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Resources with "Volunteer Handbooks" Keyword
Keywords are the primary categories of resources.
|Resource||Resource type||Tags||Year|
| Playing by the Rules: Creating an Effective Volunteer Handbook.
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This one hour archived webinar was presented by Jennifer Bennett of VolunteerMatch in conjunction with the 4 state Get Involved: Powered
|Training Materials||policies, handbook||2019|
|Background Checks - Nonprofit Risk Management Center
|
Q&A Background Checks
|Management Tool||background checks||1970|
|Background Checks Procedure - Huntington Beach, CA
|
This brief document identifies which volunteer positions require a background check, and outlines the process for doing it.
|Management Tool||background checks, policies||2012|
|Basic Volunteer Conduct - San Bernardino County, CA
|
Basic expectations handout given to volunteers at the San Bernardino County Library.
|Management Tool||Conduct, guidelines, policies, policy and procedure||2011|
|Best Practices and Recommended Policies for California State Agencies
|
This comprehensive manual of suggested best practices and recommended policies for California State Agencies was compiled and published b
|Management Tool||Policies Handbook, forms||2013|
|Build a Better Volunteer Engagement Program
|
Brush off the cobwebs, clean out the closets, and check for cracks.
|Training Materials||Recruitment, management||2010|
|Confidentiality of Customer Records Form - Ontario, California
|
This document from the Ontario City Library states their Confidentiality policy for Customer Records, and provides a space for both emplo
|Management Tool||Confidentiality Forms||2014|
|COVID-19 Protocol for Volunteers - Equest, Dallas TX
|
Although not a library, this document was shared by a non-profit organization in Dallas Texas in preparation for beginning their service
|Management Tool||COVID-19, Waiver, Liability Waiver||2020|
|COVID-19 Volunteer Acknowledgment Form - Gail Borden PL, IL
|
This document was developed by the Gail Borden Public Library in Illinois to inform volunteers about safety issues and requirements for r
|Management Tool||COVID-19||2020|
|Criminal History Background Checks - California
|
Things to consider when making decisions about criminal background checks, including the rights of the applicants.
|Management Tool||background checks, policies||2014|
|Criminal Records Check Policy - Portland OR
|
Policy on criminal history background checks for volunteers from the Multnomah County Library in Oregon.
|Management Tool||policy, background checks, criminal background check||2020|
|Diversity Statement - Indianapolis Public Library IN
|
Statement of Diversity from the Indianapolis Public Library.
|Management Tool||diversity, equity, inclusion, policy||2021|
|Emergency Contact Form - Buckeye Public Library, AZ
|
Here's a good example of a emergency contact form for volunteers from the Buckeye Public Library in Arizona.
|Management Tool||Template||2017|
|Fingerprinting Procedures - San Jose, CA
|
San Jose Public Library requires volunteers age 18 and over who work directly with children be fingerprinted.
|Management Tool||fingerprinting, liability, background checks||2011|
|Guidelines for Volunteers Working with Children - Huntington Beach, CA
|
This document contains a signature line for the volunteer to sign saying they understand appropriate behaviors when working with children
|Management Tool||policies, liability||2012|
|Human Resources Process for Volunteers - Monrovia, CA
|
Step by step process volunteers in Monrovia follow to be finger printed and have TB, alcohol and drug tests completed.
|Management Tool||fingerprinting, human resources, TB Test||2011|
|Liability, Insurance and Risk Management Issues for Volunteer Programs
|
In today’s litigious society, it is important to understand the risks faced in your volunteer program—for both your volunteers and your o
|Management Tool||policy||2004|
|Library Volunteer COVID-19 Agreement - Mesa County Libraries CO
|
This form is used by the Mesa County Libraries as a waiver that volunteers must sign and submit in order to participate in library volunt
|Management Tool||COVID-19, Form||2020|
|Library Volunteer Guidelines & Procedures - Chandler AZ
|
Volunteer Guidelines and Procedures used and shared by the Chandler Public Library in Arizona. | https://getinvolvedclearinghouse.org/resources/keywords/volunteer-handbooks |
Internal resistance is a key parameter to consider when selecting lithium-ions for your application. This article brings to light the specifics of ac internal resistance (ACIR) and best practices for making ACIR measurements.
What you'll learn:
. Specifics on ac resistance and why ACIR has become a standard measurement for Li-ions.
. The 1-kHz test frequency for ACIR and why it's the benchmark frequency.
. Comparing ACIR test vs. electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
The internal resistance of lithium-ion cells is an important measurement to make because the cell’s internal resistance can determine the suitability of the cell for a particular application. It can be used as a quality gate in manufacturing, as well as determine the aging or wear out of the cell.
Internal resistance can be measured as ac internal resistance (ACIR) or dc internal resistance (DCIR). Internal resistance also may be extracted from measurement of the cell’s impedance spectrum as captured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) instrumentation.
While ACIR measurements are quite common and somewhat standardized when measuring lithium-ion cells, DCIR measurements are nonstandard and generally misunderstood. DCIR is also sometimes interchangeably called pulse testing, which can lead to further confusion.
In this article, I will focus on ACIR. For more information about DCIR, please take this opportunity to read my article focused on DCIR.
What is ACIR?
To measure ACIR, an ac signal, typically an ac current (Iac), is passed through the cell and the voltage response (Vac) of the cell is measured. The ac current is usually around 100 mA and the frequency is 1000 Hz.
Since the measurement is made with an ac signal, the result is an impedance measurement; to be a resistance measurement, the stimulus would need to be dc. The impedance at 1 kHz is calculated as Vac/Iac. There can be a phase shift between the Iac and Vac when impedance is measured. To keep it simple, the real part (dc) of the impedance Vac/Iac is called ACIR.
It’s unlikely any real-world application of the cell will present a 1-kHz sinusoidal current load on the cell. Therefore, this measurement of ACIR isn’t reflecting how the cell will behave in a real-world application. However, ACIR has become a very standard way of assessing the resistance of the cell, especially when comparing cells to determine which has higher resistance.
Why is 1 kHz Used as the Test Frequency for ACIR?
There are several reasons to use 1 kHz:
. 1 kHz is high enough that low-frequency electrochemical processes are effectively invisible to the measurement, resulting in a measurement that captures the ohmic resistive components.
. 1 kHz is low enough that any parallel capacitance or inductance of the cell, as well as the capacitance and inductance of the test wiring, do not significantly impact the measured resistance value.
. At 1 kHz, the measured resistance values are less dependent on cell state of charge (SoC), or temperature, compared to lower frequencies.
. The instrumentation that makes measurements at 1 kHz is easy to build in an accurate, reliable, and cost-effective manner, compared to instrumentation that operates at lower and higher frequencies.
. Lastly, it is tradition to use 1 kHz, as described in the next section.
History Lesson: ACIR Comes from the LCR Meter
The use of 1 kHz as the ac stimulus signal reverts to the traditional method to measure impedance—the LCR meter. An LCR meter is a type of electronic test instrument used to measure the inductance (L), capacitance (C), and resistance (R) of an electronic component. Since it can measure resistance based on impedance, an LCR meter can therefore be used to measure the ac internal resistance of a cell.
The LCR meter applies a 1-kHz sinusoid current into the cell, and then the meter measures the voltage across the current through the cell. From this ratio, the meter can determine the magnitude of the impedance. Thus, it measures ACIR exactly as a dedicated ACIR measurement instrument, even though the LCR meter can measure more than just ACIR.
For example, the Keysight E4980A Precision LCR meter (Fig. 1) can be configured to accurately measure the ACIR of the cell under test. The test setup is described in the Keysight Technologies’ Impedance Measurement Handbook.
How Does ACIR Compare to EIS?
Both ACIR and EIS pass an ac current through the cell and the voltage response of the cell is measured. The key difference is that ACIR is completed at 1 kHz and EIS is completed over a wide range of frequencies by sweeping the ac stimulus current from mHz to 30 kHz—or even higher.
During the sweep, at each frequency, the impedance Z is the ratio of the voltage over current applied to the system Z = V/I and includes magnitude (real) and phase (imaginary). This sweep of data is then plotted using a Nyquist plot, which plots the real value magnitude on the x-axis vs. phase or imaginary on the y-axis (Fig. 2). Interpreting the Nyquist plot requires some physics, intuition, and/or the use of equivalent electric circuits.
While ACIR looks only at the response of one frequency to determine the internal resistance at that frequency, EIS can reveal much more about the cell being tested (see table below):
. The frequency dependence of the response is used to separate out the different contributions of the cell to allow for independent observations of processes, such as different electrochemical reactions, diffusion of ions within the cell, and material resistance. | https://trends.directindustry.com/project-1143279.html |
Join Bryan O'Neil Hughes for an in-depth discussion in this video White balance and temperature, part of Lightroom Classic CC: Mastering the Develop Module (2017).
- [Instructor] The image that I have…selected here is a good one to…talk about temperature and tint.…So normally your camera would be…set to auto-white balance…and you'd get a decent looking image…right off the get go.…I want to show you how to correct…it if you don't get that, and how to change it…if you want to reinterpret it.…Temperatures is a great way to lend…mood to your image and it's a great…way to change the time of day.…So this image looks pretty good,…but I think we can make it look…even better by adjusting the temperature,…and just to give you an idea,…we can cool it down to make it sort of evening…or we can warm it up to make it sunset…or anywhere in between.…
Now it's really important to know…that if I ever want to restore this,…I don't have to remember whatever that…very specific value was.…I just had to double click on the…temperature slider and it takes it back to 5400,…and we see that we have all sorts of different…presets here.…So we have shot which is of course 5400.…We have auto which is Lightroom's best guess…
AuthorBryan O'Neil Hughes
Released8/14/2017
In this course, Adobe Director of Product Management Bryan O'Neil Hughes explores the Develop module in-depth, stepping through the module's core tools and sharing insights along the way. The course concludes with chapters on essential time-saving shortcuts and on taking photos from Lightroom Classic CC to Photoshop for further enhancement.
- Order of operations
- White balance, tone, and color
- Sharpening
- Lens correction and perspective control
- Retouching
- Applying presets on import
- Syncing files
- Lightroom across devices (iOS, Android, and the web)
- Moving to Photoshop
Skill Level Intermediate
Duration
Views
Related Courses
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Introduction
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Welcome50s
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1. Develop: Reviewing the Basics
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Order of operations2m 23s
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Tone: Basic and Curve6m 43s
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Color5m 37s
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B&W and toning5m 38s
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2. The Develop Module in Depth
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HDR and post6m 23s
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Vignette and dehaze4m 4s
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3. Develop Tools
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Crop and draw to straighten3m 56s
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Graduated filters5m 55s
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Adjustment brush tricks2m 51s
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Develop workflow3m 41s
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4. Saving Time
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Match total exposure2m 20s
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Synching settings2m 41s
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The power of presets3m 31s
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Applying presets on import2m 32s
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5. Beyond the Desktop
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6. Beyond Lightroom
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When to go to Photoshop4m 24s
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Panorama3m 17s
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Creative imaging2m 26s
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Retouching3m 45s
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Video3m 7s
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Conclusion
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Next steps36s
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- Mark as unwatched
- Mark all as unwatched
Are you sure you want to mark all the videos in this course as unwatched?
This will not affect your course history, your reports, or your certificates of completion for this course.Cancel
Take notes with your new membership!
Type in the entry box, then click Enter to save your note.
1:30Press on any video thumbnail to jump immediately to the timecode shown.
Notes are saved with you account but can also be exported as plain text, MS Word, PDF, Google Doc, or Evernote. | https://www.lynda.com/Lightroom-tutorials/White-balance-temperature/618728/648203-4.html |
Q:
How to plot the difference between two ggplot density distributions?
I would like to use ggplot2 to illustrate the difference between two similar density distributions. Here is a toy example of the type of data I have:
library(ggplot2)
# Make toy data
n_sp <- 100000
n_dup <- 50000
D <- data.frame(
event=c(rep("sp", n_sp), rep("dup", n_dup) ),
q=c(rnorm(n_sp, mean=2.0), rnorm(n_dup, mean=2.1))
)
# Standard density plot
ggplot( D, aes( x=q, y=..density.., col=event ) ) +
geom_freqpoly()
Rather than separately plot the density for each category ( dup and sp ) as above, how could I plot a single line that shows the difference between these distributions?
In the toy example above, if I subtracted the dup density distribution from the sp density distribution, the resulting line would be above zero on the left side of the plot (since there is an abundance of smaller sp values) and below 0 on the right (since there is an abundance of larger dup values). Not that there may be a different number of observations of type dup and sp.
More generally - what is the best way to show differences between similar density distributions?
A:
There may be a way to do this within ggplot, but frequently it's easiest to do the calculations beforehand. In this case, call density on each subset of q over the same range, then subtract the y values. Using dplyr (translate to base R or data.table if you wish),
library(dplyr)
library(ggplot2)
D %>% group_by(event) %>%
# calculate densities for each group over same range; store in list column
summarise(d = list(density(q, from = min(.$q), to = max(.$q)))) %>%
# make a new data.frame from two density objects
do(data.frame(x = .$d[[1]]$x, # grab one set of x values (which are the same)
y = .$d[[1]]$y - .$d[[2]]$y)) %>% # and subtract the y values
ggplot(aes(x, y)) + # now plot
geom_line()
| |
A recent review of pivotal cancer drug trials suggests that CVD and adverse cardiovascular outcomes are underreported in studies of new cancer therapies, despite an increasing risk of cardiotoxicity in oncological drugs.
There has been a notable uptake of new anticancer therapies in the U.S. in the past two decades, first author Janice M. Bonsu, MPH, and colleagues wrote in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, where their paper was published ahead of print. In the 20 years since the turn of the millennium, the FDA has pushed more than 120 novel cancer drugs through to market.
But those years also saw a marked increase in cardiotoxicity in anticancer therapies, limiting the efficacy of dozens of medications. Cancer patients are typically already at a heightened risk for CVD at the time they begin their treatment—more so now than ever before—so keeping cardiotoxicity to a minimum is critical.
“Cardiovascular disease has become increasingly prevalent among cancer patients receiving novel cancer therapies, with a reported incidence of up to 20%,” Bonsu, of the Ohio State University Medical Center, and co-authors wrote in JACC. “Unfortunately, many of these events are not well-explained by traditional CVD risk factors, and both their frequency and severity often differ from those reported in isolated supportive clinical trials.”
In an effort to determine whether CVD outcomes and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) are routinely reported within pivotal anticancer clinical trials, Bonsu and her team combed the Drugs@FDA and MEDLINE databases, clinicaltrials.gov and FDA drug reviews for phase II and III trials supporting FDA approval of anticancer drugs. They considered reports logged between 1998 and 2018 and established a primary outcome of MACE, defined as incident MI, stroke, heart failure, coronary revascularization, atrial fibrillation or CVD death.
The search uncovered 189 trials that evaluated 123 anticancer drugs. A total of 97,365 participants with 148,138 person-years of follow-up were included in the studies.
Over an average follow-up of 30 months, Bonsu et al. noted 1,148 incidents of MACE in the trial populations (375 heart failures, 253 MIs, 180 strokes, 85 arrhythmias, 29 revascularizations and 246 CVD deaths), with most cases observed in the trials’ intervention arms (792 vs. 356 in the control arms). Just 62.4% of trials reported any CVD.
The overall weighted-average incidence of MACE in the team’s review was 542 events per 100,000 person-years, compared with 1,408 events per 100,000 person-years in similarly aged, non-cancer trial subjects. That made for a risk difference of 866.
“These findings suggest a general underreporting and/or appreciation of CVD events among cancer clinical trial participants,” the authors wrote. “This is concerning, particularly given the growing prevalence of limiting CVD among patients treated with novel anticancer therapies. Moreover, these discrepancies may in part underlie the discordance between perceived CVD risk and that observed in actual clinical care. | https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/acute-coronary-syndrome/cv-outcomes-underreported-anticancer-trials |
Melissa Babcock Saylor and Dennis Johanson will be the featured artists at Gallery Calapooia in downtown Albany for the month of September.
Work by the two artists will be on view beginning Aug. 27 and will remain up through Sept. 22. A reception for both artists will be held on Friday, Sept. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the gallery, 222 First Ave. SW in Albany.
Babcock Saylor works in cut paper and collage; she paints by hand most of the paper used in her work. She also cuts out rubber stamps to print interesting designs on her papers as well as using old postage stamps that were given to her by the spouse of a gallery member. She enjoys making art with children and animals in them, and continues to work as an children's book illustrator. Her latest book, "Also an Animal," is available at the gallery. In addition, Melissa serves as lead painter at the Albany Carousel and is an active member of the city of Albany's Arts Commission.
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Johansen’s pottery career started in 1976, when he learned the basic techniques of throwing on the wheel, trimming, and glazing. After two years, he started teaching beginning pottery classes at Oregon State University.
While trying to find out how the clay body reacts to fast and wet throwing versus throwing slow and dry he developed a process he calls "Porcelain Swirl." By incorporating two colors of porcelain he is able to observe how clay particles move when thrown on the wheel.
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Do you enjoy being in nature?
Are you interested in supporting people in your local community?
If yes, then becoming a volunteer for Sensory Trust could be the perfect opportunity for you!
We are looking for volunteers to support our dementia friendly activity groups in Cornwall, as part of our Creative Spaces project.
Our activity groups support people living with dementia and their carers to access nature and meet others in similar situations whilst also benefitting from physical exercise. We encourage the group members to take ownership of their groups from deciding the locations of their walks to making the refreshments and encouraging others in their community to join their group.
Our volunteers therefore take on a supportive role, as opposed to that of a leader. They are there to enable, rather than ‘do for’ they listen, encourage the individuals to make decisions and find ways to make these happen.
The role includes:
- greeting members at the start of the activity session
- helping new members integrate into the group
- ensuring group members all leave safely at the end of each session
- being responsible for activity accessories such as first aid kits, refreshments, etc.
- liaising between the activity group and the Sensory Trust
Our volunteers must be respectful and supportive of people living with dementia, their family carers and the issues they face on a daily basis, as well sensitive to different levels of mobility, stamina and confidence within the group. We are looking for volunteers who can support individuals to reach their capabilities within their range of physical health and mental wellbeing.
No experience necessary. Training is offered in:
- First Aid (Outdoor Activities)
- Dementia Awareness
- Moving and Handling
Please note: Travel expenses will be covered.
Meet our volunteers
Hilary has been volunteering with the Happy Wanderers walking group since 2015. Through gentle support Hilary provides a warm welcome to new members, reassurance when needed and encourages everyone to participate as much as they are able.
"Walking is what we do but add to that nice chats with friends, with a break for a cuppa, and we always think the time's gone too quickly!"
Hilary, Walking Group Volunteer
"I've given a little of my time to the Sensory Trust but I've gained so much friendship, I feel my time has been repaid 100 fold."
Marilyn, Wednesday Wanderers group
We undertake work throughout Cornwall and have volunteering opportunities from Penzance to Bude. Contact us to find out more. | https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/take-action/volunteering |
Free L.5.4.C Worksheets and Practice for Language Arts Common Core Standards
Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
-
Free L.5.4.C Practice Workbook
Multiple pages of practice for L.5.4.C skills.
Includes fifth grade language arts, math, and puzzles.
-
Language Arts Challenge Workbooks
-
Mixed Review of English Language Arts, Grammar, Spelling, and Writing Workbook
-
Fast Finisher Student Pages - No PREP
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Print a reading book with proof reading, cloze, math, and writing practice in one small easy to print workbook. A top teacher resource. | https://www.edhelper.com/5th_grade/common_core/L.5.4.C.htm |
He focuses on management of gerd, ibs (irritable bowel syndrome), crohn’s disease/ulcerative colitis and hemorrhoids treatment and all aspects of clinical gastroenterology. Dr. Yakubov loves gastroenterology practice and meeting new people. He is affiliated with NY Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He looks forward to meeting you.
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
The information on this website is to provide general information. The information on this website does NOT reflect definitive medical advice and self diagnoses should not be made based on information obtained online. It is important to consult a best in class gastroenterologist for a consultation and examination regarding ANY and ALL symptoms or signs including abdominal pain, hemorrhoids or anal / rectal bleeding as it may a sign of a serious illness or condition. An accurate diagnosis and treatment plan should only be made by your physician in order to exclude a serious condition. | https://www.manhattangastroenterology.com/dr-mikhail-yakubov/ |
Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and has one of the most significant economies in the world. The Spanish-speaking nation is bordered by Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a country with a rich history, a vibrant culture and an important role to play in the world of international finance.
If you’re thinking about travelling to Argentina or you want to send money to your loved ones based in the country, then you may have a few questions. Learning about the currency of Argentina is a great place to start. In this blog, we’ll be exploring everything you need to know about the currency of Argentina.
Below you’ll learn about:
- The Argentine local currency, the Argentine peso
- How is the Argentine peso recognised?
- The history of the Argentine peso
- The Argentine peso today
- Exchange rates
- How can I send money to Argentina?
What is the local currency of Argentina?
The currency of Argentina is called the Argentine peso. The Central Bank of the Argentine Republic controls, issues and monitors the Argentine peso and plays a major regulatory role in the economy of the country.
The peso has been around for many years and has taken many different forms. Unfortunately, in the latter period of the 20th century the Argentine peso suffered serious devaluation. In 2021, officials noted that the Argentine peso had reached over 51% year-on-year inflation. In Spanish the currency is called Peso argentino.
How is the Argentine peso recognised?
Like many currencies around the world the symbol used to identify the Argentine peso is ‘$’ (the dollar, or peso, sign). The currency is internationally recognised by the code: “ARS”. The Argentine peso is only used as the primary currency in Argentina, although it can be found in large amounts in neighbouring countries like Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.
The Argentine peso is subdivided into 100 centavos. There are several denominations but some are rarely used today because of the historic devaluation of the currency. For example, there are 1, 5, 10, 25 and centavos coins but they are rarely used and have been discontinued due to inflation. Instead, there are 1, 2, 5 and 10 peso coins that are in circulation and are frequently used. The banknotes in current circulation include the 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 peso notes.
What is the local currency of Argentina?
The current Argentine peso is the most recent in a long line of pesos in the region. For nearly 200 years some form of peso has been used in the country. Between 1826 and 1881 the Peso fuerte was used - a convertible currency where 17 pesos fuertes was equal to one Spanish ounce of fine gold.
Between 1881 and 1970 the peso moneda nacional was used. Then in 1970 the peso ley replaced the previous currency at a rate of 1 peso ley to 100 pesos moneda nacional. This peso ley currency was then itself replaced by the peso argentino between 1983 to 1985. This currency coincided with the return of democracy in the country but quickly losts its purchasing power.
Between 1985 and 1991 the Argentine austral was introduced. This currency replaced the peso argentino at a rate of 1 austral to 1000 pesos. Unfortunately, during this period Argentina endured hyperinflation and the relative value of the austral continued to fall. Emergency notes had to be issued and for the first time in decades provincial administrations issued their own currency.
In 1992 the Peso convertible was introduced and that is the Argentine peso which is still used to this day.
The Argentine peso today
A fixed exchange rate of 1 USD = 1 ARS was established in 1992. However, ever since this agreement expired in 2001, the value of the Argentine has been fluctuating. Today the peso is relatively stable and it has been important in maintaining Argentina’s status as a higher-middle economy.
The current Argentine peso banknotes in circulation have a variety of images on them including depictions of important national figures. For example, on the $100 note former President of Argentina Julio Argention Roca is shown on one side with the reverse featuring a painting called La Conquista del Desierto by Juan Manuel Blanes.
