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PRIMARY PURPOSE:
Responsible for the design support to DSS (DSS Business Units) products. Manages product modifications through the complete implementation process to develop designs that meet or exceed product performance specifications per internal Molex standards, industry standards or customer specifications to a planned schedule. Supports engineering team on all projects in development, 3D Modeling, 2D Drawings, engineering changes, technical documents, product testing, etc.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support design, development, and modification of products within DSS BUs that meet or exceed customer expectations. Design includes all aspects of product development such as 3D Modeling, 2D Drawings, design layouts, engineering changes, technical documents, tolerance analysis, product testing, etc. Utilizes a working knowledge of material costs and manufacturing processes to determine the impact on various design attributes. Provides input to the DFMEA analysis of the product as required.
- Works with manufacturing engineering to develop manufacturing processes utilizing the latest 3D CAD modeling techniques and other DFM tools.
- Provides technical support to customers, suppliers, and inside product marketing personnel.
- Work globally with teams to bring products to production.
- Checks engineering, manufacturing and sales drawings for completeness and accuracy.
- Strong English communication skills, both verbal and written, that demonstrate the ability to express complex technical concepts clearly and concisely.
- Understand, support and contribute to current Molex Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, International Standards Organization (ISO) and Environmental, and/or Health and Safety (EH&S) Management Systems by following stated policies and procedures.
- Perform other related duties as assigned by management.
SCOPE:
Support design, develop & modifications of DSS products and manufacturing processes. Products are designed using 3D CAD solid models, 2D detailed engineering drawings, GD&T, FMEA, and component FAI. Completes projects according to internal product development procedures and ISO/QS requirements.
EDUCATION:
REQUIRED:
Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical
PREFERRED:
Same as above
WORK EXPERIENCE:
REQUIRED:
2-3 years design experience of electromechanical products – components and assemblies
PREFERRED:
Should possess good knowledge in designing plastic, sheet metal & machined components
SKILLS & ABILITIES:
REQUIRED: | https://mechanical.co.in/molex-is-hiring-cad-engineer-4/ |
Healthcare data is increasing at an exponential rate. Approximately one-third of the world’s data volume is being generated by the healthcare industry. By 2025, the compound annual growth rate of healthcare data will reach 36% – that’s 6% faster than manufacturing, 10% faster than financial services, and 11% faster than media and entertainment.
In addition to information captured during visits with healthcare professionals, personal health information is being created by an increasingly diverse set of devices, apps, and monitoring technologies, each generating a dizzying array of daily statistics on health and wellness. This raw data is being used to generate AI-based insights often stored and managed in vast, cloud-based information networks. Further, this medical information will continue to grow while becoming increasingly disconnected.
To achieve the promise of the healthcare information age, it’s critical for the industry to connect these increasingly disparate and disconnected data sources. While there is an immediate need for Electronic Health Record (EHR) interoperability, ultimately it is about more than just interoperability between healthcare systems. It is about getting a 360-degree view of a person’s health – information that sits in multiple EHRs as well as personal health data generated through wearable devices, apps, and tests outside of the general healthcare environment.
For clinicians, bringing together disparate sources of patient data provides them with the full picture so they can better understand overall patient health and wellness, make more informed health decisions, and support better health outcomes. This is crucial, especially as medical errors account for more than 250,000 deaths annually in the U.S. – significantly more than other developed nations.
For healthcare consumers, it provides a holistic and comprehensive medical history that is not specific to any healthcare organization or technology and that follows them wherever they go – at a hospital while on vacation, across town to a new provider, or at various specialists. It also has the potential to facilitate better personal health decisions and wellness planning to prevent acute problems later, improve clinical outcomes now, and reduce the need for redundant diagnostic testing.
To connect the dots, we need to start by untangling the Gordian knot that is healthcare data.
Thread 1: Electronic Health Records
At the root of the healthcare information data challenge is the EHR. This vital healthcare information is often housed in a wide variety of disparate and disconnected Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems. Each healthcare organization (HCO) may have one or many different EMRs, so a patient’s medical history may be fragmented across various EMR systems within a single HCO and then further dispersed across multiple HCOs.
For example, a patient may have seen their primary care physician for an annual check-up, as well as been treated for a serious condition in a hospital belonging to that same HCO. If there are different EMRs for primary care offices and the hospital, that individual now has two different and disconnected records in that one HCO. Now, consider that same patient goes skiing on vacation, falls, and needs emergency orthopedic surgery. The local hospital uses its own instance of an EMR that is, again, different and disparate from the patient’s home HCO. As a result, the patient now has a third identity.
This pattern continues over time often resulting in many, completely disconnected datasets that describe a patient’s medical history. There are now many different ‘versions’ of the same person with no ability to automatically connect those records for a complete view of the patient. The burden rests on the patient to manually gather information from system to system, collate it, and then communicate it accurately to each healthcare provider.
Some EMR technologies have tried to address this challenge by allowing for records to be shared across different instances of their own technology – a fix that is difficult to implement and still limited in scope and scale. Further, many technologies now support a manual export of medical information that the patient, caregiver, or HCO can piece together from multiple files. Additionally, Healthcare Information Exchanges (HIEs) are designed to aggregate this information from multiple sources and can sometimes offer a more holistic picture of a patient, but there aren’t many HIEs available and they are not nationwide so even an HIE cannot provide a complete source of truth of a patient.
In most cases, reconciling different medical personas created over a lifetime of interactions is still complex, manual, paper-based, and falls on the patient to manage. Yet, the impact of fragmented patient medical information goes well beyond simple inconvenience. It can also impact clinicians’ ability to provide the right treatment plans to achieve the best health outcomes.
“If you are a complicated patient, there is a higher risk of a doctor not having all of the data – and it should be the opposite,” said Dr. Doug McKee, chief medical information officer at Health First. “Patients don’t always know their medicines and current dosages or what the results were from recent tests. Adding to this, a patient’s information is often scattered across multiple systems so the treating physician may not have this information either. You can’t expect patients to recall these details and it takes time for clinicians to gather it.”
Dr. McKee continued, “Just being able to share information is the first step. The next step is to make sure the data is accurate, curated, maintained, and up to date but that often doesn’t happen. So, it’s garbage in, garbage out – and the disconnect creates a mess.”
In addition to impacting patients’ healthcare, the challenge of disparate systems and fragmented healthcare information also makes it difficult to combine healthcare system-driven medical history with personally curated wellness information. At a time when the volume and complexity of personal health and wellness data is experiencing exponential growth, it is becoming increasingly critical to combine both healthcare and personal wellness information to get a more complete picture of the individual.
Thread 2: Personal Health & Wellness Data
The rise of personal wellness tracking applications and devices — as well as medical-grade, consumer diagnostics tools — has forever changed the scope of healthcare information. Unlike the medical information resulting from provider interactions, this information is not captured in an EMR. Further, these data streams are often continuous – rather than episodic – showing trends over time versus a single point-in-time view. Wearable devices, such as Fitbits and Apple Watches, have become almost ubiquitous, capturing a continuous stream of information, such as heart rate, body temperature, sleeping patterns, and more.
Additionally, more specialized devices are now available to consumers to capture critical information outside the context of a physician’s office. For example, a patient may experience what could be a heart arrhythmia, but it is intermittent and does not occur during visits to their cardiologist’s office. Simple-to-use and portable consumer EKG devices that are FDA-cleared allow patients to capture this information at home and as symptoms occur, providing another window into the patient’s health that goes beyond the four walls of the traditional healthcare provider.
With each year, these personal devices improve in both accuracy and data capture and provide another critical tool to clinicians when diagnosing and treating patients. This persistent, longitudinal data captured in real time adds rich insight into patients’ health histories that can assist healthcare professionals in bolstering both health and wellness.
“Patients and doctors need a single source of truth across providers, towns, and devices,” explained Dr. McKee. “Currently, however, if the patient goes into an urgent care, then meets with his primary care provider followed by a specialist who recommends the use of a wearable device – these are all different sources of truth, which means there is no real source of truth. That is the challenge.”
While the body of personal health and wellness information continues to increase at an astounding rate, there is still no standard and operationalized way of capturing and digesting data from these types of digital devices. And, while this information is important, it is another set of data points that individual patients need to manually collate. Combining the insights from outside the bricks-and-mortar provider setting with traditional medical information is crucial to creating a 360-degree view of the individual. Without seamless integration, the sources, volume, and complexity of health information will continue to grow, and the problems will compound.
Thread 3: Complex Care and the Rise of Advanced Testing
Up until now, each twist of this Gordian knot represented more common patients – those who are relatively healthy with occasional injuries or illnesses. However, there are millions of people who suffer from chronic disease, rare disease, cancer, and multiple diseases simultaneously. These complicated patients add another level of complexity to the data interoperability challenges as they often see multiple specialists or need to go to various hospitals to get treatment. It becomes a tangled web of data points.
Further complicating the healthcare data picture is the rise of genetic and other testing to better understand complex conditions. Today, when a patient is diagnosed with a serious disease, there are often diagnostic tests ordered to better understand the nature of the condition and the best pathways to care. In many cases, the results of these advanced diagnostics are delivered as unstructured information (i.e., a paper document, PDF, etc.). As such, critical data elements are often lost in paper results documents or attachments in the EMR where both patients and clinicians must manually cross-reference that information with other healthcare data. The impact of this manual collation of data can be seen in everything from clinical decision-making to the identification of potential clinical trial participation.
“It’s not realistic to expect patients – especially patients with complicated medical conditions – to have all information around medications and dosages as well as advanced diagnostic test results at their fingertips. On the other hand, it’s risky for doctors to rely on medical records alone,” Dr. McKee added. “A cancer patient, for instance, may have to carry her medical records and medications around in bags from hospital to doctor’s office to the clinic to a pharmacy. It adds so much unnecessary burden and stress on an already very sick patient.”
Additionally, some genetic profiling has moved outside the walls of the HCO and into the hands of the healthcare consumer. Direct-to-consumer testing through third parties, such as 23andMe, Ancestry, or emerging consumer lab testing companies like Everlywell, has spiked in the last five years as home kits have become easier to use, more available, and less expensive. In fact, the global direct-to-consumer genetic testing market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.84% between the years 2017 and 2028.
With both clinician-prescribed and healthcare consumer-driven testing on the rise, there is an opportunity to harness this information to drive better decision-making on both the part of the patient and the clinician. However, until this data is unified with the rest of an individual’s health information and readily accessible to those who need it, the utility of this testing data will remain limited.
A Brave New World of Interoperable Healthcare
“But everyone belongs to everyone else.” – Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
In contrast to Aldous Huxley’s futuristic “World State,” where the things that make each individual unique have been removed, the real world is composed of billions of biologically complex human beings, each similar in some ways, but different in many others. We are at an inflection point where modern science and modern technology have intersected to create the perfect storm of data dysphoria – a twisted knot of medical data threads.
But imagine what could be achieved if we could bring all this medical information together to create a single, streamlined, and accurate medical view? And in a way where additional data sources in the future could be easily sewn into that same patient’s medical tapestry?
Achieving this personalized new world becomes more imperative with each passing day, too. Healthcare data is exploding, as well as the diversity of data sources. And, as that data continues to grow, so do the opportunities to dramatically improve care, increase health equity and access, and reduce the burden on clinicians and patients. In this world, clinicians would have easy access to comprehensive data on individual patients, and patients would receive better care with less stress and frustration.
Ultimately, this care model would yield a medical system less burdened by cost and more empowered to provide quality treatment to every man, woman, and child across every demographic.
About Jennifer Goldsmith
Jennifer Goldsmith is the President of Tendo Systems, a software company driving digital transformation in healthcare by creating exceptional experiences for patients, clinicians, and caregivers. With deep experience in software-as-a-service platforms and applications, as well as professional and strategic services, Goldsmith has spent more than two decades defining and building new markets, incubating early solutions, building high-performing teams, and scaling regulated businesses across the education and life sciences industries. In addition to her role at Tendo, Goldsmith serves on the board of directors at Benchling and BTR and has published extensively on technology and business topics. Past companies include Computer Sciences Corporation, IBM, Instructure, and Veeva, where Goldsmith was responsible for leading Veeva Vault from its formation to market leadership. She can be reached at [email protected]. | https://hitconsultant.net/2022/02/22/data-bridges-for-a-better-healthcare-future/ |
Year 6 children have been fortunate to work alongside a Relax Kids coach to develop a variety of calming techniques that they can use in the lead up to the SATs.
The children attended two one hour sessions which were fun, interactive and delivered expertly, with a great deal of sensitivity to the needs of the children. Each session enabled the children to learn the science behind how their brain works, why it’s a natural reaction to feel stressed and nervous in new situations and strategies to cope with these feelings. They practiced deep breathing, including Angel Breaths and Darth Vader breaths (a popular technique!).
The children were shown how stretching and yoga would help and a particular favourite was the peer massage. The children leant a routine which included moves such as kneading dough, cat grip and ice skating. They were all enthusiastic to take part and could see how breathing, yoga and peer massage can be useful items in their personal toolkits developing skills for life. Another focus of the sessions was the use of positive affirmations to boost self-belief and confidence, especially in areas of life where the children didn’t feel they were successful.
The children have commented on how relaxing they found the sessions and how the techniques calmed them down. Some have already used the techniques at home, especially the peer massage, which they have tried on parents!
Teachers are looking forward to using these techniques to help the children in their daily school life and give them strategies they can use for dealing with ‘stressful’ times. | https://www.churchtown.org.uk/news/?pid=3&nid=1&storyid=142 |
Questions tagged [radiation]
Ionizing electromagnetic waves, usually harmful to most biological beings.
69 questions
46
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2answers
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How do cockroaches resist the effects of ionizing radiation?
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20
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Why does UV radiation from the Sun cause skin cancer?
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10
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Does a microwave oven disinfect food?
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10
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2answers
757 views
What is the modern state of the theory of evolution?
When I studied biology at my medical school, we used to learn topics around a century old: the famous Darwin's voyage on "Beagle" to the Galapagos Islands, the classical triad of his Theory ...
9
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2answers
2k views
Can we determine a person's age by dating methods or other means?
There are many sports restricted to players of a certain age (e.g. 16 and under, 18 and under, etc.) What if a person is older and fakes his birth certificate to say that he is younger? Is there any ...
9
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1answer
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Why are women more susceptible to radiation?
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8
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1answer
243 views
Can any organisms see non-electromagnetic radiation?
Some examples would be cosmic rays, neutron radiation, alpha radiation, beta radiation, muon radiation, and antimatter radiation. Some related questions: How is non-electromagnetic radiation detected,...
8
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1answer
707 views
How is the effective dose calculated when only part of the body is irradiated?
For calculating the effective radiation dose in Sv, the equivalent dose absorbed by each body part is averaged according to tissue-specific weighting factors, which sum up to 1. If not the whole body ...
7
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1answer
437 views
Are low-intensity radio-waves carcinogenic?
A recent review article, Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation reached a surprising conclusion our analysis demonstrates that low-intensity RFR [...
6
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1answer
963 views
How do electrons destroy DNA bonds in radiation?
Malignant tumors can be treated by radiation therapy. Most commonly it's radiotherapy with photons, or protons and so on. The common denominator for both types is that the radiation creates electrons ...
6
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1answer
231 views
Why did they expect Astronaut Scott Kelley's telomere shortening to accelerate? (they got longer!)
The NPR News article and podcast Scientists Share Results From NASA's Twins Study says: SCOTT KELLY (NASA Astronaut): You know, the symptomatic stuff is fine. I don't have any long-term negative ...
6
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2answers
210 views
What level of cellular radiation is harmful for humans?
What level of radiation at the frequencies used by the cellular network(1-2 Ghz) is harmful for human health?
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Why does radiation sickness cause hair to fall out?
As I understand it, radiation poisoning (acute radiation syndrome) is fatal because the radiation kills cells. However, why do victims experience hair loss at such an early stage in the process?
6
votes
1answer
453 views
Can radiation therapy cause cancer?
Radiation therapy is a very popular cancer treatment method. But can it have any risk for make a different cancer? Because i think that radiation exposure can make DNA mutation and thus increase the ...
6
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1answer
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Does melanin protect humans from gamma radiation?
It is known that radiotrophic fungi use melanin to make use of gamma radiation. It is also known that melanin protects human skin from UV radiation. Thus I wonder whether melanin protects humans from ...
6
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1answer
3k views
Can bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells be destroyed by resonance?
Radiotherapy has been used to treat cancer. Can the resonances by coordinated electromagnetic waves (and/or other forms of waves), of various frequencies, amplitudes and pulse rates, directed from ...
5
votes
1answer
86 views
About radiation therapy
With radiation therapy, could some of the radiation used cause new mutations in non-cancerous cells that are near the tumour that is being irradiated? If so could these new mutations lead to new ...
5
votes
1answer
60 views
Are there any studies on the fertility levels of humans/mammals as a function of their stay at Antarctica?
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4
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2answers
342 views
Any benefit to low dose radiation?
Is there any survival benefit in humans that can be obtained from chronic exposure to low dose radiation, or is any dose of radiation a potential harm? Has any research been done into this?
3
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1answer
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Can DNA be considered as a fractal antenna?
I was reading about the consequences of using mobile phones and came across the statement that mobile phones are a potential source of cancers because DNA is a kind of a fractal antenna. The reason ...
3
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2answers
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Difference between Medical and Airport scanner radiation
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3
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1answer
2k views
Why does UVA penetrate deeper than UVB, though it's weaker?
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3
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2answers
1k views
Can radiation equilevant to 1 CT (computer tomography) scan causes significant changes in human body?
I've read that CT scan causes radiation equivalent to few hundreds of ordinary X ray scan. It sound scary at the first look of it but I wonder is it the amount considered significant? Can dosage equal ...
3
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2answers
1k views
Could there be any effects from low powered infrared being used to track eye movements long term?
Basically, looking into infrared LED's and a camera with an infrared bandpass filter for tracking eye movements; my concerns are whether there would be any potential negative long term effects from ...
3
votes
1answer
70 views
About modern dating techniques
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3
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1answer
302 views
Hair loss in a nuclear submarine? [closed]
Biologically, how prevalent is hair loss on a nuclear submarine? How can prolonged exposure to radiation levels typically present on a nuclear sub affect a person, say over a year or even more?
3
votes
0answers
269 views
Is Near-infrared focused light safe for your eyes?
I found a new product, but I'm afraid it's not safe. Can you help me understand what the safety limits are when it comes to near-infrared light focused on your eyes is? I'm assuming the wavelength ...
3
votes
0answers
127 views
Is WIFI safe for humans? [closed]
I have wifi on at my home almost all the time. I learned that the frequency of visible light is around several hundreds of THz, while the frequency of wifi is only several GHz, which is only 1:100,000....
2
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1answer
146 views
A study has found that cell phones cause infertility, is this something to worry about or is the study flawed?
Is this a worrying study, or is it flawed? A study has found that cell phones are detrimental to male sperm quality (Lower sperm motility and sperm concentration). It’s original goal was to determine ...
2
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1answer
101 views
A cure for radiation exposure?
Some of the greatest inventions of my lifetime have been from looking at nature and copying. I found out tadigrades in outer space have the ability to repair their own DNA when exposed to radiation ...
2
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1answer
66 views
Why does our visible range not include infrared or UV radiation? [duplicate]
As the radiation peak of the sun is in the UV region and since at around room temperature materials emit radiation at IR, I wonder why our eyes are not capable of using these wavelengths. I guess ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
Are microwaves harmful to us?
They closed my question on the Physics Stack Exchange because it wasn't a purely physics question, so I'm trying here. Recently I've come across the topic of scrapping microwaves, and the various ...
2
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2answers
556 views
Radiation and "Safe Dose"
I've read about safe doses of radiation, briefly. Why is there such a thing a safe dose? Can't any radiation give you cancer? Why is it more and more dangerous to take in larger and larger doses? Just ...
2
votes
1answer
116 views
Aside from cockroaches and other insects, which species (of all kinds) are 'immune' to ionizing radiation?
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2
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the relationship between radiation and evolution?
There is always a certain amount of background radiation present, for example due to ionizing radiation from the sun and other stars. Also certain materials like granite may emit relatively large ...
2
votes
1answer
174 views
Is excessive hydration a risk factor for cancer in humans?
I was reading a book on radiation biology, and the book describes the process of "indirect action", where radiation can first ionize a water molecule forming a free radical, which then may interact ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views
What are the biological processes of ingesting radioactive particles?
As someone who has basic understanding/education in physics and how radiation works, there is something that is confusing me and which I would like to shed some light on (I posted about this ...
2
votes
0answers
25 views
Can high energy photoelectrons damage cell membranes?
I've read that in addition to ionizing radiation causing damage to DNA through direct absorption, but DNA can also be damaged through photoelectrons with enough energy. The thing I was wondering is ...
2
votes
0answers
32 views
Effects of X-ray exposure on upcoming pregnancies
Recently we had a little fight with my girlfriend about the risks of genetic diseases for our potential baby. The thing is that she had her medical check recently and it included an X-ray examination ...
1
vote
1answer
123 views
Why does ionizing radiation cause only DNA double strand breaks?
It's known that ionizing radiation such as X-ray and $\gamma$-ray, cause DNA damage, specifically double strand break. Why is it so? I mean, why not single strand break, why not pyrimidine dimer?
1
vote
3answers
179 views
Does cell phone radiation promote longevity?
This preprint presents results from a 2-year National Toxicology Program study on the effects of cell-phone radiation in rats. On page 8 of the PDF, survival results are presented. The presentation of ...
1
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2answers
88 views
Could a strong magnet field repel the body before damaging it?
Could a magnetic field be strong enough to damage the body or erase the brain? Blood is slightly diamagnetic, so if the field was strong enough, could it repel a body evenly? Could a diamagnetic ...
1
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2answers
198 views
Cesium-137 From Fukushima Meltdown
I've been reading up on the Fukushima nuclear meltdown and its effects it had on the environment. The iodine-131 initially released from the incident decayed after 8 days, but other isotopes such as ...
1
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1answer
2k views
Which frequency of UV light damages DNA?
I have read that UV light can damage pure DNA (DNA that has been extracted and purified). Is there a particular frequency threshold where this damage occurs or is it more of a gradient where the high ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
Is it better to receive a certain dose of radition gradually or all at once?
Suppose you had to choose between getting exposed to 1000 mSv gradually over the next 5 years, or all at once exactly 5 years from now. Which one would be the healthiest option? Is the probability of ...
1
vote
1answer
160 views
How well understood are the long-term effects of nuclear radiation?
Sometimes, when people are concerned about radiation, it is not because it is precisely quantified how dangerous it is, but because we don't know how dangerous it is. How well understood are the long-...
1
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1answer
60 views
DNA Fingerprint
I recently came across an article indicating that the half life of DNA in the most ideal situations is 521 years (http://www.nature.com/news/dna-has-a-521-year-half-life-1.11555). However, since human'...
1
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1answer
215 views
What caused the Mesozoic-Cenozoic radiation?
The Phanerozoic eon has had 5 major extinction events and 3 major radiation events. After the Cambrian and Ordovician radiations came all five of the major extinction events, the last of which (...
1
vote
2answers
64 views
How come our thyroid glands don't suffer awful mutations (or do they)?
I was listening to a lecture by my Biology professor and he said that the thyroid gland contains radioactive Iodine which can break down and create reactive Oxygen species (because ionizing radiation ...
1
vote
1answer
337 views
How do I find samples/patients in TCGA (the cancer genome atlas) that had radiation therapy?
I want to correlate the expression of a gene (for sample the KRAS gene) with survival and if the patient received radiation therapy using any suitable TCGA (the cancer genome atlas) dataset. However, ... | https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radiation?tab=Votes |
Water is constantly being cycled between the atmosphere, the ocean and the land. This cycling is a very important process that helps sustain life on Earth. When the sun heats water, the water evaporates or changes to water vapor. Water vapor rises and condenses or changes back into liquid water droplets. These water droplets are very small and form around dust particles.
When temperature conditions are right, these droplets gather together and form clouds. The clouds move over the land, and precipitation falls as rain, ice or snow. The water fills streams and rivers, and eventually flows back into the oceans where evaporation starts the process all over again!
Some of the water that falls on Earth goes through the process of infiltration. During infiltration, water is soaked into the ground. Some of this water returns to the Earth's surface and some of it remains underground and becomes groundwater. Plants absorb water from the soil. The water moves from the roots through the stems to the leaves. Once water reaches the leaves, some of it evaporates from the leaves, adding to the amount of water vapor in the air. This process of evaporation through plant leaves is called transpiration.
In large forests, an enormous amount of water will transpire through leaves. In warm parts of the Earth, particularly near the Equator, plants create so much water vapor that they make their own weather! Rainforests rely on transpiration for most of their water. | http://www.nhptv.org/NatureWorks/nwep7a.htm |
"Everything I thought I knew at the end of my first year of fieldwork was wrong," William Irons said to me when first I met him in Tehran, at the British Institute of Persian Studies, in 1967. Irons was in course of his second stint of research among the Yomut Turkmen of the Gorgon Plain, to the east of the Caspian Sea, having after his first stint of fieldwork taken a study break of several months at the University of London. I had just arrived to Iran to begin my fieldwork in Baluchistan, and I was impressed by Irons' observation. As in so many other things, Irons proved to be correct, at least as measured by my experience in Baluchistan.
The Turkmen were resolutely nomadic, living in yurts the year round, but their nomadism was not primarily an adaptation to the physio-biotic environment. For the small number of Turkmen charwa pastoralists in arid north of the Gorgon Plain, seasonal migration was useful; for the great majority of Turkmen, who were grain cultivators, chomur, living in the rainy south of the Gorgon Plain, there was no productive need to be mobile, and they moved very little. Thus Irons argues that nomadism, for the Yomut Turkmen, was not ecological or productive, but was a political adaptation (Irons 1974, 1975). The Turkmen lived on the edge of the Persian Empire and had to contend with the Persian Crown. Turkmen took it as their right to extort payments from their Persian neighbors, to slave raid among more distant Persians and then sell the Persian captives in Central Asian markets, and to raid Persian caravans. However, these activities were a challenge and threat to the Persian Crown, which believed it had an exclusive right to extort from its subjects. From time to time the Persian Crown sent off an army on a punitive campaign against the Turkmen. The Turkmen, for their part, simply parted, packing up their yurts and heading across the Kara Kum desert to visit their Khiva Turkmen relatives while the Royal Army sat on the Gorgon Plain and ate up the Crown treasury. When the Royal Army was recalled, the Yomut returned. Thus for the Turkmen nomadism was not primarily regular movement of the household or community in the course of production, but mobility that could be called on to guarantee political independence and liberty, and the opportunities and benefits that followed from these. Nomadism as mobility allowed the Yomut to remain independent tribes by using rapid retreat as a tactic to avoid control by the Persian state.
Nomadic tribes can be strikingly different from one another, as Irons (1972) shows in his comparison between the Yomut Turkmen and the Basseri (Barth 1961). One remarkable contrast is the social and economic independence of Basseri households in comparison to the social and economic interdependence of Turkmen households. The nomadic Basseri tribe consisted of families with substantial but not very large herds, giving the tribe a rather homogeneous economic profile. This famously resulted from a sloughing off of both rich and poor families, the former becoming landowners, the latter agricultural labourers or sharecroppers (Barth 1961: Ch. VIII). The Yomut tribes instead maintained membership of rich, medium, and poor families alike. Poor families had the options of working as shepherds for wealthy families or taking up agriculture in the chomur section of the tribe. Wealthy families had the option of farming out their herds to poor families.
What accounts for the differences between the exclusive Basseri and the inclusive Yomut? We might say that the Basseri were economic nomads, while the Yomut were political nomads. Irons (1972) points out that both the internal and external security systems of the Yomut were based on military confrontation. Internally, the Yomut depended upon the balanced opposition of a segmentary lineage system; externally, the Yomut presented a military force for offensive raiding and defensive battles. Both internally and externally the measure of power was the number of fighting men. Segmentary solidarity for the Yomut was not only a norm, it was a direct interest. The more fighting men, whether from rich or poor families, retained by a lineage and tribe, the stronger it was. In contrast, the Basseri lived amidst Persian cities and peasant villages, watched by Persian Crown officials as well as by other tribes. For the Basseri, internally organized hierarchically under an administrating chief, khan, who also represented the tribe to the government officials, landowners, tribal chiefs of the regional elite, raiding and extortion-sources of major income for the Yomut-were not viable. Basseri success depended upon a good economic balance between population and resources, efficient livestock production, and good relations with the urban market. Households that were not succeeding were a drag on everyone else and not a resource to be supported. Thus, as Irons shows, political interests drove Yomut internal social policy, while economic interests drove Basseri internal social policy.
Why do tribes have chiefs?
The Yomut Turkmen tribes (Irons 1975, 1979a) were relentlessly egalitarian in their politics. They had no chiefs; they had no political hierarchies; there were no permanent offices (other than saqlau, "protector," the tribal collectors of tribute from Persian villages). Political relations were organized by patrilineal descent, and order was maintained by the balanced opposition of corporate lineages (Irons 1975: Ch. III).
Irons (1979a) attributes Yomut political egalitarianism to two ecological characteristics common in nomadic societies: low population density, and ease of geographic mobility. Under these circumstances, in which small groups can manage their own affairs and disputes can be solved through mobility, "the development of an institutionalized political hierarchy [is] improbable" (Irons 1979a: 362).
" How then can we account for the presence of political hierarchies, chiefs, and great power differentiation in some nomadic tribes? Irons (1979a: 362) offers an hypothesis: Among pastoral nomadic societies, hierarchical political institutions are generated only by external political relations with state societies, and never develop purely as a result of the internal dynamics of such societies.
Irons (1979a: 366) suggests that "chiefly office among pastoralists is concerned primarily with armed conflict and its alternative, peaceful negotiation and adjudication backed up by the possibility of armed conflict." In other words, hierarchical political institutions develop among nomadic pastoralists when there is close contact and a loose balance of power between the tribe and state authorities, and the tribal chief can effectively negotiate for the tribe with the state.
Iron's general argument is supported by his material on variation in political stratification among the Yomut and other Turkmen (Irons 1971). Various Turkmen groups had different degrees of contact with Persian sedentary peasant populations and with Persian government officials: Charwa pastoralists had little contact with either peasants or government; chomur cultivators were active "protecting" peasants for a fee; and those chomur closest to centers of Persian administration, such as the city of Asterabad, had some dealings with Persian officials.
Those Yomut with greater contact with outsiders were involved in more developed political hierarchies. The charwa operated mainly with an egalitarian lineage system; the chomur regulated their protection racket through the formal, hierarchical role of saqlau, generally taken by the most potent raider; and those chomur close to Persian cities found themselves embroiled with Persian officials, sarkardeh, responsible for recruiting conscripts and collecting taxes. Furthermore, the Goklan Turkmen, to the east of the Yomut, and within the influence of the city of Bojnurd, found themselves incorporated into administration by the government hierarchy. The more contact the Turkmen had with Persian officials, the more taxes they paid and the more men were conscripted.
Effective control by the Persian government over the Yomut, both immediately before and not long after WWII, increased the incorporation of the tribes into Persian administration. Amongst the Yomut themselves, the office of saqlau was lost, but rich Yomut, urban dwelling and educated, who were effective in associating with the Persian elite, became patrons for Yomut in the countryside, thus establishing an informal but real political stratification among the Yomut.
Irons (1971: 155) sums up this account with the generalization, "an increase in interaction with sedentary society is associated with an increase in political stratification."
Does cultural success result in biological success? Do individuals who achieve culturally specified goals have greater success in passing their genes to the next generation? This is the questions that Irons (1979b: 258) explores using quantitative data from the second phase of his Yomut research.
For Turkmen individuals, economic success is maximizing wealth (Irons 1979b: 260). If some Turkmen succeed in building wealth relative to other Turkmen, does this have any effect on their fertility and mortality, which taken together is a measure of Darwinian inclusive fitness? Irons pursues this question by ranking 566 Yomut households by amount of capital wealth, including livestock and land, and comparing the wealthier and poorer halves of the sample.
Wealthier individuals of both sexes enjoy better diets and medical care and devote less time to forms of labor which are strenuous or involve high risks. This in turn affects survivorship rates. Wealthier males have higher fertility because their families can afford to acquire brides for them at an earlier-than-average age, because they remarry more quickly after a wife dies, and because they are more frequently polygynous.
From these results Irons (1979b: 272) is able to conclude that "emic success among the Turkmen makes a high inclusive fitness more probable."
Do the rich always get richer among the Yomut?
Some Yomut families were very well to do, with hundreds and even thousands of livestock, or many acres under cultivation, while other Yomut families were poor, with only a few head of livestock or small patches of cultivation. Yet there was no economic stratification; there were no symbolic markers of economic status among the Yomut.
Irons (1994: 189) argues that While there is a very unequal distribution of wealth, the place of each family in this distribution is not permanent. ... Over a period of years, many households move from one of the economic categories to another. This was the view that they [the Yomut] always expressed about their own society. There were vast differences in wealth, but the wealth of individual families could be expected to change. For the wealthy to become poor or the poor to become wealthy was not unusual. Irons (1994) demonstrates statistically this volatility of wealth by comparing rank according to current wealth with rank according to inheritance. His (1994: 192) findings are that "the actual amount of change is about 75 percent of what would be expected if patrimony rank and current wealth rank were randomly related." A similar result is found in relation between patrimonies received by men and those given to sons; the change in wealth is about 81 percent of what one would expect from a random relationship. In short, who is well-to-do among the Turkmen has little to do with how wealthy his parents were, and will have little effect on how well off his son is. This is why differences in wealth among the Yomut do not lead to social inequalities.
These and other contributions to the understanding of nomadic peoples by Irons have influenced and clarified the thoughts of many students of nomadic life. For more than a few of us, Irons' work has been enlightening and inspiring. It is for this reason that the Awards Panel of the IUAES Commission on Nomadic Peoples determined to present William Irons with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
1971 "Variation in Political Stratification among the Yomut Turkmen," Anthropological Quarterly 44 (3): 143-156. 1972 "Variation in Economic Organization: A Comparison of the Pastoral Yomut and the Basseri," in Perspectives on Nomadism, Wm. Irons and N. Dyson-Hudson, editors.
1974 "Nomadism as a Political Adaptation: The Case of the Yomut Turkmen", American Ethnologist 1: 635-658.
1975 The Yomut Turkmen: A Study of Social Organization Among a Central Asian Turkic Speaking Population. Anthropological Paper Number 58, Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan.
1979a "Political Stratification among Pastoral Nomads," in Pastoral Production and Society, L'Equipe Ècologie et anthropologie des sociétés pastorale, editors. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1979b "Cultural and Biological Success," in Evolutionary Biology and Human Social Behavior: An Anthropological Perspective, N. A. Chagnon and Wm. Irons, editors. North Scituate, MA: Duxbury.
1994 "Why Are the Yomut Not More Stratified?" in Pastoralists at the Periphery: Herders in a Capitalist World, C. Chang and H. A. Koster, editors. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. | http://www.iuaes.org/comm/cnp/awards/irons.shtml |
As many professionals continue to work remotely, new challenges and obstacles arise every day. Aside from staying personally accountable, focused and driven, people in leadership roles face the challenge of delivering constructive criticism to others without having the benefit of in-person interaction. While it can feel insensitive to do this remotely, it is important that leaders provide effective feedback and criticism just as they would in pre-pandemic times.
Tip #1: Pick the Right Medium of Communication
Choosing the best medium for communication is the first step to delivering constructive criticism remotely. While some people may prefer to send an email, a video call may prove to be more effective. Platforms such as Skype or Zoom are great tools to utilize when communicating with peers, especially if the discussion is personal. Miscommunication about someone’s effort, quality of work, or other personal attributes can be damaging so video conferencing will not only help make the situation more comfortable but ensure feedback is clear and understood.
Tip #2: Be Specific
Be specific with your feedback. Avoid vague feedback like, “Good effort on the presentation but I don’t like it. There’s a lot of room for improvement.” Specificity is more meaningful and actionable. A more specific example might be, “Good effort on the presentation but there are three areas that can be improved, namely, (1) cutting down the length of the presentation by using more concise bullet points, (2) adding more charts on the data analytics page so the client can assess the information quicker, and (3) using a stronger conclusion that summarizes our recommendations.” The more specific the feedback, the easier it is for that person to understand, take action and improve the project or situation.
Tip #3: Use Compassion
The whole point of constructive criticism or feedback is to help the person improve. Using harsh words or being critical about something out of the person’s control can have the opposite effect and will only make them defensive. One way is to focus on the behavior, action or situation–not the person. Removing the ‘person’ from the equation will help him/her realize it is not a personal attack. Next, highlighting first what was done right sets up the conversation in a positive light and helps the person be more receptive to areas of improvement.
Constructive criticism, whether delivered in person or remotely, can be straightforward without losing compassion. The ultimate goal is to help the other person improve, not to tear them down. Being empathetic to a person’s situation, knowing what’s actionable or not, focusing on the situation, not the person, and cushioning your critique with positive reinforcement will produce win-win results.
Originally published on Tim Noonan’s website. | https://thriveglobal.com/stories/tips-for-delivering-constructive-criticism/ |
Sakina Abdus-Shakur, '13 is from Philadelphia, PA and is a Philosophy major and a Creative Writing minor. Her mentor is Professor Robert Dostal. She is interested in exploring the ideologies of self-esteem through the lense of education. Self-esteem is a psychological appraisal of self worth, which is comprised of a correlating beliefs and emotions. In the consideration of belief from the lense of education, she will consider statements such as “I am intelligent”, “I am worthy” and their converses, “I am stupid” and “I am unworthy”. Through philosophical and psychological readings, anthropological ethnography and sociological studies, she intends to explore the implications of positive of negative foundational beliefs of self. The second component of self-esteem is emotions. Emotions that may be felt in relation to education are pride, shame, triumph or despair. How do these positive or negative emotions interact with belief, and affect academic ability? How do people's beliefs and emotions create ideologies of academic affirmation or of academic inadequacies? Can education affect personal ideologies? What roles do beliefs and emotions play in the development of intellect? In order to develop her research on this subject matter, Sakina plans to attend the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Training Program at the University of Chicago this summer.
Rachel Kutten, '13 is from Montgomery Village, Maryland and is majoring in sociology with an English minor. Her mentor, Profesor Robert Washington, will assist her in exploring “cyber racism” and how it is manifested on the internet. She will examine how cyber racism can be found on some internet communities, and the implications it has for the way Americans in particular talk about race offline. Rachel will argue that cyber racism within internet communities that are catered towards Americans can expose and help acknowledge the inadequate discourse about race offline in the United States, which includes using the terms “post-racial” or “colorblind.” Internet communities can provide social support and venues of expression for people who are frustrated about inadequate race talk offline. In addition, the internet as a structure that can resemble life offline allows the mindset of colorblindness and post-racialism to permeate it. Rachel will do a content analysis of internet comments on news stories about the 2009 BART police shooting of Oscar Grant from three different news blogs: dailykos.com, CNN.com, and freerepublic.com. With her methodology she will decipher if these comments about the event come across as racist. By “racist,” it means that these comments would have to include the covert form of colorblind racism or post racialism, concepts that have been accepted offline by some Americans and have proven to belittle the plight of people of color. In the summer of 2011 Rachel attended a research training program at the University of Chicago and created a proposal for her Mellon project. Those who have inquires about Rachel’s research project can send her an email at [email protected].
Jomaira Salas, '13 is a sophomore from Lynn, Massachusetts majoring in sociology with an education minor. Her interests lie on the intersection of immigration and education in the United States and France. She is primarily interested in how public perception of immigration and immigration policy affect educational aspirations among first-generation immigrants. For her Mellon research project she will compare how immigration has defined the educational aspirations of students in Philadelphia and Paris. She is planning on studying abroad in spring 2012 in Paris, France. Jomaira will be conducting this project under the guidance of Professor David Karen in the Sociology department.
Jacinda Tran,'13of Newark, Delaware is majoring in Growth and Structure of Cities with minors in Environmental Studies and Chinese. Her freshman year, Jacinda was assigned to Professor Gary McDonogh, who has now become her major advisor and Mellon Mays mentor. In her research, she hopes to investigate public spaces and their social implications in addition to the issues of accessibility and disparities associated with them. This summer, Jacinda will be undertaking Mandarin language study in Shanghai, China for eight weeks through the Critical Language Scholarship. While there, she hopes to make observations that will direct her research towards a more specific focus. In the spring, Jacinda aspires to carry on her research in Buenos Aires, Argentina or Quito, Ecuador where she will tentatively be studying abroad. | http://www.brynmawr.edu/mellon/fellows/Cohort22.html |
Our fresh & frozen sauces are made using traditional recipes from the province of Abruzzi, which borders the Adriatic coast of Italy. All of our sauces are made from fresh tomatoes, vegetables, and herbs with no additives or preservatives.
Ingredients: unsalted butter, 35% & 10% cream, water, corn starch, parsley, garlic powder, parmigiano cheese (milk, bacterial culture, salt, lipase, calcium chloride, microbial enzyme), nutmeg, salt, white & black pepper.
Cooking Instructions: From frozen - gently simmer on stove top at low heat for 12-15 minutes stirring frequently or defrost in microwave 2 minutes then warm for 2 minutes. From thawed - thaw in refrigerator, gently simmer on stove top at low heat for 5-7 minutes stirring frequently.
Ingredients: tomatoes, 35% cream, olive oil, water, fresh celery, onions, carrots, basil, fresh parsley, fresh garlic, salt, black pepper, citric acid.
Ingredients: fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, parmigiano cheese (milk, bacterial culture, salt, lipase, calcium chloride, microbial enzyme), salt, black pepper.
Ingredients: Tomatoes, water, olive oil, salt, fresh celery, onions, carrots, fresh garlic, basil, fresh parsley, black pepper, citric acid.
Cooking Instructions: Gently simmer on stove top at low heat for 5 - 7 minutes stirring frequently.
Ingredients: Tomatoes, water, beef, olive oil, salt, fresh celery, onions, carrots, fresh garlic, basil, fresh parsley, black pepper, citric acid.
Ingredients: Tomatoes, water, olive oil, salt, fresh celery, onions, carrots, fresh garlic, basil, fresh parsley, chilli pepper, black pepper, citric acid. | http://pastaco.ca/sauces/ |
We stand at the edge of a new frontier in health care. The Affordable Care Act-2010 has encouraged researchers and clinicians to work constructively and cooperatively toward maximizing convergent translational patient-centered, effectivenessfocused and evidence-based health care. While developing innovative molecular and cellular biology techniques to inform translational research, the field has validated the sophisticated comparative effectiveness research protocol in translational effectiveness aimed at defining and characterizing the best evidence base for translational convergent health care in general, and translational dental practice in particular. The salient principles and criteria for translational convergent biomedicine of the XXI century are discussed in this paper.
Keywords
Affordable Care Act 2010; Translational research; Translational effectiveness; Comparative effectiveness research; Evidence-based dental practice
Introduction
By signing the US Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, 2010; www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/overview. html), President Obama unquestionably changed health care in general and biomedicine specifically, throughout the U.S. To be clear, the new law is not perfect–future legislative actions will certainly converge to improve its breadth and its specifics. Nonetheless, PPACA has brought about a plethora of fundamental changes to guarantee the right to affordable, effectivenessfocused, patient-centered, and evidence-based health care for all its citizens. It signified a direct, timely, critical and significant application of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, PL-111-5), which had allocated $1.1B specifically for the development and the establishment of translational comparative effectiveness research (CER) and analysis in the health sciences , which the Institute of Medicine defined as” “ the generation and synthesis of evidence that compares the benefits and harms of alternative methods to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor a clinical condition or to improve the delivery of care. The purpose of CER is to assist consumers, clinicians, purchasers, and policy makers to make informed decisions that will improve health care at both the individual and population levels…” . (Institute of Medicine, 2009).
Embedded within its fundamental tenets, PPACA argues in favor of translational health care. The translational perspective in the health sciences consists of two independent yet intertwined facets. Initially, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) defined translational research as the transaction between the patient at the bedside/chairside and the fundamental pathobiology emerging from testing the patient’s biopsies at the bench. Subsequently, the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality (AHRQ) outlined translational effectiveness as the process of obtaining and utilizing the best evidence base for certain treatment interventions in specific clinical settings, and of generating formative and summative evaluation in order to quantify the applications and the implications thereof for improved patient-centered health care. Translational science therefore represents two sides of the same coin: the concerted and complementary contribution of translational research and translational effectiveness in improving the health care process. This process begins from the initial patient-clinician encounter to the final prognostic follow-up, and includes all phases of diagnosis, delivery of care, treatment and monitoring in between [1,3].
We have proposed elsewhere that a timely and critical question now can be paraphrased as follows: is it CER that drives translational effectiveness, meaning to say: is it the identification of the best evidence base that drives its utilization in specific clinical settings; or, on the contrary, is it translational effectiveness that drives the need for CER. This means that the information that is obtained by means of translational research and of translational effectiveness determines the search for the best evidence base and its utilization in clinical practice . The question is as complex as it is timely and critical for translational health care in general and translational biomedicine in particular.
Translational convergent health care
It can be argued that the traditional divisions and segregations into fields and sub-fields, which have described Western biomedicine since the late XIX Century-e.g., psychiatry, anatomy, immunology, cardiology, dentistry, etc. –, while still prevalent today, are progressively being incorporated into a new and improved conceptualization of health care, which is referred to as “convergent”. The intent of convergence in the health sciences is to join again the mind and the body, the mouth and the rest of the body, and Western biomedicine to medical traditions across multiple cultures (e.g., Ayruvedic Medicine, Traditional Korean Medicine).
In recognition of this timely evolution, NIH established the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) with the purpose of defining and characterizing convergence in translational healthcare in biomedicine for the XXI Century. The Center aims at applying translational science in order to deliver new treatments and cures for disease to patients faster and more efficiently, and to disseminate the best evidence base more effectively to optimize collaborative approaches across medical traditions in the clinical enterprise. More importantly, however, the Center endeavors to ensure that patients are considered from the viewpoint of their physiological totality, meaning that biological variables must be considered in psychiatric patients, immunological diseases and disorders must not be isolated from the psychoneuroendocrine milieu that modulates all aspects of immune regulation, oral and dental conditions and diseases must be recognized for their significant impact on generalized health and disease, and psycho-physiopathology has a profound impact on oral pathology. We recently discussed these complex interactions in the specific context of the role of psychoneuroendocrineimmune interactions in the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in patients with HIV/AIDS treated with antiretroviral therapy , as well as psychoneuroendocrine responses to stimuli (e.g., stress) that modulate immune systemic regulation and immune surveillance of the oral cavity . In this context of convergence of dentistry into biomedicine, we also discussed the intertwined regulation among bone metabolism, and the psychoneuroendocrine and immune systems (i.e., osteopsychoneuroendocrine- immunology, and its sequelae in such pathological conditions as HIV/AIDS .
Of particular current interests in the translational convergent health care that coalesces biodentistry with biomedicine are, for instance, problems of occlusion, which one might think to be primarily the domain of dentists, which can in fact significantly affect the temporomandibular joint, yielding significant biomarkers for translational research and producing remarkable head and neck neuralgias, with important central nervous system and neurologic consequences that inform and interest neurologists .
Additionally, orofacial cellulitis, a skin and soft tissue infection that presents as diffuse, erythematous swelling resulting from the spread of infectious bacteria across epidermal, dermal, and subcutaneous tissues, if left untreated, can spread throughout the stoma and neighboring tissues (e.g., superiorly, deep facial skeleton as a route to invade the central nervous system, or inferiorly, the laryngeal and pharyngeal areas thus provoking life-threatening compression of the airways), and alternatively lead to systemic sepsis. Orofacial cellulitis typically originates from complications in dental surgeries, root canal procedures or inadequate dental post-treatment care [9,10].
Implications and applications for dental practice
In pursuit of translational science in dentistry, The American Dental Association defined evidence-based dentistry (EBD) as the approach to dental practice and to “…oral healthcare that requires the judicious integration of systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence, relating to the patient’s oral and medical condition and history, with the dentist’s clinical expertise and the patient’s treatment needs and preferences...”. From this viewpoint, evidence-based dental practice must, as does translational biomedicine, integrate the consensus of the best evidence base in a process of logic-based clinical decisionmaking that emphasizes both a focus on effectiveness-meaning to say, an emphasis on increased patient benefits and diminished risks at a lower cost-and on patient-centeredness [1-3,11].
Evidence-based dental practice is grounded, as translational biomedicine, on obtaining the best evidence base, and on incorporating into the treatment plan. In that regard, evidencebased dental practice distinguishes itself from dental practice based on the research evidence: whereas the latter utilizes the evidence in a few selected research reports, and therefore suffers from a bias of selection, the former is grounded on the best available research evidence that emerges from the systematic process of research synthesis, and reported as systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Evidence-based dental practice, as one essential component of translational healthcare, is a patientcentered, effectiveness-focused and evidence-based endeavor, which commences with the patient-clinician encounter at the diagnostic stage and culminates in the patient-clinician encounter during the entirety of the treatment prognostic and follow-up stages [1-3,11].
As a translational science of healthcare, evidence-based dental practice consists of two primary facets:
1. Translational research: emerging from the initial patientclinician encounter, biopsies and clinical tests are obtained to define and characterize the fundamental biological pathways that underlie the observed physiopathology.
2. Translational effectiveness: also emerging from the initial patient-clinician encounter, fundamental criteria are isolated by the clinician to discern the clinical literature that pertains specifically to the type of patient affliction (P), the possible interventions (I) and comparators (C), the desired clinical outcome (O), within the timeline under consideration (T) and the selected clinical settings (S). The crafted PICOTS question reveals the medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords needed to uncover the pertinent clinical trials, observational studies and systematic reviews. Once obtained, the peer-reviewed evidence is assessed and evaluated for level (i.e., type of study) and quality (i.e., risk of bias). The consensus of the best evidence base results from a cogent analysis of the evidence ranked by level and quality.
For example, and in relation to the observations noted above, PICOTS questions could be as follows:
1. Temporomandibular joint disorder:
P-Adults of age 20 and older with temporomandibular joint disorder
I-Bite guards (dental splints)
C-Physical (musculo-skeletal) therapy
O-Reduced symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder
T-1 year follow up
S-Community dental practice
2. Cellulitis :
P-Male and female patients of all ages diagnosed with cellulitis
I-erythromycin-based antibiotics administered orally
C-Penicillin-based antibiotics administered orally
O-elimination of threat to health from sepsis caused by cellulitis
T-2 weeks after antibiotic treatment
S-Hospital-dentistry setting
The tools and criteria for establishing the quality of the evidence are continuously being improved for reliability and validity. Case in point, the Ex-GRADE, a revision and expansion of the original Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, which reliably establishes the assesses the published research’s strength of the recommendation on the basis of the report study design, study quality, consistency, and directness [1,3,9,11,12]. The Risk of Bias instrument assesses the overall strength of evidence by measuring the risk of bias, derived from the lack of consistency, directness, and precision [1,3,9,11,13]. The Revised Assessment for Multiple Systematic Reviews provides (R-AMSTAR) establishes the methodological quality of systematic reviews by evaluating certain key criteria [1,3,9,11,14]. Related to the R-AMSTAR, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) is a checklist of 27 items, which are regarded as indispensable factors of a transparent reporting of systematic reviews, that contain, or not, a metaanalysis [1,3,11,15].
Conclusion
The New Frontier
It follows that we are at timely and critical cross-roads in dental practice, and more generally in translational biomedicine. We stand at the edge of a new frontier in health care: one ushered in by the PPACA-2010 five years ago, which encouraged researchers and clinicians to work constructively and cooperatively toward maximizing convergent translational patient-centered, effectiveness-focused and evidence-based health care. While developing sophisticated molecular and cellular biology techniques to inform translational research, the field has validated an increasing number of tools and instruments designed to evaluate the level and the quality of the research evidence. These comparative effectiveness research protocols are now available to define and characterize the best evidence base for translational convergent health care in general, and translational dentistry in particular. The principles and criteria for evidencebased medical and dental practice, are increasingly disseminated across the globe, as the foundations of translational convergent biomedicine in the XXI century. | https://www.itmedicalteam.pl/articles/translational-dentistry-the-new-frontier-indental-practice-108496.html |
Shauna Sweeney is a singer, songwriter, guitar player and percussionist. Her style is in the wheelhouse of Jason Mraz, Sheryl Crow and Colbie Callait.
Kylan Chetty is a South-African born singer and songwriter. Playing multiple musical instruments, from guitar and piano all the way down to harmonica, Kylan has spent the last 10 years of his 21 year old life enriching his own Musical capabilities.
The Fox Brothers (David and Sebastian) are a Spanish guitar duo who have been performing together since childhood. They have developed a unique style blending different genres and fusing them with the Spanish guitar.
Cortadito (Duet) is a traditional Cuban music Duet which focuses on performing the music of early 20th century Cuba. This dynamic Duet brings you back to a time when Trio Matamoros, or Ignacio Piniero ruled the airwaves.
Paco Aguilera singer, composer, guitarist from Barcelona, Spain. The most authentic gypsy rumba flamenco, winner of many international music awards and two gold records. Paco's music has been choosen for numerous movies including Fox, Universal and more.
Natalya and Daniel form this easy listening Duo with wide repertoire (over 300 songs). Their repertoire includes different styles such as Ballroom, Jazz, Pop, Bossa, Latin, Oldies, 80's, 90's and Contemporary. | https://www.drynwet.com/Services/Miami-djs/guitar |
Manipulation of matter at the nanometer length scale to produce useful devices and materials. Nanoscale sensors, mechanical and electrical systems, molecular electronics for memory and computing, novel materials. Scientific and engineering properties of nanoscale systems.
Who Takes It
Students interested in developing an understanding of nanotechnology usually take this course during their senior year; thorough understanding of one topic is developed through a term paper and end-of-quarter presentation.
What It's About
Nanotechnology is an exciting new field in that cuts across all scientific and engineering disciplines. Some of the newest developments in industry are based on nanotechnology. This course will introduce students to several important aspects of nanotechnology, as well pointing to the on-going development of new technology based on nanoscale phenomena. Some aspects of the politics and economic factors influencing nanotechnology development are also covered. | https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/mechanical/academics/courses/descriptions/385-nanotechnology.html |
This four-year direct-honours programme is hosted by the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and jointly offered with the School of Art, Design and Media, School of Computer Science and Engineering, and Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.
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Course DescriptionLeveraging on the strengths and expertise of four NTU schools, this multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary degree programme aims:
The programme is mainly technical. Sixty percent of the curriculum is devoted to technical courses in Information and Communications Engineering, such as programming, computer hardware/software, communications and networking, and digital audio/image/video processing. This strong emphasis on technical foundation produces infocomm professionals equipped to work in the IT, computer and communications industries.The programme also exposes students to the artistic and creative aspects of the media industry. About 20% of the curriculum is devoted to courses such as digital art and design, animation and game design, and radio/TV/movie production. This part of the curriculum allows students to graduate with a sound knowledge of media design and production in line with industrial needs. The graduates will be able to work with media designers in content creation, production and delivery. They will be in a unique position to better understand the needs of the content creators and to develop new technologies and tools which will help the Media industry achieve higher productivity and elevate it to the next level of excellence.Besides the specialized training, students are ensured a holistic and rich learning experience, as 20% of the curriculum is devoted to broadening courses in arts, humanities and social sciences, science and technology, and business and communication skills. These arm students with the capacity to readily adapt to the demands of tomorrow.
- To train professional Infocomm engineers with strong technical skills to meet the demand for Infocomm manpower.
- To train engineers with an exposure to the artistic and creative processes and equip them with an understanding of the needs of the growing media industry.
- To provide graduates with a strong foundation in mathematics, information sciences and soft-skills for diverse careers and life-long learning.
- To develop graduates with a good understanding of their roles in society and a strong sense of ethical and professional responsibilities.
The Student Learning Outcomes for the B.Eng.(IEM) programme are:(A) Apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering to the solution of complex engineering problems;(B) Design and conduct experiments, analyse, interpret data and synthesise valid conclusions;(C) Design a system, component, or process, and synthesise solutions to achieve desired needs;(D) Identify, formulate, research through relevant literature review, and solve engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions;(E) Use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice with appropriate considerations for public health and safety, cultural, societal, and environmental constraints;(F) Communicate effectively;(G) Recognise the need for, and have the ability to engage in life-long learning;(H) Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal context and to be able to respond effectively to the needs for sustainable development;(I) Function effectively within multi-disciplinary teams and understand the fundamental precepts of effective project management;(J) Understand professional, ethical and moral responsibility.
This course is listed under Development & Implementations , Data & Information Management , IT Security & Architecture , Digital Media & Games and Project & Service Management Community
Related Posts: | https://www.mytechlogy.com/Online-IT-courses-reviews/6965/bachelor-of-engineering-information-engineering-media/ |
When judges in Missouri prepare to sentence an offender, they have a new tool unavailable to other judges across the country: an invoice detailing the cost to taxpayers of different sentencing options.
The information is part of an offense summary culled from statistics kept by the state's Bureau of Corrections that is tailored to the offender and also details the risk that he might re-offend.
"I feel very strongly that Missouri is pioneering an important and valuable revolution in sentencing procedure," wrote Ohio State University professor Douglas A. Berman on his Sentencing Law and Policy blog.
The program was unveiled last month by the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission (MOSAC) as a tool to help judges determine the best chances for reducing recidivism with cost-effective punishments.
A judge or lawyer is able to enter specific information on the MOSAC website, such as an offender's prior criminal history, the crime committed, his education and employment status. The computer then uses statistics from other actual sentences to process the information.
For instance, a judge might plug in data regarding a 20-year-old offender with a high school diploma who was convicted of second-degree robbery and had no prior felonies. The online tool then would generate a report with a recommendation for probation with enhanced supervision that would cost $8,960 for a five-year period. If the offender were to receive such a sentence, his risk of committing a new offense within two years would be 29.7 percent.
However, the report also would contain information for the judge to consider if he believed there was a unique characteristic of the particular crime that would suggest a harsher sentence. That recommendation would be five years in prison for a cost of $54,724. The rate of recidivism for that sentence jumps to 39.6 percent.
Missouri Supreme Court Judge Michael Wolff, chairman of the state's sentencing commission, said the new tool considers cost, but focuses on recidivism.
"If it is a particularly heinous crime," he said, "then cost is irrelevant. But if you have a crime that involves the sentence of either a period of community supervision or a period of jail, the question is which sentence will make him less likely to re-offend. Oftentimes, the sentence that will produce the greater risk of recidivism is the most costly sentence."
The information is available to the judges as a tool, but they are free to disregard it.
"Though I understand the instinct that case-specific sentencing justice should not be assessed only with a financial spreadsheet," Berman said, "I think it is critical [especially in these lean budget times] to do everything possible to ensure that criminal justice decision-makers have reliable data on the likely benefits and costs of various punishment options."
Judge Wolff asked, "Why not ask the question of how much this is going to cost?"
But there are critics of the program. Jennifer Joyce, the prosecuting attorney in the city of St. Louis, said, "It's ultimately cheaper to prosecute no one."
She isn't opposed to the information being available for judges and taxpayers, or to the concept of alternative sentencing, but she is concerned that sentencing decisions will be made on an economic basis.
"Strictly speaking, economics is irrelevant to the decision that the judge makes, which is about public safety," she said. "If we are going to use economics as a basis to making these decisions, then we have to consider the economics of the victim and the community."
Judge Gary Oxenhandler, who sits on the 13th Judicial Circuit and has used the new tool, disagreed with her conclusion. He said cost is only one of many factors a judge should consider, including the threats to the community and the impact on the victim.
"I want as much information as I can get," he said. "Any place a judge can obtain information, that is an important source. The prosecution has its goals, the defense has its goals. Our job is to come up with the right amalgam that is going to best serve all these interests between protection of the public and punishment for the offender. "
Berman hoped that at a time when economic resources are tight and prisons are overcrowded, the idea will spread to other state and federal courts. | http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/judge-cost-sentence/story?id=11647286 |
Our group includes PostDocs, PhD students, and student assistants, and is headed by Prof. Felix Naumann. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Felix Naumann.
For bachelor students we offer German lectures on database systems in addition with paper- or project-oriented seminars. Within a one-year bachelor project students finalize their studies in cooperation with external partners. For master students we offer courses on information integration, data profiling, search engines and information retrieval enhanced by specialized seminars, master projects and advised master theses.
Most of our research is conducted in the context of larger research projects, in collaboration across students, across groups, and across universities. We strive to make available most of our data sets and source code.
Understanding the human language by machines is one of the important topics in computer science. There is a large range of tools and technologies for natural language processing that are used by many users in daily life: from the simplest cases such as spell checkers and grammar checkers to more complicated systems such as speech recognition, machine translation, question answering, email categorization, hand writing recognition, and search engines.
Processing natural language is divided into two main parts:
In this lecture, the main techniques and applications of natural language processing will be introduced. In addition we briefly describe language modeling and machine learning concepts that are required to deal with language processing techniques and applications. | https://hpi.de/en/naumann/teaching/teaching/ss-12/natural-language-processing.html |
Q:
The meaning of "positive dependency" as a condition to use the usual method for FDR control
Benjamini and Hochberg developed the first (and still most widely used, I think) method for controlling the false discovery rate (FDR).
I want to start with a bunch of P values, each for a different comparison, and decide which ones are low enough to be called a "discovery", controlling the FDR to a specified value (say 10%). One assumption of the usual method is that the set of comparisons are either independent or have "Positive dependency" but I can't figure out exactly what that phrase means in the context of analyzing a set of P values.
A:
From your question and in particular your comments to other answers, it seems to me that you are mainly confused about the "big picture" here: namely, what does "positive dependency" refer to in this context at all -- as opposed to what is the technical meaning of the PRDS condition. So I will talk about the big picture.
The big picture
Imagine that you are testing $N$ null hypotheses, and imagine that all of them are true. Each of the $N$ $p$-values is a random variable; repeating experiment over and over again would yield a differnet $p$-value each time, so one can talk about a distribution of $p$-values (under the null). It is well-known that for any test, a distribution of $p$-values under the null must be uniform; so in the case of multiplte testing, all $N$ marginal distributions of $p$-values will be uniform.
If all the data and all $N$ tests are independent from each other, then the joint $N$-dimensional distribution of $p$-values will also be uniform. This will be true e.g. in a classic "jelly-bean" situation when a bunch of independent things are being tested:
However, it does not have to be like that. Any pair of $p$-values can in principle be correlated, either positively or negatively, or be dependent in some more complicated way. Consider testing all pairwise differences in means between four groups; this is $N=4\cdot 3/2=6$ tests. Each of the six $p$-values alone is uniformly distributed. But they are all positively correlated: if (on a given attempt) group A by chance has particularly low mean, then A-vs-B comparison might yield a low $p$-value (this would be a false positive). But in this situation it is likely that A-vs-C, as well as A-vs-D, will also yield low $p$-values. So the $p$-values are obviously non-independent and moreover they are positively correlated between each other.
This is, informally, what "positive dependency" refers to.
This seems to be a common situation in multiple testing. Another example would be testing for differences in several variables that are correlated between each other. Obtaining a significant difference in one of them increases the chances of obtaining a significant difference in another.
It is tricky to come up with a natural example where $p$-values would be "negatively dependent". @user43849 remarked in the comments above that for one-sided tests it is easy:
Imagine I am testing whether A = 0 and also whether B = 0 against one-tailed alternatives (A > 0 and B > 0). Further imagine that B depends on A. For example, imagine I want to know if a population contains more women than men, and also if the population contains more ovaries than testes. Clearly knowing the p-value of the first question changes our expectation of the p-value for the second. Both p-values change in the same direction, and this is PRD. But if I instead test the second hypothesis that population 2 has more testes than ovaries, our expectation for the second p-value decreases as the first p-value increases. This is not PRD.
But I have so far been unable to come up with a natural example with point nulls.
Now, the exact mathematical formulation of "positive dependency" that guarantees the validity of Benjamini-Hochberg procedure is rather tricky. As mentioned in other answers, the main reference is Benjamini & Yekutieli 2001; they show that PRDS property ("positive regression dependency on each one
from a subset") entails Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. It is a relaxed form of the PRD ("positive regression dependency") property, meaning that PRD implies PRDS and hence also entails Benjamini-Hochberg procedure.
For the definitions of PRD/PRDS see @user43849's answer (+1) and Benjamini & Yekutieli paper. The definitions are rather technical and I do not have a good intuitive understanding of them. In fact, B&Y mention several other related concepts as well: multivariate total positivity of order two (MTP2) and positive association. According to B&Y, they are related as follows (the diagram is mine):
$\hskip{10em}$
MTP2 implies PRD that implies PRDS that guarantees correctness of B-H procedure. PRD also implies PA, but PA$\ne$PRDS.
A:
Great question! Let's step back and understand what Bonferroni did, and why it was necessary for Benjamini and Hochberg to develop an alternative.
It has become necessary and compulsory in recent years to perform a procedure called multiple testing correction. This is due to the increasing numbers of tests being performed simultaneously with high throughput sciences, especially in genetics with the advent of whole genome association studies (GWAS). Excuse my reference to genetics, as it is my area of work. If we are performing 1,000,000 tests simultaneously at $P = 0.05$, we would expect $50,000$ false positives. This is ludicrously large, and thus we must control the level at which significance is assessed. The bonferroni correction, that is, dividing the acceptance threshold (0.05) by the number of independent tests $(0.05/M)$ corrects for the family wise error rate ($FWER$).
This is true because the FWER is related to test-wise error rate ($TWER$) by the equation $FWER = 1 - (1 - TWER)^M$. That is, 100 percent minus 1 subtract the test wise error rate raised to the power of the number of independent tests performed. Making the assumption that $(1- 0.05)^{1/M} = 1-\frac{0.05}{M}$ gives $TWER \approx \frac{0.05}{M}$, which is the acceptance P value adjusted for M completely independent tests.
The problem that we encounter now, as did Benjamini and Hochberg, is that not all tests are completely independant. Thus, the Bonferroni correction, though robust and flexible, is an overcorrection. Consider the case in genetics where two genes are linked in a case called linkage disequilibrium; that is, when one gene has a mutation, another is more likely to be expressed. These are obviously not independent tests, though in the bonferroni correction they are assumed to be. It is here where we start to see that dividing the P value by M is creating a threshold that is artificially low because of assumed independent tests which really influence each other, ergo creating an M that is too large for our real situation, where things aren't independent.
The procedure suggested by Benjamini and Hochberg, and augmented by Yekutieli (and many others) is more liberal than Bonferroni, and in fact Bonferroni correction is only used in the very largest of studies now. This is because, in FDR, we assume some interdependence on the part of the tests and thus an M which is too large and unrealistic and getting rid of results that we, in reality, care about. Therefore in the case of 1000 tests which are not independent, the true M would not be 1000, but something smaller because of dependencies. Thus when we divide 0.05 by 1000, the threshold is too strict and avoids some tests which may be of interest.
I'm not sure if you care about the mechanics behind the controlling for dependency, though if you do I have linked the Yekutieli paper for your reference. I'll also attach a few other things for your information and curiosity.
Hope this has helped in some way, if I have misrepresented anything please do let me know.
~ ~ ~
References
Yekutieli paper on positive dependencies -- http://www.math.tau.ac.il/~ybenja/MyPapers/benjamini_yekutieli_ANNSTAT2001.pdf
( see 1.3 -- The Problem. )
Explaination of Bonferroni and other things of interest -- Nature Genetics reviews. Statistical Power and significance testing in large-scale genetic studies -- Pak C Sham and Shaun M Purcell
( see box 3. )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familywise_error_rate
EDIT:
In my previous answer I did not directly define positive dependency, which was what was asked. In the Yekutieli paper, section 2.2 is entitled Positive dependence, and I suggest this as it is very detailed. However, I believe that we can make it a little bit more succinct.
The paper at first begins by talking about positive dependancy, using it as a vague term that is interpretable but not specific. If you read the proofs, the thing that is mentioned as positive dependency is called PRSD, defined earlier as "Positive regression dependancy on each one from a subset $I_0$". $I_0$ is the subset of tests that correctly support the null hypothesis (0). PRDS is then defined as the following.
$X$ is our whole set of test statistics, and $I_0$ is our set of test statistics which correctly support the null. Thus, for $X$ to be PRDS (positively dependent) on $I_0$, the probability of $X$ being an element of $I_0$ (nulls) increases in non decreasing set of test statistics $x$ (elements of $X$).
Interpreting this, as we order our $P$-values from lowest to highest, the probability of being part of the null set of test statistics is the lowest at the smallest P value, and increases from there. The FDR sets a boundary on this list of test statistics such that the probability of being part of the null set is 0.05. This is what we are doing when controlling for FDR.
