of these scopes are available with high-speed turrets with at least 10 mils or 20 MOA of elevation per revolution.
Double Turn Turret Design
The Double Turn (DT) design seems to be getting more popular in high-end scope designs. This is in part due to advances in the amount of clicks per revolution. With new technology and improved manufacturing processes, designers are able to pack in more adjustments in a single turn of the turret. That means we can now fit all the elevation travel needed by most shooters in just two turns of the turret, hence the name “Double Turn.” For example, the Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56 provides 36 mils of adjustment in their Double Turn turret, which is enough adjustment to shoot a 338 Lapua Magnum out to 2500 yards!
The advantage of the DT design is that it is easier to keep track of what revolution you’re on. The DT design also makes it a lot easier to design a revolution indicator, because it just has to tell you if it’s on the 1st or 2nd revolution. Some innovative revolution indicator designs from Hensoldt, Steiner, and Schmidt & Bender make it completely obvious what rotation you’re on. Check out the ergonomics posts and turret demo videos to see what I’m referring to on this.
Here are the scopes that feature a Double Turn turret:
Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56
Kahles K 6-24×56
Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44 with ZeroLock Turret
Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56 with ZeroLock Turret
Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56
Steiner Military 5-25×56
More Tactile Clicks (MTC)
As I pointed out in the post on ergonomics, many of the scopes had positive clicks with sound, but there is another class of clicks referred to as More Tactile Clicks (MTC) that are supposed to be easier to adjust simply based on feel (no visual confirmation necessary). Only 5 scopes offer MTC turrets:
Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56
Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44 with Pinch & Turn Turret (At least very noticeable detent on zero and multiples of 5)
(At least very noticeable detent on zero and multiples of 5) Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56 with Pinch & Turn Turret (At least very noticeable detent on zero and multiples of 5)
(At least very noticeable detent on zero and multiples of 5) Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56 with MTC LT Turret
Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56 with MTC LT Turret
Locking Turrets
Some people prefer to have a turret that can be locked, so you don’t accidentally move it off zero or a predefined adjustment. Not all scopes have locking turrets, and the designs vary significantly. Some are unobtrusive, and other designs could make the scope more cumbersome to use. I’d suggest reading through the ergonomic posts and watch the turret demo videos to get more context on the lock design before you decided whether you really want one or not.
Here are the scopes that have an option for a locking turret:
Bushnell Elite Tactical DMR 3.5-21×50
Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS 4.5-30×50
Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44
Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56
Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56
Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56
Tool Free Zero Reset
You need a hex key (aka Allen wrench) or other tool to reset the zero on most scopes. However, the Leupold’s Pinch & Turn Turret has a tool-less design for resetting the zero. This turret is available on both the Leupold Mark 6 3-18×44 and the Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25×56. It essentially has two pins that you can press in with your fingers to release the turret ring so you can spin it to zero and snap it back in place. It’s simple and is a quick, handy feature.
In addition, the Leupold Custom Shop can make custom ballistic rings that you could easily swap out so you could use the same scope on different calibers or loads. And with the tool-free design, it would take less than 20 seconds to swap them out.
One-Piece Tube
Many feel like a scope with a one-piece main tube is a better design than multi-piece tubes. Here is an excerpt from ChuckHawks.com on the topic:
One-piece tubes are superior to two or three piece main tubes. It is not just the extra potential leak paths; anytime you machine threads into an area of a tube, you weaken it as the wall thickness is reduced. Threads have tolerances. If they did not, threaded components could not be hand assembled. From a design standpoint they are inferior in strength, assuming the same metallurgy. There is only one reason multiple piece main tubes exist in scopeland today: they are cheaper to assemble. This is both basic and universally embraced.
That could be an overly dogmatic view, but it stands to reason that a 1-piece tube is a simpler design that should be easier to get completely straight, and it would likely be inherently more rigid as well.
You might expect main housing for all the scopes in this price range to be a single tube, but that wasn’t the case. There were a couple that use multi-piece designs for one reason or another. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are poorer designs. It simply means these designers would have to take additional measures to mitigate the inherent issues noted above. In fact, while many of Nightforce’s scopes are a one-piece design (like the ATACR and NXS), they have some models that are multiple pieces including the new Nightforce BEAST. Nightforce did tell me they’ve never experienced an issue with their multi-piece designs.
One-Piece Main Tube Multiple Piece Main Tube Bushnell Elite Tactical DMR 3.5-21×50
Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS 4.5-30×50
Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56
Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×50
Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-27×56
Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56
Steiner Military 5-25×56
Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50
Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50
Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50
Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56 Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56
US Optics ER25 5-25×58
Mil-Spec Anodizing
Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts the metal surface into a durable, corrosion-resistant finish. Anodizing techniques can vary considerably. The most widely used anodizing specification is Mil Spec 8625 F, and the top scope manufacturers use an anodizing process that meets or exceeds Type III Hard Coat Specs. These specs define acceptance criteria such as coating weight, corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance, paint adhesion, and other standards for workmanship, process control, testing, etc.
I asked each manufacturer if their anodizing meets mil-spec. Most of them knew with certainty that it did, but a few weren’t sure. Here are the results:
Anodizing meets Mil-Spec Unknown Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26×56
Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56
US Optics ER25 5-25×58
Vortex Razor HD 5-20×50 Bushnell Elite Tactical DMR 3.5-21×50
Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS 4.5-30×50
Valdada IOR 3.5-18×50
Valdada IOR RECON Tactical 4-28×50
Zeiss Victory FL Diavari 6-24×56
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Other Post in this Series
This is just one of a whole series of posts related to this high-end tactical scope field test. Here are links to the others:
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Where self-injury is a behavior that the young person engages in or where it is an identified risk, practitioners can assist young people to develop strategies to either reduce the potential for harm or find viable alternatives. The intention is to keep the young person as safe as possible and to reduce reliance on self-injuring as a way of coping and managing their lives. This focus on reducing harm in the short term and empowerment through reducing the need to self-injure in the long term is commensurate with the values and commitments that underscore youth AOD practice.
Through accepting that self-injury has a function for some people practitioners can engage young people to reduce the damage and negative impact of that behaviour, whilst encouraging engagement with self-help or treatment that may reduce the distress precipitating the self-injury.
Young people may also be interested in websites that promote self-help or peer support. Some links appear on the side-bar of this page.
The following modules are a guide to building useful knowledge and skills that can enable young people to find constructive ways to manage some of the most common underlying issues that contribute to self-injury:
- Emotion Regulation module
- Distress Tolerance module
- Interpersonal Effectiveness module
- Anger Management module
It is essential that a young person and potentially others involved in their care are involved in developing their own goals and strategies in relation to self-injury. Strategies should be sensitive to context and the young person needs to believe that they are feasible and effective. Ahead of time it is worth identifying how the implementation of strategies can be supported as well any barriers that need to be addressed.
The following is a list of potential harm-reduction strategies that can be implemented by a young person:
- not self-injuring while effected by alcohol or other drugs
- implementing self-injury reduction strategies (eg: tape blades into a box so harder to accesss, locking bedroom door, reducing / restricting the severity of injury, handing over implements to staff, utilising less harmful types of self-injury)
- ensuring the young person receives appropriate first aid or medical care for their wounds:
- informing staff after self-injuring
- receiving appropriate first aid / medical care
- staff not restraining a young person or removing implements used to self-injure (to avoid accidental injuries to either staff or the young person). | https://www.youthaodtoolbox.org.au/4-strategies-reducing-harm-relation-self-injury |
“The stars have been uniting humanity throughout our history,” contends Brian Schmidt, an astronomer at the Australian National University. Long-standing questions of how the universe may have formed are finally coming into view as researchers look into deep space. Visible observations can see back 13.8 billion years, to a time 50 million years after the big bang, while sound wave maps access a time 380,000 years after the event. “But we aren’t able to see the first stars or galaxies,” Schmidt explains; such capabilities may arise soon with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. Schmidt is also engaged in exoplanet discovery. “The average star like our sun has a planet not dissimilar from the Earth,” he says, “and we hope to be able to look for gases like oxygen” in exoplanet atmospheres, which could suggest a biological signature.
CRISPR-Cas9 is arguably the hottest trend in biological research, a streamlined, multiplexable, efficient method of gene editing that heralds an exciting and terrifying world of efficient crops and designer babies. Emmanuelle Charpentier, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, is often credited with co-discovering the tool, which is based on a microbial defense mechanism that homes in on foreign genetic material and destroys it. “We want a technology that is easy to use, is cheap, and is also versatile,” says Charpentier. Previous editing tools (like zinc finger proteins and TALENs) had to be painstakingly customized based on the target of interest; CRISPR-Cas9 uses a common protein, requiring only a unique RNA guide to specify the target. “This has been very useful for the genetics of bacteria and fungi, and also plants and animals,” Charpentier notes. “We have the ability to correct mutations.”
One of the most promising proposals for global economic growth seems simple: increase gender equality in the workplace worldwide, and a $28 trillion benefit may soon follow. This assertion that greater equality will improve economic growth is well-accepted, but Naila Kabeer, a researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science, turned the question around: does economic growth lead to increased gender equality? In many respects, including wages and work hours, the answer is yes, but ingrained discrepancies remain, frequently reflected in the type of work being done. It is the “casual, precarious forms of work” that Kabeer believes mask the real issue: the overall gap is closing, but much of the apparent work gains are attributable to household efforts or other “domestic” tasks, particularly in the developing world. “We need political will and social support,” says Kabeer, to break down these barriers and reward productive work, regardless of who is doing it and how it fits into traditional views of gender roles.
Water security is the number one risk to the global economy, according to the World Economic Forum. Arjen Hoekstra of the University of Twente is working to address this growing challenge through four lenses: sustainability, security, efficiency, and equitable sharing. His “water footprint” concept incorporates externalities to get a more reliable sense of water use. The German water footprint extends around the world, since cotton from Turkey or flowers from Kenya, for example, go through the German marketplace. “We need water footprint caps at the river basin level,” Hoekstra advocates, a concept that would take a more regional, ecology-based approach to global water needs. | https://www.fallingwallsfragments.com/2015/11/09/falling-walls-conference-2015-session-2-at-a-glance/ |
ROCKVILLE, Md. (July 8, 2020) – ISS ESG, the responsible investment arm of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) Inc., today announced the launch of the Solactive ISS SDG Leaders Index and the Solactive ISS SDG Aligned Index Series. Today’s release marks the latest index-related addition to ISS ESG’s suite of solutions supporting investors as they seek to align their investments with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For both new series of indices, potential constituents are drawn from the Solactive Global Benchmark Series (GBS) of indices. Constituents are initially screened by ISS ESG based on the identification of verified ongoing failures to respect established norms and verified ongoing involvement in controversial weapons, and those engaged in those activities are excluded. Remaining companies are then selected for inclusion based on ISS’ ESG SDG Impact Ratings, launched earlier this year.
The ISS ESG SDG Impact Rating provides a holistic metric of a company’s impact using the seventeen SDGs as a reference framework. This rating measures the extent to which companies are managing negative externalities in their operations across the entire value chain to minimize detrimental impacts, while at the same time taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities in their products and services to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. A company’s impact is measured thematically, following the SDG framework, as well as at an aggregate level. For each of the 17 SDGs, a company’s impact is determined by three pillars – products and services, operations, and controversies. As a result, the SDG Impact Rating provides 120 distinct data points per company, allowing for granular thematic assessments, as well as aggregate impact measurements. The rating and underlying scores are presented on a scale of -10 to +10, allowing categorization according to SDG-related impacts into five groups: significant negative impact, limited negative impact, no impact, limited positive impact, and significant positive impact.
The Solactive ISS SDG Leaders Index aims to track companies globally with an overall significant positive impact on the SDGs and no negative impact on any of the 17 single SDGs, whereas the Solactive ISS SDG Aligned Index Series aims to track various segments of the global stock market based on size and region, including only companies with an overall significant or limited positive impact on the SDGs and no significant negative impact on any of the 17 single SDGs.
“In light of the strong positive market feedback following the launch of the ISS ESG SDG Impact Rating, we are delighted to now facilitate the provision of investable indices drawing on the same unique, holistic methodology,” said Hernando Cortina, Head of Index Strategy at ISS ESG.
ISS ESG Index Solutions offer investors a choice of thematic and benchmark indices from global index providers, building on ISS’ unique and proprietary data, to track their portfolio’s performance and create index-linked investment products.
In addition, investors can leverage ISS ESG’s Custom Index Solutions to promote unique ESG strategies with broad ESG insight and the ability, working with an index provider of their choice, to create exclusive, tailor-made indices to best meet individual investors’ demands and objectives. Indices using Custom Index Solutions can be set up thematically or according to a wide set of client-specific ESG requirements.
More information about the ISS ESG Index Solutions can be found here. | https://www.issgovernance.com/sdg-index-series-launched-in-partnership-with-solactive/ |
1- How many motor vehicles are owned by the force as of September 2021.