Exchange rates
If you are thinking of sending money to Argentina it helps to compare the Argentine peso to other major currencies around the world and the currencies of neighbouring countries. With that knowledge we can better understand the general state of the Argentine economy and you can identify the best time to send money to Argentina. So, let’s take a look…
In 2022, the average exchange rate between the Argentina peso and the Brazilian real is hovering around 1 BRL to 18.1 ARS. This lets us know a bit about the relative economic fortunes of the neighbouring South American giants. To understand the overall economic health of South America it helps to keep track of how these two currencies interact.
In comparison, the average exchange rate of the Argentine peso to the Colombian Pesos during 2022 has been around 1 ARS to 38 COP. Now let’s have a look at the exchange rate of the Argentine peso with some of the major international currencies like the US dollar, the British Pound, the Euro and the Indian Rupee.
In 2022, the average exchange rate of the Argentine peso to the US dollar is close to 1 USD to 101 ARS. This is a particularly important exchange rate for tourists and the tourism industry in Argentina. The average exchange rate of the Argentine peso to the British pound is similarly lopsided, with 1 GBP being worth around 136 ARS.
On average, the exchange rate of the Indian rupee to the Argentine peso in 2022 has been around 1 INR to 1.35 ARS. On the other side of things, the average exchange rate of the Argentine peso to the Euro in 2022 has been equal to 1 EUR to 115 ARS.
How can I transfer money to Argentina?
It is easy to send money to Argentina with Small World’s simple and effective money transfer service. Now that you know more about the Argentine peso it will be easier to know where your money is going and how much it is truly worth in Argentina.
With Small World you can send money through a variety of services including bank deposit, cash pickup, cash card reload, airtime top-up or home delivery. So if you need to support your loved ones in Argentina, choose Small World.
Your first transfer online is always free of fees! | https://www.smallworldfs.com/en/blog/what-is-the-currency-of-argentina |
Merge ObsPy Trace objects with same IDs.
- Parameters:
method (int, optional) – Methodology to handle overlaps/gaps of traces. Defaults to
0. See
obspy.core.trace.Trace.__add__()for details on methods
0and
1, see
obspy.core.stream.Stream._cleanup()for details on method
-1. Any merge operation performs a cleanup merge as a first step (method
-1).
fill_value (int, float, str or
None, optional) – Fill value for gaps. Defaults to
None. Traces will be converted to NumPy masked arrays if no value is given and gaps are present. The value
'latest'will use the latest value before the gap. If value
'interpolate'is provided, missing values are linearly interpolated (not changing the data type e.g. of integer valued traces). Not used for
method=-1.
interpolation_samples (int, optional) – Used only for
method=1. It specifies the number of samples which are used to interpolate between overlapping traces. Default to
0. If set to
-1all overlapping samples are interpolated.
-
Importing waveform data containing gaps or overlaps results into a
Streamobject with multiple traces having the same identifier. This method tries to merge such traces inplace, thus returning nothing. Merged trace data will be converted into a NumPy
MaskedArraytype if any gaps are present. This behavior may be prevented by setting the
fill_valueparameter. The
methodargument controls the handling of overlapping data values. | https://docs.obspy.org/packages/autogen/obspy.core.stream.Stream.merge.html |
Author Mitch Horowitz says today’s asphalt corridor known as US Route 20 was a highway of occult ideas in the 19th century, when free-thinking New Englanders traveled to upstate New York to immerse themselves in alternative spirituality, and returned with perspectives at odds with the era’s dominant conservative concepts.
At the same time, prominent New England scholar Ralph Waldo Emerson was crafting extensive writings and lectures, touring the country and introducing topics like Hindu mythology, Confucius, Pythagoras, and Buddha to the public, and helped alternative ideas gain acceptance into the mainstream, says Horowitz.
These ideas have helped shape America’s spiritual beliefs and identity, he contends.
“The family tree of American occultism tells us a story about our politics and culture, and opens a window that we rarely look in,” said Horowitz, whose latest book, “Occult America: White House Séances, Ouija Circles, Masons, and the Secret Mystic History of Our Nation,” was released Oct. 5.
“The occult morphed into the culture of therapeutic and self-help spirituality, which is found across the religious landscape today, from the New Age to evangelical ministries,” he said.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Horowitz will be at the Waltham Public Library to deliver a free talk, “Occult America,” including how Route 20, which runs right past the library as the city’s Main Street, played a role in the formation and spread of occult ideas.
The editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin in New York, and a former political writer with a long interest in the history and impact of alternative spirituality, said spiritual seekers from New England followed the route to upstate New York’s so-called Burned-Over District, where some of the nation’s most influential occult traditions took hold and flourished.
One of those was Spiritualism, a mid-19th-century movement that featured communication with the dead at its center.
In 1848, two young sisters demonstrated to visitors at their home in Rochester, N.Y., how they could communicate with spirits via audible knocking. The phenomenon ignited imaginations among grieving parents and widowers, as well as others enticed by spirit communication.
“When people lost a child or family member to famine, disease, or war, they had nowhere to turn for help,” said Horowitz. Spiritualism offered them hope.
As the years passed, people modeled Spiritualism on the writings of another Burned-Over District native, Andrew Jackson Davis, who wrote an 1851 book with instructions on how to communicate with the dead, and who traveled Route 20 to spend time in Lynn.
Horowitz estimates that at spirit communication’s height in the 19th century, one in 10 Americans – including Mary Todd Lincoln – believed in the practice through trance-mediums and séances, and that Spiritualism attracted activists for women’s rights in part because women could play leading roles while other faiths shut them out.
In short, Spiritualism offered accessibility and pluralist views when other faiths did not.
“The vast network of newspapers that came out of Spiritualism – they made this statement into almost dinnertime conversation,” said Horowitz.
He said Emerson, the famous intellectual and Transcendentalist from Concord, paved the way for Spiritualism and other beliefs, such as Madame Blavatsky’s Theosophy, a spiritual movement that plumbed the great religions for meaning and later influenced Gandhi, according to the Indian leader’s autobiography.
The Rev. Barry Andrews, a Unitarian Universalist minister who has written two books on Emerson, said the Transcendentalist was the most popular speaker in the lyceum movement, which promoted adult education through lectures by well-known authors and public figures like Henry David Thoreau, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Horace Greeley.
Emerson traveled across the country “trying to awaken people to their own spiritual nature. He thought the possibilities of human experience were not exhausted by our everyday need to make a living,” said Andrews. “He very much wanted people to develop themselves in a whole lot of ways.”
Andrews said that although Emerson read widely from esoteric and worldwide traditions, he never subscribed to any. Instead, he took what resonated with his own experiences and shared them with his audiences. Almost everyone from the era would have been acquainted with Emerson even without attending any of his lectures, said Andrews.
Christopher Lehrich, a professor of religion at Boston University, agrees with Horowitz that things labeled “occult” can’t be separated from religious experience.
“You cannot understand the American religious landscape by pulling out chunks of weirdness and saying it’s not part of the religious experience,” said Lehrich. Doing so “tends to occlude making sense of other people and great founding figures.”
Societies and their elites have widely held occult beliefs in times past, he said.
Lehrich said beliefs such as Freemasonry, a tradition that Horowitz explores, were common and uncontroversial among the country’s Founding Fathers.
“As you get into the Enlightenment, the mainstream character of occultism falls away,” said Lehrich, who teaches about the occult and other religious topics. “Scientific and paradigm shifts make it seem like not a very intellectual or scholarly pursuit. Elites characterize it as something peasants believe.”
Horowitz said he started “Occult America” five years ago after giving a lecture to an occult society in California. Research was often arduous because of a lack of good record-keeping by the principals.
“This material is very diffuse. Occult history has been very poorly kept,” he said. But Horowitz was able to fit in travel, interviews, and research while working his full-time job at Tarcher-Penguin, and spending time with his wife and two young children.
He said he became interested in the occult in his youth, but it remained in the background until he went to work for the publishing house and read its back catalog of New Age titles.
“I found meaning in a lot of ideas that I had never thought to consider before,” he said.
He said he hopes his book helps make the term “New Age” more legitimate, and said he’s embraced the term. | https://megmckee.com/author-cites-areas-role-as-1800s-path-to-new-spirituality-horowitz-traces-rise-of-occultism/ |
The following study concerns a particular subject or theme of biblical prediction which appears primarily in chapters 29 to 35 of the Book of Isaiah. It traces the effects of the destruction of Sennacherib’s host, as these were foreseen by the prophet, including divine vindication for the righteous, corresponding warnings for the ungodly, movements toward repentance among those so convicted, and resultant blessings from the Lord. Interspersed within Isaiah 29–35 are also to be found blocks of direct preaching and historical comment as well as predictions about other matters. From the Sennacherib prophecies, however, whose fulfillment is subject to close historical control, may be drawn principles of prophetic interpretation that are applicable to the whole gamut of biblical prediction, whether already accomplished or still awaiting fulfillment.
Sennacherib’s attack upon Judah in 701 B.C. occupies a major place in the prophecies of Isaiah. Anticipations of it commence before the death of Uzziah in 739 (as recorded in 6:1); and reflections upon it persist down to the prophet’s closing words in chapter 66, near the end of the reign of Hezekiah in 697 (cf. verse 6).1 It bulks larger in Isaiah’s thinking than does even the final collapse of the southern kingdom in 586. The latter event involves some 51 verses of Isaianic prediction;2 and its discussion
WTJ 34:1 (Nov 71) p. 23
ceases entirely after the oracle of 27:10–11, which foretells that the fortified city formed by God—presumably Jerusalem—is to become deserted and forsaken. The events of Judah’s suffering in 701, however, occupy some 56 verses,3 and this is to count only the verses dealing with Sennacherib’s anticipated advance; some 62 additional verses dealing with his subsequent destruction are not included.4
Predictions of the Assyrian attack begin as early as Isaiah 5:26 with the oracle that Yahweh “will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss for them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly.” In reference to the Assyrians, Leupold comm... | https://www.galaxie.com/article/wtj34-1-02 |
When an application is made for a permit to develop a property where there is no existing approved lot grading plan, the applicant must provide a proposed lot grading plan for the premises. Lot grading plans must be approved by City of Edmonton, Development Services, Lot Grading prior to the construction of any buildings, additions to buildings, or alterations of surface drainage on the premises.
Grading for infill housing must convey surface drainage to a City right-of-way via drainage swales that are constructed entirely within the property. Retaining walls must be constructed to support any elevation difference between a re-developed property and an adjacent private property. Retaining walls must be constructed of concrete or of pressure treated timbers with a minimum dimension of 10 cm x 15 cm (4x6), and must project below the existing ground elevation of an adjacent property. Retaining walls must be self-supporting. Permeable walls require a permanent moisture barrier.
- Confirm the site servicing requirements for roof drainage and subsurface water drainage. Contact the City of Edmonton's Development Services Lot Grading group at 780-496-5576 or email [email protected] for information relative to an existing storm service and for options to dispose of subsurface water from the foundation drainage system.
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Create a lot grading plan that defines how your lot will convey surface drainage to a City right-of-way without draining onto adjacent private properties. Internal side-lot swales are usually needed to achieve this requirement. Internal drainage swales must provide a minimum slope of 1.5%, a minimum depth of 10 cm and a minimum width of 15 cm.
Plan the demolition and reconstruction processes to ensure interim control of surface drainage during all phases of the redevelopment project. Directing or allowing surface drainage to flow onto adjacent private property is a bylaw violation.
Common property swales may be utilized if consultation with adjacent property owners results in mutually beneficial surface drainage management design proposals.
Site inspections and grading approvals can be arranged by submitting a lot grading certificate to the Lot Grading group of the City of Edmonton's Development Services section.
It is the owner's responsibility to maintain the lot grading and ensure it meets the requirements of the Drainage Bylaw and the lot grading guidelines. For more information, please refer to lot grading inspections pamphlet. | https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/lot_grading/infill-housing-development.aspx |
SQL server database latest version is installed and its connection with the proposed visualization tools is tested. Appendix/ data dictionary is analyzed. Our aim for this project is tell stories using data visualizations. This will be accomplished by developing various types of visualization to appreciate and identify trends in data. 3 suggested visualizations, i.e.
Information visualizations is the study of presenting abstract information to reinforce human understanding. “ Proficient reader spontaneously and purposely create mental images while and after they read. The images emerge from all five senses as well as the emotion and are anchored in a reader’s prior knowledge. “ said Susan Zimmermann and Elline Oliver in their book Mosaic of Thoughts: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction. What is more, as mentioned in Visualization and Computer Graphics Issue 6, visualizing information for some students is an easier way to understand and absorb information and it improves educational performance.
Visualization is coming of age. With visual depictions being seamlessly integrated into documents, and data visualization techniques being used to understand increasingly large and complex datasets, the term "visualization"' is becoming used in everyday conversations. But we are on a cusp; visualization researchers need to develop and adapt to today's new devices and tomorrow's technology. Today, people interact with visual depictions through a mouse. Tomorrow, they'll be touching, swiping, grasping, feeling, hearing, smelling, and even tasting data.
Data display can help the researcher to highlight findings and draw conclusions (Hall, 2014). Data display makes data compact and immediately accessible; therefore, a large amount of data can be viewed at once, and well understood to easily draw a conclusion. Flow charts and data matrix are the most common strategies for data display. In this study, the data are displayed by investigation consequence as flow charts and data
Basically any image either signs, typography drawing photograph animation used to communicate or to inform some kind of message or idea came in the field of visual communication. It is one of the oldest disciplines in the humanities. The evolution of visual communication can be seen from ancient cave painting to the modern Computer graphics. Wikipedia defines visual communication as: “Visual communication is the communication of ideas through the visual display of information. Primarily associated with two dimensional images, it includes: art, signs, photography, and typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, Advertising, Animation color and electronic resources.
Third, this school is using 2013 curriculum due to the district government policy to implement 2013 curriculum independently. 3.3 Data Instruments In this study, various data instruments were used to gain the information related to the research questions. They are documents analysis (on lesson plans), observations, and interviews. Further, this section concerned the kinds of instruments used to collect the data, the functions of each data, and the source of instruments. 3.3.1 Document
Data and information will be presented using point themes to allow users have a reliable presentation from all points of view. Struwig and Stead (2007) assert that data analysis methods enable the researcher to organise and bring meaning to the large amount of data. Content analysis was used for this study. In content analysis themes are extracted from the data. Themes can be extracted through coding of data, elaborating on the data, interpreting then checking of the data into categories or themes that cut across all of data sources.
Ellis and Howard (2008) defined graphic organizers as spatial tools that commonly uses lines, circles, and boxes to represent and depict organization of important information in different ways of hierarchical, cause/effect, compare/contrast and cyclic or linear sequence. Such representation of necessary information of a topic makes communication facilitated. Ellis and Howard claimed, when the organizers used as tools of instruction for teaching different skills of writing, reading comprehension, thinking , learning of content, the tools can be effective scaffolding for learning of the skills for students with various ages, grade levels, and abilities. The organizers are also effective instructional tools for both visual and auditory learners. Because, according to Ellis and Howard (2008), a decisive factor for learning and information processes is not intellectual aptitude of learners but the complexity of materials, learners ' experience with material and his memory capability and teachers ' pedagogical skills and capabilities.
Vision is a massive part of the corporeal brain. Visual functioning of the brain roughly takes away 50% of the whole. An infograph is a sort of picture that merges data with design (Smiciklas, 2012). Word cloud is a classic infographic tool. It is a prevalent visualization of words classically allied with Internet keywords and text data. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Importance-Of-Information-Visualization-P3WLQCZKRJEDR |
This series of seven paintings is inspired by Bosch's Seven Deadly Sins.
Although my interpretation of The Seven Deadly Sins differs somewhat from Bosch's, I did rely on many of his imagery and symbolism, such as the glass globe, which features in each work. Some of the figures are also replicas from Bosch's work, though not specifically from The Seven Deadly Sins and placed within different contexts.
Much of the work is driven by religious and folkloric references, and in some cases more personal. Fruit, or the use of red bead-like berries occur throughout the works and convey multiple meanings relating to the specific sin, such as Lust (used as forbidden fruit) and Greed (fruit as symbol of wealth and self-obsessiveness). The use of symbolism allow for a very surreal quality within the work, which echoes many of Bosch's paintings.
Placing each scene within its own glass sphere further emphasizes the fantasy aspect, some completely contained, others revealing cracks or holes, referring to the decay of a once perfect or seamless universe. | https://www.willieschlechter.com/woordfeesboschinafricastellenbosch |
We’re all aware of the shifts toward customer centricity and digital transformation that is critically shaping how we engage with customers, innovate products and services, and achieve sustainable growth. So how do organizations create deeper customer engagement and insights to drive innovation outcomes to become truly customer centered?
Our Design Thinking Community is growing. We'll be joined by passionate practitioners and researchers, each using design principles to transform and uplift innovative outcomes. Join us and discover how to embed design thinking to improve product and service innovation, enhance customer centricity and facilitate sustainable growth, to enable data-driven transformation and innovation. | https://www.aquagplus.com/annual-product-development-design-thinking-summit/ |
HELP! I need 30 quick facts about Asia..can be anything!?
I need 30 quick facts about Asia...can be about anything..sports, government, food, people, culture..literally ANYTHING works..short and quick facts are the best. Please and thank you!
3 Answers
- 9 years agoFavorite Answer
Strange facts about South East Asia:
Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, is the largest religious temple in the world. It is estimated it took 30 years to build!
When visiting Angkor, in Cambodia, you can ride an elephant from the South Gate of Angkor Thom to Bayon temple.
A golden urn, containing the remains of Buddha, is housed in a stupa (shrine), located on a hilltop in Oudong, 30 miles north of the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
Though Vietnam is 1,650 kilometers (1,031 miles) from north to south, the country's most narrow point, traveling east to west, is only 50 kilometers (31 miles) across.
Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee in the world. Only Brazil exports more coffee, by volume, than Vietnam. Most of Vietnam's coffee is exported to the U.S.
In Thailand barbers are usually closed on Wednesday because Thais think it will bring bad luck to cut their hair that day of the week.
All Thai men are expected to be a monk for a short period sometime in their life. Traditionally it was 3 months but today the time is reduced to a week or two.
Some people in Malaysia wash their babies in beer to protect them from diseases.
Indonesia is the world's biggest archipelago with over 17,000 islands.
There is a saying in Thailand that you don't have to worry about falling coconuts because coconuts have eyes. Since more people get killed by falling coconuts than sharks each year, they obviously don't worry about sharks either!
Here are 15 fun facts about Asia.
1. Asia is the largest continent by landmass and human population. The area of Asia is larger than the land area of the moon. (44.6K sq km – 37k sq km respectively.)
2. Asia has a population of over 4 billion people or better than 60% of the world’s population. This many people standing side by side holding hands would reach around the world at the equator more than 100 times.
3. More than half of Asia’s population is in two countries in Asia – China (1.3 billion) and India (1.1 billion). India is guestimated to take over China in about 20 years or so.
4. Asia’s boundaries extend from the Suez Canal and Ural Mountains in the west, to the south of the Caucasus Mountains and Caspian and Black Seas. Also to the South is the Indian Ocean, to the North the Arctic Ocean and to the Far East the Pacific Ocean.
5. Asia can be divided into 6 subcontinents -
Central Asia – Kazakhstan Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
East Asia – China, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, North and South Korea.
North Asia – Russia.
India Subcontinent – India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.
Southeast Asia – Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar [Burma], Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Southwest Asia – The Middle East including Turkey, Iran, Cyprus, Israel, and Lebanon.
Here is my List of Countries in Asia.
6. Three of the top four economies in the world are in Asia – China, Japan and India. They are numbers 2, 3 and 4 respectively. However, tiny Japan has less than 1/10th of the population of China or India. Yet Asia’s economy as a continent trails North America and Europe.
7. Asia’s three dominant financial centers are Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Tokyo Financial Center
8. Asia’s dominant religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucian/Taoism and Islam.
9. Asia’s western most point is Cape Baba in Northwestern Turkey.
Cape Baba Turkey
10. Asia’s eastern most point is Cape Chelyuskin in Siberia.
Cape Chelyuskin
11. Asia is 5,300 miles wide
12. Asia is home to the highest (Mount Everest 8,848m) and lowest Dead Sea (-395m) points on Earth.
13. Asia is home to the birth of the human species and civilization. Somewhere near where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet.
14. The Ten longest rivers in Asia -
Yangtze (Chang Jiang) – 6,300 km – 3,915 miles
Yangtze (Chang Jiang)
Yellow River (Huang He) – 5,464 km – 3,395 miles
Lena River – 4,400 km – 2,734 miles
Mekong River – 4,350 km – 2,703 miles
Irtysh River – 4,248 km – 2,640 miles
Yenisei River – 4,090 km – 2,540 miles
Ob River – 3,650 km – 2,268 miles
Nizhnyaya Tunguska River – 2,989 km – 1,857 miles
Indus River – 2,900 km – 1,800 miles
Brahmaputra River – 2,900 km – 1,800 miles
if linked end tn end would reach around the world at the equator.
15. The ten tallest mountains in Asia -
1. Everest (8,848 m), Nepal-Tibet
2. K2 (8,611 m), Pakistan-China
3. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), Nepal-Sikkim, India
4. Lhotse (8,516 m), Nepal-Tibet, China
5. Makalu (8,462 m), Nepal-Tibet, China
6. Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Nepal-Tibet, China
7. Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Nepal
8. Manaslu (8,156 m), Nepal
9. Nanga Parbat (8,125 m), Pakistan
10. Annapurna (8,091 m), Nepal
if stacked one on top of the other would reach into space. By contrast Mount Fuji at 3.776 is less than half as tall as the shortest in this list.Source(s): http://www.panasianbiz.com/asia/15-fun-facts-about... http://www.gapwork.com/southeast-asia-funstuff.sht...
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- thiryLv 43 years ago
Fun Facts About AsiaSource(s): https://shrinks.im/bavQv
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- AnnaMariaLv 44 years ago
1. Why does a woman have a clear conscience? Because she has her friends tell her what to do 4. If a man and a woman fell off a 10-story building at the same time,who would reach the ground first? The man, because the woman is full of HOT air 5. How are women like commercials? Because they interupt your favorite shows and repeat themselves constantly 7. What do you call a woman with a full brain? Married to a man 8. What's the difference between government bonds and women? Bonds gain money, not spend it 9. What did God say after creating man? Better give him someone to do. 20. What should you give a man who has everything? A muzzle and a cage to put his wife. | https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110413172645AAaZ0cQ |
Monitoring the specific activities of dopamine and its metabolites in striatum and olfactory tubercle after intravenous administration of l-[(3)H]tyrosine: Complex relations, indicating more than two compartments.
It is still a matter of debate whether in dopaminergic nerve endings dopamine (DA) is present in different functional and/or metabolic compartments. To investigate this, DA metabolism was studied in vivo by measuring the specific activity of DA and its metabolites after intravenous administration of l-[3,5-(3)H]tyrosine (200 ?Ci/rat) to freely moving animals. The incorporation of (3)H into DA and metabolites was determined in striatum and olfactory tubercle at 5, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 min after [(3)H]tyrosine administration. In both structures the level of [(3)H]tyrosine initially declined monoexponentially, but deviated from that pattern later on. The curves representing the formation in time of [(3)H]DA and [(3)H]metabolites were very similar in both structures, although as a whole, the levels in the olfactory tubercle were higher. The relative patterns of the specific activities of DA and those of its metabolites, a possible clue to DA compartmentation, neither indicated a clearcut metabolic one-compartment, nor a two-compartment system. The flow of radioactivity through DA metabolism could in fact only be explained by assuming more complex metabolic relations.
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You Ditch Memories as You Gain New Ones, Researchers Find
Researchers in Spain think your memory might be one big take a penny, leave a penny system. Only in this case, one of those pennies gets erased completely.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggests while you're learning new things, your brain is also erasing other things. Cornelius Gross, who led the work at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, looked at mouse brains, studying a region of the brain known to form memories called the hippocampus. He found that, as you cement memories in your brain, your neural connections become stronger — which is pretty much the impetus for saying the same phrases in Spanish class over and over.