In summation, the property of positive dependency is really the property of positive regression dependency of our whole set of test statistics upon our set of true null test statistics, and we control for an FDR of 0.05; thus as P values go from the bottom up (the step up procedure), they increase in probability of being part of the null set.
My former answer in the comments about the covariance matrix was not incorrect, just a little bit vague. I hope this helps a little bit more.
A:
I found this pre-print helpful in understanding the meaning. It should be said that I offer this answer not as an expert in the topic, but as an attempt at understanding to be vetted and validated by the community.
Thanks to Amoeba for very helpful observations about the difference between PRD and PRDS, see comments
Positive regression dependency (PRD) means the following:
Consider the subset of p-values (or equivalently, test statistics) that correspond to true null hypotheses. Call the vector of these p-values $p$. Let $C$ be a set of vectors with length equal to the length of $p$ and let $C$ have the following property:
If some vector $q$ is in $C$, and
We construct some vector $r$ of the same length as $q$ so that all elements of $r$ are less than the corresponding elements of $q$ ($r_i < q_i$ for all $i$), then
$r$ is also in $C$
(This means that $C$ is a "decreasing set".)
Assume we know something about the values of some of the elements of $p$. Namely, $p_1 ... p_{n} < B_1 ... B_n$. PRD means that the probability that $p$ is in $C$ never increases as $B_1 ... B_n$ increases.
In plain language, notice that we can formulate an expectation for any element $p_i$. Since $p_i$ corresponds to a true null, it's unconditional expectation should be a uniform distribution from 0 to 1. But if the p-values are not independent, then our conditional expectation for $p_i$ given some other elements of $p_1 ... p_n$ might not be uniform. PRD means that raising increasing the value $p_1 ... p_n$ can never increase the probability that another element $p_i$ has lower value.
Benjamini and Yekutieli (2001) show that the Benjamini and Hochberg procedure for controlling FDR requires a condition they term positive regression dependence on a subset (PRDS). PRDS is similar to, and implied by, PRD. However, it is a weaker condition because it only conditions on one of $p_1 ... p_n$ at a time.
To rephrase in plain language: again consider the set of p-values that correspond to true null hypotheses. For any one of these p-values (call it $p_n$), imagine that we know $p_n < B$, where $B$ is some constant. Then we can formulate a conditional expectation for the remaining p-values, given that $p_n < B$. If the p-values are independent, then our expectation for the remaining p-values is the uniform distribution from 0 to 1. But if the p-values are not independent, then knowing $p_n < B$ might change our expectation for the remaining p-values. PRDS says that increasing the value of $B$ must not decrease our expectation for any of the remaining p-values corresponding to the true null hypotheses.
Edited to add:
Here's a putative example of a system that is not PRDS (R code below). The logic is that when samples a and b are very similar, it is more likely that their product will be atypical. I suspect that this effect (and not the non-uniformity of p-values under the null for the (a*b), (c*d) comparison) is driving the negative correlation in the p-values, but I cannot be sure. The same effect appears if we do a t-test for the second comparison (rather than a Wilcoxon), but the distribution of p-values still isn't uniform, presumably due to violations of the normality assumption.
ab <- rep(NA, 100000) # We'll repeat the comparison many times to assess the relationships among p-values.
abcd <- rep(NA, 100000)
for(i in 1:100000){
a <- rnorm(10) # Draw 4 samples from identical populations.
b <- rnorm(10)
c <- rnorm(10)
d <- rnorm(10)
ab[i] <- t.test(a,b)$p.value # We perform 2 comparisons and extract p-values
abcd[i] <- wilcox.test((a*b),(c*d))$p.value
}
summary(lm(abcd ~ ab)) # The p-values are negatively correlated
ks.test(ab, punif) # The p-values are uniform for the first test
ks.test(abcd, punif) # but non-uniform for the second test.
hist(abcd)
| |
What effect did women’s suffrage have on society?
One study found that as American women gained the right to vote in different parts of the country, child mortality rates decreased by up to 15 percent. Another study found a link between women’s suffrage in the United States with increased spending on schools and an uptick in school enrollment.
How is women’s suffrage significant to history?
The women’s suffrage movement was a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Disagreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more than once.
How did the suffragettes change the world?
The suffragettes ended their campaign for votes for women at the outbreak of war. … Women replaced men in munitions factories, farms, banks and transport, as well as nursing. This changed people’s attitudes towards women. They were seen as more responsible, mature and deserving of the vote.
Why is suffrage important?
Being able to vote is a key part of citizenship and allows each person to have their say about what is important to them and what they think their lives should be like.
How did women’s rights affect the economy?
One of the most important economic impacts of women’s rights is increased labor force participation. Women remain a largely underutilized source of talent and labor. … As more women enter the workforce, they work more productively, since unpaid labor like childcare and housework is split more evenly between sexes.
What changes brought about women’s suffrage in the United States?
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, a right known as women’s suffrage, and was ratified on August 18, 1920, ending almost a century of protest.
What did suffrage accomplished?
The suffrage movement means the right to vote or franchise. During World War-1, the struggle for the right to vote got strengthened. … The suffrage movement accomplished its goal and included women in the mainstream of voting and government.
What did the women’s rights movement accomplish?
The women’s movement was most successful in pushing for gender equality in workplaces and universities. The passage of Title IX in 1972 forbade sex discrimination in any educational program that received federal financial assistance. The amendment had a dramatic affect on leveling the playing field in girl’s athletics.
What did the suffragettes achieve?
Ultimately, the Suffragettes achieved their goal of enfranchisement for women and the movement has rightfully gone down in history as one of the strongest and most successful women’s rights groups. Today, the battle for women’s enfranchisement has been all but won, but equality still hovers just out of reach.
How were the suffragettes successful?
They used petitions, leaflets, letters and rallies to demand the same voting rights as men. Some women were willing to break the law to try and force change. They set up militant groups.
Who had the greatest impact on the women’s suffrage movement?
For over 50 years, Susan B. Anthony was the leader of the American woman suffrage movement.
Did the suffragettes help or hinder the suffrage movement?
For many years, the Suffragettes were presented by historians as heroes, who won the vote for women: The Suffragette movement developed into a tremendous force. … The Suffragettes were helped, too, rather than hindered by the stupidity and brutality of those in authority.
What was the suffrage movement what did it accomplish Brainly?
Answer: During the World War-1, the struggle for the right to vote got strengthened. Accomplishments of Suffrage Movement : It accomplished its goal and included the women in the mainstream of voting and government. Women began to be seen as being equally capable of doing hard work and making a decision.
What impact did the 15th Amendment have on the women’s suffrage movement?
In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment affirmed that the right to vote “shall not be denied…on account of race.” The insertion of the word “male” into the Constitution and the enfranchisement of African American men presented new challenges for women’s rights activists. | https://wimfoxvalley.org/feminism/how-did-womens-suffrage-impact-the-world.html |
A Museum of world renown, providing the highest quality events in rapport with Indonesian and Balinese arts and culture, with highly trained staff who work together to reach the organization's goals while providing excellent service to people from all cultures.
The area of this remarkanle place consists of the museum, performance stage, resort, and restaurant. Types of dances shown at this venue such as, Kecak, Legong, Mask, Keris and Barong dance.
The museum was founded by Anak Gede Agung Rai, a famous Balinese artist who has been well-known in preserving the nobility of Balinese art and culture. Not only showcasing the beauty of paintings by famous painters from Bali and foreign countries, but the natural beauty can be also found in the garden area of this museum. A pond filled with lotus flowers, some statues and some tropical flowers are grow wildly in various places.
Arma Museum was officially opened for public on June 9, 1996 by the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia at that time Prof. Dr. Ing. Wardiman Djojonegoro. The collections of this museum include art objects that were traditionally made and some were influenced by contemporary style. The classical Kamasan painting, painted on the bark of a tree, created on the 1930s and 1940s by a Batuan artist, classical painting by Indonesian maestros Raden Saleh and Syarif Bustaman from 19th century. And some other collection of popular masterpieces by Balinese painter such as I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Ida Bagus Made, Anak Agung Gede Sobrat and I Gusti Made Deblog.
Not only being a home for local work of arts, several works of international artists can be also found such as Willem Gerard Hofker, Rudolf Bonnet, Willem Dooijewaard, and Walter Spies. Special paintings of German painter Walter Spies, are stored in a special room considering the role and his priceless meritorious for the development of Balinese art. | https://www.bali.com/things-to-do_Ubud_Agung-Rai-Museum-of-Art-ARMA-_2841.html |
Several short research essays (and other research-based projects) will be assigned throughout the year.
Time may be linear, but History is a circular thing. Composed of past events, it also formed and recorded by the people who lived through them. In this course, we will explore American History in a broad survey approach, with a special eye toward examining the political and societal effects of historical events on our culture, and how those, in turn, affect our perception of that very history.
History best comes alive through the lens of the people who lived it. This personal approach allows students to develop a deeper understanding of what it was like to live in each era as well as understanding the flow of change in the culture, politics, society, and intellectual life of Americans over time. Lively discussion alongside seminar presentations will encourage students to delve into these eras on a deeper level. Students will do the work of historians by decoding primary sources, developing substantiated arguments, and writing solid historical essays.
Tindall and Shi's America (the brief one-volume edition). Any edition subsequent to the 5th (1999) will be considered adequate for the purposes of this course. Please email Mr. Boisvert directly for more information on this text. | http://www.newhopetutorials.org/americanhistory1 |
Metaglossary.com - Definitions for "environmental"
of or pertaining to the environment; as, environmental factors.
of or pertaining to the environment (definition 2); as, environmental pollution; environmental disaster; environmental cleanup; environmental deterioration.
1) In a scientific context, a combination of external or extrinsic conditions present in nature. 2) In a planning context, a category of analytical studies of aesthetic values, ecological resources, cultural (historical) resources, sociological and economic conditions, etc.
Related to the complex of factors which act upon an individual organism or ecological community to influence or determine development and survival. Topics include conservation, ecology, population growth, climatology and others.
Of, relating to, or associated with the environment. Or relating to or being concerned with the ecological impact of altering the environment.
Relating to the environment (air, water, land). Air and water pollution are environmental problems.
or ECOLOGICAL ART-- Art that focuses on human interaction with their environments such as pollution and land use.
Caused by or related to factors other than genes and chromosomes, such as diet, economic status, family life, or cultural value systems. See genetic.
having to do with the surroundings.
Non-genetic influences that can affect a person's health and personality, for example, diet, upbringing and circumstances.
Relating to the influences of a person's surroundings.
Bacteria growing in the cows' environment that contact the udder and teats causing infection.
Control - Temperature control in poultry barns.
impact assessment: detailed studies, which predict the effects of a development project on the environment. They also provide plans for the mitigation of the adverse impacts.
assessment: Carrying out an environmental assessment means determining or estimating the value, significance or extent of damage to a particular ecosystem or aspect of it.
PROTECTION AGENCY(EPA) The federal government office in charge of making sure that our environment is safe to live in.
To do with the environment. | http://metaglossary.com/define/environmental |
Claire M. Fagin Hall was transformed from a tired, worn academic building into a cutting edge home for Penn’s School of Nursing.
SMP Architects was hired in 2003 by the University of Pennsylvania to envision a transformation of this 135,000 square foot building, constructed in 1970, into an appropriate home for a 21st century School of Nursing. SMP created a guiding plan that has acted as the framework for the School to engage in a long term process of renovating and improving their facility. SMP has since designed five major phases of renovation and several smaller projects within the building. The building now features a graceful, landscaped entry courtyard that also serves as an accessible entrance; glazed café and lobby spaces that connect the building to the campus; an interior green roof courtyard; and upgraded spaces for students, staff, and faculty. A sophisticated nursing simulation center, completed in 2012, has become a key component of nursing education at Penn. Overall, the building is much better equipped to serve the School’s tripartite mission of teaching, research, and practice.
Campus Identity
The renovation completely reconfigured the entry sequence, creating a new landscaped plaza that allows the visitor to gradually transcend the elevation changes and enter a transparent main lobby in an area that was formerly exterior space. The new plaza serves as an exterior gathering space adjacent to lounges, a new café, and an outdoor seating terrace, which also occupy previously underused space beneath the building above. We created new physical and visual connections, to the south, toward the expanding medical campus, and to the north, toward the main academic campus. The new plaza immediately established for the School a measure of recognition and identity on campus, something that will only improve as future campus planning goals are realized.
Strategic Renovation
The result of the strategic process of renovation enhances the image of the school, better connects its academic programs, and provides an opportunity to create more efficient and effective communication between and among divisions.
A world class school in a world class university deserves to be in an environment that is dynamic, friendly, hospitable, aesthetically pleasing, efficient, and reflective of its renowned faculty, staff, and students. | https://smparchitects.com/project/penn-school-of-nursing/ |
One of Tullahoma City Schools' foundational beliefs is that communication matters. As all stakeholders work together to ensure our students receive the highest quality education possible, our district believes that parents/guardians must have real-time access to important data as it relates to schools as well as the district. The list of mobile apps below, provides parents/guardians with easy access to latest updates with social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as student information, current news and events, lunch menus, and much more.
Click on the link above to download on your Apple device to stay up-to-date about current events, information, and communication across the district.
Click the link above to download on your Android device to stay up-to-date about current events, information, and communication across the district.
Students: Click the link above to download on your Apple device to complete and submit assignments, participate in interactive discussions, perform assessments, collaborate with your peers, and more!
Parents: Click on the link above to download on your Apple device for real-time access to your child's academic progress and to communicate with teachers.
Students: Click on the link above to download on your Android device to complete and submit assignments, participate in interactive discussions, perform assessments, collaborate with your peers, and more!
Parents: Download on your Android device for real-time access to your child's academic progress and to communicate with teachers.
Students: Click on the link above to download on your Kindle device to complete and submit assignments, participate in interactive discussions, perform assessments, collaborate with your peers, and more!
Parents: Click on the link above to download on your Kindle device for real-time access to your child's academic progress and to communicate with teachers.
THS Students: Click on the link above to download on your Apple device to stay up-to-date with your academic history, attendance, GPA, current rank, and more!
THS Students: Click on the link above to download on your Android device to stay up-to-date with your academic history, attendance, GPA, current rank, and more!
THS Students: Click on the link above to download on your Windows device to stay up-to-date with your academic history, attendance, GPA, current rank, and more! | https://www.tcsedu.net/parents-students/mobile-apps |
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Table of Contents
We think of syntax as the arrangement of words that create or compose a sentence. When looking at arrangement, you can look at the ordering, grouping, and placement of the words in the sentence. Scholars may even look at the complex structure of fragments in certain parts of a sentence. Syntax is usually categorized as a component, or part, of grammar. Some people may use the word syntax in place of grammar; however, the two words do not mean the same thing and cannot be used in place of each other. Syntax is a part of grammar, not grammar itself.
To think about syntax, look at the following two sentences as examples:
- Sentence One: “We will go to the store tomorrow to get pickles.”
- Sentence Two: “Tomorrow, we will go to the store to get pickles.”
If syntax is the focus on arrangement of words in a sentence, the two sentences provide a means to understand this concept. The two sentences contain the exact same amount of words and use the exact same vocabulary. The words have not changed between the two sentences. What we see, instead, between the two sentences is that the words used have been moved around to craft a new sentence. Instead of placing the word “tomorrow” near the second half of the sentence like Sentence One, the second sentence (Sentence Two) places the word “tomorrow” at the very beginning of the sentence.
What would be the purpose of looking at the syntax, the arrangement, of these sentences? Syntax can be very important because how a sentence is arranged may change the meaning or purpose of the sentence. Look again at the two sentences given above. If we compare the arrangement of Sentence One to Sentence Two, we find that Sentence Two gives more stress to the word “tomorrow.” The speaker of Sentence Two finds that fact to be most important. However, the importance of “tomorrow” is not stressed in Sentence One. Syntax can help decipher what is most important to a speaker. In some instances, syntax can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
If the arrangement of words can change meaning, then the syntax becomes extremely important in certain professions and situations. Lawyers must be careful in how they craft contracts, write reports, or talk to judges and juries in a courtroom. Politicians must be careful in how they arrange their speeches in fear that they might say something that carries a meaning they do not intend. Teachers must be careful in how they create assignments for their class so they do not create confusion with the assignment. Perhaps most importantly, scientists must be careful in how arrange words and reports, as an arrangement may invalidate their experiment or results in the scientific community.
Poets often use syntax to give emphasis to a sentence. The syntax in poetry can be different from prose in that poetry relies on rhythm and cadence. Therefore, changing the syntax of a sentence may be to help carry the rhythm of a poem. On the other hand, syntax may break the rhythm to stress an idea or create a jarring effect for the reader. Syntax in poetry couples with rhythm, and it is important for the reader to decipher what the poet is doing with syntax to discover its emphasis or meaning.
The following paired sentences give examples of how syntax can change meaning of a sentence or change the emphasis in a sentence:
- Sentence One: Your bedroom is never clean
- Sentence Two: Clean your bedroom never is.
The syntax in Sentence Two puts stress on the cleanliness of the room.
- Sentence One: I had my laundry cleaned.
- Sentence Two: I had cleaned my laundry.
The syntax changes the meaning of this sentence. In Sentence One, there is an implication that someone else did the landry. In Sentence Two, the speaker did the laundry.
Syntax Worksheets
This bundle contains 5 ready-to-use syntax worksheets that are perfect to test student knowledge and understanding of what syntax is and how it can be used. You can use these syntax worksheets in the classroom with students, or with home schooled children as well.
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Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards. | https://kidskonnect.com/language/syntax/ |
Ethics is simply said, a philosophical discipline that concerns itself with the concepts of right and wrong. Ever since the earliest human thought - be it folk religions or earliest philosophical systems humans have attempted to answer these questions. From that day, humans have developed multiple and various ethical systems, often disagreeing with each other. The earliest ethical philosophies in the West, but also outside of the West, almost all the way until the early postmodern ideas, were universalist in their worldview. Whether it is a theological system of ethics in which the cosmic laws about good and bad come from gods or whether it is a Kantian system that brings the autonomy of the pure mind into picture - it was an universal system that was believed to transcend culture, nation and everything else that divides humans. The good and bad were universal to every human being. Early liberal thinkers were either of Kantian lineage or the lineage of John Stuart Mill and his utilitarianism. Both were universalist in their approach. With the development of postmodern philosophies, the idea of an ethical system that could be universal to all human beings came to be criticised. The typical postmodern elements of culture, language and social constructivism were brought into picture and we have entered the age of the postmodern pluralism and moral and ethical relativism. One of the criticisms that the postmodern, feminist and other ethical philosophies give to universalist ethical systems is that they are all overly rational, detached and "Logos" based, and in that context reflect the masculine approach to ethics. Many postmodernists, such as Richard Rorty believe that sentimentalism, art, closeness rather than laws are source of ethics and human rights. One could say that this is an entirely new dualism but perhaps it has been present in one form or another throughout human existence. Today we shall explore them and try to find the role of each.
The Ethics of the Logos
“Freedom is obedience to self-formulated rules.” - "The Nicomachean Ethics", Aristotle When we think of ethics as a law, as a system that abstractly rules above the individuals, that is concerned with doing things "the right way" we can say we speak of the ethical system centered around Logos, which itself we can understand as a Divine masculine or masculine manifestations of God. These ethical systems, often in our legal systems, in regulations and protocols, exist outside of individuals - they are impersonal and not concerned with emotional wellbeing of every specific individual but rather maintaining a certain structure or system within which humans can peacefully exist. In her book, "The Tao of Islam", professor Sachiko Murata explores the similarities between Taoist and Muslim ideas on the masculine and feminine. Among the many things she addresses, she addresses what superficially appears to be a dualism between the exoteric and esoteric traditions within Islam - the exoteric realm appearing strict and rigid, while the esoteric realm or the Sufis indulge in a sentimental devotion, seek closeness and destruction of all boundaries between them and God. She says: "On the social level, Islam affirms the primacy of God as King, Majestic, Lord, Ruler. It establishes a theological patriarchy even if Muslim theologians refuse to apply the word father (or mother) to God. God is yang, while the world, human beings, and society are yin. Thereby order is established and maintained. Awe and distance are the ruling qualities. On the spiritual level, the picture is different. In this domain many Muslim authorities affirm the primacy of God as Merciful, Beautiful, Gentle, Loving. Here they establish a spiritual matriarchy, though again such terms are not employed. God is yin and human beings are yang. Human spiritual aspiration is accepted and welcomed by God. Intimacy and nearness are the ruling qualities. This helps explain why one can easily find positive evaluations of women and the feminine dimension of things in Sufism." Recently, with the increase of more pluralistic philosophies - a concept of a universal, strict, restrictive social and legal system may appear tyrannical to humans who chant mantras of "free self-expression" and who revel in the constant provocations they give to the "social values". We enjoy seeing standards being "challenged" and destructed. The role of this legalistic father who seeks obedience to rules as Aristotle calls it, is not to simply oppress but to provide structure for everything else to happen and be found.
The Ethics of Eros
“To approach the Other in conversation is to welcome his expression, in which at each instant he overflows the idea a thought would carry away from it. It is therefore to receive from the Other beyond the capacity of the I, which means exactly: to have the idea of infinity. But this also means: to be taught. The relation with the Other, or Conversation, is a non-allergic relation, an ethical relation; but inasmuch as it is welcomed this conversation is a teaching. Teaching is not reducible to maieutics; it comes from the exterior and brings me more than I contain. In its non-violent transitivity the very epiphany of the face is produced.” - "Totaliy and Infinity: An Essay on Exteriority", Emmanuel Levinas When Lavinas develops his ethical system in which one is to approach the other not through the set of laws or principles, but with pure openness in which the other appears to us without our mental objectification, he reminds greatly of one of his influences, Martin Buber and his concept of "I-and-Thou". Both of these thinkers were coming from theological (Jewish) background, so the transcendental or metaphysical reality becomes important in their systems. Eros represents dissolution of the boundaries that Levinas speaks of - in Eros there are no you and me, there is barely even us - there is just a pool of non-differentiation and complete oneness. It is the state of the primordial darkness. The ethics of Eros is then, not the ethics of law or principle but the ethics of closeness and connection. One could reduce it to the ethics of care, but I would argue that the ethics of Eros are wider. Eros seeks to connect and from this connection that is formed, to create a Utopian society of almost primordial innocence in which nobody desires to do harm to anybody. This dream in our age manifests with the ideas that we may, by education or any other means, have criminality disappear from our societies - while possible to reduce through many sociological incentives, to have it disappear is a dream we may probably never see come true. However, the value of the ethics of Eros is that it allows one to see human beings where legislator would simply see subjects. Eros brings, at least, for a moment, freedom from our mental concepts and allows us to experience the pure joy of being and of transcending our "I" and getting lost in the Other.
The Marriage
"In the Islamic perspective, the revealed law prevents society from degenerating into chaos. One gains liberty not by overthrowing hierarchy and constraints, but by finding liberty in its true abode, the spiritual realm. Freedom, lack of limitation and constraint, bold expansivenessis achieved only by moving toward God, not by rebelling against Him and moving away. Attar (d. 618/1221) makes the same point more explicitly in an anecdote he tells about the great Sufi shaykh, Abu'l- Hasan Kharraqani (d. 425/1033): It is related that one night the Shaykh was busy with prayer. He heard a voice saying, "Beware, Abu'l-Hasan! Do you want me to tell people what I know about you so that they will stone you to death?" The Shaykh replied, "O God the Creator! Do You want me to tell the people what I know about Your mercy and what I see of Your generosity? Then no one will prostrate himself to You." A voice came, "You keep quiet, and so will I." Sufism is concerned with "maintaining the secret" (hifz al-sirr) for more reasons than one. The secret of God's mercy threatens the plain fact of His wrath. If "She" came out of the closet, "He" would be overthrown. But then She could not be found, for it is He who shows the way to Her door." - "The Tao of Islam", Sachiko Murata Are then the ethical world of the primordial Father and the primordial Mother at war with each other? Hardly so - they are at war only in the human minds that usually tend to see the reality through polarities and dualisms that often oppose each other while on a cosmological and metaphysical plane they create everything that is. The age that we live in finds it easier to accept the ethics of Eros as good - the "She overthrowing He", that Murata speaks of. For the embrace of the mother is sweet and loving and she has enough care and compassion for everyone equally. How is then one to see any value in the stern and strict Logos when all the sweetness and comfort of the other is right before him? What summons the Logos back is anarchic situation that happens when Eros rules for too long and when the compassion is limited to the prayers for the criminals while simultaneously keeping them away from society. When society descends into anarchic chaos, even Eros is no longer visible - Eros becomes the "She that cannot be found" that is referenced earlier. The Logos provides security and the safety in which the Eros can be seen. In bridging the difference between the two - we should not run away from respecting laws, from establishing principles and virtues that we ought to be devoted to, and we should also not run away from seeking connection, to be so involved in our mental concepts as not to see anything but them, leaving us isolated, Logos was not supposed to cast shadow over Eros but to allow the full expression of it. | https://www.orphicinscendence.com/post/the-ethics-of-logos-and-eros |
This course serves as an introductory look into the major themes and concepts of economics. Students will explore the key themes of economics from both a microeconomic and macroeconomic lens. Students will be exposed to the basic underlying economic principles of wants vs. needs, market structures, scarcity, economic systems, and supply and demand to determine the extent that individuals within a marketplace shape economy-wide trends. Emphasis is placed on the U.S. mix-market system, but students are also given the opportunity to analyze competing economic systems with the desired result being that students are best able to answer the universal economic question – how does one deal with the economic reality of unlimited wants vs. limited resources?
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to identify and use academic terminology, critical thinking skills, writing standards, and applications of the major concepts of economics and the social sciences as a whole. Through participation in this course, students will participate in an applied theory-based course that serves to introduce students into the basic concepts of both Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Students will be introduced into the major principles and concepts of economics and students will be better able to identify the foundations of economic practice through a real-world application-based approach. Students will be able to analyze both how our own economic system works, as well as the role of global economies within the context of the modern world. Students will understand and learn to apply topics ranging from: scarcity, the law of supply and demand, price and money, business development and product marketing, financial markets, government finances and influences on global economics, and comparative economic systems. Lastly, students will acquire the thinking skills needed to evaluate their own role in shaping economies and the role in which their own lives’ are shaped by economic ideas and theories.
Unit 1: Economic Choice – Essential Question #1: How can we make the best economic choices?
Unit 2: How Markets Work – Essential Question #2: Who benefits from the free market economy?
Unit 3: Measuring Economic Performance – Essential Question #3: Why does it matter how the economy is doing?
Unit 4: Personal Finance – Essential Question #4: What constitutes a sound investment?
Students will be able to analyze the differences between economic wants vs. economics needs through the lens of three parts: (A) What is Economics?, (B) How are the three economic questions addressed within economies?, and (C) How does America’s trade policy reflect or refute a free enterprise style system? With the desired results being that all students are able to identify the role that scarcity plays in economic decision making both on a microeconomic and a macroeconomic level.
1) Where do eggs come from?
1) Look through each of the photographs within the attached article on America's last pencil factory, and select one image that best tells of the complexities found within a pencil. Have fun with this, but do explain your image and the reasoning for your choice.
1) Define Opportunity Cost and give an example of one.
1) Develop a list of all the opportunity costs you notice with how Apricot Lane Farms operates. Be specific, please.
3) What are some of the opportunity costs that ACE has?
1) The below graph is called what?
2) It demonstrates what economic concept?
During World War II, auto production was cut drastically. The resources available could be used to produce Jeeps or passenger cars. The resources could be used in the following ways.
Why could you not increase the production of cars without decreasing the production of jeeps?
1) Economic equality is not what?
1) What similarities and differences do you notice?
2) What do you see as the common message of the two?
1) What are the claims that this graph is making?
2) Which statistic surprises you the most and why?
1) What are the claims that this graph is making?
3) What is the difference between human capital and physical capital?
C) Key character trait demonstrated?
1) What do you notice within the image?
2) What do you think the image is showing?
1) In your opinion, can Entrepreneurship be taught?
2) What attributes appear make Syrian immigrants ( at 11%) more likely to own a U.S. business than U.S. born residents ( at 3%)?
1) Do you agree or disagree with Ms. Cope's argument about the Entrepreneural mindset? Give a personal antidote if you can as proof.
1) In your opinion, should government ever take over industries that are struggling? Consider choosing one of the industries written below and use it as a case study to explain your point of view. Attempt to look at it from both perspectives?
3) Contrast a market economy with a command economy.
Follow the below link and read through each summary of the Six Living Generations in America and answer the questions below.
1) What attribute or trait seems to change the most from generation to generation?
2) For your generation, which trait do you most associate with and why, or do you?
3) Which trait do you feel is the most beneficial to fostering systems for entrepreneurship and why?
1) From this list below, which entrepreneurial influencing skills are not beneficial to growing a company and why?
1) List one thing that surprised you from your nations research project. What and why? What have you learned from it?
1) What do you know about free trade? And what do you know about free trade within the American economy?
A) the idea that international trade promotes economic growth and raises living standards.
B) the argument that international trade destroys jobs.
C) the suggestion that open foreign markets help the American economy.
D) lower barriers to cross-border trade in agriculture builds domestic jobs.
1) True/False: U.S. workers compete with lower paid foreign workers in industries in which the U.S. has a comparative advantage.
3) Free Trade has created positives and negatives across the US economy, international economies, and the developing world. Please argue both perspectives for each player.
1) Define the concept "Brain Drain."
1) Compare the two data sets on China between 2007 and 2012, what trends do you notice?
2) What do you think accounts for the noted shift in China's poverty?
3) Considering the different points and arguments that you have studied relating to Free Trade and economic Globalization, how would you address it to ensure that the benefits of a globalized economy are more equally distributed across nations and socioeconomic strata?
Students will be able to analyze the differences between economic wants vs. economics needs through the lens of three parts: (A) How do the concepts of supply and demand guide market trends?, (B) How is price determined?, and (C) What role do market structures have in influencing market forces? With the desired results being that all students are able to identify the role that economic externalities play within all market systems.
1) According to "Export" visualization, the largest US export is?
2) According to "Import" visualization, the largest US import is?
3) Overall, the US has a positive or negative trade balance and at?
3) Which Career-day presentation did you best relate to and why?
1) If the price for Rhino horns is comparable to the price of gold, what are two specific factors that are influencing that price?
2) Explore the following website/graphs and explain how it lends evidence to the claims of the NPR story.
1) With demand for Rhinos high, why is the supply of their horns so low?
2) What are some of the factors that are keeping national governments from fully protecting Rhinos?
1) What are the primary reasons fertility rates are lower in the rich world than they are in the developing world?
2) What are the economic consequences of lower birth rates? What are the environmental consequences of lower birth rates?
3) Do you believe that governments can create strong enough incentives for parents to have more babies? If not, what will become of the populations of Western Europe and the rich countries of Asia given today’s low fertility rates? Should we be worried?
Use the video below to answer the four questions on supply and demand of meat within China. View this as a quiz.
1) What are some of the external market factors that are influencing the raising demand for meat in China?
2) How much has meat consumption increased within China over the last 30 years?
3) What are some of the specific challenges facing China in light of this increase in demand?
4) Projecting forward, what do you think meat production within China is going to look like? Consider the population of Chinese people and Supply and Demand within your answer.
1) What questions do you have on the Unit 2 concepts prior to our test?
1) What does it mean to "democratize" or "find universal happiness" in choice?
2) Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Gladwell's vision that economic choice is linked to individual happiness and not market trend/norms? Why?
Match the curve with the statement below, and justify why.
1) Using all three charts, select the stat that is most interesting to you, and state why?
2) Across the three charts, what themes do you notice?
3) Is free trade and economic globalization (integration) good for the world? Why? Use evidence.
1) Why does a shrinking middle class matter?
1) How does United States compare to other countries before taxes and after redistribution programs such as Social Security?
Essential Question #4: What constitutes a sound investment?
Students will be able to analyze how the concepts of economic wants vs. economics needs and scarcity are addressed by individuals through financial market systems. Students will evaluate both national and international finance markets through the underlining question: (A) How should I manage my own finances? The desired results for this unit of study are for the students to understand how and why markets are structured the way that they are, for students to analyze the role of risk vs. return in investment strategies, and for students to evaluate how specific types of investment strategies can facilitate the attainment of either short-term or long-term goals.
1) What is one short-term goal (5 years of less) and one long-term goal (15 years or more) you have for yourself?
2) What are some of the fiscal costs you see associated with those two goals?
Imagine you wish to purchase a bicycle. In the space below, brainstorm all of the resources that will go into making the bicycle and selling the bicycle to you, the consumer. List as many specific resources as you can. Make sure you add on to the four types of resources within your graphic organizer.
1) Think of two activities that you spent time doing yesterday. Write them below. Then, for each, write two other things that you realistically could have done instead. Explain why you chose the activities you did over the ones you could have done.
1) In your opinion, what attributes make an Entrepreneur an Entrepreneur?
1) What is the most important attribute of an entrepreneur?
Hint: Show the movement either right or left on the PPF and justify.
1) Should people ever be stopped from voluntarily exchanging with each other? For what reason?
1) Some individuals feel that the establishment of a minimum wage has caused U.S. companies to turn to foreign labor markets to "buy" their labor. Also, retailers often buy goods for resale that are made cheaply by low-paid workers in foreign counties. Some economists feel that the minimum wage should be abolished in the United States for this reason. Rather than pay the higher wages, companies will simply buy their labor elsewhere. Do you think the minimum wage should be abolished? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
A)the idea that international trade promotes economic growth and raises living standards.
B)the argument that international trade destroys jobs.
C)the suggestion that open foreign markets help the American economy.
D)lower barriers to cross-border trade in agriculture.
True/false: International trade lowers wages in poor nations.
True/False: U.S. workers can compete with lower paid foreign workers in industries in which the U.S. has a comparative advantage.
1) According to infographic below, Ireland has a positive of a negative trade balance with the USA?
2) According to the link below, Ireland has a overall positive or negative trade balance?
1) Select the career industry you most likely want to enter at this moment. What is it?
2) If you are to go to college for this career, which major would you statistically most likely have?
3) How do you see each as similar or different?
Unit 2 introduces students to the principals of demand-side economics. The desired results for this unit of study are for students to be able to understand the law of demand, to begin practicing with that law through real-world applications, and for students to analyze and then evaluate the extent that economic predictions can be made through application of demand-based observations of product markets. Students will use the primary text, direct instruction, and graph analysis to understand the economic concepts of: demand vs. quantity demanded, the law of demand, demand curves vs. schedules, the factors of production, and product perception factors (i.e. market size or consumer expectations). Students will utilize these concepts to evaluate the role that demand predictions play in marketing decisions through a collaborative group research assignment that asks students to develop a product and sell that product at the highest revenue possible.
3) Do you believe that government can create strong enough incentives for parents to have more babies? If not, what will become of the populations of Western Europe and the rich countries of Asia given today’s low fertility rates? Should we be worried?
2) Please develop a demand curve for that same information.
1) Price elasticity of demand for a product is different in the long run compared to the short run. Imagine that the price of coffee increased dramatically because of a poor growing season. How would its short-run price elasticity of demand compare with its long-run price elasticity (say 10 years) of demand?
1) Count the number of times that the video alludes to any of the demand perception factors?
2) Explain two specific examples?
1) Define the what, how, and why behind your product.
1) How do you relate to the concept of "why"?
1) What is your current career objective and why?
1) List two interesting takeaways from the revenue graph?
2) Which industry appears to best align with your career intentions and therefore what do these figures indicate to you?
2) What does it mean to "democratize" choice?
Remember to follow a 5-7-5 syllable count.
1) What did Ben Franklin mean when he said "we must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately"?
1) Please write a letter of apology to Andrew Ohl for your class' collective rudeness towards him on Tuesday when he was trying to help you best learn.
1) What are some of the challenges facing ranchers today?
2) How are the ranchers reacting to these changes?
3) How might these changes affect food production within the US?
1) What is the relationship between Price Elasticity of Demand and the Quantity Demended for a good within the marketplace?
A) Both the annual and the 2-year data indicate equality.
B) Both the annual and the 2-year data indicate inequality.
C) The annual data indicate inequality, but 2-year data indicate equality.
D) The annual data indicate equality, but 2-year data indicate inequality.
1) What is standard of living?
2) What are non-monetary components of one's standard of living?
3) According to the data sets provided by Robert Reich, what has been the trend in US standard of living for the middle class over the last 35 years?
A) Approximate a general price for each.
B) Which product, if any, do you have demand for?
C) What specific factors influence your demand for those specific products?
D) How can your demand for those specific products change over time?
2) Determine if the shift shows an increase or a decrease in demand for soda.
Lesson #1 What is Demand?
Objective: Students will be able to predict based off prior know what the law of demand is. Students will then compare and contrast their prior knowledge to the academic concepts of: Demand, Law of Demand, Demand Schedules, Demand Curves, Incentives, and quantity demanded.
1) What is the law of demand?
2) What is the relationship between demand for a specific product and the price of that product within a marketplace?
Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how the six perception factors affect the way individual products are marketed to the consumer and within a marketplace. Students will analyze and evaluate those marketing decisions through a detailed case study of a product of their choosing.
1) What are the six factors that affect demand for a specific product?
2) To what extent do the perception factors shape marketing strategies within a marketplace?
Students will be able to understand the law of supply and its associated concepts: Supply, Supply Schedules, Curves, Incentives, and Quantity Demanded vs. Supplied. Students will also be able to practice with the law of supply to determine how it works within real-world applications. Students will analyze their findings to determine how economic predications can be made within the law of supply. Students will be able to synthesize the law of demand with the law of supply to evaluate if the two laws are constant.
1A) What are economic predictions?
1B) What is the connection between the law of supply and individual decision making?
2) Why is equilibrium often viewed as a moving target?
within a marketplace as a whole?
Objective: Students will be able to assess to what extent that the law of supply and the law of demand interact within a marketplace. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the law of supply and the law of demand through making academic predictions of supply trends within multiple market contexts.
1) What is the law of supply?
2) What is the connection between demand and supply within a marketplace?
Objective: Students will be able to determine demand and supply elasticity. Explain how demand and supply elasticity affect the consequences of business decisions and price determination.
Essential Question: If a business wants to generate more revenue, should it increase or decrease prices?
Objective: For students to be able to determine how changes to supply or demand affect the equilibrium of a marketplace.
Essential Question: What factors affect the changes of supply and demand to create disequilibrium in the market?
Transfer: For students to be able to link the concept of voluntary exchange, capital development, and asset creation together to then analyze and evaluate how our financial system serves as a financial intermediary between buyers and sellers. Unit 4 asks students to analyze the basic structure of global financial markets. The desired results for this unit of study are for the students to understand how and why markets are structured the way that they are, for students to analyze the role of risk vs. return in investment strategies, and for students to evaluate how specific types of investment strategies can facilitate the attainment of either short-term or long-term goals. Students will use the primary text and direct instruction to understand the key unit concepts of: sectors, interest, risk vs. return, investment objectives, money vs. capital markets, and primary vs. secondary markets. Students will conduct a virtual stock market investment project to analyze how each of the key concepts are represented within personal investment portfolios with the stated goal being that students evaluate the extent that each can earn a return on different types of market investments.
1) How can I make money through investment?
3) Why would a company sell a share of itself to the public?
1) Which of the companies listed pays the highest dividend?
2) How many of the companies listed reached their high price for the year on the day the charter was published? Which specific companies?
2) To what extent should age and family circumstance affect the makeup of your investment choices?
Objective and purpose: The purpose of the virtual stock exchange project is to assess a student's ability to apply different trading strategies and investment objectives within the real world context of a portfolio management application. Students will learn a variety of financial instruments, as well as the risks and rewards associated with those instruments, to invest 1,000,000 within a month's length of time. Students will demonstrate the basic economic concepts of: asset management, risk vs. return, diversification, sectors, short term vs. long term strategies, bull vs. bear markets, interest, money vs. capital markets, and primary vs. secondary markets.
1) What constitutes a sound investment strategy for you?
2) Use your own name as the username, I will delete your account otherwise.
3) You have 1,000,000 to invest. As your portfolio increases, so will your available investment account.
8) Please remember that usually money invested in the stock market is placed there for gains over the long term. Get rich quick might serve you well in the game, but it is very risky over the long term.
9) Complete the following portfolio project slides and present your report to the class. | https://www.mrjohnmiddleton.com/economics-2019.html |
Choline is not a vitamin or a mineral, but it is an essential nutrient. Although the body can create choline in small amounts, it cannot make enough to maintain health. Choline must be consumed in the diet.
Choline is a component of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is involved in functions such as muscle movement, and memory formation.
Most of the body's choline is found in phospholipids, which are fat molecules. The most common of these is phosphatidylcholine, better known as lecithin.
Functions
Choline's functions include:
Dietary Intake
Choline Deficiency
Although the body can make choline, it cannot make enough to maintain proper health and functioning. Therefore, it is possible for your choline levels to become too low if your diet does not contain enough. Because choline is essential for the transport of fat from the liver, deficiency symptoms include:
Choline Toxicity
The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for choline from dietary sources and supplements combined is:
Symptoms of choline toxicity include:
Major Food Sources
Very little information is available on the choline content of foods; however, some good sources of choline include:
Health Implications
Populations at Risk for Choline Deficiency
The following populations may be at risk for a choline deficiency and may benefit from a supplement:
Choline and Alzheimer's Disease
Because choline is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is important in learning and memory, it has been studied for a possible role in Alzheimer's disease. Studies have been conducted, but a review of clinical trials found no benefit of supplementation with lecithin in the treatment of people with dementia.
Tips for Increasing Your Choline Intake
To help increase your intake of choline:
RESOURCES:
American Society for Nutrition
http://www.nutrition.org
Eat Right—Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
http://www.eatright.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Dietitians of Canada
http://www.dietitians.ca
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
References:
Choline. Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated January 2015. Accessed June 23, 2016.
Dietary reference intakes: vitamins. Institute of Medicine website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed June 23, 2016.
Higgins JP, Flicker L. Lecithin for dementia and cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(3):CD001015.
Ralf J, Purpura M, Kingsley M. Phospholipids and sports performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007;4:5.
Zeisel SH. Choline: needed for normal development of memory. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000;19(5 Suppl):528S-531S.
Last reviewed June 2016 by Michael Woods, MD
Last Updated: 6/23/2016
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Empowering the Information Enterprise:
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A number of individuals posed the same question to me at recent TDWI and DCI conferences: "How do I know whether my organization is truly realizing the benefits from our investment in business intelligence (BI)?" In most cases, these individuals represent mid-size to large organizations that have created data warehouses and have deployed BI applications throughout their enterprise. Their investments of time, money and human resources have been significant and supported by the management teams of their respective organizations. The BI solutions are considered successful because they are functioning as specified by the business community. Yet, the questions about truly realizing the benefits from their investment persist within their organizations.
To address these questions, conduct a post-implementation assessment - it will identify, quantify and document the impact of the BI solution. Conducting a post-implementation assessment requires interviewing those who are using the BI solution to understand what they are doing differently as a result of the solution. Understanding how they are using the BI solution, and what they had to do to obtain information before the BI solution was made available, enables individuals to identify and understand the BI solution's impact. From my experience, the impact can range from automating and streamlining the process of obtaining and organizing relevant information to educating individuals on the activities of the organization. While quantifying some of the impacts can be accomplished rather easily, those impacts that require liberal assumptions should be described within the post-implementation assessment document in order to provide a comprehensive perspective of the impact of the BI solution.
There are several indicators that help to substantiate the benefits from a BI solution: evolution, efficiencies and enlightenment. These indicators highlight areas where investigation and analysis need to be performed within a post-implementation assessment.
One of the first indicators to examine is the organizational change that has occurred given the BI solution's usage. Ideally, everyone needing access to the BI solution attended training on how to use it and was educated on the context, meaning and business rules associated with it. Assuming that the training and education have been provided, are individuals using the BI solution once they have access to it? What incentives have been established to motivate individuals to use it, or penalties for those not using it? If there are no incentives or penalties, the motivation for individuals to change their behavior is left to the individual. Leaving it up to an individual is a tremendous leap of faith for an organization and dilutes the organization's ability to truly realize the benefits from its investments in BI. Some of our clients have established incentives such as recognizing or rewarding individuals who have effectively utilized their BI solution while others have established penalties that range from eliminating individual access to previously accessible data sources to not accepting any report unless it was generated by the BI solution.
To clarify the impact of the solution, reaching out to those individuals who are using it can be enlightening. How are they using it? What benefits has it provided? What enhancements can be made to increase its value? A survey or focus groups can do the trick, and the responses to these questions should provide you with a perspective of the usage and benefits of the BI solution.
For those who have access but are not using the BI solution, the first question to them is, "Why aren't you using it?" Their collective responses will indicate the need to refine the change management program for the BI solution in order to encourage or mandate its usage.
The benefits created from operational efficiencies span a broad value spectrum. On the low end is the automation of the data gathering process. The value remains low if the BI solution is merely used to extract data, which is then imported into a spreadsheet application for manipulation, formatting and presentation. The benefits are reduced to time savings because the BI solution is functioning as a user's data extraction tool.
Greater leverage of the investment occurs if the BI solution is used to present the information in a meaningful format for monitoring, analysis, reporting or decision-making purposes. For example, an individual creates a BI report and then shares that report with her colleagues. Her colleagues review the BI report and then make enhancements to the report to suit their own needs. This collaboration is facilitated through the BI application, which increases efficiency of information gathering and dissemination.
On the highest end of the value spectrum is when the BI solution is used to help individuals focus their energies and resources on priority activities. For example, BI solutions can provide individuals with timely key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with their roles and responsibilities. Instead of individuals trying to figure out where they need to focus their attention each day, the KPIs generated by the BI solution help them to focus on the important tasks.
Ideally, as individuals use the BI solution for monitoring, analysis, reporting and decision-making purposes, they are developing a better understanding of the operations and activities of the organization. They are becoming enlightened. The knowledge that they gain is based upon facts as opposed to "gut" reaction or prior experiences that may not be relevant. This enlightenment provides individuals with the ability to examine the activities of the organization and identify trends and areas where changes to business processes create greater efficiencies or opportunities. A good example of this is analyzing the procurement process in order to streamline it, consolidate purchasing and negotiate volume discounts from vendors. While analyzing information can enlighten individuals, the benefits really occur when individuals act upon that enlightenment.
Organizations that have truly realized benefits from their investment in BI are better positioned to align their strategic goals and objectives with their tactical initiatives. They can do this because they are able to monitor and measure their performance and evaluate the decisions that have been made. In addition, they have the information and mind-set to continuously seek improvement in their operations and how they conduct their business. Achieving this level of benefits requires an active change management program and periodic assessment of the usage of the BI solution. Organizations recognized for their world-class solutions in this field have achieved those benefits.
Jonathan Wu is a senior principal with Knightsbridge Solutions. He has extensive experience designing, developing and implementing information solutions for reporting, analysis and decision-making purposes. Serving Fortune 500 organizations, Knightsbridge delivers actionable and measurable business results that inform decision making, optimize IT efficiency and improve business performance. Focusing exclusively on the information management disciplines of data warehousing, data integration, information quality and business intelligence, Knightsbridge delivers practical solutions that reduce time, reduce cost and reduce risk. Wu may be reached at [email protected]. | http://www.dmreview.com/article_sub_articleId_1028731.html |
Surrey, Vancouver business groups scrap over name
A turf war has broken out between two of Metro Vancouver’s biggest business advocacy groups.
The Vancouver Board of Trade wants to formally change its name to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and will put that proposal to a vote of its members Friday.
The Surrey Board of Trade opposes the move as a hostile attempt by the Vancouver board to represent the entire Metro region, including Surrey.
“The Vancouver Board of Trade does not speak on behalf of the region’s business community,” said Anita Huberman, the Surrey Board of Trade’s CEO.
Vancouver Board of Trade chair Tim Manning said the proposed change merely reflects the reality that VBOT has championed issues region-wide for decades.
“In changing our name, the board believes we will better reflect our regional advocacy efforts and the 5,000 members that we represent – nearly half of whom make their living or own businesses that operate outside the City of Vancouver,” he said.
Manning claimed VBOT’s efforts over the years helped lead to the creation of the YVR airport authority, the creation of NEXUS and the rescue of the Canada Line after mayors initially voted it down.
He denied the move is an attempt to supplant local chambers of commerce, adding VBOT provides a credit to its members to encourage them to join their local chamber as well.
Huberman said chambers and boards of trade should work together collaboratively across the region, and channel funding through the B.C. Chamber of Commerce when a regional voice for business is needed on urgent economic and infrastructure issues.
“Individual boards or chambers should not seek to represent the collective interests of all business in the region,” she said. | https://trashking.ca/surrey-vancouver-business-groups-scrap-over-name/ |
City of Sunrise, FLHome Menu
Since 1972, it has been the responsibility of the Sunrise Fire-Rescue Department's responsibility to provide life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation for the residents, visitors, and business owners of the City.
The Department's critical public safety mission is carried out 24 hours each day by specially trained personnel providing an all-hazards, community risk-reduction, Fire-Rescue service delivery system. As a team, they have a strong reputation and have earned numerous accolades:
• First Place in the Clinical Conference on Emergency Care (ClinCon) competition in 1994, 2000, and 2012
• EMS Provider of the Year for the State of Florida in 1995 and 2013
• 2008 STEMI Awareness Community Program Award from the International Association of Fire
• Life Safety Achievement Award Annual Recipient
• Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus Level Recognition Award from the American Heart Association Annual Recipient
• First Place in the 2015 Chief Mike Haygood Broward Invitational ALS Competition
• 2015 Mike Murphy Innovator of the Year Award from the Fire Chiefs Association of Broward County
• 2015 Marilyn Crook EMS Pioneer Award from the Florida Department of Health
• 2018 Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS)
• 2018 ISO Class I Fire Department Public Protection Classification
Contact Information
Fire-Rescue Administration
10440 West Oakland Park Boulevard
Sunrise, FL 33351
Non-Emergency Phone: (954) 746-3400
Fax: (954) 746-3455
Fire Chief John McNamara • [email protected]
In the event of emergency, dial 9-1-1
Also visit us on Facebook and Twitter.
Directions: View this location on Google Maps. For a list of City of Sunrise Fire-Rescue facilities, please visit the Fire-Rescue Stations page.
Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | https://www.sunrisefl.gov/departments-services/fire-rescue |
A Vermont based study has provided more evidence to support what has previously been determined regarding the impact of weight loss on the risk of illness and death from heart disease. It provided more findings to support the claim that bringing a person’s body weight into a healthier range will lower the chances of heart disease related risks.
Within the study, postmenopausal women who had reduced their weight considerably were found to have considerably lower levels of C- reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. This protein is a heart disease risk blood marker.
CRP is a form of inflammatory protein that the body releases naturally when it has experienced an injury or infection. Levels of CRP that are persistently elevated in the blood stream are believed to increase the risk of heart disease and its related symptoms. The reason for this is that this protein and other similar substances, which are known as cytokines, have a tendency to attract cells to the inflammation site. This can contribute to cholesterol deposit formations within the arteries. When that occurs the risk of illness or death from heart disease is increased. Moreover, it also makes the deposits more prone to being ruptured, which results in a heart attack.
University of Vermont, Burlington researchers conducted an analysis on blood samples that were drawn during a weight loss study that had previously been conducted. That research had involved the participation of 25 Caucasian women who were postmenopausal. On average, the group lost 33 pounds and an average of 25 percent of their body fat mass.
Moreover, the CRP levels within the blood of the participating women dropped to nearly one third of what it had been before they had lost the weight. As a whole, the reduction was larger than what would have been possible by coincidence or chance, and was proportional to the body weight and fat mass changes that were experienced by the women.
The research team concluded, therefore, that losing weight could represent a CRP level reduction intervention that is potentially very important. Furthermore, the decrease in the levels of CRP in the bloodstream was only one indicator that suggested that there was a reduced risk of death and illness related to heart disease. They commented that a number of other factors are changed in a positive way as a result of weight loss, as well and that this could contribute even further to better health. | http://www.onebod.com/losing-weight-heart-disease.html |
The Digital Media Lab has modified its offerings due to COVID-19. You can find information about these specific changes on the services pages. Please contact DML staff with any questions, [email protected].
Here are a selection of projects the Digital Media Lab have collaborated on.
Today is the day the Digital Media Lab hosts the visiting students from the United Arab Emirates. The two-week program in the DML will focus on some of the United Nations Sustainability Goals.
Avery Forbes, a student from the Makespace Leadership course (hosted in the DML space), demonstrated the Gravity Light she built and explained some of the ‘maker principles’ that helped in the design process.
A Gravity Light is a gravity-powered light-emitting device for use in developing nations. A bag containing weights such as stones or heavy books is attached to a cord and slowly descends over some time. The process drives a motor that produces electricity, which powers the light.
"We are developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) based applications to help students, staff, and faculty with the resources of the Digital Media Lab. The applications can communicate with patrons and students and answer some easy questions like our hours and the location of books. We are also testing AI integration into Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality applications.
We used the IBM Watson AI platform to do the work, and our intern has been testing out the AI functions."
Yuntian Hu - Digital Media Lab
"Education USA Academy is a short-term academic program that provides English language courses, college preparatory content, tours of diverse colleges and universities, and cross-cultural activities to 15- to 17-year-old students from around the world."
Groups will be learning about 3D Printing and Virtual Reality at the Digital Media Lab
Dr. Steve Acquah, adjunct professor of Chemistry, coordinator of the UMass Amherst Digital Media Lab, and director of GEOSET (Global Educational Outreach for Science Engineering and Technology), established the Sir Harold W. Kroto and Steve F.A. Acquah GEOSET Award to continue the late Nobel Laureate’s legacy in research and outreach. The award will be given to a chemistry major who has demonstrated excellence in science communication through digital media.
Dominique Carey won the 2019 award
The Digital Media Lab (DML) is pleased to announce Edwood Brice ’19 as the winner of the Lenovo Mirage Solo Virtual Reality Competition. Celebrating the release of Avengers: Endgame, the competition invited students to submit a 30-second video describing how they envisioned virtual reality (VR) technology and applications that could enhance student life on campus. The DML awarded Brice with a Lenovo Mirage Solo VR headset.
“3D printing greatly expands the vocabulary for our students in mold-making and casting. By introducing 3D scanning and printing into the course, we can take the same form and print multiple copies, change the scale and color, alter the form within the computer, and even invert the form to print a mold directly, which can then be cast into using a whole range of different materials” said Robin Mandel.
Faculty: Robin Mandel, Assistant Professor
College: College of Humanities & Fine Arts
Courses: ART360: Mold-making and Casting, ART 461: Advanced Sculpture
Robin Mandel and Dennis Spencer capturing a 3D scan of an artist created artifact
“This project-based course focuses on the theoretical and practical issues related to designing instruction for digital learning environment. It is designed to show future teachers how to use 3D printers as instructional tools for supporting constructivist learning experiences that are centered around design, creativity, and innovation" said Torrey Trust.
Faculty: Torrey Trust, Assistant Professor
Affiliation: Department of Teacher Education & Curriculum Studies,
Course: EDUC 693: Instructional Design of Educational Technology
A 3D printed frog dissection kit. The internal organs are removable.
A structural engineering activity in which 3D printed structures were attached to a shake table and tested with various types of supports and weights in order to evaluate their seismic performance.
Faculty: Paula L. Sturdevant Rees, Lecturer
Affiliation: Water Resources Research Center, College of Engineering, Science and Engineering Outreach initiative or SENGI
Students watch an earthquake simulator at a SENGI event.
“The use of the 3D printing is a great opportunity for students to visualize their digital models, explore new opportunities, communicate with clients, and more quickly generate design alternatives. The combination of digital and physical models, allows students to better grasp concepts related to the shaping of terrain, while encouraging creativity in their designs,” says Carolina Aragón
Faculty: Carolina Aragón, Lecturer, Landscape Architecture + Regional Planning
Course: LA297D/ LA 506 Studio - Design with Landform
Landform Cast
3D Print from a 3D Scan of a Landform
“…an investigation of 3D printing usage for making prosthetics and I also wanted to look into how feasible this DIY approach actually is (between downloading the files, finding the resources to print the parts, and then actually putting the hand together).”
Student: Mei Li Dzindolet
Project: Snap-Together Robohand
School/ College: Isenberg School of Management
Course: HONORS 391A: Digital Humanities
Snap Together Robohand, a miniature 3D printed prosthetic hand. | https://www.library.umass.edu/dml/showcase/category/all-categories |
In Spanish, the word crecer means grow, and that’s our primary mission: to help educational and other community organizations to develop and evolve into the best they can be.
Our work is inspired by John Dewey’s call for the application of empirical tools to improve programs, embodied in the following quote taken from Democracy and Education: “Without initiation into the scientific spirit one is not in possession of the best tools which humanity has so far devised for effectively directed reflection.”
Who We Are
CRECE is a research and evaluation center within the Division of Social Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz. CRECE’s co-directors are Kip Téllez, PhD and Eduardo Mosqueda, EdD, both professors in the Education Department at UCSC. Our partners include fellow UCSC researchers, evaluation specialists from other institutions, post-doctoral students, and undergraduates.
CRECE’s primary goal is to enhance the educational experiences and academic achievement of the children and youth who have been traditionally underserved in US schools. We seek to facilitate and expand educational evaluation and research while enhancing communication among university-based researchers, policy makers, and practitioners in support of the search for solutions to the education problems facing educators in underserved schools and other educational settings. As a regional, statewide, and national center for the evaluation of educational programs and policies seeking to improve the education of students of color, English learners, low-income students, immigrant children and families, virtually any group of students who have traditionally not fared well in the US school system.
What We Do
CRECE offers research and evaluation services to education centers, individual schools and school districts, as well as private foundations. CRECE develops customized evaluation plans tuned to the organization’s needs and budget. Our specific services include consulting, research design, program monitoring, data collection, survey and assessment development and administration, and in-depth analyses of quantitative and qualitative data. And unlike many evaluation consulting groups, we are experts in pedagogy and curriculum who have extensive experience in K12 and community college settings and are pleased to offer face-to-face meetings to share specific recommendations for program improvement. Given our collective expertise, our evaluation analysis will not only identify parts of programs that require attention, but our feedback will also provide specific suggestions of more effective instructional approaches to help guide program improvement.
Because we are a non-profit entity, our services are generally well below the costs of other evaluation firms. In addition, we hire University of California, Santa Cruz undergraduate and graduate students, whose majors represent a broad range of social science disciplines. These students are both compensated for their efforts, by either direct payment or academic credit, and are offered key experiences that will help them to grow into expert evaluators. Therefore, institutions using CRECE services can be confident that their resources are also engaged in preparing the next generation of evaluation specialists. We use the most advanced technology available, including computerized semantic analysis of qualitative data, which returns key themes and analyses quickly and reliably.
Our model of high-quality evaluation studies includes the following options for educational institutions and community organizations.
Design and Implementation Study: CRECE offers institutions “formative evaluation” case studies. This service includes the development of specifically design rubrics, on-site observations and interviews, and survey development to assess a program’s design components and its impact on teachers, students, and parents. A Design and Implementation study typically yields quick and direct improvements to the program under review.
Development Study: CRECE can also conduct feasibility studies or pilots without comparison groups used to refine program design and gather evidence. Data typically includes stakeholder perceptions and extant data analyses. As a first step on the way to product or program implementation, a Development Study can offer initial evidence needed to be competitive for large grant applications. Institutions wishing to partner with CRECE on grant applications will choose this option.
Efficacy Study: CRECE is also experienced in providing information on the efficacy of program implementation in pilot setting or small treatment-group vs. comparison-group studies. Efficacy studies are designed as “proof of concept” efforts that inform the implementation of wider initiatives.
Effectiveness Study: CRECE also conducts scaled up “summative evaluations” and broadly conceived studies that offer in depth information on the success of an intervention or program. CRECE evaluators are highly skilled in conducting rigorous non-randomized (“quasi”) experimental studies or randomized controlled trials, including the use of propensity score matching. | https://crece.sites.ucsc.edu/ |
Body language plays a role in all face-to-face communication. Control of your own body language and the ability to interpret other person’s non-verbal cues is a vital skill whether you are dealing with a contractor, haggling with a salesman or going for an interview. Learn to master the different forms of body language you will need to appear in control, even if you don’t feel in control.
Strong body language
Open and comfortable: If you look comfortable, contractors and others are more likely to speak plainly and truthfully to you. Make direct eye contact and smile with lips open. Open hands and keep palms visible. Unbutton your coat upon being seated. When listening, tilt your head a little to one side. Shift the tilt from left to right at different points during longer conversations. Keep arms at your side or behind you or, if sitting, crossed lightly in your lap; do not cross them on your chest. To emphasize openness, subtly mirror the posture and hand gestures of the other person.
Confident: To appear confident, lean forward slightly and keep your chin up. If standing, keep your hands at your side or join them behind the back. Maintain good eye contact without overdoing it. The rule of thumb in the US and other westernized countries is to maintain eye contact 50-70% of the time. Any more than this and you can appear overly intense and aggressive; any less and you give off a signal that you are either lacking confidence or uninterested in the person or what they’re saying. Nod your head while speaking to show that you believe what you are saying. Avoid hunching your shoulders or allowing your head to droop.
Interested/engaged: Let them know they aren’t talking over your head. If seated, sit up straight with your back against the back of the chair. Slouching or hanging sideways indicates boredom. On the other hand, sitting very straight on the edge of your chair can betray tension or nerves. Remember to move; altered body posture throughout a conversation shows ease. Turn with your torso and lean forward a bit when someone speaks to you. If you fall away from a speaker or lean back, you will express inattentiveness and reserve. Making notes of what you are being told – without looking as though you’re attending a lecture, makes you look professional and organized.
Weak body language
Nervous: You may be scared to death trying to negotiate the price of a car or talk pipes with the plumber, but you don’t want to show it. There are a number of actions that betray nerves. The most common and obvious include pinching or pulling at skin, fidgeting, jiggling pocket contents, running tongue along front of teeth, clearing throat, hands touching the face or covering part of the face, running fingers through hair, twisting hands or pulling fingers, biting on pens or other objects and biting fingernails. Keep legs still and cross them naturally and comfortably. Legs tend move around more than normal when we are nervous, stressed or being deceptive.
Defensive: Defensive body language indicates that you feel threatened and out of control. Facial gestures that show defensive feelings include frowns, squinting eyes, lowered chins and tight-lipped smiles. When we are feeling aggressive or are trying to defend our space, we puff ourselves up, sitting or standing overly straight with elbows extended. Other body gestures include arms crossed in front of chest and torso pulled or angled away from the speaker. Hand gestures include rubbing the back of the neck clenching fists, pointing fingers or by chopping one hand into the open palm of the other.
Handshake
Here’s how to use a handshake to come across as confident and capable from the first: Always shake hands firmly, but not too powerfully and look the other person in the eye. If your palm is slightly up and outward, you are likely to be seen as open and friendly. Palm down gestures are generally interpreted as dominating and possibly aggressive, especially when there is no movement or bending between the wrist and the forearm. A vertical, upright handshake should convey equality.
If you are seated when you meet someone, do not jump out of your seat and offer a handshake. It’s better to let them take the initiative. If they are seated, offer your hand and allow them to stand. If they are seated behind a desk or table, walk around instead of leaning over the table. Then, choose a seat where you can see everyone in the room and they can see you. If you are both standing, gage distance carefully. Stand too close and you’ll be marked as pushy or overly aggressive. Stand or sit too far away and you’ll seem remote and standoffish. Look directly at the other person, and always say your name unless you know for certain that the other person already knows it. | https://selfreliancecentral.com/2010/07/20/let-them-know-who%E2%80%99s-boss/ |
---
address:
- 'mySociety Ltd., London, United Kingdom.'
- 'Lexaloffle Games, Wellington, New Zealand.'
- |
School of Computing, Mathematics and Digital Technology,\
Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.
author:
- Robin Houston
- Joseph White
- Martyn Amos
title: 'Zen Puzzle Garden is [NP]{}-complete'
---
Computational complexity; NP-completeness; Puzzle.
Introduction
============
Zen Puzzle Garden (ZPG) is a one-player puzzle game that takes place on a two-dimensional grid of squares, called a [*garden*]{} [@Lex]. Squares may be either [*sand*]{}, [*rock*]{}, or [*walkable*]{}. The objective of the game is to move a [*monk*]{} character around the garden, causing him to cover [*all*]{} sand squares. The monk may move freely on walkable squares. When on a sand square the monk may only move within the von Neumann neighbourhood (i.e., no diagonal movements are allowed). Once moving on sand, the monk continues to move in a straight line until he encounters either a walkable square (in which case he moves onto it), a covered sand square or a rock (in both cases, he stops moving). The monk may not turn [*while moving*]{} on sand. An example garden is depicted in Figure \[garden\], along with a sample solution.
Although the problem has been studied experimentally [@ga], until now no formal proof of its complexity has existed. We now demonstrate that deciding the solvability of ZPG is NP-complete.\
[**Theorem 1:**]{} Deciding the solvability of a Zen Puzzle Garden instance is NP-complete.\
Following [@pearl], we construct a reduction from the following NP-complete problem [@garey]; given a cubic planar graph, does it contain a Hamiltonian circuit? That is, we construct ZPG gardens which correspond to arbitrary cubic planar graphs, and any garden we construct will have a solution iff the corresponding graph has a Hamiltonian circuit.
![(Left) Node tile, and (Right) example path.[]{data-label="node"}](zpg_example.eps)
![(Left) Node tile, and (Right) example path.[]{data-label="node"}](zpg_edge_straight.eps "fig:") ![(Left) Node tile, and (Right) example path.[]{data-label="node"}](zpg_edge_corner.eps "fig:")
![(Left) Node tile, and (Right) example path.[]{data-label="node"}](zpg_node.eps "fig:") ![(Left) Node tile, and (Right) example path.[]{data-label="node"}](zpg_node_eg.eps "fig:")
Reduction
=========
To build a ZPG garden that corresponds to a cubic planar graph, $G$, we first draw the graph on a grid. This may always be done in such a way that the area of the grid is quadratic in the size of the graph [@grid]. We then convert the grid into a ZPG garden as follows. Each square of the grid is converted into a 7$\times$7 tile, made up of either rock, sand or walkable squares. Each tile is either a straight edge, a corner, or a node of the graph with three incident edges. The first two tiles are depicted in Figure \[straight-corner\], and these may be rotated as required.
The node tile is constructed in such a way that, whichever sand square is covered first, it is always possible to cover the remaining sand squares and come out either of the other sides (Figure \[node\]).
In Figure \[graph\] we show a cubic planar graph, along with its ZPG representation. The start node is coloured in red, and the Hamiltonian cycle is shown in bold.
![(Top) Cubic planar graph. (Middle) ZPG representation. As before, sand squares are coloured white, walkable squares are blue and rocks are grey. (Bottom) Gateway tile.[]{data-label="graph"}](graph2.eps "fig:") ![(Top) Cubic planar graph. (Middle) ZPG representation. As before, sand squares are coloured white, walkable squares are blue and rocks are grey. (Bottom) Gateway tile.[]{data-label="graph"}](zpggraph2.eps "fig:")\
![(Top) Cubic planar graph. (Middle) ZPG representation. As before, sand squares are coloured white, walkable squares are blue and rocks are grey. (Bottom) Gateway tile.[]{data-label="graph"}](zpg_starting_widget.eps "fig:")
In the ZPG representation, the start node is encoded as a two-tile complex, occupying positions (3,6) and (3,5). The top tile is made entirely of walkable squares, where the monk is initially placed, and the lower tile is a single “gateway" tile, depicted in Figure \[graph\] (bottom). This tile is a modified node tile with two of the upper-most rocks converted to sand. The first sand square covered must be one of these two, and the last sand square visited must be the other. This facilitates exit from and return to the start node. Any solution must pass through all other nodes only once, so any solution to the garden gives a Hamiltonian circuit though the graph.
We know from [@grid] that a planar graph on $n$ nodes can be realised using a grid of area $O(n^2)$, and that this grid realisation can be computed in time $O(n \log n)$, so the mapping from planar graph to ZPG garden is polynomial. Given a solution, it can easily be checked in polynomial time, since a solution is never bigger than the garden it solves. This completes the proof that ZPG is NP-complete.
[99]{}
J. Coldridge and Amos, M. Genetic algorithms and the art of Zen. Proc. [*IEEE Fifth International Conference on Bio-Inspired Computing: Theories and Applications (BIC-TA)*]{}, Nagar, A.K, Thamburaj, R., Li, K. Tang, Z. and Li, R. (Eds.), pp. 1417–1423, 2010.
E. Friedman. Pearl puzzles are NP-complete. Technical Report, Stetson University, 2002.
H. de Fraysseix, J. Pach, R. Pach and R. Pollack. How to draw a planar graph on a grid. 10, pp. 41–51, 1990.
M.R. Garey, D.S. Johnson and R. E. Tarjan. The planar Hamiltonian circuit problem is NP-complete. , pp. 704–714, 1976.