2- How many electric motor vehicles are owned by the force as of September 2021 (both as a figure and a percentage).
3- Does the force have plans to increase the number of electric vehicles it operates? If so, please provide an outline of these plans. This could be in the form of target numbers of electric vehicles by a certain year, for example.
Response
Please find enclosed our response.
The electric Fleet stands at 32 (contract lease) vehicles out of 1404 vehicles so, 2.2% of the Fleet is electric. This will increase as we have 5 electric vans on order and are due for delivery in December along with 32 electric Corsa-E to replace the Nissan Leaf.
The Force and Fleet have plans to increase the size of the electric vehicles on the Fleet. West Midlands Police are working on the Infrastructure at all the Force’s Estate to determine what is required to add charging points. All re-furbished and new builds will automatically have charge points added as part of the build. Electric vehicles will not cover all the vehicle roles with in the Policing model so Fleet have identified which roles we can move to Electric vehicles. These roles are Plain LPU, Neighbourhood and Despatch Vans. Once Fleet receive the finds of the Estates review it is planned to purchase up to 90 new vehicles per year. | https://foi.west-midlands.police.uk/electric-fleet-cars-1543a-21/ |
There are several ways to determine the chemical composition and structure of unknown compounds, such as mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Certain compounds are not amenable to these methods, such as those containing elements with weak magnetic resonance, or organic structures with many oxygen and nitrogen atoms within their carbon structure.
A team of researchers, including Wael Abdel-Mageed, Assiut University in Egypt, propose using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to determine the atomic structure of these tricky compounds.
AFM is a form of scanning probe microscopy, offering very high resolutions. To determine the usefulness of this technique, the researchers used it to determine the structure of cephalandole A, which was wrongly assigned when first discovered and corrected later. The structure imaged by AFM confirmed the corrected structure derived earlier, showing it may be used to determine the chemical structure of molecules by directly imaging it with atomic resolution.
Atomic resolution using AFM only reaches the outer layer of atoms in a compound and works best when imaging compounds, or substructures, that are arranged in a plane. AFM has the added advantage of directly visualizing atoms and bonds, which helps researchers figure out structures more accurately.
The team proposes using AFM, alongside other techniques, when trying to identify previously unknown organic compounds. This could be particularly useful in the pharmaceutical industry. | https://jwp-nme.public.springernature.app/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2010.195 |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight unit and a method of manufacturing a polarization film employed in the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a backlight unit having a polarization film for performing the function of a reflective polarization film and a method of manufacturing the polarization film employed in the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Liquid crystal display (hereinafter, referred to as “LCD”) displays an image using change of the transmissivity of liquid crystals in LCD. The LCD is not a self light-emitting device, and so includes a backlight unit (hereinafter, referred to as “BLU”) for providing a light to a panel located over the BLU.
FIG. 1A is a sectional view illustrating the BLU employed in the LCD.
In FIG. 1A, the BLU 100 is driven by edge-light method, and includes a light source unit 110, a light guiding plate 120, a reflector 130, an optical film 140 and a reflective polarization film 148.
The light source unit 110 has at least one cold cathode fluorescent lamp (hereinafter, referred to as “CCFL”) 112 and a light source reflector 114.
The CCFL 112 emits a linear light having a certain wavelength.
A light emitted from the CCFL 112 is reflected by the light source reflector 114 made up of reflective substance and the reflector 130, and then the reflected light is diffused through the whole of the light guiding plate 120 as shown in FIG. 1A.
The optical film 140 includes a diffuser 142, a prism sheet 144 and a protection sheet 146.
The diffuser 142 diffuses or condenses light transmitted from the light guiding plate 120 to maintain constantly the brightness of the BLU 100 and increase the view angle of the LCD.
The prism sheet 144 condenses light transmitted from the diffuser 142 in a direction of the panel so that the brightness of the light transmitted from the BLU 100 to the panel is enhanced.
The protection sheet 146 is located over the prism sheet 144 in order to prevent the prism sheet 144 from dust, etc, and increases the view angle of the LCD narrowed by the prism sheet 144.
Only some of a light provided from the BLU 100 is transmitted through the panel (not shown). For example, P wave of the light provided from the BLU 100 is transmitted through the panel, and S wave of the light is absorbed by the panel. Accordingly, the reflective polarization film 148 is employed in the BLU 100 so as to use the S wave absorbed by the panel.
The reflective polarization film 148 reflects S wave of a light diffused by the protection sheet 146 in the direction of the light guiding plate 120, and provides P wave of the light to the panel.
The S wave reflected by the reflective polarization film 148 is again reflected by the light guiding plate 120 or the reflector 130. As a result, the reflected S wave is changed into light including P wave and S wave.
The changed light is again incident to the reflective polarization film 148 through the diffuser 142, the prism sheet 144 and the protection sheet 146.
The BLU 100 enhances the efficiency of the light by using the above described method.
Hereinafter, the reflective polarization film 148 will be described in detail.
The reflective polarization film 148 included in the BLU 100 employs a thin multi-layered reflective polarization film formed by depositing transparent substances having different refractive index. Here, a representative reflective polarization film 148 is DBEF (dual brightness enhancement film) of 3M Company. However, the thin multi-layered reflective polarization film is not good in the transmission efficiency for a particular wavelength and also is not good in the reflection efficiency for other wavelength. Accordingly, the following reflective polarization film shown in FIG. 1B has been developed so as to enhance the polarization characteristics of the thin multi-layered reflective polarization film.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view illustrating a reflective polarization film employed in the BLU of FIG. 1A.
In FIG. 1B, a reflective polarization film 148 employed in the BLU 100 as a wire grid polarization film is manufactured by forming fine metal patterns 152 on a transparent substrate 150. Here, the metal patterns 152 are formed by forming a metal thin film on the transparent substrate 150, and then irradiating a polarized laser beam on the metal thin film. This is disclosed in Korean application number 2005-40544.
In the above reflective polarization film 148, the interval of the metal patterns 152 should be formed finely so that the reflective polarization film 148 performs desired polarization function. However, it is difficult to form accurately the metal patterns 152 on the transparent substrate 150, and so a process of manufacturing one reflective polarization film 148 has to be long. Accordingly, it is difficult to manufacture in great quantities the reflective polarization film 148.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
(Embodiment 1 of the light-emitting displays)
[FIG. 13A]
[FIG. 13B]
[FIG. 13C]
[FIG. 13D]
[FIG. 14A]
[FIG. 14B]
[FIG. 14C]
(Embodiment 2 of the light-emitting displays)
[FIG. 17A]
[FIG. 17B]
[FIG. 17C]
[FIG. 17D]
[FIG. 17E]
[FIG. 17F]
(Another embodiment of the light-emitting devices)
The invention relates to light-emitting devices and light-emitting displays for controlling the light-emitting operations of the light-emitting devices and displaying. More particularly, the invention relates to light-emitting devices such as organic electroluminescence devices having light reflective elements on the back side of an emissive layer and to a technique which is effective when it is used for displays having such light-emitting devices.
An organic electroluminescence device (hereinafter, referred to as an organic EL device) is a device such that by injecting electrons into an emissive layer comprising an organic thin film, an electric energy is converted into a light energy and light is emitted. Unlike a light-emitting display of the non-emissive type represented by a liquid crystal display, since the light-emitting display constructed by the organic EL devices is a self-emissive type, an auxiliary light source such as a back light or the like is unnecessary. Thus, there is a feature such that it is thin and light-weighted, further, a viewing angle is wide, and a response time of display is short.
Fig. 19 is a schematic cross sectional view showing an example of a conventional organic EL device. The organic EL device has a structure such that transparent electrodes 200 serving as an anode, a hole transporting layer 102, an emissive layer 100, an electron transporting layer 101, and a cathode 300 comprising metal electrodes having a light reflecting function are sequentially deposited onto a transparent substrate 400.
When a DC voltage is applied between the transparent electrodes 200 as an anode and the cathode 300, holes injected from the transparent electrodes 200 reach the emissive layer 100 via the hole transporting layer 102, electrons injected from the cathode 300 reach the emissive layer 100 via the electron transporting layer 101, and the electrons and the holes are recombined, so that a light emission having a predetermined wavelength distribution is generated from the recombination region.
In light emitted from the emissive layer 100, the light directing toward the transparent electrodes 200 side passes through the transparent electrodes 200 and is emitted from the transparent substrate 400. The light directing toward the cathode 300 is reflected by the cathode 300, passes through the emissive layer 100, transparent electrodes 200, and the like, and is emitted likewise from the transparent substrate 400.
Therefore, in the display for performing the display by controlling the light-emitting operation of such organic EL devices as mentioned above, a structure such that the cathode is set to an electrode having high reflectance and an amount of light which is emitted from the transparent electrodes side is increased is important in order to obtain a bright image.
According to such a device structure, in a state where no light emission is emitted, since the cathode is in a state like a mirror having high reflectance, an ambient scenery and the like enter, so that a black (dark) display does not sufficiently become dark. That is, there is a problem such that the black display does not become dark under an environment where the ambience is bright, and a contrast ratio decreases. As a method of solving such a problem, a structure such that a circular polarizer 800 is arranged on the light-emitting surface side of the transparent substrate 400 has been put into practical use. The circular polarizer comprises a polarizer 600 and a quarter-wave plate 700.
The circular polarizer 800 operates as follows. An external light 2000 incoming from the ambience into the organic EL devices is generally an unpolarized light. When the light passes through the polarizer 600, a specific linearly polarized light is transmitted and a linearly polarized light which crosses perpendicularly thereto is absorbed. The linearly polarized light transmitted through the polarizer 600 is subjected to an operation of the quarter-wave plate 700 and becomes a circularly polarized light (for example, dextrorotatory circularly polarized light here). When the light which passed through the quarter-wave plate 700 is reflected by the cathode 300, it becomes a circularly polarized light (levorotatory circularly polarized light) whose phase is shifted by π and whose rotational direction is opposite. A light 2000R reflected by the cathode 300 is incoming again into the quarter-wave plate 700. When the light passes therethrough, it is subjected to its operation, converted into the linearly polarized light which is absorbed by the polarizer 600, and absorbed by the polarizer 600, so that it is not returned to the outside. That is, since the external light (incident ambient light) reflected by the cathode 300 is cut, the black display becomes dark and the contrast ratio is remarkably improved.
Such a structure has been disclosed in JP-A-8-509834, JP-A-9-127885, and the like.
Several systems have been proposed and verified with respect to a technique for realizing a full-color image of a display using organic EL devices. For example, the following systems have been proposed: that is, a system in which blue light-emitting devices and a fluorescent CCM (Color-Changing Mediums) are combined (hereinafter, referred to as a CCM method); a system in which a white light emission and color filters of three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are combined (hereinafter, referred to as an RGB-by-white method); a system in which pixels comprising light-emitting devices of three primary colors (R, G, B) are directly patterned (hereinafter, referred to as a direct-patterning approach); and the like.
According to the CCM method, a fluorescent color changing fluorescent dye medius is excited by the light generated in a blue emissive layer and the light is changed from blue to green and red, thereby obtaining 3-primary color light emission. According to this system, if color changing efficiency is low, device efficiency deteriorates. Under a further bright environment, the color-changing mediums is excited by the incident ambient light and becomes bright and the black display is not darkened, so that a contrast ratio deteriorates.
Although the RGB-by-white method has a feature such that the manufacturing is the easiest because light-emitting devices of only one kind of white are formed, since the color filter is used, using efficiency of the light deteriorates to 1/3 or less in principle.
According to the direct-patterning approach, since it is necessary to form three kinds of devices onto the same substrate, the manufacturing process becomes slightly complicated. However, a loss of light is minimum and the above system is an ideal system from a viewpoint of light emitting efficiency. With respect to the patterning of the RGB, in case of using a material of what is called a small molecules such as fluorescent dye, metalcomplexes, or the like whose molecular weight is small, a technique for finely patterning the RGB by a vacuum evaporation deposition of an organic layer using a shadow mask has been proposed.
In case of using a polymeric material such as π-conjugated polymers, dye-containing polymers, or the like, there has been proposed a technique such that by forming banks of polyimide by photo-etching, a pixel area is separated and an organic material is printed by an ink-jet technology, thereby finely patterning the RGB (the journal of the institute of information and television engineers, Vol. 54, No. 8, pp. 1115 to 1120).
According to the conventional techniques having the circular polarizer, since the incident ambient light reflection by electrodes (cathode) having a light reflecting function of organic EL devices can be reduced by the operation of the circular polarizer, a high contrast ratio can be realized even under the bright environment. However, upon light emission, since a part of the light emitted from the emissive layer is absorbed by the circular polarizer, there is a problem such that the display becomes dark. This is because, since the light emitted from the emissive layer is generally unpolarized light, the light of at least 1/2 is absorbed by the polarizer constructing the circular polarizer.