Most of those connections occur on the same route in your brain, so when Gross's team blocked that route, the mice weren't able to learn to associate sounds with consequences — but they could still exhibit these Pavlovian responses if they learned them before the route was blocked.
However, according to Gross, when that route was blocked, connections to it were weakened, leading to the erasing of a memory.
"This is the first time that a pathway in the brain has been linked to forgetting, to actively erasing memories," Gross said in a press release.
For some reason, this only happens when you're trying to learn something. "One explanation for this is that there is limited space in the brain, so when you're learning, you have to weaken some connections to make room for others," Gross said, according to the release. "To learn new things, you have to forget things you've learned before."
The study means, essentially, that the more you learn new things, the more you're forgetting others. But what's tricky here is what's considered learning and that you don't realize you're doing it. For instance, if you take piano lessons, but lately you've spent a lot of energy learning the ins and outs of Minecraft instead, you're killing those neural connections that held your piano prowess. So, if you want to keep your brain from getting rid of things you care about, you need to revisit them and strengthen the connections.
There's another extremely cool implication. Maja Köhn's lab at the EMBL is working on a drug that could activate that erasing route in your brain. If the group is successful, they could create a drug to forget traumatic experiences. It's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, only with fewer trips to Montauk. | https://www.mic.com/articles/138318/you-ditch-memories-as-you-gain-new-ones-researchers-find |
Grass Valley Veterinary Hospital is pleased to announce that we are accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) because we meet their stringent veterinary service and care requirements.
What is AAHA Accreditation?
AAHA is the only organization that is certified to accredit veterinary practices in Canada and the United States.
In order to be accredited by the AAHA, a veterinary hospital has to be evaluated on a variety of rigorous quality standards that embody every aspect of veterinary medicine such as pain management, patient care, team training, and medical record keeping.
AAHA accreditation is always being reevaluated and updated to keep accredited practices at the forefront of the profession.
AAHA Guidelines
Established by experts in the field of veterinary medicine, AAHA offers cutting-edge, continuously updated guidelines that assist veterinary professionals in facing the demands of a continually shifting industry and provide pets with the highest quality of care possible.
Recommendations on the appropriate healthcare for cats and dogs are ever-evolving, and AAHA guidelines assist veterinary professionals with developing evidence-based protocols for cats and dogs in their practices.
The AAHA aims to provide the most current, non-biased guidelines on clinically relevant topics to the benefit of not only AAHA members and their patients and clients, but of the entire veterinary profession. | https://www.gvvet.com/site/blog/2021/07/09/what-is-aaha-accreditation-vet |
After four years The Holidays, a Sydney-based indie-pop band, have released their second album, Real Feel. How does one describe the sound? It’s rich, harmonically warm, techno-infused, ethereal pop. But such a description does little justice to an album which explores such depth of feeling and complexity of timbres and issues.
Indeed, what I cherish most about this album is the irony of upbeat tempos, intricate layering of a massive array of sounds and harmonic washes with, at times, lyrics which demonstrate a sense of alienation, loneliness and self-deprecation. It’s as though the music is there to pull the writer and the listener out of those states. And in reading the genesis of some of the songs that Simon Jones has penned and the struggle he has had with many of them, it’s incredible that these pieces have ended up with such an optimistic feel. But then, that’s what music does so well.
Real Feel started life as a concept album, based on the travels of the band to Berlin, Japan, Paris, the UK and around Australia. Jones is able to tap into the seemingly simple and unimportant details of situations which, when providing a confluence with previous thoughts, sounds and visual stimuli, are his meaning. It’s not surprising that Japan Window which he actually wrote before visiting Japan, is his favourite song because there is something about the ordered, sparse, yet rich and colourful aesthetic of Japanese design that infuses his own lyrics and music. His work is also drenched in sensory perception, rather than intellectual pontification. And that’s what makes it work so beautifully. There is the sleight-of-hand referencing of a pentatonic mode in the consonant verse of Japan’s Window, a bizarre mix of ‘pleasure meets maudlin’ in the viewing of a sublime vista through a rain-spattered window reflecting the writer’s melting face. But the chorus echoes the emergence of technologies in Japan with its mechanistic sounds and rhythms. The thoughtful coda briefly takes us back to a time of simplicity with minimalistic guitar ostinatos.
This is not the immediately accessible track on the album. There are plenty of “singles” to choose from. All Time High has a simple bass pattern that drives everything along in its path. With a massive harmonic wash of echoing sound above it, an addictive and securing guitar hook, and the cyclic drumming which is a feature of The Holidays (indeed a little reminiscent of Lindy Morrison’s work with the Go-Betweens), we find ourselves in bliss-land, precisely the writer’s intent. But there is the ever-present warning of a stay too long in the lyrics, which few will heed as they hit the replay button.
Tongue Talk is another infectious track, with tongue-twisting lyrics and some lovely vocal pitch-bending in the chorus “words won’t come”. It’s a place all have inhabited at some point! But, control freak that I am, my favourite track is Home, not just for its use of interesting tinny and wooden tone colours, but the evocation of longing the group is able to convey amidst the hustle and bustle of persistent cyclic riffs and counter-riffs on guitars and percussion. This is all overridden with a sustained drone and echoing effects that create a harmonic wallpaper on synth and vocals.
Mention must be made of the final track, a where all bets are off as The Holidays come out to play. The opening is rockabilly driven while the vocals enter with a sustained languorous venturing into the heavens somewhere. The central section enters a techno-based realm and gradually the hectic pace is tamed with a measured restfulness replacing it. The song is adventurous in structure and content. Irony comes out here particularly; the lyrics in the opening sequence, where the pace of the music is frenetic, are depressed, sad, but at the end where someone special brings Jones out of this state, the music is subdued, calm. Although Jones is the main writer of the group, the contributions of all band members to the arrangements are pivotal to The Holidays’ unique identity. Real Feel is indeed a worthwhile trip!
VIEW: http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/news/38559/Track-by-track-The-Holidays-Real-Feel
This is a great site where Simon Jones talks about the genesis of each track on the album. | http://musictrust.com.au/real-feel/ |
Graphic designers have a unique blend of technical training and creativity used to communicate ideas to broad audiences using a variety of mediums.
Graduates of a Graphic & Media Arts degree plan, analyze, and create visual solutions to communications problems. They find the most effective way to get messages across in print and electronic media using color, type, illustration, photography, animation, and various print and layout techniques. They also produce promotional displays, packaging, marketing materials, logo and branding projects, and solutions for outdoor media, billboards, and signage.
The Associate of Arts in Graphic Design and Media Art consists of 69 credits and can be completed in four semesters.
Students interested in CCC's Graphic Design and Media Art program can apply for general admission to the college and then file a degree plan with an Academic Advisor.
Employment in the field of Graphic and Media Art is expected to grow 13 percent, as fast as the average for all occupations from 2008—2018. According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, median annual cash compensation for entry-level designers was $35,000 in 2008. Many talented individuals are attracted to careers in Graphic and Media Art, therefore individuals with Web site design and animation experience will have the best opportunities.
Graphic design students may also be interested in our Fine Art degree. | http://www.clovis.edu/graphicdesign/index.aspx |
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 9200869 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE|
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Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|Leachates of Cr and Ni from stainless steel utensils viz., frying pans, bowls and tumblers, have been investigated, by exposing the utensils to decinormal solutions of citric, tartaric and lactic acids and to some common Indian drinks. A comparison of observed results indicate that the complexation of metal ions with organic acid anions is most vital and metal leaching is largely a function of the availability of free anions. The intake of Cr and Ni by human beings has also been calculated.|
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Authors:
|P Agarwal; S Srivastava; M M Srivastava; S Prakash; M Ramanamurthy; R Shrivastav; S Dass|
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Publication Detail:
|Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article|
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Journal Detail:
|Title: The Science of the total environment Volume: 199 ISSN: 0048-9697 ISO Abbreviation: Sci. Total Environ. Publication Date: 1997 Jul|
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Date Detail:
|Created Date: 1997-08-05 Completed Date: 1997-08-05 Revised Date: 2006-11-15|
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Medline Journal Info:
|Nlm Unique ID: 0330500 Medline TA: Sci Total Environ Country: NETHERLANDS|
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Other Details:
|Languages: eng Pagination: 271-5 Citation Subset: IM|
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Affiliation:
|Department of Chemistry, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, India.|
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Export Citation:
|APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex|
|MeSH Terms|
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Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Aluminum
/
chemistry
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Anions / chemistry
Beverages*
Chromium / analysis, metabolism*
Citric Acid / chemistry
Cooking and Eating Utensils* / standards
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
India
Lactic Acid / chemistry
Mathematics
Nickel / analysis, metabolism*
Reference Values
Stainless Steel / chemistry*
Tartrates / chemistry
|Chemical|
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Reg. No./Substance:
|0/Anions; 0/Tartrates; 12597-68-1/Stainless Steel; 50-21-5/Lactic Acid; 526-83-0/tartaric acid; 7429-90-5/Aluminum; 7440-02-0/Nickel; 7440-47-3/Chromium; 77-92-9/Citric Acid|
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Trace metals in field samples of zooplankton from the Fram Strait and the Greenland Sea.
Next Document: Different element ratios of red cosmetics excavated from ancient burials of Japan. | http://www.biomedsearch.com/nih/Studies-leaching-Cr-Ni-from/9200869.html |
Abstract:Vehicular traffic on the road-side plays a significant role in affecting the noise pollution in most of the cities over the world. To assess the correlation of the road-traffic on noise pollution in the city environment, continuous measurements were carried out in an entire daytime starting from 8:00 AM IST to 6:00 PM IST at a single point for each 5 minutes (8:00-8:05, 9:00-9:05, 10:00-10:05 AM, ...) near the KIIT University campus road. Noise levels were observed using a mobile operated app of android cell phone and a handheld noise meter. Calibration analysis shows high correlation about 0.89 for the study location for the day time period. Results show diurnal variability of atmospheric noise pollution levels go hand-in and with the vehicular number which pass through a point of observation. The range of noise pollution levels in the daytime period is observed as 55 to 75 dB(A). As a day starts, sudden upsurge of noise levels is observed from 65 to 71 dB(A) in the early morning, 64 dB(A) in late morning, regains the same quantity 68-71 dB(A) in the afternoon, and rises 70 dB(A) in the early evening. Vehicular number of the corresponding noise levels exhibits 115-120, 150-160, and 140-160, respectively. However, this preliminary study suggests the importance of vehicular traffic on noise pollution levels in the urban environment and further to study population exposed to noise levels. Innovative approaches help curb the noise pollution through modelling the traffic noise pollution spatially and temporally over the city environments. | https://publications.waset.org/profile/4876376864 |
City of Philadelphia Department of Public Property, African American Museum HVAC Upgrades
The African American Museum at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA was constructed in 1976. The previous HVAC systems were representative of that era and the equipment had largely exceeded its expected service life. Arora was retained to provide engineering services for HVAC upgrades at the museum.
In the late summer of 2015 it was decided that the Museum would serve as the location for a major function during the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The building’s HVAC systems, especially the 1976 vintage steam fired direct expansion rooftop air handling units, were in a general state of unserviceability. Arora Engineers, Inc. (Arora) was brought on board in July 2015 to immediately begin the design process to allow procurement of construction to be completed in time for the Convention, factoring in the long lead time of any newly purchased equipment. Arora provided Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing, and Construction Administration Services for the HVAC upgrades to the African American Museum.
SCOPE OF SERVICES INCLUDED:
Assessment of Existing Conditions
- On-site assessment of existing HVAC systems and controls to determine the needs of the building.
- Results of the observations and recommended actions were submitted as an assessment report, including opinions of probable construction costs.
Design Phase
- Creating engineering bid drawings describing the HVAC renovations and control systems, as well as any electrical and/or plumbing systems modification required by the renovations.
- New controls systems were designed in conformance with the City of Philadelphia Building HVAC Controls Guidelines for New and Existing Buildings.
- Provided Construction Phase support to achieve a successful, on-time completion.
Arora performed an existing conditions assessment to prioritize the needed upgrades with associated costs to inform the decision-making process by the City as to what work needed to be done before the Convention. During the initial site investigations, Arora determined that the current purchased district steam was hopelessly uneconomical and performed a life cycle cost analysis indicating the substantial savings to be gleaned by divorcing the building from the utility district steam supply.
The building was designed with a new high efficiency gas fired condensing boiler system to serve the existing interior space heating equipment. A new gas service was provided from a nearby high-pressure utility gas main located in front of the adjacent Federal Reserve Bank, discovered by Arora after an on-site meeting. The rooftop units were replaced with gas fired units, with the new gas piping routed in the location of the former steam mains. Creative design work was required as the 1976 vintage rooftop units were from a manufacturer that was long out of business and of a configuration that is not made by any current manufacturers. The design needed to account for the very different unit layouts and duct connections to mate with the existing building ductwork.
The project was completed on time for successful use during the 2016 Democratic National Convention. It was also the subject of a local TV news report, which reported an increase in patronage, as well as visitor and staff commentary on how comfortable the building was compared to its previous conditions. | https://www.aroraengineers.com/project/city-of-philadelphia-department-of-public-property-african-american-museum-hvac-upgrades/ |
Bringing another perspective to respect in the workplace, Nadia Nassif is a tireless advocate of language training and language learning. She has spent almost a decade teaching and coaching in Japan and the U.S. and is now the Principal and Principal Trainer with Springboards Language Training and Consulting, LLC.
Don’t Wait Until Reviews for Language Based Feedback
If performance measurement were straightforward, there would no longer be a need to showcase the discussion year after year at the Society for Human Resource Management conferences. Even among human resource professionals there continues to be gray areas on this process and – with the growing complexity in a global workforce – it is not a discussion that will disappear any time soon. Try mentioning “360”, “performance reviews”, and “peer reviews” in a largely international crowd and you are bound to hear a few war stories.
So why is the performance review such a sensitive issue, particularly for the international employee in the U.S. organization? It is a commonly held view that performance reviews must be equitable, meritorious, and objectively administered. Unfortunately for the English as a Second Language speaker (the international employee), the review may be difficult if “success” in one’s job is based on how well they communicate internally and externally, handle clients and establish thought leadership and credibility. In this case, the inability to reach goals may have a lot more to do with language deficiencies or cultural barriers than actual technical performance or inherent ability.
The real tragedy is timing. As managers and HR professionals, we should be doing more to detect communication and cultural barriers early on. Waiting until review time makes ESL employees feel unfairly penalized for their language deficiencies then pigeonholed into training as a prerequisite for advancement. This is often the beginning of bad feelings, and sometimes resentment for the employee, especially if the process is not handled right.
Before review time comes, organizations with international employees might want to consider the following points:
• English related communication challenges should be identified in international employees early on, even at the on-boarding stages through an online grammar test, a display of e-mailing competency, and observation of their team work.
• Education and information about ESL resources should be made available and strategically placed in the same venue as other training and professional development tools.
• Mentors and advisors of international employees should be made aware of the available resources and frankly discuss communications based feedback with their mentee early and often. If they are not properly trained on how to do this, they should be.
It’s important to remember that English language communication challenges go beyond merely grammar, which is often a euphemism for other challenges. “Poorly written” e-mails may extend beyond a missed article or noun, a misplaced tone, or the lack of formal business vocabulary. In actuality, they may be evidence that one’s cultural and professional communication competencies are much more deeply embedded in cultural differences—a distinction companies cannot afford to miss.
As international employees continue to join in the U.S. labor force, organizations should be doing more to consider whether current efforts to motivate and promote this group engender equitable and thoughtful treatment of their professional development. Early support for their communication development is a good place to start. | http://legacycultures.com/introducing-nadia-nassif/ |
This shows 3-D images of a mannequin (top) and person (bottom) from 325 meters away. The left-hand panels show close-up photos of the targets taken with a standard camera. In the center are 3-D images of these targets taken by the scanner from 325 meters away. On the right is a color-coded map showing the number of photons that bounce off the targets and return to the detector, with black indicating a low number of photons. Notice that human skin does not show up well using the scanner: the mannequin's face includes depth information, but the person's face does not. Credit: Optics Express.
(Phys.org) —A standard camera takes flat, 2-D pictures. To get 3-D information, such as the distance to a far-away object, scientists can bounce a laser beam off the object and measure how long it takes the light to travel back to a detector. The technique, called time-of-flight (ToF), is already used in machine vision, navigation systems for autonomous vehicles, and other applications, but many current ToF systems have a relatively short range and struggle to image objects that do not reflect laser light well. A team of Scotland-based physicists has recently tackled these limitations and reported their findings today in the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal Optics Express.
The research team, led by Gerald Buller, a professor at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, describes a ToF imaging system that can gather high-resolution, 3-D information about objects that are typically very difficult to image, from up to a kilometer away.
The new system works by sweeping a low-power infrared laser beam rapidly over an object. It then records, pixel-by-pixel, the round-trip flight time of the photons in the beam as they bounce off the object and arrive back at the source. The system can resolve depth on the millimeter scale over long distances using a detector that can "count" individual photons.
Although other approaches can have exceptional depth resolution, the ability of the new system to image objects like items of clothing that do not easily reflect laser pulses makes it useful in a wider variety of field situations, says Heriot-Watt University Research Fellow Aongus McCarthy, the first author of the Optics Express paper.
"Our approach gives a low-power route to the depth imaging of ordinary, small targets at very long range," McCarthy says. "Whilst it is possible that other depth-ranging techniques will match or out-perform some characteristics of these measurements, this single-photon counting approach gives a unique trade-off between depth resolution, range, data-acquisition time, and laser-power levels."
These are 3-D images of two of the Optics Express authors, taken in daylight from 910 meters away. Each standard photograph shows a close-up view of what the scanner sees. The middle left panels show 3-D images with slightly more depth detail that the right-hand panels; this is because the detector spent more time collecting the returning photons for the images on the left than on the right. Credit: Optics Express.
The primary use of the system is likely to be scanning static, man-made targets, such as vehicles. With some modifications to the image-processing software, it could also determine their speed and direction.
One of the key characteristics of the system is the long wavelength of laser light the researchers chose. The light has a wavelength of 1,560 nanometers, meaning it is longer, or "redder," than visible light, which is only about 380-750 nanometers in wavelength. This long-wavelength light travels more easily through the atmosphere, is not drowned out by sunlight, and is safe for eyes at low power. Many previous ToF systems could not detect the extra-long wavelengths that the Scottish team's device is specially designed to sense.
The scanner is particularly good at identifying objects hidden behind clutter, such as foliage. However, it cannot render human faces, instead drawing them as dark, featureless areas. This is because at the long wavelength used by the system, human skin does not reflect back a large enough number of photons to obtain a depth measurement. However, the reflectivity of skin can change under different circumstances. "Some reports indicate that humans under duress—for example, with perspiring skin—will have significantly greater return signals," and thus should produce better images, McCarthy says.
Outside of target identification, photon-counting depth imaging could be used for a number of scientific purposes, including the remote examination of the health and volume of vegetation and the movement of rock faces, to assess potential hazards. Ultimately, McCarthy says, it could scan and image objects located as far as 10 kilometers away. "It is clear that the system would have to be miniaturized and ruggedized, but we believe that a lightweight, fully portable scanning depth imager is possible and could be a product in less than five years."
Next steps for the team include making the scanner work faster. Although the data for the high-resolution depth images can be acquired in a matter of seconds, currently it takes about five to six minutes from the onset of scanning until a depth image is created by the system. Most of that lag, McCarthy says, is due to the relatively slow processing time of the team's available computer resources. "We are working on reducing this time by using a solid-state drive and a higher specification computer, which could reduce the total time to well under a minute. In the longer term, the use of more dedicated processors will further reduce this time."
Explore further Seeing through walls: Laser system reconstructs objects hidden from sight
More information: "Kilometer-range, high resolution depth imaging via 1560 nm wavelength single-photon detection," A. McCarthy et al., Optics Express, Vol. 21, Issue 7, pp. 8904-8915 (2013) Journal information: Optics Express "Kilometer-range, high resolution depth imaging via 1560 nm wavelength single-photon detection," A. McCarthy et al.,, Vol. 21, Issue 7, pp. 8904-8915 (2013) www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abst … cfm?uri=oe-21-7-8904
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justifiably harsh to act as a deterrent against recurrence of such incidents.
Every single incident of ragging a First Information Report (FIR) must be filed without
exception by the institutional authorities with the local police authorities.
The Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution shall take an appropriate decision, with regard
to punishment or otherwise, depending on the facts of each incident of ragging and nature and gravity of the incident of ragging.
Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established, the possible punishments for those
found guilty of ragging at the institution level shall be any one or any combination of the following :
Cancellation of admission
Suspension from attending classes
Withholding / withdrawing scholarship / fellowship and other benefits.
Debarring from appearing in any test / examination or other evaluation process.
Withholding results.
Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.
Suspension / expulsion from the hostel
Rustication from institution for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters.
Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution.
Collective punishment : when the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified,
the institution shall resort to collective punishment as a deterrent to ensure community pressure on the potential raggers. | https://www.bppimt.ac.in/Anti_Ragging?val=Punishment |
Abstract:
Stable isotopes of water (deuterium, D, and oxygen, δ18O) have been used as important tracers in the ocean for river run-off and importantly,for interior water masses in the world ocean because these isotopes are conservative once ocean water masses leave the surface. Like salinity, δ18O in the ocean can vary due to evaporation/precipitation, the influx of freshwater from river runoff and the melting of glaciers or sea ice. Paired δ18O and salinity can help to provide information about provenance and mixing of deep water masses. Previous studies have shown that surface waters generally exhibit a linear δ18O - salinity relationship where the slope depends on regional conditions. To better understand processes governing the isotopic signal in the surface ocean and their effect on deeper water mass values data from a range of depths and locations is needed. However, data sets with both surface and deeper waters are extremely sparse and limited, particularly in the Indian and Southern Oceans. In this study, water samples were collected along two transects between 30-42°S and 77-115°E in the southern part of the Indian Ocean crossing from subtropical to subantarctic waters. For all locations water masses from the surface to 20 meters above the seafloor were sampled during November - December 2018. These transects are nominally located north and south of the subtropical front (STF), which separates the sub-antarctic and sub-tropical surface waters, and cross the formation zone for Subantarctic mode water (SAMW). Over 200 samples were collected and analyzed for water isotopes and compared to shipboard CTD measurements of salinity. Surface data show a correlation between δ18O and salinity similar to that reported by Srivastava et al. (2007) for the Southern Indian Ocean. | https://agu.confex.com/agu/osm20/preliminaryview.cgi/Paper657168.html |
By Peter Hall, The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) –
BELLEFONTE, Pa. — Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers have been laying the groundwork for the retired Penn State football coach’s defense since prosecutors finished questioning their first witness Monday.
Defense attorneys Joe Amendola and Karl Rominger are expected next week to begin calling defense witnesses who may include the widow and son of legendary head coach Joe Paterno, Sandusky’s wife, Dottie, and the former Penn State defensive coordinator himself.
But in the first week, Sandusky’s lawyers have been compiling scraps of testimony from each of the prosecution’s witnesses that are likely to form the framework of their closing argument, local attorneys say.
“You have a theme from the get-go. Every question you ask on cross-examination is backing up your theme,” said Allentown criminal defense attorney John Waldron.
The defense attorneys grilled the eight young men who testified Sandusky abused them about their conversations with investigators, whether they’ve hired their own attorneys, and their relationships to other accusers.
Easton criminal defense lawyer Gary Asteak said the defense attorney’s job is to use the prosecution’s witnesses to tell the story a defendant wants the jury to hear. That means the attorney must deliver the narrative through his questions and never ask what he doesn’t already know.