Lexaloffle Games. Zen Puzzle Garden, trial version downloadable at http://www.lexaloffle.com/zen.htm.
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In a packed, standing-room only gymnasium in Michele Heights they gathered to remember him.
Manyok Akol, just 18, was fatally shot while he slept inside an Airbnb on Gilmour Street Jan. 8 in what police believe was a targeted attack that also saw three of his friends injured. No arrests have been made in what remains the city’s only homicide of 2020.
But to those who gathered Sunday evening to mourn him — his grieving family, his friends, his community — he was just Manny, their brother, their neighbour.
Pastor Ralph Dartey II read aloud scripture: “For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”
Dartey told the hundreds who gathered, so many of them youth mourning their friend, that all the cash in the world, all the material goods, the trappings of the streets that might lure them in, aren’t worth their lives.
A vigil was held for Manny Akol on Sunday Jan. 19, 2020, at the Michele Heights Community Centre.Ashley Fraser /
Postmedia
The son of African immigrants, just like Manny, he spoke of the path that his family had to carve for themselves and that there needs to be hope from the community that yet another son isn’t slain.
Those gathered had watched, just minutes earlier, a slide show of everything Manny was. Manny smiling. Manny on the football field. Manny making music. Manny graduating from high school. There was a heavy grief in the room.
Manyok ‘Manny’ Akol, 18, was fatally shot Wednesday morning.Postmedia
“What good is it if you go through life trying to achieve all these things and you have everything in the world, you have all the money, you have all the cash, all the cars, everything in the world, but in the process you end up losing yourself?”
Akol was raised on Ritchie Street in Ottawa Community Housing’s Britannia Woods neighbourhood. As a child, he played football across the city but in recent months had focused on making hip hop music as “FTG Metro.”
Pastor Ralph Dartey II spoke during a vigil that was held for Manny Akol, Sunday Jan. 19, 2020, at the Michele Heights Community Centre. Ashley Fraser/PostmediaAshley Fraser /
Postmedia
He was shot in the leg in August 2019 in what remains an unsolved shooting and rapped that “hard circumstances” had led him, a man who was raised well by his family, to change his ways. His songs and social media posts showed images of lots of cash, both fake and real drugs, and his lyrics told the story of his struggle to get out of the ‘hood.
Manny was a “leader with a vision to overcome the odds stacked against young black boys in communities like this,” said Atong Akot, speaking on behalf of their family. Manny was resilient, strong, had a purpose and “had an impact on many people” whether he was buying ice cream for kids in the community or engaging them in heart-to-heart conversations, she said.
“Manyok adored his mother and he wanted to give her the world,” Akot said. “His biggest motivation in achieving his goals was bringing his mother east. The one thing he’d always say, ‘I’m taking my hooyo out of the block.’” It meant he wanted to give his mother a better life.
A vigil was held for Manny Akol, Sunday Jan. 19, 2020, at the Michele Heights Community Centre. Amuk Akol, the mother of Manny Akol, centre, sat with loved ones during the gathering Sunday. Ashley Fraser/PostmediaAshley Fraser /
Postmedia
“He was a mama’s boy,” Akot said, as Manny’s mother clutched the arms of those sitting next to her inside the gym and cried for her dead boy and his dreams. A white poster board held by those grieving next to her pleaded: “We need justice. Stop killing our children.”
“Manyok always wanted his music to reach the world. He may not be here with us today but he is far from done and now it is up to us to spread his name, his music, and his legacy,” Akot said.
They called the vigil to grieve together, organizers said.
A vigil was held for Manny Akol, Sunday Jan. 19, 2020, at the Michele Heights Community Centre. Amuk Akol, the mother of Manny Akol, centre, is comforted by loved ones after the balloons were released Sunday. Ashley Fraser/PostmediaAshley Fraser /
Postmedia
And in unison, as they released dozens of white balloons in the night sky on Michele Drive, they yelled his name.
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Eleven items were on the agenda when Eugene Melnyk and John Ruddy met with Mayor Jim Watson and senior city staff in the mayor’s boardroom last August, including “evidence of partnership” and “plans for Kanata. | |
Hi! I'm Christina Elson , an archaeologist at the American Museum of Natural History. I work with the ancient cultures of Mexico . Being an archaeologist is a lot like being a detective: we decipher clues to learn about people of the past and the way they lived. Think of all the things archaeologists have discovered about ancient cultures. For example, today we know a lot about the Aztec religion because archaeologists uncovered their most important temple under modern Mexico City.
But how do archaeologists find out things about people and cultures that disappeared hundreds or even thousands of years ago? We examine the objects they left behind. Every object, or artifact, provides important clues about the people who used it long ago. We closely observe every discovery, record important information, and think about what each artifact tell us about the people who used it.
Now it's your turn to investigate an "artifact" and record your observations in a field journal!
Lost in the Ruins
Many things, such as food and clothing, disappear over time. Fortunately, some things, like pottery, stone, and architecture, can last for centuries. Why do you think some things last and others don't? What is more likely to survive for hundreds of years, a wood tool or a stone tool? Does it matter how something gets buried?
What You'll Need
The Materials
- An object that represents your interests or personality
- Print out of blank field journal
- Print out of Christina's field journal
- Pen or Pencil
What To Do
Start Your Field Journal
Choose an object that represents your interests or personality. For example, you might select a ball, a book, a piece of jewelry, or a school t-shirt.
Have a friend choose an object too.
Switch objects with your friend.
Take a look at Christina's field journal to see how she describes an object from the part of Mexico she studies.
Closely observe your friend's artifact and record your "Artifact Observations" in the field journal.
Next, use your observations to complete the "Artifact Analysis."
Keep Filling Up Your Field Journal
Explore lots of other artifacts and keep adding new pages to your journal. Create a cover for your field journal that reflects the place or themes behind your artifacts. For example, you might draw a map marking the city where your artifacts were found. Be sure to include your name and the date of your discoveries.
Here are some ideas to help fill your journal:
- Find other artifacts that reflect different parts of your life. For example, find an artifact that represents your school, your community, or sports team. Instead of trading with a friend, examine each object yourself.
- What other kinds of artifacts was it used with?
- Look for an object that comes from a different place, such as a souvenir from a trip. (If you don't have the object in front of you, print a picture from a book or Web site to help you describe it.)
- Describe an artifact from another time, such as an old-fashion phone, an arrowhead you found at the park, or a piece of clothing from your parent's childhood.
Take a Closer Look
Chances are, the objects you choose are ones you've seen many times. But take a closer look and you might see new details you've never noticed before. Use a magnifying glass if you have one. Is the object worn in certain places? Does it have any small words or inscriptions? As you describe your object, be very specific and include these little details. Imagine describing the object to someone who doesn't know what it is or can't see it.
Image Credits: | https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/archaeology/making-a-field-journal |
How much CO2 is produced by gas?
This assumes the average gasoline vehicle on the road today has a fuel economy of about 22.0 miles per gallon and drives around 11,500 miles per year. Every gallon of gasoline burned creates about 8,887 grams of CO2.
How much CO2 is in a cubic meter of natural gas?
CO2 emission factor for Natural gas is: 0.056 kg CO2eq/MJ energy equivalent. Since the higher heating value of Natural Gas is: 38 – 39 MJ/m3, CO2 emission factor would be about 2.2 kg CO2eq per m3 of natural gas.
How much CO2 does a Litre of gas produce?
approximately 2.3 kg
Burning 1 L of gasoline produces approximately 2.3 kg of CO2.
How much CO2 does the average car emit per year UK?
Average CO2 Emissions Per Car Per Year UK Considering the average car drives 7,600 miles per year in the UK, the average car releases 1,734,688 grams of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
How much CO2 does natural gas release?
Natural gas is a relatively clean burning fossil fuel About 117 pounds of CO2 are produced per million British thermal units (MMBtu) equivalent of natural gas compared with more than 200 pounds of CO2 per MMBtu of coal and more than 160 pounds per MMBtu of distillate fuel oil.
How do you calculate CO2 emissions for natural gas?
Carbon dioxide emissions per therm are determined by converting million British thermal units (mmbtu) to therms, then multiplying the carbon coefficient times the fraction oxidized times the ratio of the molecular weight of carbon dioxide to carbon (44/12). 0.1 mmbtu equals one therm (EIA 2018).
How much is 1kg of CO2?
0.27kg
This means that a quantity of CO2 can be expressed in terms of the amount of carbon it contains by multiplying the amount of CO2 by 0.27 (12/44). E.g. 1kg of CO2 can be expressed as 0.27kg of carbon, as this is the amount of carbon in the CO2.
How many m3 of gas are in a kWh?
0.0947 m3
To generate 1 kWh of electricity, we have to combust 0.0947 m3 or 94.7 liters of natural gas (100% efficient combustion).
How can I make one megawatt?
One MW is equal to one million watts. If you divide this one million watts by 200 watts per panel, we are left with needing 5,000 solar panels to produce one MW of power. | https://www.meltingpointathens.com/how-much-co2-is-produced-by-gas/ |
Q:
Does the line passing through $(3,4,-1)$ which is normal to $x+4y-z = -2$, intersect any of the coordinate axes?
Does the line passing through $(3,4,-1)$ which is normal to $x+4y-z = -2$, intersect any of the coordinate axes?
I'm not sure how to go about this question. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
A:
The line passing through $(3,4,-1)$ and normal to the plane $x+4y-z = -2$ has the following parametric equation:
$$\begin{pmatrix}x\\y\\z\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}3\\\color{blue}{4}\\\color{blue}{-1}\end{pmatrix}+\lambda\begin{pmatrix}1\\\color{blue}{4}\\\color{blue}{-1}\end{pmatrix}$$
It intersects a coordinate axis if two coordinates are (simultaneously) zero. Can you find a value of $\lambda$ for which this happens? Hint: look at the blue coordinates.
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As habitats become more fragmented, understanding landscape-level effects on habitat quality becomes increasingly important. These effects include factors intrinsic to the habitat fragments, such as vegetation cover and structure, and extrinsic factors, such as the modifying influences of surrounding (matrix) habitats. We develop a spatial model, the Effective Area Model (EAM), that predicts the effects of matrix habitats on species abundances in habitat patches. Model predictions are based on two sets of parameters: measures of species abundances at various distances from habitat edges ("edge responses") and measures of the size and shape of the habitat fragments. We test model predictions for bird assemblages occupying fragmented habitats in central coastal California. Predictions of the relative abundances of birds, based on results from previous studies at nearby sites, are made for six small (<3 ha) patches of oak woodland habitat, three surrounded by grassland and three surrounded by chaparral. Results from field studies of these patches show significant differences between the two groups, indicating that the type of habitat surrounding a patch influences the composition and structure of the bird assemblage it supports. The rank order of species abundances correlated more closely with predictions of the EAM than with those of a null model that did not account for edge and matrix effects. The EAM is an improvement over models that do not account for the influence of surrounding habitats on the distribution and abundance of animals in small habitat patches, and over those that assume a consistent response, for a given species or taxon, at all types of edges. This approach may prove useful in attempts to understand and predict the effects of habitat fragmentation and restoration on the organization of animal assemblages. | https://experts.nau.edu/en/publications/bird-assemblages-in-patchy-woodlands-modeling-the-effects-of-edge |
We are pleased to launch the fifth edition of our report, Industry Multiples in China. The report provides trading multiples for key industrial sectors in China as of 30 September 2022.
Key Highlights
- In the first nine months of 2022, China’s GDP rose by 3% year on year.
- The Asian Development Bank projects growth of 3.3% for the full year, which places China above other major economic areas—with an increase of 2.7% forecast for the European Union, 1.92% in Japan and 1.6% in the United States.
- As of September 30, 2022 , the China Shanghai Composite Stock Market Index had increased 17% so far this year to 3,024. In the same period, Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 26% to 17,223 while the MSCI China Index plummeted 32% to 56.4.
- In the domestic market, aggregate revenue has increased in all industries, and yet, most sectors suffered a drop in aggregate net profit, with the exception of energy, materials and financials. This suggests that businesses are sacrificing profitability in order to maintain activity levels.
- In Real Estate, the Chinese Government has introduced a series of policies to bolster the industry, such as tax refunds, lower interest rates and the easing of restrictions on mortgages. These measures seem to have had the desired effect with 2022’s trading P/E multiple surprisingly higher than the pre-pandemic level, considering the issues that have buffeted the sector and aggregate profit in the sector falling by around 27%. Companies are still trading at a discount of 30% on average to their book (or a 0.7 P/B ratio).
- Industrials remained stable reflecting the appeal of a sector that enjoyed a resurgence in production after the pandemic, and that is less exposed to consumer confidence.
- With price increases in the sector slowing, Utilities is another sector that has remained relatively stable and stands on a neutral to positive footing.
- The trading P/E multiple for Energy fell this year to 5.9 from 10 prior to the pandemic. Share prices in the sector have not followed the jump in aggregate profit of 56% which indicates that the sector could be undervalued based on the historical average and comparison with global peers.
- Health care saw a big drop in its P/E multiple from 58.3 in the first year of the pandemic down to 24.5. It’s understandable that the sector would be overpriced and over-invested amid the global health crisis.
- A cooling construction market, supply chain disruptions and challenges in the steel industry combined to reduce multiples in the materials sector.
- P/E multiples in consumer discretionary and consumer staples have both been impacted by constrained consumer spending power and a significant drop in aggregate profit in the sectors although both figures held their own against pre-pandemic levels. The expected ease of China’s zero-Covid policy may reverse the downtrend on valuation.
- In the financial sector, exposure to bad loans and distressed assets in the property sector continued to have an adverse impact on multiples—a situation exacerbated by weakening demand for loans from corporate clients as the wider economy slows.
- A tighter domestic regulatory landscape and international trade restrictions on certain key components and technologies were the main factors weighing on lower multiples in the information technology and communications sectors.
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Nov 08, 2022 In Q3 2022, Kroll saw insider threat peak to its highest quarterly level to date, accounting for nearly 35% of all unauthorized access threat incidents. Find out more in Kroll’s Threat Landscape report. | https://www.kroll.com/en/insights/publications/valuation/industry-multiples-in-china-report-2022-fifth-edition |
The texts that survive do not reveal what, if any, special procedures the scribes used to assist in this.
Using the same table as in the multiplication problem, one can see that 8 produces the largest multiple of 28 that is less then 308 (for the entry at 16 is already 448), and 8 is checked off.The entire process is analogous to the process of solving the algebraic equation for the problem (circle (Rhind papyrus, problem 50): 1/9 of the diameter is discarded, and the result is squared.For example, if the diameter is 9, the area is set equal to 64.Since the entries 1, 2, 4, and 20 add up to 27, one has only to add up the corresponding multiples to find the answer.Computations involving fractions are carried out under the restriction to unit parts (that is, fractions that in modern notation are written with 1 as the numerator).(In most cases, of course, there is a remainder that is less than the divisor.) For larger numbers this procedure can be improved by considering multiples of one of the factors by 10, 20,…or even by higher orders of magnitude (100, 1,000,…), as necessary (in the Egyptian decimal notation, these multiples are easy to work out).
Thus, one can find the product of 28 by 27 by setting out the multiples of 28 by 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, and 20.
The information comes primarily from two long papyrus documents that once served as textbooks within scribal schools.
The Rhind papyrus (in the British Museum) is a copy made in the 17th century , presents 25 problems of a similar type.
(It is not as close, however, as the now common estimate of 3, first proposed by Archimedes, which is only about 0.04 percent too large.) But there is nothing in the papyri indicating that the scribes were aware that this rule was only approximate rather than exact.
A remarkable result is the rule for the volume of the truncated pyramid (Golenishchev papyrus, problem 14).
One of the texts popular as a copy exercise in the schools of the New Kingdom (13th century ) was a satiric letter in which one scribe, Hori, taunts his rival, Amen-em-opet, for his incompetence as an adviser and manager. But the point of the humour is clear, as Hori challenges his rival with these hard, but typical, tasks. | https://dom-idei.ru/dating-directrix-11640.html |
Subharmonic frequencies are frequencies below the fundamental frequency of an oscillator in a ratio of 1/n, with n a positive integer. For example, if the fundamental frequency of an oscillator is 440 Hz, sub-harmonics include 220 Hz ( 1⁄2), ~146.6 Hz ( 1⁄3) and 110 Hz ( 1⁄4).
What does harmonically mean?
1. a. Of or relating to harmony. b. Pleasing to the ear: harmonic orchestral effects.
What is Subharmonics in power quality?
Subharmonic are interharmonics with frequencies lower than fundamental frequency (60 or 50 Hz) .
What is Subharmonics in power systems?
Sub-harmonics are components of a power signal which have a frequency that is a fraction of the fundamental frequency.
What is subharmonic oscillation?
This instability is known as sub- harmonic oscillation, which occurs when the inductor ripple current does not return to its initial value by the start of next switching cycle. Sub-harmonic oscillation is normally characterized by observing alternating wide and narrow pulses at the switch node.
How do you sing subharmonic notes?
What is a synonym for harmonic?
congruous, consonant, eurythmic. (or eurhythmic), harmonious.
What is the 5th harmonic?
Fifth Harmonic Nodes occur at locations where two waves interfere such that one wave is displaced upward the same amount that a second wave is displaced downward. This form of interference is known as destructive interference and leads to a point of “no displacement.” A node is a point of no displacement.
Why do harmonics occur?
Harmonics are the result of nonlinear loads that convert AC line voltage to DC. Harmonics flow into the electrical system because of nonlinear electronic switching devices, such as variable frequency drives (VFDs), computer power supplies and energy-efficient lighting.
How do Subharmonics work?
The subharmonic is generated when two notes with the specific frequencies interact or periodically connect with one another. This means that subharmonics can be generated when the two notes are coming from the same source and place or as close as possible so that the listener perceives it as only one wave of sound.
What is the difference between harmonics and Interharmonics?
While interharmonic and harmonic definitions are similar, their difference — that harmonics are periodic at the fundamental frequency and interharmonics are not — is important.
What are super harmonics?
superharmonic (plural superharmonics) (physics) A wave whose frequency is an integer multiple of that of another; an overtone.
What is notch in power quality?
Notch:A switching (or other) disturbance of the normal power voltage waveform, lasting less than a half-cycle, which is initially of opposite polarity thanthe waveform and is thus subtracted from the normal waveform in terms of the peak value of the disturbance voltage.
What is the difference between Interharmonics?
sub-harmonics is having frequency of nf and harmonics is having frequency of (1/n)f ,where f is fundamental frequency. If the harmonics is a non-integer multiple of the fundamental frequency then then it is called interharmonics.
What is a sub harmonic of a signal?
If the frequency of a signal is less than the fundamental frequency then it is called sub-harmonics. This means, the frequency of sub-harmonics will be (1/n)th times of the fundamental frequency. Thus, a frequency of 25 Hz, 17 Hz,12 Hz, etc. are sub-harmonics.
Why do we need slope compensation?
As the boost inductor being designed is operating at constant frequency, slope compensation is required to ensure the stability of the converter.
What is current mode control?
Current-mode control addresses the slow response of voltage-mode control because the inductor current rises with a slope determined by the difference between the input and output voltages and hence responds immediately to line- or load-voltage changes.
What is voltage mode control?
Voltage mode control represents the most basic method, in which only the output voltage is returned through a feedback loop. The differential voltage, which is obtained to compare the output voltage with the reference voltage by an error amp, is compared with triangular waves by a PWM generator.
Can subharmonics damage your voice?
This technique sounds better than vocal fry in that it is louder, more resonant and sounds nicer, as well as that it does not cause damage to your vocal chords.
Why can I sing lower in the morning?
Our voices are lower in the morning because the vocal cords and the subtle musculature which surrounds our larynx are in a state of relaxation from resting the voice overnight.
How do you improve subharmonic singing?
What is harmonic wave?
A harmonic is a wave or signal whose frequency is an integral (whole number) multiple of the frequency of the same reference signal or wave. As part of the harmonic series, the term can also refer to the ratio of the frequency of such a signal or wave to the frequency of the reference signal or wave.
Are overtones and harmonics the same thing?
“Overtone” is a term generally applied to any higher-frequency standing wave, whereas the term harmonic is reserved for those cases in which the frequencies of the overtones are integral multiples of the frequency of the fundamental. Overtones or harmonics are also called resonances.
What is another word for harmonious relationship?
amicable, congenial; sympathetic.
How many types of harmonics are there?
There are two types of harmonics as follows: Odd harmonics: Odd numbers such as 3 , 5 , 7 , etc, are the odd harmonics. Even harmonics: Even numbers such as 2 , 4 , 6 , etc, are the even harmonics. | https://physics-network.org/what-is-subharmonic-frequency/ |
Article 1 / Duration of stay
The client reserving accommodation with the owner, for a fixed period, will not be able to in any circumstances to claim any right to remain in the premises.
Article 2 / Booking formalities
The total price of the reservation, the amount indicated being inclusive of all taxes, tourist tax included.
If this reservation is in accordance with the expectations, we invite the customer to pay, within 15 days, the deposit representing 30% of the total amount of the reserved service.
Once this deposit has been received, the reservation becomes firm.
By paying the deposit, the client confirms his full agreement with the general conditions specified below.
Without the payment of the deposit within the time limit, the reservation is not confirmed. Consequently, at the end of the 15-day period, the owner reserves the right to put the room(s) back on rent.
Article 3 / Room prices
The rates shown are per room, per night, breakfast included, tourist tax not included.
The rates are differentiated according to whether the room is occupied by one or several persons. Rates do not include any additional services.
Article 4 / Cancellation of the stay by the customer
Any modification of the reservation, date, room, is only possible after the agreement of the owner and may possibly involve additional costs, and will be done according to availability at the date of the modification.
The customer is informed of the particular conditions in case of cancellation of the reservation before the beginning of the stay :
– if the cancellation occurs more than 15 calendar days before the date of arrival, the Deposit paid at the time of booking will be refunded in full to the customer;
– if the cancellation occurs between the 14th calendar day and the 3rd calendar day before the date of arrival, the Deposit paid at the time of reservation will be retained by the owner, unless the owner manages to re-let the room(s).
– if the cancellation occurs less than 48 hours before the arrival date, the total amount of the reservation will remain due to the owner.
– In case of early departure during the stay the totality of the booked service will be due.
Article 5 / No show
In case of no-show, the total amount of the reservation will be of.
Article 6 / Cancellation insurance
The owner draws the client’s attention to the fact that no cancellation insurance is included in his rates. It is therefore strongly recommended to take out one.
Article 7 / Cancellation of the stay by the owner
If, before the beginning of the stay, the owner has to cancel the reservation, he will immediately inform the customer by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The client will then be immediately and fully reimbursed for all sums paid.
Article 8 / Arrival time
The customer must arrive on the day specified at the time of booking, at the earliest at 3.30 pm (time of availability of the rooms and handing over of the keys) and, at the latest, at 8.30 pm.
The client must imperatively inform us by telephone if, by force of circumstances, he is forced to arrive after this time slot.
As far as possible, it is requested not to plan arrivals after 9.30 pm.
Article 9 / Breakfast
Breakfast time is set from 7:00 to 10:30 at the latest.
Article 10 / Departure time
The time of departure of the rooms is fixed at 11:30 at the latest.
Article 11 / Payment of the balance of the accommodation
The balance of the stay is to be paid before departure, at the client’s initiative.
An invoice is given to the customer at his departure with the details of the service, the amount of the accommodation, the amount of the possible additional services, the amount of the tourist tax, the amount of the VAT applied.
The payment can be made in cash, by transfer and with the bank cards VISA, MASTER and AMERICAN EXPRESS.
Article 12 / Change of rooms
It is possible that the owner, for service or security reasons, may have to modify the room originally reserved by the guest. In this case the change will always be for a room of the same capacity and offering the same level of service.
In this case, the cost of the reservation will be adjusted.
Article 13 / Pets
Pets are not accepted at Colivault unless prior authorization from the owner of the premises.
Article 14 / Art of living and use of the premises
In particular, it is requested not to smoke inside the rooms and common areas and, as far as possible, to stay away from open doors and windows so as not to inconvenience the occupants.
For safety reasons, it is strictly forbidden to use in the premises :
– naked flames such as matches, candles, candles, Bengal fire, etc.,.
The rooms having been decorated and furnished with passion by the owner, it is requested to respect the objects provided. Any undeclared disappearance of an object will be invoiced to the client at its replacement value.
The attention of the customers is drawn to the fact that the minors evolving on the property are placed under the only and whole responsibility of their parents or the persons having authority on them.
Article 15 / Modification of the conditions of sale
These terms and conditions of sale are subject to change at any time and without notice. Acceptance and respect of these conditions of sale are deemed to have been acquired as soon as the deposit has been paid.
Article 16 / Computer law and freedom
In accordance with the law n° 78-17 of January 6, 1978 relating to data processing, data files and liberties, the customer benefits from a right of access and rectification to the data concerning him/her. The owner commits himself not to transmit in any case the information that the customer communicated to him to other companies or organizations for advertising purposes. | https://colivault.com/general-terms-and-conditions-of-sale/?lang=en |
MASS, SIZE AND DENSITY OF THE UNIVERSE...
It is the most frequently asked questions that what is the mass of the Universe, size of the Universe, or density of the Universe. We all know that Universe came into existence after the Big Bang. Big Bang is the phenomenon after which the Time came into existence. Universe is very big (actually that much big what we cant imagine of!). All the galaxies in the Universe are moving away from each other with very high speed whereas on the other hand, planets, moons are attracted by suns or stars. Even galaxies are also attracted by a big Black Hole in the center of it. There are billions of unsolved mysteries in the Universe. In these circumstances it is very difficult to calculate the exact mass, volume, and density of the Universe. Mass, density and size of Universe includes very big numbers and very small numbers too. For example, Mass Density of visible matter in the Universe is 3x10^-28 kg/cubic meter. The mass density of the Universe is 3x10^-31 times the mass density of water. These figures are enough explain the size of the Universe. Even after having so billions of heavenly bodies, Universe possesses a mass density of just 3x10^-28 kg/cubic meter. The radius of the visible Universe is 4.40x10^26 meters, i.e 46.5 billion light years. Thus, we can say that observable Universe has diameter of about 8.8x10^26meters. Now here the question arises that what is Observable Universe?
OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE
The observable universe is a region (or we can say spherical region) of the Universe which includes all the matters that can be observed from Earth at the present time (Here, 'present time' is mentioned because Universe is expanding with the speed more than the speed of the light. This means by the time you read this line, Universe expanded more than 300,000km). That's very strange! The electromagnetic radiation from these far away objects taken time to reach Earth since the 'Big Bang' and astronomers believe that there are still many radiations left which are yet to come. There are at least 2 trillion galaxies present in the observable universe, containing more stars than all the sand particles present on the Earth! The estimated age of the observable universe is 13.799 billion years (being 0.021 billion years as its absolute error, means this age can be more than 13.799 billion years by 0.021 or less than 13.799 billion years by 0.021).
MASS
The radius of the Universe and density of the Universe is such that it give us the mass of the Universe, which is equal to 6x10^51 kg. This total mass is equal to the total mass of 4x10^78 Hydrogen atoms. We consider Hydrogen atom here because 9 out of 10 atoms and ions in the Universe are in the form of hydrogen atom. In physical cosmology, a famous theory named, Inflation theory helped in determining the mass of the Universe. This theory explains the exponential expansion of the space in the early Universe. The inflationary time lasted from 10^-36 seconds after the imagined Big Bang singularity to sometime between 10^-33 and 10^-32 seconds after the singularity. Also Inflation theory predicts that the mass density of the Universe should be close to the critical density that separates an open Universe which always grows from a closed Universe ( closed Universe collapses again and again!). The critical mass density is equal to 6x10^-26kg/cubic meters. This means that if the Universe is at critical mass density, then the total mass of the Universe will be 1x10^53 kg, which consequently increase the total number of atoms to 6x10^79. Also, there will be 1x10^9 times more photons and neutrinos than atoms, which is flying in the Universe in the form of bundle of energy packet in light.
SIZE
As we discussed earlier about the Observable Universe, which is observed by the Earth. Its been billions of years when Big Bang occurred. Since, Universe is expanding for 13.8 billion years, therefore the radius is now about 46.6 billion years. Of the 100% Universe, we can observe only 4% of them and the rest 96% is made up of matter that astronomers cant see, detect or even understand. These mysterious substances has not been identified or been detected yet. Astronomers named it as Dark Energy and the matter made up of these matter was named as Dark Matter. This energy helps the Universe to expand as this energy creates space anywhere in the space. Keeping in mind that the volume of the Earth is 260 Billion cubic miles and that of the observable Universe is 3.58x10^80 cubic meters, the percentage of the space by the Earth in the observable Universe is 1.167x10^-64 %. It means, if we consider a space occupied by a sand particles on the Earth, then the percentage of space occupied by the sand grain on the Earth will be 10^-62 times more than the percentage of space occupied by the Earth in the observable Universe. Just imagine how small we are if we consider observable Universe as the parameters.
That's all for now.. Hope you enjoyed it!
Be updated for the curiosity.. Gud bye..
Cheers!!.. | https://www.friendotech.com/2017/10/mass-size-and-density-of-universe.html |
Anusha Mohan, Data Scientist
Cross-validation is like a sharp knife. It cuts great, more can be done with less effort, but if one is not careful, it could injure the user. This blog post details a common mistake which data scientists could make while leveraging cross-validation to improve the performance of a model trained on an imbalanced dataset.
Why Use Cross-Validation?
Cross-validation is a popular technique that data scientists use to validate the stability and generalizability of a machine learning model. In K-fold cross-validation, the data is partitioned into K subsets. We then iteratively train on each set of (K-1) subsets and validate on the remaining subset, allowing each data point to be used as training data (K-1) times and validation data 1 time. The model score is then computed as the average validation score across all K trials.
This helps a data scientist validate that their model is not overfitting and will generalize to unseen data, as the model score is an average across multiple validation scores, not just a single iteration. A data scientist must ensure that the model is learning the patterns in the data and not fitting to the noise. In other words, the model should be low on bias and variance.
Imbalanced Datasets
An imbalanced dataset is one where a positive signal occurs in only a small proportion of the total dataset. Often, the minority class in such a dataset will carry an extreme risk if it is not properly detected. For example, fraudulent credit card transactions account for only 1–2% of all transactions, but the risk associated with not catching fraudulent activity is very high.
There are several disadvantages when building a model with imbalanced data:
- Bias — The classification output is biased as the classifiers are more sensitive to detecting the majority class and less sensitive to the minority class.
- Optimization Metrics — Normal optimization metrics, such as accuracy, may not be indicative of true performance, especially when there is increased risk associated with false-negative or false-positive predictions.
- Difficulty Getting More Data — Datasets are often imbalanced because of real world factors, as with the credit card example mentioned above. Namely, the minority class is simply a rare event, which makes finding data that would hopefully balance the class distribution of the dataset very difficult.
Because of these disadvantages, there can be caveats when trying to leverage cross-validation with an imbalanced dataset. These caveats are perhaps best illustrated with an example.
An Illustrated Example
The dataset I have picked is a breast cancer prediction dataset from the UCI machine learning repository. This dataset consists of a sample of patients who have been diagnosed with either a malignant tumor or a benign tumor, and 9 features that each contain information on the detected tumor.
Further, I made this dataset severely imbalanced by keeping only a sample of positive instances (malignant tumor) from the original dataset. This pre-processed dataset contains 456 patients, where 2.6% have a malignant tumor (12 patients) and 97.3% have a benign tumor (444 patients). Finally, I randomly sampled 30% of the pre-processed dataset to be held out as a pure test set so that I could evaluate the model against truly unseen data.
All code and data can be found at this GitHub repository.
Model Optimization Metrics
When choosing the correct optimization metric, we must consider the risks associated with the results of our predictions. For example, accuracy would not be the right metric to evaluate a model trained on this dataset. A naive model would classify all data in a test set with the majority class label, which in our case would be label 0 — benign tumor. The accuracy of this naive model would be very high, but every patient with a malignant tumor would be incorrectly diagnosed. In healthcare, the worst case scenario is a false-negative diagnosis. We want to identify as many breast cancer patients as possible to provide the care and treatment they deserve. Therefore this naive implementation would be unacceptable.
Since we want to penalize our model as much as possible for false-negative predictions, recall is the right metric to evaluate our model.
Baseline Model
When a random forest model was trained on this imbalanced dataset and applied to the test set, the accuracy obtained was 97%, with precision and recall scores 0%. We would like to improve upon this baseline test-set recall score, as our objective is to identify as many patients with malignant tumors as possible.
How Do We Improve Performance?
The recall and precision scores were low as there was not enough data for the model to pick up the signal for malignant tumors. No observations in the test set were classified as 1’s, which resulted in 0 overall positives (true and false positives) and 4 false-negatives.
One thing we can do to improve our performance is to balance the dataset. We have two options to do this:
- Undersampling the majority class — Undersampling involves reducing the number of samples from the majority class by randomly selecting a subset of data points from that class to use for training. One of the major disadvantages of performing undersampling is that useful data or information might be thrown away.
- Oversampling the minority class — Oversampling involves increasing the number of the samples from the minority class in the training dataset. The common method is to add copies of data points from the minority class, which amplifies the decision region resulting in the improvement of evaluation metrics. The main disadvantage of this method is that it might result in overfitting. Another method to oversample, which reduces this issue, is SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique). SMOTE is an enhanced sampling method that creates synthetic samples based on the nearest neighbors of feature values in the minority class.
Since our sample size is already small, we will use oversampling to try to improve test set performance.
Cross-Validation on Oversampled Data (using SMOTE)
The minority class in the training set was oversampled to a class ratio of 1 to improve the quality of model predictions by enhancing the decision boundary. 5-fold cross-validation was then performed using this balanced training set in order to get an estimate of test set performance. Taking the average recall score across all 5 iterations, we get a model score of 100%!
100% cross-validated recall score looks pretty great without any feature engineering or hyper-parameter tuning. The only difference was the minority class in the dataset was oversampled to a ratio of 1. It is almost too good to be true…
And we are right. When a model trained with the balanced training set is applied to the test set, the test recall score is only 50%.
So what happened? Cross-validation was supposed to represent test set performance, but it didn’t work in this case. Did my model overfit?
First we can check the feature distributions in the training set. When we plot the kernel densities, we see that only 2 out of 9 features show high discriminative power between class 0 and class 1.
This makes us even more suspicious of our cross-validation process, as it is hard to overfit as heavily as indicated when only two features have high predictive power.
The real reason our test recall score was far less than the cross-validated score was because of information bleed from the validation set to the training set in each iteration. Let’s think for a moment about how the oversampling was done. I split the data first into training and test, followed by oversampling the minority class in the training data using SMOTE, then passing that balanced dataset through cross-validation. During cross-validation, the already oversampled training data was further divided into train and validation sets. This causes two problems:
- Synthetic observations could end up in both the training and validation sets during the same iteration. A sophisticated model architecture like Random Forest will be able to recognize these feature values are from the same distribution and predict accurately on validation, thereby inflating recall scores.
- The model training and application process are not representative of the testing environment. In each iteration of cross-validation, the model is both trained and applied on balanced datasets, while in reality it will be trained on a balanced dataset and applied on an imbalanced dataset.
The ideal way to conduct this experiment would be to perform oversampling of the training set in each cross-validation iteration, not before beginning the process. This prevents the data leakage from the validation set to the training set during cross-validation, and reflects how the model trained on a balanced training set would perform when applied to an imbalanced, unseen test set.
Now that we can rely on our cross-validation process to be indicative of test set performance, we can continue to try to improve model performance by feature engineering and hyper-parameter tuning.
Conclusion
One of the main challenges data scientists face is working with imbalanced datasets, where predicting the minority class is often difficult. Techniques like oversampling/SMOTE help to improve model performance trained on these datasets, but in order to ensure cross-validation is helping us produce the best model that will generalize to unseen data, it is essential to follow these guidelines:
- In each iteration exclude some data for validation. The excluded data should not be used for feature selection, oversampling and model building.
- Oversample the minority class only in the training set without the data already excluded for validation.
- Repeat K times, where K is number of folds.
This will make sure each iteration of cross-validation is representative of the real-world environment, in both training a model on balanced data and applying to an imbalanced validation set.
GitHub: https://github.com/lumiata/tech_blog
Visit Lumiata at www.lumiata.com and follow on Twitter via @lumiata.
Find us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/lumiata
Citations:
1. O. L. Mangasarian and W. H. Wolberg: “Cancer diagnosis via linear programming”, SIAM News, Volume 23, Number 5, September 1990, pp 1 & 18.
2. William H. Wolberg and O.L. Mangasarian: “Multisurface method of pattern separation for medical diagnosis applied to breast cytology”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., Volume 87, December 1990, pp 9193–9196. | https://www.lumiata.com/cross-validation-for-imbalanced-datasets/ |
signal.
2. Does the signal from the previous question have finite energy? Does it have finite power? If
the answer to either question is yes, find the value of the energy or power.
3. What is sinc(t) ∗ sinc(t)? Hint: use the convolution theorem.
4. Suppose a system acts on signal x and produces output y by the rule
y(t) = |x(t + 3)|.
Is the system linear? Is the system time invariant? Is the system causal?
5. Let x(t) be the signal given by cos(2πf t) for 0 ≤ t ≤ T and 0 otherwise, where T = 1/f. Find
the Fourier transform, X(ω), of this signal. Demonstrate Parseval’s theorem by comparing
the norms of x and X.
6. Suppose we pass x(t) from the previous question through the system from question 4. Use
MATLAB to find the amplitude and phase of the output signal’s Fourier transform Y (ω).
Plot X(ω) as well – how do the signals compare?
7. Let z(t) = y(t) cos(64πt + θ). Write z as a sum of in-phase and quadrature components. Plot
the Fourier transform Z(ω) for θ = π/3, and comment on the effect of the modulation on the
amplitude and phase (comparing to Y (ω).
8. Write a function that takes as an input a time-domain signal and outputs the Hilbert transform
of that signal (also in the time-domain). Plot the Hilbert transforms of x, y and z in the
frequency and time domains.
9. Using MATLAB, demonstrate the orthagonality of a signal and its Hilbert transform for all
of x, y and z. | https://homeworkclubpro.com/product/communication-theory-homework-1-solution/ |
Enter the length of the long and short semi-axes of the ellipse, enter the calculation accuracy and click on "Calculate". Calculator will calculate the area of an ellipse.
Calculator perimeter of an ellipse
Calculator
An ellipse is the set of all points in the plane, for each of which the sum of the distances to two given points F1 and F2 of the plane is constant, greater than the distance between F1 and F2.
The points F1 and F2 are called focuses of the ellipse, and the distance between them - the focal length.
Passing through the focus of the ellipse segment, the ends of which lie on the ellipse is called the major axis of the ellipse. The length of the major axis is equal to 2a.
Segment perpendicular to the major axis passing through the center point of the major axis whose ends lie on an ellipse is called the minor axis of the ellipse.
The point of intersection of the major and minor axes of the ellipse is called its center.
Segments, conducted from the center of the ellipse to the top on the major and minor axes are called, respectively, the major axis and minor axis of the ellipse, and are indicated by a and b.
The area of an ellipse calculated by the formula: | https://fin-calc.org.ua/en/calculator/geometry/area/ellipse/ |
Q:
Find period of reciprocal $1$/$x$?
Possible Duplicate:
Compute the period of a decimal number a priori
How to find the period of a reciprocal $1$/$x$ ?
in both cases when it is terminating i.e (the distinct prime factors of the denominator are only 2's and 5's )
and when it keeps repeating immediately as in $1$/$7$ or after some digits as in $1$/$6$
A:
Using this, we can figure out $\lambda(x)$, for any given $x$ such that $(x,10)=1$
So, $10^{\lambda(x)}≡1\pmod x\implies x\mid(10^{\lambda(x)}-1)$
Let $d$ the smallest positive integer such that $10^d≡1\pmod x$
Also let $\lambda(x)=de+g$ where $0≤g<d$
$a^g=a^{\lambda(x)-de}=a^{\lambda(x)}-(a^d)^e≡1\pmod x$, but $d$ is the smallest positive integer.
So, $g=0\implies d\mid \lambda(x)$, $d$ is called $ord_x{10}$.
Then we need to find out this $d$ .
Let $x\cdot t=10^d-1$ where t is a natural number so, $\frac{1}{x}=\frac{t}{10^d-1}$ and d will be period.
For the divisors of $10$, i.e, $2,5$ the minimum power of $10$ that is divisible by $2^m\cdot 5^n$ is $max(m,n)$ where m,n are non-negative integers.
So, the length of $\frac{1}{2^m\cdot 5^n}$ will be $max(m,n)$.
If $x=2^m\cdot 5^n \cdot Q$ where $(Q,10)=1$,
$\frac{1}{x}$ will have $max(m,n)$ non-recurring digits followed by $d$ recurring digits where d is $ord_x{10}$.
| |
FIELD
BACKGROUND
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The field of the present invention relates generally to absorbent articles intended for personal wear, and more particularly to absorbent articles having graphics and a detection system for detecting when a bodily fluid is present in the article (e.g., when a wearer urinates into the absorbent article).
Disposable absorbent articles find widespread use as personal care products such as diapers, children's toilet training pants and other infant and child care products, adult incontinence garments and other adult care products, sanitary napkins and other feminine care products and the like, as well as surgical bandages and sponges. These articles absorb and contain body waste and are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use, i.e., the articles are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored for reuse. Conventional disposable absorbent articles comprise an absorbent body disposed between an inner layer adapted for facing and typically contacting the wearer's skin and an outer layer for inhibiting liquid waste absorbed by the absorbent body from leaking out of the article. The inner layer of the absorbent article is typically liquid permeable to permit body waste to pass therethrough for absorption by the absorbent body.
Disposable absorbent training pants, in particular, are useful in toilet training children. Typically, these training pants are similar to washable, cloth underwear in the manner in which they are put on and worn, yet provide an absorbent function similar to conventional diapers. Training pants are designed to provide a child undergoing toilet training with a garment that eases the transition from diapers to washable, cloth underwear as they become more confident in their ability to use the toilet independently. Indeed, one important aspect of the total toilet training process is the change from diapers to training pants to help the child understand that he or she should now use the toilet. Although the use of training pants and positive encouragement from the caregiver has been helpful in the toilet training process, there is still much room for improvement.
One motivational mechanism used to encourage such a transition is the use of disposable training pants that more closely resemble an actual pair of underwear. Specifically, a child is encouraged to wear a garment that resembles underwear worn by older children. To mimic the appearance of underwear and raise the interest of a child during toilet training, training pants are known to have graphics that are visible from outside the pants, such as by being applied to their exterior or outer surface. The graphics may be in the form of a character, object and/or alphanumeric (e.g., numbers, words, phrases, instructions, etc.). Graphics applied to such disposable articles may also provide visual assistance to the wearer or to the caregiver securing the article on the wearer.
Another motivational mechanism used to encourage or facilitate a child's transition to regular underwear is the use of wetness indicators, which are devices design to indicate to the wearer and/or caregiver when a bodily fluid has been released into the article (e.g., when a wearer urinates into the absorbent article). Various types of moisture or wetness indicators have been used in absorbent articles. Known wetness indicators include various passive indicators such as indicator strips, printing, or other devices secured or otherwise formed within each absorbent article. Some wetness indicators include suitable alarm devices that are designed to send a signal when the wetness indicator senses moisture or wetness. The alarm devices can produce an audible, tactile, electromagnetic, or visual signal.
In some embodiments, inexpensive conductive threads, foils, or paper have been placed in absorbent articles with wetness indicators. The conductive materials serve as conductive leads for a signaling device and form an open circuit in the article that can be closed when a fluid, such as urine, closes the circuit. In these embodiments, although the absorbent articles having the conductive threads, foils, or paper therein are disposable, the signaling devices are typically not. Thus, the signaling devices are intended to be removed from a used article and reattached to a subsequent, new article.
Several technologies have enabled wetness detection with little to no product alteration using non-invasive sensors that can be removably placed on the absorbent article. By way of example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0168694, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an infrared wetness detection system for an absorbent article that includes a non-invasive sensor that measures infrared reflectance at some depth within the absorbent article. U.S. Pat. No. 8,274,393, which is incorporated herein by references, discloses the use of various sensors, such as a temperature sensor, a conductivity sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a vibration sensor, or a material expansion sensor placed on an outside cover of an absorbent article. U.S. Pat. No. 8,207,394, which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses the use of an induction coil sensor for wetness detection in an absorbent article. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0168702, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a non-invasive capacitive sensor system and associated circuitry for wetness detection.
While a non-invasive signaling device provides many advantages, problems can be encountered in properly associating a particular signaling device with a proprietary product. In particular, due to the non-invasive nature of such signaling devices, a proprietary signaling device can be used with any absorbent article, regardless of the manufacturer or source of the absorbent article. Moreover, non-invasive signaling devices can be used on products that have not been safety cleared for use with a signaling device.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0116337, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a non-invasive signaling device capable of detecting the presence of one or more identifiable characteristics on the absorbent article. In particular, the absorbent article can be manufactured with a particular identifiable characteristic that can be sensed or detected by the non-invasive signaling device. When the non-invasive signaling device detects the presence of the identifiable characteristic on the absorbent article, the non-invasive signaling device is permitted to operate to detect the presence of fluid in the absorbent article. If the signaling device is used on an absorbent article that does not include the identifiable characteristic, the non-invasive signal will not operate, thereby preventing the use of a proprietary signaling device on an unauthorized product.
In one embodiment disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0116337, the identifiable characteristic is a predefined color. In another disclosed embodiment, the identifiable characteristic is a conductive pattern printed on the absorbent article. If the predefined color or the electrical characteristics of the printed conductive pattern falls within a predefined range, the signaling device will be permitted to operate. However, one potential issue with both of these embodiments is that the predefined color and the printed conductive pattern are readily visible exterior the absorbent article. As a result, the predefined color or printed conductive pattern potentially diminishes the visual quality of any graphics printed on the exterior of or otherwise visible exterior the absorbent article.
In view of the above, a need currently exists for an absorbent article having one or more identifiable characteristics that are detectable by a non-invasive signaling device and that do not diminishes the visual quality of any graphics printed on the exterior of or otherwise visible exterior the absorbent article.
In one aspect, a liquid detection system generally comprises an absorbent article for personal wear comprising a liquid permeable liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover. The article also comprises at least one graphic element, a conductive pattern at least partially superposed with the graphic element, and a barrier layer disposed between the graphic element and the conductive pattern. A non-invasive signaling device is selectively attachable to the outer cover of the absorbent article in overlying relationship with the conductive pattern. The signaling device is adapted to detect the presence of liquid within the absorbent article.
In another aspect, an absorbent article for use with a non-invasive signaling device generally comprises a liquid permeable liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover. The article also comprises at least one graphic element, a conductive pattern at least partially superposed with the graphic element, and a barrier layer disposed between the graphic element and the conductive pattern.
In yet another aspect, an outer cover for an absorbent article generally comprises at least one graphic element, a conductive pattern at least partially superposed with the graphic element, and a barrier layer disposed between the graphic element and the conductive pattern.
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
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Referring now to the drawings and in particular to , an absorbent article according to one embodiment is representatively illustrated therein in the form of children's toilet training pants and is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral . The pair of training pants illustrated in is shown in a partially fastened condition. It is understood that the absorbent article may or may not be disposable. Disposable articles refer to articles that are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use instead of being laundered or otherwise conditioned for reuse. It is also understood that the present invention is suitable for use with various other absorbent articles, including, but not limited to, diapers, feminine hygiene products, incontinence products, medical garments, surgical pads and bandages, other personal care or health care garments, and the like.
20
By way of illustration only, various materials and methods for constructing training pants such as the pants of the various aspects of the embodiments described herein are disclosed in PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000 by A. Fletcher et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,389 issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Brandon et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,190 issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Olson et al., which are all incorporated herein by reference.
FIGS. 2 and 3
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As seen in , the pants define a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The pants include a pair of longitudinal end regions, otherwise referred to herein as a front waist region and a back waist region , and a center region, otherwise referred to herein as a crotch region , extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front and back waist regions , . The front and back waist regions , include those portions of the pants , which when worn, wholly or partially cover or encircle the waist or mid-lower torso of the wearer. The crotch region generally is that portion of the pants which, when worn, is positioned between the legs of the wearer and covers the lower torso and crotch of the wearer. The pants also define an inner surface adapted in use (e.g., positioned relative to the other components of the pants ) to face and be disposed toward the wearer, and an outer surface opposed with the inner surface for facing away from the wearer.
20
As used herein, the terms inner and outer are used in reference to a direction taken perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral directions of the pants (i.e., the absorbent article), with the term inner being used to indicate a direction nearer to a wearer of the article and the term outer indicating a direction away from the wearer.
FIGS. 2 and 3
FIG. 1
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With additional reference to , the pair of training pants has a pair of laterally opposite side edges and a pair of longitudinally opposite waist edges (broadly, longitudinal ends), respectively designated front waist edge and back waist edge . Front and back side panels , of the pants, upon wearing thereof, include the portions of the training pants which are positioned on the hips of the wearer. These front and back side panels , can be permanently bonded together to form the three-dimensional configuration of the pants , or be releasably connected with one another such as by the fastening system as illustrated in . The side panels , may be formed integrally with the rest of the training pants, or be formed separate therefrom and secured thereto by suitable bonding techniques, such as adhesive bonding, pressure bonding, thermal bonding and/or ultrasonic bonding.
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FIGS. 1 and 3
FIG. 3
The illustrated training pants have an outer cover (broadly, an outer layer or substrate of the pants) having an outer surface at least in part and in the illustrated embodiment entirely defining the outer surface of the training pants. As seen in , a bodyside liner (broadly, an inner layer or substrate of the pants), having an inner surface at least in part and in the illustrated embodiment entirely defining the inner surface of the pants, is in overlaid or opposed relationship with the outer cover . The liner can be suitably joined to the outer cover along at least a portion of the longitudinal ends , of the pants and/or along the side edges thereof by any suitable means such as, without limitation, adhesive bonding, ultrasonic bonding, thermal bonding, and the like. An absorbent structure () is disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner for absorbing liquid body exudates exuded by the wearer.
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FIG. 1
FIG. 1
With the training pants in a fastened position as partially illustrated in , the front and back waist regions , are connected together by the fastening system to define the three-dimensional pants configuration having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings . The front and back waist edges , (e.g., longitudinal ends) of the training pants are configured to encircle the waist of the wearer to define the waist opening () of the pants.
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The illustrated fastening system includes laterally opposite first fastening components adapted for refastenable engagement to corresponding laterally opposite second fastening components . In one aspect, a surface of each of the fastening components , includes a plurality of engaging elements. The engaging elements of the first fastening components are adapted to repeatedly engage and disengage corresponding engaging elements of the second fastening components to releasably secure the pants in its three-dimensional configuration. The fastening components , can include any refastenable fasteners suitable for absorbent articles, such as adhesive fasteners, cohesive fasteners, mechanical fasteners, or the like. Suitable fastening systems are also disclosed in the previously incorporated PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000 by A. Fletcher et al. and the previously incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,190 issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Olson et al.
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The outer cover suitably comprises a material layer that is substantially liquid impermeable. For example, the outer cover may comprise a single layer of liquid impermeable material, or more suitably a multi-layered laminate structure in which at least one of the layers is liquid impermeable. For instance, the outer cover can comprise a liquid permeable outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer that are suitably joined together by a laminate adhesive, ultrasonic bonds, thermal bonds, pressure bonds or the like. The outer layer may also be made of those materials of which the liquid permeable bodyside liner is made. While it is not a necessity for the outer layer to be liquid permeable, it is suitable that it provides a relatively cloth-like texture to the wearer.
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The inner layer of the outer cover can be both liquid and vapor impermeable, or it may be liquid impermeable and vapor permeable. The inner layer can be manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid impermeable materials may also be used. The inner layer, or the liquid impermeable outer cover when a single layer, prevents waste material from wetting articles, such as bed sheets and clothing, as well as the wearer and caregiver.
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Alternatively, the outer cover may include a woven or non-woven fibrous web layer that has been totally or partially constructed or treated to impart the desired levels of liquid impermeability to selected regions that are adjacent or proximate the absorbent structure. The outer cover may also be stretchable, and in some aspects it may be elastomeric. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,028, issued to Morman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,662 issued to Morman and U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,781 issued to Morman, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, for additional examples of suitable outer cover materials.
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The bodyside liner is suitably compliant, soft-feeling, and non-irritating to the wearer's skin. The bodyside liner is also sufficiently liquid permeable to permit liquid body exudates to readily penetrate through its thickness to the absorbent structure . As an example, one suitable liquid permeable bodyside liner is a nonwoven polyethylene/polypropylene bicomponent web having a basis weight of about 27 gsm; the web may be spunbonded or a bonded carded web. Alternatively, the bodyside liner may be stretchable, and in some aspects it may be elastomeric. Reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/563,417 filed on May 3, 2000 by Roessler et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/698,512 filed on Oct. 27, 2000 by Vukos et al., both of which are incorporated by reference herein, for additional information regarding suitable bodyside liner materials.
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The absorbent structure is disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner . The absorbent structure in one suitable embodiment extends longitudinally from the crotch region into both the front and back waist regions , . It is contemplated, however, that the absorbent structure may extend from the crotch region into only the front waist region , or only the back waist region , without departing from the scope of this invention.
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The absorbent structure can be suitably compressible, conformable, non-irritating to a wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids and certain body wastes. For example, the absorbent structure may include cellulosic fibers (e.g., wood pulp fibers), other natural fibers, synthetic fibers, woven or nonwoven sheets, scrim netting or other stabilizing structures, superabsorbent material, binder materials, surfactants, selected hydrophobic materials, pigments, lotions, odor control agents or the like, as well as combinations thereof.
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The materials may be formed into an absorbent web structure by employing various conventional methods and techniques known in the art. For example, the absorbent structure may be formed by a dry-forming technique, an air forming technique, a wet-forming technique, a foam-forming technique, or the like, as well as combinations thereof. Methods and apparatus for carrying out such techniques are well known in the art. The absorbent structure may alternatively include a coform material such as the material disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,324 to Anderson, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,703 to Everhart, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,624 to Georger, et al.; which are incorporated herein by reference.
The term “coform material” generally refers to composite materials comprising a mixture or stabilized matrix of thermoplastic fibers and a second non-thermoplastic material. As an example, coform materials are made by a process in which at least one meltblown die head is arranged near a chute through which other materials are added to the web while it is forming. Such other materials may include, but are not limited to, fibrous organic materials such as woody or non-woody pulp such as cotton, rayon, recycled paper, pulp fluff and also superabsorbent particles, inorganic absorbent materials, treated polymeric staple fibers and the like. Any of a variety of synthetic polymers may be utilized as the melt-spun component of the coform material. For instance, in certain aspects, thermoplastic polymers can be utilized. Some examples of suitable thermoplastics that can be utilized include polyolefins, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene and the like; polyamides; and polyesters. In one aspect, the thermoplastic polymer is polypropylene.
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Superabsorbent material may be suitably present in the absorbent structure in an amount of from about 0 to about 90 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent structure. The absorbent structure may suitably have a density within the range of about 0.10 to about 0.35 grams per cubic centimeter. Superabsorbent materials are well known in the art and can be selected from natural, synthetic, and modified natural polymers and materials.
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In one aspect, the absorbent structure may be stretchable so as not to inhibit the stretchability of other components to which the absorbent structure may be adhered, such as the outer cover and bodyside liner . For example, the absorbent structure may include materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,964,743, 5,645,542, 6,231,557, 6,362,389, and international patent application WO 03/051254, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein. Optionally, a substantially liquid permeable wrapsheet (not shown) may surround the absorbent structure to help maintain the integrity of the absorbent structure .
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FIG. 3
A surge management layer () may be disposed between the absorbent structure and the liner , and may or may not be attached to various components of the pair of training pants such as the absorbent structure and/or the bodyside liner . A surge management layer helps to decelerate and diffuse surges or gushes of liquid that may be rapidly introduced into the absorbent structure of the pair of training pants . Desirably, the surge management layer can rapidly accept and temporarily hold the liquid prior to releasing the liquid into the storage or retention portions of the absorbent structure . Examples of suitable surge management layers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,166; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,846. Other suitable surge management materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,973. The entire disclosures of these patents are incorporated by reference herein. It is understood, however, that the surge management layer may be omitted and remain within the scope of this invention.
FIGS. 1 and 2
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As shown in , the training pants , and in particular the outer cover thereof, has one or more graphic elements (referred to particularly herein as outer graphic elements) applied thereto. Examples of such outer graphic elements include, but are not limited to, scenes, characters, animals, objects, alphanumerics such as numbers, letters, words, phrases and the like, highlighting or emphasizing of leg and waist openings , in order to make product shaping more evident or visible to the user; highlighting or emphasizing areas of the product to simulate functional components such as elastic leg bands, elastic waistbands, simulated “fly openings” for boys, ruffles for girls; highlighting areas of the product to change the appearance of the size of the product; registering wetness indicators, temperature indicators, and the like in the product; registering a back label, or a front label, in the product; and registering written instructions at a desired location in the product. The outer graphic elements are suitably positioned on the training pants at predetermined locations, e.g., relative to the longitudinal and lateral directions of the pants .
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The outer graphic elements may be applied to the pants using a suitable printing process, such as a flexographic printing process. Flexographic printing apparatus and processes are known to those skilled in art and need not be further described herein. For example such apparatus are shown and/or described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,590 (Schleinz et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,616 (Schleinz et al.); U.S. 2003/0019374A1 (Harte); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,600 (Rogge et al.). Alternatively, the outer graphic elements may be printed, sprayed, or otherwise applied to the training pants by another suitable printing method (e.g., ink jet, rotogravure, etc.) or by combinations thereof, such as by applying the various graphic elements to the pants in different printing stages.
FIGS. 1 and 2
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In the illustrated embodiment of , one or more of the outer graphic elements is suitably disposed on the training pants so as to be visible from exterior of the pants thereby resembling a conventional cloth pair of underwear or other garment. The term “visible from exterior of the pants” as used herein means visible while looking at the outer surface of the pants in a direction from the outer surface to the inner surface of the pants. The term “visible” is used here to mean visible to an unaided human eye with 20-20 (natural or corrected) vision from a distance typically incurred during normal use of the pants, such as by the wearer during donning of the pants.
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In one particularly suitable embodiment one or more of the outer graphic elements are applied to the outer cover , and more suitably to the outer surface of the outer cover (and hence to the outer surface of the training pants ). It is understood, however, that one or more of the outer graphic elements may be applied other than to the outer facing surface of the outer cover , such as to the inner facing surface of the outer cover, or where the outer cover is of multiple layers of material one or more of the outer graphic elements may be applied to the inner and/or outer surface of any one or more of the layers of such an outer cover as described below in more detail.
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FIGS. 1 and 2
Each of the outer graphic elements illustrated in are suitably permanent graphics, i.e., applied using a permanent ink. The term “permanent graphic” is used herein to refer to a graphic element that does not substantially change its degree of visibility when the absorbent article is insulted with urine. It is contemplated, however, that one or more of the outer graphic elements may comprise an active graphic for providing a caregiver and/or the wearer of the pair of training pants a signal that a liquid insult has occurred. As used herein, the term “active graphic” refers to a graphic element that visibly changes appearance in response to a liquid insult of the article. For example, such an active graphic may fade or otherwise appear faint following liquid insult (often referred to as a fading graphic), or the active graphic may change from a relatively faint appearance to a bolder, or at least more readily visible appearance (often referred to as an appearing graphic), or the active graphic may change colors in response to a liquid insult.
FIGS. 1 and 2
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In the illustrated embodiment of , for example, outer graphic elements in the form of checkered flags are suitably active graphics, and more suitably fading graphics. Examples of active graphics suitable for use with the training pants are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,424 issued Oct. 2, 2001 to Olson, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,119 issued Oct. 23, 2001 to Cammarota et al., which are incorporated by reference herein.
FIGS. 1 and 2
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As seen in , the illustrated pair of training pants has a signaling device, indicated generally at , releasably attached to the outer surface thereof. Suitable signaling devices can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0168702, entitled “Conductor-Less Detection System For An Absorbent Article”, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0168694, entitled “Infrared Wetness Detection System For An Absorbent Article”, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
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The illustrated signaling device includes a non-invasive sensor adapted to detect liquid (e.g., urine) in the training pants . In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the non-invasive sensor is a capacitive sensor . In other embodiments, any other suitable non-invasive sensor for detecting liquid in the pair of training pants may be used. In one suitable embodiment, the capacitive sensor includes two electrodes creating an electrostatic field that extends beyond the face of the electrodes and, in this case, beyond the face of the signaling device . In other embodiments, any other suitable capacitive sensor may be used. In some embodiments capacitive sensor includes an array of capacitive sensors.
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In general, substances adjacent the capacitive sensor act as dielectrics for a capacitor. If the substance changes, the dielectric constant and the capacitance change. Conductive substances, such as urine, water, etc., have significantly higher dielectric constants than either air or the pair of training pants , and produce a significant change in capacitance when present in the pair of training pants. Thus, by monitoring, directly or indirectly, changes in capacitance, signaling device can detect the presence or absence of liquids in the pair of training pants .
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In one example embodiment, a charge time measurement unit (CTMU) is used in connection with a microcontroller to directly to detect changes in capacitance as the dielectric changes in presence of wetness. In other methods, wetness is detected by detecting one or more changes to a circuit operation that are caused by the changing dielectric constant and capacitance. For example, changes to the dielectric constant caused by liquid in the pair of training pants will change the resonant frequency of an LC circuit. Changes to the resonant frequency are detected by a frequency-to-voltage (F/V) converting chip and/or a microcontroller and used to determine when liquid is present in the pair of training pants . In some embodiments, the response of a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit is monitored to determine when liquid is present in the pair of training pants . A RC circuit has a characteristic discharge curve dependent on the capacitor under test. When the liquid is present in the pair of training pants , the changed capacitance produces a different discharge curve. The signaling device compares the discharge curve (or an aspect of the curve) to the known discharge curve of the RC circuit in the absence of liquid to determine when liquid is present in the pair of training pants .
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The signaling device may use any suitable algorithm to detect wetness in the pair of training pants using the capacitive sensor . Two exemplary algorithms that may be used include a sensor-by-sensor detection and compare algorithm, and a coherent addition algorithm.
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The signaling device can emit any suitable signal to indicate to the user or care giver that the pair of training pants has been insulted. The signal, for instance, can include an audible signal, a tactile signal, an electromagnetic signal, or a visual signal. The audible signal, for example, can be as simple as a beep or can include a musical tune. In still another aspect, the signaling device can emit a wireless signal that then activates a remote device, such as a cellular telephone.
FIG. 2
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As illustrated in , the capacitive sensor is disposed within a housing that is adapted to be selectively attached to the pair of training pants . The housing can be a pouch or a rigid or semi-rigid housing that attaches to the outer surface of the outer cover of the pair of training pants near the region where insults are expected. Suitable attachment mechanisms include, e.g., adhesive, hook and loop, mechanical fasteners such as snaps, clips, or clasps, any other suitable attachment mechanism, or any combination thereof. Various attachment mechanisms include those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0142797 to Long, et al. and entitled “Garments With Easy-To-Use Signaling Device”; U.S. Pat. No. 7,394,391 to Long and entitled “Connection Mechanisms in Absorbent Articles for Body Fluid Signaling Devices”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,477,156 to Long, et al. and entitled “Connection Mechanisms In Absorbent Articles For Body Fluid Signaling Devices”, which are incorporated herein by reference.
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It is contemplated that the capacitive sensor can be placed in any suitable location on the pair of training pants . For instance, the capacitive sensor can be placed in the crotch region , on the back region , or on the front region of the pair of training pants depending upon various factors. As described herein, the capacitive sensor can suitably be placed on the outer surface of the outer cover of the pair of training pants . Suitably, the capacitive sensor is placed on the outer surface of the front region of the pair of training pants .
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In one suitable embodiment, the signaling device includes one or more sensors that are configured to detect the presence of the one or more identifiable characteristics on the pair of training pants . If the one or more identifiable characteristics are detected, the signaling device can be activated such that the sensors of the signaling device can detect the presence of a substance in the pair of training pants and can provide an alert to the user of the pair of training pants. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0116337, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a non-invasive signaling device capable of detecting the presence of one or more identifiable characteristics on the absorbent article.
FIG. 4
FIG. 3
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is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the signaling device for detecting the presence of one or more identifiable characteristics in the pair of training pants . The signaling device is configured to monitor electrical characteristics, such as capacitance, inductance, and/or conductivity, of conductive patterns printed on the pair of training pants . In one suitable embodiment, which is illustrated in , the pair of training pants include a conductive pattern printed on the inner surface (i.e., the surface that faces the wearer during use) of the outer cover . If the electrical characteristics of the conductive pattern fall within a predefined range, the signaling device will be permitted to operate.
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FIG. 3
The conductive pattern illustrated in has a particular “electrical fingerprint” based on the conductivity, capacitance, and/or inductance of the conductive pattern. The signaling device can use one or more sensors to determine if the particular “electrical fingerprint” is present on the pair of training pants. The presence of the “electrical fingerprint” permits operation of the signaling device . If the “electrical fingerprint” of the conductive pattern is not detected by the signaling device , the signaling device will not operate.
FIG. 4
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As illustrated in , the signaling device of the illustrated embodiment includes an electrical property sensor , such as a conductivity sensor, capacitive sensor, and/or other sensor or combination of sensors, to detect an electrical characteristic of the conductive pattern printed on the pair of training pants . The electrical property sensor can be a part of other non-invasive sensors on the signaling device or can be stand alone. For instance, in a particular embodiment, the non-invasive sensors of signaling device include a plurality of capacitive sensors designed to detect a substance in the pair of training pants as described above. The electrical property sensor can be one of the non-invasive capacitive sensors configured to detect electrical properties of the conductive pattern printed on the pair of training pants .
FIG. 4
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With reference still to , a microcontroller is configured to activate the sensors of signaling device if the electrical characteristics detected from the pair of training pants falls within a predefined range. The microcontroller monitors the electrical characteristics of the conductive pattern on the pair of training pants by analyzing signals received from the electrical property sensor . If the electrical characteristics do not fall within the predefined range, the microcontroller does not activate the non-invasive sensors of the signaling device thereby inhibiting the signaling device from being used on an unauthorized product. If the microcontroller determines that the electrical characteristics fall within the predefined range, the microcontroller activates the non-invasive sensors and monitors for the presence of liquid in the pair of training pants as described herein. In one suitable embodiment, the microcontroller is coupled to the sensors of the signaling device and can be programmed to control the sending of an alert through an alert system if the presences of liquid is detected in the pair of training pants .
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In some embodiments, the capacitive sensor and/or signal device can include multiple settings depending upon the particular pair of training pants to which it is attached. In this manner, the signaling system can be modified based upon the particular product specifications. In some embodiments, the signal device determines the particular product to which it is attached by detecting the electrical properties of the conductive pattern on the pair of training pants as described above. In such embodiments, each group of products that utilizes the same setting for signal device includes the same conductive pattern having a particular “electrical fingerprint”. Products having different characteristics, and requiring different settings for signaling device , will have a different conductive pattern having different electrical fingerprints. Thus, in addition to determining whether it is coupled to an authorized or unauthorized product, the signaling device can also be configured to determine the appropriate settings for a particular product to which it is attached based on the detected conductive pattern of the particular product.
FIG. 3
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With reference again , the conductive pattern printed on the illustrated pair of training pants can be visible or partially visible from interior of the pair of training pants . The term “visible from interior of the pair of training pants” as used herein means visible while looking at the inner surface of the pair of training pants in a direction from the inner surface to the outer surface of the pants. Suitably, however, the conductive pattern is hidden from view such that the conductive pattern is not visible from either interior or exterior the pair of training pants .
FIG. 5
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In one suitable embodiment, which is illustrated in , the outer cover comprises a liquid permeable outer layer , such as, e.g., a fibrous non-woven web, and a liquid impermeable inner layer , such as, e.g., a polymeric film. In the illustrated embodiment, the conductive pattern is printed on the inner surface of inner layer of the outer cover and one or more of the graphic elements are printed on the outer surface of the inner layer of the outer cover. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the graphic elements are covered by the outer layer of the outer cover . It is understood that the conductive pattern and one or more graphic elements can be printed on different surfaces of the outer cover than those illustrated herein.
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For example, in another suitable embodiment, both the conductive pattern and one or more of the graphic elements can be printed on the inner surface of the inner layer of the outer cover. In yet another suitable embodiment, both the conductive pattern and one or more of the graphic elements can be printed on the outer surface of the inner layer of the outer cover. In still another suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern can be printed on either the inner or outer surface of the inner layer and the one or more of the graphic elements can be printed on either the inner or outer surface of the outer layer of the outer cover . In yet still another suitable embodiment, both the conductive pattern and the graphic elements can be printed on the same surface (i.e., either the inner surface or the outer surface) of the outer layer of the outer cover . In yet a further suitable embodiment, one or more of the graphic elements can be printed on the outer surface of the outer layer of the outer cover and the conductive pattern can be printed on the inner surface of the outer layer.