In case of realizing the full-color light-emitting displays by the organic EL devices, the direct-patterning approach is most preferable from a viewpoint of the device efficiency. However, in case of the present organic EL devices, a wavelength range of the light emission is broad in dependence on the color and color purity is not high. Although there is a method of further using color filters in order to raise the color purity of each primary color, in this case, since the light is absorbed by the color filters, the using efficiency of the light deteriorates and the display becomes dark.
The invention is made in consideration of the above problems, it is an object of the invention to provide light-emitting devices such as organic EL devices or the like in which by allowing light emitted from an emissive layer to efficiently contribute to a display, the bright display is realized and, at the same time, by reducing the reflection of incident ambient light by reflective elements such as electrodes or the like on the back side of the emissive layer, the display of a high contrast ratio is realized even under the bright environment and to provide light-emitting displays for displaying by controlling the light emitting operations of the light-emitting devices.
Further, another object of the invention is to provide light-emitting devices having a enhanced color purity without losing brightness and to provide light-emitting displays for displaying by controlling the light emitting operations of the light-emitting devices. Other objects of the invention will be clarified by the following description.
To accomplish the above objects, according to light-emitting devices of the present invention, polarization separators (cholesteric liquid crystal layers) are arranged between an emissive layer and a phase plate. In light in a wavelength range which includes a part or all of a light-emitting wavelength range of the emissive layer and is narrower than a visible wavelength range, that is, in light which directs from the emissive layer side to the polarization separators side, the polarization separators reflect circularly polarized components which are converted to the linearly polarized light that is absorbed by the polarizer due to the operation of the phase plate and transmits the other light.
Reflective elements locating on the back side of the emissive layer are a reflecting surface for reflecting at least the circularly polarized light at normal incidence as circularly polarized light whose rotating direction is opposite.
In the light emitted from the emissive layer, the polarized light components which have conventionally been absorbed by the polarizer are reflected by the polarization separators before they are absorbed by the polarizer, and are directed toward the reflective elements.
The light which was reflected by the polarization separators and is directed toward the reflective elements is the circularly polarized light and becomes the circularly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarization separators by the reflection by the reflective elements, that is, the circularly polarized light which is converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarizer due to the operation of the phase plate, so that such light is used without being absorbed by the polarizer.
That is, the light which was emitted from the emissive layer, absorbed by the polarizer, and becomes wasteful hitherto is reflected by the polarization separators and used again before it is absorbed by the polarizer, so that the light-emitting devices can be made bright.
That is, to accomplish the above objects, according to the invention, there are provided light-emitting devices having an emissive layer and light reflective elements arranged on the back side of the emissive layer, wherein polarization separators for separating light in a predetermined wavelength range corresponding to light which is emitted from the emissive layer into two kinds of circularly polarized light components by reflection and transmission, a phase plate, and a polarizer are arranged on the front side of the emissive layer.
For example, cholesteric liquid crystal layers can be used as polarization separators. In this instance, a wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers are set to be equal to or narrower than the light-emitting wavelength range of the emissive layer. A quarter-wave plate is used as a phase plate.
According to the light-emitting devices of the above structure, the light emitted from the emissive layer is directly incoming into the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators or it is reflected by the reflective elements arranged on the back side of the emissive layer and is incoming into them. As for the light which was incoming into the cholesteric liquid crystal layers, the circularly polarized light components in one rotating direction (for example, levorotatory circularly polarized light here) are reflected and the circularly polarized light components in the direction opposite to the above rotating direction (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light) are transmitted due to the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal. The light transmitted through the cholesteric liquid crystal layers is converted from the circularly polarized light into the linearly polarized light due to the operation of the phase plate, transmitted without being absorbed by the polarizer, and directed toward the viewer.
The light reflected by the cholesteric liquid crystal layers is reflected by the reflective elements on the back side of the emissive layer and directed again toward the cholesteric liquid crystal layers. However, when it is reflected by the reflective elements, the phase is shifted by π and the reflected light becomes the circularly polarized light in the direction opposite to the above rotating direction (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light).
Therefore, the light is transmitted in the cholesteric liquid crystal layers and converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarizer due to the operation of the phase plate and, thereafter, it is transmitted through the polarizer and directed toward the viewer. That is, the light which has conventionally been absorbed by the polarizer and has become wasteful is reflected by the polarization separators (cholesteric liquid crystal layers) before it is absorbed by the polarizer and used again, so that the light-emitting devices can be made bright.
Further, if the wavelength range of the light which is reflected by the polarization separators (cholesteric liquid crystal layers) and used again is narrower than the light-emitting wavelength range of the emissive layer, the wavelength distribution of the light which is actually emitted from the devices is narrower and steeper than the light-emitting wavelength distribution of the emissive layer, so that the color light of a color purity higher than that of the light emission itself of the emissive layer is obtained.
Since the ambient light that enters the light-emitting devices under the bright environment is generally the unpolarized light, when it passes through the polarizer, at least the half of it is absorbed. When the light passing through the polarizer is transmitted through the phase late, it is subjected to the operation thereof, becomes the circularly polarized light (for example, dextrorotatory circularly polarized light) and is transmitted through cholesteric liquid crystal layers. When the light transmitted through the cholesteric liquid crystal layers is reflected by the reflective elements, it becomes the circularly polarized light (levorotatory circularly polarized light) in the direction opposite to the above rotating direction and is incoming into the cholesteric liquid crystal layers again. In the light which was incoming into the cholesteric liquid crystal layers, the light of the wavelength other than the selective reflection wavelength is transmitted as it is, is subjected to the operation of the phase plate, becomes the linearly polarized light which is absorbed by the polarizer, and is absorbed by the polarizer, so that it is not transmitted to the outside.
On the other hand, the light of the wavelength corresponding to the selective reflection wavelength is reflected by the cholesteric liquid crystal layers and reflected again also by the reflective elements. After that, it passes through the cholesteric liquid crystal layers, phase plate, and polarizer and is emitted outside. Since this light is very small, even under the bright environment, the black (dark) display becomes dark and a high contrast ratio can be realized.
Fig. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a part of light-emitting devices according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a graph showing an example of transmissive spectra of cholesteric liquid crystal layers according to the light-emitting devices of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3 is a graph showing an example of a relation between a relative intensity and a wavelength of light in the light-emitting devices of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 4 is a CIE chromaticity diagram showing an example of CIE chromaticity coordinates in the light-emitting devices of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a graph showing an example of a relation between a relative intensity and a wavelength of light in the light-emitting devices of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 6 is a CIE chromaticity diagram showing an example of CIE chromaticity coordinates in the light-emitting devices of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing a whole layout as a light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 8 is an equivalent circuit diagram of an active matrix constructing a display area of the light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a part of a structure in a pixel portion of the light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along the line A-A' in Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a schematic constructional showing a partial cross section of the light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 12 is a partial plan view of the light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Figs. 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D are cross sectional views for explaining a forming step of a black matrix layer of the embodiment of the invention;
Figs. 14A, 14B, and 14C are cross sectional views for explaining a pattern forming step of polarization separators of the embodiment of the invention;
Figs. 15A and 15B are time charts for explaining the display operation of the light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view showing a part of a schematic construction in the light-emitting display of the embodiment of the invention;
Figs. 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E, and 17F are cross sectional views for explaining forming steps of color filters and polarization separators according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 18 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a part of light-emitting devices as another embodiment of the invention; and
Fig. 19 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a part of conventional light-emitting devices.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view for explaining a fundamental construction and an operation principle of light-emitting device of the invention. As shown in Fig. 1, a light-emitting device 24 according to the invention is constructed by: an organic EL device 150 which is formed on a substrate (not shown) and comprises an anode made of the transparent electrodes 200, the cathode 300 serving as specular reflection means, and an organic layer 110 formed between the anode and the cathode; polarization separators 500 sequentially arranged on the transparent electrodes 200 side of the organic EL device 150; the phase plate 700; and the polarizer 600.
As an organic layer 110 of the organic EL device 150, it is possible to use a layer such that the electron transporting layer 101, emissive layer 100, and hole transporting layer 102 are deposited and arranged between the anode (transparent electrodes 200) and cathode 300 in order from the cathode 300 side.
By using a material which can be used in common for the emissive layer 100 and electron transporting layer 101, they can be also constructed by one layer. As a structure of the organic EL devices 150, it is also possible to use another structure such that an anode buffer layer is arranged between the anode (transparent electrodes 200) and hole transporting layer 102. CuPc can be used as an anode buffer layer. It is considered that CuPc plays a role of improvement of contact between the anode and the hole transporting layer.
It is sufficient to use a transparent electrode material of a high work function as an anode (transparent electrodes 200) and, for example, ITO (Indium tin oxide) is preferable. In future, InZnO will be able to be used.
2
Al, Mg, Mg-Ag alloys, Al-Li alloys, etc. of a low work function can be used as a cathode 300. According to sole Al, since a driving voltage is high and a lifetime is short, it is also possible to use a material having characteristics matched with those of Al-Li alloys by inserting a very thin Li compound (lithium oxide LiO, lithium fluoride LiF, etc.) between the organic layers.
It is also possible to reduce the driving voltage by doping a metal having a high response speed such as lithium, strontium, or the like into the organic layer in the portion which is in contact with the cathode. It is desirable that the cathode 300 is made of a material having high reflectance of light from a viewpoint of improvement of using efficiency of the light emitted from the emissive layer.
Further, from the reasons which will be explained hereinlater, it is desirable that the cathode 300 has a mirror surface for reflecting at least the circularly polarized light at normal incidence as a circularly polarized light whose rotating direction is opposite from viewpoints of the reduction of the incident ambient light reflection and the improvement of the using efficiency of the light emitted from the emissive layer.
The organic layer 110 uses a material which emits light in desired color when a predetermined voltage is applied between the anode (transparent electrodes 200) and cathode 300.
As a material for emitting red light, for example, the hole transporting layer 102 can use α-NPD (4, 4'-bis [N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino] biphenyl) or triphenyldiamine derivatives TPD (N, N'-bis (3-methylphenyl)-N, N'-diphenyl-[1, 1'-biphenyl]-4, 4'-diamine), and the electron transporting emissive layer (the electron transporting layer 101 and emissive layer 100 are used in common) can use a material obtained by dispersing DCM-1 (4-dicyanomethylene-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-2-methyl-4-H-pyran into Alq3 (tris(8-quinolinolate) aluminum).
As a material for emitting green light, for example, the hole transporting layer 102 can use α-NPD or triphenyldiamine derivatives TPD, and the electron transporting emissive layer (the electron transporting layer 101 and emissive layer 100 are used in common) can use Alq3, Bebq (bis(8-hydroxy quinolinate) beryllium), or Alq3 doped with quinacridone.
As a material for emitting blue light, for example, the hole transporting layer 102 can use α-NPD or triphenyldiamine derivatives TPD, the emissive layer 100 can use DPVBi (4, 4'-bis(2, 2-diphenylvinyl) biphenyl), a material comprising DPVBi and BCzVBi (4, 4'-bis(2-carbozolevinylene) biphenyl), or a material obtained by distyrylallylene derivatives as hosts and doping distyrylamine derivatives as guests, and the electron transporting layer 102 can use Alq3.
As an electron transporting emissive layer (the electron transporting layer 101 and emissive layer 100 are used in common), a zinc complex of Zn(oxz)2 (2-(o-hydroxyphenyl) benzoxazole) can be used.
Further, polymeric materials other than the small molecular materials can be used. As polymeric materials, a deposited layer of PEDT/PSS (Polyethylene dioxythiophene/polystyrene sulphonate) and PPV (Poly(p-phenylene) vinylen) can be used as a hole transporting layer 102 and an emissive layer 100. The light emission of green can be realized by a material obtained by mixing green ink into PPV. The light emission of red can be realized by a material obtained by adding and mixing Rhodamine 101 as red light-emitting dopant into green ink. F8 (Poly(dioctylfluorene) can be used as a blue emissive layer. F8 also functions as an electron transporting layer 101.
As another polymeric material, a dye contained polymer like PVK (poly(N-vinylcarbazole)) can be used.
Each layer constructing the organic layer 110 is thin and has a thickness of about tens of nm. A polarizing state of the light which is transmitted through this layer is almost maintained.
In the organic EL device 150 constructed by the above materials, a DC power source 900 is connected between the transparent electrodes 200 as an anode and the cathode 300. It is considered that by applying a DC voltage between the transparent electrodes 200 and cathode 300, the holes injected from the transparent electrodes 200 reach the emissive layer via the hole transporting layer 102, the electrons injected from the cathode 300 reach the emissive layer via the electron transporting layer 101, a recombination of the electrons and holes occurs, and the light emission of a predetermined wavelength is caused from the recombined portion.