Amendola’s questions point toward a defense strategy of discrediting the witnesses and leading the jurors to doubt the accusers’ motives for testifying.
“That may be the defense’s only strategy in this case, to chip away at the credibility of the victims,” said retired federal prosecutor Seth Weber.
Sandusky, 68, is charged with molesting 10 young boys between 1994 and 2009, two of whom investigators have never identified.
His accusers, now in their late teens and 20s, each testified under questioning by Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph E. McGettigan III they met Sandusky during programs through The Second Mile, a charity for troubled children Sandusky founded in 1977.
Each witness said Sandusky invited him to outings at parks and Penn State football games with other children before the ex-coach singled him out for one-on-one activities like racquetball and workouts on the Penn State campus.
In Centre County Court testimony this week, the accusers described eerily similar progressions: from Sandusky’s hand on their knees while riding in his car, to hugging and groping while naked in the shower or in bed at Sandusky’s Centre County home, to — for some — forced sex.
In his opening statement, Amendola suggested Sandusky would take the witness stand to give his side of the story and tell jurors how he grew up in a recreation center his parents managed, where showering with other people was not unusual.
Amendola also promised to show jurors that the accusers’ motives were not driven by a desire for justice, but by a hope to tap Penn State and The Second Mile’s coffers through civil lawsuits.
Amendola asked his client’s accusers on cross-examination about what they told investigators, and when. Each accuser gave his name in court, but The Morning Call typically does not publish the names of victims of sexual abuse.
Questioning Victim 4, a 28-year-old man who said Sandusky forced him to perform oral sex, Amendola elicited testimony that the accuser hadn’t mentioned the sex act until he testified before the grand jury that recommended charges against Sandusky last year.
“During the interview, did you initially tell the officers that you and Jerry Sandusky had been involved in sexual behavior?” Amendola asked.
“No,” Victim 4 replied.
Victim 4 told the jury under questioning that he met with investigators several more times, but “didn’t completely come out.”
“I never told them any details at all,” Victim 4 said.
“So in other words your testimony before the grand jury was the first time you gave any details?” Amendola asked.
“Yes,” the man replied.
In a similar exchange with Victim 7, Amendola asked when he first told investigators that Sandusky had grabbed him from behind in a shower when he was 11. The man, now 27, told jurors under cross-examination that he didn’t mention the contact until after he had testified before the grand jury.
“Today you testified Mr. Sandusky in the shower grabbed you from behind. Prior to today, did you tell anybody in the attorney general’s office about that?” Amendola asked.
“Joe McGettigan,” the man replied.
That admission came, Amendola established through cross-examination, after the boy had hired a private attorney.
He employed the same tactic with each of the six accusers who have private lawyers.
Victim 6, who said Sandusky tickled and hugged him in a shower in 1998, testified Tuesday that his perception of the incident changed after he learned of the investigation.
“Did your change of perception have anything to do with hiring counsel, signing some agreement, the contents of which you are not sure about and thinking there might be some financial gain for you?” Amendola asked.
“Zero,” the 26-year-old man replied.
Amendola asked a similar question of former Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary, who testified he saw Sandusky in a locker room shower sexually assaulting the unidentified boy known in court papers as Victim 2. McQueary lost his position on the Penn State coaching staff after Paterno was fired in the wake of Sandusky’s charges.
The defense attorney asked McQueary whether he had filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against Penn State, suggesting that McQueary was biased and had an interest in seeing Sandusky convicted. McQueary admitted he has filed a notice that he intends to sue the university.
“I want to be a football coach at Penn State University, and I think I am owed something for the position that I am in,” he testified.
Ultimately, Asteak said, the cross-examination questions may be enough to convince jurors that some of the alleged victims’ testimony was exaggerated. But Sandusky’s lawyers also will need to present testimony from witnesses who support Sandusky’s side of the story.
“He’s not going to win this case on cross-examination alone,” Asteak said. | https://northiowatoday.com/2012/06/16/analysis-cross-examinations-in-sandusky-trial-have-focused-on-witnesses-motives/ |
7 hours ago Directions. In a medium saucepan, bring water, broth, lemon juice and butter to a boil. Stir in rice, basil and lemon zest. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Before serving, sprinkle with lemon-pepper.
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4 hours ago Add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 …
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3 hours ago 2. Season with salt to taste, lots of pepper, the garlic, and most of the lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until hot.
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3 hours ago Lemon Rice Recipe Indian sharerecipes.net. 5 hours ago Lemon White Rice Recipes. 5 hours ago Best Low Carb Mexican "rice" Recipes and Low Carb Mexican . 5 hours ago This warm rice pilaf is tangy and earthy, thanks to the addition of lemon (juice and zest), shaved Greek olives, and fresh oregano. This dish would be a great side dish along with roasted or grilled chicken, …
Just Now Throw the rice into boiling water, cook for 10 minutes and drain. Heat the oil in a small frying pan, over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds …
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3 hours ago lemon rice, lemon rice recipe, lemon rice recipe in hindi, lemon rice with curry, lemon rice ingredients, lemon rice powder, lemon rice masala, ingredients o
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2 hours ago Add 7-8 curry leaves, 1 dry red chilli and 1 green chilli. Saute for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Mix well. Add steamed rice. Add …
5 hours ago Lemon Rice also known as chitranna or nimmakaya pulihora is a crunchy, flavorful and tangy dish that is easy to make and tastes so good. Lemon juice, fried nuts, …
1 hours ago Easy Lemon Rice. We make this lemon rice ALL the time. It literally goes with everything. Chicken, steak, pork, fish, you name it (thinking it would be perfect with our …
4 hours ago Heat the remaining oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, curry leaves, dry red chilli, small onion (if using), green chilli. Cook for 1-2 mins. …
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2 hours ago 3- Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and transfer to a large bowl and let it cool down. Then add the salt. 4- And the lemon juice and mix well until combined and set it …
2 hours ago lemon rice recipe chitranna recipe chitrannam recipe with detailed photo and video recipe. an easy and simple south indian staple food recipe made with boiled rice and a …
6 hours ago The recipe is very easy; it is done by mixing rice with spiced peanut and lemon mixture. The peanuts add a nutty flavor to the tangy and aromatic …
9 hours ago Easy Lemon Rice Recipe: Make the easy and delicious lemon rice recipe for festivals like pongal at home using ingredients like basmati rice, …
7 hours ago Place the rice, lemon zest and juice, butter and stock in a pan, then bring to the boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cover. Cook for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat and …
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3 hours ago Directions. Instructions Checklist. Step 1. Slightly smash garlic clove using flat side of a knife. Stir together garlic, broth, butter, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over …
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2 hours ago Lemon Rice is an all-time favourite rice preparation in South India, where it is made on a regular basis for lunch or dinner, offered as prasad to devotees at temples, served as part of a wedding spread, and carried frequently in the dabba to work or school. With a holistic flavour that combines spice and tang, this rice does not need any complex accompaniments – …
1 hours ago Spice-up the Lemon Rice. We always dry roast 1/4 Teaspoon of Fenugreek seeds, 2 red chili and grind it and add it to the rice. This gives very nice flavor and taste to the lemon …
6 hours ago Add the ginger, serrano chiles, lemon zest, and sugar and sauté until the chiles are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the turmeric and sauté for an additional 1 minute. Add the rice and remove from the heat. Gently stir in the lemon juice and season with salt. Serve warm garnished with cilantro and, if desired, chutneys and hot chapatis.
Just Now Lemon Rice Recipe Ingredients. This Greek Lemon Rice recipe is packed full of fresh, vibrant aromatic ingredients. You will need: rice: use basmati rice for the best results. …
8 hours ago Making plain rice into lemon rice is as easy as: Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve, under cold, running water. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan! Bring to a boil. …
4 hours ago Extract the lemon juice. Saute chilies and nuts. Add lemon juice and switch off. Add cooked rice and required salt. Lemon rice is ready. Let it stay for at least an hour before …
5 hours ago Heat broth to boiling in medium saucepan; stir in rice and garlic. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Mix lemon juice …
See Also: Soup RecipesShow details
3 hours ago Lemon Rice South Indian Rice Recipe Easy Lunch Dinner Recipe Lemon Rice South indian recipe Indian lunch box recipe Peanuts curry leaves lemon rice #le
Just Now Stove Top. In a medium pot, combine the basmati, coconut oil, salt, lemon zest, dried basil, oregano and stock. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce …
Directions. Stir the onion into the rice; cook and stir 1 minute more. Pour chicken broth over the rice mixture, season with garlic salt, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, place a cover on the saucepan, and cook until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes before lifting...
Healthy Lemon Rice. The lemon in the rice aids in the absorption of iron in your body due to its high vitamin c content. I have replace rice with brown rice to make it more healthy and low in calorie. If you have eaten a heavy breakfast, then this is a perfect dish for a light lunch.
Directions. Fill a can with rice (approximately 1 3/4 cups), and stir into broth. Season with paprika and lemon pepper to taste. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture, and sprinkle with more paprika and lemon pepper to taste. Cover, and bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until rice is cooked through and chicken is no longer pink...
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. | https://www.full-recipes.com/lemon-rice-recipe/ |
The most basic things matter, and mastery of the types of cuts is one of the most important steps in becoming a cook.
Knowing how to do basic cuts can enhance your overall performance in the kitchen. It improves your prepping speed, as you don’t have to do too much thinking and envisioning before pushing your knife down.
When the materials are cut properly, they’re more likely to be cooked evenly to the desired degree of doneness. Uniformity in the shape and size of the veggies also makes the dishes much more aesthetically desirable.
With that in mind, equip yourself with a good chef knife or a santoku (oh yes, the type of the knives used matters too!), and let’s take a look at the most popular cuts and how to perform them.
Bâtonnet, pronounced bah-tow-nay, is a French word that means “little sticks”. And that’s exactly what you’re supposed to produce – the Batonnet refers to cuts of 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch x 2-2.5 inches (6mm x 6mm x 5–6 cm) batons. This is one of the most basic cuts in French cuisine.
Get a knife, preferably a sharp chef’s knife.
Remove both ends of the object you’re batonneting, be it a carrot, a cucumber, or a beetroot. (Let’s hope it’s not a ripe tomato you’re practicing the technique on.) Cut it into 2 inches long portions.
Cut the sides of each portion until it becomes a rectangular shape.
Cut those pieces into 1/4 inch slabs.
Cut the slabs lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.
Note: Try to not let the guilt of producing so much waste affect your cuts. You can always collect the unused materials for other dishes, or run them through a juicer if they’re juiceable!
The measurement for julienne (pronounced joo-lee-en) is 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch × 2 inches (3mm × 3mm × 5 cm). The Julienne can be achieved by cutting the Batonnet lengthwise into 4 equal square sticks, and then into 2 crosswise.
Measured 1/16 inch × 1/16 inch × 2 inches (1.5mm x 1.5mm x 5cm), the fine julienne can be make by cutting a normal julienne into 4 equal sticks lengthwise. But of course it’d be easier to make it from thin slabs rather than sticks.
This cut features cubes with 6 even sides measuring approximately ¾ inch (2 cm).
Perform topping and tailing on the object (carrot/potato/ect). Cut the sides so it becomes a rectangular shape.
Cut it into slabs measuring ¾ inch in thickness.
Cut the slabs lengthwise so they become sticks measuring ¾ inch x ¾ inch in depth and width.
Cut the sticks into ¾ inch x ¾ inch¾ inch cubes.
These cubes measure approximately ½ inch x ½ inch x ½ inch (1.25 cm each).
The Parmentier can be made in the same way as the Carré, except with smaller measurements.
Little cubes measuring 1/8 inch (3mm). They can be made from the Julienne.
The Paysanne is a more informal French cut. Basically, you cut the veggies/fruits/roots with a measurement of about 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch x 1/8 inch in mind, but the shape is decided according to the shape of the object itself.
This is a technique with which you cut herbs or leaves into long, thin strips (ribbons).
Gather the leaves or herbs into a stack. Put larger ones at the bottom and smaller ones on top. According to Wikihow, you can have about 8 to 10 small leaves (basil, catnip, lemon balm, ect) or 3 to 4 large leaves (lettuce) at a time.
If the leaves are large enough, roll them into a cigar shape.
Slice the roll into thin strips of about ⅛ inch (.3 cm) in width.
what would a cut size of a chop be? and a tourne?
I don’t think a chop has an exact size, but for veggies it’s usually about 1/2 to 3/4-inch. A football shaped tournee, meanwhile, has length of about 2 inches and width of 1 inch at the center. I’ve seen smaller tournees too though, so the cut is probably more about the shape than the size. | https://healthykitchen101.com/types-of-cuts/ |
In western educational systems of today, children are taught to read much the same as they have been taught to read for decades. Generally speaking, children are taught to read phonetically, breaking words down into their sounds (individual letter sounds and digraphs, of which there are 42 sounds in the English language), they are taught to recognize ‘tricky words’ (such as ‘the’) that cannot be sounded out phonetically, and they learn to read first out loud, and then silently and independently to themselves. Many aspects are assessed when children first learn to read, such as comprehension and fluency, as well as knowing what to do when encountering punctuation in the texts read. However, being able to read silently and independently is the ultimate goal. Indeed, silent reading is so important in the western educational system that parts of every school day are devoted to it (particularly in younger grade levels), with popular programmes such as Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) and Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) being two of the more common. The purpose of this paper is to look at the origins of silent reading and the influence it has had on reading programmes today in western education systems.
The origins of silent reading are not exactly precise, neither our knowledge of early print and text literacy a thorough, detailed, historical account. We do know that early, pre-text society was an oral-aural one, where information and knowledge were passed through word of mouth, often in rhyme or song (for lengthy accounts), with repetitive elements so that it could be remembered easily by the orator. Written text was first developed among the Sumerians in Mesopotamia around the year 3500 BC (Ong, 2002). By Plato’s time however, written text had become the new way of storing knowledge, allowing for less repetitive thought (Ong, 2002).
Though written text (manuscripts) had become the new way of storing knowledge, it was still originally written to be read aloud, either to others or to oneself (among other people), with little or no punctuation as we would recognize it today (Ong, 2002). It was not until much later that we see recorded accounts of people reading silently to themselves and in these accounts the writers are often surprised to be witness to such events. In AD 383, in the first recorded instance in Western literature, Saint Augustine wrote of Ambrose, “we found him reading like this in silence, for he never read aloud” (Manguel, 1996). Further instances can be seen in plays from the 5th Century BC from Euripides and Aristophanes, with both having characters read items silently and then react to them. (Manguel, 1996).
With the development of the written word came the intimacy of the author with his work. In the fourteenth century authors began composing texts in cursive script, making the text and writing a more intimate affair. With this intimacy of the author came the expectation that it would be read with intimacy, or independently and in silence to oneself (Saenger, 1997). In the centuries to follow, throughout the Middle Ages, silent reading began to work its way into education. Scholarly libraries began to be developed where reference books were chained to lecterns so that they would always be consulted in the library (Saenger, 1997). From these libraries the first instances of a need for the reader’s silence was made note of and this has continued through to libraries throughout the world today (both academic as well as public), as we know them.
Why was there a delay in the move from reading text aloud to reading silently? Early manuscripts were written to be read aloud and did not include punctuation in any way as we know it today. Punctuation as we know it today can be defined as “the practice or system of using certain conventional marks or characters in writing or printing in order to separate elements and make the meaning clear, as in ending a sentence or separating clauses” (dictionary.com). With the development and beginning widespread use of print, as well as the development of the printing press, punctuation started to be used more widely and uniformly in order for people to make meaning of what they read easier and quicker. In addition to punctuation being added to print, so too did proper spacing between words and sentences, as well as paragraphs begin to be seen.
While there has been well documented impact on religious and political fronts over the early years of silent reading, of which I will not even attempt to go into here, there has also been great impact on education, especially in the last few decades. Being able to read silently and with comprehension and fluency is the goal of western language programmes and students are routinely tested on their ability to glean information from text without uttering a word.
Schools continue to spend valuable time every day, devoted to individual, silent reading programmes. These programmes, often called Silent Sustained Reading (SSR), Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) or something similar, are enforced based on the belief that the more often children and young adults read silently, the better they will become at reading in general (mentality of practice makes perfect perhaps). Silent reading is thought to instill a love of reading in children, increase comprehension and fluency and, often of most importance, speed of reading (Surrey School District). There is little supported evidence however, that silent reading programmes in schools are all that effective. One has to wonder how much time has been spent on a daily event that shows few dividends.
It is difficult to imagine what a library would be like today if everyone were not reading silently, or similarly what a coffee shop or metro station would be like. We are taught to value finding a comfortable nook to curl up in with a good book. Oral reading has become a lost art of sorts, with students able to be kept captive while listening to a gifted story-teller. Silent reading has made learning individual in many ways. Though one could always read orally to oneself, silent reading promotes individual, silent reading by its very nature.
References
Bolter, Jay David. (2001). Writing Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the remediation of print. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (digital copy purchased from Amazon.com)
Manguel, Alberto. (1996). A History of Reading. New York: Viking. Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/class/history34q/readings/Manguel/Silent_Readers.html
Ong, Walter. (1982). Orality and Literacy: The technologizing of the word. London: Methuen (digital copy purchased from Amazon.com)
Saenger, Paul. (1997). Space between words: the origins of silent reading. Palo Alto, Stanford University Press. | https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540sept10/2010/11/09/1606/ |
rounded to the nearest one hundred?
400
What is -0.11304086 rounded to 2 dps?
-0.11
Round 0.05153393 to 3 decimal places.
0.052
What is 20055222 rounded to the nearest 100000?
20100000
What is 0.05411037 rounded to two dps?
0.05
Round -0.000252054 to five decimal places.
-0.00025
Round -0.000007749689 to 7 decimal places.
-0.0000077
Round 520474900 to the nearest 1000000.
520000000
Round 4361910 to the nearest one hundred thousand.
4400000
Round 0.1342187 to four dps.
0.1342
Round 0.0002626861 to five decimal places.
0.00026
Round -0.00000805337 to six dps.
-0.000008
Round 0.0021459281 to 4 dps.
0.0021
Round -12503.33 to the nearest ten thousand.
-10000
Round 419567000 to the nearest one million.
420000000
What is -169.793 rounded to the nearest integer?
-170
Round 1086.133 to the nearest one thousand.
1000
What is -0.0010770745 rounded to five decimal places?
-0.00108
What is -0.0006176624 rounded to seven decimal places?
-0.0006177
Round 486.303 to the nearest integer.
486
Round 0.00233299 to 4 decimal places.
0.0023
What is -1.4599996 rounded to 1 decimal place?
-1.5
What is 0.067379 rounded to three dps?
0.067
What is 0.54703 rounded to 1 dp?
0.5
Round -82793600 to the nearest 1000000.
-83000000
What is -25594095000 rounded to the nearest one million?
-25594000000
What is -0.000023276969 rounded to seven dps?
-0.0000233
What is 64.015 rounded to the nearest 10?
60
Round 117931300 to the nearest one hundred thousand.
117900000
What is 1843402 rounded to the nearest one hundred thousand?
1800000
What is -1734387.5 rounded to the nearest 1000?
-1734000
Round 83678500 to the nearest one million.
84000000
Round 0.0004741621 to 4 decimal places.
0.0005
What is -88.79896 rounded to 0 decimal places?
-89
What is -0.0223988 rounded to three dps?
-0.022
What is 35.599 rounded to zero dps?
36
What is -1535640.9 rounded to the nearest 100000?
-1500000
Round 7654.73 to the nearest 1000.
8000
Round -0.00000507903 to 6 decimal places.
-0.000005
Round -0.0000122365952 to seven decimal places.
-0.0000122
Round -690710 to the nearest one hundred thousand.
-700000
What is -0.15239455 rounded to 3 dps?
-0.152
What is 0.000000275 rounded to 7 decimal places?
0.0000003
What is 0.04331806 rounded to two dps?
0.04
What is 0.0007614064 rounded to 4 decimal places?
0.0008
What is 0.9110412 rounded to one decimal place?
0.9
Round 9000.9 to the nearest 100.
9000
What is 1446254 rounded to the nearest 100000?
1400000
What is -0.000206997 rounded to six decimal places?
-0.000207
What is 32.90842 rounded to 1 dp?
32.9
What is -0.00859139 rounded to 5 decimal places?
-0.00859
Round 1647.8597 to one dp.
1647.9
Round -15029100 to the nearest 10000.
-15030000
What is 4705.2 rounded to the nearest ten?
4710
What is 60124200 rounded to the nearest 1000000?
60000000
Round 0.00002441028 to 6 dps.
0.000024
Round 359654000 to the nearest 1000000.
360000000
Round 43239.3 to the nearest one hundred.
43200
What is 1.695457 rounded to 2 decimal places?
1.7
What is 0.0170266 rounded to two dps?
0.02
Round -388882.6 to the nearest one thousand.
-389000
Round 94632990 to the nearest 10000.
94630000
Round -0.00005226875 to 5 dps.
-0.00005
What is 0.0001675823 rounded to seven dps?
0.0001676
Round -901672.56 to the nearest 10000.
-900000
Round 0.0001195965 to five dps.
0.00012
What is -0.0000409656 rounded to 7 dps?
-0.000041
What is 5387.3 rounded to the nearest 100?
5400
What is 258.76648 rounded to 1 decimal place?
258.8
What is -75085.924 rounded to the nearest 1000?
-75000
Round 0.98487 to 2 dps.
0.98
Round 0.000268015 to five dps.
0.00027
Round -498.88769 to the nearest one hundred.
-500
Round -689900 to the nearest 1000000.
-1000000
Round -0.01266 to 3 dps.
-0.013
What is -50194.59 rounded to the nearest 1000?
-50000
Round -0.008646687 to 4 decimal places.
-0.0086
Round 210603170 to the nearest 100000.
210600000
What is 0.00000104487 rounded to 6 decimal places?
0.000001
Round -1.70455 to the nearest 10.
0
What is -305.921 rounded to zero decimal places?
-306
Round 0.000036219 to 6 dps.
0.000036
Round 0.0000034868 to 7 dps.
0.0000035
What is 3.459667 rounded to one dp?
3.5
What is -0.00002194008 rounded to six dps?
-0.000022
Round -0.0000245665 to six decimal places.
-0.000025
Round 7.876 to the nearest 10.
10
What is -0.2076692 rounded to 3 dps?
-0.208
Round 60565300 to the nearest 100000.
60600000
Round -38352500 to the nearest 1000000.
-38000000
What is -47.98953 rounded to 0 dps?
-48
What is 0.0000006859434 rounded to 7 dps?
0.0000007
Round -77017452 to the nearest one million.
-77000000
What is -452.6654 rounded to the nearest ten?
-450
Round -0.029599546 to 3 decimal places.
-0.03
What is -59369.567 rounded to the nearest ten?
-59370
Round -0.0001919727 to four dps.
-0.0002
What is 0.000000341932 rounded to 7 decimal places?
0.0000003
What is 175.9707 rounded to 0 decimal places?
176
Round -32898507 to the nearest one million.
-33000000
What is 0.000090977169 rounded to 5 decimal places?
0.00009
Round 0.1964646 to three decimal places.
0.196
What is -0.01880191 rounded to three dps?
-0.019
What is -819.4018 rounded to the nearest 100?
-800
What is 458410 rounded to the nearest 10000?
460000
Round 477054 to the nearest 10000.
480000
Round -122.3848 to 0 dps.
-122
What is 7.86823 rounded to one decimal place?
7.9
What is -4.5798195 rounded to 0 dps?
-5
What is -7947.89 rounded to the nearest one thousand?
-8000
What is -1160.1253 rounded to the nearest 100?
-1200
Round 0.000055616336 to seven decimal places.
0.0000556
Round 0.000010370872 to 7 dps.