FIG. 5
FIG. 5
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With reference still to , the conductive pattern is at least partially superposed with one or more of the graphic elements . The term “superposed” as used in reference to the conductive pattern and the graphic element is intended to refer to the relative longitudinal and lateral locations of the conductive pattern and the graphic element irrespective of whether the conductive pattern and the graphic element are in direct overlaid relationship with each other (such as where the conductive pattern and the graphic element are both printed on the inner surface of the inner layer of the outer cover ), or spaced from each other (such as where the conductive pattern is printed on the inner surface of the inner layer of the outer cover and the graphic element is printed on the outer surface of the inner layer as seen in ), or otherwise separated from each other by other components disposed between (in the thickness direction).
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In one suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern is formed via printing using carbon black ink. The carbon black ink can be applied to the pair of training pants using any suitable printing process, such as a flexographic printing process. Flexographic printing apparatus and processes are known to those skilled in art and need not be further described herein. For example such apparatus are shown and/or described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,590 (Schleinz et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,616 (Schleinz et al.); U.S. 2003/0019374A1 (Harte); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,600 (Rogge et al.). Alternatively, the carbon black ink can be printed, sprayed, or otherwise applied to the training pants by another suitable printing method (e.g., ink jet, rotogravure, etc.) or by combinations thereof.
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In one suitable embodiment, the carbon black ink (as printed and dried on the outer cover of the pair of training pants ) has a capacitance between about 10 picofarads and about 1,000 picofarads and a resistivity between about 0 k Ohms/inand about 1,000 k Ohms/in. For example, in one suitable embodiment, the carbon black ink has a capacitance of about 25 picofarads and/or a resistivity of about 100 k Ohms/in. The dielectric constant of the carbon black ink (as printed and dried on the outer cover of the pair of training pants ) is suitably between about 1 and 15. In one suitable embodiment, the carbon black ink has a dielectric constant of about 5.
FIGS. 3 and 5
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With reference now to , a barrier layer is disclosed between the superposed graphic element and conductive pattern to inhibit the conductive pattern from altering or otherwise minimizing the visual quality of the graphic element. That is, the barrier layer inhibits the conductive pattern from diminishing the visual quality of the graphic element visible exterior the pair of training pants . In one suitable embodiment, the barrier layer is formed from a high opacity ink printed onto the outer cover of the pair of training pants . Suitably, the opacity of the portion of the outer cover to which the barrier layer is printed is between about 50% and about 100% and more suitably between about 85% and 100%. In one embodiment, the portion of the outer cover to which the barrier layer is printed has an opacity of about 85%. The high opacity ink can be made using materials with high refractive index properties, e.g., titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, zinc sulfide and the like. One suitable high opacity ink for forming the barrier layer is a white ink made by mixing micro titanium dioxide (e.g., Microtitan 100ZR available from TRI-K Industries of Denville, N.J., U.S.A.) and polyurethane (e.g., GIOVAREZ P-0580 available from Phoenix Chemical, Inc. of Somerville, N.J., U.S.A.) in ethanol solvent. In one suitable embodiment, the ink comprises between about 20% by weight and about 70% by weight titanium dioxide and suitably about 45% by weight titanium dioxide. Suitably, the ink will have an add-on amount between about 5 billion cubic microns/square inch (bcm) and about 20 bcm, such as, 10 bcm.
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Suitably, the ink used for the barrier layer has a viscosity between about 25 seconds (2 Zahn) and about 50 seconds (2 Zahn) and more suitably about 29 seconds (2 Zahn). The viscosity within this range helps control ink wettability and print speed. In one suitable embodiment, for example, the print speed is between about 800 feet per minute (fpm) and about 2000 fpm, such as, 1200 fpm. In one suitable embodiment, the ink used for the barrier layer can be dried at a temperature between about 155 degrees F. and about 210 degrees F. For example, in one embodiment, the ink can be dried at a temperature of about 190 degrees F. Suitably, the dried ink (i.e., barrier layer ) has color fastness between about 2 (crock rating) and about 5 (crock rating), such as, a crock rating of 4.
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The barrier layer can be applied to the pair of training pants using any suitable printing process, such as a flexographic printing process. Flexographic printing apparatus and processes are known to those skilled in art and need not be further described herein. For example such apparatus are shown and/or described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,590 (Schleinz et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,616 (Schleinz et al.); U.S. 2003/0019374A1 (Harte); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,600 (Rogge et al.). Alternatively, the barrier layer can be printed, sprayed, or otherwise applied to the training pants by another suitable printing method (e.g., ink jet, rotogravure, etc.) or by combinations thereof.
FIG. 3
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Suitably, as seen in , the barrier layer covers a larger surface area than the conductive pattern such that the barrier layer underlies the entire conductive pattern. In one suitable embodiment, for example, the barrier layer covers a surface area of approximately 6.5 cmand the conductive pattern covers a surface area of approximately 4.1 cm. Accordingly, no portion of the conductive pattern extends beyond the barrier layer . It is understood that the conductive pattern and/or the barrier layer can have surface areas different surface areas than those provided above.
FIG. 3
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As illustrated in , the barrier layer has a length L1 and a width W1 that are greater than the length L2 and width W2, respectively, of the conductive pattern. In one suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern is at least 5 mm from the periphery edge of the barrier layer . In such an embodiment, the length L1 of the barrier layer would be at least 5 mm greater than the length L2 of the conductive pattern , and the width W1 of the barrier layer would be at least 5 mm greater than the width W2 of the conductive pattern. It is understood that the barrier layer and/or the conductive pattern can have lengths and width different than those provided herein.
FIGS. 3 and 5
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In the embodiment illustrated in , the conductive pattern is printed directly to the barrier layer . More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the barrier layer is printed on the inner surface of the inner layer of the outer cover and then after the barrier layer has sufficiently dried the conductive pattern is printed on the barrier layer. It is understood, however, that in other embodiments the barrier layer and the conductive pattern can be in spaced relationship. For example, the barrier layer can be printed beneath the graphic element on the outer surface of the inner layer of the outer cover.
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In another suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern , one or more of the graphic elements , and the barrier layer can be printed on the inner surface of the inner layer of the outer cover so long as the barrier layer is disposed between the conductive pattern and the one or more graphic elements. In yet another suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern , one or more of the graphic elements , and the barrier layer can be printed on the outer surface of the inner layer of the outer cover so long as the barrier layer is disposed between the conductive pattern and the one or more graphic elements.
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In still another suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern and barrier layer can be printed on either the inner or outer surface of the inner layer and the one or more of the graphic elements can be printed on either the inner or outer surface of the outer layer of the outer cover . In still yet another suitable embodiment, the conductive pattern can be printed on either the inner or outer surface of the inner layer and the one or more of the graphic elements and barrier layer can be printed on either the inner or outer surface of the outer layer of the outer cover .
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In yet still another suitable embodiment, both the conductive pattern , the barrier layer , the graphic elements can be printed on the same surface (i.e., either the inner surface or the outer surface) of the outer layer of the outer cover . In yet a further suitable embodiment, one or more of the graphic elements can be printed on the outer surface of the outer layer of the outer cover and the conductive pattern can be printed on the inner surface of the outer layer. In such an embodiment, the barrier layer can be printed on either the outer surface of the outer layer or the inner surface of the outer layer so long as the barrier layer is disposed between the graphic element(s) and the conductive pattern.
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In still further embodiments, the conductive pattern , barrier layer and one or more graphic elements can be printed on separate surfaces of the outer cover . For example, the conductive pattern can be printed on the inner surface of the inner layer of the outer cover , the barrier layer can be printed on the outer surface of the inner layer and the one or more graphic elements can be printed on the either surface of the outer layer of the outer cover.
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In one suitable embodiment, the inner layer and the outer layer of the outer cover are either relatively transparent or translucent. In another suitable embodiment, the inner layer of the outer cover can be opaque. In such an embodiment, the inner layer can be the barrier layer . For example, the conductive pattern can be printed on the inner surface of the opaque inner layer of the outer cover and the one or more graphic elements can be printed on the outer surface of the inner layer or the inner or outer surfaces of the outer layer . The opaque inner layer inhibits the conductive pattern from potentially diminishing the visual quality of the one or more graphic elements visible exterior the pair of training pants.
FIGS. 3 and 5
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With reference now to , the outer cover can be elastic, stretchable or non-stretchable and, as described above, is desirably a multi-layered laminate structure of which at least one of the layers is liquid impermeable. It is understood, however, that the outer cover may instead be constructed of a single layer of impermeable material. The liquid permeable outer layer of the outer cover can be any suitable material and is desirably one that provides a generally cloth-like texture. One example of such a material is a 20 gsm (grams per square meter) spunbond polypropylene non-woven web.
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The liquid impermeable inner layer of the outer cover can be either vapor permeable (i.e., “breathable”) or vapor impermeable. The inner layer is desirably manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid impermeable materials may also be used. The liquid impermeable inner layer (or the liquid impermeable outer cover where the outer cover is of a single-layer construction) inhibits liquid body waste from leaking out of the pair of training pants and wetting articles, such as bed sheets and clothing, as well as the wearer and/or care giver. One suitable liquid impermeable material for such use is a 0.02 millimeter polyethylene film commercially available from Huntsman Packaging of Newport News, Va., U.S.A.
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As previously mentioned, the liquid impermeable inner layer of the outer cover can permit vapors to escape from the pair of training pants while preventing liquids from passing therethrough. A suitable liquid impermeable, vapor permeable material is composed of a microporous polymer film or a non-woven fabric which has been coated or otherwise treated to impart a desired level of liquid impermeability. A suitable microporous film is a PMP-1 film material commercially available from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, or an XKO-8044 polyolefin film commercially available from 3M Company, Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.
These and other modifications and variations to the present disclosure can be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various aspects can be interchanged both in whole and in part. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the disclosure so further described in such appended claims.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
When introducing elements of the invention or the preferred aspect(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side perspective of an embodiment of an article in the form of a pair of training pants having a mechanical fastening system illustrated in a fastened condition on one side of the training pants and in an unfastened condition on the opposite side thereof;
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
is a plan view of the training pants of with the pants in an unfastened, unfolded and laid flat condition, and showing an outer surface of the training pants, which is the surface of the training pants that faces away from the wearer;
FIG. 3
FIG. 2
is a plan view similar to but showing an inner surface of the training pants, which is the surface of the training pants that faces the wearer when worn and with portions cut away to show underlying features;
FIG. 4
is a block diagram of an embodiment of a signaling device capable of detecting the presence of one or more identifiable characteristics in the training pants; and
FIG. 5
FIG. 3
5
5
is an exploded cross section taken along line - of . | |
Tanzania: Adopt Measures to Increase Cotton Production, RC Orders
MWANZA Regional Commissioner Robert Gabriel has instructed District Executive Directors (DEDs) and District Commissioners (DCs) in the region to adopt measures that would see cultivation of cotton in large scale from the village, ward to district level in their areas of work.
The RC made the remarks yesterday during the launch of a campaign aimed at improving the cotton cultivation in the area.
Explaining, Mr Gabriel said the regional authorities should be ready to collaborate with other stakeholders in the exercise to raise livelihood of the residents and as well increase revenue collections.
"All cotton growing councils and districts in the region are required to use 10 per cent of their revenue collected from selling the crop to facilitate its cultivation in new areas," pointed out the RC.
Equally, he urged council directors to make sure Extension Officers from the Ward to the village have demonstration farms and trainings that would help farmers to improve in their activities.
The RC said in the 2016/17 season the region harvested 11,531 tonnes of cotton, in 2017/18 a total of 17,376 tonnes and 2018/19 they harvested 33,010 tonnes which earned farmers 39bn/-.
"In the 2019/20 season, agriculture went through a period of climate change dictations which caused the crop production to drop by 8,039 tonnes," Mr Gabriel said.
In his analysis, he noted that Mwanza region has the potential to produce more cotton if a lot of focus would be put on modern agricultural methods.
Mwanza Region Cotton Inspector from the Tanzania Cotton Board (TCB) Mr Renatus Luneja said cotton growers have for a long time produced an average of 300 kilogram per hectare, which he attributed to poor farming methods.
"The ongoing cotton campaigns are part of efforts to make the country reach 1million tonnes target by 2025 . The Cotton board is committed to ensuring that cotton seeds are available," Luneja said.
He added that in order to reach that target the cotton growing regions like Simiyu region is required to cultivate 500,000 tonnes, saying: "Mwanza needs to cultivate 70,000 tonnes, Kwimba 30,000 tonnes, Magu 20,000 tonnes, and Sengerema as well as Misungwi contributing 10,000 tonness each. Mark you; the growing season will begin on 15th November this year."
AllAfrica publishes around 800 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 800 news and information items daily from over 100 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. | |
PURPOSE: To solve difficulties with the prior art that in open show cases where a condensation unit is provided therein an inner box bottom plate is pushed up owing to both condensation unit and cooling uniy so that the inside of the case becomes shallow with reduced volume in the apparatus, and a usage efficiency of a space upon installation is lower.
CONSTITUTION: A bottom plate 21 of an outer box 2 of a body case 1 of an open show case is formed having a step H longitudinally, i.e., in the interior direction, and a base 8a is provided below a higher bottom plate 21b and a condensation unit such as a condenser 9 is disposed in the base 8a. In contrast, a cooling unit such as a condenser 6 fan 7 is disposed in a cold air circulation passage 5 above a lower bottom plate 2la. Hereby, a bottom plate of an inner box 3 is made lower substantially corresponding to the step H to permit the inside 4 of the apparatus to get deep and hence a volume inside the apparatus to be increased. Usage efficiency of a space is improved owing to the increase of the in-apparatus volume and many commodities are accomodated at a time so that the number of replenishments of commodities is reduced to improve the sales efficiency of commodities.
COPYRIGHT: (C)1995,JPO | |
Hey guys, I'm looking for some feedback on my final trip details fro my 2-month SE-Asia adventure...all feedback appreciated! October 16-18: Bangkok 19: take early train to Ayutthaya, and spend the night there 20: Lopburi during the day, then take overnight train to Chiang Mai 21-22: Chiang Mai and surroundings (Doi Suthep, rafting, elephants,...) 23-25: 3day/2night trekking to local villages 26: take bus to Chiang Kong, cross border to Huay Xai , check in with Gibbon Experience ...
Viewed 2,308 times, with 2 replies. Last reply by somtam2000 on 7/10/2009 at 07:16
flying Vientiane-Kualu Lumpur-HCMC for budget reasons-via needed?Posted by Seba on 5/10/2009 at 02:43
Hi guys, I'm looking into the option of flying with Air Asia from Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur and then directly to HCMC the same day. Logistically maybe quite strange, but much cheaper than flying with Vietnam Airlines directly from Vientiane to HCMC (=about 2x as expensive). Now my quesiton is: would I need any visum to do this transfer? And would it be ok luggage wise? ...
Viewed 2,483 times, with 1 reply. Last reply by chrispyrolls on 5/10/2009 at 03:31
I am in Koh Phangan now, it rains. Where to spend next 2 months?Posted by vladix on 2/10/2009 at 02:37
I have plenty of time. But not plenty of money. My initial plan was to move slowly through Malaysia to Indonesia. Did not take wet seasons into consideration... Is it good idea (weather wise) to go to Laos and Vietnam now? Or somewhere else? I would not mind coming back to this island afterwards and spend here half-a-year before proceeding with my original plan. Partying and sightseeing are not really for me. I am looking for tranquillity, nature, seaside (didn't get enough of it yet). ...
Viewed 2,432 times, with 7 replies. Last reply by newarrior on 4/10/2009 at 21:35
Udon Thani to Ubon Ratchathani by busPosted by davina1947 on 19/9/2009 at 03:52
We will be in Udon Thani in March 2010 we want to travel to Ubon by bus, is there a bus straight through or do we have to change somewhere. Also can we get a train from Ubon to Chiang Mai? ...
Viewed 11,485 times, with 10 replies. Last reply by neosho on 2/10/2009 at 08:30
2 months in SÊ-Asia - feedback on trip details much appreciated!Posted by Seba on 30/9/2009 at 03:40
Hi guys, I'm leaving with my gf (we're both 23) to Se-Asia on the 15th of October for a big graduation trip. By reading tons on this forum and information from friends I have finally come up with a detailed route. Feed-back much appreciated: October: 16-18: Bangkok 19: fly to Surat Thani and check in at Khao Sok national park 20-21: Khao Sok. In the evening head for Khao Lak and spend the night there 22: early boat for a daytrip to the Similan Islands. Spend evening again in Khao L ...
Viewed 3,192 times, with 8 replies. Last reply by Seba on 2/10/2009 at 06:01
My long awaited 5 month trip is coming next month and although i'm not planning much and kind of just winging it as to an itinerary as i might want to stay in one place longer than planned etc, i do want to have a rough idea of how long in each country. I'm doing about a 5 weeks in Thailand, 6 weeks in Laos , 4 weeks in Malaysia and 1 week in Singapore. Vietnam and cambodia are left to fill the remaining time however im not sure whether to put it towards one or the othere, both, or neither ...
Viewed 2,058 times, with 4 replies. Last reply by think87 on 30/9/2009 at 07:33
Hi, From my looking around on the internet it appears only Silk Air flys direct. I had wanted to travel 28 december but best I can get is 26th for $112USD. Do you know if there is any likelihood that more seats will become available? I know Vietnam Air do the trip (with a stop over in HCM) but their website is so confusing for multi stop journeys I can't even get a price (it keeps crashing when looking for HCM to Danang). Anyone know of any other airlines that do that route? ...
Viewed 2,334 times, with 2 replies. Last reply by KazAussie on 29/9/2009 at 14:12
Bus from Chiang Mai - Chiang SaenPosted by davina1947 on 25/9/2009 at 01:27
Anyone have any info about buses from Chiang Mai to Chiang Saen, also trains from BKK to Chiang Mai ...
Viewed 3,955 times, with no replies.
I will be flying out of the states on 11/26 and will make it to SE asia on 11/27. I will fly out of SE asia on 12/20. This is 23 nights. I would like to ideally make it to the full moon festival in Koh Phangan on 12/2. How much better is that than the half moon festival? Here's what I have so far for my itinerary. 11/27-11/30- Bangkok, Thailand Fly, and boat to 11/30-12/3 - Koh Phangan, Thailand Boat and fly to 12/3-12/6 -Siem Reap cambodia drive to 12/6-12/8 - Phnom Penh ca ...
Viewed 1,849 times, with 1 reply. Last reply by somtam2000 on 24/9/2009 at 15:42
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia: Another itinerary to rate!Posted by jonny5 on 17/9/2009 at 13:14
Hello everyone, I'm an American student currently living in Japan. This whole thing started as a glorified visa run, but I eventually decided on make a real (but too short) trip out of it. I'm a reasonably experienced traveller (probably not experienced as most of you, though!), but this will be my first time in SE Asia. As much as I want to have an "authentic" experience and meet and interact with locals, I can't help but notice my current plans are pretty much only the big tourist hot ...
Viewed 3,598 times, with 11 replies. Last reply by MADMAC on 23/9/2009 at 00:41
Flights Hanoi to laos then to houay xaiPosted by 21days on 22/9/2009 at 08:12
We are planning a trip this january and wanted to know if we would be alright to book our flights when we get there. Have been told it is cheaper and we aren't sure if we should fly in to Vientiane or Luang Prabang from Hanoi. And if you can fly luang prabang to houay xai? We mainly want to wait so we can have a day or 2 flexibility Any opinions ...
Viewed 2,833 times, with 1 reply. Last reply by somtam2000 on 22/9/2009 at 17:24
Good Day, Has anyone used this and, more importantly, know how to obtain it. I called Thai Airways in the states and they were clueless. A travel agent has contacted them to be able to sell it to me but they don't respond. http://www.visitasean.travel/AirPass.aspx?MCID=78 Thanks ...
Viewed 2,042 times, with no replies.
Standard Bangkok/Laos/Cambodia itinerary to have a look at!Posted by dedwood on 9/9/2009 at 21:07
This is my first post here and like many others, its an itinerary! I have had a good look around the site and got a few good ideas, but would like some input on what we have so far. We would like to basically have a great time - do the touristy thing, get off the track if we can, have a few drinks, chill out, shopping, meet people etc. I imagine that temple fatigue will set in after a few - but we are pretty keen to see Angkor Wat. We have left out Vietnam here though if there are some su ...
Viewed 4,208 times, with 7 replies. Last reply by MADMAC on 16/9/2009 at 13:21
Hi, have been looking around the website but want to get some more info and how i go about getting from Chau Doc to Can Tho then to Saigon. We have decided to spend most of our time in Cambodia and Laos but want to check out a bit of Vietnam. I was thinking Chau Doc - Can Tho - Saigon then onto either Da Lat by air or Nha Trang then onto Hoi An and Hue before heading over to Laos. Not sure what kind of time we should be looking at for this... after Thailand we have around 4 an ...
Viewed 2,373 times, with 1 reply. Last reply by somtam2000 on 16/9/2009 at 08:31
Hi Myself and my other half are doing 70 days in SE Asia...Just wanted to get some ideas on itinerary... if you think we could skip some place/spend more time in some. We're keen for a mixed experience beaches, trekking, busy, quiet etc...and we don't mind flying a bit as some flights as so cheap and save you days (but I still need to look more into this) Day 1-3 Bangkok Day 3-9 South Thailand (Beach) Day 10-15 South Laos (fly into)Bay 1000 islands Day 16-17 Vietanne (maybe fly?) Day ...
Viewed 2,100 times, with 4 replies. Last reply by somtam2000 on 15/9/2009 at 20:08
Hey, A friend and are planning a 6 week trip, spending xmas/new year in thailand then heading to laos. What im wondering is will 5 weeks be enough for Laos, Vietnam and Combodia. I was thinking around 5 days in Combodia, mostly just wanting to see siem reap and maybe around kep. Anyone have any suggestions on how to do it and best places to go etc Thanks :-) ...
Viewed 9,876 times, with 6 replies. Last reply by cassrose on 15/9/2009 at 06:19
I realize hitting all three in only a few week is pretty much impossible. I would love some advice as to which two of the three to do and why, thanks. ...
Viewed 2,192 times, with 8 replies. Last reply by MADMAC on 14/9/2009 at 12:40
I am planning a very quick trip (3 weeks) and really want to hit Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. I'm looking for some fun party spots as well as some more secluded rural areas as well as the must see temples and nature related sights. Any tips on places to go or how to get around quickly and relatively cheaply (with the emphasis though on quickly) would be greatly appreciated. I know it's a short time to spend in that part of the world, however, unfortunately I just don't have the time to spend any ...
Viewed 2,375 times, with 5 replies. Last reply by jclarkson on 14/9/2009 at 08:31
First ever trip..need a LOT of advice!Posted by sidewinder on 15/4/2009 at 04:09
Right, here goes... Ive managed to get a 2 month(ish) sabbatical from work to go travelling. Leaving at the end of June, returning at the end of August/start of September. Budget around £3,000 I've gone to a lot of different places before..but always with family/friends, in nice hotels, and never in SE Asia. So this is new, and pretty scary for me. Most worrying thing is getting it all sorted! So far I havent even booked a flight! Essentially, I'm planning to get an Air Asia flight ...
Viewed 3,469 times, with 13 replies. Last reply by MADMAC on 8/9/2009 at 11:43
HELP!!thailand,malaysia and singapore 35 daysPosted by matimulinaris on 1/8/2009 at 14:27
hello everybody im new here and i will be travelling on 27th of august to bangkok and stay there for 5 weeks. does someone has a good itinerary to recommend me about this 3 countries. because of the weather i think is better to go to malaysian beaches than thailand beaches. another question with a USD1000 will be enough to do this?or how much i need? thanks, matias ...
Viewed 7,202 times, with 43 replies. Last reply by matimulinaris on 7/9/2009 at 23:19
You need to be a Travelfish member to be able to add a post to the forum. Please use the button below to log in. After logging in you'll be returned to this page automatically to add your post. Not a member? Join up here. | https://www.travelfish.org/board/topic/indochina/1320 |
5th February – Alien invasion!
You may have heard Monday morning’s newsflash about the sighting of a UFO over Ashton under Hill and it’s subsequent landing on the roof of school or perhaps you have noticed that underpants have gone missing from your house this week.
Panic not ! The imaginative and resourceful Acorn children have been on the case all week. After reading the story ‘Aliens Love Underpants’ we have written many letters to the alien occupants of the spaceship reprimanding them for stealing and urging them to return all missing pants; we have investigated how rockets get into space, designed our own spaceships and explained to them how to mend their broken one.
Along the way we have created our own aliens, some of them even with moving parts , investigated moon sand and learned about the planets in the solar system and made some amazing solar system mobiles and models.
This morning’s news flash informed us that the alien spaceship has once again blasted off on its return journey into space which would be the end of the story if it weren’t for the fact that a mystery spherical silver object has been left behind on the roof of school. Early theories from Acorn pupils suggest it may be a parcel of returned underpants, a gift from departing aliens or even an alien egg … Watch this space to find out what the inventive children of Acorn Class will make of this latest development. | https://www.ashton.worcs.sch.uk/5th-february-alien-invasion/ |
To test, evaluate, and showcase innovative safety technologies under real-world conditions along a series of specially equipped testing facilities at weigh stations to accelerate the deployment of roadside safety technologies to improve commercial truck and bus safety.
Background
This project executes the Research and Technology Program's technology transfer functions for roadside safety systems. The Commercial Motor Vehicle Roadside Technology Corridor (CMVRTC) will be available to test any procedure or information system that can potentially improve truck and bus safety. The lab will be guided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with input from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and various stakeholders. ORNL will manage and operate the CMVRTC for FMCSA. A technical working group comprised of FMCSA, ORNL, and project partners will oversee individual tests.
Summary
The work plan for the CMVRTC contains four key areas of research:
- Manage and coordinate all CMVRTC activities.
- Provide technical support for the FMCSA Southern Service Center "Technology in Motion" outreach vehicle.
- Conduct Wireless Roadside Inspection (WRI) technical management, testing, and support activities as defined in the WRI work breakdown structure (WBS).
- Conduct special studies and technology testing at the CMVRTC.
Outcomes
Technical reports and field effectiveness data on various roadside technologies and performance specifications on proven technologies.
Milestones
2006: Commercial Vehicle Inspection System.
2007: Inspection Selection System.
2007 - 2009: Smart Infrared Inspection System.
2008 - 2011: WRI Proof of Concept/Pilot Test.
2009: Performance-Based Brake Tester Analyses.
2011: Infrared-Based Screening System (IBSS).
2012 - 2017: WRI Field Operational Test.
Funding
$900,000
Status
Currently running a study on the performance of two IBSSs in Tennessee to determine if any modifications are required for the proposed performance specifications. | https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/technology/commercial-motor-vehicle-roadside-technology-consortium-cmvrtc |
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abstract: |
Let $(G,T)$ be an instance of the (vertex) multiway cut problem where $G$ is a graph and $T$ is a set of terminals. For $t \in T$, a set of nonterminal vertices separating $t$ from $T \setminus \{T\}$ is called an *isolating cut* of $t$. The largest among all the smallest isolating cuts is a natural lower bound for a multiway cut of $(G,T)$. Denote this lower bound by $m$ and let $k$ be an integer.
In this paper we propose an $O(kn^{k+3})$ algorithm that computes a multiway cut of $(G,T)$ of size at most $m+k$ or reports that there is no such multiway cut. The core of the proposed algorithm is the following combinatorial result. Let $G$ be a graph and let $X,Y$ be two disjoint subsets of vertices of $G$. Let $m$ be the smallest size of a vertex $X-Y$ separator. Then, for the given integer $k$, the number of *important* $X-Y$ separators [@MarxTCS] of size at most $m+k$ is at most $\sum_{i=0}^k{n \choose i}$.
author:
- |
Igor Razgon\
Department of Computer Science, University of Leicester\
[email protected]
title: Computing multiway cut within the given excess over the largest minimum isolating cut
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Introduction
============
[**1.1. Results and motivation.**]{} Let $(G,T)$ be a pair where $G$ is a graph and $T$ a subset of $V(G)$. Let us call the vertices of $T$ the *terminals*. A *multiway cut* of $(G,T)$ is a set $S$ of non-terminal vertices such that in $G \setminus S$ no two terminals belong to the same connected component. The multiway cut problem <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> asks for the smallest multiway cut of $(G,T)$. For two terminals this problem can be solved by network flow techniques but becomes NP-hard for 3 terminals [@Dahlapprox].
Let $t \in T$. An *isolating cut* of $t$ [@Dahlapprox] is a set $S \subseteq V(G) \setminus T$ separating $t$ from the rest of terminals. Denote by $m(t)$ the size of the smallest isolating cut of $t$ and let $m=max_{t \in T} m(t)$. It is not hard to see that $m$ is a *polynomially computable lower bound* on the size of the smallest multiway cut of $(G,T)$.
In this paper, we investigate computing a multiway cut with a bounded *excess* over $m$. In particular, the main result of this paper is an $O(kn^{k+3}+|T|n^3)$ time algorithm that checks whether $(G,T)$ has a solution of size at most $(m+k)$ for the given integer $k$.
The main motivation of the above result comes from Parameterized Complexity [@Grohebook]. The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem is well-known to be Fixed-Parameter Tractable (FPT) parameterized by the solution size [@MarxTCS; @ChenAlgorithmica]. Can we provide a better parameterization that addresses the case where the optimal solution is large? For some problems, positive answers have been obtained by introducing so called *parameterization above guaranteed value*, the idea first proposed in [@RamanAbove]. We apply this template to the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem. In our case, the guaranteed value is $m$ (because the solution size is always $m$ or greater) and we study the parameterization of the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem by the excess over $m$. The proposed result makes a progress in this study because it shows that the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem with respect to the considered parameter is in XP and this makes meaningful the question as to *whether the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem is FPT parameterized by the excess over the maximal size of a smallest isolating cut*. To the best of our knowledge this is the first result result addressing the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem parameterized above a guaranteed value.
The key ingredient in the proof of the above result is a combinatorial theorem bounding the number of *important* $X-Y$ separators [@MarxTCS] of excess at most $k$ over the smallest one. Let $X$ and $Y$ be two disjoint subsets of $V(G)$. Let $r$ be the size of a smallest $X-Y$ separator. It is known [@MarxTCS] that there is exactly one important $X-Y$ separator of size $r$. But how many are there important separators of size at most $r+k$ for the given integer $k$? The best existing bound is $4^{r+k}$ [@LokshtanovClustering; @Multicut]. We prove that the number of such important separators is at most $\sum_{i=0}^k{n \choose i}$, which is much better than $4^{r+k}$ if $r$ is large. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first upper bound on the number of important separators where the size of a separator is not in the exponent. This upper bound is obtained by observing that important separators have a number of nice structural properties that establish an injective function from the set of important separators of size at most $r+k$ to the family of subsets of vertices of size at most $k$.\
[**1.2. Related work.**]{} The <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem is a natural generalization of the standard $s-t$ cut problem having applications related to resource allocation such as Multiprocessor Scheduling [@StoneApplication] and Medical Imaging [@Zabih1; @MedImaging]. This problem has been shown NP-hard in [@Dahlapprox] even for the case of three terminals. This gave rise to the investigation of methods of coping with NP-hardness for the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem. In the direction of identifying polynomially solvable subclasses, the researchers mainly concentrated on planarity and tree-like structures (e.g. [@MwayCutTrees; @Dahlapprox; @Hartvigsen]). Approximation algorithms for this problem have been also actively investigated resulting in a row of improvements and generalizations (see e.g. [@Dahlapprox; @Rabaniapprox; @Gargapprox]).
The notion of *isolating cut* (for the edge <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem) has been coined first in [@Dahlapprox] in connection to the design of an approximation algorithm. In [@Gargapprox], the notion has been reformulated in terms of the vertex <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem in the way used in the present paper. However, in [@Gargapprox] it is pointed out that their algorithm is not based on this notion.
The parameterized version of the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem was first considered in [@MarxTCS], the solution size being the parameter. An algorithm with a significantly improved runtime has been proposed in [@ChenAlgorithmica]. The key theorem behind this algorithm gave rise to first FPT algorithms for the Directed Feedback Vertex Set [@DFVSalgo] and Min 2-CNF deletions problems [@ROJCSS], whose fixed-parameter tractabilities were long standing open questions. We believe this is an indication that the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem is a very convenient framework for studying graph separation problems in the sense that it reveals some structural properties relevant to many other problems but not easily seen there.
The notion of *important separator* has been coined in [@MarxTCS]. It is explicitly used in [@LokshtanovClustering] and [@Multicut] for resolving a number of challenging open problems. In fact, as pointed out in [@LokshtanovClustering], [@ChenAlgorithmica; @DFVSalgo; @ROJCSS] also implicitly use important separators. This shows that an important separator is an interesting an worth studying combinatorial concept.
Finally, the investigation of parameters above and below guaranteed values has been initiated in [@RamanAbove]. Currently, it is an active research area. An overview of it can be found in the introduction of [@GutinESA].\
[**1.3. Structure of the paper.**]{} Section 2 introduces the necessary background notions and their basic properties. Section 3 introduces the notion of *important witness*, a special case of important separator, having some nice properties. Using these properties, Section 4 shows that any non-smallest important separator is nothing else but a *compound witness*, a generalization of an important witness uniquely associated with a subset of vertices of size not greater than its excess. From this the desired upper bound on the number of important separators is derived and applied to the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem.
Preliminaries
=============
We employ a standard notation related to graphs. In particular, given a graph $G$, let $C \subseteq V(G)$. Then $G[C]$ denotes the subgraph of $G$ induced by $C$ and $G \setminus C \equiv G[V(G) \setminus C]$. For $v \in V(G)$, $G \setminus v \equiv G[V(G) \setminus \{v\}]$ and $N(v)$ is the set of neighbors of $v$ in $G$. Also, $N(C) \equiv (\bigcup_{v \in C} N(v)) \setminus C$.
Let $X$ and $Y$ be two disjoint sets of vertices of the given graph $G$. A set $K \subseteq V(G) \setminus (X \cup Y)$ is an $X-Y$ separator if in $G \setminus K$ there is no path from $X$ to $Y$. Let $A,B$ be two disjoint subsets of $V(G)$. We denote by $NR(G,A,B)$ the set of vertices that are not reachable from $A$ in $G \setminus B$ Let $K_1$ and $K_2$ be two $X-Y$ separators. We say that $K_1 \geq K_2$ if $NR(G,Y,K_1) \supseteq NR(G,Y,K_2)$.
\[internal\] Let $K_1$ and $K_2$ be two minimal $X-Y$ separators. Then $K_1 \leq K_2$ if and only if $K_1 \setminus K_2 \subseteq NR(G,Y,K_2)$.
[**Proof.**]{} Assume first that $K_1 \leq K_2$. Due to the minimality of $K_1$, each $v \in K_1$ is adjacent to some vertex $w$ of $NR(G,Y,K_1)$. Since $w \in NR(G,Y,K_2)$ by our assumption, $v \in NR(G,Y,K_2)$ whenever $v \in K_1 \setminus K_2$. For the opposite direction, any vertex of $NR(G,Y,K_1)$ can be connected to $Y$ only through $K_1$. Since in $G \setminus K_2$, all vertices of $K_1 \setminus K_2$ are disconnected from $Y$ such connection is impossible. $\blacksquare$
Let $K_1$ and $K_2$ be two minimal $X-Y$ separators. Let $K_1^t=K_1 \cap NR(G,Y,K_2)$, $K_1^b=(K_1 \setminus K_1^t) \setminus (K_1 \cap K_2)$. Accordingly, let $K_2^t=K_2 \cap NR(G,Y,K_1)$ and $K_2^b=(K_2 \setminus K_2^t) \setminus (K_1 \cap K_2)$ (the superscripts ’t’ and ’b’ correspond to the words ’top’ and ’bottom’). We denote $K_1^t \cup K_2^t \cup (K_1 \cap K_2)$ and $K_1^b \cup K_2^b \cup (K_1 \cap K_2)$ by, respectively, $Top_{G,X,Y}(K_1,K_2)$ and $Bottom_{G,X,Y}(K_1,K_2)$, the subscripts may be omitted if they are clear from the context.
\[kb\] Let the notation be as in the previous paragraph. Then both $Top(K_1,K_2)$ and $Bottom(K_1,K_2)$ are $X-Y$ separators. Moreover, $Bottom(K_1,K_2) \geq K_1$ and $Bottom(K_1,K_2) \geq K_2$.
[**Proof.**]{} Consider the set $N^*=NR(G,Y,K_1) \cup NR(G,Y,K_2)$. By definition of $K_1$ and $K_2$ this set includes $X$ and does not contain any vertex of $Y$. What is the set of neighbors of this set, i.e what is the set separating $N^*$ from the rest of the graph? Clearly, it is a subset of $K_1 \cup K_2$ excluding those vertices that belong to $NR(G,Y,K_1) \cup NR(G,Y,K_2)$. In other words, it is a subset of $Bottom(K_1,K_2)$, and no vertex of $Bottom(K_1,K_2)$ belongs to $N^*$. It follows that $Bottom(K_1,K_2)$ is $X-Y$ separator, separating from $Y$ a superset of $NR(G,Y,K_1)$ and of $NR(G,Y,K_2)$, i.e. $Bottom(K_1,K_2) \geq K_1$ and $Bottom(K_1,K_2) \geq K_2$ as required. $\blacksquare$
A minimal $X-Y$ separator $K$ is called *important* if there is no $X-Y$ separator $K'$ such that $K < K'$ and $|K| \geq |K'|$. This notion was first introduced in [@MarxTCS] in a slightly different form. In particular, let $R(G,X,K)$ be the set of vertices that belong to the same component in $G \setminus K$ with at least one vertex of $X$. In the definition of [@MarxTCS], the condition $K<K'$ is replaced by $R(G,X,K) \subset R(G,X,K')$. The following proposition shows that these conditions are equivalent thus implying the equivalence of definitions.
\[equivalence\] Let $K$ and $K'$ be two distinct $X-Y$ separators of $G$. Then $NR(G,Y,K) \subset NR(G,Y,K')$ if and only if $R(G,X,K) \subset R(G,X,K')$.
[**Proof.**]{} It is not hard to see that since $K \neq K'$, $NR(G,Y,K) \neq NR(G,Y,K')$ and $R(G,X,K) \neq R(G,X,K')$. Indeed, if $K$ is a minimal separator then $K$ is the neighborhood of both $NR(G,Y,K)$ and $R(G,X,K)$, the same is, of course true for $K'$. But the same set cannot have two different neighborhoods. It follows that we can replace ’$\subset$’ by ’$\subseteq$’ in the statement of the observation. Assume that $NR(G,Y,K) \subseteq NR(G,Y,K')$ and let $v \in R(G,X,K)$. Then there is a $X-v$ path $p$ all vertices of which belong to $R(G,X,K) \subseteq NR(G,Y,K) \subseteq NR(G,Y,K')$. It follows that $v$ is reachable from $X$ in $G \setminus K'$, i.e. $v \in R(G,X,K')$. Conversely, assume that $R(G,X,K) \subseteq R(G,X,K')$. Due to the minimality of $K$, each $v \in K$ is adjacent to a component $C$ of $G \setminus K$ containing at least one vertex of $X$. Since all the vertices of $C$ are preserved in $R(G,X,K')$, $v \in R(G,X,K') \subseteq NR(G,Y,K')$ whenever $v \in K \setminus K'$. The desired statement now follows from Proposition \[internal\]. $\blacksquare$
\[onesmallest\] Let $r$ be the size of a smallest $X-Y$ separator of $G$. Then there is exactly one important $X-Y$ separator $K$ of size $r$. Moreover, $K^*>K$ for any other important separator $K^*$.
[**Proof.**]{} Having in mind Proposition \[equivalence\], the first statement is Lemma 3.3. of [@MarxTCS] and the second statement (in fact, both of them) are proven in the second and third paragraphs of the proof of Lemma 2.6. of [@Multicut]. $\blacksquare$
For the result proposed in this paper, we will need to compute the unique smallest important $X-Y$ separator. It is known to be polynomially computable, see, for example Lemma 3.2. of [@MarxTCS] for a more general polynomial computability statement. In the following lemma, we show that computing the smallest important $X-Y$ separator in fact takes the same time as computing an arbitrary smallest $X-Y$ separator.
\[ComputeImport\] The smallest important $X-Y$ separator can be computed in $O(n^3)$ by an algorithm that first computes in $O(n^3)$ a largest set of internally vertex disjoint $X-Y$ paths and then spends additional $O(n^2)$ time to computing the smallest important $X-Y$ separator.
[**Proof.**]{} Let $p_1, \dots, p_r$ be a largest set of internally vertex disjoint $X-Y$ paths that can be computed in $O(n^3)$ using standard network flow techniques (the computation takes at most $n+1$ iterations of Ford-Fulkerson algorithm each taking $O(n^2)$, see, for example [@Cormen]). We are going to show how to compute the smallest important $X-Y$ separator having these paths computed. Assume that each $p_i$ is of length $r_i$ and enumerate its vertices $v_{i,1}, \dots, v_{i,r_i}$ in the order they occur is $p_i$ being explored from $X$ to $Y$. We may assume that for each $p_i$ $v_{i,1}$ is the only vertex of $X$ and $v_{i,r_i}$ is the only vertex of $Y$ otherwise we can just shorten these paths to obtain the desired effect. We can also assume that $X$ and $Y$ are singletons $\{x\}$ and $\{y\}$, respectively: for the purpose of the considered problem $X$ and $Y$ can be safely contracted into single vertices.
We use the concept of *torso* introduced in [@TWRedSTACS]. Recall that for $S \subseteq V(G)$, $torso(G,S)$ is the graph obtained from $G[S]$ by introducing new edges between those vertices $v_1,v_2$ of $S$ that are connected by path all intermediate vertices of which lie outside $S$. Denote $V(p_1) \cup \dots V(p_r)$ by $V^*$ and consider the graph $torso(G,V^*)$. It follows from the combination of Proposition 2.5. in [@TWRedSTACS] and Proposition \[internal\] that a set $K$ is the smallest important separator of $G$ if and only if it is the smallest important separator of $G^*$. Therefore the algorithm first constructs graph $G^*$ and then solves the problem regarding $G^*$.
The algorithm consists of a number of iterations. On the $i$-th iteration the algorithm either computes a set $S_i$ or returns the answer. The algorithm starts from setting $S_0=\{y\}$. Assume that the algorithm is in the $i$-th iteration while it did not return the answer on the $i-1$-th iteration. For $1 \leq j \leq r$, let $z_j$ be the largest index such that $v_{j,z_j} \notin S_{i-1}$ and let $y_j$ be the smallest index such that $v_{j,y_j}$ is adjacent to $S_{j-1}$. If for each $j$, $y_j=z_j$, the algorithm returns the set $\{v_{1,y_1}, \dots v_{r,y_r}\}$. Otherwise, the algorithm obtains $S_i$ by adding to $S_{i-1}$ the vertices $v_{j,y_j+1}, \dots v_{j,z_j}$ for each $j$ such that $y_j \neq z_j$.
To analyze the algorithm, observe first that by construction $S_0 \subset S_1 \subset S_2 \dots$ and that for each $S_i$ the subset of each $V(p_j)$ that belongs to $S_i$ forms a suffix of $p_j$. It follows from the latter statement that each $G^*[S_i]$ is connected. Furthermore, observe that no $S_i$ intersects with a smallest $X-Y$ separator. This is certainly true for $S_0$. Assume the truth for $S_{i-1}$. If this is not the case for $S_i$ then there is a vertex $w$ of a smallest $X-Y$ separator $K'$ that belong to the subpath of some $p_j$ whose end vertices are $v_{j,y_{j}+1}$ and $v_{j,z_j}$ as defined above. It follows that $K'$ does not contain any other vertex of $p_j$. Consequently, $Y$ can be reached from $X$ in $G^* \setminus K'$ by going along $p_j$ from $x$ to $v_{j,y_j}$ and then jumping to $S_{j-1}$ which is connected and disjoint with $K'$. This contradiction shows that correctness of the considered observation. It follows that each smallest $X-Y$ separator is in fact $X-S_i$ separator for all $S_i$ generated during the run of the algorithm. Since $S_i$ grows with the increase of $i$, the stopping condition is met after some $b+1 \leq n$ iterations (i.e. the last constructed set is $S_b$). It is not hard to observe that the returned set $K$ is a smallest $X-Y$ separator. In fact it is also the desired important separator. Indeed, by the proven above the component $S_b$ of $Y$ in $G^* \setminus K$ is smallest possible in case we consider only smallest $X-Y$ separators. Consequently, $NR(G^*,Y,K)=V(G^*) \setminus (K \cup S_b)$ is largest possible. This finishes the correctness proof of the proposed algorithm.
For the runtime, not that $G^*$ can be constructed in $O(n^2)$. The $i$-th iteration of the algorithm examines adjacency of $S_{i-1}$ with the rest of the graph. But in fact we can consider only adjacency of $S_{i-1} \setminus S_{i-2}$ because the only vertices outside $S_{i-1}$ adjacent to $S_{i-2}$ are $v_{1,z_1}, \dots v_{r,z_r}$ known by construction of $S_{i-1}$, It follows that the adjacency of each pair of vertices is examined a constant number of times and hence the algorithm takes time $O(n^2)$. $\blacksquare$
\[normalized\] Let $G$ be a graph and $X,Y$ be two disjoint subsets of its vertices. We say that $G$ is $X-Y$ normalized if $N(X)$ is the only smallest $X-Y$ separator.
Let $K$ be a $X-Y$ separator. Denote by $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$ the graph obtained from $G \setminus (NR(G,Y,K) \setminus X)$ by making $X$ adjacent to all the vertices of $K$. The graph $PR(G,X,Y,K)$ has the following easily observable properties.
\[prproperties\]
1. Let $K_1 \geq K $ be an $X-Y$ separator. Then $K_1$ is a $X-Y$ separator of $Pr(G,K,X,Y)$. Moreover, if $K_1$ is a smallest $X-Y$ separator of $G$ then $K_1$ remains a smallest $X-Y$ separator of $Pr(G,K,X,Y)$.
2. Let $K_2 \geq K$ be another $X-Y$ separator. Then $K_2 \geq K_1$ in $G$ if and only if $K_2 \geq K_1$ in $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$. In particular, $K_2$ is an important $X-Y$ separator of $G$ if and only if $K_2$ is an important $X-Y$ separator of $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$.
3. If $K$ is an important $X-Y$ separator of $G$ then $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$ is $X-Y$ normalized.
[**Proof.**]{} For part 1, consider an $X-Y$ path $p$ in $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$. This path can be transformed into an $X-Y$ path of $G$, possibly by introducing vertices of $NR(G,Y,K)$. $K_1$ is disjoint with $NR(G,Y,K)$ by Proposition \[internal\]. On the other hand, $K_1$ intersects the transformed path. Consequently, $K_1$ intersects the initial path $p$. That is, $K_1$ is an $X-Y$ separator of $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$. Furthermore, since any $X-Y$ separator of $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$ is clearly an $X-Y$ separator of $G$, any smallest $X-Y$ separator of $G$ is also a smallest separator of $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$.
For part 2, apply Proposition \[internal\] and, arguing as in the previous paragraph, observe that $K_2$ separates $K_1 \setminus K_2$ in $G$ if and only if the same happens in $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$. Finally, for part 3, observe that if $K$ is not the only smallest separator of $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$ then $K$ is not important in $Pr(G,X,Y,K)$ in contradiction to part 2. $\blacksquare$
Important witnesses
===================
\[excess\] Let $G$ be a graph, $X,Y$ be two disjoint subsets of vertices, $r$ be the smallest size of a $X-Y$ separator and $K$ be an arbitrary $X-Y$ separator. We call $|K|-r$ the *excess* of $K$ and denote it by $excess_{G,X,Y}(K)$, the subscripts may be omitted if clear from the context.
\[coverexset\] Let $G$ be a $X-Y$-normalized graph and let $S \subseteq N(X)$. We call the excess of a smallest $X-Y$ separator disjoint with $S$ the *cover excess* of $S$ and denote it by $CE_{G,X,Y}(S)$, the subscripts can be omitted if clear from the context. If $S$ is adjacent to $Y$ then $CE(S)$ is infinite. A $X-Y$ separator $K$ with $S\cap K=\emptyset$ and $excess(K)=CE(S)$ is called a *witness* of $S$ (w.r.t. $X,Y$ if not clear from the context).
\[oneimport\] Let $G$ be a $X-Y$-normalized graph and let $S \subseteq N(X)$ and assume that $S$ is not adjacent to $Y$. There is exactly one important witness $K(S)$ of $S$.
[**Proof.**]{} Let $G'$ be the graph obtained from $G$ by splitting each $v \in S$ into $n+1$ copies. It is not hard to see that $K'$ is a witness of $S$ in $G$ if and only if $K'$ is the smallest separator of $G'$. Furthermore, $K'$, disjoint with $S$, is an important $X-Y$ separator of $G$ if and only if $K'$ is an important separator of $G'$. Combining the above two statements, we conclude that $K'$ is an important witness of $S$ in $G$ if and only if $K'$ is the smallest important separator of $G'$. According to Corollary \[onesmallest\], there is exactly one such $K'$. $\blacksquare$
[**Remark 1.**]{} If $S=\{v\}$, we write $C(v)$ and $K(v)$ instead of $C(\{v\})$ and $K(\{v\})$, respectively. Also, from now on, we will refer to $K(S)$ without special reference to Lemma \[oneimport\].
\[setcover\] Let $G$ be a $X-Y$-normalized graph and let $S \subseteq N(X)$ and assume that $S$ is not adjacent to $Y$. Let $K_1$ be an important $X-Y$ separator of $G$ disjoint with $S$ and let $K(S)$ be an important witness of $S$. Then $K_1 \geq K(S)$.
[**Proof.**]{} Let $G'$ be the graph as in the first paragraph of the proof of Lemma \[oneimport\]. Since $K(S)$ is the only smallest important $X-Y$ separator of $G'$, it follows from Corollary \[onesmallest\] that $K' \geq K(S)$ in $G'$. It is not hard to observe that the same relationship is preserved in $G$. $\blacksquare$
\[manyimport\] Let $G$ be a $X-Y$-normalized graph and let $S \subseteq N(X)$ and assume that $S$ is not adjacent to $Y$. Then there is $S' \subseteq S$ such that $|S'| \leq CE(S)$ and $K(S')=K(S)$.
[**Proof.**]{} The proof is by induction on $CE(S)$. Assume first that $CE(S)=1$ and pick an arbitrary vertex $v \in CE(S)$. We claim that $K(S)=K(v)$. Indeed, according to Lemma \[setcover\] applied to $\{v\}$, $K(S) \geq K(v)$. Then, according to Proposition \[prproperties\], $K(S)$ is an $X-Y$ separator of $Pr(G,K(v),X,Y)$ and $Pr(G,K(v),X,Y)$ is normalized. It follows that if $K(S) \neq K(v)$ then $CE(S)=|K(S)|>|K(v)| \geq |N(X)|+1$, a contradiction. Thus the statement holds in the considered case.
The above reasoning also applies to the case where there is $v \in S$ such that $CE(v)=CE(S)$. Assume this is not the case. Then we can specify a maximal $S^* \subseteq S$ such that $CE(S^*)<CE(S)$. By the induction assumption there is $S'' \subseteq S^*$, $|S''| \leq CE(S^*)$ such that $K(S'')=K(S^*)$. Pick an arbitrary $v \in S \setminus S^*$. We claim that $K(S)=K(S'' \cup \{v\})$. To prove the claim, observe first that $K(S'' \cup \{v\})=K(S^* \cup \{v\})$. Indeed, according to Lemma \[setcover\], $K(S'' \cup \{v\}) \geq K(S'')=K(S^*)$. It follows that $S^* \cup \{v\} \subseteq N(X) \setminus K(S'' \cup \{v\})$. Another application of Lemma \[setcover\] shows that $K(S'' \cup \{v\}) \geq K(S^* \cup \{v\})$. On the other hand, $S'' \cup \{v\} \subseteq S^* \cup \{v\}$ and hence, yet another application of Lemma \[setcover\] implies $K(S^* \cup \{v\}) \geq K(S'' \cup \{v\})$, yielding the desired equality. Now, observe that $K(S)=K(S^* \cup \{v\})$. Indeed, by Lemma \[setcover\], $K(S) \geq K(S^* \cup \{v\})$. On the other hand, due to the minimality of $S^*$, $K(S) \ngtr K(S^* \cup \{v\})$. The claim now follows. $\blacksquare$
Upper bound on the number of important separators and the <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem
===================================================================================================================
Let $G$ be an $X-Y$ normalized graph $(S_1, \dots S_r)$ be a sequence of disjoint non-empty subsets of vertices of $G$ and $K$ is an $X-Y$ separator. We say that $K$ is a *compound witness* of the *attribute* $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ (w.r.t. $X$ and $Y$ in $G$ if clarification is needed) as follows. Assume first that $r=1$. Then $S_1 \subseteq N(X)$ and $K=K(S_1)$. Otherwise, $S_2 \cup \dots \cup S_r$ is disjoint with $N(X)$ and $K$ is a compound witness of $(S_2, \dots, S_r)$ w.r.t. $X,Y$ in $Pr(G,X,Y,K(S_1))$. We call $|S_1|+ \dots + |S_r|$ the *rank* of $K$. The following corollary immediately follows from inductive application of Lemma \[oneimport\].
\[manydimimport\] Each sequence $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ is the attribute of *at most one* compound witness. (Some sequences may correspond to no compound witness, for example, due to being non well-formed attributes.)
\[ComputeWitness\] Let $G$ be a $X-Y$ normalized graph and $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ be a sequence of disjoint non-empty sets of vertices. Then the existence of a compound witness with attribute $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ can be tested in $O(n^3)$.
[**Proof.**]{} Consider the following algorithm. First, compute the unique smallest important separator $K_0$ of $G_0=G$. Then obtain graph $G_1$ by introducing extra copies of vertices of $S_1$ in $Pr(G_0,X,Y,K)$ and compute the smallest important separator $K_1$. Then obtain graph $G_2$ from $Pr(G_1,X,Y,K_1)$ by introducing extra copies of vertices of $S_2$ and so on until $K_r$ is eventually returned. The algorithm can also return ’NO’ if some $X$ or some intermediate $K_i$ is adjacent to $Y$ or if some $S_i$ is not a subset of $K_{i-1}$. The correctness of this algorithm follows from definition of the attribute.
The runtime $O(rn^3)$ immediately follows from Lemma \[ComputeImport\]. However, using an amortisation argument we can show that in fact $O(n^3)$ is enough. Denote $|K_i|$ by $z_i$ and assume w.l.o.g. that $K_r$ is successfully computed (otherwise we can consider computation until some $K_{r'}$ for $r'<r$. By Proposition \[prproperties\], $z_0< \dots <z_r$. Now, consider graph $G_1$. It is not hard to see that the $z_0$ internally vertex disjoint $X-Y$ paths of $G_0$ (found during the run of network flow algorithm) are naturally transformed into $z_0$ internally vertex disjoint $X-Y$ paths of $G_1$.These paths provide initial flow of size $z_0$ and hence only $(z_1-z_0)+1$ additional iterations of the Ford-Fulkerson algorithm will be needed for the next iteration of the algorithm of Lemma \[ComputeImport\] to produce the largest set of internally vertex disjoint $X-Y$ path of $G_1$. Applying this argument inductively, it is not hard to observe that the resulting algorithm takes $O(n)$ iterations of Ford-Fulkerson algorithm. Each of these iterations takes $O(n^2)$. In addition there are at most $n$ iterations of computing the smallest important separator, each requiring $O(n^2)$ time according to Lemma \[ComputeImport\]. Finally, the algorithm also creates a $Pr$-graph at most $n$ times, $O(n^2)$ per creation is clearly enough. Consequently, the overall runtime is $O(n^3)$. $\blacksquare$
\[ImportCompound\] Let $G$ be a $X-Y$-normalized graph and let $K \neq N(X)$ an important $X-Y$ separator. Then $K$ is a compound witness of rank at most $excess(K)$.
[**Proof.**]{} By induction on $excess(K)$. Assume first that $excess(K)=1$ and let $v \in N(X) \setminus K$. Then $K=K(v)$, as shown in the first paragraph of proof of Lemma \[manyimport\]. In other words, in the considered case, $K$ is a compound witness with attribute $(\{v\})$.
Assume now that $excess(K)>1$. Denote $N(X) \setminus K$ by $S$. According to Lemma \[setcover\], $K \geq K(S)$. Furthermore, according to Lemma \[manyimport\], there is $S_1 \subseteq S$ with $|S_1| \leq CE(S)$ such that $K(S)=K(S_1)$. If $K=K(S)$ then $(S_1)$ is the desired attribute. Otherwise, denote $P(G,X,Y,K(S))$ by $G_1$. According to Proposition \[prproperties\], $G_1$ is normalized and $K$ is an important $X-Y$ separator of $G_1$. Furthermore, $excess_{G_1,X,Y}K =excess_{G,X,Y}K-CE(S_1)<excess_{G,X,Y}(K)$. By the induction assumption, $K$ is a compound witness w.r.t. $X,Y$ in $G_1$ of rank at most $excess_{G_1,X,Y}K$. Let $(S_2, \dots, S_r)$ be the corresponding attribute. We claim that $K$ is the compound witness of $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ w.r.t. $X,Y$ in $G$. Indeed, $|S_1|+ \sum_{i=2}^{r} |S_i| \leq CE(S_1)+ excess_{G_1,X,Y}K=excess_{G,X,Y}K$, the inequality is obtained by definition of $S_1$ and the induction assumption, the equality is obtained by definition of $G_1$.
It remains to show that $S_2, \dots, S_r$ are disjoint with $N(X)$. First of all, note that $K$ is disjoint with $S_1$. Furthermore, inductively applying the definition of a compound witness, it is not hard to see that $K$ is disjoint with $S_2, \dots, S_r$. Since each of $S_2, \dots, S_r$ are subsets of vertices of $Pr(G,X,Y,K(S))$, they are all disjoint with $S$. It follows that if some $S_i$ is not disjoint with $N(X)$, it is in fact not disjoint with $N(X) \setminus S$. Let $v \in (N(X) \setminus S) \cap S_i$. It follows that $v \notin K$ in contradiction to $N(X) \setminus K=S$. $\blacksquare$
\[MainBound\] Let $G$ be a graph and let $X$ and $Y$ bet two non-intersecting subsets of $V(G)$. Let $k>0$ be an integer. Then there are at most $\sum_{i=0}^k{n \choose i}$ important $X-Y$ separators of excess at most $k$. Moreover, they can be generated by considering all subsets of at most $k$ vertices of $G$ with an $O(n^3)$ time spent per subset.
[**Proof.**]{} First of all we show that we can assume that $G$ is an $X-Y$ normalized graph. Indeed, assume that $G$ is not such graph and let $K^*$ be the only smallest important separator existing according to Corollary \[onesmallest\]. Let $K'$ be an arbitrary important separator. According to Corollary \[onesmallest\], $K' \geq K^*$. It follows from Proposition \[prproperties\] that the set of important $X-Y$ separators of $G$ is the same as the set of important $X-Y$ separators of $Pr(G,X,Y,K^*)$ and that $Pr(G,X,Y,K^*)$ is normalized. This shows the validity of assumption that $G$ is an $X-Y$ normalized graph. The ${n \choose 0}$ in the claimed bound stands for the unique smallest important $X-Y$ separator, $N(X)$ in our case. We are now going to show that the number of the rest of important $X-Y$ separators is at most $\sum_{i=1}^k{n \choose i}$.
Let us say that a set $S$ *corresponds* to an attribute $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ (and vice versa the attribute corresponds to the set) if $\bigcup_{i=1}^r S_i=S$. We show that each subset $S$ of $V(G)$ corresponds to at most one well-formed attribute $(S_1, \dots S_r)$ of a compound witness. The proof is by induction. The empty set does not correspond to any well-formed attribute. Assume that $|S|=1$. If $S$ is disjoint with $N(X)$ then again $S$ does not correspond to any well-formed attribute. Otherwise, $S \subseteq N(X)$ and the only attribute $S$ can correspond to is $(S)$. Assume now that $|S|>1$. If $S$ is disjoint with $N(X)$ then once again $S$ does not correspond to any well-formed attribute. Otherwise, let $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ be an attribute corresponding to $S$. Observe that $S_1=S \cap N(X)$. Furthermore, by the induction assumption, $(S_2, \dots, S_r)$ is the unique attribute corresponding to $S \setminus S_1$. Taking into account the uniqueness of $S_1$, the uniqueness of $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ follows.
The correspondence established above tells us that there are at most $\sum_{i=1}^k{n \choose i}$ well-formed attributes of rank at most $k$. Since according to Corollary \[manydimimport\], each $(S_1, \dots, S_r)$ is the attribute of at most one compound witness w.r.t. $X$ and $Y$, the number of compound witnesses of rank at most $k$ is also bounded by $\sum_{i=1}^k{n \choose i}$. Theorem \[ImportCompound\] implies the same bound on the number of important $X-Y$ separators different from $N(X)$ and having excess at most $k$. Finally, the runtime upper bound follows from Theorem \[ComputeWitness\]. $\blacksquare$
With Theorem \[MainBound\] in mind we are ready to compute the runtime of solving <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">mwc</span> problem. Let $(G,T)$ be an instance of the multiway cut problem where $G$ is a graph and $T$ is the set of terminals to be separated. Let $t \in T$. We call a $t-T \setminus t$ separator of $G$ an *isolating cut* of $t$ (w.r.t. $(G,T)$ if the context is not clear). The following lemma has is a reformulation of Lemma 3.6. of [@MarxTCS].
\[IsoImport\] For any $t \in T$ there is an optimal solution of $(G,T)$ containing an important isolating cut of $t$.
Let $(G,T)$ be an instance of the multiway cut problem. For $t \in T$, let $m(t)$ be the size of the smallest isolating cut of $t$. Let $m=max_{t \in T} m(t)$ and $s$ be an integer. Then there is $O(sn^{s+3}+|T|n^3)$ algorithm that checks whether $(G,T)$ has a solution of size at most $(m+s)$.
[**Proof.**]{} For each terminal of $T$ compute the respective smallest important isolating cut. According to Lemma \[ComputeImport\], this can be done in $O(n^3)$ per terminal, so the overall time spent in $O(|T|n^3)$. Let $t$ be the terminal whose respective smallest important isolating cut is of size $m$. If $k=0$ then, according to Lemma \[IsoImport\] and Corollary \[onesmallest\], either this isolating cut is the solution or there is no solution.
If $k>0$, the algorithm generates all possible important isolating cuts $K$ of $t$ of excess at most $k$. For each such $K$, it solves the instance $(G \setminus K,T \setminus \{t\},m+k-|K|)$ and returns ’YES’ if and only if at least one such residual instance has a solution. The correctness of this approach follows from Lemma \[IsoImport\]. Furthermore, since $|K| \geq m$, $m+k-|K| \leq k$.
According to [@ChenMwayCut], each residual instance can be solved in time $O(n^3(k-i)4^{k-i})$, where $i$ is the excess of $K$. According to Theorem \[MainBound\], for each $i \leq k$ there are at most $\sum_{j=0}^i{n \choose i}$ important isolating cuts of $t$ of excess $i$. Moreover, they can be enumerated by spending $O(n^3)$ for each of them. The proposed approach requires to spend additional time $O(n^3(k-i)4^{k-i})$ per isolating cut of $t$. The overall time spent per an isolating cut of $t$ is thus $O(n^3(k-i)4^{k-i}+n^3) \subseteq O(n^3k4^{k-i})$. Taking into account that $\sum_{j=0}^i{n \choose j} \leq c{k \choose i}n^i$ for some constant $c$ the resulting runtime is $O(n^3k \sum_i {k \choose i}n^i4^{k-i})=O(n^3k(n+4)^k)$. The desired runtime can be obtained by taking into account that $(n+4)^k$ and $n^k$ are asymptotically the same. $\blacksquare$
[10]{}
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Jianer Chen, Yang Liu, and Songjian Lu. An improved parameterized algorithm for the minimum node multiway cut problem. In [*WADS*]{}, pages 495–506, 2007.
Jianer Chen, Yang Liu, and Songjian Lu. An improved parameterized algorithm for the minimum node multiway cut problem. , 55(1):1–13, 2009.
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Thomas Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein. . The MIT Press, 3nd edition, 2009.
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P[é]{}ter L. Erd[ö]{}s and L[á]{}szl[ó]{} A. Sz[é]{}kely. On weighted multiway cuts in trees. , 65:93–105, 1994.
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Q:
How do I show that for any natural number n, there exists a natural number m such that $4^{2n+1} + 3^{n+2} = 13m$?
Show that for any natural number $n$, there exists a natural number $m$ for which:
$$4^{2n+1} + 3^{n+2} = 13m$$
I don't know where to start. I tried to use Mathematical Induction, denoting the top statement by $\rm P(n)$ and prove that $\rm P(0)$ is true, but I got stuck. Can anybody help?
A:
The statement $P(n)$ is:
There exists $m\in\mathbb N$ such that $$4^{2n+1}+3^{n+2}=13m$$
Step $1$: Proving that $P(0)$ is true should be easy, you just have to calculate what $$4^{2\cdot 0+1}+3^{0+2}$$ is equal to.
Step $2$: Assume that $P(n)$ is true, and write
$$\begin{align}4^{2(n+1)+1}+3^{(n+1)+2} &= 4^{2n+1+2} + 3^{n+2 + 1} \\&= 16\cdot 4^{2n+1} + 3\cdot 3^{n+2}\\&=13\cdot 4^{2n+1} + 3\cdot 4^{2n+1} + 3\cdot 3^{n+2}\end{align}$$
Can you continue from here?
A:
If $P(n)$ holds, then$$\begin{align}4^{2(n+1)+1}+3^{n+1+2}&=4^{2n+3}+3^{n+3}\\&=4^2\times4^{2n+1}+3\times3^{n+2}\\&=13\times4^{2n+1}+3\times\bigl(4^{2n+1}+3^{n+2}\bigr).\end{align}$$Since $13\mid4^{2n+1}+3^{n+2}$, $13$ divides this number.
A:
Because
$$4^{2n+1}+3^{n+2}=4\cdot16^n+9\cdot3^n=4(16^n-3^n)+13\cdot3^n.$$
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The organizational intelligence of your headquarters (HQ), starts with the emotional intelligence (EQ) of your team members. How your team engages, and how your leaders lead, can optimize everyone’s pure potential.
Developing The EQ @ HQ of your organization includes:
LQ:
DEIQ:
WQ:
CQ:
TQ:
MQ:
Leader Intelligence
Cultural Intelligence & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Wellbeing Intelligence
Communication Intelligence
Team Intelligence
Meeting intelligence
EQ @ HQ will work with your organization to identify its strengths, and its growth edges to help develop practical solutions.
In addition, EQ @ HQ offers supportive services in listening to the team and employees through 360 feedbacks, surveys, facilitation sessions, and organization-wide touch-points, EQ @ HQ can help to gather qualitative data to inform the preparation for future challenges and opportunities. | https://www.eqhqconsulting.com/what-we-do/organization-development-redesign/ |
This appetizer has been a favorite starter for the last few decades for good reason. It’s crispy, golden crust and warm gooey center will make you grateful that you’ve gone low carb. Pair this dish with low carb ranch or low carb marinara (or both).
PREP TIME10 mins
COOK TIME 10 mins
TOTAL TIME 20 mins
COURSE Appetizer
CUISINE American, Keto
SERVINGS 4 servings
CALORIES 346 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 8 mozzarella string cheese sticks low moisture, part-skim
- 2 eggs beaten
- ¾ cup Parmesan
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prep a freezer-safe plate with parchment paper.
- Unwrap and cut string cheese in half crossways to make short sticks.
- Beat your eggs in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, mix the coating ingredients. You shouldn’t need extra salt because the parm is salty, but test it to make sure.
- Dip the cheese in the egg, then roll in the coating and repeat for each stick so they are each coated twice and FULLY coated. This is important. You don’t want cheese oozing out.
- Place the cheese sticks on the plate and freeze for at least one hour or until frozen.Once thoroughly frozen, remove from the freezer and place on the air fryer rack that is covered with parchment. Spray each stick with oil. (If your air fryer is smaller, do two batches to make sure there is room for the air to flow. The sticks should not touch.
- Set the air-fryer to 390F and cook for 10-13 minutes. Turn them after six minutes to brown the underside. The crust should be starting to brown.