The polarization separators 500, phase plate 700, and polarizer 600 are sequentially stacked and arranged on the side of the transparent electrodes 200 opposite to the organic layer 110. The polarization separators 500 have a function for separating the light in a predetermined wavelength range into two kinds of circularly polarized light components by the reflection and transmission. The cholesteric liquid crystal layer is suitable as polarization separators 500.
The cholesteric liquid crystal layer show unique optical characteristics based on a helical molecular array. The light which was incoming in parallel with a helical axis shows the selective reflection such that the circularly polarized light components in one rotating direction are reflected and those in the other direction are transmitted in accordance with the helical pitch direction at a wavelength corresponding to a pitch of a cholesteric helix.
o
λ
o
= n
m
·p
Δλ = Δn·p
p:
m
n:
Δn:
helical pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer
average refractive index of the liquid crystal
birefringence of the liquid crystal
A center wavelength λ of the selective reflection by the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and its wavelength range Δλ are expressed by the following equations (1) and (2), respectively. where,
e
0
m
n
m
= √ ( (n
e
+n
o
2
2
)/2)
Δn = n
e
-n
o
Assuming that refractive indices in the directions which are parallel and perpendicular to the major axis of liquid crystal molecules are set to n and n, respectively, n and Δn are expressed by the following equations (3) and (4).
o
For example, in case of aligning and arranging a plurality of light-emitting devices 24, controlling the light-emitting operations of them, and realizing a light-emitting display for performing a full-color display, it is desirable to set a peak wavelength (wavelength at which the maximum intensity is obtained) of the light emission of the organic EL devices 150 constructing the light-emitting devices 24 to wavelengths corresponding to three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). That is, the peak wavelength of the light emission of the organic EL devices 150 is made different every pixel in correspondence to three primary colors. In correspondence to it, the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer or the center wavelength λ of the selective reflection is made to correspond to the light-emitting wavelength range of the organic EL device 150 or the peak wavelength of the light emission (of the organic EL device).
Fig. 2 is a graph showing wavelength dependency of transmittance in the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in the case where, for example, the unpolarized light is incoming into the cholesteric liquid crystal layer. An example of the selective reflection corresponding to three primary colors of R, G, and B is shown, respectively.
For example, in the case where the light-emitting color of the organic EL device 150 is blue, it is sufficient to arrange the cholesteric liquid crystal layer showing the characteristics of the B reflection shown in Fig. 2 as polarization separators 500. That is, it is sufficient to construct the polarization separators 500 by cholesteric liquid crystal layers having the wavelength range of the selective reflection corresponding to the light-emitting color of the organic EL device 150.
In the conventional technique, the phase plate 700 and polarizer 600 construct what is called a circular polarizer. That is, the polarizer 600 transmits the specific linearly polarized light in the light which passes through it and absorbs the linearly polarized light which perpendicularly crosses it.
As a phase plate 700, a plate which functions as a quarter-wave plate for converting the linearly polarized light which passed through the polarizer 600 into the circularly polarized light is used. As a polarizer 600, it is possible to use a polarizer obtained by absorbing iodine into drawn polyvinylalcohol and forming protecting layers of triacetylcellulose onto both sides of the polyvinylalcohol layer to which a polarizing function has been applied.
The phase plate 700 can use a transparent uniaxial oriented polymer film such as polyvinyl alcohol, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polystyrene, polyarylate, or the like. Since the transparent member constructing the phase plate generally has wavelength dependency of a refractive index, sufficient performance cannot be obtained in case of using one kind of phase plate with respect to the light in a wide wavelength range like ambient light such as solar light, illumination light, or the like. Therefore, it is also possible to construct a phase plate which functions as a quarter-wave plate in a wide wavelength range by adhering two kinds of phase films of different wavelength dependency of a refractive index while their optical axes are shifted from each other.
It is important to decide the direction of a slow axis of the phase plate 700 in a manner such that the circularly polarized light of the light which through the polarizer 600 and passed through the phase plate 700 becomes the circularly polarized light for example (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light) whose rotating direction is opposite to that of the circularly polarized light (for example, levorotatory circularly polarized light) in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 show the selective reflection.
The operation of the light-emitting devices will now be described with reference to Fig. 1.
When the DC power source 900 is connected to the transparent electrodes 200 and cathode 300 and a current is supplied, light of a predetermined wavelength is emitted from the emissive layer 100. In the light emitted from the emissive layer 100, light 1000 which was directed toward the transparent electrodes 200 side is transmitted through the transparent electrodes 200 as it is and is incoming into the polarization separators 500. In the light emitted from the emissive layer 100, light 1001 which was directed toward the cathode 300 side is reflected by the cathode 300 and, thereafter, is transmitted through the transparent electrodes 200 and is incoming into the polarization separators 500.
In this instance, since the light emitted from the emissive layer 100 is the unpolarized light, in the light which is incoming into the polarization separators 500, the circularly polarized light components in one rotating direction (for example, dextrorotatory circularly polarized light here) are transmitted and the circularly polarized light components in the opposite rotating direction (levorotatory circularly polarized light) are reflected due to the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500.
Light 1002 transmitted through the polarization separators 500 is converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarizer 600 due to the operation of the phase plate 700, transmitted through the polarizer 600, and directed toward an viewer 10000.
On the other hand, light 1003 which was reflected by the polarization separators 500 is reflected by the cathode 300 and directed toward the polarization separators 500. However, upon reflection by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the light 1003 becomes the circularly polarized light in the opposite rotating direction (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light), so that it is transmitted through the polarization separators 500. The light 1003 transmitted through the polarization separators 500 is converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarizer 600 due to the operation of the phase plate 700, transmitted through the polarizer 600, and directed toward the viewer 10000.
The light emitted from the emissive layer 100, therefore, is directed toward the observer 1000 without almost being absorbed by the polarizer. That is, by effectively reusing the light which has conventionally been absorbed by the polarizer and become wasteful, there is an effect such that luminance of the light-emitting devices is improved. As a light extracting method, since the light 1002 transmitted through the polarization separators 500 and the light 1003 reflected by the polarization separators 500 can be extracted, high using efficiency of the light is obtained.
The external light which is incoming into the light-emitting devices 24 from the ambience under the bright environment will now be described. External light (incident ambient light) 3000 which is incoming into the light-emitting devices 24 from the ambience is generally the unpolarized light. However, when the light 3000 passes through the polarizer 600, a predetermined linearly polarized light is absorbed and the linearly polarized light whose linear polarization direction crosses perpendicularly to the absorbed light is transmitted. The linearly polarized light transmitted through the polarizer 600 is subjected to the operation of the phase plate 700 and becomes the circularly polarized light (for example, dextrorotatory circularly polarized light here).
The light which passed through the phase plate 700 is transmitted through the polarization separators 500 and, when it is reflected by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the light becomes the circularly polarized light (levorotatory circularly polarized light) in the opposite rotating direction. The light reflected by the cathode 300 is incoming into the polarization separators 500. However, light 3001 of a wavelength out of the wavelength range of the selective reflection in the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 is transmitted as it is. The light of the wavelength corresponding to the wavelength range of the selective reflection is reflected. The light (levorotatory circularly polarized light) transmitted through the polarization separators 500 is subjected to the operation of the phase plate 700, becomes the linearly polarized light which is absorbed by the polarizer 600, and absorbed by the polarizer 600, so that it is not returned to the outside.
Light 3002 reflected by the polarization separators 500 is reflected by the cathode 300, and directed toward the polarization separators 500 again. However, upon reflection by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the light becomes the circularly polarized light (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light) in the opposite rotating direction, so that the light is transmitted through the polarization separators 500. The light 3002 (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light) transmitted through the polarization separators 500 is converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarizer 600 by the operation of the phase plate 700, transmitted through the polarizer 600, and directed toward the viewer 10000.
That is, in the incident ambient light 3000, at least the half of it is first absorbed by the polarizer 600. Further, the light transmitted through the polarizer 600 is reflected by the cathode 300 and is incoming into the polarization separators 500. However, the light 3001 transmitted through the polarization separators 500 in such light is absorbed by the polarizer 600. Therefore, the light which is emitted outside is only the slight light 3002 corresponding to the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the polarization separators 500.
That is, according to the light-emitting devices of the invention, even under the bright environment, since most of the incident ambient light is cut, the black display becomes dark, and there is an effect such that a high contrast ratio can be realized.
As shown in an example in Fig. 2, a wavelength distribution of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 generally shows a narrow peak band. The wavelength range of the selective reflection can be set to be narrower than the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL devices by helical pitch p and Δn of the liquid crystal which is used.
Generally, even if the center wavelength of the light emission is the same, when the light-emitting wavelength range is broad and the wavelength distribution is gentle, the color purity (excitation purity here, ratio of a distance from a white light source on a chromaticity diagram) is low. Therefore, if the wavelength range of the light which is reflected by the polarization separators 500 and reused is set to a peak band narrower than the light-emitting wavelength range of the emissive layer, the wavelength distribution of the light which is actually emitted from the devices is narrower and steeper than the light-emitting wavelength range of the emissive layer, so that the color purity can be set to be higher than that of the light emission from the emissive layer.
That is, according to the light-emitting devices of the invention, there is an effect such that the color purity can be set to be higher than that of the light emission of the organic EL devices 150 themselves by an amount of the light which is reflected by the polarization separators 500 and reused.
In case of the light-emitting displays such that a plurality of light-emitting devices are aligned and arranged, the light-emitting operation of each light-emitting device is controlled, and the display is performed, by enhancement of each color purity of the light-emitting devices corresponding to the three primary colors of R, G, and B, there is also an effect such that the light-emitting displays of a wide color gamut can be realized.
Further, if the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 is narrower, the reflection of the incident ambient light under the bright environment is small, so that there is an effect such that a high contrast ratio is obtained.
Figs. 3 and 4 are a graph showing a relation between relative intensity and a wavelength of the light emitted from the light-emitting devices according to the invention and a CIE chromaticity diagram showing CIE chromaticity coordinates, respectively. The diagram shows an effect which is obtained in the case where in the organic EL devices 150 of blue light emission, the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having a wavelength range (B reflection) of the selective reflection in the wavelength of the blue light shown in the example in Fig. 2 are used as polarization separators 500. For the purpose of comparison, in both diagrams, results obtained by the conventional system in which the same organic EL devices are used and the circular polarizer is arranged are also shown and, further, the chromaticity coordinates of NTSC standard are also shown for reference in Fig. 4.
As shown in Fig. 3, in the present invention, the light intensity is enhanced by reusing the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer hitherto. Particularly, the intensity of the light in the wavelength range which is effective as blue light is increased. As shown in the CIE chromaticity diagram of Fig. 4, the color purity (excitation purity) is improved from the conventional value (54%) by 3% and the chromaticity coordinates more approaches the value of the blue light of NTSC standard. In the embodiment, luminance is improved by about 1.5 times as large as the conventional one.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similarly a graph showing a relation between relative intensity and a wavelength of the light emitted from the light-emitting devices according to the invention and a CIE chromaticity diagram showing CIE chromaticity coordinates, respectively. The diagram shows an effect which is obtained in the case where in the organic EL devices 150 of green light emission, the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having a wavelength range (G reflection) of the selective reflection in the wavelength of the green light shown in the example in Fig. 2 are used as polarization separators 500. For the purpose of comparison, in both diagrams, results obtained by the conventional system in which the same organic EL devices are used and the circular polarizer is arranged are also shown and, further, the chromaticity coordinates of NTSC standard are also shown for reference in Fig. 6.
As shown in Fig. 5, according to the invention, the light intensity is enhanced by reusing the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer hitherto. Particularly, the intensity of the light in the wavelength range which is effective as green light is enhanced. As shown in the CIE chromaticity diagram of Fig. 6, the color purity (excitation purity) is improved from the conventional value (94.5%) by 1.5% and the chromaticity coordinates approaches the value of the green light of NTSC standard. In the embodiment, the luminance is improved by about 1.6 times as large as the conventional one. Further, the contrast ratio under the bright environment (condition of illuminance of 1801x) is equal to 19 in case of the sole organic EL device 150, while it is improved to 36 in case of the light-emitting devices of the invention.
Also, with respect to red light, in the organic EL devices 150 of the red light emission, the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having a wavelength range of the selective reflection in the wavelength of the red light are used as polarization separators 500, so that effects such as improvement of the color purity and improvement of the luminance are obtained in a manner similar to the blue light and green light.
A relation between the light-emitting wavelength range of the organic EL devices 150 and the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 is important in the light-emitting devices of the invention.
That is, the relation can be also changed in dependence on characteristics to which importance is attached. For example, in case of attaching importance to the color purity and the contrast ratio under the bright environment, it is desirable to set the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 to be narrower than the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL devices 150. In this case, as the wavelength range of the selective reflection is narrower, the reflection of the incident ambient light is reduced more and the contrast ratio is improved more. However, since the improving effect of the luminance is reduced by an amount corresponding to such improvement, it is desirable to decide the selective reflection band in consideration of the use environment (presumed ambient brightness).