0.0000104
What is 49096.92 rounded to the nearest ten thousand?
50000
Round 133476.17 to the nearest 10000.
130000
What is 2395.641 rounded to the nearest one hundred?
2400
Round 3.206168 to 1 dp.
3.2
What is -0.007674297 rounded to 5 dps?
-0.00767
Round -0.001522871 to four decimal places.
-0.0015
Round -1357950 to the nearest 10000.
-1360000
What is 2900.429 rounded to 0 decimal places?
2900
What is 1635635000 rounded to the nearest 1000000?
1636000000
What is -0.006632043 rounded to three dps?
-0.007
Round 18887470 to the nearest 10000.
18890000
Round 25148190 to the nearest one hundred thousand.
25100000
Round -479492100 to the nearest 100000.
-479500000
What is -0.0007409156 rounded to seven decimal places?
-0.0007409
What is 0.0666094 rounded to two dps?
0.07
What is -861541 rounded to the nearest one thousand?
-862000
What is 92215000 rounded to the nearest 1000000?
92000000
Round -4.019222 to one dp.
-4
Round -0.057243 to two decimal places.
-0.06
What is 277715.4 rounded to the nearest one thousand?
278000
What is -11174600 rounded to the nearest ten thousand?
-11170000
What is 0.05659648 rounded to 4 decimal places?
0.0566
Round -0.003787292 to two decimal places.
0
Round -177.60454 to one decimal place.
-177.6
Round 0.00000441178 to 6 decimal places.
0.000004
What is 32690900 rounded to the nearest 1000000?
33000000
Round -4.91469 to 0 dps.
-5
Round -10675.4 to the nearest one thousand.
-11000
What is -48256.916 rounded to the nearest 10?
-48260
What is -117946.2 rounded to the nearest one thousand?
-118000
What is -218816100 rounded to the nearest 100000?
-218800000
Round -7.41449 to 2 decimal places.
-7.41
Round -2.61077 to one dp.
-2.6
What is -0.00001997919 rounded to seven dps?
-0.00002
Round 0.00008148189 to 7 dps.
0.0000815
What is 0.001040388 rounded to 5 dps?
0.00104
Round 37.9732 to the nearest 10.
40
What is -0.0000642793 rounded to 6 decimal places?
-0.000064
Round 1831.88 to the nearest 100.
1800
What is -8.127455 rounded to the nearest integer?
-8
What is -0.0000479038 rounded to six decimal places?
-0.000048
Round -0.10629558 to 3 dps.
-0.106
Round -39480.4 to the nearest 10000.
-40000
What is -693.4033 rounded to the nearest integer?
-693
Round 22406.17 to the nearest 100.
22400
Round -21042.5 to the nearest 100.
-21000
Round -578715100 to the nearest 100000.
-578700000
What is -6114.39 rounded to the nearest one hundred?
-6100
What is 64.0001 rounded to 1 dp?
64
What is 0.003042238 rounded to 6 decimal places?
0.003042
Round 0.006878971 to 6 dps.
0.006879
What is 0.00029577 rounded to 3 decimal places?
0
Round 4250.4468 to the nearest integer.
4250
Round 5.5696581 to the nearest integer.
6
Round -6393
| |
Over 15 years of experience coaching the game of baseball from beginner to experienced I simplify the game so that my students move at their pace, basics and fundamentals are key.
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Before I start training sessions with students I put them through an evaluation process, this helps me determine what course of action to take. Each player is different and because of this I put a plan together specific for that individual.
15 Years coaching experience and counting.
The evaluation process is $75, each individual lesson is $50 per hour, minimum 60 minute sessions .
My passion for the game and the drive to help individuals improve at the sport they love playing motivates me to give and share my knowledge of the game.
I've worked with beginners and experienced ball players of all ages.
You must love the game more then I, this shows me your willingness to work hard.
How can you help me improve?
Will I be better by the end of our sessions?
are you willing to work at my pace? | https://lessons.com/il/chicago/baseball-training/one-step-at-a-time-baseball |
The psychological effects of seclusion have been previously described in the literature. However, the scale of the containment implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 appeared in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is novel. The aim of this article is to present the implications of the containment, mainly suicidal behaviors, conduct disorders and violence in children and adolescents. We conducted a study in the child psychiatry department of Casablanca, among children and adolescents attending the consultation and those who were hospitalized, thus comparing the rate of conduct disorder, violence and suicide attempts during the pre-confinement, confinement and post-confinement periods. A literature review was also conducted on the PubMed database, which allowed us to discuss our results and to take stock of current research. | https://medcrave.com/index.php?/articles/det/2340842/Impact-of-covid-19-containment-on-mental-health-in-the-pediatric-population-a-descriptive-study |
Blogs for African Women (BAWo) has taken hold of the Nigerian blogging spirit to strengthen women’s activism. Oreoluwa Somolu, BAWo’s founder, sees blogging as a way to get women “hooked on technology”, and gain important skills for community and NGO leadership at the same time. Networking for Success, BAWo’s second initiative getting women into the blogosphere, has just been awarded an Harambee Small Grant to increase BAWo’s collaboration capacity.
Nine young women, activists in non-governmental organisations or community programmes in Lagos, will come together online and face-to-face to gain technical skills in blogging, podcasting and wikis over the next six months. Networking for Success is geared towards women who are already looking for ways that technology can help their work, who want to reach out to other organisations and collaborate more effectively. But the initiative is not just about “learning technology for technology’s sake”, says Oreoluwa. The project blog, which women will be trained how to use, will feature weekly themes of interest to women activists, such as how to start an NGO, fundraise, or organisational motivation. Every week two mentors, specialists in a given theme, will accompany the debate and questions from women. Interviews with experts will be available in podcasts. Training in new tools will take place in a local cybercafé twice a month, and the participants will collaborate in a project wiki.
“Knowing how to use technology is very empowering,” comments Oreoluwa. “You feel, I have access to this now, I don’t have to rely on someone who feels they know better than me or people that horde knowledge.” This is especially important in Nigeria, she points out, because access to information is so difficult. Oreoluwa also notes that women’s knowledge in particular is undervalued and dispersed, “We have so much information to share as African women. Blogging helps us pool our knowledge.”
Wikis and blogs are so easy to use, continues Oreoluwa, that people get “hooked on technology.” She considers blogs a “gateway technology” because they naturally lead people to dig deeper and learn more about the tools they are using. “You realise, I can DO this, and then maybe you change the look of your blog through the template, and doing that maybe you learn a bit of html.” More importantly, the collaborative spirit of the blogging community encourages people to build their skills, with many willing to offer tips when a call for help is issued. And having increased computer savvy, Oreoluwa is quick to point out, is great for women’s future employment opportunities.
Collaboration is contagious. BAWo got started because Oreoluwa posted about how she’d be mentoring young women in Middle Asia, and how she would like to do something similar for Nigerian women. “I was contacted by Sokari Ekine, whose blog BlackLooks.org is a landmark blog for all of us. She is one of the earliest African women bloggers. She said, if you really want to do that, let’s do it!” Fahamu and Pambazuka News have been staunch supporters of BAWo since the beginning, hosting BAWo’s blog. | https://www.apc.org/en/news/blogs-african-women-get-nigerian-women-hooked-technology |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a phase-locked loop.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of transmitters and receivers using phase-locked loops (PLL) based on frequency synthesizers in modern plants of radio frequency telecommunications is generally known. Several critical parameters for the frequency synthesizers used in applications of telecommunications are the switching time, the phase noise and other.
A low phase noise and a high switching speed are obtained with fractional synthesizers. A typical PLL based on a fractional frequency synthesizer at N, with N an integer number, is shown in FIG. 1. Said PLL comprises a crystal oscillator 1 that supplies an oscillation frequency to a reference divider 2 to obtain a reference frequency fr1. The latter is in input to a phase detector (PD) 3 that also has in input a frequency fv1 coming from a fractional divider 4. The signals in output from the phase detector are in input to a charge pump 5 whose output is connected to a filter 6 from which the direct current for driving a voltage controlled oscillator VCO 7 arrives; the frequency fo1 in output from the VCO is in input to the fractional divider 4 capable of switching from a division by N to a division by N+1, with N an integer number. The PLL also comprises an L-bit accumulator 8, with L an integer number, that is increased continuously by a quantity x1 on the reference ratio given by the maximum count m with m=2L; the accumulator 8 acts on the fractional divider 4 like a binary adder at L-bit with status registers having as addends the previous status and x1, with x1=0, 1, 2, . . . m−1. The accumulator 8 permits the scattering of the periods of division by N and N+1 to attenuate the spurious harmonics produced by the divider 4. The frequency fo is divided in x1/m fractions of the reference frequency fr1, that is fo=Nf*fr1 where Nf=N+x1/m with x1=0, 1, 2, . . . m−1; the ratio x/m represents the fractional part of Nf. The divider 4 will divide by N when the accumulator is increasing up to the maximum count m−1 and divide by N+1 when it exceeds the count m−1.
A disadvantage of the above mentioned type of frequency synthesizers lies in the phase ripple present on the output of the phase detector that gives rise to a current Icp1 of the PWM type. If said current is not compensated for, an energy in sideband on the output spectrum of the VCO is produced that is considered the greatest problem for such synthesizers.
One way to compensate for the current Icp1 is carried out by the PLL of FIG. 2. In this case the phase ripple PWM is proportional and synchronized to the contents of the L-bit accumulator 8 and can be used to control the width of the compensation pulse in sideband. The PLL of FIG. 2 comprises, in addition to the elements of the PLL of FIG. 1, a fractional synchronization circuit 11, a fractional charge pump 12 and a digital-analog converter (DAC) 13. The fractional pulses, which are controlled on a constant ratio, have constant width and their height is modulated. The content of the accumulator 8 feeds the DAC 13 and is used to modulate the width of the compensation current Icomp1 generated by the fractional pump 12. The circuit 11 operates at a frequency fixed by the crystal 1, is controlled by the signal fv coming from the main divider 7, and produces the fractional compensation pulse at fixed width that controls the charge pump 12. The pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) signal in output from the pump 12 is adapted to cancel the PWM spurious signals coming from the charge pump 4. Nevertheless in this manner optimum compensation of the current Icp is not obtained, that is, there is not a total cancellation of the spurious signals coming from the charge pump 4.
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What is your favorite aspect or element of any celebration?
My favorite part of an event is definitely the food! A good meal is a beautiful thing no matter the context, but when you’re celebrating, it’s a way to bring guests together and tell a story. Whether you’re serving a traditional dish that means a lot to you, an elaborate multi-course meal, or just a favorite food of yours, it can bring personality to any celebration.
What do you remember most about your all-time favorite celebration?
My cousin had an absolutely beautiful wedding in 2021. The part of it that stood out the most to me was the reception band. It doesn’t take much for me to hit the dance floor at an event, but this group totally blew it out of the water. They got the entire party on their feet and were so high energy. I could barely walk the next day from how much dancing I did in my heels, but it was so worth it! | https://www.partyslate.com/best-of/author/lucysohr/ |
Articles from New Jersey
A "test project" with up to 80 wind turbines should be built off New Jersey's coast to learn more about the potential impact and benefits of offshore wind power, a state panel recommended. But the potential impact may be significant and New Jersey must stress conservation before pursuing energy facilities in the ocean, according to a minority report included in the package.
Governor's Offshore Wind Energy Panel Releases Final Report - Recommends Intensive Study and Test Project of Offshore Wind
TRENTON - New Jersey should consider launching a limited and carefully monitored offshore wind-turbine test project to gather more data about the technology's costs and benefits, the state's Blue Ribbon Panel on the Development of Wind Turbine Facilities in Coastal Waters recommended in its final report released today.
State sets aggressive clean-energy goal
The state yesterday directed electric utility companies to gradually increase their purchases of electricity from renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind power, a move that could lead to modest increases in bills at a time when consumers already are facing steep increases in energy costs.
Summary of New Jersey's proposed renewable energy regulation
THE ISSUE: On Wednesday, the Board of Public Utilities will vote on a proposal that would mandate that 20 percent of energy available in the state come from renewable energy sources such as wind or solar by 2020.
N.J. to offer renewable energy surcharge
TRENTON New Jersey will be the first to offer a statewide program in which all the state's electric customers can opt to pay more in their monthly bills to use energy that comes from renewable sources.
State of The Coast
ATLANTIC CITY — With coastal communities from Cape Cod to Virginia buzzing over the possibility of wind turbines rising in coastal waters, the wind power industry's biggest advertisement is right here alongside U.S. Route 30.
Transmission line a huge investment, but provides opportunity - Course of Allegheny's $1.4-billion proposal includes Mount Storm
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A 330-mile electric transmission line proposed by Allegheny Energy this week would begin in northern West Virginia and pass through Weirton, Morgantown, Dominion Power's Mount Storm power plant and Berkeley County before ending in Frederick County, Md.
Proposed massive multistate power line could test new law
In an ambitious $3 billion plan, the nation's largest power generator has proposed building a 550-mile power line stretched atop 13-story towers to bring surplus electricity from coal-fired plants in Appalachia and the Midwest to the power-hungry eastern seaboard.
Residents voice concerns over offshore windmills
Joan Berko of Bay Head, who fishes for a living, said: "I'm totally against this."
Seven U.S. states sign CO2 plan in break with Bush
NEW YORK – Seven northeastern U.S. states have signed the country's first plan to create a market for heat-trapping carbon dioxide by curbing emissions at power plants, New York Gov. George Pataki said Tuesday.
Expert: Windmills Are Costly
TRENTON -- Building electricity-producing windmills off the New Jersey coast could be costly, witnesses testified Tuesday as they debated the benefits of such a project during a hearing before a blue ribbon panel.
Conn. to sign emissions accord
After briefly wavering, Governor M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut yesterday agreed to sign onto a multistate greenhouse gas pact that Massachusetts and Rhode Island rejected Wednesday.
First of Five Wind Turbines Raised in New Jersey
The installation of a 1.5 MW wind turbine marks the first of five turbines slated for Atlantic City, New Jersey. While not an offshore project, this is the first multi-MW wind farm located in a coastal area of the U.S.
Windmill panel not ready to wrap up
TRENTON — An 89-page interim report released Wednesday outlines progress made by a task force investigating the pros and cons of building wind turbines offshore, but offers no insight into which way it's tilting. The panel will save its findings until its work is completed in March, when it's expected to offer a comprehensive report to Gov.-elect Jon S. Corzine.
Panel does not find substantial benefits to use of wind turbines to satisfy state's growing energy needs
Offshore wind turbines may not provide substantial benefits to the state's environment and could come with some risks, a report by released today states.
Sierra Club: Wind farm report mostly 'hot air'
A nearly yearlong effort by the state to figure out the benefits and drawbacks of offshore, energy-producing wind farms is leaving some environmental groups less than blown away.
Governor’s Offshore Wind Energy Panel Releases Interim Report
(TRENTON) – The Blue Ribbon Panel on Development of Wind Turbine Facilities in Coastal Waters today announced their interim report is publicly available and a public meeting has been scheduled to solicit feedback on the report. Acting Governor Richard J. Codey established the Blue Ribbon Panel by executive order last December. The panel is charged with studying the costs and benefits of developing offshore wind turbines. The interim report represents the progress to date toward meeting Codey’s mandate.
Panel releases preliminary report on offshore wind power
November 30, 2005, 8:39 PM EST TRENTON, N.J. -- A panel appointed to determine if New Jersey should build energy-generating wind turbines off the coast has released an interim report that _ while it draws no conclusions _ has been criticized by some environmentalists as giving short shrift to wind energy benefits.
New Jersey Considers Doubling RPS Mandate
November 29, 2005 Newark, New Jersey [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] New Jersey already has the most generous solar incentives in the nation, and if new policies are adopted to the state's broad requirements, solar and all renewable energy technologies will stand to gain greatly over the next decade and beyond. | http://www.windaction.org/posts?location=New+Jersey&p=20&type=Article |
Recent topics in the news such as the European Union’s data protection regulation and the “right to be forgotten” or “delisted” are changing the way we view data protection and notions of privacy. Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin is the President of the French Data Protection authority (“Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés”). She has been a member of the CNIL since 2004. Appointed as Deputy Chair of this authority from 2009 to 2011, she became its President in 2011. She was reelected by the members of the Commission in 2014. She was also elected Chair of the Article 29 Working Party (Group of the 28 European data protection authorities ) for a two-year term in 2014. She graduated in France from the HEC School of Business Management (“Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales”), the National Administration School (“Ecole Nationale d’Administration”) and the Multimedia Institute (“Institut Mutltimédia”).
According to the CNIL’s web site, CNIL is “an independent administrative body that has been entrusted with the general duty to inform people of the rights that the data protection legislation allows them and to make sure this law is respected by all.” The CNIL’s missions range from education and public awareness to providing compliance tools to all data users and to sanctions.
It is impossible to escape ethics. Even if you try to evade it in the short-term, it will come back through a door or a window and affect you in the longer-term. More generally, we are increasingly faced with the question “I can, so why shouldn’t I?” as a fundamental ethical conundrum of technology. This positions the technology in offering new freedoms to the individuals which is great but sometimes without taking into account societal interests and questions of human dignity.
Ethical questions have interested me for a long time. Many years ago I was involved in questions of the ethics of issues like fertility treatments. The ethical reasoning and the intellectual infrastructure is somehow the same today with digital questions.
One of the most shocking stories was the Libor rate-rigging scandal. Banks took interest rates, established for the proper functioning of the financial sector so for the general interest of society, and fraudulently turned it to their own profit. This is an example of the larger theme of individual versus collective interest.
In the non-profit sector, the most shocking are organizations that take donor money and use it for the personal benefit of management or those in positions of authority.
First, I believe that the code of conduct or other expectations must be made very clear and must be an organization-wide project involving everyone. Second, the example needs to be set from the top down (for example, reduction in expenditures and with strong top management involvement ). Third, ethics applies to everyone irrespective of the position in the organization from the President to the chauffer. Small ethics things are often just as important as major issues like money laundering.
This is the most difficult question. There needs to be energy from the boss (not only words). But this requires time. Snapping fingers doesn’t change cultures. It is daily work and endless repetition and re-examination of processes that ultimately change a culture. Too often there is a huge gap between the president’s words and the reality on the ground.
At the CNIL, we focus on what we call “transversal.” This means mix with others, get out and speak to people who are not in your area – interact! More generally, the CNIL has been campaigning and organizing across major societal groups for increased digital education. We are not yet adequately responsive to the demand for this or up to the level we need to be given the type of society that technology will produce without vigilance.
Organizations that do not focus on ethics will not survive in the long run because they will lose the trust of their stakeholders. Ethics is a key element of sustainable and long-term profit and growth.
There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the difference between privacy and protection of personal data between EU and the USA. They are not the same. In a digitalized world, we must protect the choice people have regarding their data not just their private lives. So data protection is larger than privacy. Sometimes we want to enter public life with our data, but we want to be able to choose what is done with it. We want to maintain control over our data. This is very new. Five years ago we were still talking about “private life.” This ethics issue is critical and comes back to the question of balance between individual versus the collective.
Regulation here is insufficient and could be improved, for example in giving people the right to access their data in a comprehensible way. Innovation in products should focus on how to put the protection of digital data within the control of the individual – the success of companies will depend on this. Recently at a technology conference in Las Vegas one company explained that they waited to launch a security camera product until they could meet customer demands to protect personal data by keeping it on the camera and not in the cloud.
Data protection is very affected by culture. For example, racial or political data is not perceived in the same way in Germany or northern Europe as in France. Also, there is one specifically French fundamental point linked to the human body: the body in French law is not “available” meaning that it cannot be sold. There was a series of important laws in the area of bioethics organizing donating blood or organs and it is considered that these can be donated but not sold. With the “digital body” the whole debate continues. Some are pushing, in the US and in Europe, the concept of data ownership, saying that it would allow us to better negotiate our data against the GAFA. But usually once we have sold something we no longer have rights on it which is not the case today with our data! And it would also change the kind of ethical ground of our law .
For example, what if an insurance company says “you give me all of your data for life, and I will insure you for life”? But if we do this, we ruin the notion that the body (digital body included) is not “available” for purchase or sale.
Fundamentally this issue goes back to the core theme that in the end we engage more than ourselves when we make choices about digital data (or organ donations…). Individual choices affect society – they commit to a vision of human beings and human dignity. There is the recurring tension between the wish of the individual and the collective vision of the individual. So we should consider the question of ownership (and purchase and sale therefore) of digital data with exactly the same reasoning as with organ donations. We should never sell data (our own or others’ data). No one owns data. Rather, individuals have rights to make choices about their data wherever that data is in the world, used by them or by others.
I am not sure this is possible right now. Maybe we have to live with two or three different systems but develop routes for interconnecting and operating across them if we want substantive ethics.
The biggest mistake people make is to reason on the sole basis of their own situation – to focus ethics on themselves. Ethics is not about individual morality. It is about collective values.
© Copyright 2015 Susan Liautaud & Associates Limited. All rights reserved. | https://susanliautaud.com/isabelle-falque-pierrotin-president-of-the-cnil-and-chair-of-the-wp29/ |
Our minds set up many traps for us. Unless we’re aware of them, these traps can seriously hinder our ability to think rationally, leading us to bad reasoning and making stupid decisions. Features of our minds that are meant to help us may, eventually, get us into trouble.
Here are the first 5 of the most harmful of these traps and how to avoid each one of them.
1. The Anchoring Trap: Over-Relying on First Thoughts
“Is the population of Turkey greater than 35 million? What’s your best estimate?”
Researchers asked this question to a group of people, and the estimates were seldom too far off 35 million. The same question was posed to a second group, but this time using 100 million as the starting point. Although both figures were arbitrary, the estimates from the ‘100 million’ group were, without fail, concomitantly higher than those in the ’35 million’ group. (for the curious, here’s the answer.)
Lesson: Your starting point can heavily bias your thinking: initial impressions, ideas, estimates or data “anchor” subsequent thoughts.
This trap is particularly dangerous as it’s deliberately used in many occasions, such as by experienced salesmen, who will show you a higher-priced item first, “anchoring” that price in your mind, for example.
What can you do about it?
Always view a problem from different perspectives. Avoid being stuck with a single starting point. Work on your problem statement before going down a solution path.
Avoid being stuck with a single starting point. Work on your problem statement before going down a solution path. Think on your own before consulting others. Get as much data as possible and explore some conclusions by yourself before getting influenced by other people’s anchors.
Get as much data as possible and explore some conclusions by yourself before getting influenced by other people’s anchors. Seek information from a wide variety of sources. Get many opinions and broaden your frame of reference. Avoid being limited to a single point of view.
2. The Status Quo Trap: Keeping on Keeping On
In one experiment a group of people were randomly given one of two gifts — half received a decorated mug, the other half a large Swiss chocolate bar. They were then told that they could effortlessly exchange one gift for the other. Logic tells us that about half of people would not get the gift they prefered and would hence exchange it, but in fact only 10% did!
We tend to repeat established behaviors, unless we are given the right incentives to entice us to change them. The status quo automatically has an advantage over every other alternative.
What can you do about it?
Consider the status quo as just another alternative. Don’t get caught in the ‘current vs. others’ mindset. Ask yourself if you would choose your current situation if it weren’t the status quo.
Don’t get caught in the ‘current vs. others’ mindset. Ask yourself if you would choose your current situation if it weren’t the status quo. Know your objectives. Be explicit about them and evaluate objectively if the current state of affairs serves them well.
Be explicit about them and evaluate objectively if the current state of affairs serves them well. Avoid exaggerating switching costs. They frequently are not as bad as we tend to assume.