- Serve immediately with low-carb dip for best results. Re-heat in the air-fryer if you have leftovers. See post for making ahead and the oven method.
NOTES
This recipe makes 12 mozzarella sticks. A serving size is four sticks.
This low carb marinara is excellent with this appetizer. | https://ketobeginners.co/keto-air-fryer-mozzarella-sticks-1011/ |
scatter() function.
matplotlib.pyplot.scatter(x, y, s=None, c=None)
It is important to note that you can specify colors in hexadecimal RGB string, CSS color names, and other formats. If you want to learn the different ways of setting colors in Matplotlib, then visit Matplotlib colors.
To set the colors of each data point, pass a list having color value for each marker to the keyword argument
c. The length of this list must be equal to the number of data points. On the other hand, if you want to set the same color for each data point, then simply pass a color value to the keyword argument
c.
In the following example, we will draw a scatter plot having 10 data points. Here, we will set the color of each data point using the hexadecimal RGB string.
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt #Data Points x = [1, 1, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 7] y = [4, 3, 2, 4, 7, 4, 1, 10, 3, 2] #Markers Colors markersColors = ['#D32F2F', '#C2185B', '#7B1FA2', '#512DA8', '#303F9F', '#1976D2', '#F57C00', '#5D4037', '#616161', '#689F38'] #Draw Scatter Plot plt.scatter(x, y, c=markersColors) #Show Scatter Plot plt.show()
Output
Let's set the color of each marker using CSS color names in the following example. | https://www.tutorialsandyou.com/matplotlib/how-to-set-markers-color-in-scatter-plot-in-matplotlib-3.html |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
NUMBERING REFERENCE
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
A. Field of the Invention
This relates to the manufacture of baby grand and upright toy pianos. Toy pianos are generally smaller than a typical piano and usually have around forty-five keys although there are some variations. One of the difficulties in the toy piano industry is that many of the pianos are damaged during the shipping process. Currently the sides of the toy piano are glued and it is impossible to remove the damaged part without damaging the other exterior parts of the piano. Because of the current manufacturing process, the piano must be discarded.
This application is designed to create a manufacturing process by which replacement parts are created. In the event that a part of the exterior of the piano is damaged, the replacement part can be used to replace the damaged part. In addition to reducing the costs of replacement of a piano, it would also lead to greater customer service satisfaction because the customer is not forced to wait for a replacement piano.
B. Prior Art
There are prior art references to manufacturing processes but none that involve a manufacturing process for a toy piano.
This is a process by which baby grand and upright toy pianos may be manufactured. The essential parts of a piano are the same in both the baby grand and the upright version of the toy piano.
Baby grand and upright toy pianos rest on the floor typically with a set of legs. The exact style of the support means such as the legs may be different and may vary from company to company but each piano must be supported by a set of legs.
On the front of the piano will be a set of keys, both white and black, on which the child can play. As stated earlier, a toy piano is typically a piano with fewer keys and the child sits in front of those keys to play the instrument. A front member that forms part of the enclosure that houses the sound board will be placed perpendicular to the keys and will be connected to the bottom surface of the piano.
The legs themselves will be attached to the bottom surface of the piano and will be able to support the weight of the piano. Different style supports of legs may be used but the weight of the piano must be supported.
Secured to the bottom of the piano will be two side members a back member and a front member that will form a box around the interior components of the piano. Within the interior of the box that is formed will be the sound board that produces the music when the piano is played.
With the baby grand version a plate or protective covering will be placed above the sound board to protect the sound board. Over the top of the protective plate will be the top surface of the piano. The top surface will mate with the side members, back member and front member of the piano to compete the enclosure that houses the sound board.
These sides will be constructed from pre-sized pieces to fit a variety of pianos that will be connected by a securement means. The connection means may vary because of piano style but it is anticipated that the connection means will be threaded members.
In order to insure that the parts fit within the frame of a toy piano horizontal stop pieces that extend along the length of the side of the toy piano are provided. The horizontal stop pieces will be separated by a vertical stop piece. The vertical stop piece separates the keys of the piano from the sound board. The use of the horizontal and vertical stop pieces insures that the pieces that are cut are all uniform in length.
A hole in the horizontal stop piece is provided to secure the connection means.
Typically the damage to a toy piano occurs during the shipping process and usually the damage is to the legs or a portion of the exterior that forms the housing to protect the sound board.
With this application the damaged part is removed by removing the connection means and the replacement part is inserted in its place. In order to insure that the replacement part is aesthetically pleasing the replacement part may be manufactured with the same color paint as the original piano.
A series of slots and grooves enables the replacement parts which are installed using the connection means to easily remove the damaged part and insert a replacement part.
For instance, if the side members become damaged, the side members is replaced by removing the connection means without the need to discard the entire piano.
1
—Piano
2
—Legs
3
—Front Member
4
—Back Member
5
—Side Members
6
—Sound Board
7
—Bottom Surface
8
—Top Surface
9
—Connection Means
10
—Side of back member
13
—Keys
14
—Protective Plate
15
—Hole in the Side Member
16
—Stop Piece Housing
17
—Hole for Connection Means
18
—First Horizontal Stop Piece
19
—Second Horizontal Stop Piece
20
—Hole for Connection Means
21
—Vertical Stop Piece
22
—Second Groove
23
—First Groove
24
—Slits
1
This is a process for manufacturing a toy piano . Toy pianos can either be manufactured as a standard upright piano or a baby grand piano. Regardless of the manufacturer, this process will be applicable to either kind of toy piano.
A toy piano is nothing more than a miniature version of a real piano. Toy pianos have a very distinctive sound when played which differentiates them from the sound of a standard piano. Like a standard piano a toy piano has a set of keys that are played by a person. Toy pianos are typically played by children and are usually given as a first piano or as a learner piano. The toy pianos also have a limited number of keys, as opposed to the 88 keys that are found on most standard upright or grand pianos.
The person plays a piano in the same manner although typically the sound on a toy piano is different than a standard upright or baby grand piano.
2
2
2
7
7
The piano is supported by legs . The legs vary by the manufacturer but all pianos are supported by some type of leg. The legs will be attached to the bottom surface of the piano usually by a threaded member although there are a variety of ways to attach a piano leg and no specific claim is being made to the type of attachment of the piano leg. The bottom surface of the piano is planar and will form one of the surfaces on which the interior components of the piano will rest and be housed.
5
3
4
8
On the planar surface will be two side members , a front member , a back member and a top surface that will form a cavity that will house the interior parts of the piano. When the piano is assembled the interior components of the piano will be protected by this casing.
13
3
5
4
Additionally, the keys of the piano will be placed on the planar member and positioned exterior to the cavity; the front member will be positioned so that the interior components of the piano cannot be damaged. The side members and the back member will be attached to each other.
10
22
5
23
3
The end of the back member will be manufactured so that this portion will fit into a second groove on the surface of the side member . A first groove will allow the side member to be attached to the front member .
7
18
13
21
19
FIG. 3
On the top surface of the planar member a first horizontal stop will extend from the keys to a vertical stop . A second horizontal stop is placed against the vertical stop and extends the length of the piano a predetermined distance. In the case of a baby grand piano the length of the second horizontal stop on the other side of the piano as depicted in will be somewhat shorter because of the shape of the baby grand piano.
15
9
Holes in the side members permit a connection means to be inserted into the side members as well as the first and second horizontal stops.
24
On the bottom of the side members slits are provided that allow the side member to be inserted over the planar member of the bottom surface.
8
The top surface of the piano will protect the interior component once it is placed on the piano. This is true regardless of whether or not the piano is a baby grand or a toy piano.
6
6
13
13
Inside the compartment formed by the side members, the back member, and the front member will be placed the sound board . The sound board will be a board with a series of rods that will reproduce the sound of the piano when the rods are struck by components of the piano. The sound board is struck by a series of hammers that are connected to the keys of the piano. Levers (not depicted) are attached to the keys of the piano and are attached to hammers (not depicted) that strike the rods of the sound board.
14
7
8
It is imperative that the sound board be protected as much as possible and, on the top surface of the baby grand piano, there will be a protective plate . This protective plate will be placed between the sound board, the bottom surface , and the top surface of the piano.
The connection means for the side members is likely a threaded member, which can be installed using a standard screwdriver, a slotted Phillips head or possibly an allen wrench.
16
18
21
3
14
16
Another stop piece housing will be placed on top of a portion of the first horizontal member and be placed between one surface of the vertical stop and one surface of the front member . The protective plate is secured to the stop piece with a means of connection.
5
9
23
22
5
FIG. 3
In the event of a side member such as reference number on being damaged, the connection means is loosened and the side member is allowed to be removed. An identical side member can then be reinstalled simply by positioning the slots on the bottom edge of the side member and reinstalling the connection means. The first and second groove , insure appropriate alignment of the side member .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an isometric view of a baby grand toy piano.
FIG. 2
is a top view of the baby grand toy piano showing the protective plate.
FIG. 3
is a side view of the baby grand toy piano. | |
The universe is vast, but the further we look toward the outermost edges, the more we see the overall structure, the way patterns are repeated across the enormity.
Think about it – the universe contains all we can measure and know, all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all forms of matter and energy. It likes balls and spirals and has a structure that repeats itself. This is reflected in the shape and behavior of the smallest particles to the largest quasars.
The universe began.
We don’t exactly know how it began, but we are here, so it must have started somehow. The universe emerged from somewhere as an infinitely small singularity, so named because it is singularly unexplainable.
From that unfathomable beginning, a mysterious dark energy pushes things apart, expanding the cosmos to what we see as the observable universe. And on the sub-galactic level, we who live on this rocky island in the center of that vast sea of space and time go about our lives, having no effect whatsoever on the universe at large.
First off, no matter our conscious thoughts regarding the universe and God, writers don’t exist in reality. We exist in what we think reality is, and collectively, we create it as we go along, for good or ill.
No matter the genre, whether it is fiction, non-fiction, a textbook, or a technical manual – books are universes, static and frozen at a finite point for us to read and ponder their meanings.
Books begin with an idea, the singularity that bursts into existence. As it grows, the universe that is that proto-book takes on a recognizable shape.
A projected series featuring the lives of people set in a unique world is a cosmos unto itself. It is the story of that universe, told over the course of several books.
Many people are blinded by the quasars of inspiration, can’t conceive of that universe’s structure, and can’t imagine how the molecules of inspiration can become a universe. The brilliance of that first revelation blinds them to how attainable it is.
But if you make a map of what you can see, your own intelligent design, you can create your series of books with less struggle.
First, I tell myself how I believe the story will go. This takes a little time and is relaxing, a matter of sitting in a tranquil place with a pen and pad of paper and visualizing the singular idea of the story.
As I ponder that idea, finite events will come to me. I write them down, and they become major plot points. By the time I have to go back to other household tasks, my notes will have the rough shape of the story, in only five to ten handwritten lines.
A current work in progress takes place in a world I began writing in in 2008. This subseries began on a sunny day, while sitting on my back porch, watching the scrub jays, and laughing at their avian marital squabbles.
Out of nowhere, an idea went nova, and I wrote it down. These are my very first notes for the first book in that subseries, copied word for word from my yellow notepad:
-
A shaman. A person with a life like everyone else. They make mistakes, but they learn from them.
That led to another thought:
-
Divorced, single parent, struggles to be a good father to his son. What is his line of work?
-
A blacksmith who creates a magic sword. Who cares for his son while he works?
And that last thought led to my contemplating his family. “Who is his support group?”
-
His grandfather, father, and brother.
-
How do they come into the story?
My protagonist starts page one as divorced. I asked myself, “Does romance wait in the wings?”
-
Why this woman, and who is she in her own right? Where is she, and why does he have to go there?
-
She is highly respected, a woman with some power. Healing? He’s a shaman, so his reason for going there must be something spiritual.
-
Vision quest at someplace dangerous and difficult. Atop a mountain?
I contemplated those few notes for several days, during which I began creating a stylesheet/storyboard. I noted each random idea, which eventually became scenes I could visualize.
That’s when my imagination took over. The God-view zoomed in until I could see the story at the atomic level, and the words flowed.
As I wrote, the outline for that first book took its shape. The written universe is in constant flux, and the storyboard records the changes and keeps the fabric of time from warping.
First, I decided how many words I intended for the novel’s length and divided that into fourths. I took those fourths and turned them into acts. I wanted to keep it at about 90,000 words, so this is how I planned the arc to go:
Act 1: 10,000 words, the beginning: We show the setting, the protagonist, and the opening situation.
Acts 2 and 3: 60,000 words. Two major hiccups, combined to form the novel’s center, starting at the first plot point or the inciting incident. The tension grows to a mid-point confrontation. We show the hero’s dire condition and how they deal with it. By act 4, there is no going back, no changing course.
Act 4: 20,000 words: Resolution. We try to end the misery in a way that feels good and rewards the reader for staying with the story. It must end as if it were a standalone novel, but a minor sub-thread will be left unfinished. That sub-thread is the real core of the two-book series.
Once I have decided the proposed length, I know where the turning points are and what should happen at each. The outline ensures an arc to both the overall story and the characters’ personal growth.
This method works for me because I’m a linear thinker.
I have mentioned before that I use a spreadsheet program to outline my projects, but you can use a notebook or anything that works for you. You can do this by drawing columns on paper by hand or using post-it notes on a whiteboard or sticking them to the wall. Some people use a dedicated writer’s program like Scrivener.
Everyone thinks differently, so there is no one perfect way to create that fits everyone.
A storyboard/stylesheet should have a separate page for the glossary to ensure consistency. I wrote a post on creating a stylesheet, a.k.a. storyboard, for little or no cost, and the link is here: Designing the Story.
The workbook shown below is the stylesheet for the Tower of Bones series and has been evolving since 2009.
As we add to it, the written universe is constantly expanding. Sometimes, we have to adjust our ideas of how many words we will end up with, in total. The cosmos is a violent place. Even if we begin with a plan, we never really know how a story will go until we have written it. The outline keeps us mindful of the story arc and ensures the action doesn’t stall.
Try to get into the habit of writing new words every day. When you write every day, you develop strengths and knowledge of the craft. Give yourself the gift of half an hour of private writing time every day.
You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try.
Again, the post discussing making a cost-free storyboard/stylesheet is Designing the Story.
I think you’ll find a storyboard is a valuable tool. | https://conniejjasperson.com/tag/writing-a-series/ |
Q:
Draw Lines Over a Circle
There's a line A-B and C at the center between A and B. It forms a circle as in the figure. If we assume A-B line as a diameter of the circle and then C is it's center. My problem is I have no idea how to draw another three lines (in blue) each 45 degree away from AC or AB. No, this is not a homework, it's part of my complex geometry in a rendering.
alt text http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/befcd84d8c.png
A:
There are a few ways to solve this problem, one of which is to find the angle of the line and then add 45 degrees to this a few times. Here's an example, it's in Python, but translating the math should be easy (and I've tried to write the Python in a simplistic way).
Here's the output for a few lines:
The main function is calc_points, the rest is just to give it A and B that intersect the circle, and make the plots.
from math import atan2, sin, cos, sqrt, pi
from matplotlib import pyplot
def calc_points(A, B, C):
dx = C[0]-A[0]
dy = C[1]-A[1]
line_angle = atan2(dy, dx)
radius = sqrt(dy*dy + dx*dx)
new_points = []
# now go around the circle and find the points
for i in range(3):
angle = line_angle + (i+1)*45*(pi/180) # new angle in radians
x = radius*cos(angle) + C[0]
y = radius*sin(angle) + C[1]
new_points.append([x, y])
return new_points
# test this with some reasonable values
pyplot.figure()
for i, a in enumerate((-20, 20, 190)):
radius = 5
C = [2, 2]
# find an A and B on the circle and plot them
angle = a*(pi/180)
A = [radius*cos(pi+angle)+C[0], radius*sin(pi+angle)+C[1]]
B = [radius*cos(angle)+C[0], radius*sin(angle)+C[1]]
pyplot.subplot(1,3,i+1)
pyplot.plot([A[0], C[0]], [A[1], C[1]], 'r')
pyplot.plot([B[0], C[0]], [B[1], C[1]], 'r')
# now run these through the calc_points function and the new lines
new_points = calc_points(A, B, C)
for np in new_points:
pyplot.plot([np[0], C[0]], [np[1], C[1]], 'b')
pyplot.xlim(-8, 8)
pyplot.ylim(-8, 8)
for x, X in (("A", A), ("B", B), ("C", C)):
pyplot.text(X[0], X[1], x)
pyplot.show()
| |
To configure your Fedora system as an NIS master server, you should first configure it as an NIS client (that is, set the NIS domain name, set up /etc/yp.conf, and configure client daemons as described earlier). Then you can create the NIS maps and configure the NIS master server daemon processes (ypserv and rpc.yppasswdd). The following subsections describe these procedures.
|Note|| |
If there is a firewall on your NIS server, you must make UDP port 111 (sunrpc) available or NIS clients won’t be able to connect to your NIS service. If the computer is also a router, if possible, block access to port 111 outside of your local network.
To create NIS maps so that your Fedora system can be an NIS master server, start from the /var/yp directory from a Terminal window as root user. In that directory, a Makefile enables you to configure which files are being shared with NIS. The files that are shared by default are listed near the beginning of this chapter and within the Makefile itself.
If you don’t want to share any file that is set up in the Makefile, you can prevent that file from being built. Do this by finding the following line in the Makefile and simply deleting the file you want excluded:
all: passwd group hosts rpc services netid protocols mail \ # netgrp shadow publickey networks ethers bootparams printcap \ # amd.home auto.master auto.home auto.local passwd.adjunct \ # timezone locale netmasks
You may notice that not all the names in the all: line represent the exact filename. For example, netgrp is for the /etc/netgroup file. The files that each name represents are listed a few lines below the all: line in the Makefile. You may also notice that many of the files are already commented out, including the shadow file.
|Tip|| |
The NIS-HOWTO document suggests that using shadow passwords with NIS is “always a bad idea.”Options in the Makefile (described in the next section) enable you to automatically merge the shadow and gshadow files into the passwd and group files, respectively.
Several options are set in the Makefile. You can choose to change these options or leave them as they are. Here are the options:
B= — You can use the B= option to allow NIS to use the domain name resolver to find hosts that are not in the current domain. By default, B= is not set. To turn on this feature, set it to -b (B=-b).
NOPUSH=true — When set to true (the default), the NOPUSH option prevents the maps from being pushed to a slave server. This implies that the NIS master server is the only server for the NIS domain. Set this to false, and place the host names of slave servers into the /var/yp/ypservers file if you do not want the NIS master to be the only server for the domain.
MINUID=500 — To prevent password entries from being distributed for administrative users, the MINUID is set to 500. This assumes that all regular user accounts on the system that you want to share have UIDs that are 500 or above.
MINGID=500 — To prevent password entries from being distributed for administrative groups, the MINGID is set to 500. This assumes that all regular groups that you want to share have GIDs that are 500 or above.
|Note|| |
Tools for adding users and groups to Fedora always begin with the number 500. Some UNIX and Linux systems, however, may use lower UIDs and GIDs for regular users. In those cases, you may need to lower MINUID and MINGID to below 500, but not below 100 (which always represent administrative logins).
MERGE_PASSWD=true — Keep this option set to true if you want each user’s password to be merged from the shadow file back into the passwd file that is shared by NIS.
MERGE_GROUP=true — Keep this option set to true if you want each group’s password to be merged from the gshadow file back into the group file that is shared by NIS.
To build the NIS maps, your system must have the awk, make, and umask commands. In the Makefile, the locations of these commands are /usr/bin/gawk, /usr/bin/gmake, and umask, respectively. (The umask command is a shell built-in command, so you don’t have to look for its location.) You can use comparable commands in different locations by changing the values of the AWK, MAKE, and UMASK variables in the Makefile.
Besides the options just mentioned, there are several variables you can set to change the location of NIS files. For example, the locations of password files (YPPWDDIR) and other source files (YPSRCDIR) are both set to /etc by default. The location of YP commands (YPBINDIR) is set to /usr/lib/yp. If you want to change the values of these or other variables, you can do so in the Makefile.
Add the IP addresses of the client computers that are allowed access to your NIS maps to the /var/yp/securenets file. By default, any computer on any network that can reach your NIS master can have access to your maps (which is not a secure situation). So, it is important that you configure this file. IP numbers can be given in the form of netmask/network pairs. For example:
255.255.255.0 10.0.0.0
This example enables access to your NIS master server maps from all computers on network number 10.0.0.
|Cross-Reference:|| |
See Chapter 15 for descriptions of IP addresses and netmasks.
In the /etc/ypserv.conf file, you can define rules regarding which client host computers have access to which maps. You can also set several related options. Access rules in the ypserv.conf file have the following format:
host:map:security:mangle[:field]
Asterisks can replace host and map fields to create rules that match any host or map, respectively. The host field is the IP address for the network or particular host for which the rule applies. The map field is the name of the map for which you are defining access. The security field is replaced by none (to always allow access), port (to allow access from a port less than port number 1024), deny (to deny access to this map), or des (to require DES authentication).
The mangle field is replaced by yes or no (to indicate whether a field in the map should be replaced by an x if a request comes from an unprivileged host). If the mangle field is set to yes, field is replaced by the name of the field that should be mangled (the second field is used by default).
The following options can be set in the ypserv.conf file:
dns — If yes (dns: yes), NIS will query the TCP/IP name server for host names when host names are not found in maps. By default, dns:no is set.
xfr_check_port — If yes (xfr_check_port:yes), the NIS master server must run on a port that is less than port number 1024. If no, any port number may be used. By default, this is set to yes.
If you make changes to the /etc/ypserv.conf file, the ypserv daemon will pick up those changes the next time your system reboots (or the ypserv service restarts). Alternatively, you can have ypserv read the contents of the file immediately by sending the ypserv process a SIGHUP signal. Removing the comment character (#) from the following line in /etc/ypserv.conf allows all hosts access to all maps:
* : * : * : none
To install and build the NIS database, run the ypinit command. To start the ypinit program, type the following:
# /usr/lib/yp/ypinit –m next host to add: maple next host to add:
The ypinit command should automatically choose your host name to use as an NIS server. After that, it asks you to add slave servers. Add one at a time; then press Ctrl+D after you have entered your last slave server. Verify that the list of NIS servers is correct (type y). (Remember that slave servers are not required.)
The database is built at this point. A new directory that has the name of your NIS domain is created in /var/yp. For example, if your NIS domain name is trident, the directory is /var/yp/trident. All maps built are then placed in that directory.
In Fedora, NIS is configured by default to have a master NIS server and no slave NIS servers. You can allow your NIS maps to be pushed to one or more slave servers by setting NOPUSH=false in the /var/yp/Makefile file. After that, you need to add the names of the slave servers to your /var/yp/ypservers file. You can either add the host names manually or have them added automatically when you run the ypinit command later.
The NIS server must be running several daemon processes to be an NIS server. Fedora supplies run-level scripts that you can configure to start NIS server daemon processes. These scripts, located in the /etc/init.d directory, include the following:
ypserv — This script starts the ypserv (/usr/sbin/ypserv) daemon. It reads information from the /etc/ypserv.conf file to determine what to do. Then it listens for requests from NIS client computers on the network.
yppasswdd — This script starts the rpc.yppasswdd (/usr/sbin/rpc.yppasswdd) daemon. This daemon handles requests from users on NIS client computers who want to change their user passwords.
Unless you requested that these scripts be configured to start at boot time when you installed Fedora, they will not start automatically. You can use the following chkconfig command to set ypserv and yppasswdd scripts to start automatically at boot time.
# chkconfig ypserv on # chkconfig yppasswdd on
If you want to start the services immediately, you can type the following:
# /etc/init.d/ypserv start # /etc/init.d/yppasswdd start
The NIS master server should be up and running. If there are any NIS slave servers, you should configure them now. | https://flylib.com/books/en/4.100.1.202/1/ |
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese are delicious for a low-carb meal! Use the Diet-Type Index to find more recipes like this one.
Click here to PIN Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese!
Watch the video to see if you’d like to make
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese!
Portobello mushrooms are something I haven’t cooked with nearly often enough, and they’re a wonderfully healthy ingredient, particularly popular with people who are looking for something besides meat to cook on the grill. Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese isn’t a vegetarian recipe since the mushrooms are stuffed with spicy Italian sausage, but I think the idea could easily be adapted to a vegetarian stuffed mushroom, maybe even replacing the sausage with diced portobellos. But if you’re an Italian Sausage fan, you’ll love this recipe!
The idea for stuffing grilled portobello mushrooms with sausage came from Bobby Flay’s Grill It. I’m a fan of Bobby Flay and I like the creative grilling ideas in this book, but on this recipe, there are confusing directions and omissions which should have been caught in editing. Maybe it’s just the school teacher in me that makes me mention it, because overall I love the book, which already has lots of pages flagged with post-its, and this recipe was really delicious. (This cookbook was sent to me by the publisher back in 2008 (when I still accepted books), but I never write about a cookbook unless I would actually buy it myself.)
Start by cooking pork or turkey Italian Sausage until it’s well browned. Remove sausage, saute chopped onion, then mix sausage back into the onions. Add tomato sauce and red pepper flakes to onion/sausage mixture and cook a few minutes while you chop the spinach. Then add chopped spinach, which will look like a lot at first. After a few minutes the spinach has cooked down. Turn off heat and stir in chopped chopped basil and parsley.
The book didn’t mention removing the brown gills inside the portobella mushrooms, but I scraped them out with a spoon (partly to give more room for the stuffing!) Then brush both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil, put mushrooms on the grill inside facing down and cook about 4 minutes before you stuff them. Bobby Flay’s version of this used fresh mozzarella with tomatoes on top, and it looks delicious. There are no garden tomatoes here yet, and I substituted grated mozzarella which is a bit more widely available. The stuffed mushrooms cook on the grill for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and starting to brown, mushroom is cooked through, and stuffing is hot.
Super Easy Grilled Mushrooms ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms from A Veggie Venture
Grilled Halloumi Cheese Skewers with Mushrooms and Sweet Onions from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Portobello Caps from The Well Seasoned Cook
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese make a complete meal!
I used garden tomato sauce from my freezer for this recipe. If you open a can, just freeze the rest.
Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay’s Grill It.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
I changed a few things in this recipe for Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage to make it suitable for any phase of the South Beach Diet, and ate this as a main course with a simple green salad. Everything in this recipe is a good low-carb food choice, so this should work for most low-carb eating plans.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use the Recipes by Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Nutritional Information?
If you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into this nutrition analyzer, which will calculate it for you. Or if you’re a member of Yummly, you can use the Yum button on my site to save the recipe and see the nutritional information there. | https://kalynskitchen.com/recipe-for-grilled-portobello-mushrooms/print/ |
Firefighters rescue 700 birds in August
While, the agency received an average of 150 to 200 bird rescue calls on a monthly basis from January to July, in August alone, the Delhi Fire Services received 718 calls.
delhiUpdated: Aug 30, 2019 03:53 IST
Anvit Srivastava
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Thursday’s rescue took the total number of birds rescued by the DFS in August to 718.(Arun Sharma/HT PHOTO)
Ten days ago, the kite flying skills of a firefighter came handy when the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) rescues a crow entangled in a kite string wrapped around an electric wire in Daryaganj. The man flew the kite and used his dexterity to cut open the kite string which had the bird captured.
Enacting a similar rescue in Vikaspuri, Delhi’s firefighters on Thursday rescued another crow that was stuck on a tree branch with a kite string clutching its wings. Fire officers used a log to pull the string and rescue the bird.
Thursday’s rescue took the total number of birds rescued by the DFS in August to 718. In all, DFS has rescued around 2,000 birds this year, so far. While, the agency received an average of 150 to 200 bird rescue calls on a monthly basis from January to July, in August alone, the DFS received 718 calls. Chief fire officer Atul Garg said the drastic rise in the number was because of the kite flying season in August.
Senior officers said these rescue calls are mostly related to birds like parrots, crows, pigeons and kites. The calls include cases such as birds entangled in electric wires, birds trapped in narrow spaces or stuck in the bark of a tree. Apart from these, the agency also receives calls requesting rescue of dogs, cattle and cats that often fall into wells, pits or get stuck in closed spaces.
“All we rely on to rescue the birds is our presence of mind. The decision of flying a kite to cut the kite string in Daryaganj incident was taken on the spot as we had no other way out. The kite string was hanging from electricity wires and cutting off power could have taken a long time. We used a kite string made of glass shards to set the bird free by cutting the thread in which the crow was entangled,” Garg said, adding that it was a well-executed plan.
Talking about the Thursday’s rescue, Garg said the agency received the call early morning from one of the local residents. “The bird was badly entangled in a kite string hanging from a tree. Since it was not possible to climb the tree and the bird was way out of our reach, our team members used a long log and pulled the string down. Once the bird was in their reach, it was brought down and its claws were untangled,” Garg said.
“The number of cases we receive everyday shoot up during the kite flying season by three to four times. We received around 700 such injured birds between August 13 and August 25, this year,” Sunil Jain, said, honorary manager of the Charity Birds Hospital, one of the city hospitals dedicated to treating animals.
To prevent injuries to birds, animals and human beings, the government had banned Chinese manjha on January 10, 2017. The notification put a ban on sale, production, storage, supply, import and use of kite flying thread made out of nylon, plastic or any other synthetic material — including ‘Chinese manjha’ and any other kite flying thread that is sharp and laced with glass and metals.
Recalling other rescues, the chief fire officer mentioned rescuing a calf a few months ago. The calf had fallen into a well and the firefighters had to arrange for a cot and then make the calf sit on it. “The calf had to be pulled up along with the cot,” he said.
Garg said they do not get any specialized training or special equipment to use in case of animal of bird rescue. “If a rescued bird needs medical attention we take them to government animal hospitals. If they’re too young and need care, we take them to some NGOs running shelter and rescue homes for birds and animals,” the chief fire officer said.
In cases of snakes or other animals that may turn out to be dangerous and need special expertise, officials from the wildlife department are alerted, he said. | |
Q:
Calculate quadrant for triangles inside a rectangle
I have the following method that calculates a quadrant in a square with an equal width and height divided by four triangles:
function getQuadtrant(x, y, width, height){
if(y < width/2 && x < width-y && x > y) {
alert('top triangle');
}
if(y > width/2 && x > width-y && x < y) {
alert('bottom triangle');
}
if(x < height/2 && x < width-y && x < y) {
alert('left triangle');
}
if(x > height/2 && x > width-y && x > y) {
alert('right triangle');
}
}
However, I have a div that is rectangular with a width of 249px and a height of 404px, how do I get the quadrant? With the above code in it's current state gives an erroneous output, when I select a particular area of a triangle for example the top triangle it alerts 'bottom triangle'.
A:
I would do that in this way:
function getQ(x, y, w, h) {
var quadrants = [
['left', 'top'],
['bottom', 'right']
];
if (y > h / w * x) {
quadrants = quadrants[0];
} else {
quadrants = quadrants[1];
}
return (y < -h / w * x + h) ? quadrants[0] : quadrants[1];
}
console.log(getQ(10, 20, 20, 20));
This solution is pretty trivial and based on diagonal lines equations. If the y is above the main diagonal - then it's either left or top (quadrants[0]). If the y is below the secondary diagonal - it's left, otherwise it's top. The same for bottom part.
http://jsfiddle.net/zerkms/aCAfw/
| |
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a method of fabricating dielectrically isolated regions, and more specifically to an improved method of fabricating back diffused bonded oxide substrates having dielectrically isolated islands.
Devices in integrated circuits are formed by introducing impurities into a surface of a substrate. This requires the use of a plurality of masks to form regions of different depths and impurity concentrations. Acceptability of the finally formed devices depends upon alignment of the diffused regions. Thus, there is a great emphasis on schemes to align a mask to a substrate to assure proper alignment of the diffused regions. For junction isolated substrates, the first diffusion is from a top or front surface and consequently, all the diffusions may be aligned relative to the first diffusion. This technique may include positioning an indicia on a substrate and performing the first and subsequent diffusions using an indicia on the mask to align with the indicia on the substrate.
For devices formed in dielectrically isolated islands of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,649 to Beasom, the dielectrically isolated islands are formed from a first surface which subsequently becomes a buried surface and the devices are formed therein by diffusion into a second surface opposite the first surface which does not exist in the initial material. Thus, no initial mark may be formed which allows alignment of the diffused device regions to the dielectric isolation. Since it is unacceptable in some applications for diffused regions of the device to touch the dielectric isolation, more care and time have to be used to align the mask relative to the dielectric isolation. Since the islands have inwardly sloping sides, the surface area available for forming the diffused regions is a function of the amount of starting material removed. Thus, the size of the islands as perceived from the surface varies considerably. At present, the diffusions are aligned to the outside of the islands. In view of the variation in the size, the alignment in a possibly increased island will not assure alignment in the remaining islands on the wafer. The varied island size also results in a varying alignment tolerance. This causes difficulty in judging alignment visually.
To solve these problems, a support material rectangular indicia is formed during the formation of the dielectric isolation of starting material islands in one of the dielectrically isolated islands as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,812 to Hull. The resulting indicia appears on the front processing face during the thinning of the substrate to produce the dielectrically isolated islands. An X indicia on a mask is positioned over the four corners of the rectangular indicia to align the mask and substrate for subsequent processing. The rectangular indicia is not used for any back side processing, only front side processing since it is formed with the isolation moats.
In addition to the dielectric isolation, wherein the lateral and bottom walls are formed simultaneously, there has been a substantial growth in semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer fabrication. A thin substrate is separated from a handle wafer by an insulator layer. These structures may be formed by high dose oxygen implantation (SIMOX), bonded wafers, ZMR or full isolation by porous oxidation silicon (FIPOS) These processes generally do not include backside processing, and any buried layers are produced by epitaxial deposition of the resulting substrate over the buried layer regions.
Any backside processing generallY results in uneven surfaces which are very undesirable for bonding since the valleys result in unbonded regions. These unbonded regions fall out when front side isolation dielectric trenches are formed. Presently, uneven oxide surfaces are used as alignment indicia in backside processing.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a semiconductor-on-insulator integrated circuit capable of backside processing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor- on-insulator integrated circuit with backside processing and improved alignment.
These and other objects are achieved by forming an alignment moat of a first depth on a first surface of a substrate and performing all backside processing using the alignment moat, forming a first oxide layer on the first surface and bonding it to a handle wafer by oxide bonding. The substrate is then thinned from a second surface opposite the first surface down to a thickness less than the depth of the alignment moat so the alignment moat is exposed at a third surface. Isolation, either dielectric or junction, is then formed in the third surface extending down through the substrate to the first oxide layer. Topside processing is then conducted. While anisotropic chemical etching is used to form the alignment moat so as to provide a depth indicator, the dielectric isolation trenches are formed by reactive ion etching.
The backside processing includes diffusing impurities having an opposite conductivity type than that of the substrate to a depth at least equal to the depth of the alignment moat. Impurities to form a buried region, which are the same conductivity type as the substrate, are formed to a depth substantially less than the alignment moat depth. If a non- oxide mask is used as the last masking step in the backside processing, an additional oxide layer may be formed prior to bonding. If an oxide mask is used as the last mask in the backside processing, it must be stripped and a fresh layer of oxide must be applied to the first or back surface prior to bonding.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1-8 show cross-sectional views of a wafer during various stages of fabrication according to the principles of the present invention, with FIGS. 3a and 3b being alternative steps in that process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A beginning substrate 10, for example having an N-impurity concentration and a thickness exceeding 5 mils, includes a first surface 12 and an opposed second surface 14. The surface 12 has a mask layer 16 applied with a mask opening 18. The substrate 10 is then etched to form an alignment moat 20. Preferably, an anisotropic etch is performed such that the depth of the alignment moat 20 which is in the range of 5 to 30 microns is defined by the size of the opening 18 in the mask layer 16. Thus, the alignment moat 20 may also act as a depth indicator to be used in subsequent processing. The mask layer 16 is preferably a silicon dioxide. The substrate at this stage is illustrated in FIG. 1.
The masking layer 16 is removed and a thin layer of oxide 22 is formed on a surface 12 and in the moat 20 of the substrate 10. This thin oxide layer is in the range of approximately 1,000 angstroms. A mask layer 24 is formed therein with an aperture 26 therein using the alignment moat 20. P-type impurities, for example boron, are introduced through the aperture 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The mask layer 24, which may be photoresist, is removed. The wafer is then subjected to a high temperature diffusion resulting in P-region 28 which will become the P collectors, as illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b.
A mask layer 30 is then formed on the surface 12 with an aperture 32 therein using the alignment moat 20. N-type impurities, for example arsenic, is ion implanted to form a buried layer 34 as can be seen in FIG. 4. One method of forming the mask layer 30 is to expose the substrate to an oxidizing atmosphere or chemical vapor deposit the oxide layer, as illustrated in FIG. 3a. The original oxide 22 is shown not removed prior to forming mask layer 30, but can be stripped after the high temperature diffusion. An alternative would be to use a non-oxide mask layer 30' of materials, for example nitride or a metal such as aluminum, as illustrated in FIG. 3b. In this case the original oxide layer 22 or a new thin oxide layer must be applied prior to mask layer 30'. The ion implantation is through the thin oxide layer 22 in the aperture 32. After the ion implantation of N-type impurities, the mask layer 30, 30' is removed.
If the mask layer 30 is an oxide, the original thin oxide layer 22 and 30 are removed simultaneously. If the mask layer 30' is a non- oxide, it can be selectively removed, leaving the clean thin layer 22 on the surface 12. The thin layer 22 may then be used for the subsequent bonding steps. If the mask 30' is an oxide and layer 22 is removed, the surface 12 must have an oxide layer applied thereto by thermal or chemical vapor deposition resulting in a layer 36 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The thin layer 36, 22 is in the 10-1000 angstrom range.
A handle wafer 40 having an oxide layer 42 thereon is then positioned on the surface 12 with its oxide layer 36, 22 contacting the oxide layer 42 of the handle wafer 40. The wafers are then taken to a high temperature, for example greater than 1000° C., and held there for more than one hour. This causes the oxide layers to bond, thereby joining the wafer 40 to the substrate 10. The resulting product is illustrated in FIG. 5. The resulting combined thickness of layers 42, 36 and 22 define the desired dielectric isolation thickness which is in the range of 1 to 4 microns. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the N-type impurities form buried region 34.
The substrate 10 is then thinned by removing materials from the surface 14 by grinding or electro-chemical etching, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,059 to Short et al., to reduce the thickness of the substrate 10 equal to or below that of the depth of the alignment moat 20. The new surface 38, as illustrated in FIG. 6, exposes the moat 20, as well as intersecting the P- region 28. The P- region 28 extends from the surface 38 to 12 as well as the moat 20 extending between surfaces 38 and 12. The N- region 34 becomes a buried layer at surface 12. The ultimate depth of region 28 with all the heat steps is in the range of 10 to 40 microns such that it exceeds the precisely developed depth of the alignment moat 20 which is in the range of 5 to 30 microns. This assures that when the thinning of the substrate 10 is performed, the region 28 extends between the surface 12 and surface 38, producing a uniform doping profile.
Topside processing then commences with forming a masking layer 44, for example an oxide which is patterned using photoresist, on the new top layer 38 and in the alignment moats 20. Isolation apertures 46 are formed in the mask layer 44 as illustrated in FIG. 7. Reactive ion etching is then performed to form isolation trenches 50 therein, as well as clearing the alignment moat 20. The trenches 50 and alignment 20 extend from the top surface 38 down to the bottom surface 12 and the insulative layer 42, as illustrated in FIG. 8.
The processing of the substrate of FIG. 8 is well known, including filling the moats 50 with an insulative layer and planarizing, and subsequently forming devices in the dielectric isolated regions of substrate 10 and region 28.
Although the lateral isolation are dielectric trenches, lateral junction isolation may also be used. This may include forming P-type regions extending between surface 12 and 38 by front or back side processing.
As can be seen from the described process, a backside alignment moat furnishes backside alignment marks, depth indicator and a front to back alignment device while allowing integration of backside diffusions to a bonded wafer process.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims. | |
Weather Fix Wednesday: Lesson 6
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Students in Arkansas will be continuing their education online and through AMI Days for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a hard time for everyone, so the Arkansas Storm Team wants to do something to help! We will be providing a weekly weather education lesson, teaching students about a specific topic and showing how to create a fun science experiment at home.
This week’s lesson is about the effects of sun versus shade and a topic called albedo! Before we get to the experiments, let’s go over some definitions.
Albedo is the proportion of light or radiation that is reflected by a surface.
A higher albedo indicates a surface that reflects more sunlight than absorbs it. A low albedo means a surface absorbs more sunlight than reflects it.
Darker objects absorb more light. Lighter objects reflect more light.
This is noticeable in summertime when black asphalt on roadways turns burning hot to the touch. Meanwhile, even when it’s sunny in snow covered areas, the air temperature ends up being cooler because the sun’s light is being reflected off the snow.
T-Shirt Experiment
Items needed: black shirt, white shirt, temperature gun
Step 1: Place two different colored t-shirts outside in direct sunlight. Let them sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Hold a temperature gun over each shirt to measure the temperature. Compare.
Black shirt reads more than 100 degrees on a sunny day. The white shirt is still warm but not near as hot as the black shirt.
You may have heard an older individual or a parent tell you to wear light colored clothing outside in the summertime. Why would they tell you that? Because of albedo and how different colored clothing results in differing temperatures due to the sunlight it absorbs.
Did you know official temperature readings are not taken in direct sunlight, rather shade?
Direct sunlight and passing clouds can cause temperatures to vary. Shade provides a true representation of the temperature because all variables are controlled.
Sensors are located at airports and are actually placed in boxes to create the shade.
Step 1: Place the white surface, black surface and carboard box/house outside in direct sunlight. The white and black surface will be exposed in sun while the cardboard box/house creates its own shade.
Step 2: Take even sized ice cubes and place one each on the three different surfaces.
Step 3: Record how long it takes each ice cube to melt.
Weather Fix Wednesday: Lesson 6 will be released on May 20, 2020 at 1 p.m. The topic will be fog formation.
Copyright 2020 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
During the school year, the Arkansas Storm Team is out in the community helping to provide fun weather education. Given our current situation across the world, we are not able to be out physically but we can be there virtually! In a limited series, we will be providing weather lessons right here online every Wednesday at 1 PM! Please share with teachers, family and friends! | |
The basic difference between a scalar and vector is one of
Scalar quantity gives you an idea about how much of an object there is, but vector quantity gives you an indication of how much of an object there is and that also in which direction. So, the main difference between these two quantities is associated with the direction, i.e. scalars do not have direction but vectors do.
Which is a constant for a freely falling object?
Explanation:An object that falls through a vacuum is subjected to only one external force, the gravitational force, expressed as the weight of the object. An object that is moving only because of the action of gravity is said to be free falling and its motion is described by Newton's second law of motion. With algebra we can solve for the acceleration of a free falling object. The acceleration is constant and equal to the gravitational acceleration g which is 9.8 meters per square second at sea level on the Earth. The weight, size, and shape of the object are not a factor in describing a free fall.
Which of the following statements not true?
Explanation:The net acceleration of a particle in circular motion is along the radius of the circle towards the centre Only in case of uniform circular motion.
When a ball is thrown upwards, as it rises, the vertical component of its velocity
Explanation:if a ball is thrown upward at an angle? The ball has a vertical and a horizontal component of velocity. The force of gravity is acting on it and its acceleration is in the downward direction. The vertical component of velocity is therefore changing. As the motion and acceleration is in opposite direction so vertical component of velocity decrease.
Vectors can be added by
Explanation:Parallelogram law of vector addition is,If two vectors are considered to be the adjacent sides of a Parallelogram, then the resultant of two vectors is given by the vector which is a diagonal passing through the point of contact of two vectors.
Vectors can be added by
Explanation:The sum of two or more vectors is called the resultant. The resultant of two vectors can be found using either the triangle method or the parallelogram method.
The path of a projectile is
Explanation:A particle with a vertical and horizontal velocity travelling in a gravitational field will trace out a parabola.
The reason why cyclists bank when taking a sharp turn is
Explanation:In order to take a safe turn, the cyclist has to bend a little from his vertical position. In this case, a component of the reaction provides the required centripetal force.If q is angle made by the cyclist with the vertical then
In actual practice, the value of q is slightly less because the force of friction also contributes towards the centripetal force.
Magnitude of displacement of a particle is
Explanation:The maximum possible value for displacement is the distance travelled, so it cannot be of a greater value than distance (path length).The magnitude of the displacement is always less than or equal to the distance traveled. If two displacements in the same direction are added, then the magnitude of their sum will be equal to the distance traveled.
Vectors can be added by
Explanation:Vector addition is the operation of adding two or more vectors together into a vector sum. The so-called parallelogram law gives the rule for vector addition of two or more vectors. For two vectors, the vector sum is obtained by placing them head to tail and drawing the vector from the free tail to the free head.
A motorcycle stunt rider rides off the edge of a cliff. Just at the edge his velocity is horizontal, with magnitude 9.0 m/s. Find the magnitude of the motorcycle’s position vector after 0.50s it leaves the edge of the cliff.
Explanation:The motorcycle’s x- and y-coordinates at t=0.50 s are
The negative value of y shows that the motorcycle is below its starting point.
The motorcycle’s distance from the origin at t=0.50 s is
Two vectors are equal if
Explanation:Equal vectors are vectors that have the same magnitude and the same direction. Equal vectors may start at different positions.
Which of the following physical quantities a vector?
Explanation:Angular momentum is a vector quantity (more precisely, a pseudovector) that represents the product of a body's rotational inertia and rotational velocity about a particular axis.
A sports car has a “lateral acceleration” of 0.96g = 9.4 m s−2. This is the maximum centripetal acceleration the car can sustain without skidding out of a curved path. If the car is traveling at a constant 40 m/s on level ground, what is the radius R of the tightest unbanked curve it can negotiate?
Explanation:
The car is in uniform circular motion because it’s moving at a constant speed along a curve that is a segment of a circle. Hence we know
This is the minimum turning radius because arad is the maximum centripetal acceleration.
A cyclist moves along a circular path of radius 70m. If he completes one round in 11s, calculate total length of path.
Radius of the circular path, r = 70m
Time takes to complete one round, t = 11s
Total length of the path, s = 2πr = 2*22/7*70 = 440m
Which of the following physical quantities a scalar?
Work is the energy transferred to an object by force. It is a scalar quantity because it's the product of force and displacement. Work is not the same thing as force, which is a vector quantity, because work is the result of force.
In a harbor, wind is blowing at the speed of 72 km/h and the flag on the mast of a boat anchored in the harbor flutters along the N-E direction. If the boat starts moving at a speed of 51 km/h to the north, what is the direction of the flag on the mast of the boat?
Explanation:The flag is fluttering in the north-east direction. It shows that the wind is blowing toward the north-east direction. When the ship begins sailing toward the north, the flag will move along the direction of the relative velocity (vwb) of the wind with respect to the boat.
Hence, the flag will flutter approximately due east.
Vector addition is
Explanation:Vector addition is commutative, just like addition of real numbers. If you start from a point say P, you end up at the same spot no matter which displacement (a or b) you take first. The head-to-tail rule yields vector c for both a + b and b + a.
Which of the following algebraic operations on vectors not permissible?
Explanation:Although vectors and scalars represent different types of physical quantities, it is sometimes necessary for them to interact. While adding a scalar to a vector is impossible because of their different dimensions in space, it is possible to multiply a vector by a scalar.
A man can swim with a speed of 4.0 km/h in still water. How long does he take to cross a river 1.0 km wide if the river flows steadily at 3.0 km/h and he makes his strokes normal to the river current? How far down the river does he go when he reaches the other bank?
Explanation:
Speed of the man, vm = 4 km/h
Width of the river = 1 km
The addition of vectors and the multiplication of a vector by a scalar together gives rise to
Explanation:
If a vector is multiplied by a scalar as in pA→ , then the magnitude of the resulting vector is equal to the product of p and the magnitude of A→, and its direction is the same as A→ if p is positive and opposite to A→ if p is negative.
Distributive law for scalar multiplication:
p(A→ +B→ )=pA→ +pB→
Which of the following statements false?
Explanation:A displacement is vector that is the shortest path length from the initial to the final position of the body. It is not always eqaul to path length. It can be zero and -ve also.
Rain is falling vertically with a speed of 30 m s−1. A woman rides a bicycle with a speed of 10 m s−1 in the north to south direction. What is the direction in which she should hold her umbrella?
The described situation is shown in the given figure.
Here,
vc = Velocity of the cyclist
vr = Velocity of falling rain
In order to protect herself from the rain, the woman must hold her umbrella in the direction of the relative velocity (v) of the rain with respect to the woman.
Hence, the woman must hold the umbrella toward the south, at an angle of nearly 18° with the vertical.
Null vector or a zero vector has a magnitude
Explanation:A null vector is a vector having magnitude equal to zero.It is represented by 0→.A null vector has no direction or it may have any direction.Generally a null vector is either equal to resultant of two equal vectors acting in opposite directions or multiple vectors in different directions.
0→ =A→ +(−A→ )
A passenger arriving in a new town wishes to go from the station to a hotel located 10 km away on a straight road from the station. A dishonest cabman takes him along a circuitous path 23 km long and reaches the hotel in 28 min. What is (a) the average speed of the taxi, (b) the magnitude of average velocity?
(b) Distance between the hostel and the station = 10 km = Displacement of the car
∴ Average velocity =
A projectile is fired a velocity of 150 meters per second at an angle of 30 degrees with the horizontal. What is the magnitude of the vertical component of the velocity at the time the projectile is fired?
Explanation:
Initial velocity u = 150 m/s
Which of the following physical quantities a vector?
Explanation:Acceleration is a vector quantity because it has both magnitude and direction.When an object has a positive acceleration, the acceleration occurs in the same direction as the movement of the object.When an object has a negative acceleration (it's slowing down), the acceleration occurs in the opposite direction as the movement of the object.
We can define the difference of two vectors A and B as the
Explanation:
Vector subtraction is defined in the following way.
Thus vector subtraction can be represented as a vector addition.
Three girls skating on a circular ice ground of radius 200 m start from a point P on the edge of the ground and reach a point Q diametrically opposite to P following different paths as shown in Figure. What is the magnitude of the displacement vector for each ? For which girl is this equal to the actual length of path skate ?
Explanation:
(i) PQ = diameter = displacement for each girl = 2r = 2 x 200 = 400 m
Since, displacement vector does not depend upon the actual path length and it is the shortest distance between initial and final position, so in the case of each girl the displacement is 400 m.
(ii)This is equal to the actual length of the path skated by girl B.
Which of the following physical quantities a scalar?
Explanation:Electric current is a scalar quantity.It represents the direction of flow of positive charge but it is treated as a scalar quantity because current follows the laws of scalar addition and not the laws of vector addition,because the angle between the wires carrying current does not effect the total current in the circuit. | https://edurev.in/course/quiz/attempt/-1_Test-Motion-in-a-Plane-1/1d4dcc19-5d8d-412a-b91b-b789f53a9821 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
Description of Related Art
BRIEF SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0058625 filed on May 11, 2017, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.
The present invention relates to a water-cooled EGR cooler configured for cooling exhaust gas re-circulated with a coolant. More particularly, the present invention relates to a water-cooled EGR cooler for increasing corrosion-resisting characteristics by improving bonding structure.
In recent years, as environmental problems such as global warming emerge, regulations for exhaust gas have been tightened, in particular, emissions of exhaust gas of a vehicle have been strictly controlled.
Particularly, under the EURO-6, in a case of a diesel engine for a car, the quantity of NOx generated needs to be decreased to a level of 80 mg/km, and in this respect, the automobile related companies have adopted new technologies, such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device, a lean NOx trap (LNT), and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR).
The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device includes a high pressure exhaust gas recirculation (HP-EGR) device, which recirculates exhaust gas at a front end portion of a catalyst, and a low pressure exhaust gas recirculation (LP-EGR) device, which recirculates exhaust gas at a rear end portion of the catalyst.
In the instant case, to cool the recirculated exhaust gas, an EGR cooler is disposed in an exhaust gas recirculation line, and the EGR cooler includes a stainless material having high corrosion resistivity to high temperature state and condensate water.
However, the EGR cooler including the stainless material is heavy, has low heat transfer efficiency, and has a poor molding property, and the entire components are expensive. Accordingly, research on the EGR cooler, which has high heat transfer efficiency, has an excellent molding property, and includes aluminum, and of which components are relatively cheap, has been conducted.
Typically, this aluminum material EGR cooler includes a pin and tubes, A1100 which is based on pure aluminum (A1xxx) and A3003 which is based on aluminum-manganese (A3xxx) may be used in the pin and tubes.
Meanwhile, a temperature of recirculated exhaust gas is about 550° C. and corrosive ions, such as Cl—, SO42-, and NO3-, exist as a component of condensate water, so that the aluminum-based pin or tube may be damaged in a high temperature environment and a corrosive environment. In the present respect, research on an aluminum sheet having high strength and high corrosion resistivity is conducted.
Welding portion of the tube corrupts in condensate water and high temperature condition, and coolant leaks toward internal to the tube, therefore, durability of the EGR cooler may be deteriorated. Therefore, research on an a bonding structure of the tube and the pin and a bonding structure of a supporter disposed between the tubes. Aluminum sheet having high strength and high corrosion resistivity is conducted
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and may not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.
Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a water-cooled EGR cooler and manufacturing method thereof, in which combination structure of tubes, pins and supporters to improve corrosion resistivity in high temperature and condensed water and improve durability and operation reliability of an engine.
A water-cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes tubes in which gas passage is formed, and a tube bonded portion that internally and externally seals is provided, pins disposed at the gas passage of the tubes, and of which one surface contact and are bonded with the tube bonded portion, and supporters disposed between the tubes to form coolant passages and of which one surface contact and are bonded with the tube bonded portion.
The tubes, the pins and the supporters may include aluminum.
The tubes may be formed by bending one sheet, form confront portion by putting cut surfaces of both side edge portions of the sheet opposite to each other, and form the tube bonded portion by bonding the confront portion.
The pins may be formed by bending one sheet in a zig-zag shape, and of which outside surface contact and be bonded with inside surface of the tubes.
The supporters may be formed by bending one sheet in a zig-zag shape, and of which outside surface contact and be bonded with outside surface of the tubes.
The pins and the supporters may contact and be bonded with inside and outside surfaces of the tubes respectively according to the tube bonded portion to seal the tube bonded portion.
The tube bonded portion may be formed by irradiating laser along the confront portion, and simultaneously the tubes and the pins may be bonded with each other.
The supporters and the tubes may be bonded with each other by brazing welding.
A manufacturing method of a water-cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes forming tubes by bending a sheet to have confront portion by putting cut surfaces of both side edge portions of the sheet opposite to each other, inserting pins into inside of the tubes and contacting one surface of the pins with the confront portion, forming the tube bonded portion by irradiating laser along the confront portion, and simultaneously bonding the tubes and the pins with each other, and disposing the supporters between the tubes and bonding the tubes and the supporters with each other.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the tubes and the pins are bonded in multiple with each other to prevent the tube bonded portion from being corroded. Furthermore, it may be prevented that the coolant is mixed with the EGR gas by corrosion and being supplied to the engine.
Accordingly, durability of the EGR cooler including aluminum material may be improved, and operation reliability of the engine may be improved.
The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.
It may be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particularly intended application and use environment.
In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Furthermore, the size and thickness of each configuration shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for understanding and ease of description, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the thickness of layers, films, panels, regions, etc., are exaggerated for clarity.
Also, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.
Discriminating the names of components with the first, the second, etc. in the following description is for discriminating them for the same relationship of the components and the components are not limited to the order in the following description. Also, exhaust gas recirculation device may be appended as EGR device or EGR.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1
100
115
110
105
Referring to , an EGR cooler includes a housing , a mounting flange , and a ‘U’-shaped flange as major components.
115
115
A coolant inlet pipe, into which a coolant flows, is connected to one end portion at an upper side of the housing , and a coolant discharge pipe, through which the coolant is discharged, is connected to the other end portion at the upper side of the housing .
115
115
A coolant inlet pipe, into which a coolant flows, is connected to one end portion at an upper side of the housing , and a coolant discharge pipe, through which the coolant is discharged, is connected to the other end portion at the upper side of the housing .
105
115
105
115
The ‘U’-shaped flange is mounted on the other end surface of the housing , and the ‘U’-shaped flange communicates the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing .
122
115
115
105
115
124
110
115
The exhaust gas supplied through the exhaust gas inlet of the housing flows to the upper side of the housing , passes through the ‘U’-shaped flange , and flows to the lower side of the housing , and is joined to an intake line through the exhaust gas outlet . Furthermore, the mounting flange fixes the housing to one side of an engine.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drawings are illustrated for enhancing of understanding of the contents, and when there is no special comment, an upper, a lower, left and right directions may be different from the actual directions.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a cross-section of the water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
100
200
210
220
115
Referring to , in the EGR cooler , tubes , pins , and supporters are disposed inside the housing .
200
200
The tubes have a flat shape and extend in a longitudinal direction, and in which exhaust gas passes. Furthermore, the tubes are disposed at a predetermined interval.
220
200
220
200
200
The supporters are located between the tubes . The supporters maintain a predetermined interval between the tubes , and form a path, in which the coolant flows, between the tubes .
210
200
210
210
200
Furthermore, the pin is disposed inside the tube , and the pin is bent in a zig-zag shape, and an external surface of the pin is brazed and in contact with an internal surface of the tube .
200
200
210
200
The tube has a structure that a coolant flows into an external side of the tube , and the pin disposed at the internal side of the tube improves efficiency of heat exchange between the coolant and the EGR gas.
FIG. 4
FIG. 3
Regarding manufacturing order and method of a water-cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are described referring to and .
FIG. 4
is a cross-sectional view illustrating manufacturing order of a water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4
200
405
405
200
Referring to (a) of , the tubes are formed as thin and long pipe shape by bending one sheet, and confront portion are formed by putting cut surfaces of both side edge portions of the sheet opposite to each other. Here, the confront portion is formed at an upper side of the tubes .
FIG. 4
465
200
210
465
Referring to (b) of , the gas passage is formed internal to the tubes , and the pins are inserted internal to the gas passage .
210
200
210
200
405
The pins are formed by bending one sheet in a zig-zag shape, and of which upper and lower surfaces contact with internal to upper and lower surfaces of the tubes . Here, the portions that the pins and the tubes contact with each other cover the confront portion .
FIG. 4
405
400
405
410
200
210
440
Referring to (c) of , the confront portion is bonded by irradiating laser along the confront portion by use of the laser irradiator , and simultaneously the tubes and the pins are bonded with each other, therefore the tube bonded portion is formed.
FIG. 4
200
210
220
465
450
300
Referring to (d) of , the water-cooled EGR cooler includes tubes , pins , supporters , a gas passage , a supporter bonded portion , and a tube bonded portion .
220
200
220
440
220
200
450
220
200
The supporters are disposed between the tubes , and one side of outside surface of the supporters covers the tube bonded portion . Here, the supporters and the tubes are bonded with each other by brazing welding to form the supporter bonded portion by heating the supporters and the tubes up to brazing temperature.
FIG. 3
is a flow-chart illustrating manufacturing method of a water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3
300
200
200
405
200
Referring to , S is a step of forming tubes . One sheet is bent to be formed at the tubes having a thin and wide pipe shape. Here, the confront portion of which opposite cut surface formed at both end portions of the sheet is formed at the tubes , and the sheet may include aluminum.
310
210
210
200
S is a step of inserting pins . One sheet is bent in a zig-zag shape, and the bent pins are inserted into inside of the tubes .
320
200
210
405
200
200
210
S is a step of welding the tubes and the pins . The confront portion of the tubes is welded by use of a laser, and simultaneously the tubes and the pins are bonded with each other.
330
200
210
220
200
S is a step of supporter assembling, in a state that the tubes and the pins are bonded with each other by laser, the supporters are located between the tubes .
340
200
220
210
200
220
S is a step of brazing bonding, the tubes and the supporters that the pins are bonded with are heated to brazing temperature, so that the tubes and the supporters are bonded with each other by brazing welding.
a
FIG. 4()
c
FIG. 4()
405
200
200
440
440
200
Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, referring to again, the confront portion is formed on the tubes , and like , the laser is irradiated to the tubes to form the tube bonded portion , and the tube bonded portion is formed on the upper side of the tubes .
200
200
440
200
440
450
Accordingly, the condensate water in the tubes flows along the lower portion of inside the tubes , therefore the tube bonded portion formed on the upper portion of inside the tubes may not be corroded. Furthermore, the bonded portion is formed in duplication by the tube bonded portion and the supporter bonded portion , therefore the corrosion resistivity may be more improved.
For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “internal”, “outer”, “up”, “down”, “upper”, “lower”, “upwards”, “downwards”, “front”, “rear”, “back”, “inside”, “outside”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “internal”, “external”, “internal”, “outer”, “forwards”, and “backwards” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.
The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a cross-section of the water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a flow-chart illustrating manufacturing method of a water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4
is a cross-sectional view illustrating manufacturing order of a water-cooled EGR cooler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. | |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
0001 (1) Field of the Invention
0002 The present invention relates to fluorescent lamps having meandering discharge paths and manufacturing methods of the same, particularly to a technique for improving handleability of fluorescent lamps especially during the installation process.
0003 (2) Description of the Related Art
0004 In recent years, single-based fluorescent lamps, or so-called compact fluorescent lamps, have been popularly used for their advantages in long lives and low electricity consumption.
0005 In a compact fluorescent lamp, in order to keep it compact, a plurality of constituent tubes that each have a U-shaped discharge path are connected together, so as to form a tube with one meandering discharge path. More specifically, in order to form one meandering discharge path, the discharge paths of the constituent tubes are connected by one or more bridges, in such a way that an area in the vicinity of an end of a constituent tube is connected to an area in the vicinity of an end of another constituent tube, wherein each of these ends connected is one of the ends that are positioned opposite to the turning portion of each constituent tube. Also, in a compact fluorescent lamp, the constituent tubes connected in such a manner are disposed on a case so that the bridged portions are positioned close to the lamp base, and the turning portions are away from the lamp base. (For example, see the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-278749.) In the disclosure, on the turning portion side of the lamp, it is arranged so that the constituent tubes are disposed with a gap interposed therebetween.
0006 When this kind of compact fluorescent lamp is to be inserted into a socket, people normally hold the vicinity of the turning portions of the constituent tubes (the side opposite to the case) by the hand. At this time, a compressive force is applied to the constituent tubes on the turning portion side of the lamp, and the distance between the constituent tubes becomes smaller at the areas with no bridge. Also, since a force is applied to the bridge provided on the base side, the bridge may be distorted, and there may be cracks between the bridge and the constituent tubes at their boundaries. In some cases, the constituent tubes themselves may be damaged or, for example, cracked.
0007 In order to keep the lamps from being damaged during an installation process, the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-90844 discloses a technique for keeping the constituent tubes apart even when a compressive force is applied, by having an arrangement wherein (i) spacers are inserted between the constituent tubes at the tube extremities just for the purpose of installation, (ii) the fluorescent lamp is inserted into a socket while the spacers are still attached, and (iii) the spacers are taken out after the lamp is installed and before the lamp is driven for light emission.
0008 The Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-128662 discloses a technique for disposing tubes so that they lean toward each other when two or more V-shaped constituent tubes are attached to an installation base.
0009 With the arrangement disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-90844, although it is possible to keep the fluorescent lamp from being damaged during the process of inserting the lamp into a socket, it is necessary to provide the spacers, which are the parts that do not contribute to the original function of the fluorescent lamp i.e. to emit light. As a result, there are problems that the quantity of light is reduced, or the costs of the lamps become high.
0010 With the arrangement disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 63-128662, since the bridge is stored below the surface level of the case, the lamp is free from the problem of having the bridge damaged; however, since the V-shaped constituent tubes are used, it is required that the surface area of the holder to which the constituent tubes are attached should be large, and the fluorescent lamp is less advantageous in terms of its compactness. It is inevitable that the vessel in which the fluorescent lamp is to be disposed also has large capacity, and it is disadvantageous in terms of the cost. In addition, since the only arrangement made is that the constituent tubes are disposed so that they lean toward each other, it is not possible to completely keep the bridge and the constituent tubes from being damaged.
0011 Further, with the arrangement disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 63-128662, since the bridge is stored inside the case, parts of the tubes in the vicinity of the bridge are also stored in the case. As a result, the quantity of light is reduced as much.
0012 The present invention aims to solve these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent lamp whose bridge and tubes are less likely to be damaged while being handled, and whose handleability is improved without a cost increase, as well as to provide a manufacturing method of the same.
0013 In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a fluorescent lamp comprising: a base; a first constituent tube that has a U-shaped discharge path and is disposed so that a first end and a second end thereof are positioned on the base side of the fluorescent lamp, and a turning portion thereof where the discharge path turns is positioned away from the base; a second constituent tube that has aU-shaped discharge path and is disposed so that a third end and a fourth end thereof are positioned on the base side of the fluorescent lamp, and a turning portion thereof where the discharge path turns is positioned away from the base; and a bridge that connects a first area in a vicinity of the first end of the first constituent tube with a second area in a vicinity of the third end of the second constituent tube so as to join the two discharge paths, wherein distances between the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube gradually become smaller from the base side toward the turning portion side of the fluorescent lamp, and D2/D1 is within a range of 0.05 to 0.70 inclusive, where D1 is a distance between (a) a point closest to the base within the first area and (b) a point closest to the base within the second area, and D2 is a shortest distance, on the turning portion side of the fluorescent lamp, between the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube.
0014 With this arrangement wherein the value of D2/D1 is arranged to be 0.70 or smaller, even if the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube are held together by hand on the turning portion side of the lamp during an installation process of the lamp, stress can be relaxed before the bridge and the constituent tubes are damaged, when the external surfaces of the constituent tubes come in contact with each other at the D2 defining points because of flexibility each constituent tube has.
0015 Also, in this arrangement, the value of D2/D1 is arranged to be 0.05 or larger. This arrangement is made in order to prevent the distance between the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube from being too large on the base side where they are connected with each other by the bridge, and to maintain the compactness of the lamp. As additional information, generally speaking, in some fluorescent lamps, metal mercury vapor, along with a rare gas, is enclosed in the discharge paths, and the coldest-point control method is used to control the vapor pressure. In such cases, when the value of D2/D1 is arranged to be 0.05 or larger, it is possible to avoid that the external surfaces (i.e. the coldest points) of the constituent tubes come in contact with each other, while compactness of the lamp is still maintained. Thus, even when the coldest-point control method is used, the luminous flux does not decrease. In other words, in a case of a fluorescent lamp in which the coldest-point control method is used to control the vapor pressure, when the external surfaces of the first and second constituent tubes are in contact with each other, the luminous flux decreases due to a rise in the temperature caused by light emission; however, when the value of D2/D1 is arranged to be over 0.05 or larger so that the external surfaces of the constituent tubes are apart from each other at the D2 defining points in the vicinity of the turning portions, it is possible to keep the quantity of light high.
0016 Accordingly, in order to install the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, without having a spacer inserted for the purpose of installation between the turning portions of the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube, it is possible to prevent the bridge and constituent tubes from being damaged. Thus, it is possible to provide a fluorescent lamp that has improved handleability, large quantity of light, and compactness, without having an increase in the costs.
0017 It should be noted that, although it has been mentioned that the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube are both disposed on the same base so that the ends are positioned on the base side of the lamp, it does not necessarily mean that the first and second constituent tubes should be disposed on a same plane. The expression above is conceptual and used for a mere purpose of showing the positional relation between the constituent tubes.
0018 In the fluorescent lamp with the aforementioned arrangement, the value of D2/D1 is calculated while the first and second constituent tubes do not receive stress from other things, in other words, calculated at a time when a spacer, like the one disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-90844, is not inserted between the first and second constituent tubes.
0019 Additionally, it is also acceptable if the fluorescent lamp of the present invention comprises three or more constituent tubes.
0020 There are fluorescent lamps in various sizes having been manufactured and used. It is possible to apply the present invention to a fluorescent lamp with an arrangement wherein in each of the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube, a straight-line distance between the point at which D1 is measured and a point at which D2 is measured is within a range of 50 mm to 200 mm inclusive.
0021 With an arrangement wherein a first imaginary line and a second imaginary line cross at an angle that is within a range of 0.4 to 3.0 degrees inclusive, where the first imaginary line is a straight line that connects two points in the first constituent tube at which D1 and D2 are measured respectively, and the second imaginary line is a straight line that connects two points in the second constituent tube at which D1 and D2 are measured respectively, it is possible to prevent the bridge and the constituent tubes from being damaged when a compressive force is applied to the first and second constituent tubes on the turning portion side of the lamp, to keep the quantity of light large, and to maintain compactness of the lamp.