In case of attaching importance to the absolute luminance, it is effective to maximize an amount of reusable light by making the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL devices 150 almost coincide with the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500.
To satisfy both of the contrast ratio and the luminance, the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL devices is narrowed and the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL devices 150 and the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 are made to almost coincide with each other. When the distribution of the light emission of the organic EL devices is calculated on the assumption that it is the Gaussian type in which the half value width is equal to 75 nm, the sufficient chromaticities (color purities) of R, G, and B are obtained (the journal of the institute of image information and television engineers, Vol. 54, No. 8, pp. 1116). Therefore, to satisfy both of the contrast ratio and the luminance, it is desirable that the half value width of the wavelength of the light emission of the organic EL devices and the half value width of the wavelength of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 are set to be 75 nm or less.
If the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separators 500 of R, G, and B use the same liquid crystal material, in principle, as the center wavelength of the selective reflection is longer, the wavelength range of the selective reflection is broader. That is, as compared with the cholesteric liquid crystal layers corresponding to the blue or green light, in principle, in case of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers corresponding to the red light, the wavelength range of the selective reflection is broader and the improving effect of the contrast ratio and the improving effect of the color purity decrease.
In this case, therefore, it is preferable that the center wavelength of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers corresponding to the red light is set to a large wavelength side than the light-emitting peak wavelength or a longer wavelength side than the center wavelength of the organic EL devices, thereby making the wavelength range of the selective reflection in the visible wavelength range almost coincide with the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL devices.
According to the invention, in the light-emitting devices having the reflective elements on the back side of the emissive layer, the polarization separators, phase plate, and polarizer are arranged in front of them. It will be obviously understood that similar effects are obtained even if they have a construction which is not disclosed in the embodiment so long as it satisfies the above requirement.
Light-emitting displays in which a plurality of light-emitting elements of the invention are aligned and arranged, the light emitting operations of the plurality of light-emitting devices are controlled, and a display is performed will now be described. Fig. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing a whole layout of a light-emitting display 1 according to the invention. Fig. 8 is an equivalent circuit diagram of an active matrix constructed in a display area 2.
As shown in Fig. 7, in the display 1, the display area 2 is formed in almost a center portion of a substrate 6. A data driving circuit 3 for outputting an image signal to a data line 7 is formed on the upper side of the display unit 2 and a scan driving circuit 4 for outputting a scan signal to a gate line 8 is formed on the left side. Each of the driving circuits 3 and 4 is constructed by a shift register circuit a level shifting circuit, an analog switching circuit, and the like comprising a complementary type circuit by n-channel type and p-channel type TFTs (Thin Film Transistors).
In the display 1, in a manner similar to the active matrix of a liquid crystal display apparatus, a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines which are extended in the direction which crosses an extending direction of the gate lines are provided on the first substrate 6. As shown in Fig. 8, pixels 20 are arranged in a matrix form at positions where those gate lines G1, G2, ..., and Gm and data lines D1, D2, ..., and Dn cross, respectively.
Each pixel is constructed by: the light-emitting device 24; a storage capacitor 23; a switching transistor 21 comprising an n-channel type TFT in which a gate electrode is connected to the gate line, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode is connected to the data line, and the other is connected to the storage capacitor 23; and a driver transistor 22 comprising an n-channel type TFT in which a gate electrode is connected to the storage capacitor 23, a source electrode is connected to a common potential line 9 extending in the same direction as that of the data line, and a drain electrode is connected to one electrode (cathode) of the organic EL device constructing the light-emitting device 24.
The other electrode (anode) of the organic EL device constructing the light-emitting device 24 is connected to a current supply line which is common to the pixels and held at a predetermined electric potential Va. The light-emitting devices for emitting the light of one of the R, G, and B colors among the light-emitting devices 24 are arranged in a matrix form in a predetermined order.
According to the above construction, when the switching transistor 21 is turned on by the scan signal, the image signal is written from the data line into the storage capacitor 23 through the switching transistor 21. Therefore, even if the switching transistor 21 is turned off, the gate electrode of the driving transistor 22 is held at the electric potential corresponding to the image signal by the storage capacitor 23.
The driving transistor 22 is continuously held in the driving state in a source grounding mode having excellent constant current performance. A current supplied from the current supply line flows in the organic EL device constructing the light-emitting device 24, so that the light-emitting device 24 is maintained in the light-emitting state. The light-emitting luminance at this time depends on data which is written in the storage capacitor 23. The stop of the light emission is realized by turning off the driving transistor 22.
A structure of the display 1 will now be described with reference to Figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 9 shows a partial schematic diagram of a plan structure of the pixel portion in the display 1. Fig. 10 schematically shows a cross sectional structure taken along the line A-A' in Fig. 9. A silicon layer in an island shape to form the switching transistor 21 and driving transistor 22 is formed on the flat first substrate 6 such as a glass plate and a gate insulation layer is formed on the surface of the silicon layer. The gate electrode, gate line are formed on the gate insulation layer. After that, source-drain regions are formed. Further, a first interlayer insulation layer 50 is formed and the data line, a common potential line, and electrode for storage capacitor are formed through contact holes.
Further, a second interlayer insulation layer 51 and a planarization layer 52 made of an insulating material are formed. Electrodes having a light reflecting function and serving as a cathode 300 of the light-emitting device 24 are pattern-formed in a island shape onto the layer 52. The cathode 300 is connected to the drain of the driving transistor 22 through the contact holes of the second interlayer insulation layer 51 and planarization layer 52. A partition 60 made of a photoresist resin material in which a black dye having light absorbing property has been dispersed is formed on the planarization layer 52 so as to surround the region where the cathode 300 has been formed. The partition 60 is formed by a photolithographic process.
The organic layer 110 having an emissive layer for emitting light of one of the R, G, and B colors is pattern-formed on the cathode 300 in accordance with a predetermined layout. It is possible to select the organic layer 110 from the foregoing structures and materials. In the case where the organic layer 110 is a small molecular material, it is sufficient to perform the patterning of the organic layer 110 by using a well-known patterning technique of a vacuum evaporation deposition organic layer by a shadow mask (for example, disclosed in S. Miyaguchi, et al., "Organic LED Fullcolor Passive-Matrix Display", Journal of the SID, 7, 3, pp. 221 - 226 (1999)). In this manufacturing step, the partition 60 can be used as stopper elements of the shadow mask.
In the case where the organic layer 110 is made of a polymeric material, it is sufficient to use a well-known ink-jet patterning technique (for example, disclosed in T. Shimoda, et al., "Multicolor Pixel Patterning of Light-Emitting Polymers by Ink-Jet Printing", SID 99, Digest, P. 376, (1999)). In this manufacturing step, the partition 60 functions as a bank for separating the pixel region.
The anode (transparent electrodes 200) serving as counter electrodes is formed on the whole surface above the organic layer 110. The transparent electrodes 200 are connected to a current supply line (not shown). A planarization layer 70 made of a transparent insulating material is formed on the transparent electrodes 200. The planarization layer 70 is used for protecting the transparent electrodes 200 and allowing the members which are arranged thereon to be easily stacked.
As a planarization layer 70, it is sufficient to use an organic material such as transparent acrylic resin, benzo cyclobutene resin, polyimide resin, or the like. In case of those organic materials, by forming a film by a spin coating method or the like, its surface can be relatively easily flattened. A second substrate 90 made of a transparent flat substrate which is optically isotropic is stacked over the planarization layer 70.
A black matrix layer (BM layer) 80 and the polarization separators 500 are formed on one side of the second substrate 90, and the phase plate 700 and polarizer 600 are laminated and arranged on the other side. The second substrate 90 is arranged in a manner such that the surface where the polarization separators 500 have been formed faces the surface of the first substrate 6 where the organic layer 110 has been formed. As for the polarization separators 500 formed on the second substrate 90, the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having the wavelength range of the selective reflection corresponding to the color of the light emitted from the emissive layer of the organic layer 110 have been pattern-formed. The relation between the wavelength range of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers and the wavelength range of the light emission in the organic layer 110 is as described above.
The first substrate 6 and second substrate 90 are overlaid so that the position of the organic layer 110 which was pattern-formed almost coincides with the position of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers which were pattern-formed, the whole surfaces are closely adhered with a transparent adhesive agent or a periphery of the display area is sealed by a frame-shaped sealing material, and nitrogen is sealed therein, thereby hermetically adhering them.
Fig. 11 is a schematic constructional diagram showing a partial cross section of the display 1. Fig. 12 is a partial front view of the display 1. As shown in Fig. 11, cholesteric liquid crystal layers 500R of the R reflection having a wavelength range of the selective reflection corresponding to red is formed on an organic layer 110R of the red (R) light emission. Cholesteric liquid crystal layers 500G of the G reflection having a wavelength range of the selective reflection corresponding to green is formed on an organic layer 110G of the green (G) light emission. Cholesteric liquid crystal layers 500B of the B reflection having a wavelength range of the selective reflection corresponding to blue is formed on an organic layer 110B of the blue (B) light emission.
As shown in Fig. 12, the BM layer 80 formed on the second substrate 90 is formed smaller than the partition 60 formed on the first substrate 6. This is because by forming the BM layer 80 so as to be smaller than the partition, it is intended to avoid a situation such that the light emitted from the organic layer 110 is shielded by the BM layer 80 and the display becomes dark, and it is also intended to assure a margin upon matching.
A method of forming the BM layer 80 and the polarization separators 500 of the second substrate 90 will now be described.
As a BM layer 80, in a manner similar to the material used for the liquid crystal display, it is possible to use metal chromium, chromium oxide and a photoresist resin in which a light shielding pigment such as carbon black, or the like has been dispersed. In the light-emitting devices of the invention, particularly, since the improvement of a picture quality by reducing the reflection of the incident ambient light (maintaining of a high contrast ratio under the bright environment) is required, low reflectance is required for the BM layer. From this requirement, it is desirable that a photoresist resin in which the light shielding pigment in which reflectance can be minimized has been dispersed is used as a BM layer.
However, according to the light-emitting devices of the invention, since the phase plate 700 and polarizer 600 are arranged on the outer side of the BM layer 80, that is, on the viewer side and they function as a circular polarizer, even in case of metal chromium having high reflectance, the incident ambient light reflection by metal chromium is suppressed. Therefore, it can be used.
An example of a step of forming the BM layer 80 onto the second substrate 90 will now be described. Figs. 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D are explanatory diagrams of a forming step of the BM layer 80 by the photoresist resin in which the light shielding pigment has been dispersed.
First, a negative photoresist resin 85 in which carbon black has been dispersed is coated onto the transparent flat second substrate 90 which is optically isotropic by a spin coater, a roll coater, or the like. At this time, a thin layer for improving adhesiveness can be also preliminarily formed on the second substrate 90.
As a second substrate 90, besides the glass plate, it is possible to use a polymer film such as polycarbonate film, triacetylcellulose film, or the like formed as a film by a casting method, a plastic sheet or plastic film which is optically isotropic such as alicyclic acryl resin (trade name: OPTOREZ®, made by Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.) or the like formed by an injection molding, or the like.
Subsequently, the coated layer is temporarily hardened by using a hot plate or the like and exposed by using a mask 86 having a predetermined pattern by an exposure system having a wavelength matched with a sensitivity of the negative photoresist resin 85.
After that, by developing it, the exposed portion remains as a BM layer 80. The portion shielded against the light by the mask is melted and the substrate surface is exposed.
Subsequently, cleaning and drying are performed, a transparent resin such as acrylic resin, polyimide resin, or the like is coated, and a planarization layer 88 for flattening the surface is constructed.
An example of a method of forming the polarization separators 500 comprising the cholesteric liquid crystal layers onto the second substrate 90 formed with the BM layer 80 will now be described.
It is sufficient to use a well-known technique as a method of forming the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having the wavelength ranges of the selective reflection corresponding to R, G, and B in a plane. For example, there is a method of printing different liquid crystal materials or a method of coating a liquid crystal polymer onto the whole surface and, subsequently, pattern-forming layers of the R reflection, G reflection, and B reflection by some method.
As a method of coating the liquid crystal polymer onto the whole surface and, subsequently, pattern-forming the R, G, and B layers by some method, there is a method of fixing a structure by photopolymerization while changing a temperature by using a thermochromic property of the wavelength of the selective reflection (disclosed in, for example, R. Maurer, et al, SID94, Digest, pp. 399 - 402, (1994)), a method of controlling the wavelength of the selective reflection by light irradiation (for example, JP-A-2000-147236), or the like.
As a method of pattern-forming the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having the wavelength ranges of the selective reflection corresponding to R, G, and B in a plane, an arbitrary method can be used so long as the regions where the desired selective reflection is obtained are pattern-formed.