3. The Sunk Cost Trap: Protecting Earlier Choices
You pre-ordered a non-refundable ticket to a basketball game. On the night of the game, you’re tired and there’s a blizzard raging outside. You regret the fact that you bought the ticket because, frankly, you would prefer to stay at home, light up your fireplace and comfortably watch the game on TV. What would you do?
It may be hard to admit, but staying at home is the best choice here. The money for the ticket is already gone regardless of the alternative you choose: it’s a sunk cost, and it shouldn’t influence your decision.
(This example is from an earlier article which focuses entirely on the sunk cost effect. Check it out if you want to know more.)
What can you do about it?
Be OK with making mistakes. Examine why admitting to earlier mistakes distresses you. Nobody is immune to errors, so you shouldn’t make a big deal out of it — just make sure you learn from them!
Examine why admitting to earlier mistakes distresses you. Nobody is immune to errors, so you shouldn’t make a big deal out of it — just make sure you learn from them! Listen to people who were not involved in the earlier decisions. Find people who are not emotionally committed to past decisions and ask their opinion.
Find people who are not emotionally committed to past decisions and ask their opinion. Focus on your goals. We make decisions in order to reach goals. Don’t become attached to the particular series of steps you took towards that goal; always consider how you can better fulfill that goal from now on.
4. The Confirmation Trap: Seeing What You Want to See
You feel the stock market will be going down and that now may be a good time to sell your stock. Just to be reassured of your hunch, you call a friend that has just sold all her stock to find out her reasons.
Congratulations, you have just fallen into the Confirmation Trap: looking for information that will most likely support your initial point of view — while conveniently avoiding information that challenges it.
This confirmation bias affects not only where you go to collect evidence, but also how you interpret the data: we are much less critical of arguments that support our initial ideas and much more resistant to arguments against them.
No matter how neutral we think we are when first tackling a decision, our brains always decide — intuitively — on an alternative right away, making us subject to this trap virtually at all times.
What can you do about it?
Expose yourself to conflicting information. Examine all evidence with equal rigor. Don’t be soft on disconfirmatory evidence. Know what you are about: Searching for alternatives or looking for reassurance!
Examine all evidence with equal rigor. Don’t be soft on disconfirmatory evidence. Know what you are about: Searching for alternatives or looking for reassurance! Get a devil’s advocate. Find someone you respect to argue against the decision you’re contemplating making. If you can’t find one, build the counterarguments yourself. Always consider the other positions with an open mind (taking into account the other mind traps we are discussing here, by the way).
Find someone you respect to argue against the decision you’re contemplating making. If you can’t find one, build the counterarguments yourself. Always consider the other positions with an open mind (taking into account the other mind traps we are discussing here, by the way). Don’t ask leading questions. When asking for advice, make neutral questions to avoid people merely confirming your biases. “What should I do with my stocks?” works better than “Should I sell my stocks today?”
5. The Incomplete Information Trap: Review Your Assumptions
Harry is an introverted guy. We know that he is either a librarian or a salesman. Which one do you think he most probably is?
Of course, we may be tempted to think he’s almost certainly a librarian. Haven’t we been conditioned to think of salesmen as having outgoing, if not pushy, personalities? Too bad this reasoning may be dead wrong (or at least incomplete).
This conclusion neglects the fact that salesmen outnumber librarians about 100 to 1. Before you even consider Harry’s character traits, you should have assigned only a 1% chance that he’s a librarian. (That means that even if all librarians are introverted, all it takes is 1% of introverts among the salesmen to make the chances higher for Harry being a salesman.)
That’s just one example of how overlooking a simple data element can make our intuitions go completely astray. We keep mental images — simplifications of reality — that make we jump to conclusions before questioning assumptions or checking whether we have enough information.
What can you do about it?
Make your assumptions explicit. Don’t take a problem statement as it is. Keep in mind that for every problem you’re using implicit information — your assumptions. It’s usually not hard to check the validity of assumptions, but first you need to know what they are.
Don’t take a problem statement as it is. Keep in mind that for every problem you’re using implicit information — your assumptions. It’s usually not hard to check the validity of assumptions, but first you need to know what they are. Always favor hard data over mental simplifications. Our preconceptions — such as stereotypes — can be useful in many situations, but we should always be careful to not over-rely on them. When given the choice, always prefer hard data.
For five more thinking traps, check out part II.
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The interaction between a single teacher and a single student is at the core of the Virtuoso Suzuki Academy philosophy of music education. Each student’s needs are identified right from the beginning and a process of matching with either a more structured or a more flexible teacher begins.
Depending on the student’s age and interests, the appropriate teaching method is chosen. With each person, we take the time to match up teachers and students based not only on schedules, but also on learning styles and preferences.
Our unique approach to teaching music involves communication and goal setting as well as designing a program that meets the unique needs of each student — adapting to his or her challenge level, assessing technical strengths and weaknesses, and creating an atmosphere tailored to the student’s own learning style.
Our faculty members are entrusted with the mission and core values of the school and their daily work represents the Virtuoso Suzuki Academy’s dedication to educational and artistic achievements.
Orchestras and Ensembles
New York Young Musicians’ Ensemble
The NY Young Musicians’ Ensemble, is the Virtuoso Suzuki Academy’s prime chamber group consisting of hand picked mostly high school students (with some exception of extremely talented middle schoolers).
NYYME alumni reside in the violin section of the “New York Philharmonic”and other major US and European orchestras, at “Juilliard School”, “Manhattan School of Music”, “Carnegie Mellon”, “Eastman School of Music” and “Aaron Copland School of Music”.
The NYYME members alternate between serving as soloists as well as the ensembles’ tutti players performing music from the classic standard repertoire which is both demanding and rewarding for a student musician and ranging from baroque, through American fare (L.Bernstein, A.Copland, W.Grant Still) to commissions written specifically for the group by living composers.
The Ensemble’s performances take the group on international tours to Beijing (China), Paris (France), Tuscany (Italy), Greece and interrupted by COVID Calabria (Italy) tour and on local turf from concert halls such as: “Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall”, “Steinway Hall”, “Lincoln Center”, “Flushing Town Hall” or “Landmark on Main” to their outreach concert destinations such as: “LI Alzheimer Foundation” or “JCC” in Long Island where they support their community through music.
Chamber Orchestra
The Chamber Orchestra, open to string players introduces students to string ensemble playing. Young musicians performing at NYSSMA levels 3 through 5 /Suzuki level 4-6 receive intensive technical instruction and preparation for future work in the more advanced groups. The Chamber Orchestra literature is selected primarily from the original editions although in some cases, arrangements and transcriptions of both popular and classic repertoire are performed.
Open to non-Virtuoso Suzuki Academy students by placement audition.
Beginners String Ensemble
(NYSSMA 1/Suzuki level 1-2)
Advanced String Ensemble
(NYSSMA 2-3/Suzuki level 3)
Both String Ensembles are designed to introduce young string students to the fundamentals of posture, technique, sound production, sight reading and ensemble playing. Smaller than NYYME and the Chamber Orchestra, they provide young musicians with a strong foundation for a lifetime of music-making. The String Ensembles’ literature is based on arrangements and transcriptions of both popular and classic repertoire often prepared by our composer- in- residence, Mr. Robert Paoli.
Open to non-Virtuoso Suzuki Academy students by placement audition.
Chamber Music Program
The importance of chamber music in students’ education cannot be overestimated. It teaches them how to hear themselves as others hear them, how to be objective, and how to hear the music all around them. It also teaches them how to adjust to their colleagues at all times. This is a very different experience from practicing or working alone.
The Chamber Music Program is a 6-week program culminating in a performance. The level, repertoire, and instructor will vary depending on the combination of instruments.
This program is open to all the students of the Virtuoso Suzuki Academy with prior knowledge of sight- reading skills.
Enrollment of non-Virtuoso Suzuki Academy students will be determined based on a placement audition.
Musicianship Class
This unique program offers students an opportunity to understand the interpretation of the pieces they are working on in a larger context of the music history and music theory. By being able to analyze the pieces theoretically, students will be able to choose an appropriate phrasing, and dynamic contour. By knowing the historical circumstances of the piece’s origin, students will be able to apply the right style and articulation.
One might think of a painter equipped with good quality paints, brushes, easel and a few basic painting techniques. Such a painter will not be able to recreate stylistically correctly a battle scene of Napoleon’s army, for example, without knowing the historical circumstances of the battle, without studying the soldiers’ uniforms and insignia of that era and without being exposed to other paintings which have been painted during those historic times.
Both the music theory and music history concepts are explained appropriately to the specific age group with necessary worksheets provided and hands-on activities involving practical use of the student’s specific instrument.
This class is open to all the students of all instruments of the Virtuoso Suzuki Academy.
Non-Virtuoso Suzuki Academy students will be accepted based on a placement interview. | https://thevirtuososuzukiacademy.com/viola/ |
KCMC is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of the personal information of KCMC’s members, constituents, supporters and other stakeholders. KCMC values the trust of those KCMC deals with and recognizes that maintaining that trust requires that KCMC be transparent and accountable in how KCMC treats the information that you provide to KCMC.
During the course of KCMC’s various activities, KCMC frequently gathers and uses personal information. Anyone from whom KCMC collects such information should expect that it will be carefully protected and that except as otherwise legally required or permitted any use or other dealing with this information is subject to consent. KCMC’s privacy practices are designed to achieve this.
Personal information gathered by KCMC is kept in confidence. KCMC staff are authorized to access personal information based only on their need to deal with the information for the reasons for which it was obtained. Safeguards are in place to ensure that the information is not disclosed or shared more widely than is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was gathered. KCMC also takes measures to ensure the integrity of this information is maintained and to prevent it being lost or destroyed.
This policy is based on the Ten Privacy Principles contained in the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Model Code for the protection of personal information and on which the relevant privacy legislation is founded. KCMC has tailored its own ten privacy principles in compliance with the relevant privacy legislation to meet the specific needs and expectations of its stakeholders.
This policy does not apply to the collection, use or disclosure of your contact information or publically available information by KCMC.
“Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Canada” means Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Canada which operates a ministry at Langley, BC.
“business contact information” means information to contact a person at a place of business, including the person’s name, position, business address, business telephone number, business e-mail address and business fax number.
“collection” means the act of gathering, acquiring, or obtaining personal information from any source, including third parties, by any means.
“consent” means voluntary agreement to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information for specified purposes. Consent may be express or implied. Express consent may be given orally or in writing, if it is clear and does not require any inference on the part of KCMC. Implied consent exists when KCMC can reasonably infer consent based upon your action or inaction.
“disclosure” means making personal information available to others outside of KCMC.
“Kenneth Copeland Ministries of the United States” means Kenneth Copeland Ministries of the United States which operates a ministry in the United States.
“privacy officer” means a person designated by KCMC who is accountable for compliance with this policy by KCMC and whose contact information is set out at the end of this policy.
“third party” means a person or organization other than KCMC and you.
“use” means the treatment and handling of personal information by and within KCMC.
KCMC is accountable and responsible for personal information under its control, including information that has been transferred to a third party. In cases where such transfers take place KCMC will ensure that the third party has comparable privacy safeguards in place. KCMC has designated a privacy officer to ensure compliance with this policy.
Ultimate accountability for KCMC compliance rests with the Board of Directors of KCMC who delegate day-to-day accountability to the privacy officer. Other persons within KCMC may be accountable for the day-to-day collection and processing of personal information or may act on behalf of the privacy officer.
KCMC will adopt policies, procedures and practices to protect personal information, receive and respond to complaints and inquiries, train staff regarding privacy policies, procedures and practices and communicate policies, procedures and practices to you.
When collecting personal information KCMC will orally or in writing state the purpose of collection and will provide, on request, contact information for the privacy officer who can answer questions about the collection.
to use and disclose for any other purpose directly or indirectly related to the establishment or operation of KCMC.
The above collections, uses and disclosures are a reasonably necessary part of your relationship with KCMC.
KCMC needs to deal with an anticipated breach of law.
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KCMC will make the information available within 30 days or provide written notice where additional time is required to fulfill the request.
In some situations, KCMC may not be able to provide access to certain personal information. The reasons for not providing this information may include that it is information that would threaten the life or security of another person, information generated in a formal dispute resolution process, information that contains references to other individuals, information that cannot be disclosed for legal, security or commercial proprietary reasons and information that is subject to solicitor-client privilege.
If a request is refused, KCMC will notify you in writing, setting out the reasons for the refusal and resources for redress available to you.
If your personal information is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete, KCMC will amend the information as required. Where appropriate KCMC will send the amended information to third parties to whom the information has been disclosed.
KCMC will, on request, provide you with information regarding its complaint response procedure.
You are to direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding this policy in writing to the privacy officer. If the privacy officer is unable to address your concern, the issue can be referred to the Board of Directors of KCMC. At any point in this process you may also write to the Privacy Commissioner. | https://kcmcanada.ca/privacy-policy/ |
Open source licensing determines how open source systems are reused, distributed, and modified from a legal perspective. While it facilitates rapid development, it can present difficulty for developers in understanding due to the legal language of these licenses. Because of misunderstandings, systems can incorporate licensed code in a way that violates the terms of the license. Such incompatibilities between licensing can result in the inability to reuse a particular library without either relicensing the system or redesigning the architecture of the system. Prior efforts have predominantly focused on license identification or understanding the underlying phenomena without reasoning about compatibility in a broad scale. The work in this dissertation first investigates the rationale of developers and identifies the areas that developers struggle with respect to free/open source software licensing. First, we investigate the diffusion of licenses and the prevalence of license changes in a large scale empirical study of 16,221 Java systems. We observed a clear lack of traceability and a lack of standardized licensing that led to difficulties and confusion for developers trying to reuse source code. We further investigated the difficulty by surveying the developers of the systems with license changes to understand why they first adopted a license and then changed licenses. Additionally, we performed an analysis on issue trackers and legal mailing lists to extract licensing bugs. From these works, we identified key areas in which developers struggled and needed support. While developers need support to identify license incompatibilities and understand both the cause and implications of the incompatibilities, we observed that state-of-the-art license identification tools did not identify license exceptions. Since these exceptions directly modify the license terms (either the permissions granted by the license or the restrictions imposed by the license), we proposed an approach to complement current license identification techniques in order to classify license exceptions. The approach relies on supervised machine learners to classify the licensing text to identify the particular license exceptions or the lack of a license exception. Subsequently, we built an infrastructure to assist developers with evaluating license compliance warnings for their system. The infrastructure evaluates compliance across the dependency tree of a system to ensure it is compliant with all of the licenses of the dependencies. When an incompatibility is present, it notes the specific library/libraries and the conflicting license(s) so that the developers can investigate these compliance warnings, which would prevent distribution of their software, in their system. We conduct a study on 121,094 open source projects spanning 6 programming languages, and we demonstrate that the infrastructure is able to identify license incompatibilities between these projects and their dependencies.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.21220/s2-xp8w-0w53
Rights
© The Author
Recommended Citation
Vendome, Christopher, "Assisting Software Developers With License Compliance" (2018). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1550153779. | https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1550153779/ |
Causes of Voltage Overshoots
Voltage overshoots are also known as dv/dt, voltage spikes or line notching. Voltage wave reflection is a function of the voltage rise time (dv/dt) and the length of the motor cables. As wire length or switching speed increases, the overshoot peak voltage also increases.The Variable Frequency Drive’s inverter circuit “switches” (transitions from the off state to the on state) rapidly, producing a carrier containing the fundamental voltage and frequency. Voltage wave reflection occurs when the impedance on either end of the cable run does not match, causing voltage pulses to be reflected back in the direction from which it arrived. As these reflected waves encounter incoming waves, their values can add, causing higher peak voltage.
Indicators of Voltage Overshoots
- Rapid Breakdown of Motor Insulation
- Bearing Pitting and Fluting
- Damage to Cables
- Motor Heating, Motor Noise, and Motor Vibration
- Instrumentation Noise
Motor Protection Solutions
After KDR
The addition of a KDR unit to the output of a drive will dampen overshoot peak voltage, reduce motor heating and audible noise, helping to extend the life of the motor.
After V1k
Greatly reduces motor failures on VFD applications by limiting the magnitude of voltage spikes to levels below 1000 Volts and slowing down the rate of change of PWM switching by a factor of four. | https://www.transcoil.com/applications/voltage-overshoots/ |
This book explores the principles, design, and image processing of multi-primary displays, and introduces the reader to the intricacies of the typical imaging pathways which influence display design and the perception of color within a display system.
Early chapters introduce the concepts behind human perception, color science, and lighting, which are necessary to fully understand multi-primary displays. The reader is also introduced to digital capture and transmission systems to better understand the ecosystem in which multi-primary displays exist. Subsequent chapters introduce the reader to current display technologies, including LCD, OLED, and inorganic LED displays. The working principles, performance, and upcoming advances are discussed for each of these technologies to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the tradeoffs which are necessary when considering multi-primary displays. This discussion is followed by an in-depth discussion of the image processing technology necessary to implement multi-primary displays. The book concludes with chapters that clearly discuss the advantages and limitations of multi-primary displays for direct view, virtual reality, and augmented reality displays.
The book provides a broad viewpoint across the entire display ecosystem, explaining the interactions among system components to provide a rationale for the further development of multi-primary displays.
Whether the reader is interested in broadening their understanding of display systems or the development of multi-primary displays, the text provides and understandable and practical summary of important display system concepts.
Michael E Miller is Associate Professor of Systems Integration at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, USA. Before joining AFIT, he was a senior research scientist at Eastman Kodak Company where he contributed to the development of OLED and inorganic lighting and display systems. Among his innovations was the development of the RGBW OLED display format, which is currently being commercialized in large screen televisions by LG Electronics. Mike has an MSc in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Ohio University and a PhD from Virginia Tech where his thesis was on human factors of display systems. Mike holds nearly 100 issued United States Patents in digital imaging and display systems. He is a Senior Member of the Society for Information Display and the Institute for Industrial and Systems Engineers.
11. Multi-Primary Displays, Future or Failure? | https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/color-in-electronic-display-systems-michael-miller/1129573957 |
Deceleration in global economic growth and continued political and economic instability in Europe mean that investors will likely be seeking to de-risk in an effort to reduce the volatility drag on portfolios, resulting in an increased appetite for defensive equity strategies and high-quality credit ETFs.
That’s one of the key conclusions of BMO Global Asset Management’s 2019 ETF Investment Insights report , which also highlights how investors might turn to fixed income and income-focus equity ETF strategies against the backdrop of economic uncertainty in 2019.
Morgane Delledonne, ETF Investment Strategist at BMO Global Asset Management, says: “The global economy is entering a late-cycle phase, where economic growth remains strong but is losing momentum. Fundamentals look good, but some vulnerabilities are building, including the high level of public and corporate debt and the rise of populism and protectionism. As a result, we expect market volatility will remain elevated through 2019 and market corrections will become more frequent. One way to reduce the volatility drag on long-term returns is through ETF strategies generating high income.”
In fixed income, the report proposes utilising a short-date bond ETF and a longer-dated equivalent, known as a ‘barbell’ strategy, so that investors can potentially minimise interest rate risk while providing higher income.
Alternatively, 1-3-year global investment grade corporate bonds offer diversification benefits and a balance between higher yields and downside protection, the firm writes.
In equities, investing in high dividend companies can involve the risk of falling into a ‘yield trap’, BMO warns. Investors should screen for quality before dividend yield. This is the approach of the BMO Income Leaders ETF range, the report says.
Derivatives strategies, such as the covered call overlay implemented in the BMO Enhanced Income ETF range, can provide superior income and investment growth, the firm says.
The report also reviews 2018’s key macroeconomic and ETF themes, and points out less synchronised growth across the world with global growth decelerating in the first half of the year and moderated activity in Europe while emerging markets expanded.
Trade tensions dampened global trade, BMO says, while US tariffs and the renegotiation of NAFTA led to reduced global trade volumes, and subsequently lower investment.
The strengthened US dollar was also a factor, as the US grew at a faster pace than the remaining advanced economies, the US dollar appreciated versus most currencies from the spring onwards, BMO says.
On the equity ETF front, investors favoured large caps over small caps in 2018, though less so than in 2017. There were net inflows into defensive sectors focused ETFs, while financials focused ETFs saw significant outflows.
On the fixed income ETF side, investors also turned defensive, with a preference for ultra-short and short-dated bonds. There was a huge drop in demand for corporate bonds, while government bond ETFs saw net inflows. | https://etfexpress.com/2019/02/28/bmos-2019-etf-report-predicts-investor-rush-de-risk/ |
The third cycle for our cluster began with a cluster reflection gathering. Every community was represented, and 6 permanent teaching teams were formed to ensure continuing activity throughout the cluster after the two-week expansion phase. . . .
A neighborhood was selected to be the focus of teaching activities. Teams included Bahá’ís from every East County community as well as supporters from the San Diego cluster. We also had the bounty of being blessed with the presence of some 48 outstanding youth from all over southern California, who were participating in a summer youth teaching project.
We now have a total of about 70 receptive contacts made during the expansion phase. During this cycle we had one seeker participating in the prayer chain and another went out teaching with us one evening.
During the last cluster reflection meeting, the concept of “permanent” teaching teams was introduced. A teaching team is a group of friends who meet regularly to support each other in their teaching efforts.
A teaching team can have 4 to 8 members. It’s entirely up to the teams to decide on numbers.
Team members come together to deepen, pray, eat, consult on teaching, share insights, reflect, plan, engage in firesides and core activities.
Teams are encouraged to have at least one tutor and one children’s class teacher so that the core activities can be supported and sustained in the community.
There are already 6 teaching teams formed across the cluster. The goal is to have at least 10 teams with an average of 5 members during this cycle.
To start a team in your area, talk to your friends in your community. The most effective teams are those composed of people who are close friends, family members or close neighbors. If you have a smaller team, please consider reaching out and inviting someone who lives nearby to join you. If you have a larger team with several tutors, you may want to set a goal to split and form two smaller teams. Select a team member to communicate with the area teaching committee regarding your activities, successes, problems and learning so we can share amongst all the teams and with the Regional Bahá’í Council. | http://teaching.bahai.us/2009/09/making-waves-with-permanent-teaching.html |
On the eve of the UN Summit on Migration and Refugees, ACT Alliance calls for increased investment in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions, more focus on the protection of vulnerable groups, and commitment to creating safe passages to Europe.
Syrian refugees walk in the countryside outside Messstetten, Germany. They have applied for asylum in Germany and are awaiting word on the government’s decision. Meanwhile, they live in a room in a former army barracks in Messstetten, where church groups and other community members have provided a variety of hospitality. Photo: Paul Jeffrey
1,046,600. That’s the number of refugees who applied for asylum in the European Union last year. A crisis for some. A tip of the iceberg for others – compared to the 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution, including 21 million outside their home countries. For sure, Europe is no longer impermeable to migratory pressures and it highlights all the more that displacement is a global phenomenon, which has to be tackled globally, with a global sharing of responsibilities in solidarity.
Sadly, there is no sign at the moment that Europe – or rather the European Union – is ready to take its share of the responsibility. A quick glance at the policy put in place last year reveals one overriding objective: the fewer refugees that enter the European Union, the better.
Faced with the influx, Europe was overwhelmed and a self-preservation instinct prevailed. On 13 September 2015, Germany re-established border controls, even though it nonetheless welcomed 1.1 million asylum seekers last year. It was followed by Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden. Hungary and Slovenia erected fences to prevent crossings. And the Balkan route was eventually completely sealed, leaving 55,000 asylum seekers trapped in Greece.
On 22 March, the EU signed a deal with Turkey in which it pledged to pay Turkey €3 billion for its help in stemming the migratory flow into Europe. This meant that all migrants and refugees who then crossed into Greece illegally – including Syrians – were to be sent back. In exchange, the EU committed to resettle 70,000 Syrian refugees from Turkey.