0022 The present invention is especially effective with a fluorescent lamp wherein the first and second ends of the first constituent tube and the third and fourth ends of the second constituent tube are at least partially cased inside the base, for example, a compact single-based fluorescent lamp.
0023 The present invention also provides a fluorescent lamp comprising: a base; a first constituent tube that has a U-shaped discharge path and is disposed on the base so that a first end and a second end thereof are positioned on the base side of the fluorescent lamp, and a turning portion thereof where the discharge path turns is positioned away from the base; a second constituent tube that has a U-shaped discharge path and is disposed on the base so that a third end and a fourth end thereof are positioned on the base side of the fluorescent lamp, and a turning portion thereof where the discharge path turns is positioned away from the base; and a bridge that connects a first area in a vicinity of the first end of the first constituent tube with a second area in a vicinity of the third end of the second constituent tube so as to join the discharge paths, wherein distances between the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube gradually become smaller from the base side toward the turning portion side of the fluorescent lamp, and external surfaces of the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube are in contact with each other on the turning portion side of the fluorescent lamp.
0024 It is possible to apply this arrangement to a fluorescent lamp in which amalgam is enclosed in the discharge path and the amalgam control method is used to control the vapor pressure. With this arrangement, since the external surfaces of the first and second constituent tubes are in contact with each other on the turning portion side of the lamp, it is possible to prevent the bridge and the constituent tubes from being damaged during the process of installing the lamp. In addition, when the amalgam control method is used to control the vapor pressure of the fluorescent lamp, it is possible to prevent the luminous flux from decreasing and to keep the quantity of light large.
0025 Accordingly, a fluorescent lamp with the aforementioned arrangement is able to achieve, even with higher certainty, such effects as (i) preventing the bridge and the constituent tubes from being damaged by a compressive stress applied on the first and second constituent tubes in the vicinity of the turning portions (i.e. in the vicinity of the extremity of the lamp) and (ii) keeping the quantity of light large.
0026 The present invention further provides a manufacturing method of a fluorescent lamp, comprising: a hole opening step of opening holes, by melting with heat, each in an area in a vicinity of a first end of a first constituent tube and in an area in a vicinity of a second end of a second constituent tube, the first and second constituent tubes each having a U-shaped discharge path; a joining step of joining, after the hole opening step is performed, a first melted area formed around the hole in the first constituent tube with a second melted area formed around the hole in the second constituent tube; a distance adjusting step of adjusting D1 and D2 so that D2/D1 is within a range of 0.05 to 0.70 inclusive, where D1 is a distance between the first melted area in the first constituent tube and the second melted area in the second constituent tube, and D2 is a shortest distance, on a turning portion side of the fluorescent lamp, between the first constituent tube and the constituent tube, the turning portion being where each U-shaped discharge path turns; and a holding step of holding, after the distance adjusting step is performed, the first and second constituent tubes until the first and second melted areas have a temperature that is equal to or colder than a strain point of a glass material of which the constituent tubes are made.
0027 According to the manufacturing method with this arrangement, after the joining step is performed, the distance adjusting step and the holding step are performed before the temperature of the melted areas reaches the strain point of the glass; therefore, it is possible to manufacture, with a high yield, a fluorescent lamp in which the value of D2/D1 is arranged to be within the predetermined range.
0028 In addition, the fluorescent lamp manufactured according to this manufacturing method is advantageous in terms of both costs and handleability, since the bridge and the constituent tubes will not be damaged during the installation process, even if a spacer for the purpose of installation is not inserted at the D2 defining points.
0029 Thus, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fluorescent lamp whose cost is lower and whose handleability is improved.
0030 The manufacturing method may have an arrangement wherein in the distance adjusting step, (i) a first spacer whose thickness is substantially equal to D1 is inserted between the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube at a point where D1 is measured, and (ii) a second spacer whose thickness is substantially equal to D1 is inserted between the first constituent tube and the second constituent tube at a point where D2 is measured. Other arrangements are also acceptable, but this arrangement is effective in terms of manufacturing costs and accuracy.
0031 The manufacturing method may have an arrangement wherein the first spacer and the second spacer are each made of either copper or a copper alloy. This arrangement is made in consideration of the heat applied and protection of the constituent tubes against damage during different steps of manufacturing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
0032 These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention.
0033 In the drawings:
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0034FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fluorescent lamp of an embodiment of the present invention;
0035FIG. 2 is a flowchart that shows the process of connecting the glass tubes of the embodiment of the present invention;
0036FIG. 3A shows the process of the hole burning step;
0037FIG. 3B shows the process of the joining step;
0038FIG. 3C shows the process of the distance adjusting step;
0039FIG. 4A shows the first stage of the distance adjusting step;
0040FIG. 4B shows the second stage of the distance adjusting step;
0041FIG. 4C shows the third stage of the distance adjusting step;
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0042FIG. 5 is a plan view of the fluorescent lamp of the embodiment of the present invention;
0043FIG. 6 shows the structure of the apparatus used in the proof tests; and
0044FIG. 7 is a chart that shows the correlation between the D2/D1 values and the compressive strengths.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
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0045 Structure of the Fluorescent Lamp
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0046 The following explains the structure of the compact fluorescent lamp (hereafter, simply referred to as the fluorescent lamp) of an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIG. 1.
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0047 As shown in FIG. 1, the fluorescent lamp is a single-based lamp in which a constituent lamp and a constituent lamp that each have a U-shaped discharge path are connected with each other at the bottom thereof in the z direction in the drawing by an inter-constituent bridge and are disposed on the case . In this structure, the constituent tube and the constituent tube are arranged in series so that they are adjacent to each other on the turning portion side, where the side of the lamp on which the discharge paths turn is referred to at the turning portion side, and the opposite side is referred to as the base side.
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0048 A U-shaped discharge path means that the discharge path of each of the constituent tubes and turns at somewhere near the middle thereof, so that the discharge paths before the turning point and after the turning point are arranged substantially in parallel.
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0049 As shown in FIG. 1, the inter-constituent bridge is disposed outside the case . This arrangement is made so that the lamp efficiency is kept high by maximizing the length of the discharge paths exposed on the outside of the case .
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0050 The constituent tube is made up of a straight portion and a straight portion , which are connected with each other at the top thereof in the z direction in the drawing by an intra-constituent bridge so that the discharge paths of the straight portion and the straight portion are joined to form one discharge path. As a result, a U-shaped discharge path is formed (not shown in the drawing). The intra-constituent bridge is provided in the vicinity of the turning portion of the constituent tube , and that is where the discharge path turns. Some parts of the constituent tube are positioned above the intra-constituent bridge in the z direction, and these parts are called the coldest points of the constituent tube . Electrodes (not shown in the drawing) are provided at the bottom in the z direction of the straight portion .
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0051 Like the constituent tube , the constituent tube is made up of a straight portion and a straight portion , which are connected with each other by the intra-constituent bridge so that their discharge paths are joined to form one discharge path. Also, in the constituent tube , the intra-constituent bridge is provided in the vicinity of the turning portion of the constituent tube , and that is where the discharge path turns and called the coldest points. Electrodes (not shown in the drawing) are also provided at the bottom in the z direction of the straight portion .
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0052 The straight portions , , , and are each a glass tube whose outside diameter is within a range of 5 mm to 20 mm inclusive.
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0053 In the fluorescent lamp , the straight portions and of the constituent tube and the straight portions and of the constituent tube are connected by the intra-constituent bridges and and the inter-constituent bridge , so as to form one meandering discharge path.
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0054 Electrodes are provided on a side (the bottom side in the drawing) of the case being opposite to the side on which the constituent tubes and are disposed. Inside the case , the electrodes are connected to the electrodes of the constituent tubes and .
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0055 As shown in the close-up view at the bottom of FIG. 1, the distance between the external surfaces of the constituent tubes and as measured at the lowest points in the z direction of (i) the boundary between the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and (ii) the boundary between the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tube will be referred to as D1. On the external surface of the straight portion of the constituent tube , the point at which D1 is defined will be referred to as the point P1. On the external surface of the straight portion of the constituent tube , the point at which D1 is defined will be referred to as the point P2. In other words, of various points on the boundaries between the inter-constituent bridge and each of the constituent tubes and , the points P1 and P2 are the points that are positioned closest to the base.
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0056 As shown in the close-up view at the top of FIG. 1, the distance between the constituent tube and the constituent tube , as measured at a point in the upper area in the z direction of the drawing, where the distance is the shortest will be referred to as D2. On the external surface of the straight portion of the constituent tube , the point at which D2 is defined (hereafter, it will be referred to as a D2 defining point) will be referred to as the point P3. On the external surface of the straight portion of the constituent tube , the D2 defining point will be referred to as the point P4.
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0057 As for the constituent tube , it is arranged so that the straight-line distance between the point P1 and the point P3 in the straight portion is within a range of 50 mm to 200 mm inclusive. In the same manner, as for the constituent tube , it is arranged so that the straight-line distance between the point P2 and the point P4 in the straight portion is within a range of 50 mm to 200 mm inclusive.
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0058 As so far explained, in the fluorescent lamp of the embodiment of the present invention, the constituent tubes and are disposed so that they lean toward each other in the y direction and the value of D2/D1 is within the range of 0.05 to 0.70 inclusive, where D1 and D2 are the distances defined above. With this arrangement, the distance between the straight portion of the constituent tube and the straight portion of the constituent tube is the largest on the base side of the fluorescent lamp and gradually becomes smaller toward the upper side in the z direction.
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0059 The distance between the straight portion of the constituent tube and the straight portion of the constituent tube also gradually becomes smaller toward the upper side in the z direction, just like the distance between the straight portion of the constituent tube and the straight portion of the constituent tube . In other words, it is arranged so that the distance between the constituent tube and the constituent tube gradually becomes smaller from the base side of the lamp toward the turning portion side of the lamp.
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0060 Advantageous Features of the Fluorescent Lamp
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0061 In a case where a spacer is inserted between the constituent tube and the constituent tube in advance, like the fluorescent lamp disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-90844, more parts and labor are required, and it is disadvantageous in terms of the cost. The spacer may also cause a reduction in the quantity of light.
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0062 In comparison with that, in the fluorescent lamp with the aforementioned arrangement, since it is arranged so that the value of D2/D1 is 0.70 or smaller, the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and do not get damaged during the installation process, even without having a spacer inserted between the constituent tube and the constituent tube . In addition, in the fluorescent lamp , it is arranged so that the value of D2/D1 is 0.05 or larger, the distance between the constituent tube and the constituent tube in the vicinity of the inter-constituent bridge (i.e. on the base side of the lamp) is not too large; therefore, the compactness of the lamp is not lost in practical use. Moreover, in the fluorescent lamp , since it is arranged so that the value of D2/D1 is 0.05 or larger, the coldest points of the constituent tubes and are not in contact with each other; therefore, the luminous flux will not decrease.
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0063 Additionally, since no spacers for installation are required with the fluorescent lamp , the cost of the lamp does not increase.
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0064 As a result, the fluorescent lamp of the embodiment of the present invention is advantageous in terms of the cost and handleability and is able to keep the quantity of light large.
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0065 As a specific example, when the fluorescent lamp is to be inserted into a socket, normally the fluorescent lamp is held by the constituent tube and the constituent tube together around the D2 defining points (on the turning portion side) shown in FIG. 1. The constituent tubes and receive a force F at the D2 defining points. When such a force is applied, if there is no bridge provided where the force F is applied, for example, like in a conventional fluorescent lamp disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-278749 wherein D2/D11.0, the compressive force F causes a large distortion in the bridge and the constituent tubes and . Depending on the size of the force F applied, the bridge or the constituent tubes and maybe damaged or, for example, cracked.
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0066 On the contrary, in the fluorescent lamp of the embodiment, it is arranged so that the value of D2/D1 is 0.70 or smaller, the point P3 and the point P4 get in contact with each other before the inter-constituent bridge or the constituent tubes and get damaged or, for example, cracked. As a result, the force F is distributed after the point P3 and the point P4 are in contact with each other, and thus the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and will not be damaged by the force F applied during the actual installation process, for example, a force of approximately 200 N.
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0067 As additional information, when only improvement of handleability of the fluorescent lamp needs to be achieved, it is also acceptable to have an arrangement wherein D20, i.e. the points P3 and P4 are already in contact with each other; however, in the fluorescent lamp in which the coldest-point control method is used to control the vapor pressure, if the external surfaces of the constituent tubes and are in contact with each other at the coldest points being the D2 defining points, the lamp luminous flux will decrease. Consequently, in the present embodiment, it is arranged so that the value of D2/D1 is 0.05 or larger, and there is a gap between the point P3 and the point P4 when a force is not applied. In other words, in a case of a fluorescent in which the amalgam control method is used to control the vapor pressure, it is acceptable to have an arrangement wherein D20.
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0068 Manufacturing Method of the Fluorescent Lamp
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0069 The following explains the manufacturing method of the fluorescent lamp , with reference to FIGS. 2, 3A, B, C, A, B, and C. Of different stages of the manufacturing process of the fluorescent lamp , the following explanation focuses on the process of forming the inter-constituent bridge , which is one of the technical features of the fluorescent lamp of the embodiment of the present invention.
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0070 As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the constituent tube and the constituent tube are preheated (Step S in FIG. 2), the constituent tube including the straight portions and that are connected by the intra-constituent bridge ; and the constituent tube including the straight portions and that are connected by the intra-constituent bridge .
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0071 As shown in FIG. 3A, the exhaust tubes , , , and extend from the bottoms of the straight portions , , , and , respectively. In addition, the lead wires and extend from the straight portions and , respectively. The connection points and in the straight portions and respectively are heated by a burner up to a temperature that is equal to or higher than the softening point of the glass material used (Step S in FIG. 2), so as to open holes (burn holes) each being positioned around the center of the connection point (Step S in FIG. 2).
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0072 Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the constituent tube and the constituent tube are joined so that the connection point having the hole made in Step S is in contact with the connection point having the hole made in Step S (Step S in FIG. 2). When the constituent tubes and are joined, since the melted areas each at the hem of the hole are in contact with each other, the abutment is formed.
0073 It should be noted that, since the process up to this point is the same as the one in the prior art disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-278749, description of detailed processing conditions will be omitted.
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0074 The following explains the processes from the step of adjusting the distance between the constituent tubes and (Step S in FIG. 2), which is one of the technical features of the embodiment of the present invention, through the step of cooling down slowly (Step S in FIG. 2).
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0075 As shown in FIG. 3C, two spacers and , which are primarily made of a metallic material (for example, copper) or a heat-resistant resin, are inserted between the constituent tube and the constituent tube , which are joined in Step S (Step S in FIG. 2). Of these two spacers, the spacer , whose width is D1, gets inserted between the tubes from the abutment side. The spacer gets inserted up to a point where the spacer touches the outside of the abutment .
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0076 The spacer , whose width is D2, gets inserted between the tubes from a side of the tubes being opposite to the side from which the spacer is inserted, namely the side that is in the vicinity of the areas connected by the intra-constituent bridges and . The extent up to which the spacer should be inserted does not need to be specified as clearly as the one for the spacer . It is acceptable if the spacer is inserted up to a point where the shortest distance between the constituent tube and the constituent tube is D2, as a result.
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0077 As shown in FIG. 3C, the forces f are applied to the constituent tubes and from the outside. The forces are applied in order to make sure that there are no gaps between the spacer and the constituent tubes and as well as between the spacer and the constituent tubes and . More specifically, the forces f are applied using a chuck (not shown in the drawing) by which the constituent tubes and are held, starting from Step S.
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0078 After Step S is performed, the constituent tubes and are then cooled down slowly to a temperature that is equal to or lower than the strain point of the glass material used, while the spacers and are still inserted, and the forces f are also applied with use of the chuck (Step S in FIG. 2).
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0079 Lastly, the spacers and are taken out from between the constituent tubes and , and the forces fl from the chuck is released. Thus, the process of joining the constituent tube and the constituent tube is completed, and the inter-constituent bridge has been provided. At this time, by using the spacers and with the fluorescent lamp , it is possible to accurately adjust the distances D1 and D2.
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0080 As for Step S shown in FIG. 3C, more detailed explanation will be provided, with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and C. FIG. 4A shows parts of the apparatus that is used for the process of adjusting the distance between the constituent tubes and and is included in a revolving or non-revolving multi-head manufacturing machine.
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0081 As shown in FIG. 4A, the constituent tubes and , which are joined in Step S, are disposed being aligned in series so that they are partially fitted between the spacer and the spacer . As mentioned earlier, the spacers and are primarily made of a metallic material or a heat-resistant resin, and are each shaped like a slender plate. A portion of each of the spacers and , i.e. and into which the constituent tubes and are fitted, is tapered widthwise and thickness-wise.
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0082FIG. 4B shows the positional relation when the constituent tubes and are fitted up to the A-A position shown in FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the constituent tubes are fitted into the tapered portions and only a little bit, the spacers and are not yet inserted between the constituent tubes and up to the predetermined extent.
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0083FIG. 4C shows the positional relation when the constituent tubes and are fitted up to the B-B position shown in FIG. 4A. At the stage shown in FIG. 4C, the constituent tubes and are disposed with a desired distance therebetween and desired leaning angles. In other words, at this stage, the constituent tubes and are disposed so that the distance between the point P1 and the point P2 is adjusted to be D1, and the distance between the point P3 and the point P4 is adjusted to be D2, shown in FIG. 1.
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0084 Although FIGS. 4A, 4B, and C, do not show the chuck that holds the constituent tubes and , like in FIG. 3C, the constituent tubes and are held together to make sure that there are no gaps between the spacer and the constituent tubes and as well as between the spacer and the constituent tubes and . While the positional relation is kept, the constituent tubes and are slowly cooled down to a temperature equal to or lower than the strain point of the glass material used, and then get separated from the spacers and . In other words, the length of each of the spacers and is arranged so that the spacers and are inserted until the constituent tubes and have a temperature equal to or colder than the strain point of the glass material used, in consideration of the moving speed of the production line.
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0085 Using the manufacturing method mentioned so far, it is possible to manufacture the fluorescent lamp , which is less likely to be damaged at the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and , even when the force F is applied to the lamp during the installation process, as shown in FIG. 1.
0086 Modification Example
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0087 In the fluorescent lamp shown in FIG. 1, it is arranged so that the value of D2/D1 is within the range of 0.05 to 0.70 inclusive, where D1 and D2 are each the distance between the constituent tube and the constituent tube being measured at a point on the upper side and a point on the lower side. In this modification example, it is possible to improve handleability of the fluorescent lamp by defining the leaning angle of the constituent tubes and .
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0088 As shown in FIG. 5, an imaginary line L is drawn from the point P1 to the point P3 of the constituent tube . Likewise, another imaginary line L is drawn from the point P2 to the point P4 of the constituent tube .
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0089 The imaginary lines L and L cross at an angle (within a range of 0.4 to 3.0 degrees inclusive) on the upper side the fluorescent lamp.
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0090 In this fluorescent lamp, the positional relation between the constituent tube and the constituent tube with the angle can be arranged by the spacers and as shown in FIGS. 3C, 4B, and C, or alternatively by the chuck that holds the constituent tubes and .
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1
0091 In a fluorescent lamp in which it is arranged so that the angle at which the imaginary lines L and L cross is 0.4 degrees or larger, as is the case with the fluorescent lamp , the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and will not be damaged even when the force F is applied to the lamp as shown in FIG. 1. The mechanism for inhibiting lamp damage in this case is the same as the mechanism for inhibiting lamp damage in the fluorescent lamp .
10
20
40
10
20
0092 Additionally, in the fluorescent lamp according to this modification example, since it is arranged so that the angle is 3.0 degrees or smaller, the distance between the constituent tube and the constituent tube is not too large on the inter-constituent side; therefore, the compactness of the lamp is maintained. Furthermore, in the fluorescent lamp according to this modification example, since it is arranged so that the angle is 3.0 degrees or smaller, the coldest point of the constituent tube is not in contact with the coldest point of the constituent tube when an external force is not applied; therefore, even when the coldest point control method is used to control the vapor pressure in the fluorescent lamp, the quantity of light is not reduced.
1
0093 Accordingly, as is the case with the fluorescent lamp of the embodiment earlier mentioned, the fluorescent lamp of this modification example also has advantageous effects in terms of both the cost and the handleability, and achieves a large quantity of light and compactness.
0094 Proof Tests
0095 The following describes the proof tests that were performed in order to confirm the effects of the aforementioned embodiment and modification example, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows the general outline of the testing apparatus used in the proof tests. FIG. 7 summarizes the test results.
61
503
505
51
504
2
505
51
61
70
51
61
2
0096 As shown in FIG. 6, in the testing apparatus, an end of the constituent tube is in contact with the fixing board . A push-pull gage is provided with the other constituent tube with a padding board intervening therebetween. A compressive force f was applied to the push-pull gage in such a direction that shortens the distance D2 between the constituent tube and the constituent tube . The levels of damage caused in the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and were visually identified while the compressive force f were gradually increased.
0097 The specification of the fluorescent lamps used in the tests was as follows:
0098 Model of the fluorescent lamps: 13 W-type compact fluorescent lamps
0099 Outside diameter of the straight portion: 12.5 mm
1
0100 Distance between P5 and P7 (L): 90 mm
2
0101 Distance between P6 and P8 (L): 90 mm
0102 Distance D1: 2.0 mm
0103 In order to perform the compression tests, five fluorescent lamp samples were prepared for each of nine different levels of the distance D2. The test results are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Number of
Distance
Angle &thgr;
Compressive Strength (N)
Damaged
D2 (mm)
D2/D1
(degrees)
1
2
3
4
5
Average
Samples
0.1
0.05
1.2
200
200
200
200
200
200.0
0
0.2
0.10
1.1
200
200
200
200
200
200.0
0
0.6
0.30
0.9
200
200
200
200
200
200.0
0
1.2
0.60
0.5
200
200
200
200
200
200.0
0
1.4
0.70
0.4
200
200
200
200
200
200.0
0
1.5
0.75
0.3
200
30
50
200
200
136.0
2
1.6
0.80
0.2
30
50
200
20
30
66.0
4
1.8
0.90
0.1
20
50
30
40
20
32.0
5
2.0
1.00
—
20
30
40
30
40
32.0
5
0104 The correlation between the values of D2/D1 and the compressive strengths (the average values) is shown in FIG. 7.
70
51
61
0105 As shown in Table 1, of the fluorescent lamp samples in which the D2/D1 value was 0.70 or smaller, none of the inter-constituent bridges and the constituent tubes and were damaged, and the average compressive strengths reached 200 N, which is the maximum value in these proof tests.
2
51
61
0106 On the contrary, among the fluorescent lamp samples in which the D2/D1 value 0.75 or larger, some of them were damaged before the compression force f reached 200 N. Particularly, as for the fluorescent lamp samples in which the D2/D1 value was 0.90 and 1.00 (the constituent tube is parallel with the constituent tube ), all five of them were damaged.
1
2
70
51
61
51
61
0107 As shown in Table 1, with respect to the angle at which the imaginary line L and the imaginary line L cross (see FIG. 5), none of the samples that had an angle of 0.4 degrees or larger were damaged. Here, although the maximum value for the angle in the tests were 1.2 degrees as shown in the table, it is acceptable to make the angle larger than 1.2 degrees for the purpose of keeping the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and from being damaged. It should be noted, however, in a case of a fluorescent lamp in which the coldest-point method is used to control the vapor pressure, it is desirable to make the angle 3.0 degrees or smaller, because it is necessary to keep the D2 defining point of the constituent tube apart from the D2 defining point of the constituent tube .
0108 The following explains the compressive strengths, with reference to FIG. 7. Each of the compressive strengths shown in FIG. 7 is an average compressive strength of the five samples at each of the nine D2 levels.
0109 As shown in FIG. 7, for the fluorescent lamp samples in which the D2/D1 value was 0.70 or smaller, the average compressive strength was 200 N, which is the maximum value in these proof tests. When the D2/D1 value exceeded 0.70, the compressive strength decreased rapidly.
70
51
61
2
51
61
51
61
0110 Also, although tests were not performed, it should be noted that, in fluorescent lamps in which the D2/D1 value is zero, in other words, when the constituent tubes are in contact with each other at the extremity of the lamp, it is assumed that the constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and will not be damaged by the compressive force f; however, in the fluorescent lamp according to the present invention, the minimum value of D2/D1 is arranged to be 0.05 so that the compactness and the luminous flux of the lamp can be maintained. In other words, since the value of D2/D1 is arranged to be 0.05 or larger, the desirable effects are available wherein (i) the distance between the constituent tubes and is not too large on the base side, (ii) the practicality of the lamp is maintained, and (iii) the external surfaces of the constituent tubes and on the turning portion side are kept apart from each other so that luminous flux remains at a high level.
70
51
61
0111 As seen from the test results above, with regards to a compact fluorescent lamp with such an arrangement, by keeping the value of D2/D1 0.7 or smaller, and preferably keeping it within a range of 0.05 to 0.70 inclusive, it is possible to keep the inter-constituent bridge and the constituent tubes and from being damaged as well as to keep the quantity of light large.
0112 Additionally, when the condition is determined in terms of the angle , handleability of the fluorescent lamp is improved when the angle is within a range of 0.4 to 3.0 degrees inclusive.
0113 Other Issues
10
20
0114 In the embodiment and the modification example mentioned above, the constituent tubes and are H-shaped; however, the present invention is not limited to H-shaped constituent tubes as long as the constituent tubes each have a U-shaped discharge path. For example, it is acceptable that each constituent tube is bent in a U-shape and has a U-shaped discharge path.
0115 Additionally, in the embodiment and the modification example, the number of constituent tubes included in the fluorescent lamp is two; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is acceptable if the number of constituent tubes included in a fluorescent lamp is three or more.
0116 Moreover, in the embodiment and the modification example above, the coldest-point control method is used to control the vapor pressure in the fluorescent lamp; however, it is acceptable to use a fluorescent lamp in which amalgam is enclosed. In such a case, since the lamp luminous flux does not decrease even when D20, as explained earlier, the value of D2/D1 may be limited as 0.7 or smaller, and the angle may be limited as 0.4 degrees or larger.
0117 Although the present invention has been fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as being included therein. | |
Feb 09, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s proposed Mansion Tax was amended imposing on houses larger than 10,000 square feet, which is twice as large as originally propose in an interim budget 2015, a media report said quoting Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. Accordingly the report, the Mansion Tax would be levied on houses where the floor areas was 10,000 square feet or more in the original budget the taxable FLOOR area was 5,000 square feet.
The value also has been raised to over 150 million rupees from 100 million rupees at announced in the budget. The tax will be applicable to the houses that were built after year 2000.
The relevant tax would be collected on an annual basis commencing 2015 through the local authorities.
The tax will be in addition to local authority rates and taxes. | http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/sri-lanka-revises-mansion-tax-rules-report/ |
The World Health Organization and the Public Health Agency of Canada have released the results of the latest survey of nearly 30,000 children in 377 schools across Canada, first administered in 1990.
The 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey is conducted in 44 countries every four years to take a snapshot of the mental and physical health of children aged 11 to 15 in Grades 6 through 10.
“This study is about life, the universe and everything for teenagers,” said Canadian co-author Elizabeth Saewyc, a professor at the University of British Columbia. “We look at everything from whether they are eating their vegetables to getting enough sleep and risk-taking behaviour.”
Pot use down
Cannabis use is now at its lowest level since 1990. About 23 per cent of boys and girls aged 15 and 16 report having tried the drug, which is down by half from its peaks in 2002, when 50 per cent of boys said they had smoked, and 1998, when 40 per cent of girls had tried pot.
“Young people that have positive relationships with adults and that feel connected at school are far less likely to use cannabis or participate in risky drinking,” said Saewyc.
A dramatic drop since 2010 helped erase the steady growth in experimentation with cannabis recorded through the ’90s.
Older teens exercise less
Only one in five children in the survey participates in moderate to vigorous physical activity often enough to meet Canada’s physical activity guidelines. That number hasn’t changed much since 2002. Time spent on physical activity declines with age until Grade 10, when 22 per cent of boys were active for at least 60 minutes a day and only 10 per cent of girls. More than 50 per cent of boys and 40 per cent of girls watch more than two hours a day of television and nearly as many spent more than two hours a day playing video games.
Teen girls sexually harassed
One in four children reported being bullied at least twice a week in 2014, a figure that has been rising since 2006. However, the number of children that admit to victimizing others has dropped by half over the same period. About two-thirds of girls at all ages report being indirectly bullied, often through exclusion or spreading lies, and by Grade 10, 40 per cent say they have been sexually harassed. Nearly 30 per cent of boys report being physically bullied, about double the rate for girls.
Signs of depression
When researchers probed for early signs of depression — feeling sad or hopeless every day for two weeks in a row — they found Grade 9 and 10 girls were most at risk. More than 40 per cent reported sadness that prevented them from doing their usual activities. One in three Grade 9 and 10 girls reported that they often felt lonely.
“The differences start as early as Grade 6, but by Grade 10 the indicators are twice as high for girls than boys,” said Saewyc. | http://www.canadianmarijuananews.xyz/2016/03/16/teen-marijuana-use-in-canada-in-decade-decline/ |
Factbox on Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved to Juventus from Real Madrid on Tuesday.
EARLY DAYS
* Born February 5, 1985 in Funchal, Madeira.
* Plays youth team football at Nacional before joining Sporting Lisbon in 2002, arch-rivals to his boyhood favourites Benfica.
MANCHESTER UNITED CAREER
* United manager Alex Ferguson signs the unknown 18-year-old for £12.24 million in August 2003 after an outstanding performance against United in a pre-season friendly in Lisbon.
* Named Manchester United's 2003-04 Player of the Year in his debut season, picking up an FA Cup winners medal.
* In 2006-07 Manchester United win the title and Ronaldo is named Portugal's Footballer of the Year and England's Footballer of the Year.
* Celebrates League and Champions League double in the 2007-08 season, finishing as Europe's top goal scorer with 42 goals and winning several domestic awards including England's player of the season.
* Caps 2008 season by being voted World Footballer of the Year having already become just the third Portuguese to win Europe's Ballon d'Or award following Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000.
* In 2008-09 helps United to the Premier League title, League Cup, Club World Cup and Champions League final, which they lose 2-0 to Barcelona.
* Scores 118 goals in 291 appearances for United.
REAL MADRID CAREER
* Signed for £80 million from Manchester United in 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo was the world's most expensive signing at the time.
* Nets 26 goals in 29 La Liga appearances in 2009-10 and seven in six Champions League outings but Real finish the season without any major silverware and coach Manuel Pellegrini is sacked and replaced by Ronaldo’s compatriot Jose Mourinho.
* Scores a Spanish record 40 goals in 34 games in 2010-11.
* Increases his best tally for a La Liga season to 46 goals in 38 games in 2011-12 but is surpassed by Barca forward Lionel Messi, who scores 50 in 37 games. Real win La Liga.
* Has a poor season by his standards in 2012-13 and Real fail to win major silverware, prompting Mourinho’s exit.
* Scores a single-season record 17 goals in the Champions League in 2013-14 as Real secure a 10th European title. Nets a penalty in the final in a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid after extra time.
* Wins the Ballon d'Or award in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
* Scores the decisive spot kick in penalty shootout against Atletico to give Real their 11th Champions League title in 2016.
* Becomes first player in Champions League history to score 100 goals as he scores a hat-trick in the quarterfinal second leg against Bayern Munich in April 2017.
* Scores two goals against Juventus en route to their 12th Champions League victory at Cardiff. Becomes the first player to score in three finals.
* Ends season with 42 goals in all competitions to help Real secure their third league and European cup double, a first since 1957/58.
* Claims fifth Ballon d'or in December 2017. Joins Lionel Messi as the only players to have won it five times.
* Becomes first player to win five Champions League titles after Real beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev. He won four with Real and one with Manchester United.
* Ronaldo is Real Madrid's all-time top scorer with 451 goals in nine seasons, winning 16 trophies.
PORTUGAL
* Makes Portugal debut in 1-0 friendly win over Kazakhstan in August 2003
* Helps hosts Portugal to runners-up spot at the 2004 European championship.
* Portugal are eliminated from the 2010 World Cup by Spain in the last 16 and Ronaldo spits at a television cameraman as he walks off the pitch.
* Helps Portugal to the Euro 2012 semifinals, where they are again knocked out by Spain, this time on penalties. Ronaldo does not get to take a spot kick due to misses by his teammates.
* Portugal go out in the group stage at the 2014 World Cup with Ronaldo clearly struggling with injury.
* In March 2014 overtakes Pauleta's tally of 47 goals to become Portugal's record scorer.
* In 2016, helps Portugal win their first European title as they beat France 1-0 in the final.
* Scores 15 goals in World Cup qualifiers as Portugal finish ahead of Switzerland on goal difference.
* Scores hat-trick in their opening World Cup game against Spain, including an 88th minute free kick to draw 3-3.
* Nets 85th international goal against Morocco to become Europe's all-time top international goalscorer. Only Iran's Ali Daei with 109 goals has scored more. | http://adtest.supersport.com/football/italy/news/180710/Cristiano_Ronaldo_factbox |
What is the proof of the division?
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Question from: Mr. Karim Fontana | Last updated: November 29, 2021
Rating: 4.8 / 5
(11 votes)
We proceed by multiplying the quotient or the quotient that is the result of the division by the divisor, if the division has no remainder the test is over but if the division has the remainder it must be added to the multiplication result.
How is the division test done?
perform the split test. In the test we first multiplied the quotient (305) by the divisor (15) obtaining 4575. To this product we added the remainder of the division (1). Since the sum (4576) coincides with the dividend, we are sure that the division has been carried out correctly.
How do you do the fourth grade test?
? The DIVISION TEST is performed by multiplying the DIVIDER by the QUOTIENT if there is the REST ……… .. if, on the other hand, there is the REST you must not forget to add it to the multiplication product !! Let’s work on the notebook !!
How do you do the proof of divisions with decimals?
Calculate the integer division and then multiply (by moving the point two places to the right). In general, if you divide by a number with one decimal place, you will need to multiply the division. Integer from 10, if you divide by a number with three decimal places it will be necessary to multiply by 2).
How are divisions made with comma and proof?
Divisions with commas to dividend and divisor
If both the dividend and the divisor have a comma, then we must first remove the comma from the divisor and at the same time move the comma of the dividend by as many places to the right as there are decimal places of the divisor.
Find 22 related questions
How do you do comma additions?
To add two numbers in columns with commas, first of all they must be placed in columns. It is the critical point because a wrong queuing inevitably leads to a wrong result. The second addend is 9.1, whose integer part is 1 and the decimal part is 1 tenth.
How are Invariantiva properties made?
Invariant property of division: In a division, if we divide or multiply the divider and divisor by the same quantity, the final result (i.e., the quotient) does not change.
How do you do the litmus test of the division with remainder?
Litmus test for division with remainder
- Add up the digits of the divisor (27) and eventually the digits of the result, until you get a number between 0 and 9. …
- The digits of the quotient (29) and eventually those of the subsequent sums are added, until a number with a single digit is obtained.
How is an addition proof performed?
Addition is an operation that enjoys the commutative property, which states that by exchanging the order of the addends, the sum does not change. … If in both cases the sum is equal we are sure that the result obtained is correct.
What is the litmus test?
The proof of 9 owes its operation to modular arithmetic and its ease to the fact that module 9 allows to calculate the congruence of the number simply by adding its digits to obtain the numerical root, instead of dividing by 9 for each term.
How are column divisions made?
Step 1: We line up the numbers as the previous image suggests. In our case the dividend and the divisor are respectively 7489 and 32. Step 2: starting from the first digit on the left of the dividend, we lower the minimum number of digits sufficient to create a new number greater than or equal to the divisor.
What are the terms of the division?
The terms of the division: dividend, divisor, quotient, quoto. The terms of the division The first number of the division is called dividend, the second is called divisor, the result that you o …
How do you do a two-digit division?
So take a pen and paper and follow these steps:
- Column dividing and dividing column. …
- Lower the first two digits of the dividend. …
-
Calculate how many times the divisor is in the first two digits of the dividend. …
-
Calculate the rest.
How is the reverse operation of the division done?
From the point of view of algebra, the inverse operations are the so-called “proofs”: addition is the inverse operation of subtraction, and multiplication is the inverse operation of division.
How do you do the multiplication test?
How to carry out the multiplication test
To give an example: 120 x 36 = 4320, and the proof of this multiplication is 4320: 36 = 120. But you can also do the opposite, that is to take the multiplicand, the highest number of the multiplication, and divide it by the product. That is: 4320: 120 = 36.
How do you do column multiplication?
Multiplication in a column with one figure at the multiplier
Queuing of multiplying and multiplier. 2) We multiply the figure of the multiplier by each of the figures of the multiplying, starting from the units of the latter, then passing to the tens and finally to the hundreds.
How to do the 3-digit addition test?
If there are three addends, the subtraction test can be carried out in this way: let’s add 56 + 30 + 92 = 178. In this case, we must subtract the lowest number from 178, that is 30, and we will have 148 , as a rest.
What property is used to do the addition test?
The proof is a calculation you perform to verify the correctness of an operation. To verify the accuracy of an addition or multiplication, the COMMUTATIVE PROPERTY applies. The order of the numbers is reversed and recalculated. If the result is the same as the previous one, the operation is correct.
How do you do the three-digit addition test?
How do you calculate an addition with three or more numbers? The sum of several numbers is the number that is obtained by adding the second adding to the first adding. The sum obtained will be added to the third, and so on up to the last addend.
What is the litmus test in mathematics?
The proof of 9 is a mathematical algorithm for verifying the accuracy of multiplications and divisions. If you want to check if 12×17 actually gives 204, you need to add the digits of the first … … This last number must be equal to the sum of the digits of the result of the operation (204 = 6).
How to do the comma multiplication test?
To do the test, divide the product by the multiplier. In our case, therefore, the operation will be as follows: (56.07 / 6.3). If the result of this division gives a number identical to the multiplying, it means that the multiplication was performed correctly.
How is the invariant property of multiplication applied?
INVARIANT property: the quotient does not change if both terms of the division are multiplied or divided (if possible) by the same non-zero number.
What does the Invariantiva property mean?
invariant property term that takes on different meanings depending on the context: in general, it expresses the fact that a given operation or a given function remains constant by appropriately modifying its arguments.
What does Invariantive property mean?
invariant property no. (mat.) property of subtraction whereby, by adding or subtracting the same number to the subtract and minuend, the difference does not change, and property of division whereby, multiplying or dividing by the same number the dividend and the divisor, the quotient does not changes.
How to column additions with commas and without?
To calculate the decimal numbers in column you have to separate the integer part from the decimal part. If among the numbers to be columned there are some integers, without a comma, you column them to the left of the comma, add the comma and even with the zeros.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Comparative Example 1
Example 5
Tin Alloy Comprised of 0.5% Cu, 3% Ag and Remnant Sn
Example 6
Tin Alloy Comprised of 3.5% Ag and Remnant Sn
Example 7
Tin Alloy Comprised of 9% Zn and Remnant Sn
Comparative Example 2
Tin Alloy Comprised of 0.5% Cu, 3% Ag and Remnant Sn
Comparative Example 3
Tin Alloy Comprised of 3.5% Ag and Remnant Sn
Comparative Example 4
Tin Alloy Comprised of 9% Zn and Remnant Sn
This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/916,906 which is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2006/311912, filed Jun. 14, 2006, which claims the benefit under 35 USC §119 of Japanese Application No. 2005-193323, filed Jul. 1, 2005.
The present invention relates to high purity tin or tin alloy with reduced a dose of tin to be used in the manufacture of semiconductor manufacturing equipment or the like, and to a manufacturing method of such high purity tin.
Generally, tin is a material that is used in the manufacture of semiconductors, and in particular is a primary ingredient of solder material. When manufacturing semiconductors, soldering is used to bond a semiconductor chip and substrate, to bond or seal a Si chip such as an IC or LSI to or in a lead frame or a ceramics package, to form bumps during TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) or during the manufacture of flip chips, or on semiconductor wiring materials.
Since recent semiconductor devices are densified and of high capacity, there is considerable risk that a soft error may occur due to the influence of α rays from materials in the vicinity of the semiconductor chip. In light of the above, there are demands for high purification of the foregoing solder material and tin, as well as for the realization of materials with fewer α rays.
There are several disclosures relating to technology aiming to reduce α rays from tin. These technologies are described below.
2
210
Japanese Patent No. 3528532 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-80852 A) describes a manufacturing method of low α ray tin including the steps of alloying tin and lead having an a dose of 10 cph/cmor less, and thereafter removing the lead contained in the tin by refining. The object of this technology is to reduce the a dose by diluting the Pb in the tin through the addition of high purity Pb. Nevertheless, in the foregoing case, such a complicated process is required as to additionally remove Pb after adding it to the tin. In addition, although the numerical value of the a dose is considerably low after the lapse of 3 years after refining the tin, this can also be comprehended as not being able to use the tin with the low a dose until 3 years has lapsed from the refining of the tin, and it cannot be said that this is an industrially efficient method.
2
2
Japanese Patent No. 3227851 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H06-182580 A) describes that the radiation α particle count can be reduced to 0.5 cph/cmor less by adding 10 to 5000 ppm of a material selected among Na, Sr, K, Cr, Nb, Mn, V, Ta, Si, Zr and Ba to a Sn—Pb alloy solder. Nevertheless, even with the addition of the foregoing materials, the radiation α particle count could only be reduced to a level of 0.015 cph/cm, and this has not achieved a promising level as a present-day material for semiconductor devices. Another problem lies in that elements such as alkali metal elements, transition metal elements and heavy metal elements which are undesirable to be mixed in the semiconductor are used as the additive materials. Therefore, there is no choice but to say that this is low level as a material to be used for assembling semiconductor devices.
2
Japanese Patent No. 2913908 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H05-77087 A) describes reducing the count of radiation α particles emitted from solder ultra fine wires to 0.5 cph/cmor less, and using the same as the connection wiring of semiconductor devices. Nevertheless, this kind of count level of radiation particles is not at a level as a present-day material for semiconductor devices.
2
2
Japanese Patent No. 2754030 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H02-228487 A) describes using highly refined sulfuric acid such as top-grade sulfuric acid and highly refined hydrochloric acid such as top-grade hydrochloric acid in order to obtain an electrolytic solution, and using high purity tin as the anode to perform electrolysis so as to obtain high purity tin having low lead concentration and a lead α ray count of 0.005 cph/cmor less. It goes without saying that a high purity material can be obtained by using a high purity raw material (reagent) without regard to cost, but the lowest α ray count of the deposited tin indicated in the Examples of Japanese Patent No. 2754030 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H02-228487 A) is 0.002 cph/cm, and an expected level cannot be achieved despite the high cost.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-343590 describes a manufacturing method for obtaining metallic tin of 5N or higher through electrowinning performed with the electrolytic solution that is obtained according to the procedures, which are precipitation of metastannic acid by adding nitric acid to a heated aqueous solution previously added with crude metallic tin, filtration, cleaning, and thereafter dissolution of such metastannic acid in hydrochloric acid or hydrofluoric acid. Although this technology vaguely describes its application in semiconductor devices, there is no specific reference to the limitation of U and Th as the radioactive elements or the radiation α particle count, and it could be said that the interest concerning the foregoing limitation is of a low level according to the disclosure of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-343590.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-260427 describes technology of reducing the amount of Pb contained in Sn constituting the solder alloy, and using Bi, Sb, Ag or Zn as the alloy material. Nevertheless, even if the amount of Pb is reduced as much as possible in the foregoing case, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-260427 does not particularly disclose any means for fundamentally overcoming the problem of the radiation α particle count caused by Pb that gets mixed in inevitably.
2
2
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H1-283398 discloses tin having a grade of 99.99% or higher and a radiation α particle count of 0.03 cph/cmor less manufactured by performing electrolysis using a top-grade sulfuric acid reagent. Also in this case, it goes without saying that a high purity material can be obtained by using a high purity raw material (reagent) without regard to cost, but the lowest α ray count of the deposited tin indicated in the Examples of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H1-283398 is 0.003 cph/cm, and an acceptable level cannot be achieved despite the high cost.
2
2
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. S62-47955 describes lead as a brazing filler metal for use in semiconductor devices having a grade of 4N or higher, radioisotope of less than 50 ppm, and a radiation α particle count of 0.5 cph/cmor less. In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. S62-1478 describes tin as a brazing filler metal for use in semiconductor devices having a grade of 99.95% or higher, radioisotope of less than 30 ppm, and a radiation α particle count of 0.2 cph/cmor less. Both Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. S62-47955 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. S62-1478 have a lenient allowable value concerning the radiation α particle count, and there is a problem in that the technology described in these Documents is not at a level as a present-day material for semiconductor devices.
Although Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-82538 shows an example of Sn having a purity of 99.999% (5N), this Sn is to be used as a metal plug material for a seismic isolation structure, and there is no description concerning the limitation of U and Th as the radioactive elements or the radiation α particle count. This kind of material cannot be used as a material for assembling semiconductor devices.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-280998 discloses a method of eliminating technetium from nickel contaminated with a large quantity of technetium (Tc), uranium and thorium by using graphite or activated carbon powder. The reason for this is because, when attempting to eliminate technetium with electrolytic refining, technetium will follow nickel and codeposit on the cathode, and cannot be separated from such cathode. In other words, technetium as the radioactive material contained in the nickel cannot be eliminated with electrolytic refining. The technology of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-280998 relates specifically to nickel contaminated with technetium, and cannot be applied to other substances. In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-280998 merely relates to low-level technology in terms of high purification of treating industrial wastes that are harmful to the human body, and is not at a level as a material for semiconductor devices.
Since recent semiconductor devices are densified and of large capacity, there is considerable risk of a soft error occurring due to the influence of α ray from materials in the vicinity of the semiconductor chip. In particular, there are strong demands for purifying the soldering material or tin to be used in the vicinity of semiconductor devices, as well as for the realization of materials with fewer α rays. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide high purity tin or tin alloy and the manufacturing method of such high purity tin by reducing a dose of tin so as to be adaptable as the foregoing material.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, the present invention provides high purity tin or tin alloy wherein the respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements are 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles are 1 ppm or less, and the purity is 5N or higher (provided that this excludes the gas components of O, C, N, H, S and P). The present invention aims at eliminating as much as possible the influence of α ray on semiconductor chips. (Incidentally, the signs of %, ppm and ppb used herein all represent weight (wt).)
2
The high purity tin or tin alloy of the present invention is ultimately manufactured by being rolled and cut when needed as well as being dissolved and cast. It is desirable that α ray count of such high purity tin is 0.001 cph/cmor less. The high purity tin or tin alloy of the present invention realizes the foregoing numerical value.
The manufacture of high purity tin is particularly important in the present invention, and, as a manufacturing method of such high purity tin, the present invention includes the steps of leaching tin as the raw material with acid (sulfuric acid, for instance), using the obtained leachate as an electrolytic solution, suspending an adsorbent of impurities in the electrolytic solution, and performing electrolytic refining using a raw material Sn anode so as to obtain high purity tin wherein the respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements are 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles are 1 ppm or less, and the purity is 5N or higher (provided that this excludes the gas components of O, C, N, H, S and P).
Since both Pb and Bi have a similar potential as Sn, there is a problem in that these elements are difficult to eliminate. The present invention, however, realizes the effective elimination of these elements with the foregoing method. Oxides such as titanium oxide, aluminum oxide and tin oxide, activated carbon and carbon may be used as the adsorbent to be suspended in the electrolytic solution.
2
2
Moreover, the high purity tin obtained based on the foregoing electrolytic refining is dissolved and cast at 250 to 500° C., and α ray count of the cast ingot after the lapse of 6 months or longer is made to be 0.001 cph/cmor less. When casting Sn, there is the incorporation of radon and the evaporation of polonium, and the precise measurement of the actual impurities and a dose in Sn is difficult. Therefore, the lapse of 6 months or longer is required for the foregoing impurities and a dose to stabilize. In other words, with the present invention, it could be said that α ray count stabilizes at 0.001 cph/cmor less after the lapse of 6 months or longer.
As the additive component (alloy component) of high purity tin alloy, silver, copper, zinc and the like may be used, but the additive component (alloy component) is not limited to the foregoing elements. Although the standard additive amount is 0.1 to 20 wt %, there is no limitation on this amount either. It is necessary to similarly use high purity materials.
The high purity tin or tin alloy of the present invention has a purity of 5N or higher (provided that this excludes the gas components of O, C, N, H, S and P), and is further characterized in that the respective contents of U and Th as the radioactive elements are 5 ppb or less, and the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles are 1 ppm or less, and it is therefore possible to eliminate as much as possible the influence of the α ray on semiconductor chips.
2
The high purity tin or tin alloy of the present invention is ultimately manufactured by being dissolved and cast, and it yields a superior effect in that it is able to make the α ray count of such high purity tin 0.001 cph/cmor less. It is thereby possible to considerably reduce the occurrence of soft errors caused by the influence of a rays of the semiconductor device.
As the raw material tin, commercially available tin having a purity level of 2 to 3N is used. The raw material tin, however, does not have to be limited to the foregoing commercially available product. The raw material tin is leached with acid, and the obtained leachate is used as the electrolytic solution. As the acid to be used, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and the like are preferably used.
2
Sn having a purity level of 2 to 4N is used as the anode. Subsequently, electrolysis is performed under the conditions of electrolysis temperature of 10 to 80° C., and current density of 0.1 to 50 A/dm.
Oxides such as titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, tin oxide and the like, activated carbon and carbon are suspended in the electrolytic solution in order to adsorb the impurities. This is particularly effective in eliminating Pb and Bi.
As a result of performing refining after the electrolysis described above, it is possible to make the respective contents of U and Th as the radioactive elements 5 ppb or less, and the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles 1 ppm or less. As described above, the reduction in the Pb content and Bi content, as well as the U content and Th content is particularly due to the foregoing electrolytic conditions and the suspended solids.
The deposited electrolytic tin is dissolved and cast at a temperature of 250 to 500° C. to prepare a tin ingot. This temperature range is effective in eliminating the radioactive elements such as Po. If the temperature is below 250° C. and directly on the melting point, this is not preferable since casting is difficult, and if the temperature exceeds 500° C., this is not preferable since Sn will evaporate. Therefore, the electrolytic tin is dissolved and cast within the foregoing temperature range.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an inert gas atmosphere or a vacuum (reduced pressure). When checking the a dose after the lapse of 6 months, the α ray count decreased and it was possible to make it 0.001 cph/cmor less.
The same applies to the case of a tin alloy, and a high purity material in which the respective contents of U and Th as the radioactive elements and the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles satisfy the conditions of the present invention is selected as the additive element material and alloyed to obtain the tin alloy of the present invention. The manufacturing process is the same as the case of manufacturing the foregoing tin ingot.
The high purity tin or tin alloy of the present invention obtained as described above yields a superior effect of being able to considerably reduce the occurrence of soft errors caused by the influence of α rays of the semiconductor device.
The Examples of the present invention are now explained. Incidentally, these Examples merely illustrate an example of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way. In other words, this invention covers other modes and modifications contained in the technical spirit of the present invention.
2
Raw material tin was leached with sulfuric acid, and the obtained leachate was used as the electrolytic solution. Sn having a purity level of 3N was used as the anode. Electrolysis was performed thereto under the conditions of electrolysis temperature of 20° C. and current density of 1 A/dm. The analytical values of the raw material tin are shown in Table 1.
2
Further, 50 g/L of titanium oxide (TiO) was placed in the electrolytic solution and suspended. As a result of performing refining after the foregoing electrolysis, the Pb content was 0.7 ppm and the Bi content was 0.1 ppm. The respective contents of U and Th were less than 5 ppb. Regarding the reduction of the Pb content and Bi content as well as the U content and Th content, the reason why Pb and Bi as impurities decreased is because they were adsorbed to the suspended titanium oxide, and the reason why U and Th as impurities decreased is because of the electrolysis.
2
The deposited electrolytic tin was dissolved and cast at a temperature of 260° C. to prepare a tin ingot. The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.0007 cph/cm. The analytical values of the refined tin are similarly shown in Table 1.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and the α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
TABLE 1
Raw
Example
Example
Example
Example
Comparative
Element
Material
1
2
3
4
Example 1
A1
1.0
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
S
11
6
3
0.02
6
6
Fe
60
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
Co
10
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
Ni
48
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
Cu
26
0.3
0.1
0.3
0.3
0.3
As
130
0.05
<0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
Cd
2
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
In
19
<1
<1
<1
<1
<1
Sb
63
<0.5
<0.5
<0.5
<0.5
<0.5
Te
0.5
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
Pb
220
0.7
0.1
0.9
0.06
200
Bi
98
0.1
0.05
0.3
0.01
20
U
0.5
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
0.01
Th
0.8
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
0.006
α dose
8.6
0.0007
0.0007
0.0009
<0.0005
8.0
Content of respective elements: wtppm; α dose: cph/cm<sup>2</sup>
2
Raw material tin was leached with sulfuric acid, and the obtained leachate was used as the electrolytic solution. The same Sn as Example 1 having a purity level of 3N was used as the anode. Electrolysis was performed thereto under the conditions of electrolysis temperature of 25° C. and current density of 3 A/dm.
Further, 10 g/L of activated carbon was placed in the electrolytic solution and suspended. As a result of performing refining after the foregoing electrolysis, the Pb content was 0.1 ppm and the Bi content was 0.05 ppm. The respective contents of U and Th were less than 5 ppb. Regarding the reduction of the Pb content and Bi content as well as the U content and Th content, the reason why Pb and Bi as impurities decreased is because they were adsorbed to the suspended activated carbon, and the reason why U and Th as impurities decreased is because of the electrolysis.
2
The deposited electrolytic tin was dissolved and cast at a temperature of 500° C. to prepare a tin ingot. The cast tin ingot was stored for 10 months in a nitrogen atmosphere. As a result of checking the a dose after the lapse of 10 months, α ray count was 0.0005 cph/cm. The analytical values of the refined tin are similarly shown in Table 1.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and the α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
2
Raw material tin was leached with hydrochloric acid, and the obtained leachate was used as the electrolytic solution. The same Sn as Example 1 having a purity level of 3N was used as the anode. Electrolysis was performed thereto under the conditions of electrolysis temperature of 50° C. and current density of 10 A/dm.
Further, 40 g/L of carbon was placed in the electrolytic solution and suspended. As a result of performing refining after the foregoing electrolysis, the Pb content was 0.9 ppm and the Bi content was 0.3 ppm. The respective contents of U and Th were less than 5 ppb. Regarding the reduction of the Pb content and Bi content as well as the U content and Th content, the reason why Pb and Bi as impurities decreased is because they were adsorbed to the suspended carbon, and the reason why U and Th as impurities decreased is because of the electrolysis.
2
The deposited electrolytic tin was dissolved and cast at a temperature of 350° C. to prepare a tin ingot. The cast tin ingot was stored for 20 months in a vacuum. As a result of checking theα dose after the lapse of 20 months, α ray count was 0.0009 cph/cm. The analytical values of the refined tin are similarly shown in Table 1.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
2
Raw material tin was leached with hydrochloric acid, and the obtained leachate was used as the electrolytic solution. The same Sn as Example 1 having a purity level of 3N was used as the anode. Electrolysis was performed thereto under the conditions of electrolysis temperature of 40° C. and current density of 15 A/dm.
Further, 50 g/L of tin oxide was placed in the electrolytic solution and suspended. As a result of performing refining after the foregoing electrolysis, the Pb content was 0.06 ppm and the Bi content was 0.01 ppm. The respective contents of U and Th were less than 5 ppb. Regarding the reduction of the Pb content and Bi content as well as the U content and Th content, the reason why Pb and Bi as impurities decreased is because they were adsorbed to the suspended tin oxide, and the reason why U and Th as impurities decreased is because of the electrolysis.
2
The deposited electrolytic tin was dissolved and cast at a temperature of 400° C. to prepare a tin ingot. The cast tin ingot was stored for 50 months in a desiccator. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 50 months, α ray count was less than 0.0005 cph/cm. The analytical values of the refined tin are similarly shown in Table 1.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and the α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
2
Raw material tin was leached with sulfuric acid, and the obtained leachate was used as the electrolytic solution. Sn having a purity level of 3N was used as the anode. Electrolysis was performed thereto under the same conditions as Example 1; that is, the conditions of electrolysis temperature of 20° C. and current density of 1 A/dm.
A suspension material was not placed in the electrolytic solution. As a result of performing refining after the foregoing electrolysis, the Pb content was 200 ppm and the Bi content was 20 ppm. The respective contents of U and Th were 0.01 ppm and 0.006 ppm. This resulted in an impurity level that was not much different from the raw material.
2
The deposited electrolytic tin was dissolved and cast at a temperature of 240° C. to prepare a tin ingot. The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 8.0 cph/cm. The analytical values of the refined tin are similarly shown in Table 1.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were not 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were not 1 ppm or less, and the α ray count was not 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values did not satisfy the target of the present invention. The obtained material was not suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
The high purity tin manufactured in Example 1 was prepared. As the additive elements of tin alloy in this Example, commercially available silver and copper were purified through electrolysis to obtain Ag of 5N5 and Cu of 6N. These additive elements were added to the foregoing high purity tin, which was dissolved and cast in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 260° C. to manufacture a Sn—Cu—Ag alloy ingot comprised of 0.5% Cu, 3% Ag, and remnant Sn.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.0007 cph/cm. The analytical values of the tin alloy are shown in Table 2.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
The high purity tin manufactured in Example 1 was prepared. As the additive element of tin alloy in this Example, commercially available Ag was dissolved in nitric acid, HCl was added thereto to deposit AgCl, and this was further subject to nitrogen reduction to obtain high purity Ag of 5N. This additive element was added to the foregoing high purity tin, which was dissolved and cast in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 260° C. to manufacture a Sn—Ag alloy ingot comprised of 3.5% Ag and remnant Sn.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.0005 cph/cm. The analytical values of the tin alloy are shown in Table 2.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
The high purity tin manufactured in Example 1 was prepared. As the additive elements of tin alloy in this Example, commercially available silver and zinc were purified through electrolysis to obtain Zn of 6N. These additive elements were added to the foregoing high purity tin, which was dissolved and cast in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 260° C. to manufacture a Sn—Zn alloy ingot comprised of 9% Zn and remnant Sn.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.0008 cph/cm. The analytical values of the tin alloy are shown in Table 2.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were 1 ppm or less, and α ray count was 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values satisfied the target of the present invention. It was thereby possible to obtain a high purity tin material that is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
The high purity tin manufactured in Example 1 was prepared. As the additive elements of tin alloy in this Example, commercially available silver and copper having a purity level of 3N were used. These additive elements were added to the foregoing high purity tin, which was dissolved and cast in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 260° C. to manufacture a Sn—Cu—Ag alloy ingot comprised of 0.5% Cu, 3% Ag, and remnant Sn.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.1 cph/cm. The analytical values of the tin alloy are shown in Table 2.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were not 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were not 1 ppm or less, and α ray count was not 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values did not satisfy the target of the present invention. The obtained material was not suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
The high purity tin manufactured in Example 1 was prepared. As the additive element of tin alloy in this Example, commercially available Ag having a purity level of 3N was used. This additive element was added to the foregoing high purity tin, which was dissolved and cast in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 260° C. to manufacture a Sn—Ag alloy ingot comprised of 3.5% Ag and remnant Sn.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.03 cph/cm. The analytical values of the tin alloy are shown in Table 2.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were not 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were not 1 ppm or less, and α ray count was not 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values did not satisfy the target of the present invention. The obtained material was not suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
The high purity tin manufactured in Example 1 was prepared. As the additive elements of tin alloy in this Example, commercially available silver and zinc having a purity level of 3N were used. These additive elements were added to the foregoing high purity tin, which was dissolved and cast in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 260° C. to manufacture a Sn—Zn alloy ingot comprised of 9% Zn and remnant Sn.
2
The cast tin ingot was stored for 6 months in an argon gas atmosphere. As a result of checking a dose after the lapse of 6 months, α ray count was 0.5 cph/cm. The analytical values of the tin alloy are shown in Table 2.
2
The respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements were not 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles were not 1 ppm or less, and the α ray count was not 0.001 cph/cmor less. These values did not satisfy the target of the present invention. The obtained material was not suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
TABLE 2
Example
Example
Example
Comparative
Comparative
Comparative
Element
5
6
7
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
A1
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
S
7
6
6
22
10
8
Fe
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
6.4
3.2
8.4
Co
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
1.5
1.2
4.0
Ni
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
8.0
Cu
—
0.3
2.3
—
9.8
2.3
As
0.05
<0.05
0.05
1.4
0.5
7
Cd
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
0.2
0.1
0.8
In
<1
<1
<1
1
<1
2
Sb
<0.5
<0.5
<0.5
1.0
0.5
1.5
Te
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
0.8
0.4
4.1
Pb
0.6
0.6
0.8
7.8
6.0
15.8
Bi
0.1
0.15
0.1
0.6
0.5
1.0
U
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
0.005
<0.005
<0.005
Th
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
<0.005
0.007
α dose
0.0007
0.0005
0.0008
0.1
0.03
0.5
Content of respective elements: wtppm; α dose: cph/cm<sup>2</sup>.
2
As described above, since the present invention enables provision of high purity tin having a purity of 5N or higher (provided that this excludes the gas components of O, C, N, H, S and P), and in which the respective contents of U and Th as radioactive elements are 5 ppb or less, the respective contents of Pb and Bi that emit radiation α particles are 1 ppm or less, and α ray count of high purity tin having a cast structure is 0.001 cph/cmor less. It is therefore possible to eliminate as much as possible the influence of α ray on semiconductor chips. Accordingly, since it is possible to significantly reduce the occurrence of soft errors caused by the influence of α ray of semiconductor devices, the present invention is useful as a material to be used at locations where tin is to be used as the soldering material or the like. | |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
0001 This invention is related to a communications system that provides synchronous media playback and messaging.
0002 Telecommunications is expanding from just providing communications from one user to another user to providing multimedia communications among a group of users. Moreover, telecommunications is more than a mechanism for the traditional functionality of providing communications. Telecommunications is allowing people to socialize even though people may not be located in the immediate vicinity of each other. On the other hand, telecommunications is enabling people in the same immediate vicinity to converse even though people are not really acquainted with each other. As one example, while in the same recreational venue a wireless subscriber may use short message service (SMS) to talk with another wireless subscriber, whom the wireless subscriber would like to know. Communications is thus providing a non-traditional function of introducing people in order for people to meet with other people.
0003 In line with the above discussion, friends want to socialize with each other whether or not in close proximity. However, people are on the go, traveling to other cities, states, or countries. People want to share the experience of enjoying a good song or video with friends even though they not are physically near each other. They want to talk about the feeling and ideas that the performance or recording has provoked. In order to provide an effective experience, both the medium being perceived and any associated communication should be synchronized among all the participants.
0004 It would be advantageous to enable people to watch or listen to the same performance or recording, such as a song or video that is conveyed on a recording medium, at substantially the same time in distant locations and to engage in interaction with other users having access to the recording medium. Moreover, it is important that the intellectual property rights of the media owners are protected.
0005 To overcome limitations in the prior art described above and to overcome other limitations that will be apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention is directed to provide synchronous media playback and messaging between a host user and at least one guest user. The host user wishes to initiate a playback session in which the host user and the guest users view a presentation, corresponding to a media file that is locally stored on each of the user's terminals. In order to initiate the playback session, the host user invites the guest users. If a guest user wishes to participate in the playback session, the guest user accepts the invitation. When the host user determines that the session should begin, based upon the acceptances from the guest users, the host user initiates the playback of the media file that is locally stored at each terminal. The present invention also supports playback actions that may occur during the playback session. Action types include pause playback, rewind, fast forward, user-specified internal effect algorithm to modify audio or video, or comment text from a user. The host user can terminate the playback session, and any of the guest users can withdraw during the playback session.
0006 The disclosure provides an exemplary embodiment in which wireless terminals communicate through a central server using Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) short message service SMS messages. However, variations of the exemplary embodiment support other wireless standards as well as wireline services such as the Internet. Several variations for providing synchronicity (the playing of the media file at the terminals and the associated messaging) is also disclosed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
0007FIG. 1 shows an architecture of a synchronous media playback and messaging system according to one embodiment of the present invention;
0008FIG. 2 shows a message scenario in accordance with the architecture shown in FIG. 1;
0009FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram for initiating a playback session according to one embodiment of the present invention;
0010FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram for starting the playback of a media file according to one embodiment of the present invention;
0011FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram for processing an action request during a playback session according to one embodiment of the present invention;
0012FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram for processing a stop playback request during a playback session according to one embodiment of the present invention;
0013FIG. 7 depicts the processing of a media file of a playback device;
0014FIG. 8 shows apparatus for altering a modification file by a synchronous media playback and messaging system in accordance with the capabilities of a terminal; and
0015FIG. 9 shows apparatus for supporting a wireless terminal for a host user according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
0016 In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
100
101
103
105
107
101
103
105
101
103
105
121
123
107
109
111
113
109
111
113
0017FIG. 1 shows an architecture of a synchronous media playback and messaging system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows terminal (host user), terminal (guest user A), and terminal (guest user B) being served by central server in order to provide synchronous media playback and messaging service. Terminals , , or may be implemented with one or more microprocessors, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), discrete logic circuitry, or a combination of the three approaches. Terminals , , and provide for communications over associated communications channels (e.g. and ) and provide playback capabilities (e.g. a video display). Central server comprises three logical components: messaging server , user data server , and media server . Servers , , and may be implemented on a common platform, e.g. a computer platform or may be implemented on separate platforms. In fact, the present invention can support a configuration in which each of the servers are operated or owned by different service providers.
101
201
121
109
121
121
121
0018 Terminal initiates service (as initiated by the host user) by sending invite request (as explained in FIG. 2) over link to messaging server . Link may be one of a variety of communication channels, including a wireless communication channel, wireline communications channels using the Internet, or cable modem channel. If link is a wireless communication channel, any wireless standard is applicable, including Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM), Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) IS-95 and cdma2000 (CDMA), TIA IS-136 and IS-54 (TDMA), EIA/TIA-553 (analog), and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). In the exemplary embodiment, link is implemented using short message service as supported by GSM.
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0019 Terminal can also communicate with media server over link . Link can also assume one of various communications channels, including a wireless communications channel, wireline channel, or cable modem channel. Terminal can download a selected media file from media server so that the media file can be played on a playback device that is logically associated with terminal . (As examples, the media file can be an audio media file, a visual media file, or an audiovisual media file.) In one variation of the embodiment, the accessing of a media file is in accordance with copyright protection provided to the owner of the associated medium as known in the art. Terminal can use a usage right certificate in order to obtain permission to access the selected media file from media server . The media file may be created by a third party or may be created by the host user. System can utilize Digital Rights Management (DRM) mechanisms to ensure that users are not able to distribute media files to which they do not have the distribution rights. In one variation, terminal has a local media storage memory or removable media device (such as a CD or DVD player) and the server system is accessed in order to fetch DRM certificates, which are used to decrypt the media stored in the memory or the removable media storage. Thus the distribution of the media files is replaced by the distribution of the decryption certificates. Alternatively, the media server can simply check the eligibility or compliancy of the locally stored media file and deliver the permission for participating the playback session to central server .
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0020 In the exemplary embodiment, the host user wishes to initiate a playback session with guest user A (whose name is Bob and corresponds to terminal ) and guest user B (whose name is Jane and corresponds to terminal ). As previously referenced, terminal correspondingly sends invite request to messaging server . Invite request comprises a media file identification and the identifications of guest user A and guest user B. The identity of a guest user may be the telephone number of the corresponding terminal or may be name of the guest user. Messaging server sends a request to user data server over link to record the identities of guest users A and B. Moreover, if the name (e.g. Bob) of a guest user is the identity of the user, then user data server translates the name into a telephone number of the corresponding terminal as stored in a data structure in user data server . Messaging server uses the telephone number to distribute (forward) the invite request to guest user A and guest server B. Additionally, user data server may translate the media file identification in order that the guest user can retrieve the selected media file from media server . User data server performs the translation in concert with media server through link .
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0021 Terminal (guest user A) and terminal (guest user B) receive the distributed invite requests from messaging server over links and , respectively. As with link , links and can correspond to one of a number of communication channel types. Also, terminal and terminal can download the selected media file as identified by the media file identification in invite request through links and , respectively. FIG. 1 shows only one media server (); however, other variations of the exemplary embodiment can comprise a plurality of media servers, which may be physically distinct and operated by different service providers. Messaging server distributes additional messaging as is required in the playback session as will become apparent in the subsequent discussion. As an example, terminal (guest user B) may send action request in order to request an action during the playback session.