Figs. 14A, 14B, and 14C are diagrams for explaining an example of a method of forming the polarization separators 500 constructed by the cholesteric liquid crystal layers which were pattern-formed on the second substrate 90 formed with the BM layer 80.
A method of controlling the wavelength of the selective reflection by the light irradiation will now be described. This method is a method of controlling the wavelength of the selective reflection by cutting a chiral active group by irradiating ultraviolet rays in a system in which a photo acid generator has been added to a side chain liquid crystal polymer in which a monomer unit to which the chiral active group has been coupled through a Schiff base is used as one component. That is, in the liquid crystal polymer (copolymer), a helical pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystal changes on the basis of a percentage content of a monomer unit containing the chiral active group and the wavelength of the selective reflection is determined by this pitch. Therefore, it is a method of controlling the wavelength of the selective reflection by controlling the percentage content. As the percentage content of the monomer unit containing the chiral active group is higher, the pitch is smaller and the wavelength range of the selective reflection is shifted to the short wavelength side.
Therefore, the liquid crystal polymer showing the wavelength of the selective reflection which is equal to or shorter than that of the blue light is used as a base, ultraviolet rays are first properly irradiated onto the regions indicative of the selective reflection of green and red through a photomask, and a thermal alignment process is performed. After that, the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays merely to shift the wavelength of the selective reflection from green to red is newly performed to the region which should indicate the selective reflection of red and the thermal alignment process is executed, thereby forming the desired cholesteric liquid crystal layers which were pattern-formed to the R reflection, G reflection, and B reflection.
An example of the steps will now be described with reference to Figs. 14A, 14B, and 14C.
First, a polyvinyl alcohol layer is provided as an alignment layer (not shown) onto the surface of the second substrate 90 on which the BM layer 80 has been formed. A liquid crystal polymer is coated onto the treatment surface obtained by rubbing the polyvinyl alcohol layer with a rayon cloth. As a liquid crystal polymer, it is possible to use a side chain type cholesteric liquid crystal polymer comprising a copolymer of a monomer shown in the following expression (5) as a nematic liquid crystal monomer
and a monomer shown in the following expression (6) as a monomer containing a chiral active group.
A material obtained by adding 2, 4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(3'-chloro-4'-methoxy-β-styryl) triazine into a cyclohexanone solution in which the above liquid crystal polymer has been solved is coated onto the substrate 90, dried, and subjected to the thermal alignment process at 160°C for 5 minutes. After that, it is left and cooled at a room temperature, thereby obtaining the non-fluid cholesteric liquid crystal layer 500B having a center wavelength of 440 nm in the selective reflection.
Subsequently, ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the regions which should indicate the selective reflection of green and red of the non-fluid liquid crystal layer 500B through a photomask 550 having two regions of a transmittance 100% and a transmittance 0%. The layer is subjected again to the thermal alignment process at 160°C for 5 minutes. After that, it is left and cooled at a room temperature, thereby obtaining the non-fluid pattern-formed cholesteric liquid crystal layer 500G having a center wavelength of 540 nm in the selective reflection.
Further, ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the region which should indicate the selective reflection of red through a photomask 551. After that, the layer is subjected again to the thermal alignment process at 160°C for 5 minutes and it is left and cooled at a room temperature, thereby obtaining the non-fluid pattern-formed cholesteric liquid crystal layer 500R having a center wavelength of 630 nm in the selective reflection.
By the above processes, the cholesteric liquid crystal layers which were pattern-formed to the R reflection, G reflection, and B reflection are formed. Transparent protection layers can be also provided on the surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers as necessary.
The second substrate 90 on which the BM layer 80 and polarization separators 500 have been formed is arranged in a manner such that the surface on which the polarization separators 500 have been formed faces the surface of the first substrate 6 on which the organic layer 110 has been formed. In this instance, the first substrate 6 and second substrate 90 are positioned so that the position of the pattern-formed organic layer 110 is almost matched with the position of the pattern-formed cholesteric liquid crystal layers and, thereafter, overlaid, and the whole surfaces of them are hermetically adhered with a transparent adhesive agent, or the regions other than the display area are adhered with a frame-shaped sealing member and those substrates are sealed in a state where a space is sealed with nitrogen.
The phase plate 700 and polarizer 600 are laminated and arranged on the side of the second substrate 90 opposite to the side on which the polarization separators 500 have been formed. The phase plate 700 and polarizer 600 are as described above and optically matched with an acrylic transparent adhesive agent, respectively.
In place of the second substrate, the polarization separators can be also directly formed on the phase plate. In this case, it is desirable to use a material such that the characteristics such as a phase difference and the like are not changed by heat or the like in the step of pattern-forming the cholesteric liquid crystal layers.
The display operation of the display 1 will now be described with reference to Figs. 8, 15A, and 15B. Fig. 15A is a time chart of voltages VG1, VG2, ..., and VGm which are sequentially applied to the gate lines G1, G2, ..., and Gm. Fig. 15B is a diagram showing an example of the gate voltage VG1 and a data voltage VD1 which are located on the first row and the first column and a voltage state of the storage capacitor 23.
As shown in Fig. 15A, the voltages VG1, VG2, ..., and VGm to turn on the switching transistor 21 are sequentially applied to the gate lines G1, G2, ..., and Gm. When the voltage VG1 to turn on the switching transistor 21 is applied to the gate line G1 at time t = t0, the scan in the vertical direction is finished once in a 1-frame period Tf and timing when the turn-on voltage is applied again to the gate line G1 is time t = t0 + Tf. According to this driving scheme, the time when the turn-on voltage is applied to one gate line is equal to Tf/m or shorter. Generally, about 1/60 second is used as a value of Tf.
When the turn-on voltage is applied to a certain gate line, all of the switching transistors connected to the gate line are ON. Synchronously with them, data voltages according to the image signal are applied to the data lines D1, D2, ..., and Dn. This system is what is called a line sequential scan system and generally used in the active matrix liquid crystal display.
Subsequently, attention is paid to the pixel 20 locating at the first row and the first column, and the gate voltage VG1, the data voltage VD1, and the voltage state of the storage capacitor 23 will be described with reference to Fig. 15B. At timing t = t0, a value of the data voltage VD1 synchronized with VG1 is assumed to be d1 and a value of the data voltage in the next frame t = t0 + Tf is assumed to be d2. In this case, while the turn-on voltage is applied to the gate line G1, those data voltages are stored into the storage capacitor 23 and held to almost those values for the 1-frame period. Those voltage values specify the gate voltage of the driving transistor 22. Since a value of the current flowing in the transistor is controlled by it, a predetermined current which is determined by those voltages, a (predetermined) voltage which is applied by a common potential line, and the (predetermined) voltage Va applied to the transparent electrodes of the light-emitting devices 24 flows in the light-emitting devices 24, thereby causing a predetermined light emission.
That is, a light-emission amount of the pixel can be controlled by applying the voltage corresponding to the image information to the data line synchronously with the timing when the turn-on voltage is applied to the gate line corresponding to the pixel whose light-emission amount should be controlled. Therefore, by controlling the light-emission amount of a plurality of pixels constructing the display area 2 in accordance with the image information, a desired image can be displayed. Since a response time which is required until the start of the light emission after the voltage was applied between the cathode and anode of the light-emitting device 24 is generally equal to or less than 1 µsec, an image display which can also follow an image of a fast motion can be realized.
Generally, according to the organic EL devices, when the current flowing thereto is increased, its light-emission amount increases and the bright display can be obtained. However, an electric power consumption increases by an amount corresponding to it and a lifetime (for example, time which is required until the light-emission amount decreases to the half of the initial value) of the device becomes short.
As mentioned above, according to the light-emitting devices 24 of the light-emitting displays 1 of the invention, the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer and has become the loss hitherto can be also used as display light due to the operation of the polarization separators, so that the luminance is improved by 1.6 times or more. Therefore, even in case of the same electric power consumption, there is an effect such that the light-emitting displays of higher luminance and brighter display can be realized, or in case of the same luminance (brightness), since the current flowing in the light-emitting devices can be reduced, there is an effect such that the light-emitting displays in which an electric power consumption is small and the lifetime is further long can be realized.
Further, the light-emitting display 1 has an effect such that the color purity of the color light emitted to the viewer side is improved more than that of the light-emission color itself from the emissive layer owing to the operation of the polarization separators of the light-emitting devices 24 mentioned above. There is, consequently, an effect such that the display color gamut of the light-emitting display is widened.
In the light-emitting display 1, the partition in which the pigment having light absorbing property has been dispersed is provided around the light-emitting devices of each pixel. Since the light emitted from the emissive layer in the direction that is parallel with the substrate surface is shut out by this partition, a display without a blooming of the pixel is obtained. Further, since the partition prevents a situation that the light emitted from the emissive layer and reflected by the polarization separators leaks to another pixel, there is an effect such that the color mixture and the blooming are prevented. That is, since each pixel is optically separated by the partition, a high quality display without the color mixture and blooming is obtained.
By forming the partition to a region wider than the BM layer provided on the polarization separators side, there are obtained effects such as improvement of the productivity owing to the assurance of the position matching margin of the pattern-formed emissive layer and the pattern-formed polarization separators and improvement of the contrast ratio under the bright environment due to the reduction of the external light reflection.
Further, the partition can be allowed to function as a spacer at the time of overlaying the first substrate on which the organic EL device has been formed and the second substrate on which the polarization separators have been formed. In this case, there is an effect such that the occurrence of defects due to the contact between the organic EL device and the polarization separators is prevented.
In the embodiment, the polarization separators and the organic EL device are formed onto the different substrates and overlaid lastly. This is because, in case of forming both of them onto the same substrate, for example, in case of patterning the polarization separators onto the substrate on which the organic layer has already been formed, inconveniences such that the temperature of the substrate rises in the patterning step of the polarization separators the organic layer deteriorates, and the like occur.
That is, by forming the polarization separators and the organic EL device onto the different substrates, a degree of freedom in each step is widened and they are not deteriorated, so that the devices having higher performance can be constructed. The invention does not reject a structure such that the polarization separators and the organic EL device are formed onto the same substrate if, for example, an organic material having high heat resistance is developed in future.
According to the light-emitting displays of the invention, if the distance between the polarization separators and the cathode is long, the light reflected by the polarization separators leaks to the cathode of the pixel different from the inherent pixel and the resolution deteriorates. The light emitted from the emissive layer and the light reflected by the polarization separators are absorbed by the partition or the like, so that an inconvenience such that the light directing toward the viewer is decreased or the like occurs. To prevent it, it is desirable that the distance between the polarization separators and the cathode is as short as possible from a viewpoint of improvement of the picture quality and the using efficiency of the light emitted from the emissive layer.
When the substrate exists between the organic EL device and the polarization separators, if the substrate is made of glass, a thickness of substrate itself is equal to hundreds of µm and a thickness of substrate made of a plastic film is equal to or larger than tens of µm, so that the distance between the polarization separators and the cathode becomes long.
On the other hand, in the present light-emitting displays, the extraction of the light from the organic EL device is performed from the direction opposite to that of the first substrate on which the organic EL device has been formed and, further, the polarization separators are overlaid through a transparent thin planarization layer or insulation layer. With such a structure, the distance between the polarization separators and the cathode can be reduced to 10 µm or less. Therefore, the light which is absorbed by the partition or the like and becomes the loss decreases, the using efficiency of the emission light is improved, and the brighter display is obtained. Further, in this case, a situation such that the light reflected by the polarization separators leaks to the different pixel and the deterioration of the resolution, the color mixture, or the like is not caused. There is, consequently, an effect such that the high quality display is obtained.
As an pixel arrangement of the display area of the light-emitting display, any one of a stripe arrangement, a mosaic arrangement, a delta arrangement, and the like can be used. It is sufficient to select a proper pixel arrangement in accordance with the specifications of the light-emitting display. Although the embodiment has been described with respect to the active matrix driving type displays, the invention is not limited to it. That is, the invention can be also applied to a passive matrix driving type display such that a TFT is not provided but the anode and cathode of the light-emitting devices of the invention are directly connected to the vertical scanning lines and horizontal scanning lines and driven.
Another embodiment of the light-emitting displays in the invention will now be described. Fig. 16 is a partial cross sectional view showing an outline of the light-emitting display of the invention. Since a fundamental construction of the display is substantially the same as that of the foregoing embodiment except that the light-emission color of organic layers 110W is white and the display has color filters, the same and corresponding portions are designated by the same reference numerals and their detailed descriptions are omitted.
As shown in Fig. 16, according to the present display, in the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 11, all of the organic layers which were pattern-formed to R, G, and B are replaced with the organic layers 110W of white light emission, and color filters 900R, 900G, and 900B for transmitting the lights corresponding to R, G, and B are pattern-formed between the second substrate 90 and the polarization separators 500, respectively.