This model of externalising migration flows is the new trend. The European Commission and European Council are paving the way for other bilateral agreements of a similar kind, starting in the African continent. The effective blocking of migrants from reaching the EU and the readmission of deportees is planned as a key condition for the release of development funds.
The EU congratulates itself for destroying the human smugglers’ business models in the Aegean Sea and reducing the number of illegal and dangerous crossings. Still, an estimated 292, 246 asylum seekers and migrants have entered Europe since the beginning of the year, while 3, 198 have died or are missing over the same period in the Mediterranean Sea.
Progress on the resettlement and relocation of refugees has been extremely slow. In July 2015, EU member states agreed to resettle 22,000 refugees and in September 2015 to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy. As of 5 September, 4,519 out of the 160,000 refugees had been relocated and 7,272 of the 22,000 resettled.
As faith-based organisations we have the knowledge and possibility to reach actors and areas that few other organisations can and work with people in need of protection in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The idea of a society welcoming protection seekers and promoting solidarity is particularly important to us. Nonetheless, our call on European governments to take in their fair share of people in need of protection – from an EU internal as well as a global perspective – is grounded not only on moral and theological arguments. We understand that the drivers for migration are not going to disappear overnight. However, we fear that the envisaged approach, which combines border externalisation and protracted shelter can fuel more instability.
Interestingly, research by the Clingendael Institute of international relations says that “attempts to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis in the region of origin are likely to continue to be insufficient as long as the greater political and funding imperatives are geared mostly towards preventing irregular migration to Europe.”
The research states that leaving critical refugee protection and resilience objectives to governments who are motivated predominantly by a desire to prevent long-term settlement, obstructs refugees from establishing decent livelihoods. It also “puts [pressure] on resources for host communities [that] may prompt both groups to resort to alternative or negative coping strategies, leaving them at risk of exploitation or recruitment by extremist groups”.
In ACT Alliance’s work with refugees and migrants in the horn of Africa, the Middle East and Latin America for example, we see that the voices of women and children are often in the shadows. Child marriages are common in refugee camps and among people seeking a safe space. A study by our members found that protection seekers are often at risk of sexual violence.
As the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants takes place on 19 September in New York, we ask the EU to press for clear commitments and to invest in improving living conditions in fragile states and regions; to increase the focus on the protection of vulnerable groups and to create safe passages to Europe. These are critical for those in need of international protection and badly needed for migrants seeking resettlement, humanitarian admission, family reunification, worker mobility across all skill levels and student visas. | https://actalliance.org/act-news/blog-message-in-a-bottle/ |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/631,247 entitled “METHOD FOR PRODUCING UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED NANOTUBES CATALYSTS ACROSS A SURFACE AND PATTERNING THE SAME”, filed Nov. 23, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/766,639 entitled “NANOSTRUCTURES AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME”, filed Jan. 28, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become the most studied structures in the field of nanotechnology due to their remarkable electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. In general, a carbon nanotube can be visualized as a sheet of hexagonal graph paper rolled up into a seamless tube and joined. Each line on the graph paper represents a carbon-carbon bond, and each intersection point represents a carbon atom. In general, CNTs are elongated tubular bodies which are typically only a few atoms in circumference. The CNTs are hollow and have a linear fullerene structure. Such elongated fullerenes having diameters as small as 0.4 nanometers (nm) and lengths of several micrometers to tens of millimeters have been recognized. Both single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been recognized.
CNTs have been proposed for a number of applications because they possess a very desirable and unique combination of physical properties relating to, for example, strength and weight ratio. For instance, CNTs are being considered for a large number of applications, including without limitation field-emitter tips for displays, transistors, interconnect and memory elements in integrated circuits, scan tips for atomic force microscopy, and sensor elements for chemical and biological sensing. CNTs are either conductors (metallic) or semiconductors, depending on their diameter and the spiral alignment of the hexagonal rings of graphite along the tube axis. They also have very high tensile strengths. CNTs have demonstrated excellent electrical conductivity.
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is becoming widely used for growing CNTs. In this approach, a feedstock, such as CO or a hydrocarbon or alcohol, is catalyzed by a transition metal catalyst to promote the CNT growth. Even more recently, plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) has been proposed for use in producing CNTs, which may permit their growth at lower temperatures. Thus, in several production processes, such as CVD and PECVD, CNTs can be grown from a catalyst on a substrate surface, such as a substrate (e.g., silicon or quartz) that is suitable for fabrication of electronic devices, sensors, field emitters and other applications. For instance, using techniques as CVD and PECVD, CNTs can be grown on a substrate (e.g., wafer) that may be used in known semiconductor fabrication processes. In general, the catalyst includes nanoparticles therein from which nanotubes grow during the growth process (i.e., one nanotube may grow from each nanoparticle).
CNT growth using transition-metal catalyst nanoparticles in a CVD system has become the standard technique for growth of single-wall and multi-wall CNTs for substrate-deposited applications. Various catalyst systems have been developed for CVD growth, including iron/molybdenum/alumina films, iron nanoparticles formed with ferritin, nickel/alumina films, and cobalt-based catalyst films.
Key to many applications is the control of CNT size and placement on a substrate. Traditional nanotube growth methods suffer from the intrinsic inability to provide controllable and predictable carbon nanotube growth in terms of size and density. Prior proposed schemes are also very difficult to integrate into conventional semiconductor device fabrication methodology, especially when catalyst supports are used.
The catalyst determines almost every aspect of carbon nanotube growth. Thus, some work has focused on controlling the catalyst size. Recently, ferritin and dendrimers have been used as templates to trap iron catalyst particles. Even though the particle size control is improved in these techniques, it is inconceivable that iron catalyst particles will be uniformly distributed across a wafer without further aid, such as with the aid of a polymer binder. Dip coating of Poly(styrene-block-ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) has been proposed to form short-range ordered self-assembled structures, but long-range order has not been achieved in this manner.
Block polymers have been widely used as a template to generate a variety of nanostructures. Complexation of transition metals with an electron rich donor, such as oxygen and nitrogen, is a well known phenomenon and people have been able to prepare successfully a number of nanoparticles through complexation methods, for example, complexation of platinum or ruthenium onto the vinyl pyridine unit of PS-PVP block polymers.
There is a need for a method for providing more precise control over the size and relative positions of nanoparticle catalysts for CNT growth. Further, a desire exists for a high-yield process for controlling the size and relative positioning of catalyst nanoparticles on a substrate.
As mentioned above, nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, are grown from catalyst nanoparticles on a substrate via a growth process such as CVD or PECVD. Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for controlling the size and/or distribution (e.g., density, relative spacing, etc.) of such catalyst nanoparticles on a substrate. More particularly, techniques are provided in which polymers are used as a carrier of a catalyst payload, and such catalyst-containing polymers self-assemble on a substrate thereby controlling the size and/or distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles in a desired manner. In exemplary embodiments described herein, block copolymers capable of self-assembly are used as a carrier of catalyst species (e.g., atoms of a catalyst, such as iron, cobalt, nickel, etc.). The copolymers self-assemble to condense and arrange the catalyst species into a distribution of catalyst nanoparticles. The non-catalyst material (e.g., organic materials) are removed, leaving the catalyst nanoparticles remaining distributed on the substrate. Accordingly, the self-assembly of the polymers controls the size and distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles formed on the substrate.
While specific examples are provided herein for controlling size and distribution of catalyst nanoparticles for growing nanotubes, the concepts provided herein are not limited in application to catalyst nanoparticles for growth of nanotubes but may be applied for controlling the size and distribution of catalyst nanoparticles for growth of other nanostructures, such as nanofibers, nanoribbons, nanothreads, nanowires, nanorods, and nanobelts.
It is helpful at the outset hereof to provide an overview of some of the terminology used herein. The following overview of terminology will be a simple review for one of ordinary skill in the art, as the terminology used herein is not inconsistent with how it is commonly used in the art.
The term “polymer” refers to a chemical compound or mixture of compounds formed by polymerization and consisting essentially of repeating structural units. The basic chemical “units” that are used in building a polymer are referred to as “repeat units.” A polymer may have a large number of repeat units or a polymer may have relatively few repeat units, in which case the polymer is often referred to as an “oligomer.”
When a polymer is made by linking only one type of repeat unit together, it is referred to as a “homopolymer.” When two (or more) different types of repeat units are joined in the same polymer chain, the polymer is called a “copolymer.” In copolymers, the different types of repeat units can be joined together in different arrangements. For instance, two repeat units may be arranged in an alternating fashion, in which case the polymer is referred to as an “alternating copolymer.” As another example, in a “random copolymer,” the two repeat units may follow in any order. Further, in a “block copolymer,” all of one type of repeat unit are grouped together, and all of the other are grouped together. Thus, a block copolymer can generally be thought of as two homopolymers joined in tandem. A block copolymer can include two or more units of a polymer chain joined together by covalent bonds. A “diblock copolymer” is a block copolymer that contains only two units joined together by a covalent bond. A “triblock copolymer” is a block copolymer that contains only three units joined together by covalent bonds.
As described further herein, at least one of the repeat units of a polymer includes a “catalyst payload” in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A “catalyst payload” refers to any species that can be used as a catalyst for growing a nanostructure on a substrate surface. The catalyst payload may be attached, such as by complexation, to the repeat unit of the polymer. Exemplary catalyst payloads include, without limitation, metal species, such as transition metal species (e.g., iron, molybdenum, cobalt, and nickel), or other metal species, such as gold, depending on the desired properties of the catalyst nanoparticles to be formed on the substrate's surface.
A polymer that may be processed to deliver the catalyst payload on the surface of a substrate is referred to herein as a “vector polymer.” That is, a “vector polymer” refers to a polymer that is processed to deliver the catalyst payload on the surface of a substrate. As described further herein, in embodiments of the present invention, such vector polymer self-assembles into a desired structure for controlling the size and/or distribution of catalyst nanoparticles produced by the catalyst payload carried by such vector polymer. Thus, the vector polymer self-assembles into a desired structure of catalyst-containing domains. The non-catalyst (e.g., organic) components of the vector polymer can then be removed, resulting in the catalyst nanoparticles remaining on the substrate with their size and/or distribution controlled by the vector polymer's self-assembly. While in certain exemplary embodiments described herein a diblock copolymer (A-B) is used as a vector polymer for carrying a catalyst payload, the scope of the present invention is not so limited. Rather, any polymer (e.g., triblock polymer, etc.) that is capable of self-assembly and in which at least one repeat unit thereof includes a catalyst payload may be utilized in accordance with the concepts presented herein. For instance, in certain embodiments a block copolymer A-B-A may be used. Further, in certain embodiments, a mixture of block copolymers (e.g., diblock copolymers) and homopolymers or a miscible blend of two homopolymers (A) and (B) is used to form a film containing self-assembling polymers. As an example, a diblock polymer and two homopolymers are used for forming the film containing self-assembling polymers.
Having provided a brief overview of the terminology used herein, attention is now directed to a discussion of embodiments of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for controlling the size and/or distribution (e.g., density, relative spacing, etc.) of catalyst nanoparticles on a substrate. More particularly, techniques are provided in which polymers are used as carriers of catalyst payloads, and such polymers self-assemble on a substrate thereby controlling the size and/or distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles in a desired manner, and subsequently control the size and distribution of the nanostructures grown from such catalyst nanoparticles. In exemplary embodiments described herein, block copolymers capable of self-assembly are used as carriers of the catalyst payloads.
Amphiphilic block copolymers are known self-assembly systems, in which chemically distinct blocks microphase-separate into the periodic domains. The domains adopt a variety of nanoscale morphologies, such as lamellar, double gyroid, cylindrical, or spherical, depending on the polymer chemistry and molecular weight. Embodiments are described herein in which such amphiphilic block copolymers are used as carriers of catalyst payloads, wherein the self-assembly of the block copolymers into a desired nanoscale morphology results in a controlled arrangement of the catalyst nanoparticles formed from the carried catalyst payloads.
2
In certain embodiments, block copolymers are provided that include a block having catalyst atoms in higher oxidation states, such as atoms of a metal species, from which a nanostructure can be grown (e.g., via CVD or PECVD). In one example, a block has Fe2+ catalyst atoms, and in certain embodiments an oxidation process (e.g., UV-ozonation) is performed to remove organic components to result in Fe3+. Then an Hplasma treament is performed to reduce the catalyst atoms to Fe(0) for CNT growth.
The block that contains the catalyst payload is referred to as a payload-containing block. One or more of such payload-containing block is present in each block polymer. For instance, in certain embodiments a diblock copolymer is formed in which one block thereof is a payload-containing block, while the other block does not contain the catalyst payload. As described further herein, the block copolymers self-assemble on a substrate into a desired structure (i.e., a desired nanoscale morphology). The desired structure into which the block copolymers self-assemble controls the size and relative spacing of the catalyst nanoparticles formed from the carried catalyst payload.
Various exemplary techniques are described herein for forming block copolymers containing a catalyst payload. One exemplary technique involves complexation of a catalyst payload (e.g., catalyst atoms) with a block of a diblock copolymer. For instance, incorporation of a catalyst species, which may be a metal, such as iron, cobalt, and molybdenum, into one block of a diblock copolymer is accomplished by complexation of the catalyst atoms with the pyridine units of polystyrene-b-poly(vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-PVP). Another exemplary technique involves direct synthesis of a payload-containing diblock copolymer. For instance, sequential living polymerization of the nonmetal-containing styrene monomer followed by the catalyst-containing monomer of ferrocenylethylmethylsilane to form polystyrene-b-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) (PS-b-PFEMS) is an exemplary technique for direct synthesis of a catalyst-containing diblock copolymer.
By controlling the volume of each of the blocks (A and B) of the diblock copolymer, the structures into which the diblock copolymers arrange during their self-assembly can be controlled. That is, by controlling the volumetric ratio of one of the blocks of the diblock copolymer to the total volume of the diblock copolymer, the nanoscale morphology, such as lamellar, double gyroid, cylindrical, or spherical, into which the diblock copolymer self-assembles can be controlled. Accordingly, an appropriate volume of each of the blocks of a diblock copolymer is first determined based on the structure that is to be formed by the self-assembly process. That is, the ratio of the payload-containing block to the non-payload-containing block is determined for forming a desired structure, such as a hexagonal or spherical structure. The blocks are then deposited in the determined ratio onto a substrate surface as a thin film. An annealing process is then performed to cause the diblock copolymers to self-assemble into the desired structures. The desired structures into which the diblock copolymers self-assemble dictate the size and distribution (e.g., relative spacing) of the catalyst nanoparticles formed from the carried catalyst payloads. Further, this self-assembly technique provides a high yield as substantially all of the catalyst nanoparticles formed by the self-assembled diblock copolymers remain on the substrate after an oxidation process (e.g., UV-ozone or oxygen plasma) treatment is performed to remove the organic component, as described further herein.
FIGS. 1A-1C
FIG. 1A
100
101
Turning first to , self-assembly via morphology of symmetric amorphous diblock copolymers into a desired structure is briefly described. Again, such self-assembly of diblock copolymers is known, and is briefly described herein to conveniently aid the understanding by the reader of the exemplary embodiments described further herein. shows an exemplary amphiphilic diblock copolymer that includes immiscible blocks A and B that are linked via covalent bond .
FIG. 1B
X
X
1
shows a graph illustrating a block copolymer phase diagram. As shown, one axis of the graph corresponds to a range of N, where is the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter and N is the number of repeat units, and the other axis of the graph corresponds to a range of φ, which is the volume fraction of block A in the copolymer. As is known,
<math overflow="scroll"><mrow><mrow><mi>χ</mi><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>[</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>E</mi><mi>AB</mi></msub><mo>-</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><mn>2</mn></mfrac><mo></mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><msub><mi>E</mi><mi>AA</mi></msub><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>E</mi><mi>BB</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow><mrow><msub><mi>k</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo></mo><mi>T</mi></mrow></mfrac><mo>]</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>,</mo></mrow></math>
X
AB
AA
BB
B
101
FIG. 1A
where is the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, Eis the interaction energy between block A and block B, Eis the interaction energy between block A, and block A, Eis the interaction energy between block B and block B, kis Boltzman's constant, and T is temperature. The phase-separation in microscale, illustrated in this figure requires two chemically distinct blocks of a polymer chain joined together by a covalent bond, such as the chemically distinct blocks A and B joined by covalent bond in . The covalent bond prevents macrophase separation.
FIG. 1C
FIG. 1A
100
100
shows the various structures (nanomorphologies) into which the diblock copolymer of self-assembles as the volumetric ratio of block A to the total volume of block A and block B increases. That is, the volumetric ratio of block A in diblock copolymer is
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FIG. 1C
FIGS. 1B-1C
100
100
100
10
100
11
Thus, as illustrates, the structure into which the diblock copolymer self-assembles can be controlled by controlling the volumetric ratio of block A in diblock copolymer . For instance, as illustrate, the diblock copolymer self-assembles into a spherical morphology when the volume of block A is in the range of approximately 0-21% of the volume of the diblock copolymer. In this case, the minority block A self-assembles into uniformly distributed spheres, as shown. As another example, the diblock copolymer self-assembles into a cylindrical morphology when the volume of block A is in the range of approximately 21-34% of the volume of the diblock copolymer. In this case, the minority block A self-assembles into uniformly distributed cylinders, as shown.
FIG. 1A
100
100
10
10
11
11
A
B
A
B
Embodiments of the present invention leverage the above-described self-assembly of diblock copolymers to control the size and/or distribution of catalyst nanoparticles on a substrate. More particularly, a catalyst payload is included in at least one of the blocks of a diblock copolymer (e.g., blocks A and B of ), and the self-assembly of such diblock copolymer into a desired structure controls the size and/or distribution of catalyst nanoparticles produced from such catalyst payload. For instance, a catalyst payload is included in the block A of diblock copolymer in the above examples, and the volumetric ratio of block A in diblock copolymer is selected to control the self-assembled structure, and thus control the size and/or distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles formed thereby on a substrate. For example, by selecting a volumetric ratio of the minority block A to be in the range of approximately 0-21% to that of (V+V), the minority block A, which contains the catalyst payload, will self-assemble into the spherical morphology . That is, the payload-containing block A will self-assemble into the uniformly distributed spheres, as in structure . As another example, by selecting a volumetric ratio of minority block A to be in the range of approximately 21-34% to that of (V+V), the minority block A, which contains the catalyst payload, will self-assemble into the cylindrical morphology . That is, the payload-containing block A will self-assemble into the uniformly distributed cylinders, as in structure .
FIG. 2A
FIG. 2B
10
20
11
21
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
As described further herein, the vector polymer is deposited as a film onto a substrate, and thereafter a process that promotes self-assembly (e.g., annealing) is performed to cause the vector polymer to self-assemble into the appropriate structure based on the volumetric ratio of block A in the vector polymer. By controlling the thickness of the film, the size and distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles produced by the carried catalyst payload is further controlled. For instance, illustrates that when the film is sufficiently thin, the spherical morphology results in structure , which is a single layer (i.e., a thin cross-section) of such spherical morphology and contains payload-containing blocks A, A, A, and A. Similarly, illustrates that when the film is sufficiently thin, the cylindrical morphology results in structure , which is a thin cross-section of the cylindrical morphology and contains payload-containing blocks A, A, A, A, A, A, and A.
The substrate's physical and chemical properties, as well as the film thickness, are controlled to ensure that the cylinder will be perpendicular to the substrate's surface. In certain embodiments, the film thickness is selected as less than or equal to half the periodicity of the self-assembled structures (e.g., cylinders, etc.) desired between the catalyst nanoparticles formed by the payload-containing blocks. If the film is too thick, the structures (e.g., cylinders) will extend parallel to the substrate surface instead of being perpendicular to the substrate surface. It should be recognized that having the cylinders formed perpendicular to the surface of the substrate rather than extending parallel to the surface aids in controlling spacing of the catalyst nanoparticles, and this is important for generating discrete nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the film thickness is adjusted to equal to or less than half the periodicity. This is done to facilitate self-assembly. Of course, in other embodiments, the film thickness may be greater than the domain periodicity.
FIGS. 3A-3D
FIG. 3A
FIG. 1A
FIG. 1A
32
31
32
31
31
32
100
10
11
100
100
show an exemplary method of fabricating a nanostructure on a substrate in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In , a film is formed on a substrate . Film may be formed on substrate by spin-casting, as an example. The substrate may be any type of substrate that is compatible with the processes described herein. Exemplary substrate materials include silicon, alumina, quartz, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride. Film includes a vector polymer that has a predetermined volumetric ratio of the respective blocks thereof. In an example, the vector polymer is the exemplary diblock copolymer shown in having a predetermined volumetric ratio of blocks A and B for self-assembling into a desired structure, such as the spherical morphology or the cylindrical morphology . Further, at least one of the blocks of the vector polymer includes a catalyst payload. For instance, in the exemplary diblock copolymer of , the block A includes the catalyst payload. In certain embodiments, the catalyst payload is included in the minority block, and again the volumetric ratio of such minority block within the diblock copolymer controls the structure into which the vector polymer will self-assemble.
FIG. 3B
32
1
2
n
1
2
n
As shown in , the film is then annealed to promote self-assembly into periodic nanostructures within such thin film. In the illustrative example shown, the vector polymer self-assembles into a spherical morphology that includes payload-containing blocks A, A, . . . , Adistributed according to such spherical morphology. That is, the payload-containing blocks A, A, . . . , Aself-assemble into uniformly distributed spheres, as shown. This assumes a certain film thickness, as mentioned above. In this example, the spheres are arranged in a square array.
FIG. 3C
FIG. 3B
FIG. 3D
1
2
n
1
2
n
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n
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n
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n
31
31
As shown in , an oxidation process, such as UV-ozonation, is performed to remove organic components and convert nonvolatile inorganic species into inorganic oxides. Thus, as a result of such UV-ozonation, the catalyst payloads (e.g., catalyst nanoparticles) P, P, . . . , P, such as iron oxide, carried by the payload-containing blocks A, A, . . . , A, respectively, remain on the substrate . The catalyst nanoparticles P, P, . . . , Pare arranged on substrate in accordance with the self-assembled structure of the vector polymer. That is, the catalyst nanoparticles P, P, . . . , Pare uniformly distributed just as the payload-containing blocks A, A, . . . , Awere distributed (in ) as a result of the self-assembly. As shown in , a carbon nanotube growth process, such as CVD or PECVD, is carried out, resulting in growth of carbon nanotubes CNT, CNT, . . . , CNfrom the catalyst nanoparticles P, P, . . . , P, respectively. While the catalyst nanoparticles P, P, . . . , Pare used in this example to grow carbon nanotubes, in other applications catalyst nanoparticles may be distributed on a substrate surface in this manner and used to grow other desired nanostructures.
FIGS. 3A-3D
FIGS. 3A-3D
1
2
n
It should be recognized that for ease of illustration the are not drawn to scale. However, illustrate an example of the self-assembly concept for use in controlling the size and distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles P, P, . . . , P. That is, depending on volumetric ratio of the payload-containing blocks within a block copolymer, the structure into which the payload-containing blocks self-assemble can be controlled. As described above, the block copolymers microphase separate to form self-assembled structures, which dictates the size and distribution (e.g., relative spacing) of the catalyst nanoparticles formed by the carried catalyst payloads. Such self-assembly can be performed over a large surface area, and thus this process can be used for coating 3-inch, 16-inch, or any other size of wafer. Accordingly, uniform distribution and size in the catalyst nanoparticles can be achieved across a relatively large substrate (e.g., across the surface of a wafer). Actual Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) images of exemplary catalyst nanoparticles that are distributed by exemplary self-assembled polymers are shown and described later herein, which verifies the ability of achieving uniformly distributed and sized catalyst nanoparticles across a substrate using this self-assembly technique.