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0022 While the disclosed exemplary embodiment has at least one server interceding in the synchronous media playback and messaging configuration, other embodiments may utilize direct communications between terminals , , and obviating the need for any servers. For example, terminal may directly communicate to terminal and to terminal through a wireless infrastructure comprising switching and radio equipment.
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0023 With a variation of the embodiment, terminal (host user) queries terminals for the media files or certificates they have and create ad-hoc viewer groups based on matching file ownerships. A local (Bluetooth) or network (Internet) service may be used to poll any accessible terminals for the media files or DRM certificates. When terminals are found that have the same media files or certificates, an alert is sent to the users indicating that a playback session can be formed with the devices. The users then have the option to start or schedule a session. Access privilege systems for allowing such queries apply. Terminal (host user) can distribute the scheduled playback session to unspecified users, as another form of invitation. Central server can manage a database of open session invitations so that interested users can search for a playback session with specific interest in either the media file or the host user's identity and sign up for the playback session.
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0024FIG. 2 shows a message scenario in accordance with the architecture shown in FIG. 1. In particular, FIG. 2 shows the message flow between terminal (host user), central server , terminal (guest user A) and terminal (guest user B). In the variation of the exemplary embodiment, central server is considered to be one entity. However, other variations of the exemplary embodiment can utilize messaging between the different server types (e.g. messaging server , user data server , and media server ).
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0025 As was discussed in relation to FIG. 1, the host user initiates a playback session by causing terminal to send invite request to messaging server . In one variation, invite request comprises various information fields, including guest user ID, session ID, media file ID, host user ID, playback options, playback scheduling, and a free text string of other media type that explains the invitation to the guest users. Playback options give specific guest users permission to request different types of actions during the playback session. Table shows information that is contained in the invite request in accordance with the exemplary embodiment. With this example, a GSM SMS message is able to transport characters of text. (Alternatively, a Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) message can be utilized for supporting synchronous media and playback messaging.) In the example, the SMS message is represented as:
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—
—
—
0026syncplay,msg1,hID1234,sID2345,mID3456,gID4567,pbmode2,pbst173006 112001,txt_Cool music, join in,end
TABLE 1
#syncplay
message identifier
msg_1
message type identifier
1 = invitation
hID_1234
host user id as a reference to the user
database
sID_2345
session id as a reference to the user
database
mID_3456
media entity id as a reference to the
media database
gID_4567
guest user id. Guest user ids can refer to
a group of multiple guest users
pbmode_2
playback mode identifier
1 = start playback by host command
2 = start playback at playback start time
pbst_173006112001
playback start time (hhmmddmoyyyy)
txt_“Cool music, join in - Pete”
free text message
end#
message end
0027 The fields of the SMS message shown in Table 1 utilize only 111 characters so the free text entry is limited to the remaining 160 characters (i.e. 49 characters). A possible text entry in this example is Cool music, join inPete
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<syncplay msg_type=“1”>
<host id=“1234”/>
<session id=“2345”/>
<media id=“3456”/>
<guests>
 <guest id=“4567”/>
</guests>
<playback>
<mode id=“2”/>
<start format=“hh:mm dd.mo.yyyy”>
17:30 06.11.2001
</start>
</playback>
<message>
Cool music, join in - Pete
</message>
</syncplay>
0028 With another variation of the exemplary embodiment, links , , and are Internet communication charmels. In such a configuration, extensible Markup Language (XML) can be utilized rather than GSM SMS. An example of invite request using XML is:
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0029 Central server distributes invite request to terminal and invite request to terminal . When each of the terminals receive the invite requests, an associated playback player compares its local storage of media files and/or rights certificates to the media file ID in order to determine whether the guest user must obtain this media file or access rights to it. If the guest user needs to obtain the media file, the guest user's terminal (, ) communicates with central server and initiates suitable transactional procedures. If media server were a separate physical entity, then the user's terminal needs to establish a transaction with the appropriate media server.
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0030 With reference to FIG. 2, guest user B has access to the selected media file, and consequently terminal returns accept response to central server . Central server determines (specifically, user data server ) that guest user B is associated with a playback session that the host user initiated, and consequently accept message is forwarded to terminal . However, terminal does not immediately return an accept request message because terminal does not currently store the media file in local memory. Thus, a download procedure (comprising messages and ) is required so that the selected media file can be downloaded into the local memory of terminal . When the downloading of the media file is completed, terminal returns accept response to central server . Central server forwards accept request to terminal .
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0031 The host user (Pete) is informed that both guest user A (Bob) and guest user B (Jane) have accepted participating in the playback session. In this example, the host user waits until central server reports that all the guest users have accepted (by returning accept response messages). In general, the host user can initiate the playback session whenever a sufficient number of quest users have accepted. Consequently, host user (Pete) manipulates terminal to send start playback request to central server . As with invite request , the exemplary embodiment utilizes GSM SMS. In this example, the SMS message is:
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—
—
TABLE 2
#syncplay
message identifier
msg_2
message type identifier
2 = playback control message
hID_1234
host user id as a reference to the user
database
sID_2345
session id as a reference to the user
database
mID_3456
media entity id as a reference to the media
database
tc_00051200
time code identifier within the media
entity (hhmmssff). Playback control
message is tied to specified time code
pbc_1
playback control identifier
1 = display user created text
txt_“Wow, did you see that”
free text message
end#
message end
0032syncplay,msg2,hID1234,sID2345,mID3456,tc00051200,pbc1, txt_Wow, did you see that,end
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0033 Central server distributes start playback request by sending start playback request to terminal (guest user A) and start playback request to terminal (guest user B). The beginning of the playback session need not correspond to the beginning of the media file and thus can correspond to any time within the media file. When terminals and receive start playback request and respectively, the associated player device starts playing the media file at the predetermined time as indicated in invite request and (refer to the playback start time field in Table 1). In a variation of the exemplary embodiment, central server distributes the start playback request to the terminals of all active users, including the host user, in order to achieve a degree of synchronism that compensates for varying time delays in system . In one variation the playback session can be started regardless of the replies from the guest users, thus allowing the host user to start playback at any time.
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0034 The playback start time can be compared with the actual time that a guest user accepts the invitation and starts viewing the playback. This offset can be used to achieve a degree of synchronism that compensates for the various time delays in system , whether network or user action related.
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0035 During the playback session (as initiated by start playback requests and ), any of the active users (host user and guest users) can request a playback action. In order to do so, an active user sends an action request (e.g. action request ) to central server . The action request message requests one of a number of action types during the playback session, including pause playback, rewind, fast-forward, user-specified internal effect algorithm to modify audio or video (e.g. altering the audio and video in order to accentuate a favorite actress), or textual comment from a user. The first three action types are patterned after actions that are typically associated with an audio cassette player or a VCR. The fourth action type is user-specified that can be customized for the specific application. As an example, the media player can be instructed to emphasize the dialog of a particular actress in a particular scene. As another example, if a user wishes to send a comment to the other users, an action request message with textual comment (e.g. I really like this sceneJane) is sent to central server .
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0036 In order for message server to distribute action request to terminal (host user) and action request to terminal (guest user A), guest user B (terminal ) may require permission in a variation of the embodiment, allowing guest user B to request the given action. As an example, guest user B may be permitted to comment during the playback session but not rewind the video presentation. In the exemplary embodiment, permissions for active users are stored on central (logically corresponding to user data server ). In variations of the embodiment, the host user may be conversing with the guest users through a conferenced voice telephone call. In another variation of the invention, the permissions are stored in terminal , , or and not in central server . Once the permission is checked with server , the locally stored permissions expedite the process of checking with central server again.
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0037 In FIG. 2, the host user stops the playback session by sending stop playback request from terminal to central server . Central server distributes stop playback request step requests and to terminals and respectively, causing the media players to stop playing the media file.
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0038 The playback session is started in a substantially synchronous manner for all the active users (host user, guest user A, and guest user B). Synchronism can be achieved by a number of approaches. Central server stores an internal time at the time of starting the playback session. The playback session commences when central server receives start playback request and consequently distributes start playback request and to guest user A and guest user B, respectively. At that time, central server stores the internal time for starting the playback session. Other guest users (not depicted in FIG. 2) can later join the playback session. The elapsed time since the beginning of the playback session is sent in the start playback request to the newly joining guest user.
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0039 If a greater degree of synchronicity is desired (as may be the case if time delays in system are a concern), a more complex method to ensure true synchronicity can be incorporated by system . For example, the internal times tracked by terminals , , and and central server can be synchronized to a common global clock, e.g. the Global Positioning System (GPS). Central Server compares the internal clocks (as reported in messages such as accept responses and ) with the internal clock of central server . The time delays can be compensated by sending the corresponding time differences to terminals , , and so that the corresponding playback device (which are considered as logically contained in the terminal) can coordinate media player operation in order to synchronize player actions.
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0040FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram for initiating a playback session according to one embodiment of the present invention. In step , message server receives invite request from terminal (host user). In step , message server instructs user data server to record the identification of terminals and and distributes invite requests and to terminals and , respectively.
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0041 In step , message server receives accept response and from terminals and , respectively. In step , message server instructs user data server to record terminals and as being active in the playback session. Message server relays accept responses and to terminal in step .
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0042 In the exemplary embodiment, the host user waits until all the guest users have accepted the invitation in step . However, with variations of the exemplary embodiment, the host user may wish to continue with the playback session when a subset of the invited guest users has accepted.
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0043FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram for starting the playback of a media file according to one embodiment of the present invention. The host user starts the playback session by sending start playback request to message server in step . Consequently, in step message server distributes start playback request to terminals and (corresponding to the guest users that have accepted the invitation form the host user).
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0044FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram for processing an action request during the playback session according to one embodiment of the present invention. In step , message server receives action request from terminal (guest user B). Message server verifies that guest user B has permission to request the given action by querying user data server in step . Assuming that guest user B has the appropriate permission, action requests and are distributed to the other active users (terminals and ) in step in order that the playback devices can respond accordingly. (If guest user B does not have permission, message server informs terminal about a rejection of the request in step .)
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0045FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram for processing a stop playback request according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the exemplary example, terminal (host user) desires to end the playback session by sending stop playback request to message server . Message server distributes stop playback requests and to terminal and , respectively. Alternatively, a guest user can withdraw from the playback session by sending a stop playback request to message server .
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0046 In that case, message server instructs user data server to remove the guest user from the active list associated with the playback session. In another variation of the invention, terminal , , or automatically sends a stop playback notification to message server when the user stops playback with the terminal.
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0047 It is assumed that terminals , , and can fully utilize the selected media file. However, this may not be the case. With a plurality of terminals participating in the playback session, the terminals may have different capabilities. For example, the playback session may be processing a movie having both audio and video components. One of terminals (e.g. terminal ) may have only audio capability while terminals and have both audio and video capabilities. Moreover, the active users in the playback session may desire to modify the media file in order to accentuate the viewing experience.
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0048 According to one embodiment, the playback device associated with each of terminals , , and is able to modify media characteristics, using a preset selection of effects and modifications (e.g. converting color imagery into black and white, inverting the colors, distorting the sound channels, changing the tempo and speed of the playback) stored at the terminal. In other words, a playback device utilizes a data file containing associated modifications in order to alter the processing of the media file during the playback session.
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0049FIG. 7 depicts the processing of media file by playback device . Media player uses modification file to modify the processing of media file . The modification file overrides the original display parameters of the media file at display time, thus the receiver can view the media file according to the intentions of the sender. In the exemplary embodiment, transformation engine utilizes media file and modification file to derive a modified media file that is processed by media player . In the exemplary embodiment, playback device is logically contained in terminal , , or . Playback device may be physically contained in the terminal or physically distinct from the terminal. The modification file can be formed by storing all the playback control messages created during the playback session.
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0050 Modification file can be formed by storing all the playback control messages created during the playback session. In one variation, the users access modification files associated with a particular media file and play back the media file using the modification file. Modification files can be stored in the remote (central) server or local memory of user's terminal.
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0051 Modification file comprises a unique media file identifier and a list of modification functions that are linked to media file with the following characteristics:
0052 Modification effect ID
0053 Modification start time
0054 Modification end time
0055 Modification author ID
0056 Other user provided string for user created options (e.g. text)
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703
0057 In addition, modification file can comprise DRM-related data, which limits use of media file by a guest user.
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0058 Using a suitable messaging standard (e.g. Multimedia Message System), modification file can be more usable in the receiving terminal that is unable to display media file or display modified media file by appropriately altering modification file . FIG. 8 shows apparatus for altering modification file by system in accordance with the capabilities of terminal . Messaging server receives modification message (comprising modification file ) from terminal (e.g. terminal in FIG. 1) for terminal (e.g. terminal in FIG. 1). Modification message is typically sent between invite request and start playback request before the establishment of the playback session.
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0059 Messaging server queries user data server in order to determine if modification file requires adaptation in accordance with the capabilities of terminal by sending message (comprising modification message and the identification of terminal ). User data server stores characteristics of terminal and correspondingly alters the modification file and returns adapted modification message to messaging server .
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0060 Messaging server converts a selected media file in order to be compatible with the capabilities of terminal . The converted terminal-suitable media file is delivered to terminal . The basic media type remains similar, e.g. full motion video, but the modification capabilities are dissimilar. Thus, one terminal may be capable of showing a video effect on the image, e.g. inverting the colors, while another terminal may not be capable of that particular effect. The modification file describing the invert effect is altered to another suitable effect for this particular terminal, e.g. blink the image on/off in a stroboscope fashion.
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0061 In a variation of the embodiment, messaging server directs modification message (comprising the altered modification file) to terminal . As an example, a terminal without video playback capabilities can process a media file by creating still image compilation of key images. As another example, the audio portion of the playback session may be converted to text captions for users who are hearing-impaired.
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0062FIG. 9 shows apparatus for supporting a wireless terminal for a host user. Wireless terminal provides communication for the host user to at least one guest user over wireless communications channel through wireless infrastructure . Wireless infrastructure comprises switching and radio equipment as known in the art. Wireless terminal interfaces to wireless communications channel through communications interface . Communications interface comprises radio and logic circuitry that is required for transmitting and receiving signals over wireless communications channel .
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0063 Services processor supports the processing of the media playback services for the host user in accordance with the flow diagrams in FIGS. 3, 4, , and . Services processor generates messages as shown in FIG. 2 and instructs communications interface to transmit the messages over wireless communications channel through link . Also, messages received from a terminal of a guest user are received at communications interface and is transferred to services processor for processing in according to the flow diagrams shown in FIGS. 3, 4, , and .
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0064 Media file (as shown in FIG. 7) is stored in local storage and is played during the playback session by media player through link as instructed by services processor through link . If local storage does not contain media file , services processor can request for the desired media file from media server (as shown in FIG. 1) through communications interface , wireless communications channel , and wireless infrastructure .
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0065 The host user inputs requests through keypad unit that is connected to services processor through link . The host user views display unit that displays choices from which the host user inputs selects using a cursor control on keypad unit , In the exemplary embodiment, display unit shows list of media files and list of guest users that are to be selected for the playback session. The host user inputs associated selections through the cursor control on keypad unit through link , services processor , and link . The host user selects the media file with cursor and selects at least one guest user with cursor . Lists and may be shown currently or sequentially on display unit .
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0066 Although FIG. 9 depicts terminal as utilizing wireless communications channel , variations of the exemplary embodiment can utilize other types of communications channels (e.g. wireline communications channel and cable modem communications channel). Examples of applicable standards and specifications include Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM), Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) IS-95 and cdma2000 (CDMA), TIA IS-136 and IS-54 (TDMA), EIA/TIA-553 (analog), Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS).
0067 As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a computer system with an associated computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling the computer system can be utilized to implement the exemplary embodiments that are disclosed herein. The computer system may include at least one computer such as a microprocessor and associated peripheral electronic circuitry.
0068 It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is merely an illustrative principle of the invention and that many variations may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that such variations be included with the scope of the claims. | |
Confronted by surfaces made slippery by chemical spillages, hydrocarbons, and adverse weather conditions, it’s little wonder that the oil and gas industry sees more than its fair share of injuries caused by slips trips and falls.
Whether they’re caused by high winds, extreme heat, sideways rain or even working at an elevated height, the oil and gas industry is no stranger to injuries caused by slips trips and falls. From working on blowout preventers and greasing motors and pulleys to simply changing light bulbs, workers perform various tasks at or above ground level.
Each year, thousands of people get injured due to slip, trip and fall incidents in workplaces, and as we’ve ascertained the oil and gas industry is no exception. As a result of major incidents in oil and gas industry there has, of course, been pressure from regulators and the media regarding some companies' safety performance monitoring systems, after it transpired that some companies were placing more emphasis on personal safety indicators – such as slips, trips and falls – rather than process safety indicators. While it is the latter that is defined for the prevention of major incidents9,5,13, the importance of personal safety cannot be overlooked.
It is widely accepted that slip, trip and fall incidents have caused many fatalities and injuries in workplaces6,7. This issue takes greater significance in the oil and gas industry since the majority of oil and gas fields are located in remote areas, meaning that in the case of an incident companies have limited access to emergency services. This is not even to mention the related costs, both direct and indirect, to the company12,15. This article focuses on creating a prevention plan for oil and gas incidents and looks at how companies in the sector should approach safety to reduce not only the number of slip, trip and fall incidents, but also the related non-conformities.
Slip, trip and fall incidents associated costs is remarkable and is overlooked by most organisations. According to one of the insurance brokers in UK, an average claim cost for single slip incident is £12,000 and could go up to £74,000. In addition to the initial claim cost, organisations should consider other business costs such as: loss of employee, loss of production, investigation costs, sick pay, human resource and replacement of lost employees’ costs, which have all been considered as hidden costs of an incident21.
Is the traditional approach properly implemented?
Is the traditional approach useful?
Do we have other solutions to prevent or reduce the number of slips, trips and falls?
The oil and gas industry encompasses numerous threats and it is important that these threats are not to be viewed in islolation12. To tackle slip, trip and fall incidents, organisations should go beyond traditional approaches. In fact, in order to reduce the number of slip, trip and fall incidents, a strategic framework must be provided by an organisation. No need to accentuate that in bigger organisations, the results of such a prevention strategy depend on correct design of the prevention plan, proper implementation, involvement of all employees and organisational safety culture to achieve the required results. To draw an appropriate prevention plan, the followings issues should be considered.
During data gathering all variables such as age and experience of employees, process environment, and activity at the time of incident should be considered. It is clear that to extract such data a detailed incident investigation should be performed. A review of recorded incidents by the HSE indicated that the highest number of both slip, trip and fall incidents and high falls (from 2m and above) occur during drilling and maintenance activities7.
Employee consultation Consultation with employees including OIM, safety representatives, maintenance staff and using structured questions based on incidents casual factors have been seen as great sources to draw an appropriate prevention strategy. In fact, a successful prevention strategy depends on accurate and up-to-date knowledge of all employees, including shop floor employees, as some information cannot be extracted from incident reports or litreature7. A review of the available literature indicated some successful case studies in relation to consultation with employees and reducing the number of slip, trip and fall incidents. For instance, following staff feedback about suitability of provided footwear against slip hazards, a third party company got involved to investigate the slipperiness of their footwear types and possible alternatives. The results of assessment were to get significant data about the performance of footwear in conditions where footwear had been used and remove that specific footwear from standard list if not appropriate to the task. It also assisted in identifying suitable alternative footwear10.
While analysing slip, trip and fall risks and implementation of the prevention plan, hierarchy of controls should be considered. In fact, changing of the design should be one the top priorities and employee consultation plays an important factor in changing the design of equipment or workplace layout. Following numerous incidents due to slips, trips and falls on offshore installations and exposure of company surveyors to such hazards, Bureau Vertias decided to develop a guideline for design of access means on offshore installation to prevent similar incidents. The first step was to analyse the means of access on installations and involve the surveyors in the design process. The surveyors were interviewed and asked their opinions about the means of access used on installations, related occupational risks and suggestions for improvement. At the next stage, anthropometric analysis was carried out to determine the structural dimensions required for safe design of means of access. Finally, all these efforts led to the creation of a guideline for design of access means on offshore installations and vessels which ultimately would reduce the associate risks17.
Site inspection and speaking with workers who routinely exposed to slip, trip and fall hazards has been seen as a valuable source of information, as they are in the best position to suggest which mitigation measures will reduce the risks in an effective manner and how such mitigation measures should be implemented7.
Risk mapping is a useful tool for organisations to engage other employees to identify slip, trip and fall hazards and impalement mitigation measures. The process starts with drawing a simple rough sketch map of the working area and marking all reported slip, trip and fall incidents, including near misses in the last 12 months or any given period. At the next stage, the employees are then asked what caused the employee to slip or trip in that area. At the final stage, line managers are involved and suitable control measures are decided and implemented. While the implemented control measures are monitored, the map will be reviewed on regular basis22.
One of the biggest barriers in prevention of slip, trips and falls is poor perception of management and workers, as they do not take such incidents seriously or they think that such incidents are inevitable. Changing these beliefs, therefore, is key to preventing such incidents8. In addition to this, an organisation's positive safety culture is the cornerstone to achieving the required results. In fact, it could easily be argued that, whether other efforts such as regular housekeeping, installation of slips resistance materials and proper footwear lead to prevention of incidents, depends totally on the organisation's safety culture8. Poor safety culture will have an impact on every aspect of an organisation from management and level of incident reporting to worker risk perceptions, behaviours and attitudes7.
Other issues such as failure to supply suitable footwear, providing required training for employees and an ambiguous footwear policy have been seen as other orgnisational factors in relation to slip, trip and fall incidents24.
Most organisations have ample resources to deal with physical hazards; however, if an organisation has done everything it can to minimise physical hazards in relation to slip, trip and fall incidents but still has a high number of incidents, then it should address human factors. Human error is one of the leading causes of workplaces incidents.
Analysis of previous incidents indicated that unsafe behaviours were attributed to more than 85% of the undesired events. Human factors such as individual risk perception, attitude, training, personality, age, gender, experience and motivation are crucial elements in the prevention of slip, trip and fall incidents.
Individual perceptions in relation to the risk of slips, therefore, will increase with the above variations. The majority of literature in relation to slips, trips and falls is focused on hardware and environmental issues because it provides ‘easy’ solutions to revealed non-conformities, compared to complicated human factors that bear various variation to determine the level of influence18. The literature review indicates that direct causes of slip, trip and fall incidents are well documented but lack the required underlying causes, including human factors, making it difficult to draw an appropriate prevention plan. These incidents are very complex and involve a number of risk factors, and it is necessary to apply an understanding of human factors7,19.
Many slip, trip and fall incidents occur due to a person’s state of mind. When people are rushing, frustrated, tired or complacent, they tend to make errors and decisions that increase the chance of injury. These four states of mind can lead to distraction and increase risk of injury. Therefore, a tripping hazard is not enough to cause an incident on its own and requires the person to be distracted, too. On the other hand, a safety sign by itself can not prevent a slips incident, unless employees pay attention to it.
Unfortunetly we cannot force people to pay attention, but organisations could help the employees by use of training to show them how their state of mind affects their safety. This type of human factors training can be integrated into organisations’ existing safety programmes and it is more than regular pre-shift tool box talks and requires continuous support from management. The literature review indicates that STRAD Energy Services company reduced their recordable injury rate by 87% via implementing human factors training and helping workers to concentrate on their tasks and prevent distraction23.
Even though behavioural safety programmes have been seen as a great tool with which to deal with the issue of human factors, there are other variations such as the level of employee involvement and an organisation's safety culture that determine the effectiveness of such programmes. For example, an individual who has extra workload due to job requirements and works in an organisation where 'production concept' has priority over safety issues is more prone to be involved in slips, trips and falls regardless what type of behavioural safety programme has been used in the company.
The UK’s HSE offshore oil and gas division has prepared a check list to address human factors associated with slip, trip and fall incidents in a systematic way. The check list includes all segments that are correlated with slip, trip and fall incidents in an organisation’s safety management system, such as policies, responsibilities, controls, communications, risk assessments, permit to work system, inspections and maintanances, management of change, contractor management, training and active and reactive monitoring systems. The results of assessment could help organisations to review the potential risk factors and prescribe tangible solutions11.
A database that get its input from incident investigation results, site inspections, STOP or other similar system and employee feedback can lead to establishing the trends and finding the best approach to prevent slips, trips and falls7. During extracting data from incident reports, care should be given to ensure incident investigations have consistent approaches while defining contributory factors.
Statistics still indicate that a large proportion of major injuries are related to slip and trip and fall incidents. Oil and gas companies should go beyond the traditional approach and should have a long term prevention strategy for reducing the number of slip, trip and fall incidents. The prevention strategy should be based on multi-disciplinary approaches and could be a combination of development of specific audit plan and database, risk mapping, human factors training, workplace inspections and employee consultation. Initial data gathering is critical and detailed incident investigation and review of past incidents could assist companies in defining contributory risk factors and preparing a better slips, trips and falls prevention plan. Organisational and human factors play fundamental roles in prevention of slip, trip and fall incidents and indicate that a structured and long term plan is required for reducing the non-conformities.
Shahram Vatanparast is a chartered safety and health practitioner and fellow member of IOSH with more than 16 years’ experience in the upstream sector. He has worked for major operating companies such as TOTAL, PTTEP, ENI, SINOPEC in Middle East and South Asia regions, both on the offshore and onshore fields. He is the managing director of Petro Santa Imen Avin Company, which provides a ranges of consultancy services including IOSH and British Safety Council training courses. | https://www.hsmemagazine.com/article/dont-be-tripping |
After twenty years of shaving himself every morning, a man in a small Southern town decided he had enough. He told his wife that he intended to let the local barber shave him each day.
He put on his hat and coat and went to the barber shop, which was owned by the pastor of the town’s Baptist church. The barber’s wife, Grace, was working that day, so she performed the task. Grace shaved him and sprayed him with lilac water and said, “That will be $20.” The man thought the price was a bit high, but he paid the bill and went to work.
The next morning the man’s face was still smooth! Two weeks later the man was STILL unable to find any trace of whiskers on his face. It was more than he could take, so he returned to the barber shop. “I thought $20 was high for a shave,” he told the barber’s wife, “but you must have done a great job. It’s been two weeks and my whiskers still haven’t started growing back.” The expression on her face didn’t even change, expecting his comment. | http://www.joe-ks.com/archives_feb2004/Shaved_By_Grace.htm |
All fall monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) begins a 5,000-kilometre journey from the United States and Canada to the warm forests of Mexico, where they spend the coldest months to avoid the harsh North American winter climate. Once there, they rest on the branches of trees adjacent to each other, covering them with yellow-orange color: they resemble leaves and sometimes there are so many that they change the color of the landscape, attracting thousands of tourists.
Over the past few decades, the number of monarchs has steadily decreased due to climate change and deforestation, as a result of which there have also been much fewer specimens that migrated. This year though, according to one study Conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Mexico, the numbers of monarch butterflies that have arrived in Mexico have increased, which may indicate that they are adapting to new climatic conditions.
Monarch butterflies are among the most famous insects in Canada and the United States and are considered a symbol of several states, including Texas, Illinois and Minnesota. Every year around November, millions of specimens migrate to the forests of Michoacan and those west of Mexico City, in the central part of the country, where populations have been monitored since the 1990s.
In these areas, the presence of butterflies is assessed not by counting individual specimens, which would be rather complicated, but by counting colonies and observing their placement. According to Mexico’s National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP), that Foot The results of the study last week, last winter the presence of monarch butterflies increased by 35 percent compared to the same period the previous year, as it moved from its spread in 21,000 square meters of forest to a cross-sectional area of about 28,400 square meters. .
It is not currently clear what led to the overpopulation observed in Mexico, but scientists believe it stems from a number of factors, including an increased ability to adapt to new climatic conditions.
For the past 30 years, the population of monarch butterflies has been living in the eastern part of the United States has fallen 88 percent: to make a comparison with the most recent data, in the mid-1990s the number of monarchs in Mexico was spread over an area of 182 thousand square meters; In the winter between 2018 and 2019 it decreased to about third.
Among the main reasons for the decline of butterflies is climate change, which is attributed to an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heat waves and droughts in areas where monarchs breed and in those that they pass during migration. Another factor is deforestation: to make way for infrastructures, pastures or crops, nectar plants essential to their survival have been wiped out both on migration routes and in Mexican forests, while in North America the only herbaceous plant is disappearing. feeding its larvae)Asclepias tuberosa).
The director general of the WWF in Mexico, Jorge Ricardes, attributed the recent increase in the number of butterflies to the Mexican government’s efforts to conserve the forests into which they migrate and to the initiatives of activist groups in Canada and the United States, which have begun to grow various plants from nectar and pollen. Regions. Rickards remember However, the winter migration of monarch butterflies is still an “endangered phenomenon”.
According to CONAP official, Gloria Tavira, the butterflies “They are starting to adapt In extreme weather conditions”, in fact they were seen this year in Mexico also in April, while they usually leave to return to North America around March. However, the population increase observed this year could also have been influenced by last year’s unusual behavior: the butterflies began migrating north as early as February, arriving in the United States and Canada in April and May, before the period. From extreme heat and drought.
Finally, in the period of the last migration to Mexico, far fewer plants died than in the previous winter due to fires, droughts, diseases or pesticides. However, there is still a risk of habitat loss, as logging and woodworking in butterfly-populated areas during the last migration increased 4.5 percent compared to winter 2020-2021. | https://persiadigest.com/monarch-butterflies-return-to-mexico/ |
Dian Liya April 14, 2021 Coloring Pages
I have received some requests for scrapbook page ideas about how to create an album based on a firefighting theme, so this article will be about sharing some of the ideas I have learned that can be applied to a project like this. You see, although scrapbooking oftentimes revolves around a central motif, you still have a lot of freedom to create your own page in your own unique way. What‘s more, a lot of the techniques that you learn can be used in multiple theme-based projects, so there‘s really no limitations as to how you create your own scrapbook page.
Use felt pelt pens to decorate the pages individually or for writing captions below each picture. Felt pens are available in various designs and colors so you will have a wide variety of options. Shells, colored stones, ribbons, and colored buttons, makes good scrapbooking designs. If you have pictures of your summer vacation on the beach for example, then the shells makes it an ideal design. If you are one of those people who take great pleasure in black and white photographs, you can try decorating them using metal pieces by embossing them. Do not use bright colors if your scrapbook contains black and white photographs.
When looking to purchase a printer it is important to keep in mind the desired role the device will fulfill. Printers may handle a variety of job types; however they may be designed with a primary focus on only one role. As an example you may print a plain black text document with a photo printer; however the printer may use more ink than a normal printer as it is simulating black. A sensible choice, the HP Color LaserJet CP3505N printer will handle both plain text and graphic printing, with speeds that will keep most users happy.
You can also use activities and games to teach toddlers their colors. A great activity to teach the color red is to create an orchard of red apples. Do this by cutting out apple shapes from red construction paper and laminate them. Place a small piece of Velcro on the back and place them on a bulletin board. Have the toddler ”pick” the apples and place them into a red box or create. Reinforce to the child that they are picking Red Apples” as the child does the activity. As the child grows and learns more of their colors, you can mix in yellow and green apples as well. Use a red create, a yellow create and a green create and have the child place the corresponding apples into their color create.
Ink cartridge capacity is another element in determining whether a specific printer suits a user‘s needs. If your printer cartridge needs to be changed frequently, a printer having a bigger intended volume should most likely change it. The tubes for that cp1515n printer produce roughly 750 pages of color in addition to 750 pages of black and whitened printing. For image quality, the more recent Hewlett-Packard models, such as the HP cp1515n printer, make use of a technology known as Hewlett-Packard ColorSphere which has considerably enhanced the written text and color of the types of materials it creates. Numerous customers cite an obvious difference in the standard from the printings from previous models that they‘ve possessed.
If you want your visitor to click a hyperlink and navigate to the desired page, use a catchy color for the font. Apart from that, use blinking effect. The audience will notice the text immediately and click on it. There are several Web design companies which create websites according to the requirements of the customer. If you want people to visit your web page and place orders regularly, you need to use the right colors and font styles. Sharp colors are very irritating. For the body of the web page, 12 is the most acceptable text size. In addition to that, Times New Roman is the most acceptable text style. If the right color scheme and text style is not used, the number of visitors and conversion decreases irrespective of how good the content is. Some web designers use large size fonts to get the attention of the users. This looks amateur and creates a negative impact on the visitors.
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It’s common knowledge: Headlands look worse and yield lower than the interior sections of most fields because of excessive field traffic, greater pest pressure, and tree lines that block sunlight and compete for nutrients. Have you ever wondered how much headlands drag down the overall yield potential of a field?
Researchers at Cornell University recently set out to answer this question, and their results will soon be published in the Agronomy Journal.
The researchers documented yields on 1,281 corn grain fields and 1,367 corn silage fields in New York during 2017 and 2018. They used yield management software (Yield Editor) and separated the field headlands for analysis.
The average field size evaluated was 18.5 and 19.3 acres for grain and silage fields, respectively. The average grain yield on these fields was 181 bushels per acre, and the average silage yield was 22 tons per acre (35% dry matter).
Across all fields, the yield in the headland area was lower than the yield of the interior (nonheadland) area for 94% of the grain fields and 91% of the silage fields.
The average yield for the grain field interiors was 188 bushels per acre and 161 bushels per acre for headlands, which was a reduction of 14%. For silage, the average yields were 22.6 tons per acre for interiors and were reduced by 16% to 18.9 tons per acre for headland areas.
Optimal field production was defined as production that could be obtained if the headland portion had yielded the same as the interior area. Production gain was calculated as the percentage improvement between the actual and optimal production.
Yields varied
The researchers noted that if the headlands had yielded as much as the interior areas, the production gain ranged from minus 8% to 32% for corn grain, and from minus 17% to 42% for corn silage. The negative production gains reflected fields that actually yielded more on the headland areas than the interior areas.
Across all fields, the production gain averaged about 4% for both corn grain and silage fields. The researchers noted that 1% of the grain and silage fields had a potential production gain greater than 20%. Twenty-five percent of the grain fields and 28% of the silage fields had gains between 5% and 20%. For the rest of the fields, potential yield gains were less than 5%.
As might be expected, potential production gains were highest on smaller fields where the headlands made up a higher percentage of the total acreage.
Production gains exceeding 20% were obtained on fields with a total field area less than 25 acres and with corn grain yields less than 143 bushels per acre or silage yields less than 24 tons per acre. The researchers noted that such yield differences can, depending on the farm, reflect a considerable loss of yield and opportunity to improve total returns per cropland area.
Based on production gain for specific fields, the researchers suggest that farmers can either choose to partially mitigate headland soil compaction with practices such as vertical tillage or subsoiling, reduce crop inputs without further loss of yield on headlands, or “retire” the headland from row crop production and opt for a perennial forage or conservation crop.
A more complete summary of this research project can be found here. | https://hayandforage.com/article-3305-Headlands-are-yield-killers.html |
A clear definition of information cannot be established unless it is made in a theoretical way and it would be the message a sender creates.
The controversy
The very concept of information is so widely used that it has a lot of multiple meanings related to academic, common or technical backgrounds. It is usually associated with the concepts of communication, data, control, knowledge, pattern, perception, representation and many others. In the strict theory of information ellaborated by Claude Shannon, information is the necessary condition for the existence of a message. The concept of message itself also needs inherently a sender , a receiver and a medium of communication . Shannon also provides a mean to measure information . Given a set of N binary, uniform sources, when the receiver chooses a message the quantity of information received is equal to the logarythm of N with the base of 2. This definition can be extended to natural language and more important still to computers. Other fields of science such as biology, cybernetics and physics have different definitions though.
Information seen as pattern
Information can also be seen as any represented pattern. The central additional concept that this definition involves is the existence of a pattern recognition system such as a conscious mind, but it manages to escape the sender/ receiver paradigm. On the other hand this type doesn’t require or provide any accuracy or measurements. Another key concept related to this definition is the concept of representation. For example given a fruit let’s say an apple, a written description of an apple or the sight of a single, certain apple can be considered representations, although they are not necessarily accurate. The practice of assigning a representation to a real object is called encoding, while the extrapolation and understanding ofa a pattern is called decoding.
Information as seen in physics
Physics have their own, distinct, very well defined meaning of what information is. A relevant example is the quantum entaglement. Information cannot travel faster than the speed of light even if transmitted indirectly, this has important applications in experiments of observing entangled relations within a physical system even if the relations themselves are only theoretical and based solely on information. Another concept closely related to information is entropy. Destruction of information cannot be carried out without a proportional increase in entropy, which basically means in more common terms heat emission. This has a huge impact in the study of logical gates and even more important in the construction of quantum computers. | https://articleworld.org/index.php?title=Information&printable=yes |
In a discovery, hailed by archaeologists as ground-breaking, a magnificent Egyptian sarcophagus has been unearthed at Saqqara near Cairo, Egypt after being buried in sand in its underground burial chamber for thousands of years. The granite sarcophagus is covered with...
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Mystery Sarcophagus Discovered Beneath Paris Notre Dame
The mystery sarcophagus discovered beneath the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris last month is set to reveal its secrets very soon.
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Archaeologists Uncover 100 Mummies in Burial Site of Saqqara in Egypt
During a news conference on Saturday, Egyptian antiquities officials announced stunning new finds at the burial site of Saqqara, south of Cairo, the country's capital. In what many consider one of the most important finds in recent memory, archaeologists... | https://greekreporter.com/tag/sarcophagus/ |
How Much Data Could A Brain Be
There are so many factors which affect brain size that it is going to be hard for me to work this out with any sort of accuracy, but I will try. Ethnicity, gender and body size along with many other factors affect brain size. The amount of data the brain can store isnt solely dependant on size, but lets ignore that for now. The average female brain is around 1130 cubic centimetres, whilst the average male brain is 1260 cubic centimetres. That said women have more connections between the two hemispheres than men do.
Averaging it out, that means that the average brain size is 1195 cm3. So how many cubic millimetres go into 1195 cm3? 1,195,000 to be precise.
That means that the human brain can store 1,195,000 petabytes of data! That is equivalent to 1.195 zettabytes, as an zettabyte is equal to 1,000,000 petabytes.
Being Able To Access Information Quickly Makes You Less Likely To Remember It
Its great being able to access almost any piece of information in a few seconds, and resources such as Google, Wikipedia and YouTube have clearly been major parts of a revolution in how we find information. But studies suggest there is an interesting flip-side to being able to access information so conveniently: if the brain knows it can just access it again so easily, its less likely to bother remembering the information itself!
We dont attempt to store information in our own memory to the same degree that we used to, because we know that the internet knows everything One could speculate that this extends to personal memories, as;constantly looking at the world through the lens of our smartphone camera may result in us trusting our smartphones to store our memories for us. This way, we pay less attention to life itself and become worse at remembering events from our own lives. ;Dr. Maria Wimber, University of Birmingham
The phenomenon has become known as The Google Effect, and has become part of an on-going debate as to whether the;internet is making us stupid.
Learning New Things Produces Physical Changes In Your Brain Structure
Its easy to think of the brain as a magical box where your thoughts, memories and emotions are kept, but when it comes down to it, the brain is a part of your body just like the heart and your muscles. As such, exercising your brain in specific ways whether thats learning a new skill such as a musical instrument or a new language, or simply learning new things from a book produces physical changes in its structure. Thanks to modern imaging techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging , scientists are actually able to visualise these changes before and after learning takes place, and have found not only significant increases in activity in specific areas of the brain associated with those activities, but long-lasting structural changes in terms of white and grey matter. The picture to the left demonstrates these changes in the case of video games, but experiments have shown this in a huge variety of endeavours such as;taxi drivers learning new navigation routes;and during;childhood.
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How Much Information Can The Brain Hold Test Your Memory
The concept of the magic number seven, plus or minus two, has a long, revered place in the history of psychological research. It has been well known since the 19th century when a little observational experiment was done by Scottish philosopher, William Hamilton. Hamilton noted that whenever a handful of marbles were thrown onto the floor, the placement of only about seven of the marbles could be remembered without confusion. G.A. Miller, a Princeton University psychologist, wrote his famous paper, “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two,” in 1956. For many years, this was the most cited non-statistical paper in psychology. Miller’s contention was precisely the same as Hamilton’s: most of us can hold in short-term memory approximately seven units of information.
This cognitive process is called digit span, or alternatively, sequential processing. It measures how many digits can be taken in through the eyes or ears and repeated in correct order. The test offers insight into attention span and organization of information. On its most fundamental level, it is a memory test, asking the performer to utilize a specific memory system in the brain that we call short-term memory. It is performed most simply in the form of a tester saying three to seven numbers at one-second intervals, and asking the applicant to repeat back the numbers.
There Is Virtually No Limit To The Amount Of Information You Can Remember
Given how much we seem to forget on a daily basis, it may seem strange but its completely true that our brains have an essentially unlimited storage capacity for learning. A rough calculation by Paul Reber, Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University suggests that the brain can store;2.5 PETABYTES;of data thats 2,500,000 Gigabytes, or 300 years worth of TV. So if we have a virtually unlimited storage capacity, why do we still forget so much? Thats a huge topic certainly worthy of its own post, but a lot of evidence suggests that were more likely to remember something if we make an active effort to understand it, and;if we encounter it regularly; as this strengthens the connections between neurons in the brain and makes information easier to recall.
The human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. Neurons combine so that;each one helps with many memories at a time, exponentially increasing the brains memory storage capacity to something closer to around 2.5 petabytes ;Professor Paul Reber, Northwestern University
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A Powerful But Limited Machine
So you can imagine how powerful the brain is, lets do a bit of maths. The human brain has about 100 billion neurons. While many popular publications report that each neuron fires about 200 times per second on averageand its the first number youll get if you look it up on Googlethis number is most likely wrong. Scientists are not exactly sure what the number is, as different parts of the brain fire at different rates, but a paper suggests a rate of 0.29 per second, based on rough calculations. Each neuron is thought to be connected to about 7,000 other neurons, so every time a specific neuron fires a signal, 7,000 other neurons get that information. If you multiply these three numbers, you get 200,000,000,000,000 bits of information transmitted every second inside your brain. Thats 200 million milliona number too big to visualise. The point is: the brain is a powerful machine.
Memory depends on forming new neural connections, and as weve seen before, we do have a limited number of such connections. When we age, it becomes harder for our brain to create new connections, and existing connections are being overloaded with several memories. It becomes both harder to learn, and harder to remember, as we tend to start confusing events and facts.
Scientists Are Using New Tech To Decode How Our Brains Remember
This story appeared in the July/August 2020 issue as “Let’s Make Some Memories.”;;magazine for more stories like this.
Maybe its a hazy snapshot of your first time riding a bicycle. Or the ability to recite the Pythagorean theorem. It could be as simple as that phone number you scrawled on a napkin before it landed in the trash.
Whatever shape they take, our memories help define who we are and what it means to be human. While scholars have been musing on memory since the time of Socrates, new tech has helped todays scientists learn much more about the neural and biological machinery behind our recollections. These breakthroughs have led to the discovery that our memories reside in specific clusters of brain cells. Some scientists are exploring how people store and retrieve memories as they move through a virtual reality environment. Others are studying how emotions like fear are encoded in the brain, as well as the circuitry that controls what were afraid of.
This research isnt rooted in the abstract, either. The projects are aimed at real-world applications, including possible treatments for conditions such as Alzheimers disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.
And while much of memory science is still a blur, the matter of how, exactly, our brains form memories is coming into sharper focus.
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Testing Yourself On Information Is Better Than Simply Rehearsing Or Re
The word test is probably up there with public speaking in terms of its ability to absolutely terrify people. No-one likes tests, and even education professionals are arguing that we are;tested too much, and its getting in the way of real education. Indeed, theres an often-cited quote in education circles:
You dont fatten a pig by constantly weighing it
And with the amount of mandatory, national tests students are expected to take today, its difficult to argue with. However, research shows that;regular, low-stakes testing can actually be incredibly beneficial to our learning. Rather than constantly being spoon-fed the information by re-reading it in the same book, testing forces us to confront gaps in our knowledge and makes the brain work harder to retrieve a piece of information. In doing so, it actually strengthens those neuronal connections and makes it easier to retrieve in future. The brain in this sense is just like a muscle: you need to exercise it to make it stronger.
For those interested, there is a great paper titled Ten Benefits of Testing and Their Applications to Educational Practice which highlights various ways in which regular testing can be helpful to our learning. In summary, the ten main points raised by the authors are:
New Brain Connections Are Created Every Time You Form A Memory
Wikimedia Commons
Researchers have long believed that changes in brain neurons are associated with the formation of memories. Today, most experts believe that memory creation is associated with the strengthening of existing connections or the growth of new connections between neurons.
The connections between nerve cells are known as synapses and they allow information carried in the form of nerve impulses to travel from one neuron to the next.
In the human brain, there are trillions of synapses forming a complex and flexible network that allows us to feel, behave, and think. It is the changes in the synaptic connections in areas of the brain such as the cerebral cortex and hippocampus that is associated with the learning and retention of new information.
In one study conducted at the New York School of Medicine, researchers were able to observe synapse formation in the brains of genetically engineered mice. What they discovered was that in young mice, the tiny protrusions that sometimes develop into longer spines on the receiving end of neurons grew at a rapid rate.
This growth rate coincided with the rapid development of the visual cortex. While a large number of these tiny protrusions eventually faded with age, many did continue their formation into fully-fledged spines.
Clearly, maintaining a healthy brain and synapses is critical.
So what can you do to strengthen your synapses?
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Accessing Memories Prompts Change
Studies suggest that memories are not saved in a static state and then pulled up with perfect clarity. Researchers have found that memories are transformed every single time they are accessed.
Neurons first encode memories in the cortex and hippocampus. Each time a memory is recalled, it is then re-encoded by a similar, but not identical, set of neurons.
Accessing memories often helps make them stronger, yet the research has found that this re-encoding can have an impact on how the information is remembered. Subtle details may change, and certain aspects of the memory may be strengthened, weakened, or even lost altogether depending on which neurons are activated.
How Memories Are Made: Stages Of Memory Formation
Forming new memories is an incredibly complex and fascinating process. Understand how information is transformed into a memory from a psychological perspective.
Memory serves human beings in many complex ways. It enables us to process our environment. Improve behavior. Give context to our lives. Studies of this psychological phenomenon reveal that memory occurs in stages, which gives us valuable insight into the inner workings of the brain.
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Brain’s Memory Capacity Rivals World Wide Web
Illustration of the human brain
Neuroscientists say the human brain can store 10 times more information than previously thought.
The researchers calculated the amount of storage by measuring connections between brain cells, then translated that number into bytes, the units of computer memory. One byte consists of 8 bits and the human brain can hold more than one quadrillion bytes of information a petabyte.
As Terry Sejnowski of the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences in La Jolla, California, a lead author of the recent study, said in a press release: “Our new measurements of the brain’s memory capacity increase conservative estimates by a factor of 10 to at least a petabyte, in the same ballpark as the World Wide Web.”
After examining a small cube of rat brain tissue under an electron microscope, the scientists created a 3D reconstruction of the centre of learning and memory, the hippocampus, along with connections among its neurons . Each neuron resembles a tall tree, with numerous branches of ‘dendrites’ leading to a long trunk or ‘axon’. Information in the form of electrical signals is transmitted from one neurone’s dendrites to another cell’s axon across a chemical junction the ‘synapse’.
The scientists identified 26 different spine sizes, which raises the memory capacity to roughly 4.7 bits of information per synapse. Multiply that by trillions of synapses and the total storage is an order of magnitude greater than previous estimates.
What Is The Memory Capacity Of A Human Brain
The human brains memory capacity in the average adult can store trillions of bytes of information. In a;Stanford Study, it was reported that;the cerebral cortex alone has 125 trillion synapses. In another study, it was reported that 1 synapse can store 4.7 bits of information. Neurons are the cells which processes and transmits messages within the brain, and synapses are the bridges between neurons which carry the transmitted messages.; Running the numbers ;125 trillion synapses 4.7 bits/synapse, and about 1 trillion bytes equaling 1 TB .
This storage capacity is an amount over 74 Terabytes
If you have a fairly new computer, tablet, or smartphone, you understand the phrase megabytes and gigabytes, this knowledge might help put your brains immense information storage capacity into perspective.
Early-generation personal computers had at best a few megabytes of hard-drive information storage capability. Thats a few million pieces of digital memory seemingly a lot at the time, but small by todays standards.
For instance, it is not uncommon for todays smart phones to have gigabytes of memory capacity or more.
By comparison, the IRSs own massive data warehouse, which keeps track of 300-plus million Americans and many more million businesses, has the capacity of 150 terabytes of memory. Yet Yahoos 2.0 petabyte computational center, which can process 24 billion events a day, is a full 20 percent smaller than the capacity of a single human brain.
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The Long And Short Of It
The notion of human memory doesnt refer to any one thing. The term is an umbrella for an array of recollections, from the names of colors to half-remembered song lyrics to your first breakup. So, what are these different types of memory?
Over a century ago, scientists partitioned memory into short-term and long-term categories. Short-term memory, sometimes called working memory, refers to our ability to retain information or events from the recent past but only for as long as about 20 seconds ago, sometimes even less. In other words, its the stuff that youre actively holding in your head while performing other tasks for example, remembering a phone number as you scroll around to plug it into your contacts list.
In the 1990s, scientists analyzed high-resolution brain scans and found that these fleeting memories depend on neurons firing in the prefrontal cortex, the front part of the brain responsible for higher-level thinking.
They are temporary , says neuroscientist and author Dean Burnett. Its not meant to be for long-term storage, because theyre constantly changing and constantly in flux.
If you hold something in the brain long enough, you can turn it into a long-term memory, he adds. Thats why, if you recite something like a phone number, you can eventually remember it quite easily. But if too much stuff keeps coming in, your short-term memory gets overloaded and the first will get kicked out.
Human Brain Can Store 47 Billion Books
One petabyte is the same as 20 million four-drawer filing cabinets filled with text,13.3 years of HD-TV recordings, 4.7 billion books or 670 million web pages
The human brain has a capacity that is ten times greater than first thought and can retain 4.7 billion books, scientists have discovered.
This is according to US scientists who have measured the storage capacity of synapses – the brain connections that are responsible for storing memories.
They discovered that, on average, one synapse can hold roughly 4.7 bits of information. This means that the human brain has a capacity of one petabyte, or 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes.
One petabyte is the same as 20 million four-drawer filing cabinets filled with text,13.3 years of HD-TV recordings, 4.7 billion books or 670 million web pages.
However, this is only the total amount of information that the relevant part of the brain could theoretically carry at any one moment. Its actual archive of memories would be a lot smaller.
Nevertheless, Professor Terry Sejnowski, of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, in California, said the discovery is a real bombshell in the field of neuroscience.
We discovered the key to unlocking the design principle for how hippocampal neurons function with low energy but high computation power, he said.
Our new measurements of the brain’s memory capacity increase conservative estimates by a factor of 10 to at least a petabyte, in the same ballpark as the World Wide Web. | https://www.knowyourbrain.net/how-many-memories-can-the-brain-hold/ |
With employees working in groups or teams, large companies have a greater challenge in ensuring their voice communicates one message rather than several from different business units. They need to avoid sending mixed messages.
This week's dilemma asks your advice on sending one cohesive message—how does your company communicate that it's all for one and one for all? How does a company ensure its communications present one voice?
Is your team operating as smoothly as the Boston Red Sox, 2004 World Series Champs? What is your biggest obstacle? One big group of 200,000 "MarketingProfs Today" is standing by their emails to provide perspectives you might not consider. Submit your challenge and receive a complimentary copy of our book, A Marketer's Guide to e-Newsletter Publishing.
This Week's Dilemma
Presenting one voice to different markets
My company is technology based and over the years has developed into three distinct business units: enterprise interoperability software products, portable device engineering services, and wireless device software products. We market to a wide range of target customers. I am sure this is a problem for many large companies. How do we create and ensure a consistent corporate message that encompasses all of our businesses?
—David Warkentin, VP Sales Marketing, Intrinsyc Software
Previous Dilemma
Take the first step (it's free).
You may also like: | http://www.marketingprofs.com/4/stroll62.asp |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a spinning, twisting or twining apparatus and method for imparting a twist to a thread, filament, yarn, roving or other strand between a strand-supply spool and a strand- takeup spool. More particularly, the invention deals with a system for the twisting of such strands in which, in earlier arrangements, insufficiently twisted portions or lengths could arise.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the production of thread or yarn, it has become the common practice to spin, twist or twine a strand consisting of one or more filaments or fibers more or less tightly in transferring it from a cop or bobbin to a yarn package or, more generally, from a strand-supply spool to a strand- takeup spool. One of the spool spindles is generally rotated about an axis to impart the desired twist to the strand while the other spool may merely be rotatable to take up or pay off the strand to be twisted.
When reference is made herein to a "strand," therefore, we intend to designate thusly any thread, yarn or other twistable and elongated member, consisting of one or more filaments or fibers and composed of natural or synthetic materials, which may be commonly subjected to twisting, twining a spinning in the aforedescribed manner. Further, we shall heretofore use the term "twisting" to describe the step of imparting a twist to a length of thread between a pair of spools, e.g. by rotating one of the spools and/or a thread guide or the like as is commonly known in the art. This term will therefore include the classical definition of spinning and twining. The twisting is usually accomplished between a pair of spaced apart contact locations, one on the twisting mechanism and the other at the nontwist-imparting spool. Also, reference to the spool "rotation" is intended to include rotation of the spindle, traveler-ring devices, etc. used to provide the contact location, whether or not the yarn body is actually rotated.
In most twisting devices, the strand-takeup spool and the strand- supply spool are mechanically connected together for joint operation so that he strand is wound upon the takeup spool at a given rate with respect to the twisting rate so that the strand is advanced at a definite feed rate (strand-feed rate) in units of length per unit time (e.g. meters per minute) while the twist-imparting spool is driven at another predetermined rate (twisting rate) generally given in terms of revolutions per minute or twists per minute. The number of twists per unit length (twists per meter) is then given as the quotient of the twisting rate and the strand-feed rate.
The ratio of the transmission means which operatively and positively connects the supply spool with the takeup spool thus is able to determine the number of twists imparted to the thread per unit length.
When a new thread length is to be added to the yarn package or for some other reason, a fresh length of the strand is to be knotted to a previously twisted length of strand in the space between the two spools, there remains an untwisted section as the two spools are again operated at their predetermined ratio of speeds. The knotted, formerly free end, of the previously twisted portion of the strand (e.g. on the yarn package or takeup spool) and the portion of the strand newly tied thereto, both are free from the twists which are normally imparted to the strand and hence the strand is not uniform. Spool processing may be carried out to impart an appropriate twist to this length and/or, the untwisting length may be ignored or removed after the yarn is otherwise finished. Poor quality thread is obtained or the processing costs are prohibitively increased.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved yarn-twisting apparatus wherein the aforedescribed disadvantages will be avoided.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of operating a twisting apparatus and/or a method of twisting a strand with increasing uniformity and without any of the earlier difficulties with respect to under-twisted lengths of the strands.
Still another object is to provide a method of and an apparatus for the improved twisting of strands to increase the uniformity over the entire length of the strand wound up upon the strand-takeup spool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have found that these disadvantages can be eliminated in a system for the twisting of yarn or thread strands in which an untwisting strand, provided between a strand-supply spool and a strand-takeup spool is formed, e.g. when a new length of thread or yarn is tied to the end of a previously twisted length of thread or yarn, the twist-imparting mechanism only being driven to twist the length of thread spanning the two spools for a predetermined twist count, whereupon the spools are coupled for joint operation to advance the strand during twisting.
In other words the present invention provides for the operation of the twist-imparting spool without advance of the strand for a twist count sufficient to compensate for the lack of twisting over the aforementioned length of thread spanning the two spools before the thread is again advanced by synchronously coupling and driving the two spools so that the thread pays out of the supply spool and is wound up twisted upon the takeup spool. The system, according to the present invention, thus includes a twist counter responsive to the number of twists applied to the aforementioned length of strand for operatively connecting the two spools for joint rotation when a predetermined thread count is attained. For example, when the normal twist rate is X twists per meter and the length of the gap between the spools is L (meters), the twist count prior to coupling of the two spools must be T = L × X.
We are aware that it has been proposed to provide a clutch in so- called ring-spinning machines which delayed the drive of the leading rollers to permit the twisting of a length of yarn behind them. However, this system, which had no twist counter, was not able to provide an accurate twist to the length of untwisted yarn and was found to be particularly undesirable when two or more threads were to be twined together. The result was an undesirable twisting of the portions of the strand which were untwisted in the prior arrangements. The counter of the present invention ensures complete accuracy.
According to the present invention, moreover, the invention comprises a nontwist-imparting spool which is triggerable by a delay means at a time removed from the actuation of the twist-imparting spool under the control of a counter responsive to the number of twists applied to the length of the strand between the spools. The nontwist- imparting spool is then driven only when the twist-imparting spool has been operated through the precise number of turns required to bring the twist rate over the aforementioned length up to the desired, normal value. Twist faults are thus entirely avoided.
According to the method aspects of the invention, we provide a method of twisting thread wherein a strand is fed by a strand-supply spool to a strand-takeup spool and a length of the strand spans the spools, one of which is a twist-imparting member while the other is a nontwist-imparting member. According to the invention, a new length of the thread may be tied to the preceding length of thread between the spools, the twist- imparting spool is rotated while the nontwist- imparting spool is held stationary for a number of turns of the twist- imparting spool, corresponding to the number of twists over the length of the strand bridging the spools corresponding to the normal twist rate, whereupon the nontwist-imparting spool is actuated to advance the strand from the supply spool to the takeup spool and the two spools are driven synchronously to maintain the normal twisting characteristic.
The invention also includes a method of operating a thread or yarn spinning or twisting apparatus provided with a thread-supply spool, a thread-takeup spool, means for driving one of these spools to constitute thereof a twist-imparting mechanism, and means coupling the spools for joint operation to produce a normal twist number per unit length in the yarn, thread or strand transferred from the supply spool to the takeup spool. In terms of the method of operation, therefore, we temporarily immobilize the strand-takeup spool and the strand-supply spool to enable, for example, a fresh length of the strand to be attached to the takeup spool, actuate the twist-imparting mechanism for a number of turns corresponding, over the length of yarn between the spools, to the normal twist rate and only then, upon the twist count having reached the appropriate number, operating the takeup spool to permit the strand to advance for normal twisting.
The delay device for causing a functional lag between the supply spool and the takeup spool can comprise a switchable clutch between the nontwist-imparting spool and its drive means. The clutch may be triggered from a switching system responsive to a counter while a feedback path is provided between the clutch-switch means and the counter to reset the counter upon closure of the clutch. This prepares the counter for the next interruption of the twisting operation. The clutch actuating and/or the resetting of the counter manually is thereby rendered unnecessary.
Advantageously, the twist-imparting spool is provided with a pulse generator for producing a pulse at each rotation of the twist- producing spindle, the counter responding to the pulses. According to this aspect of the invention, the rotating member of the twist-imparting spool may be provided with an orbiting permanent magnet while an electromagnetic sensor is provided adjacent the orbital path. At each sweep of the permanent magnet past the stationary sensor, therefore, a pulse is produced in the latter which may be recorded in the counter. The counter may be an electronic register and/or a mechanical register on which the instantaneous count is displayed. With high-twisting speeds and high rotational speeds of the twist-imparting member, it has been found to be desirable to avoid an instantaneous or impact-like engagement of the clutch. In this case, we provide means for reducing the relative rotation speeds of the twist-imparting and nontwist- imparting spools, e. g. by slowing the twist-imparting spool prior to clutching or even bringing it to a standstill. The two spools can then be driven and accelerated simultaneously to their desired normal speeds while being synchronized with one another to maintain the normal twist rate (number of twist per unit length) in spite of the variation of speed. The term "synchronized" is used herein to indicate that the two spools are coupled together such that the strand speed and the rotational speed of the twist- imparting spool are maintained in a fixed ratio in spite of variations in the thread speed.
To avoid a sudden change in the speed of the twist-imparting spool, after the desired number of twists are attained, we may employ the twist count to control the speed of the twist-imparting spool so as, for example, to increase this speed initially from zero and then decrease the speed to zero at the time the desired number of twists is attained and both spools are to be driven synchronously.
We are also able to avoid the sudden engagement of the clutch at high speeds of the twist-imparting spool when the latter is brought, during the twisting of the stationary length of thread between the spools, to a rotational speed such that the nontwisted-imparted spool can be accelerated to its corresponding speed rapidly, thereby preventing any sudden shock at the clutch. Both spools can then be accelerated together to the elevated normal operating speed with the spools being synchronously coupled as described above. A brake arrangement can be provided for the twist-imparting spool when the latter is to be brought to standstill, the brake being controlled at least in part in accordance with the twist count. Where the speed of the twist-imparting spool is simple to be regulated to prevent an excess speed at the moment of synchronous coupling of the spools, we may provide a speed governor or like rotational-speed control means of conventional construction, likewise operated by the counter, to reduce, regulate or terminate rotation of the twist-imparting spool.
Preferably the drive means for the twist-imparting spool is provided with a speed controller which regulates the velocity of the twist- imparting spool until the desired twist count is reached and which thereupon operates a clutch connecting the two spools or synchronous rotation. The speed controller can then accelerate both spools to the normal twisting speeds.
The invention is applicable to both traveler-ring spinner and twister devices as well as to twisting or spinning devices from which the strand is drawn upwardly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more radily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a yarn-spinning or twisting apparatus embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1, drawn to a larger scale;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of an apparatus in which the length of yarn between the spools may differ for the several stations;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the means for synchronously connecting the two spools according to the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a timing diagram illustrating the process of the invention.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
In the description below the term "speed" or "rotational speed" is used to refer to the number of rotations of a spool per unit time, e. g. revolutions per minute (RPM) while the term "number of rotations" is used to describe the actual number of rotations made by the twist- imparting spool and is independent of time. The "twist count" will generally refer to the number of rotations of the twist-imparting spool as defined above and is independent of time, being the number of twists imparted to the length of the strand between the two spools. Furthermore, the term "spool" is used herein to refer to any spinning or twisting bobbin, cop or yarn package and will describe the mass of the yarn or thread carried by the twist-imparting means or the yarn-takeup means, the spools being either of the travelers ring or some other conventional spinning or twisting type. The "twist rate" is the number of twists per unit length and may be given in terms of twist number per meter of the yarn.
In FIG. 1, we show a twist-imparting spindle 15 of the bell- spindle type which is driven to impart a twist to the strand 16 emerging from the top thereof by a belt 18 passing around the whorl of the spindle. The twisting device may be thus of the type described in the commonly assigned copending applications Ser. Nos. 264,280 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,783, 597, issued Jan. 8, 1974 and 188,335 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,742, 693 filed June 19, 1972 and Oct. 12, 1971 respectively. The strand 16 to be twisted extends along a twisting path 17 between the strand-supply spool 15 and a strand-takeup spool 11 which rotates upon a driven cylinder or drum 12 and clamps the thread 16 at the point at which the latter passes between the body of the yarn package 11 and the surface of cylinder 12. The latter is connectable by a clutch 14 with a drive shaft 13 of the drive means.
The belt 18 rotates the spindle 15 as described above and is driven by a spindle drive shaft 19 which is synchronously connected with the drive shaft 13, e.g. by the means illustrated in FIG. 4. The belt arrangement is so constructed and arranged so that there is no significant slip between shaft 19 and the spindle 15, i.e., so that for each revolution of the shaft 19, the spindle 15 makes a given number of revolutions or turns and imparts a corresponding number of twists to the thread 16. Since the shafts 19 and 13 are coupled together, this shaft is rotated through a predetermined angle for each revolution of shaft 19 and, when clutch 14 is closed, rotates the yarn package 11 to take up a fixed length of thread for each revolution of shaft 19 and hence for each predetermined number of turns of the spindle 15 or twist of the yarn 16.
The sheave of shaft 19 and belt 18 is provided with a permanent magnet 20 juxtaposed with a magnetic-field sensor located at a fixed location along the orbit of the permanent magnet. Members 20 and 21 thus constitute a pulse generator which, for each rotation of the spindle drive shaft, generates a pulse which is applied to a pulse counter 22 calibrated directly in number of twists as described above. The pulse counter 22 is connected to a threshold device or comparator 23 which compares the count of counter 22 with a predetermined count and energizes the clutch 14 when the predetermined count is reached. This predetermined count can, of course, be set as well.
A feedback path 24, responsive to the engagement of clutch 14, connects the comparator 23 with the counter 22 to reset the latter. The resetting can of course be done by hand if desired.
Under normal operating conditions, clutch 14 is closed and the spindle 15 and the yarn package 11 are driven synchronously to impart X number of twists per meter to the yarn.
When it is desired to insert a new cop at spool 15 or to knot the thread 16, the machine is stopped, the clutch 14 opened and the new thread length attached. The machine is then started to drive the spindle 15 until the count registered at 22 reached the value T where T = L . times. X, L being the length in meters of the stretch 17. At this instant, the clutch 14 is triggered so that takeup spool 11 operates to accept the twisted yarn and synchronous operation of the spool is effected. The switch 23 may be operatively connected to the drive for shaft 19 as illustrated in FIG. 1 to bring the latter to standstill before clutch 14 is operated and then accelerate both spools simultaneously.
In FIG. 2, we show an arrangement in which the electromagnetic sensor 25 is juxtaposed with a permanent magnet 15' directly upon the spindle, whereupon each pulse represents one unit of the counter 22.
In FIG. 3, we show a system in which a bank of spindles 15 as described in connection with FIG. 2, is provided, in individual lengths of the strand between the spools and the respective yarn packages differing. Hence one spool 15 may be located closer to its package 11 so that the stretch 17 of yarn between the clamping point and the spindle 15 may be shorter than the stretch 26 spanned by the yarn 27 between the other spindle 15 and its package 11. In this case, each counter 22 is provided with a threshold device 28, calculator or electronic quotient former (divider) which triggers the respective clutch 14 when the associated count has reached the desired number so that the ratios T/L for the systems will be identical. Since the total number of counts prior to clutch engagement for each of the stretches is a function of the length of the gap 16 or 26, the counters must be set to respond to respective counts and are independent of one another. Furthermore, the system of FIGS. 1 - 3 is merely illustative and the invention is equally applicable to an arrangement in which the yarn is drawn downwardly from the spindle.
In FIG. 4 we have shown a bell-type spindle 115 carrying a twist- imparting spool 115a spaced from a nontwist-imparting spool or yarn package 111 so that the yarn extends in a stretch 16 between them. The twist-imparting spool 115a is driven by a motor 124 via a belt drive 122 and a shaft with the drive portion 119b thereof. The motor 124 and belt drive 122 are coupled to shaft portion 19a while the spindle 115 is connected by a belt arrangement 118 with the shaft portion 119b. The shaft 119 is also provided with a permanent magnet which is juxtaposed with an electromagnetic sensor 121 to provide a pulse train representing the twist count.
A clutch 114 is provided between the shaft portion 119b and a shaft portion 119c connected by a gear, chain or belt arrangement 123 for the shaft 112 rotating the yarn package 111. When the clutch 114 and 115 are closed, the spindle 115 and the yarn package 111 are rotated at a fixed ratio which can be adjusted by altering the transmission ratio of the transmission 123. The counter 120 responds to the pulse train detected at 121 and is connected by a line 127 to clutch 125 and by a line 129 to a clutch 114 so that, when the desired count is reached, as described above, clutch 125 is opened to bring the spindle 115 to standstill or another speed below the prior twisting speed, clutch 114 is closed and clutch 125 is reclosed to couple the two spools together and drive them synchronously. The counter may, alternatively, include a rate meter which maintains the speed of the drive system as described above and operates the clutch 114 without bringing the system to standstill. The clutch 125 may be of a controlled type for operating the system at a high speed in response to the count or after a predetermined interval of operation at a lower rate of speed. The drive 119 etc. may thus operate at a low speed during counting and may be shifted into a higher speed condition when the desired twist count is reached.
When the clutch 14, 114 is of the controlled-speed type, it may be used to accelerate the posttwist-imparting spool to the speed corresponding to that of the twist-imparting spool prior to the synchronous interconnection of the spools.
One example of the application of the present invention can be seen in FIG. 5 in which time is plotted along the abscissa and the spindle speed in revolutions per minute is plotted along ordinate I, the number of twists per meter is plotted along ordinate II and the strand speed in meters per minute is plotted along ordinate III.
In the interval between t = 0 and t = 61 seconds, the thread is not advanced although the spindle is driven and the desired number of twists are imparted to the length 116 of the strand between the yarn packages. The number of twists developed during the portion of the curve represented at B.sub.1 thus represents the number corresponding to that which will yield the normal twist rate of 750 twists per minute. Since the two spools are then connected synchronously, the twist-rate characteristic in twists per minute is held constant at 750 turns per meter along the horizontal stretch B.sub.2 of the curve. Along the stretch A.sub.1, corresponding to low-rotational speed of the spincle, the initial group of turns is formed whereupon the spindle is accelerated (curve A.sub.2) with synchronous acceleration of the yarn package. The yarn, which is essentially stationary during the initial twist period, is accelerated commencing at C.sub.1, at a rate represented at C.sub.2. When the two spools have been brought up to a normal winding speed, all three curves are at a plateau. | |
Does time move slower if you move faster? Time slows down as you travel faster because momentum bends the fabric of spacetime causing time to pass slower. Why does time go slower when you go
Does time move slower if you move faster?