As organic layers which realize the white light emission, there are a construction such that a plurality of emissive layers of different light-emission colors are deposited and a construction such that dyes of different light-emission colors are doped into one emissive layer.
As a former construction, for example, there is a construction such that TPD and Alq3 is partially doped by Nile Red and 1, 2, 4-triazole derivatives (TAZ) is combined. As a latter construction, there is a construction such that three kinds of dyes, for example, 1, 1, 4, 4-tetraphenyl-1, 3-butadiene (TPB), coumarin 6, and DCM1 are doped into PVK. Either way, as organic layers of the white light emission, it is desirable to use the construction such that the white light emission in which light-emitting efficiency is high and a long lifetime is obtained.
Manufacturing steps of the color filters and the polarization separators will now be described. Figs. 17A to 17F are diagrams for explaining the steps of forming the color filters and the polarization separators onto the second substrate 90. The forming steps of the color filters and the polarization separators will now be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings.
The BM layer 80 made of metal chromium, chromium oxide, or a photoresist resin in which pigment having light absorbing property has been dispersed is pattern-formed onto the transparent and flat second substrate 90 which is optically isotropic.
Color filters for transmitting the lights of the colors of R, G, and B are pattern-formed onto the substrate 90 formed with the BM layer by the well-known technique ("Technique of Liquid Crystal Display of Next Generation", edited and written by Tatsuo Uchida, Kogyo Chosakai Publishing CO., LTD.) such as dying method, pigment-dispersed photolithography method, printing method, or the like.
An overcoating layer 910 made of a transparent resin material is further formed onto the color filter pattern.
A polyvinyl alcohol layer is formed as an alignment layer (not shown) onto the overcoating layer 910. In a manner similar to the foregoing embodiment, a solution of liquid crystal polymer is coated onto the rubbed treatment surface of a polyvinylalcohol layer, the layer of liquid crystal polymer is dried and subjected to the thermal alignment process at 160°C for 5 minutes. After that, it is left and cooled at a room temperature, thereby obtaining the non-fluid cholesteric liquid crystal layer 500B having the center wavelength of the selective reflection in blue.
Subsequently, ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the regions which should indicate the selective reflection of green and red of the non-fluid liquid crystal layer 500B through the photomask 550 having two regions of a transmittance 100% and a transmittance 0%, that is, to the position corresponding to the color filter 900G for transmitting the green light and the position corresponding to the color filter 900R for transmitting the red light. The layer is subjected again to the thermal alignment process at 160°C for 5 minutes. After that, it is left and cooled at a room temperature, thereby obtaining the pattern-formed non-fluid cholesteric liquid crystal layer 500G having a center wavelength of the selective reflection in green.
Further, ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the region which should indicate the selective reflection of red through the photomask 551, that is, at the position corresponding to the color filter 900R for transmitting the red light. After that, the layer is subjected again to the thermal alignment process at 160°C for 5 minutes and it is left and cooled at a room temperature, thereby obtaining the pattern-formed cholesteric liquid crystal layer 500R having a center wavelength of the selective reflection in red. Thus, the cholesteric liquid crystal layers which were pattern-formed to the R reflection, G reflection, and B reflection are formed. Transparent protection layers can be also provided for the cholesteric liquid crystal layers as necessary.
As mentioned above, the second substrate 90 formed with the BM layer, the color filters, and the polarization separators 500 comprising the cholesteric liquid crystal layers are overlaid in a manner such that the surface on which the polarization separators 500 have been formed faces the surface on which the organic layers 110W of the first substrate 6 have been formed. In this instance, the first substrate 6 and second substrate 90 are positioned so that the position of the pattern-formed organic layers 110W is almost matched with the position of the pattern-formed cholesteric liquid crystal layers and, thereafter, the whole surfaces of them are hermetically adhered with a transparent adhesive agent, or hermetically adhered with a frame-shaped sealing member surrounding the display area in a state where a space is sealed with nitrogen.
With respect to the matching of the positions of the pattern-formed organic layers and the pattern-formed polarization separators, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a wavelength of the selective reflection in red and the red color filter are arranged at the position of the organic layer of the pixel in which the red color should be displayed, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a wavelength of the selective reflection in green and the green color filter are arranged at the position of the organic layer of the pixel in which the green color should be displayed, and the cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a wavelength of the selective reflection in blue and the blue color filter are arranged at the position of the organic layer of the pixel in which the blue color should be displayed.
The phase plate 700 and polarizer 600 are adhered onto the surface of the second substrate 90 opposite to the surface on which the polarization separators 500 have been formed so as to be optically coupled with the acrylic transparent adhesive agent.
The operation of the display will now be described. The light-emitting operation of the display is the same as that in the foregoing embodiment. That is, the light-emission amount of the pixel is controlled by applying the voltage corresponding to the image information to the data line synchronously with the timing when the turn-on voltage is applied to the gate line corresponding to the pixel whose light-emission amount should be controlled. A desired image is displayed by controlling the light-emission amount of a plurality of pixels constructing the display area in accordance with the image information.
The light emitted from the organic layers 110W is directly incoming into the polarization separators or is reflected by the cathode and, thereafter, incoming therein. The polarization separators are constructed by pattern-forming the cholesteric liquid crystal layers having the wavelength of the selective reflection in the color light which should be displayed by each pixel. Therefore, in the light which was emitted from the organic layers 110W of the pixel which should display red and was incoming into the polarization separator 500R, the circularly polarized light components in a predetermined wavelength range corresponding to red and in one rotating direction (for example, levorotatory circularly polarized light here) are reflected and the other light is transmitted due to the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers constructing the polarization separator 500R.
In the light transmitted through the polarization separator 500R, the light in a predetermined wavelength range corresponding to red is only the dextrorotatory circularly polarized light and the light of the other wavelengths is the unpolarized light.
The light transmitted through the polarization separator 500R is incoming into the red color filter 900R and the light out of the predetermined wavelength range corresponding to red is almost absorbed by the red color filter 900R.
In the light transmitted through the polarization separator 500R, the light in the predetermined wavelength range corresponding to red is transmitted through the red color filter 900R, converted from the circularly polarized light into the linearly polarized light due to the operation of the phase plate 700, transmitted through the polarizer 600 without being absorbed by it, and directed toward the viewer 10000.
On the other hand, the light reflected by the polarization separator 500R is reflected by the cathode 300 and directed toward the polarization separator 500R again. However, when it is reflected by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the reflected light becomes the circularly polarized light in the opposite rotating direction (dextrorotatory circularly polarized light here), so that the light is transmitted through the polarization separator 500R. The light transmitted through the polarization separator 500R is also transmitted through the red color filter 900R, converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the polarizer 600 due to the operation of the phase plate 700, transmitted through the polarizer 600, and directed toward the viewer 10000.
That is, in the white light emitted from the organic layer 110W corresponding to the pixel for displaying red, only the light in the predetermined wavelength range corresponding to red is directed toward the viewer 10000 without being absorbed by the color filter 900R and polarizer 600, so that the bright red light is obtained.
Also with respect to the white light emitted from the organic layer 110W corresponding to the pixel for displaying green (or blue), similarly, only the light in the predetermined wavelength range corresponding to green (or blue) is directed toward the viewer 10000 without being absorbed by the color filter 900G (or color filter 900B) and polarizer 600, so that the bright green light (or blue light) is obtained.
That is, by effectively using the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer and has become wasteful hitherto, there is an effect such that the luminance of the light-emitting devices is improved and the bright display can be performed.
When the incident ambient light which is incoming into the light-emitting devices of the display under the bright environment passes through the polarizer 600, at least the half of it is absorbed. When the light transmitted through the polarizer 600 is transmitted through the phase plate 700, it is subjected to the operation thereof and becomes the circularly polarized light. When the light passes through the color filter, 2/3 of the light is further absorbed. The light transmitted through the color filter is reflected by the cathode 300 and, further, reflected by the polarization separator. After that, it is reflected by the cathode 300 again, transmitted through the polarization separator, the color filter, phase plate, and polarizer, and directed toward the viewer 10000. Therefore, even under the bright environment, since most of the incident ambient light is cut, there is an effect such that the dark display becomes dark and a high contrast ratio can be realized.
In the case where the center wavelengths of the light emission are equal, generally, when the wavelength range of the light emission shows a narrow peak band, the color purity is enhanced. As for the wavelength distribution of the selective reflection of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, the wavelength range can be narrowed than the transmission wavelength distribution of the ordinary color filter using the pigment or dye and the wavelength distribution is steeper.
Therefore, according to the light-emitting displays (of the embodiment), as compared with the conventional color display obtained by combining the color filters of R, G, and B to the white light-emitting organic EL devices, the color purity of a sole color of R, G, and B is higher and the display of a wider display color gamut can be realized. Also in the light-emitting displays of the embodiment, naturally, the same effects can be obtained with respect to the structural portions similar to those in the foregoing embodiment.
Another embodiment of the light-emitting devices in the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 18 is a partial schematic cross sectional view for explaining a fundamental construction and an operation principle in another embodiment of the light-emitting devices in the invention. According to the light-emitting devices, in the embodiment, in place of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers used as polarization separators in the foregoing embodiment, polarization separators (hereinafter, referred to as linear polarization separators) 555 for reflecting the linearly polarized light components in a predetermined wavelength range and transmitting the other components is used. Therefore, portions common to those of the foregoing embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their detailed description is omitted here.
As shown in Fig. 18, the light-emitting devices are constructed by: the organic EL device 150 which is formed on a substrate (not shown) and comprises the anode constructed by the transparent electrodes 200, the cathode 300 serving as mirror surface reflecting means, and the organic layer 110 formed between the anode and the cathode; and the phase plate 700, a linear polarization separator 555, and polarizer 600 which are sequentially stacked and arranged from the transparent electrodes 200 side of the organic EL device 150.
The linear polarization separator 555 has a sheet-shape and has a function for reflecting the linearly polarized light components in a predetermined wavelength range in the light which is incoming into the separator 555 and transmitting the other light. Various constructions are considered as a linear polarization separator 555. For example, it is possible to use a birefringent reflective polarizer obtained by alternately stacking a plurality of different birefringent layers disclosed in International Application Publication No. W095/27919 of the International Application or a polarizer such that two prism array films whose prism apex is almost equal to 90° are joined and a polarization separator larger made by dielectric multilayers is deposited on the mating surfaces as disclosed in SID92 Digest, pp. 427-429. In this instance, the wavelength range for reflecting by the linear polarization separator is allowed to almost coincide with the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL device.
As a phase plate 700 and a polarizer 600, it is sufficient to use a phase plate and a polarizer which construct what is called a circular polarizer in the conventional technique. That is, the polarizer 600 transmits a specific linearly polarized light in the light which passes therethrough and absorbs the linearly polarized light which perpendicularly crosses it. As a phase plate 700, a plate which functions as a quarter-wave plate for converting the linearly polarized light which passed through the polarizer 600 into the circularly polarized light is used.
Although the linear polarization separator 555 is arranged between the polarizer 600 and phase plate 700 constructing the circular polarizer, in this instance, it is arranged so that a transmission polarization axis of the linearly polarized light of the linear polarization separator 555 coincides with a transmission polarization axis of the linearly polarized light of the polarizer 600.
The operation of the present light-emitting device will now be described with reference to Fig. 18. The DC power source 900 is connected to the transparent electrodes 200 and cathode 300. By applying a DC voltage between the transparent electrodes 200 and cathode 300, a light emission of a predetermined wavelength is caused from the emissive layer 100. In the light emitted from the emissive layer 100, light 1100 directing toward the transparent electrodes 200 side is transmitted as it is through the transparent electrodes 200 and phase plate 700 and incoming into the linear polarization separator 555.
In the light emitted from the emissive layer 100, light 1101 directing toward the cathode 300 side is reflected by the cathode 300, transmitted through the transparent electrodes 200 and phase plate 700 likewise, and incoming into the linear polarization separator 555. At this time, since the light which was emitted from the emissive layer 100 and is incoming into the linear polarization separator 555 is the unpolarized light, the linearly polarized light components which should be absorbed by the polarizer 600 are reflected and the linearly polarized light components which are transmitted through the polarizer 600 are transmitted. Light 1102 transmitted through the polarization separator 555 is transmitted through the polarizer 600 and directed toward the viewer 10000.
A linearly polarized light 1103 reflected by the linear polarization separator 555 passes through the phase plate 700 and is directed toward the cathode 300. However, when the light passes through the phase plate 700, it is subjected to the operation thereof and converted into the circularly polarized light (for example, levorotatory circularly polarized light here). When the light 1103 directing toward the cathode 300 is reflected by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the reflected light becomes the circularly polarized light in the direction opposite to the above rotating direction (for example, dextrorotatory circularly polarized light). When, the light passes through the phase plate 700 again, it is subjected to the operation thereof and converted into the linearly polarized light which is transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555. Therefore, the light is transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555 and polarizer 600 and directed toward the viewer 10000.
That is, according to the light-emitting devices, in the light emitted from the emissive layer 100, since the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer and has become the loss hitherto is effectively reused, there is an effect such that the amount of light directing toward the viewer 10000 is increased and the luminance is improved.
The action of the external light which is incoming from the outside into the light-emitting devices under the environment of the bright ambience will now be described. Although an incident ambient light 3100 which is incoming from the ambience into the light-emitting devices is the unpolarized light, when it passes through the polarizer 600, a predetermined linearly polarized light is absorbed and only the linearly polarized light which perpendicularly crosses it is transmitted. The linearly polarized light transmitted through the polarizer 600 is also transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555, is subjected to the operation of the phase plate 700, and becomes the circularly polarized light (for example dextrorotatory circularly polarized light here).
When the light which passed through the phase plate 700 is reflected by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the reflected light becomes the circularly polarized light in the opposite rotating direction (levorotatory circularly polarized light). When the light reflected by the cathode 300 passes through the phase plate 700 again, it is converted into the linearly polarized light which is absorbed by the polarizer 600 and, thereafter, incoming into the linear polarization separator 555. The linear polarization separator 555 reflects the light in the wavelength range corresponding to the light-emission wavelength range of the organic EL device and transmits the light of the other wavelengths. Since light 3101 transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555 is absorbed by the polarizer 600, it is not returned to the outside.
When light 3102 reflected by the linear polarization separator 555 passes through the phase plate 700, it is subjected to the operation thereof and converted into the levorotatory circularly polarized light. When it is reflected again by the cathode 300, the phase is shifted by π and the reflected light becomes the dextrorotatory circularly polarized light in the opposite rotating direction. When the light reflected again by the cathode 300 passes through the phase plate 700, it is converted into the linearly polarized light which passes through the polarizer 600. Therefore, it is transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555 and polarizer 600 and directed toward the viewer 10000.
That is, at least the half of the incident ambient light 3100 (incoming into the light-emitting devices) is absorbed by the polarizer 600. The light transmitted through the polarizer 600 is transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555, phase plate 700, and the like, reflected by the cathode 300, and incoming again into the linear polarization separator 555. However, the light 3101 transmitted through the linear polarization separator 555 is absorbed by the polarizer 600. Therefore, the light which is emitted outside is only the light 3102 of a small amount in the wavelength range which is reflected by the linear polarization separator 555. That is, even in the light-emitting devices of the invention, in a manner similar to the above embodiment, since most portion of the incident ambient light is cut even under the bright environment, there is an effect such that the dark display becomes dark and a high contrast ratio can be realized.
By setting the reflection wavelength range of the linearly polarized light of the linear polarization separator 555 to be narrower than the wavelength range of the light emission of the organic EL device, there are effects such that the color purity of the color light directing toward the viewer 10000 can be improved and the contrast ratio under the bright environment can be further improved.
As mentioned above, according to the embodiments of the invention, according to the light-emitting devices, due to the operation of the polarization separators comprising the cholesteric liquid crystal layers or the like, by effectively reusing the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer and has become the loss hitherto, there is an effect such that the amount of light directing toward the viewer increases and the luminance is improved. Furthermore, by controlling the wavelength range of the light which is reflected by the polarization separators and reused, there is an effect such that the color light of the color purity higher than that of the light emission itself from the emissive layer is obtained.
Further, since most portion of the reflection of the incident ambient light is cut even under the bright environment, there is an effect such that the black display becomes dark and a high contrast ratio can be realized.
According to the embodiments of the invention, according to the light-emitting displays, since the light-emitting devices constructing the displays can also use the light which has been absorbed by the polarizer and has become the loss hitherto as display light due to the operation of the polarization separators, the luminance is improved.
Therefore, in case of the same electric power consumption, there is an effect such that the light-emitting displays of the higher luminance and the bright display can be realized, or in case of the same luminance (brightness), there is an effect such that the light-emitting displays of the low electric power consumption and, further, the long lifetime can be realized.
Further, according to the embodiments of the invention, in the light-emitting displays, since the color purity of the color light which is emitted from the light-emitting devices constructing the displays is high, there is an effect such that the display of high quality in which the color gamut of the display is wide can be realized.
Further, according to the embodiments of the invention, in the light-emitting displays, since each pixel is optically separated by the partition having the light absorbing property provided around the light-emitting devices of each pixel, there is an effect such that the display of high quality without a color mixture and a blooming can be obtained. In the light-emitting displays of the invention, since no substrate exists between the organic EL device and the polarization separators, there is an effect such that the use efficiency of the light is improved and, further, the display of high quality without a color mixture and a blooming can be obtained. | |
Taxometric analysis as a general strategy for distinguishing categorical from dimensional latent structure.
Statistical analyses investigating latent structure can be divided into those that estimate structural model parameters and those that detect the structural model type. The most basic distinction among structure types is between categorical (discrete) and dimensional (continuous) models. It is a common, and potentially misleading, practice to apply some method for estimating a latent structural model such as factor analysis without first verifying that the latent structure type assumed by that method applies to the data. The taxometric method was developed specifically to distinguish between dimensional and 2-class models. This study evaluated the taxometric method as a means of identifying categorical structures in general. We assessed the ability of the taxometric method to distinguish between dimensional (1-class) and categorical (2-5 classes) latent structures and to estimate the number of classes in categorical datasets. Based on 50,000 Monte Carlo datasets (10,000 per structure type), and using the comparison curve fit index averaged across 3 taxometric procedures (Mean Above Minus Below A Cut, Maximum Covariance, and Latent Mode Factor Analysis) as the criterion for latent structure, the taxometric method was found superior to finite mixture modeling for distinguishing between dimensional and categorical models. A multistep iterative process of applying taxometric procedures to the data often failed to identify the number of classes in the categorical datasets accurately, however. It is concluded that the taxometric method may be an effective approach to distinguishing between dimensional and categorical structure but that other latent modeling procedures may be more effective for specifying the model.
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The national abortion rate - the number of abortions per 1,000 women - dropped 6 percent between 1980 and 1987 as the overall number of abortions has stabilized at about 1.6 million per year, a study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute said.
The study released this week said the overall abortion rate dropped from 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women to 26.9 per 1,000 in the 1980-1987 period.Another measure, the abortion ratio - the percentage of pregnancies that end in abortion - also showed a decline in the 1980-1987 period, dropping from 30 percent to 28.9 percent.
But the study, reported in the institute's journal, Family Planning Perspectives, also found that over the same period, the abortion rate among women under 15 years old increased 18 percent - from 8.4 to 9.9 per 1,000 women - and 11 percent among minority women aged 15 to 19, from 66 to 73 abortions per 1,000 women.
The study also found that the gap in the ability to to prevent pregnancy is widening between minority, mostly black, and white teenagers.
It found that the overall teenage pregnancy rate stayed about the same during the 1980s but declined among white women aged 15-19, dropping from 96 to 90 pregnancies per 1,000 women despite an increase in the proportion who said they were sexually active.
Among minority teenagers, however, the pregnancy rate increased 2 percent between 1980 and 1987, despite dropping to a low of 181 per 1,000 in 1984, reaching a rate of 189 pregnancies per 1,000 in 1987.
The authors of the study - Stanley Henshaw of the Guttmacher Institute, and Lis Koonin and Jack Smith of the Centers for Disease Control - said the overall decline in the national abortion rate was not caused by a reduction in the rate of unintended pregnancy.
"We cannot determine the exact reasons for the abortion decline," they said. "It could be because of reduced access to abortion services or changed attitudes toward both abortion and carrying unplanned pregnancies to term.
"Some unmarried women facing an unintended pregnancy may not feel as desperate as they would have a few years ago when non-marital childbearing was less accepted," they added.
Higher abortion rates and birthrates among women younger than 15 is probably a reflection - at least in part - of the growing rate of sexual activity among teenagers, the study said. The proportion of sexually active 15-year-olds rose from 21 percent in 1982 to 28 percent in 1988.
As in the past, the groups of women having the highest numbers of abortion in 1987 were predominantly young, unmarried and white. Of those having abortions, 80 percent were under age 30; 82 percent were not currently married and 65 percent were white.
But, among sub-groups, women with the highest rates - rather than numbers - are whose who are young, unmarried and non-white.
The study said the 6 percent overall decline reflected a major drop in the rate among married women older than 25 and among white unmarried women of all ages.
It found the abortion rate among all white women fell from 24 to 21 per 1,000 women in the 1980-1987 period, while the rate among all non-white women stayed around 56 per 1,000 in the same period. | https://www.deseretnews.com/article/158582/US-ABORTION-RATE-FELL-6-BETWEEN-80-87.html |
4 feet 9 inches to centimeters. What is 4'9 inches in cm?
What is 4 feet 9 inches in centimeters?
How many cm are in 4'9? Convert 4 feet and 9 inches to centimeters. Use this calculator to find out how much is 4 foot 9 in centimeters. To calculate feet and inches into cms, tally up the height in inches and then multiply by 2.54. This will give you the total height in centimeters.
What is 4foot9 inches in cm? | https://www.vacations.info/metric/ft-in.php?feet=4&inches=9 |
His immersive artworks are beckoning at first glance, inspired by the surroundings of the beautiful Bay of Plenty, in the northern islands of New Zealand. By trade, Young is a keen surfer and a boat builder by profession, both of which often appear as subjects within his artworks themselves. His body of works are largely influenced by the ocean and brings his passion for surfing and craftmanship in his evocative glass form.
A prevalent medium within his works are industrial elements used to compliment his organic glass; Concrete as a basic construction material is repurposed to form both a physical and visual contrast between the textures and colors already present in his forming artworks.
In his latest exhibition at REDSEA Gallery, Ben Young heightens his explorations of the materials used in his works to elevate and create works of true masterpieces.
The exhibition will feature his latest sculptures created especially for this exhibition at REDSEA. | http://www.redseagallery.com/exhibitions/expanse |
Social aggression refers to behaviors that are intended to harm friendships or social status, it includes social exclusion, friendship manipulation and malicious gossip. Although both girls and boys engage in it equally, girls may be more hurt and worried by it because it harms what they value most – their close relationships. Research indicates that both aggressors and victims are more likely than other children to be rejected by their peers and to report loneliness, depression and anxiety. They may also be at greater risk of eating disorders.
Marion K. Underwood, University of Texas/Dallas, reports in her recent book Social Aggression Among Girls that educators and parents should capitalize on girls’ verbal skills, social intelligence, empathy for victims and distaste for perpetrators when attempting to prevent or reduce such aggression. Underwood points out that intervening is challenging because these behaviors are often subtle and occur in settings to which adults lack access.
Current research offers clues for effective intervention with both girls and boys. Experience with bullies has revealed that it is important for adults to communicate explicitly which behaviors are unacceptable and hurtful. When children realize that adults view the behavior as wrong, they are more likely to seek help. In Underwood’s opinion, parents need to be sensitized to the fact that children can learn these behaviors by observing certain marital or other conflicts in which adults give one another the silent treatment, enlist others to support their point of view in a conflict, or threaten to terminate the relationship and withdraw love and affection. Research also reveals that children who are socially aggression often assume others are being hostile. Techniques borrowed from Cognitive Therapy can help children to make more positive assumptions, entertain alternative interpretations of others’ behavior, and recognize their own automatic, highly negative thinking.
Underwood states that girls could be taught to express their needs and goals more directly and to accept conflict as a natural, healthy part of close relationships. Parents, teachers and counselors can discuss more explicitly how social aggression hurts the victim, reflects badly on the perpetrator, and undermines everyone’s trust in their peers. She also suggests that it would be beneficial for girls to participate in a wider range of group activities (drama, musical groups, service organizations etc.) at a younger age so that they have more diverse opportunities to belong to a group. In one Australian study, girls said the number one reason for engaging in social aggression was to alleviate boredom. Discretionary time could be more constructively spent in voluntary group activities, writes Underwood.
Peer intervention is promising strategy
Peer intervention is one of the most promising strategies for interrupting social aggression among girls. Girls’ interpersonal and verbal skills enable them to intervene effectively. Research on bullying has demonstrated that children can be taught to assume other roles besides bully or victim. For example, they can act as defenders in bullying situations. High-status children, in particular, more often assume the role of defender. Such peer intervention is important because social aggression often occurs in contexts without adult supervision. Underwood concludes that girls expect more intimacy, loyalty and dependence in their relationships than do boys, and are more supportive of interventions to reduce peer harassment. Their strong verbal skills and high social intelligence help them think through complex social situations. Creatively capitalizing on girls’ skills and empathy can enable them to intervene to reduce social aggression.
“Preventing and Reducing Social Aggression Among Girls”, The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, Volume 19, Number 12, December 2003, pp. 1, 3-4. | http://www.ernweb.com/educational-research-articles/reducing-social-aggression-among-girls/ |
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