Time slows down as you travel faster because momentum bends the fabric of spacetime causing time to pass slower.
Why does time go slower when you go faster?
This form of time dilation is also real, and it’s because in Einstein’s theory of general relativity, gravity can bend spacetime, and therefore time itself. The closer the clock is to the source of gravitation, the slower time passes; the farther away the clock is from gravity, the faster time will pass.
What is twin paradox theory?
In physics, the twin paradox is a thought experiment in special relativity involving identical twins, one of whom makes a journey into space in a high-speed rocket and returns home to find that the twin who remained on Earth has aged more. In both views there is no symmetry between the spacetime paths of the twins.
Why does time move more slowly for moving reference frames?
The mathematics of Special Relativity tells us that as a reference frame moves at ever higher speeds, its space contracts ever smaller and its time becomes ever slower, relative to the stationary observer.
Do we age slower in space?
We all measure our experience in space-time differently. That’s because space-time isn’t flat — it’s curved, and it can be warped by matter and energy. And for astronauts on the International Space Station, that means they get to age just a tiny bit slower than people on Earth. That’s because of time-dilation effects.
Does time slow down in a black hole?
Near a black hole, the slowing of time is extreme. From the viewpoint of an observer outside the black hole, time stops. For example, an object falling into the hole would appear frozen in time at the edge of the hole. No force in the universe can stop this fall, any more than we can stop the flow of time.
Is twin paradox real Why?
The twin paradox is real as the traveling twin will see the Earth clock moving as slowly as the twin on the Earth. Yes, it is real but shouldn’t really be called a paradox.
What is Einstein time?
For example, physicist Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity proposes that time is an illusion that moves relative to an observer. An observer traveling near the speed of light will experience time, with all its aftereffects (boredom, aging, etc.) much more slowly than an observer at rest.
Why does time slow down the faster you go?
As the sound waves move away from the observer the sound waves are speed apart causing the frequency to decrease. As light is spread out by the observer moving away from the source of the light time is decreased. The faster the observer moves the more light is spread out and time slows down.
What’s the difference between a jog and a trot?
A very slow trot is sometimes referred to as a jog. The trot is the working gait for a horse since horses in good condition can maintain a working trot for hours. Because the trot is such a safe and efficient gait for a horse, learning to ride the trot correctly is an important component in almost all equestrian disciplines.
Why does time slow down in a moving vehicle?
Relativity is actually pretty easy to understand. It states that the only sort of motion in the universe is relative motion. What that means is that you can never really determine whether or not you are moving, or at what speed you are going, This is because everything in the universe is moving in relation to everything else. Confused?
Why does time go slower when you speed up a reference frame?
Yes time goes passed slower when you speed up your reference frame relatively. But it only goes by slower relatively. The rate of action is always the same relative to c the speed of light in any reference frame. Its the relative speed that changes between frames. | https://missionalcall.com/2020/05/02/does-time-move-slower-if-you-move-faster/ |
The main problem with ASCII Julius Caesar Python encryption is that it is not very strong.
import codecs def rot13(s): return codecs.encode(s, 'rot13')
This code line imports the codecs module. The codecs module provides functions to encode and decode data.
The next line defines a function called rot13. The rot13 function takes a string as an argument and returns the string encoded using the rot13 algorithm.
The rot13 algorithm is a simple encryption algorithm that replaces each letter with the letter 13 letters after it in the alphabet.
Contents
Ascii code
In Python, you can use the ascii code module to represent ASCII characters. For example, the string “ABC” can be represented as the string “654321”.
Caesar Cipher
The Caesar Cipher is a simple substitution cipher where each letter in the alphabet is replaced by the letter two positions down. For example, the letter A would be replaced by D, B would be replaced by C, and so on. This cipher can be used to encrypt text. | https://www.sourcetrail.com/python/ascii-julius-caesar-encryption/ |
Q:
Concentric layered sphere with logarithmically scaled radius
How can I achieve a 3D visual of a concentric layered sphere (like an onion), where the radius of each layer is tick-marked using a logarithmic scale?
Specifically, my project is to realize the following:
1) Layer the first sphere like the concentric rings of an onion, with the innermost layer having a thickness of "e" (Euler's number), and the outermost layer at an infinite distance having a thickness of 1. So, cutoff the concentric sphere display at some "x" radius, where "x" is 1 < x < e.
2) Mesh each layer's surface. Also draw x,y,z axes with logarithmically scaled tickmarks starting from the origin.
3) Cut out a big quarter slice of the whole sphere so that we can see its inside. Like this:
https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800/2019/magnetismdis.jpg
4) Apply a rotation to each layer, with the outermost layer completing a cycle in "1" unit time while the innermost layer completes a cycle in "e" (= 2.7) unit time.
5) Superpose on this first sphere a likewise onion layered second but Euclidean sphere. The latter's axes' tickmarks should be of a linear scale. Cut out too its quarter slice from some other angle to show its inside. Also apply uniform rotation to all its layers in similar fashion.
A:
This should take care of your first and third requirements. I do not understand the others well, so I might wait for clarification.
SphericalPlot3D[
Evaluate[E^Range[0, 1, 0.2]],
{θ, 0, 3 Pi/2}, {ϕ, 0, 3 Pi/2}
]
| |
How do you extract data from a text file in Python?
How to extract specific portions of a text file using Python
- Make sure you’re using Python 3.
- Reading data from a text file.
- Using “with open”
- Reading text files line-by-line.
- Storing text data in a variable.
- Searching text for a substring.
- Incorporating regular expressions.
- Putting it all together.
How do you store a text file in a variable in Python?
Here are the steps to read file into string in python.
- Open the file in read mode using open() method and store it in variable named file.
- Call read() function on file variable and store it into string variable countriesStr .
- print countriesStr variable.
How do I save a variable in Python?
Use string formatting to write a variable to file Use open(file, mode) with the pathname of a file as file and mode as “w” to open the file for writing. Call file. write(data) with data as the string formats “%s %d” followed by % and a tuple containing a string of the variable name, and the variable. Use file.
How do you read and save a variable in Python?
We have 6 modes in python:
- Read-only (‘r’): It only opens text files for reading.
- Write only (‘w’): It opens the file for writing.
- Read and Write (‘r+’): It opens the file for reading and writing.
- Write and read (‘w+’): It opens the file for reading and writing.
- Append only (‘a’): It opens the file for writing.
How do you write a variable in Python?
Rules for creating variables in Python:
- A variable name must start with a letter or the underscore character.
- A variable name cannot start with a number.
- A variable name can only contain alpha-numeric characters and underscores (A-z, 0-9, and _ ).
What is variable Python example?
A Python variable is a reserved memory location to store values. In other words, a variable in a python program gives data to the computer for processing.
What is a variable with example?
In mathematics, a variable is a symbol or letter, such as “x” or “y,” that represents a value. For example, a variable of the string data type may contain a value of “sample text” while a variable of the integer data type may contain a value of “11”.
What type of variable is age?
Mondal suggests that age can be viewed as a discrete variable because it is commonly expressed as an integer in units of years with no decimal to indicate days and presumably, hours, minutes, and seconds.
What are the two main types of variables?
Discrete and continuous variables are two types of quantitative variables:
- Discrete variables represent counts (e.g. the number of objects in a collection).
- Continuous variables represent measurable amounts (e.g. water volume or weight).
What kind of variable is behavior?
An ordinal variable is a categorical variable for which the possible categories can be placed in a specific order or in some ‘natural’ way. In Table 2, the variable ‘behaviour’ is ordinal because the category ‘Excellent’ is better than the category ‘Very good’, etc.
What kind of variable is income?
For example, income is a variable that can be recorded on an ordinal or a ratio scale: At an ordinal level, you could create 5 income groupings and code the incomes that fall within them from 1–5. At a ratio level, you would record exact numbers for income.
What type of variable is occupation?
Occupation is a priority 3 variable. Priority 3 variables do not fit in directly with the main purpose of a census but are still important to certain groups. These variables are given third priority in terms of quality, time, and resources across all phases of a census.
What are different types of variable?
Types of variables
- Independent variables. An independent variable is a singular characteristic that the other variables in your experiment cannot change.
- Dependent variables.
- Intervening variables.
- Moderating variables.
- Control variables.
- Extraneous variables.
- Quantitative variables.
- Qualitative variables.
Is age group a nominal variable?
Is Age Nominal or Ordinal Data? Age can be both nominal and ordinal data depending on the question types. I.e “How old are you” is a used to collect nominal data while “Are you the first born or What position are you in your family” is used to collect ordinal data.
What type of variable is gender?
categorical variable
How do you identify categorical variables?
3 Answers. You could say that some variables are categorical or treat them as categorical by the length of their unique values. For instance if a variable has only unique values [-2,4,56] you could treat this variable as categorical. Every unique value in every variable treated as categorical will create a new column.
What type of variable is birth month?
1 Expert Answer. Since there are exactly 12 possible birth months, it is discrete, and can be categorical. It is qualitative, as it describes an attribute or quality of the subject, namely the birth month.
What type of variable is siblings?
The number of siblings and student height represent numerical variables. Because the number of siblings is a count, it is discrete. Height varies continuously, so it is a continuous numerical variable.
Is birth month an ordinal variable?
Month should be considered qualitative nominal data. With years, saying an event took place before or after a given year has meaning on its own. There is no doubt that a clear order is followed in which given two years you can say with certainty, which year precedes which. As for months, on their own, you cannot.
What kind of variable is birth order?
Independent Variable
What type of variable is favorite food?
nominal
What kind of variable is height?
Age, Weight, and Height are quantitative variables.
Is birth order qualitative or quantitative?
Birth order is a categorical variable as it categorizes the students into order of birth in their respective families. Verbal SAT and Math SAT are both numerical variables as they measure the quantitative value of their scores on the SAT.
Is a date qualitative or quantitative?
According to Yale: Categorical variables represent types of data which may be divided into groups (Lacey M, 1997) To me, dates do not fit this definition. They are ordinal, as one date is bigger than the date before it. It is also quantitative as it can added, subtracted…etc.
Is age group qualitative or quantitative?
Examples of quantitative characteristics are age, BMI, creatinine, and time from birth to death. Examples of qualitative characteristics are gender, race, genotype and vital status. Qualitative variables are also called categorical variables.
What are examples of interval variables?
An interval scale is one where there is order and the difference between two values is meaningful. Examples of interval variables include: temperature (Farenheit), temperature (Celcius), pH, SAT score (200-800), credit score (300-850). | https://quick-adviser.com/how-do-you-extract-data-from-a-text-file-in-python/ |
Despite anchor store closings, Greendale's Southridge Mall is far from struggling
With three of its five anchor stores gone, visitors to Southridge in Greendale might expect to see an empty mall dotted with vacant stores like missing teeth.
Not so.
About 6 p.m. on a recent Thursday evening, stores with signs shining bright were lined up pretty much shoulder to shoulder upstairs and down, with few vacancies to be found. A fair number of shoppers buzzed about, carrying bags of purchases.
Business seemed to be steady at the food court, although there were no lines. All the restaurant slots were filled.
Southridge seemed just a hair less busy than Mayfair did on the Thursday evening a week later.
Concern about Southridge arose as three of the five anchor stores closed in the last year and a half. Those anchors were Sears, Kohl's and Boston Store. Also, the closings of the children's clothing store Gymboree and the outdoor and casual clothing store Eddie Bauer were announced in January. The Gymboree closing was part of a national store closing.
Wistful and worried
Despite the seemingly fine mall experience visitors seemed to be having, a number of shoppers said wistfully that Southridge isn't what it used to be.
"It doesn't seem like there are as many people here," said Cindy Krug of Greenfield, who has shopped Southridge for several years. There seem to be fewer people not only on weekdays, but even on the weekends, she said.
"I'm worried about it," Krug said.
Many said they miss the big three, especially Boston Store.
Macy's is still at Southridge, and Judy Holmes of Greenfield loves it. But now she usually goes to the Macy's at Mayfair, instead.
"Because the other big stores are there," she said.
Not quite right
On this evening, Araseli Perez of Milwaukee, who describes herself as "forever at the mall," was looking for a prom dress for her daughter. She would normally have gone to Boston Store. Macy's has prom dresses, but they are not what she's looking for, Perez said.
"Now, I will go online. I'm considering going to Chicago," she said.
Nancy Day, who used to live in Greenfield and now lives in Waukesha County, said she used to shop a lot at Boston Store. Now she generally fulfills her needs at stores outside of malls, she said.
Still, there appears to be much to love at Southridge.
"I think it feels great. I like it," said Louise Barton of West Allis.
Stores' view
Even if mall traffic is lower, as some shoppers say, the staff at three stores said they haven't noticed any difference in traffic since the big three closed. They said they were doing fine.
Admittedly, stores are loath to acknowledge sales being down, but Rogers & Hollands Jewelers reported doing a booming business.
"We increased quite a bit from last year," said manager Ay-ling Lunsford.
Kay Jewelers, a little way down the mall, also was serving customers that Thursday evening.
Perhaps shoppers who always liked the smaller and specialty shops still patronize them, although missing the big stores.
Eateries, entertainment?
When asked if Southridge should follow the lead of other malls and get more entertainment and restaurants, a common reply from shoppers was that they should add more big stores.
Brookfield Square and Bay Shore malls have both turned to entertainment and restaurants to make visiting the malls more of an entertainment experience.
However, Holmes of Greenfield said, there are plenty of restaurants on 76th Street and at the new 84South shopping center.
"It would be nice to have big stores," she said.
RELATED:Wisconsin's first WhirlyBall entertainment center, restaurant could be coming soon to Brookfield Square
RELATED:Store closings at Bayshore don't reflect ill on shopping center, operator says
"Get a store to replace Boston Store," said Day of Waukesha County.
Southridge doesn't need restaurants or entertainment, said Krug of Greenfield.
"If I want to eat, I'll go to the food court, or a restaurant or home," she said with a laugh. What it needs are stores like the ones that closed, she said, adding that she hopes the soon-to-open clothing retailer T.J. Maxx will fill in some of the gap Kohl's left.
Mall additions
In addition to T.J. Maxx coming soon to Southridge, a combined Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy store has already opened in part of what was once Sears. Round 1 Entertainment amusement and bowling center was slated to hold a grand opening Feb. 2 in another part of the former Sears. Its offerings also will include karaoke, arcade games, food, pool and pingpong.
And while in some shoppers' minds, getting big stores should top the mall's to-do list, others applauded more entertainment coming.
"The movie theater has helped," Ivan Barton of West Alis said of the BistroPlex In-Theatre Dining Cinema at Southridge. "Dick's and the bowling alley will make a big difference," he predicted.
The new entertainment options will give her 14-year-old son something to do when she takes him to the mall, said Perez of Milwaukee.
Already, young people can be seen at Southridge in abundance. But unlike at some other malls, they have been respectful by and large.
"I think they're well-behaved," said Louise Barton of West Allis.
Serving needs?
Southridge still serves most needs, the Thursday evening shoppers tended to confirm.
"The stores that we go to all the time are still here," said Christian Reyes of Milwaukee. He has shopped at Southridge with his family for many years, he said.
Ivan Barton said he doesn't miss the big stores, either.
"Once the kids got older, we didn't shop the big stores, more the smaller ones," he said.
That experience was echoed by Krug.
"I don't do as much shopping as I used to," she said But she said, "I still look at Penney's and Macy's."
There are new things on the horizon for Southridge, said Mary Mokwa, mall general manager, in a prepared statement.
“We are currently working on a number of new and exciting additions that we hope to announce soon."
"It’s important to recognize that the retail landscape is evolving, and the closing and opening of stores is part of that evolution. Any change in the marketplace allows Southridge Mall the opportunity to add fresh and relevant new retail, dining and entertainment options that will better serve the Milwaukee community," Mokwa said. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/greendale/2019/01/29/despite-store-closings-greendales-southridge-mall-far-stricken/2607290002/ |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 099125589, filed on Aug. 2, 2010.
1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a color correction technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
In chromatology, different kinds of coordinate models are available for analysis of images. For example, a HSI color model is described using three coordinate components: hue, saturation, and intensity. Since the saturation component is a separate component in the HSI color model, a saturation degree of an image may be adjusted directly for achieving a desired color effect.
However, a RGB color model currently adopted as an image storage format needs to be transformed into the HSI color model through a nonlinear transformation process for saturation adjustment. Moreover, after the saturation adjustment, the image of the HSI color model further needs to be nonlinearly inverse-transformed back into the RGB color model. The aforementioned nonlinear transformation processes are relatively complicated and require high circuit costs for implementation.
For reducing calculations, another conventional technique for saturation adjusting involves processing an image of a YCbCr color model that is another commonly used image storage format and that may be linearly transformed into the RGB color model using matrix operations. The YCbCr color model is described using three coordinate components: luma Y, first chroma Cb, and second chroma Cr. Since the first and second chromas Cb, Cr affect a saturation degree of the image, the first and second chromas Cb, Cr are scaled by multiplying with a scaling factor (sy) for adjusting the saturation degree of the image.
Nevertheless, the luma Y in the YCbCr model is not capable of adequately representing an intensity degree of the image, such that the first and second chromas Cb, Cr also contain part of the intensity degree of the image. Thus, when the first and second chromas Cb, Cr are scaled-up for increasing the saturation degree, the intensity degree is also increased simultaneously, so that the image becomes blurry because of over brightness in details. Furthermore, a hue degree of the image deviates because the first and second chromes Cb, Cr in the YCbCr model have a nonlinear transformation relation with the hue component in the HSI model. Thus, the image may not maintain the original hue degree by merely scaling the first and second chromas Cb, Cr.
Therefore, a first object of the disclosure is to provide a saturation adjusting apparatus and a method thereof capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
A second object of the disclosure is to provide a saturation adjusting apparatus and a method thereof capable of protecting image details.
A third object of the disclosure is to provide a saturation adjusting apparatus and a method thereof capable of controlling deviation in hue degree effectively.
A fourth object of the disclosure is to provide a saturation adjusting apparatus and a method thereof capable of saving circuit costs.
A saturation adjusting apparatus and method thereof of the disclosure are applied directly to a RGB color model for saving circuit costs effectively. The saturation adjusting apparatus and method thereof are capable of adjusting a saturation degree of an image while maintaining an intensity value of the image.
FIG. 1
600
Referring to , an embodiment of the saturation adjusting apparatus of the disclosure is adapted for processing an image signal including a plurality of pixels of the RGB color model, each of the pixels having three color components: r, g, and b. Each of the color components has a value falling within a range defined by upper and lower extreme values, i.e., 255 to 0.
61
62
63
The preferred embodiment of the saturation adjusting apparatus includes an extreme value controller , a saturation controller , and a component adjuster .
61
61
614
611
612
613
614
max
min
The extreme value controller determines a maximum extreme value threshold (TH) and a minimum extreme value threshold (TH) for ensuring that the values of the color components of each of the pixels after undergoing linear color correction processing based on a correction indicator (sa) fall within the range defined by the upper and lower extreme values, i.e., between 255 and 0. The extreme value controller includes an intensity value calculator , a component comparator , a maximum threshold generator , and a minimum threshold generator . The intensity value calculator calculates an intensity value I of each pixel equivalent to an average value of the three color components r, g, b thereof according to the following equation:
I=
r+g+b
()/3.
611
612
614
611
max
min
max
max
The component comparator chooses one of the color components having a maximum value Pand one of the color components having a minimum value Pfrom the three color components r, g, b of each pixel. The maximum threshold generator determines the maximum extreme value threshold THfrom the intensity value I obtained by the intensity value calculator and the color component with the maximum value Pchosen by the component comparator such that the values of the color components of each pixel after undergoing the linear color correction processing do not exceed the upper extreme value of 255, according to the following inequality:
P
P
−I
sa≦
max
max
∵+()×255
sa
P
P
−I
max
max
max
∴≦TH=(255−)/().
613
614
611
min
min
The minimum threshold generator determines the minimum extreme value threshold THfrom the intensity value I obtained by the intensity value calculator and the color component with the minimum value Pchosen by the component comparator such that the values of the color components of each pixel after undergoing the linear color correction processing are not smaller than the lower extreme value of 0, according to the following inequality:
P
P
−I
sa≧
min
min
∵+()×0
sa
=P
I−P
min
min
min
∴≦TH/().
max
min
max
min
max
min
612
613
FIG. 3
in which, since the intensity value I represents the average value of the three color components r, g, b of the pixel and each of the three color components r, g, b falls within a range from 0 to 255, the maximum and minimum extreme value thresholds TH. THare both greater than or equal to 0. Moreover, in this embodiment, the maximum and minimum threshold generators , are implemented using subtractors SUB and dividers DIV, as best shown in . Only the maximum value Pand the minimum value Pare limited because the greater the color component, the greater an adjusted color component will be, and the smaller the color component, the smaller the adjusted color component will be after undergoing the linear color correction processing. Thus, by ensuring that the adjusted color components corresponding to the maximum value Pand the minimum value Pfall within the range from 255 to 0, the remaining one of the color components will fall within the range from 0 to 255 so that an adjusted pixel may conform with the RGB color model format, while the intensity value I of the adjusted pixel is maintained.
62
62
62
621
622
621
622
The saturation controller calculates a retarding saturation signal, which is capable of retarding a variation rate of the saturation degree during the color correction processing, for each pixel based on an external saturation setting. Moreover, the image signal may carry images including a plurality of pixels, and the saturation controller processes pixels in the same image by using the same saturation setting. Since the RGB color model and the HSI color model have a nonlinear transformation relation, the saturation degree of the pixel may increase nonlinearly during the color correction processing as the correction indicator (sa) increases, especially when the correction indicator (sa) increases positively. In other words, after undergoing the color correction processing, the adjusted pixel may change from an under-saturated state to an over-saturated state as a result of a slight increase in the correction indicator (sa), such that the effect of an expected saturation degree is hard to achieve. Therefore, the retarding saturation signal is calculated for limiting the correction indicator (sa). The saturation controller includes a color tone calculator and a multiplier . The color tone calculator is for calculating a color tone signal that has a value smaller than or equal to 1 and that is indicative of the saturation degree of the pixel according to the values of the three color components r, g, b of the pixel. The multiplier is for multiplying the color tone signal by the saturation setting to obtain the retarding saturation signal. Since the color tone signal is smaller than or equal to 1, the retarding saturation signal may not exceed the saturation setting.
In this embodiment, the color tone signal is the saturation component in the HSI color model. Therefore, according to the following equation:
r,g,b
I,
saturation degree=1−min()/
621
min
the color tone calculator includes a divider for dividing the minimum value Pof the color components of the pixel by the intensity value I of the pixel to obtain a quotient result; and a subtractor for subtracting the quotient result from the divider from a predetermined number to obtain the color tone signal. In this embodiment, the predetermined number is equal to 1.
700
721
72
721
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
max
min
Another preferred embodiment of the saturation adjusting device of the present invention is illustrated in . This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in the configuration of the color tone calculator of the saturation controller , which calculates the color tone signal capable of representing the saturation degree of the pixel. Referring to , the color tone calculator includes: a subtractor SUB for calculating a difference between the maximum value Pof the color components of the pixel and the minimum value Pof the color components of the pixel to obtain a difference result; a shifter SHF for obtaining a quotient resulting from division of the difference result from the subtractor SUB by a predetermined value (in this embodiment, the predetermined value is equal to 64); and a limiter LMT for setting the color tone signal to be equal to a preset number if the quotient from the shifter SHF is greater than a threshold, and to be equal to the quotient if the quotient from the shifter SHF is not greater than the threshold. In this embodiment, the preset number is equal to 1, and the threshold is equal to 1. The color tone signal represents the saturation degree by using a maximum difference value of the three color components r, g, b.
63
631
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631
631
632
max
min
max
min
max
min
The component adjuster includes a decision-making unit and a color corrector . The decision-making unit is for choosing the correction indicator (sa) from a group of values. In this embodiment, the group includes the maximum extreme value threshold TH, the minimum extreme value threshold TH, the retarding saturation signal, and the saturation setting. Specifically, the decision-making unit is configured for choosing a smallest one of the maximum extreme value threshold THthe minimum extreme value threshold THand the retarding saturation signal as the correction indicator (sa) if the saturation setting is greater than 0, and for choosing the saturation setting as the correction indicator (sa) if the saturation setting is not greater than 0. When the saturation setting is not greater than 0, the maximum and minimum extreme value thresholds TH, THare not considered for the correction indicator (sa) because both of the thresholds are not smaller than 0 and are greater than the saturation setting, and the retarding saturation signal is not considered for the saturation setting while the correction indicator (sa) increases negatively because the saturation degree varies slowly such that retarding the variation rate is unnecessary. The color corrector is for performing the linear color correction processing on the three color components r, g, b of the pixel using the correction indicator (sa). The color correction processing is performed according to the following equations:
R=r+
r−I
sa,
()×
G=g+
g−I
sa
()×, and
B=b+
b−I
sa,
()×
in which R, G, and B represent corrected color components, I represents the intensity value, and sa represents the correction indicator.
FIG. 3
632
Referring to , the color corrector for implementing the color correction processing includes: a subtractor SUB for subtracting the intensity value I of the pixel from the value of each of the three color components of the pixel, thereby obtaining three difference values that correspond to the three color components r, g, b, respectively; a multiplier MUL for multiplying each of the difference values by the correction indicator (sa) to obtain three product values that correspond to the three color components r, g, b, respectively; and an adder ADD for adding each of the product values and the value of a respective one of the three color components, thereby obtaining values of the corrected color components R, G, B of the pixel.
FIG. 2
Referring to , a preferred embodiment of the saturation adjusting method of the present invention is illustrated. The saturation adjusting method is for processing a pixel of a RGB color model, and the pixel has three color components r, g, b. Each of the three color components r, g, b has a value falling within a range defined by upper and lower extreme values, i.e., 255 to 0. The saturation adjusting method includes:
81
81
max
min
811
) calculating an intensity value I of the pixel based on the values of the three color components r, g, b thereof,
812
max
min
) choosing one of the color components having a maximum value Pand one of the color components having a minimum value Pfrom the three color components r, g, b of the pixel,
813
811
812
max
max
) determining the maximum extreme value threshold THfrom the intensity value I obtained in sub-step ) and the color component with the maximum value Fchosen in sub-step ) such that the values of the color components of the pixel after undergoing the linear color correction processing do not exceed the upper extreme value of 255, and
814
811
812
min
min
) determining the minimum extreme value threshold THfrom the intensity value I obtained in sub-step ) and the color component with the minimum value Pchosen in sub-step ) such that the values of the color components of the pixel after undergoing the linear color correction processing are not smaller than the lower extreme value of 0;
) determining a maximum extreme value threshold THand a minimum extreme value threshold THfor ensuring that the values of the color components of the pixel after undergoing linear color correction processing based on a correction indicator (sa) fall within the range defined by the upper and lower extreme values, 255 and 0, wherein, step ) includes:
82
82
821
) calculating a color tone signal indicative of the saturation degree of the pixel according to the values of the three color components r, g, b of the pixel, and
822
) multiplying the color tone signal by the saturation setting to obtain the retarding saturation signal; and
) calculating a retarding saturation signal, which is capable of retarding a variation rate of a saturation degree of the pixel during the color correction processing, for the pixel based on an external saturation setting, wherein step ) includes:
83
83
max
min
831
max
min
) choosing a smallest one of the maximum extreme value threshold TH, the minimum extreme value threshold TH, and the retarding saturation signal as the correction indicator (sa) if the saturation setting is greater than 0; and choosing the saturation setting as the correction indicator (sa) if the saturation setting is not greater than 0, and
832
) performing the color correction processing on the three color components r, g, b to obtain values of the corrected color components of the pixel.
) choosing the correction indicator (sa) from a group of values based on the saturation setting, the group including the maximum extreme value threshold TH, the minimum extreme value threshold TH, the retarding saturation signal, and the saturation setting; and performing the linear color correction processing on the three color components r, g, b of the pixel using the correction indicator (sa), wherein step ) includes:
A standard 24-color card is adopted as a standard for analyzing performances of the present invention and the conventional technique objectively based on the saturation and intensity in the HSI color model. Since the RGB color model and the HSI color model have the nonlinear transformation relation, a hue degree of the image may deviate slightly when the saturation degree of the pixel of the RGB color model is adjusted linearly and the intensity value is maintained in the present invention.
For example, in Table 1, a scaling factor (sy)=0.3 adopted by the conventional technique based on a YCbCr color model, and the saturation setting (cmd)=0.8 adopted by the present disclosure based on the RGB color model are illustrated in expectation that the saturation degree in the HSI color model increases 0.17 times. In this situation, the hue degree deviates both in the conventional technique and the present disclosure.
TABLE 1
Saturation
Scaling
Average
Maximum
degree
factor (sy)/
error in
error in
increment
Adjusting
saturation
hue degree
hue degree
multiple
technique
setting (cmd)
[0, π]
[0, π]
0.17
Conventional
sy = 0.3
0.0081
0.0296
technique
Present
cmd = 0.8
0.0053
0.0147
disclosure
0.25
Conventional
sy = 0.49
0.0131
0.0467
technique
Present
cmd = 1.4
0.0037
0.0132
disclosure
0.32
Conventional
sy = 0.7
0.0139
0.0608
technique
Present
cmd = 2.0
0.0050
0.0116
disclosure
0.40
Conventional
sy = 0.95
0.0198
0.0744
technique
Present
cmd = 3.0
0.0029
0.0088
disclosure
However, compared with the conventional technique, errors in hue degree are much smaller in the present disclosure with the same saturation degree increment multiple. Moreover, the errors in hue degree may not increase with the saturation degree increment multiples. Therefore, it is evident from Table 1 that the present disclosure adopting the simple linear color correction processing may adjust the saturation degree of the pixel and control deviation in the hue degree.
600
700
max
min
In summary, the embodiments of the saturation adjusting apparatus , and method thereof may determine the maximum and minimum extreme value thresholds TH, THto constrain the correction indicator (sa) for protection of image details. Furthermore, the retarding saturation signal is calculated according to the color tone signal to retard the variation rate of the saturation degree during the color correction processing for achieving the expected saturation degree when the saturation setting is greater than 0. Since the aforementioned adjustments are all based on linear mathematical operations, the disclosure incurs relatively low circuit costs.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1
is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the saturation adjusting apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the saturation adjusting method of the present invention; and
FIG. 3
is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the saturation adjusting apparatus of the disclosure. | |
Ipsos, an international research company, conducted the study “Facts and Myths” for the second time. Nutrition and health of Poles in the international context. “The research was carried out in Poland, Sweden, Belgium, the USA and Canada. Similarly to last year, Poles turned out to be the most complaining about health. However, we are still “quite satisfied with our diet. Compared to last year’s survey, the percentage of people who express the need for a calmer life has risen in Poland. At the same time, compared to last year, the number of people spending free time in front of the TV has increased.
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Here you can find vitamins and minerals – CLICK
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Nutrition
The vast majority of Poles are good at assessing their diet of 65%. he thinks he’s eating “quite healthy. The basis for healthy eating in Poland is the regular consumption of three meals a day and eating various dishes.
What, in the first place, do you think is healthy eating?
50% – Regular consumption of 3 meals a day
38% – Eating various dishes
30% – Observing the pyramid of healthy food
25% – Consumption of food and low-calorie products
19% – Eating 4-5 smaller meals during the day
13% – Eating what you currently have an appetite for
10% – Eating products from stores with healthy and organic food
4% – Other
11% – I do not know, I’m not interested
Percentages do not add up to 100, because respondents could give more than one answer
Almost all Poles (97 percent) eat meat, of which 4 percent. they do not eat only certain kinds of meat. However, in this year’s study, 12 percent people declared limiting the consumption of one type of meat during the last year. Most often, we fry meat in a frying pan (38%), and oil is our favorite fat, although popularity is gained by the non-fat method (eg teflon frying pans).
Between meals Poles most often eat fruit, which is a rule in other countries studied (research was carried out in the summer). Visibly more often than in other countries studied, between meals Poles eat sandwiches, as well as buns, donuts and cakes. Consumers in the USA, Canada and Belgium are reaching for salty snacks crisps, breadsticks or crackers.
It is noteworthy that relatively often Poles drink alcoholic beverages between meals (mainly beer). Drinking alcoholic beverages between meals is declared by as much as 10%. surveyed in Poland, while in the US and Canada this percentage does not exceed 3 percent.
In comparison with other surveyed societies, Poles are least interested in buying products with clear health benefits, such as products with high fiber content, whole grains, low sugar, low fat, low calorie, low carbohydrates or containing Omega 3 acids Interest in the so-called only a few percent of consumers in Poland declare organic food.
Changes in the way of eating
Information provided by the media regarding healthy nutrition exert a certain influence on Polish consumers almost 40 percent. the respondents declare changes in their nutrition during the last six months, consisting in either limiting the consumption of unhealthy products or introducing new, healthier products into the diet.
Thinking about the last six months, what was the biggest change in your eating habits?
60% – Nothing has changed
15% – I eat less and limit eating unhealthy foods
13% – I am introducing new products to my diet
8% – I eat more fruit
4% – I eat more and drink hot drinks
4% – I eat healthy, regularly, rationally
2% – I do not know
However, if we compare these data with the results from the USA and Canada, Poles appear to be very conservative. In the US about 76 percent of changes in nutrition over the last year. consumers, and 60% in Canada Americans most often declare drinking more water, eating more vegetables and changing meal times, Canadians in the first place mention the increase in vegetable consumption.
Body weight
In comparison with other countries studied (USA, Canada, Belgium and Sweden), Poland has the highest percentage of people who consider their body mass (68% of respondents in Poland think so), and the weight of children is very positive. Meanwhile, according to the calculated BMI (calculated on the basis of the declared weight and height), in Poland the actual percentage of overweight people is comparable to other countries surveyed (it is about 30% in all countries covered by the study). In comparison with the other countries surveyed, there is clearly a lower percentage of obese people in Poland (9%, in the remaining countries surveyed, around 20%).
Health
At the same time, Poles – in comparison with other societies covered by the survey – are least satisfied with their state of health. 42 percent population assesses their health status as good, while in all other countries studied this percentage is at least 46%. Men are more satisfied with their health (48%) than women (36%), which is probably related to greater care and attention of women for their health and more frequent visits to doctors.
When asked about diseases that are problems in Poland, we first mention cancer, heart and circulatory diseases, and AIDS. Fewer people consider hypertension, diabetes or tobacco-related diseases to be a significant threat to health, despite the fact that these ailments contribute to more deaths in Poland than AIDS. Compared to last year, clearly more people mention the problem of obesity in adults, high cholesterol, obesity in children, osteoporosis, depression, bulimia and anorexia, and food allergies.
As in the previous study, compared to the residents of other countries surveyed, Poles have the least confidence in doctors only 39 percent. He fully trusts his doctor and believes that he makes the best decisions for the patient’s health. | https://www.weight-loss-labs.com/facts-and-myths-nutrition-and-health-of-poles/ |
London and the home-standing British athletes stood out at the 2012 Olympics but the spotlight was grabbed by Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt.
The Games returned to London for the first time since 1948 (the third time overall) and opened with a stunning "Isles of Wonder" ceremony that celebrated the Industrial Revolution, literature, popular music and even the British healthcare system.
It also featured a film in which actor Daniel Craig, reprising his James Bond persona, escorted Queen Elizabeth II to the Olympic Stadium via helicopter with the queen appearing to parachute to the venue before formally opening the Games.
Nearly as stunning -- and certainly more important -- the parade of athletes at the Opening Ceremonies included for the first time female competitors from Brunei, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The British athletes ended up fourth in the medal standings with 65 total. Their 29 gold medals were third most.
The Games were in their fifth day before Britain broke through with its first gold when Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the women's coxless pair in rowing and Bradley Wiggins took the men's cycling time trial. There were three more gold medals the next day and three more after that. Aug. 4 saw Britons win six gold medals.
On Aug. 5, Andy Murray defeated Roger Federer at Wimbledon -- the two had met a few weeks earlier for the Wimbledon Championships title -- and won the men's singles tennis gold.
Murray teamed with Laura Robson and ended up with silver in mixed doubles.
Alistair Brownlee and his brother Jonathan placed first and third, respectively, in the triathlon.
Five Britons were double gold winners. Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny and Laura Trott each won twice in cycling while Charlotte Dujardin claimed two dressage golds and Mo Farah won the men's 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter runs.
In the shorter races, Bolt was the dominant force. The Jamaican runner repeated, matching his medal count in 2008 Beijing, as champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes along with the 400-meter relay.
His time of 9.63 seconds in the 100 at London set an Olympic record (but slower than his world record of 9.572). It was the first time since 1988 a sprinter repeated as Olympic champion.
His 200 time was 19.32 -- again behind his world record of 19.19 -- as he became the first man to win the 100 and 200 in consecutive Olympics.
He capped his Games in the 400-meter relay, teaming with Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake for a world-record time of 36.84 seconds.
Bolt was one of four athletes to win three gold medals in London. The others were swimmers Allison Schmitt and Dana Vollmer and runner Allyson Felix -- all Americans. Missy Franklin, another U.S. swimmer, won four golds and a bronze. Schmitt added a silver and a bronze to her achievements, giving her five medals overall. U.S. male swimmer Ryan Lochte had two golds, two silver and a bronze and Australian female swimmer Alicia Coutts (one gold, three silver and one bronze), also won five medals.
Then there is Phelps. He matched Franklin's four golds for most the most of the 2012 Games and had a pair of silver medals for six medals overall.
That gave him a record-setting 18 gold, two silver and two bronze medals over three Olympics, passing Soviet-era gymnast Larisa Latynina, who collected 18 medals over 1956-64. Latynina; Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn" from the 1920-28 Games; U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz (1968-72); and U.S. track star Carl Lewis (1984-96) are tied for second most Olympic gold medals with nine -- half of Phelps' total.
In 2012, Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter medley and was on the winning 800-meter freestyle and 400-meter medley relay teams. He was second in the 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter freestyle relay.
Phelps was presented with a special silver trophy by Julio Maglione, the president of FINA, the international swimming federation, in recognition of his Olympic accomplishments.
The most dominating showing in the Games was by U.S. basketball teams. The men, whose lineup included Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and LeBron James, won their five qualifying games by a combined 191 points. Only the 107-100 gold medal game with Spain could be considered close.
Anthony Davis played in seven games but every other player for Coach Mike Krzyzewski appeared in all eight games. Durant's 19.5 point average topped the Americans but four others averaged double figures.
It was their fifth gold in six Games and 14th in the 18 Olympics that have featured basketball.
The American women, with Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi and Tina Charles, were a plus-183 in their five qualifying games and defeated France by 43 points in the gold medal game. It was their fifth consecutive gold medal. Coach Geno Auriemma had 12 women on the team and all but two averaged at least six points a game. Taurasi led the team with a 12.4 scoring average.
Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor of the United States won their third consecutive women's beach volleyball golds, beating Americans April Ross and Jennifer Kessy in the final.
Serena Williams was a double gold medalist, sweeping through the singles field for that title and teaming with sister Venus for a third women's doubles gold. (Venus Williams won the singles gold in 2000).
The Chinese men took the team gold medal in gymnastics with Japan second and Great Britain taking the bronze. Japan's Kohei Uchimura, the silver medalist in 2008, won the all-around gold.
American Gabby Douglas won the women's individual all-around and was on a strong U.S. group that took the team gold. Russia was second and Romania third in the team standings.
One of the oddest controversies of the Games was the disqualification of four teams, including world champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang of China, in women's badminton doubles for not delivering best efforts. Those teams determined they would have better knockout-round draws if they lost certain round-robin matches. Fans booed when two teams squared off and each was obviously trying to lose.
The United States ended up with the most medals -- 104 -- and the most golds -- 46. China was second with 38 gold medals and 88 overall. Russia totaled 82 medals (24 golds), followed by Great Britain (29 gold, 85 total) and Germany (11 gold, 44 total).
Medals were won by athletes from 85 of the 204 competing countries. That includes Bahrain, Botswana, Cyprus, Gabon, Grenada, Guatemala and Montenegro, which each picked up their first Olympic medals.
At the closing ceremony the Olympic flag was symbolically passed to Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes. Brazil is the host country for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, Aug 5-21, 2016. Before that, the Winter Olympics will be contested February 2014 in Sochi, Russia. | https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2012/12/20/The-Year-in-Review-2012-London-Phelps-Bolt-star-at-Olympics/30111355994060/ |
CROSS REFERENCE
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Discovery
2. Background Information
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Equivalent:
This application incorporates its entirety and claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62800013 filed on Feb. 1, 2019.
The present disclosure relates generally to a deck of playing cards comprising double-valued cards and methods of making the same.
The standard 52-card deck is the most common deck of playing cards used today. Each of the cards has only one value that includes four suits: clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥), and spades (), and each suit consisting of thirteen ranks from 2 through A (ace). The standard playing cards have been known to use for card games for hundreds of years. Many card games are popular and well loved by the general public.
From time to time, some changes of playing and/or betting rules of games have appeared and have been adapted to increase thrills of the games.
One alteration of the standard deck has been to provide a set of cards in which each individual card represents more than one value, as indicated on its face. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 821,781 to Cadwallader discloses a set of cards with two values on the face of each individual card, and from which one value may be selected for play as desired by the player. U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,358 to Hancock discloses a deck of 52 cards wherein 48 cards are configured as double-valued cards having two zones with each zone assigned a card value ranging from three through ace configured such that the card value in one zone is distinctly different from the card value in the other zone.
However, neither Cadwallader nor Hancock disclose how each deck was produced or any additional limitations in setting the values of each card in a specific deck.
In addition, a manufacture tends to produce uniform decks of the playing cards with the same set of values, regardless single or double card values, to minimize the manufacture cost. However, such limitation would create predictability, decrease versatility, and increase the opportunity for a player to perform card counting.
The present disclosure provides decks of the double-valued playing cards, and methods of making the same. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, and each double-valued playing card contains two values; wherein the first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck, and each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once; the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck, and each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once. Because each value of the double-valued card is selected from a different deck, the possible combinations of each deck of double-valued playing cards is enormous. When the first value and/or the second value are/is randomly selected from its corresponding deck, it is highly likely that no two decks of double-valued playing cards are identical and each deck is virtually unique.
In one embodiment, the first single-valued playing card deck is identical to the second single-valued playing card deck. In yet another embodiment, both the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck are consisting of four suits: clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥), and spades (), and each suit consisting of thirteen ranks from 2 through A (ace).
In one embodiment, there is no two double-valued playing cards that are identical.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein one value is positioned on the upper left-hand corner of the playing card, the other value is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein the first value is positioned on the upper left-hand corner of the playing card, the second value is positioned below the first value on the upper left-hand corner of the playing card, the second value is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card, and the first value is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card on top of the second value that is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein the first value is randomly selected from a group consisting of a first single-valued playing card deck, or the second value is randomly selected from a group consisting of a second single-valued playing card deck, or both the first value and the second value are randomly selected from their corresponding decks.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein the fixed number of double-valued playing cards is 52.
In one specific aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein the fixed number of double-valued playing cards is 52, there is no two double-valued playing cards that are identical, and the first value is randomly selected from a first single-valued playing card deck, or the second value is randomly selected from a second single-valued playing card deck, or both the first value and the second value are randomly selected from their corresponding decks.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards that is visually the same as a deck of the playing cards but comprises 104 values out of which two values instead of one displaying on the face of each card. Each value, that includes one of thirteen ranks from 2 through A (ace) and each of the four suits: clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥) and spades (), appears two times in a single deck.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of cards of which each card is formed with the values of two cards that are separately drawn from two identical single-valued decks of playing cards. Therefore, each deck of the present invention uniquely comprises values of two decks of playing cards.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of cards of which each card is formed with the values of two cards that are separately drawn from two different single-valued decks of playing cards. Therefore, each deck of the present invention uniquely comprises values of two decks of playing cards.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of cards of which each card is formed with the values of two cards that are separately and randomly drawn from two different single-valued decks of playing cards. Therefore, each deck of the present invention uniquely comprises values of two decks of playing cards.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of cards of which each card is formed with the values of two cards that are separately and randomly drawn from two identical single-valued decks of playing cards. Therefore, each deck of the present invention uniquely comprises values of two decks of playing cards.
The present disclosure further provides methods of making the deck of double-valued playing cards described herein. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, comprising steps of:
a. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card; and
d. repeating steps a-c until all the double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards does not contain the identical double-valued playing cards, comprising steps of:
a. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once,
c. combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step b until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards; and
d. repeating steps a-c until all the double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards does not contain the identical double-valued playing cards, comprising steps of:
a. manufacturing a card database consisting a group of double-valued cards, wherein each double-valued playing card contains two values, the first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck, the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck,
the card database is consisting of all the possible double-valued playing card combinations of the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck, and
no two cards in the card database is identical;
b. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
d. combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step c until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards;
e. selecting the double-valued card from the card database, which has the same values as the double-valued card formed in step d, to be one of the double-valued card in the deck of playing cards;
f. repeating steps b-e until all the double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards contains 52 double-valued playing cards, with no two double-valued playing cards that are identical, comprising steps of:
a. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step b until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards; and
d. repeating steps a-c until all the 52 double-valued playing cards are formed.
the first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck,
the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck,
the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck are identical, and are consisting of four suits: clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥), and spades (), and each suit consisting of thirteen ranks from 2 through A (ace),
the card database is consisting of all the possible double-valued playing card combinations of the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck, and
no two cards in the card database is identical;
a. manufacturing a card database consisting a group of double-valued cards, wherein each double-valued playing card contains two values,
b. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
d. combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step c until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards;
e. selecting the double-valued card from the card database, which has the same values as the double-valued card formed in step d, to be one of the double-valued card in the deck of playing cards;
f. repeating steps b-e until all the 52 double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards contains 52 double-valued playing cards, with no two double-valued playing cards that are identical, comprising steps of:
In one specific aspect, the present disclosure provides a card database contains a total of 1378 unique double-valued cards.
1378
In another specific aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of 52 unique double-valued playing cards, and each card is selected from a card database containing a total of unique double-valued cards.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides decks of playing cards, wherein there is no two decks are identical.
In another aspect, decks of playing cards of the present disclosure are generated by an electronic device or a server, including but not limited to, a computer, a smartphone, and/or a network server.
Where applicable or not specifically disclaimed, any one of the embodiments described herein are contemplated to be able to combine with any other one or more embodiments or aspects, even though the embodiments are described under different aspects of the invention. These and other embodiments are disclosed or are obvious from and encompassed by, the following Detailed Description, including the Drawings and Examples herein.
The present disclosure provides decks of the double-valued playing cards, and methods of making the same. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, and each double-valued playing card contains two values; the first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck, and each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once; the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck, and each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once. Because each value of the double-valued card is selected from a different deck, the possible combinations of each deck of double-valued playing cards is enormous. When the first value and/or the second value are/is randomly selected from its corresponding deck, it is highly likely that no two decks of double-valued playing cards are identical and each deck is virtually unique.
The following is a detailed description of the invention provided to aid those skilled in the art in practicing the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art may make modifications and variations in the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. All publications, patent applications, patents, figures and other references mentioned herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety and may be employed in the practice of the present invention.
Although the detailed description of the invention uses the words “first” and “second”. The words “first” and “second” are interchangeable and merely for the purpose of clear description.
Although any double-valued playing cards and methods of making the same similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred embodiments and methods are now described.
Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein have the meaning commonly understood by a person skilled in the art to which this invention belongs.
The following terms may have meanings ascribed to them below, unless specified otherwise. However, it should be understood that other meanings that are known or understood by those having ordinary skill in the art are also possible, and within the scope of the present invention. In the case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
The articles “a”, “an”, and “the” as used herein and in the appended claims are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element.
The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e., “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.”
In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from anyone or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
It should also be understood that, in certain methods described herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited unless the context indicates otherwise.
Any aspects/embodiments or methods provided herein can be combined with one or more of any of the other aspects/embodiments and methods provided herein.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “playing card,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean any playing card, wherein the playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games. The phrase “standard playing cards,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean a 52 single-valued playing cards deck consisting of four suits: clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥), and spades (), and each suit includes an Ace, depicting a single symbol of its suit, a King, Queen, and Jack, each depicted with a symbol of their suit; and ranks two through ten, with each card depicting that number of pips of its suit. As well as these 52 cards, commercial packs often include between one and four jokers, most often two. Although present invention encompasses any types of playing cards, for illustration purposes, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention use standard playing cards.
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
a
FIG. 1()
b
FIG. 1()
In one aspect, a deck of playing cards of the present invention comprises double-valued cards of which each on the face displays two randomly or pre-determined values that are the same as those of modern standard 52-card playing cards. The face of each card is divided into four corner areas and central area. On the version 1 (referring to the ), on the upper left-hand area and lower right-hand area of a card in a selected vertical orientation, two values oriented vertically of which one value is positioned on top of the other. On the version 2 (referring to the ), four corners including the upper right-hand and lower left-hand corners also display two values to facilitate the visual recognition for the players in games. The central area of each card can depict any design of choices. When playing card games with double-valued cards, one of two values could be selected at the choices of players to their best advantages; or both values could be utilized as rules of games apply.
In one specific aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein one value is positioned on the upper left-hand corner of the playing card, the other value is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card.
In another specific aspect, the present disclosure provides a deck of playing cards comprising a fixed number of double-valued playing cards, wherein the first value is positioned on the upper left-hand corner of the playing card, the second value is positioned below the first value on the upper left-hand corner of the playing card, the second value is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card, and the first value is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card on top of the second value that is positioned upside-down on the lower right-hand corner of the playing card.
104
52
FIG. 2
In another embodiments, the present invention to provide an improved deck of playing cards that is visually the same as a deck of the standard playing cards but comprises values out of which two values instead of one displaying on the face of each card. The two values on a card could be randomly or pre-determinedly selected from the values of a deck of standard playing cards. The present invention can be imagined as a deck of cards of which each card is formed from two cards that are separately drawn from two decks of standard playing cards, referring to the . Therefore, each deck of the present invention uniquely comprises two decks of standard playing cards.
In other embodiments, the present disclosure provides a deck of cards of which each card is formed with the values of two cards, which are separately drawn from two different single-valued decks of standard playing cards, and at least one of the two cards is randomly drawn from its corresponding single-valued decks of standard playing cards. If the two cards are randomly selected from two decks of playing cards, or only one card is randomly selected and the other card is selected in order, this random selection process produces astronomical number of version of decks. It is highly likely that no two decks of playing cards are identical and each deck is virtually unique.
FIG. 3
In one deck, though, it is possible that two cards could be identical with the exact same two values. For instance, one card has a 10 of diamonds coupled with a 2 of clubs. It is possible there is another card that has a 2 of clubs coupled with a 10 of diamonds. This might not be favorable for some card games. To eliminate the duplicate cards in one deck, a comparing step could be added to the process after two cards have been selected. Referring to the , if the combination of two cards is the same as one of the existing combination, the two cards are returned to its original deck and a new selection starts again till 52 double-valued cards are formed. Alternatively, if the combination of two cards is the same as one of the existing combination, only one of the card is returned to its corresponding deck, and replaced with a different card until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards till 52 different double-valued cards are formed.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a card database in manufacturing process. The card database consisting a group of double-valued cards, and each double-valued playing card contains two values. The first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck, and the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck. This card database is consisting of all the possible double-valued playing card combinations of the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck, and no two cards in the card database is identical
a
FIG. 1()
FIG. 4
Based on this idea, formed from two modern standard 52-card decks, this card database contains 1378 possibilities of double-valued cards. To manufacture the present invention, a manufactory can pre-design all 1378 cards and label them in a card database. For instance, the card referring could be named as, for example, AH5C in which A and 5 represent ranks, H represents Hearts and C represents Clubs. Each card in a standard deck is labeled in the same way. The two labels of two cards of which at least one card is randomly draw from two standard decks are combined and searched for the match in the card database that is labeled with the same four letters and/or numbers combination regardless the order. See . Repeat the process, and once 52 matches found, a deck of double-valued playing cards is formed. The rest is just to print and pack it. To eliminate duplicated cards, in the process of forming a deck, a card in the card database can only be matched once.
a. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once; combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card; and
c. repeating steps a-c until all the double-valued playing cards are formed.
The present disclosure further provides methods of making the deck of double-valued playing cards described herein. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of playing cards, comprising steps of:
a. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once,
c. combining the values of the first and the second cards to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step b until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards; and
d. repeating steps a-c until all the double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards does not contain the same double-valued playing cards, comprising steps of:
a. manufacturing a card database consisting a group of double-valued cards, wherein each double-valued playing card contains two values,
the first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck,
the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck,
the card database is consisting of all the possible double-valued playing card combinations of the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck, and
no two cards in the card database is identical drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. combining the value of the first card and the second card to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step c until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards;
d. selecting the double-valued card from the card database, which has the same values as the double-valued card formed in step d, to be one of the double-valued card in the deck of playing cards;
e. repeating steps b-e until all the double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards does not contain the same double-valued playing cards, comprising steps of:
a. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
b. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. combining the values of the first card and the value of the second card to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step b until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards; and
d. repeating steps a-c until all the 52 double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards contains 52 double-valued playing cards, with no two double-valued playing cards that are identical, comprising steps of:
a. manufacturing a card database consisting a group of double-valued cards, wherein each double-valued playing card contains two values,
the first value is selected from a group consisting of values of a first single-valued playing card deck,
the second value is selected from a group consisting of values of a second single-valued playing card deck,
the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck are identical, and are consisting of four suits: clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥), and spades (), and each suit consisting of thirteen ranks from 2 through A (ace),
the card database is consisting of all the possible double-valued playing card combinations of the first single-valued playing card deck and the second single-valued playing card deck, and
no two cards in the card database is identical;
b. drawing a first card from a first single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
c. drawing a second card from a second single-valued playing card deck, wherein each value of the second single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once;
d. combining the values of the first card and the second card to form one double-valued playing card, wherein if the double-valued card is identical to one of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards, returning the second card back to the second single-valued playing card deck and repeating step c until the double-valued card is not identical to any of the previously formed double-valued cards in the deck of playing cards;
e. selecting the double-valued card from the card database, which has the same values as the double-valued card formed in step d, to be one of the double-valued card in the deck of playing cards;
f. repeating steps b-e until all the 52 double-valued playing cards are formed.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making the deck of double-valued playing cards, wherein the deck of the playing cards contains 52 double-valued playing cards, with no two double-valued playing cards that are identical, comprising steps of:
It is to understand that this particular selection process described above do not limit the present invention, but is merely illustrative of a possible method to form a deck of playing cards in the present invention. The combination of two values for each card or some cards in the present invention could be pre-determined.
Game Examples
In the present invention, a deck of double-valued cards provides 104 values to card games. High value cards are doubled for potential using which increases the chance of winning hands in some games. In addition, doubled values playing cards could provide means effectively against card counting strategies in games such as the blackjack. Many new playing cards games could be created in anticipation to utilize the innovation of the present invention.
On many existing playing cards games, the present invention could dramatically increase the versatilities therefore the attractions of the games. Two examples will be described herein. However, it is to be understand that the described games do not limit the present invention.
a
FIG. 4()
b
FIG. 4()
c
FIG. 4()
Blackjack—Blackjack is a quite popular playing cards game. Playing with the present invention, players would experience largely increased mental exercises and volatility of the game. For instance, in a blackjack game, if a player is dealt the first two cards referring to the , there are possible four combinations of which the results are 4, 9, 12 and 17. Being free to choose any one of the four combinations, the player is very likely to hit the third card. If the third card has an A of spades and a 4 of spades referring to the . With three double-valued cards, there are eight possible combinations. Of all eight combinations, the better hand is 20 (7, 2, A), but the best hand is 21 (7, J, 4) referring to the .
a
b
FIGS. 5() and ()
Poker games—Statistically, the 5 double-valued cards could form 2X2X2X2X2=32 hands while 5 conventional standard cards can only have one hand. Referring to the , two possibilities are illustrated here as an example. Therefore, with the present invention players would have a new challenge that is to find the best possible hand which brings a good amount of brain exercises to players.
FIG. 6
FIG. 6
Now in reference to . illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the identifier portion in accordance with an aspect of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus for playing any one of a card game comprises: at least a single deck of playing cards; each card from the at least single deck with a double-value. Each double-valued playing card comprises two values: a first value and a second value, wherein the first value is selected from a first standard playing card deck of fifty-two cards. Furthermore, each value of the first single-valued playing card deck can only be selected once and the second value selected from a second standard playing card deck of fifty-two cards can only be selected once, wherein each of the fifty-two single-value cards of the first and second playing card deck is selected to compose the at least single deck of double-valued playing cards.
FIG. 6
As shown in , in another aspect, a machine-readable code (identifier portion) may be disposed on any one of a front face or back face of each card, wherein the code is configured to be scanned by an image-capture device for processor-executable decoding to provide at least one of a deck origination, any one of card game rules, any one of a card game playing tip, card game fun fact or historical information, any one of a card game odds, manufacturing or retail details, or scan history. Furthermore, the identifier portion may be disposed on each of the double-valued playing cards or even single-valued standard playing cards.
The processor-executable decoding may provide any host of provisioning, most important of which is identifying the deck of single or double-valued cards that the scanned card belongs to. This information may be of importance, especially when engaging in a card game involving multiple decks. It would be critical, at the end of play, to reorganize the cards into their respective deck for future use. This application, along with the other listed provisioning, would be equally critical for both single-valued and double-valued playing cards alike.
In another application of the identifier portion, scanning a card or each card during the course of each deal over successive deals may, over time, graph a player history, which may be helpful to a player in developing strategy. Other applications of the identifier may provide additional server-supported analytics for a deeper and learned analysis of player history.
Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments and method described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the scope of the following claims.
It is understood that the detailed examples and embodiments described herein are given by way of example for illustrative purposes only, and are in no way considered to be limiting to the invention. Various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are included within the spirit and purview of this application and are considered within the scope of the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following detailed description, given by way of example, but not intended to limit the invention solely to the specific embodiments described, may best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
a
b
FIGS. 1and 1
illustrates examples of double-valued playing cards.
FIG. 2
illustrates an example of a deck of cards of which each card is formed from two cards that are separately drawn from two decks of playing cards.
FIG. 3
illustrates an example of a deck of cards of which each card is formed from two cards that are separately drawn from two decks of playing cards, wherein there is no two double-valued playing cards that are identical.
a
b
c
FIGS. 4, 4and 4
illustrates an example of the cards in a standard blackjack game.
a
b
FIGS. 5and 5
illustrates an example of the cards in a standard poker game.
FIG. 6
illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the identifier portion in accordance with an aspect of the invention. | |
In an age where safety and security of a commercial building is a whole new ball of wax, knowing how to protect yourself, your property and your assets is crucial. Unfortunately, anything can happen, anywhere, at any time. Being prepared to handle any situation often falls at a property manager’s feet.
With so much at stake, properly handling emergencies require property managers to have a real awareness of the entire building layout and mechanics. While one cannot anticipate every situation, proper preparedness can mean the difference between life and death.
A commercial property manager is responsible for keeping the buildings they manage safe and secure. That is just one of the many expectations they have to meet. However, it is perhaps one of the most important, as the consequences and stakes are high.
Whether it is violence in the workplace, parking lot safety, disaster prevention or preparedness, evacuation planning or contingency plans, there is a number of ways to ensure the best possible outcome when disaster strikes, in whatever form.
Evacuation Plan
No matter the reason, a situation may arise that will require a building to be evacuated. Devising a plan that identifies when and how tenants and/or employees are to respond to different types of emergencies is crucial.
Take these 8 Precautions:
1. Implement a means to alert building occupants the need to evacuate
2. Design exit routes that are clearly marked and well-lit
3. Make exits wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuating personnel
4. Ensure exits are unobstructed and clear of debris at all times
5. Designate assembly areas, both inside and outside after the evacuation
6. Take a head count
7. Account for any possible visitors
8. Establish procedures for further evacuation needs in the event that the incident expands
Shelter-in-Place
Depending on the circumstances and the type of emergency, the first important decision is whether tenants or employees should stay put or evacuate. Plans need to be in place for both scenarios. Common sense and the use of all available information is a skill needed when determining the level of danger.
Take these 11 Precautions:
1. Alert local authorities (they may have more information)
2. Use all available information (TV, Radio, Social Media, Phones, etc…) to access the situation. If it is not safe to evacuate, then shelter-in-place
3. Follow authorities directions to evacuate or seek medical treatment immediately
4. Implement a means of alerting building occupants to shelter-in-place
5. Keep inside
6. Provide for visitors safety
7. Have building occupants call emergency contacts to let them know where they are and that they are safe provided there is no imminent threat
8. Lock and seal all exterior doors, windows and air vents (including fire dampers)
9. Gather essential disaster supplies (wise to have an emergency stockpile somewhere in the building)
10. Select interior room(s) above ground level with the fewest windows or vents
11. Monitor available media information for further assistance
Active Shooter Plan
The threat of an active shooter is a possibility anywhere. Three years ago, the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington Delaware experienced a tragic outcome when a man embroiled in a custody dispute fatally wounded two women and injured two police officers before they shot and killed him.
As with any crisis situation, having a preparedness plan in place can help to minimize chaos and the possibility of further injury or death.
Active Shooter Plan Should:
1. Emphasize the importance of remaining calm in any violent situation
2. Encourage anyone involve to call 911, give location and description of shooter and the situation to the best of their ability
3. Enforce the importance of remaining on the line with the 911 operator until the police arrive, as needs or situation may change
4. Explain in comprehensive detail how to warn occupants that an active shooter is present
5. Include evacuation and lockdown procedures
6. Remind witnesses to closely observe details of the shooter (height, weight, skin and hair color, clothing, weapons, etc …)
7. Instruct building occupants to secure and lock all exits if the shooter leaves
8. Train occupants to take head counts and check for any injuries
9. Have regularly scheduled mock shooter drills that include evacuating the building
10. Instruct how important it is to move slowly, keep hands visible and follow instructions when the police arrive
Parking Lot Tips to Keep Tenants Safe
People frequently wander into parking lots distracted and unaware, which puts them at risk. They are easy targets for thieves and violent acts. One of a property manager’s responsibilities is to ensure the safety of a building’s occupants and assets. This is where good communication skills and active notifications can come in handy.
Make Tenants and Guest Aware By Advising Them To:
1. Stay alert and walk briskly with heads up
2. Look around before approaching parking lot or your vehicle for anyone suspicious
3. Walk with others and in well-lit areas
4. Have keys out and ready to unlock vehicle
5. Avoid wearing visibly expensive items
6. Look in both the front and back seats of vehicle before entering
7. Lock vehicle as soon as you get in
8. Don’t open the windows or doors to anyone approaching
9. Ask for security escort
10. Park in well-lit populated area of parking lot
11. Keep packages and valuable out of sight to avoid break-ins
12. Be sure to lock doors and roll up windows when leaving vehicle
A good property management company does a thorough risk management assessment of all properties and its grounds. This not only ensures that the building meets all codes and regulation requirements; it avoids unnecessary loss of revenues and, most importantly, ensures the well-being of the buildings occupants.
ABOUT US
Asset Management Alliance has deep roots in the Delaware community helping all types of commercial property owners protect and enhance the value of their investment through employing a diligent and fully vetted management, maintenance and engineering team that is available 24/7 every day of the year. | http://www.assetmanagementalliance.com/commercial-property-managers-and-risk-management/ |
I’m back with my creation for this weeks Inkspirational Challenge. This week it’s a CASE Inkspiration.
I chose a colour combination of Midnight Muse, More Mustard & Rich Razzleberry for my card. I’ve teamed this with Circle Circus and a rub-on for the sentiment.
I started with a Midnight Muse base card (148mm x 210mm) scored in half. I’ve then cut 2 pieces of Midnight Muse for the top layers. One piece is 15mm x 148mm and the second piece is 50mm x 148mm. I have paper-pierced the inside edge on both pieces. I then added the rub-on sentiment to the smaller pieces.
Next up I cut a piece of Whisper White cardstock which is 50mm x 148mm. I randomly stamped 5 images from the Circle Circus stamp set using Midnight Muse, More Mustard & Rich Razzleberry inkpads. This piece was then adhered to the base card aligning it approximately 15mm in from the folded edge. This then allowed me to layer the Midnight Muse pieces so they just cover the edges of the stamped piece using Stampin’ Dimensionals with a small border around the outside edge and the base card.
I would have liked a little more ‘texture’ to the top layers of Midnight Muse but I couldn’t find an embossing folder or background stamp that wasn’t too busy for the stamped images so I just left them plain.
I think this is a great ‘male’ style card using this stamp set and may have a play with some other colour combinations.
Pop on over to Inkspirational and join us in the challenge. You have until 11am Wednesday morning (Sydney time) to enter. | https://nicolestalker.com.au/2013/01/19/inkspirational-challenge-week-3-eowe/ |
WHAT IS SELF ESTEEM?
Self-esteem is your overall opinion of yourself — how you honestly feel about your abilities and limitations. When you have healthy self-esteem, you feel good about yourself and see yourself as deserving the respect of others. According to one psychologist self-esteem :
- Is an essential human need that is vital for survival and normal, healthy development.
- Arises automatically from within based upon a person's beliefs and consciousness.
- Occurs in conjunction with a person's thoughts, behaviors, feelings and actions.
Source: Brandon
SIGNS OF LOW SELF ESTEEM
People with low self-esteem tend to look outside themselves for approval , putting little value on their own thoughts or ideas. They tend to focus on their faults rather than their strengths and often believe that others are more capable than they are.
Many people with low self-esteem experience problems with weight and school.
CONSEQUENCES
When someone experiences low self-esteem, they have difficulty expressing their own needs and opinions, making healthy decisions, forming relationships and are less resilient.
They are more likely to be overweight or obese, develop eating disorders, addictions, depression and anxiety and are more likely to commit suicide.
YOU NEED TO STREGTHTEN YOUR SELF ESTEEM
Having a healthy self-esteem is critical to overall health and well-being. If you are overweight, it's particularly important to shift focus from thinking only about weight to considering overall health — mind, body and spirit.
YOU SEE THAT OTHERS NEED HELP
Listen then listen some more. Praise their strengths, eat healthier foods, and exercise with them. Make good choices together, and ask a lot of questions. If you think they are depressed or suicidal, get help from an adult immediately — don't wait.
YOU NEED TOOLS
Those who practice gratitude have lower self-reported levels of depression and stress, and they're more satisfied with their social relationships.
Download this gratitude worksheet and test the theory out yourself.
Self-Esteem is Critical
About 10,000 people a month Google the phrase, “Am I ugly?” Meaghan Ramsey of the Dove Self-Esteem Project, who has a feeling that many of them are young girls, is disturbed by that.
Meet Yourself
Nikko Everett introduces you to someone she thinks you should know-YOU! This engaging speaker takes pleasure and delight in holding mirrors up to others so they can see their own greatness. Growing up with parents who were loving, but who struggled with addiction she created her own path to launching a non-profit, Girls For A Change, at the age of 25, showing young women around the world that they were unstoppable. | http://theweigh.com/dear-abs/gain-self-worth |
In this article, we employed communication infrastructure theory (CIT) to analyze Gram Vaani’s (“Voice of the Village”) Covid-19 Response Network in India. We reviewed key CIT components (i.e., storytelling network and communication action context) and their applications in civic engagement, health disparities, and crisis mitigation. Our results showed that Gram Vaani’s Covid-19 Response Network merged all three types of CIT application into an integrated whole and extended it to marginalized rural and migrant/resident worker communities in India. In 15 months, 870,000 individuals used the organization’s Mobile Vaani platforms, made 2.5 million calls, recorded 24,880 voice reports, and shared 2,327 impact stories. Taken together, they amplified the voices of the most vulnerable, provided direct assistance, and held government agencies accountable in three major areas: health promotion and healthcare access, livelihood support and working conditions, and safety nets and essential services. We identified (1) storytelling network actors at all levels (micro, meso, interstitial, and macro), (2) enabling and constraining communication action contexts of pandemic community mobilization, and (3) specific impact pathways for different storytelling network actors to overcome barriers and leverage Mobile Vaani as an enabling and empowering communication action context. This first CIT application and articulation of pandemic community mobilization in the Global South holds important implications for better serving the needs of the marginalized and information have-nots. | https://jdc.journals.unisel.edu.my/ojs/index.php/jdc/article/view/212 |
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