As mentioned above, a catalyst payload is included in at least one block of a vector polymer. Various exemplary techniques are described herein for forming block copolymers that have at least one block containing a catalyst payload. One exemplary technique involves complexation of a catalyst payload (e.g., atoms of a catalyst species) with a block of a diblock copolymer.
FIG. 4A
FIG. 4B
FIG. 4B
FIG. 4A
FIG. 2B
FIG. 4B
21
401
400
As an example of this complexation technique, a metal, such as iron, cobalt or molybdenum, is selectively incorporated into one repeat unit (a “block” is generally a group of repeat units) of a diblock copolymer by the complexation of the metal species with the pyridine monomers of polystyrene-b-poly(vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-PVP). Transition metals such as iron, cobalt, molybdenum, and nickel have energetically-accessible d orbitals. This partially filled outer electronic orbital structure provides a number of reaction pathways. To satisfy the 18 electron rule, the empty orbitals of the metals complex with electron-rich pyridine units of the PS-b-PVP. The proposed coordination reaction is shown in . Annealing spin-coated thin films followed by subsequent UV-ozonation yields catalysts with controlled size and spacing. Exemplary catalysts that may result from this process include such catalysts as Fe, FeMo, Co, CoMo. is a representative AFM image of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained from a self-assembled cylindrical structure of Poly(styrene-b-Iron-complexed vinylpyridine). The AFM image of shows iron oxide nanoparticles deposited on a substrate following the above-described self-assembly and oxidation (e.g., UV-ozonation or oxygen plasma) of the PS-b-PVP complexed with iron of . In this example, the volumetric ratio of the iron-containing block within the diblock copolymer was selected such that the iron-containing minority block self-assembled into uniformly distributed cylindrical structures, such as structure of . Thus, the iron oxide nanoparticles are uniformly distributed and have an average size of 2.3 nanometers (nm). The 2D Fourier Transform analysis insert in the AFM image of clearly indicates a high degree of order of the nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron element analysis confirmed that nanoparticles on the surface are indeed iron oxide.
FIG. 4C
FIG. 4B
FIG. 4C
is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of carbon nanotubes prepared from the iron oxide nanoparticles of . illustrates that with the above-described polymer carrier approach, carbon nanotubes can be formed uniformly distributed on the substrate's surface.
Thus, in certain embodiments, catalyst metal species are incorporated in the form of organometallic complexes. For example, Fe, Co, or Mo can be complexed onto the vinyl pyridine unit of Poly(styrene-b-vinylpyridine) copolymer, as described above. As another example, Co and/or Fe can be complexed with the ethylenimine unit of poly(ethylenimine). Each repeat unit of a payload-containing block of a block copolymer can include one or more catalyst metal specie, such as Fe, Co, or Mo. Two different metal species can be incorporated into a repeat unit by first adding the less reactive one of the species (e.g., Fe) and then adding the more reactive one (e.g., Co).
FIG. 4D
FIG. 4D
FIG. 2B
21
is a representative AFM image of nickel nanoparticles obtained from a self-assembled cylindrical structure of Poly(styrene-b-Nickel complexed vinylpyridine). The AFM image of shows nickel nanoparticles formed on a substrate following the above-described self-assembly and oxidation of the PS-b-PVP complexed with nickel. In this example, the volumetric ratio of the nickel-containing block within the diblock copolymer was selected such that the nickel-containing minority block self-assembled into uniformly distributed cylindrical structures, such as structure of . Thus, the nickel nanoparticles are uniformly distributed and have an average size of 2.8 nanometers (nm) with periodicity of 32 nm in this experiment.
FIG. 4E
FIG. 4E
FIG. 4E
FIG. 4E
is a table showing various catalysts that are complexed with PS-b-PVP in the manner described above for iron and nickel, corresponding average particle sizes of the catalyst nanoparticles resulting on the substrate (following the above-described self-assembly and UV-ozonation), and the corresponding SEM images of carbon nanotubes grown from such catalyst nanoparticles. Thus, the table of summarizes the carbon nanotube (CNT) results from various single- and bi-metallic catalyst nanoclusters produced from the above-described complexation method. Even though CNT growth conditions were not optimized for the exemplary experiments illustrated in , high-density carbon nanotubes were produced from these catalyst systems. This set of results indicates that all catalysts derived from the polymer-based complexation approach are effective catalysts for CNT growth and are able to form uniformly distributed CNTs over a large surface area, as shown in the SEM images in the table of .
Other examples of block copolymers that can be formed through the above-described complexation technique include, but are not limited to, Poly(styrene-b-sodium acrylate), Poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide), Poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-b-ethylene oxide), Poly(isoprene(1, 4 addition)-b-vinyl pyridine), Poly(isoprene(1, 4 addition)-b-methylmethacrylate), Poly(styrene-b-acrylic acid), Poly(styrene-b-acrylamide), Poly(styrene-b-methylmethacrylic acid), and Poly(styrene-b-butyl acrylate). Of course, catalyst-containing block copolymers formed through complexation are not limited to those identified above. Rather, the above-identified catalyst-containing block copolymers are intended merely as examples.
FIG. 5A
Another exemplary technique for forming block copolymers containing a catalyst payload involves direct synthesis of a payload-containing diblock copolymer. For instance, sequential living polymerization of the nonmetal-containing styrene monomer followed by the catalyst-containing monomer of ferrocenylethylmethylsilane to form polystyrene-b-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) (PS-b-PFEMS) is an exemplary technique for direct synthesis of a catalyst-containing diblock copolymer. A resulting structure of the proposed coordination reaction is shown in .
2
2
3
FIG. 5B
FIG. 5A
FIG. 2B
FIG. 5B
21
500
501
In experiments, films of PS-b-PFEMS, synthesized by sequential living polymerization, were able to self-assemble into a periodically-ordered hexagonal morphology where cylindrical PFEMS domains were embedded in a PS matrix oriented perpendicular to the substrate, as identified by small angle X-ray scattering. Oxidation (e.g., UV-Ozone treatment) was carried out to remove organic components and convert nonvolatile inorganic components into SiOand FeO. is a representative AFM image of iron-containing nanoparticles that resulted on a substrate following the above-described self-assembly and oxidation of the PS-b-PFEMS of . In this example, the volumetric ratio of the iron-containing block within the diblock copolymer was selected such that the iron-containing minority block self-assembled into uniformly-distributed cylindrical structures, such as structure of . The AFM image and inserted 2D Fourier Transform analysis shown in indicates that the iron-containing nanostructures have uniform size and periodicity.
Other examples of block copolymers that can be formed through the above-described direct synthesis technique include, but are not limited to, polymethylmethacrylate-b-polyferrocenylethylmethylsilane, polyisoprene-b-polyferrocenylethylmethylsilane, polydimethylsiloxane-b-polyferrocenylmethylethylsilane, polystyrene-b-polyferrocenylethylmethylsilane. Of course, catalyst-containing block copolymers formed through direct synthesis are not limited to those identified above, but rather these are intended merely as examples.
FIG. 5C
FIG. 5D
2
Both high and low magnification SEM images, as shown in , depict a uniformly-distributed CNT network produced from a catalytically-active iron-containing inorganic nanostructure derived from PS-b-PFEMS. Due to excellent processability, evenly-distributed CNTs have been obtained using polymer-based catalyst systems. The Raman spectrum in shows that CNTs with diameter less than 1 nm can be generated. The inventors hypothesize that iron-rich clusters surrounded by SiOlimit the mobility and coalescence of clusters at the growth temperature resulting in smaller-diameter CNTs than previously reported using conventional CVD methods.
32
FIG. 3A
FIG. 3B
FIG. 3C
Exemplary experiments utilizing the above-described self-assembly of polymers will now be described. In these exemplary experiments, diblock copolymers that include a payload-containing block were formed using either the complexation or the direct synthesis techniques described above. More particularly, selective incorporation of metal such as iron, cobalt, molybdenum, and nickel onto one block of a diblock copolymer was accomplished either by the complexation of metal with the pyridine of polystyrene-b-poly(vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-PVP) or by the sequential living polymerization of the nonmetal-containing styrene monomer followed by the catalyst-containing monomer of ferrocenylethylmethylsilane to form polystyrene-b poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) (PS-b-PFEMS). Catalyst-containing polymer films, such as film in , with thickness ranging from 10 nm to 20 nm were prepared by spin casting toluene solutions at 4000 rpm for 30 seconds onto quartz substrates and onto silicon substrates covered with 500 nm of thermal oxide. After coating, the samples were annealed to induce self-assembled periodic nanostructures within the thin films, such as in . UV-ozonation was then carried out to remove organic components and convert nonvolatile inorganic species into inorganic oxides, such as in .
Various embodiments of the present invention are compatible with standard semiconductor processing techniques, such as photolithography and e-beam lithography techniques. Experiments demonstrate that photolithography techniques can be used to control the size and distribution of nanostructures on a microscale, while the above-described polymer self-assembly technique is used to control the size and distribution of nanostructures on a nanoscale. For instance, a polymer film carrying a catalyst payload may be deposited on a substrate, as described above, and such polymer film may be processed using photolithography to form “islands” of the polymer film. Such islands have a size and distribution that is controllable to an accuracy provided by the photolithography technique used. This accuracy is generally on a microscale. The polymer film is then annealed to cause the polymer material to self-assemble into a desired structure (e.g., cylindrical structure, etc.) as described above. Such self-assembly may be performed before or after the above-mentioned photolithography process is used to form the islands. Thus, the islands may be created on a substrate with micro-scale accuracy in their size/distribution, and the self-assembly technique may be used to control the size/distribution of catalyst nanoparticles within each island.
In one experiment, a bilayer lift-off process using a polymethylglutarimide (“PMGI”), such as Shipley™ LOL1000 as an underlayer and OCG 825 as an imaging layer were used to lithographically control the growth of CNTs. After lithographically defining resist patterns on a thermally-oxidized Si substrate, the PS-b-PFEMS diblock copolymer was deposited by spincoating and was annealed under toluene vapor. A solvent lift-off process was then performed, which left catalyst islands in the selected areas defined by photolithography. UV-Ozone treatment removed the organic matrix, leaving posts of iron oxide embedded in silicon oxide. The carbon nanotube growth was carried out in a CVD system as described previously.
2
4
2
4
Two types of substrates, one with patterning and one without were heated to 900° C. under H. Subsequently, a mixture of CHand CHwas added to the gas flow to initiate carbon nanotube growth. The growth time was 10 minutes for the unpatterned substrates and 5 minutes for the patterned substrates.
The results of the above experiment revealed that use of diblock copolymers comprising two covalently linked, immiscible polymer blocks that undergo self-assembly in the solidstate afford well-defined arrays of nanostructures dictated by the polymer architecture and molecular weight. By choosing the right component and composition of a block copolymer, cylindrical and spherical morphologies can be observed. When the minority block of a diblock polymer contains metal, a periodic metal-containing polymeric nanostructure can be formed in a polymeric matrix having a non-metal containing majority block of the diblock polymer. After oxidation, the periodic catalytically active nanostructure can thus be formed.
FIGS. 6A and 6B
−1
2
−1
2
High frequency Raman analysis, such as shown in , was used to evaluate the quality of CNTs produced from iron nanoparticles and iron-containing nanostructures derived from iron complexed PS-b-FePVP and PS-b-PFEMS, respectively. The D band at 1380 cmis the second-order defect-induced Raman mode involving a one-phonon scattering process. Thus, the intensity of this peak is directly correlated with the level of defects or dangling bonds in the sparrangement of graphene. The G band centered at 1590 cmis the first-order Raman process attributed to an in-plane oscillation of carbon atoms in the spgraphene sheet. The very low intensity of the D band signal, and narrow width and high intensity of the G band signal indicate that CNTs produced by both systems have very low defect and dangling bond density. This is also supported by the strong intensity of the D* band (shown at 2760), which is the result of an inelastic two phonon double resonance emission process. The high D*/D ratios in both spectra indicate that the CNTs possess high quality with a minimal amount of amorphous carbon and defects.
FIGS. 7A-7C
FIG. 7A
FIG. 3A
FIG. 7A
FIG. 7B
FIG. 7B
FIG. 7B
32
31
71
32
32
71
71
32
31
32
31
32
31
31
show an exemplary scheme for generating catalyst cluster islands by patterning the catalyst-containing polymer film using any of the above-mentioned methods. As mentioned above, the patterning techniques control the size/distribution of the catalyst cluster islands, while the polymer self-assembly technique controls the size/distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles within each island. More particularly, in , catalyst-containing polymer film is deposited on substrate , just as in described above. However, in , a photoresist layer is deposited on top of the film and is patterned. Conventional photolithography is performed to remove the portions of the film not covered by the patterned photoresist layer , and then the photoresist layer is removed. The patterned catalyst-containing polymer film remains on substrate as shown in . As described below, the portion of the catalyst-containing polymer film remaining on substrate in is referred to as catalyst-containing polymer island That is, portion of is one exemplary catalyst-containing polymer island formed on substrate , and, as described further below, the photolithography process just described is typically used to form a plurality of such catalyst-containing polymer islands on substrate .
FIG. 7C
FIGS. 7A-7B
FIGS. 7A-7B
32
32
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32
71
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71
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1
n
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2
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n
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n
In the example shown in , the above-described photolithography technique has been used to form patterned catalyst cluster islands , . . . , that do not contain organics. Such catalyst cluster islands are formed by removal of the organic portion of the polymer by ozonation or calcination. Such catalyst-containing polymer “islands” , , . . . , can each be formed in the manner described in for forming island . That is, while photoresist layer is shown for forming catalyst-containing polymer island in , such photoresist layer is typically patterned to define a plurality (e.g., “n”) of areas covering the catalyst-containing film . In turn, such patterned photoresist layer is typically used as described above for defining a plurality of catalyst-containing polymer islands , , . . . , . The size and distribution of the catalyst-containing polymer islands , , . . . , is controlled by the photolithography process, and the size and distribution of cluster nanoparticles within each of the cluster islands is controlled by self-assembly of the polymer carrier, as described above. Thereafter, nanostructures, such as CNTs, can be grown from the catalyst nanoparticles. As a result, catalyst location and nanostructure (e.g., CNT) location can be predetermined. This is the first manufacturable method for producing CNTs or other nanostructures.
FIGS. 8A-8E
FIG. 8A
FIG. 8B
FIG. 8C
FIGS. 8A-8E
31
81
31
81
81
82
32
81
32
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81
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81
81
81
32
31
32
a
b
Another exemplary approach that can be used to create patterned arrays of CNTs is shown in . In this example, a base-soluble or organic soluble sacrificial layer, such as PMGI (polymethylglutarimide), is coated on the substrate (e.g., wafer) . The sacrificial layer is patterned by imaging a photoresist and then transferring the image into the sacrificial layer by either a wet or a dry etch. The photoresist is removed by selective solvent dissolution. As shown in the example of , a sacrificial layer is deposited on substrate , and is patterned into portions and having a recessed/removed area between them. A block copolymer containing a complexed metal species (i.e., the vector polymer) is then coated on top of the patterned sacrificial layer , as shown in . The catalyst-containing block copolymer is then annealed. Depending on properties of the sacrificial layer, the anneal step may cause the catalyst-containing block copolymer to flow into the recessed area(s) , as shown in . In other embodiments, portions of the block copolymer residing on the sacrificial layer may not flow into the recessed area (e.g., due to properties of the sacrificial layer used), but is instead removed by the process used to remove the underlying sacrificial layer . Continuing with the example shown in , the sacrificial layer is removed to leave the patterned catalyst-containing polymer on substrate . UV-ozonation may be performed on the catalyst-containing polymer , as described above.
FIG. 8E
FIGS. 8A-8D
32
32
32
81
81
82
32
81
82
32
32
32
32
32
31
1
2
n
1
n
1
2
n
a
b
As shown in , a plurality of such catalyst-containing polymer “islands” , , . . . , can be formed in the above-described manner. That is, while portions and having recessed area therebetween are shown for forming island in , the sacrificial layer may be patterned to include a plurality (e.g., “n”) of recessed areas , which in turn are used as described above for forming a plurality of catalyst-containing polymer “islands” , . . . , . The size and distribution of the catalyst-containing polymer islands , , . . . , is controlled by the photolithography process, and the size and distribution of nanoparticles formed from each of the catalyst-containing polymer islands is controlled by self-assembly of the polymer carrier, as described above. Thereafter, nanostructures, such as CNTs, can be grown from the catalyst nanoparticles on the substrate .
FIG. 9
FIG. 8E
FIG. 9
FIG. 9
32
32
900
901
1
n
shows exemplary SEM images of single-walled carbon nanotubes grown from patterned catalytic islands, such as islands -of , at low magnification () and high magnification (). More specifically, shows carbon nanotubes grown from catalyst islands that were produced from PS-b-PFEMS on a 75 mm wafer. Optical inspection of the grown nanotubes reveals that the solvent lift-off process (for removing the polymer template) completely removed all materials, leaving only the catalytic cluster islands behind. The SEM images in depict arrays of carbon nanotubes grown from lithographically-defined 0.9 μm diameter catalytic cluster islands over a large surface area. There is no evidence of nanotube growth in the regions between the catalytic cluster islands, indicating that the lift-off process is a very effective means of generating a patterned catalyst substrate. Further, AFM and Raman analysis of the grown nanotubes indicated that the majority of the nanotubes have diameters of 1 nm or less.
32
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FIGS. 7C and 8D
FIGS. 8A-8E
FIGS. 7A-7C
While the catalyst-containing polymer film is described as being patterned into catalyst-containing polymer islands in the above examples of , it should be recognized that the catalyst-containing polymer film may be patterned in any manner desired that is achievable using the above-described (or future developed) patterning techniques that are compatible with the catalyst-containing polymer film. For instance, catalyst-containing the polymer film may be patterned into one or more catalyst-containing polymer islands and each of such catalyst-containing polymer islands may have any desired size, shape, and/or distribution achievable with the patterning technique being used. The above-described exemplary polymer film is compatible with such standard semiconductor fabrication techniques as an additive technique, such as the exemplary additive technique described in ) and a subtractive technique, such as the exemplary subtractive technique of .
In view of the above, polymers, such as diblock copolymers, may be used as templates to produce various catalyst cluster islands or catalyt-containing polymer islands with controlled size and spacing for nanostructure (e.g., carbon nanotube) growth. Periodically ordered catalytic nanostructures can be generated by spin coating polymer-based catalyst systems. As a result, uniformly distributed, low-defect density single-walled nanotubes(CNTs) have been obtained. CNTs with diameters of 1 nm or less have been produced from iron-containing inorganic nanostructures using conventional CVD. The superior film-forming ability of polymer-based catalyst systems enables selective growth of carbon nanotubes on lithographically predefined catalyst islands over a large surface area. This ability to control the density and location of CNTs offers great potential for practical applications.
FIGS. 7-8
FIGS. 10A-10E
The use of photolithography techniques with the polymer film of embodiments of the present invention is not limited in application to those examples described above with . Because such polymer film is compatible with photolithography techniques, various applications other than forming catalyst cluster islands may be performed. For instance, in certain embodiments, the polymer film may be processed using photolithography to enable formation of suspended nanostructures, such as suspended CNTs. An example of a technique for forming such suspended CNTs is shown in .
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FIG. 10A
FIG. 10B
FIG. 10C
FIG. 10E
FIG. 10D
A
A
B
A
A
In this example, catalyst-containing block copolymer is deposited on substrate (). Photoresist material is deposited and patterned (), and a deep etch is performed into the substrate , forming a mesa () that extends from the substrate's surface. Such etch is typically performed to form a plurality of mesas on substrate , such as mesas and described below with reference to . The photoresist is removed by selective solvent dissolution, and the catalyst-containing block copolymer is then annealed and oxidation is performed on the catalyst-containing polymer , as described above (). Thus, the catalyst nanoparticles arranged according to the self-assembly of polymer are located on the top of mesa , at a height above the substrate surface defined by the depth of the etch performed into substrate . In one embodiment, height h of mesa is approximately 0.4 μm.
31
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A
B
A
B
A
B
FIG. 10E
FIG. 11
FIGS. 10A-10E
FIGS. 10A-10E
Then, nanostructures, such as CNTs, are grown from the catalyst nanoparticles. Some of the CNTS grow from the top of one mesa to the top of an adjacent mesa , such as suspended CNT shown in . shows an SEM image of suspended CNTs obtained by the exemplary technique of . The distance d between adjacent mesas and is set to enable CNTs to grow across the valley between such mesas. Initial experiments have shown that CNTs are capable of growing across a valley of at least distance d=0.5 micrometers to form suspended CNTs coupled between two mesas. By controlling the arrangement of catalyst nanoparticles on the surfaces of mesas and via the polymer self-assembly techniques described herein, the locational arrangement of suspended CNTs can be controlled. For instance, a series of suspended CNTs may be formed, similar to lines commonly found on telephone poles. In certain embodiments, known techniques for influencing the direction of growth of CNTs are employed to encourage such CNTs to grow from one mesa toward another mesa. Of course, while provide yet another exemplary application that illustrates the compatibility of the polymer techniques described herein with photolithography techniques, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any such application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A-1C
show an exemplary diblock copolymer and various nanomorphologies into which such diblock copolymer can self-assemble based on the volumetric ratio of its blocks;
FIG. 2A
FIG. 1A
FIG. 2B
FIG. 1A
shows an illustration of a spherical morphology of the diblock copolymer of when formed in a sufficiently thin film, and shows an illustration of a cylindrical morphology of the diblock copolymer of when formed in a sufficiently thin film;
FIGS. 3A-3D
show an exemplary method of fabricating a nanostructure on a substrate in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4A
shows an exemplary coordination reaction for complexation of iron with pyridine units of polystyrene-b-poly(vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-PVP) in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 4B
FIG. 4A
shows a representative AFM image of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained from a self-assembled cylindrical structure of the exemplary diblock copolymer of ;
FIG. 4C
FIG. 4B
shows a SEM image of carbon nanotubes prepared from the iron oxide nanoparticles of ;
FIG. 4D
shows a representative AFM image of nickel nanoparticles obtained from a self-assembled cylindrical structure of an exemplary diblock copolymer of polystyrene-b-nickel complex poly(vinyl pyridine) according to one embodiment;
FIG. 4E
provides a table summarizing the carbon nanotube (CNT) results from various exemplary single and bimetallic catalyst nanoclusters produced from complexation with PS-b-PVP;
FIG. 5A
shows an exemplary resulting structure of a coordination reaction for direct synthesis of polystyrene-b-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) (PS-b-PFEMS) in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 5B
FIG. 5A
shows a representative AFM image of iron-containing nanoparticles obtained from a self-assembled cylindrical structure of the exemplary diblock copolymer of ;
FIG. 5C
FIG. 5B
shows low and high-resolution SEM images of carbon nanotubes prepared from the iron-containing nanoparticles of ;
FIG. 5D
FIG. 5C
shows Raman spectrum for the carbon nanotubes of ;
FIG. 6A
FIG. 4C
shows high-frequency Raman analysis of carbon nanotubes produced from iron nanoparticles derived from iron complexed PS-b-PVP, such as the carbon nanotubes of ;
FIG. 6B
FIG. 5C
shows high-frequency Raman analysis of carbon nanotubes produced from iron nanoparticles derived from PS-b-PFEMS, such as the carbon nanotubes of ;
FIGS. 7A-7C
show an exemplary scheme for generation of catalyst cluster islands using conventional semiconductor patterning techniques in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 8A-8D
show another exemplary approach that can be used to create patterned arrays of CNTs using conventional semiconductor patterning techniques in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9
FIG. 8E
shows exemplary SEM images of single-walled carbon nanotubes grown from patterned catalytic islands, such as the islands of , at low magnification and high magnification (insert);
FIGS. 10A-10E
show another exemplary application using conventional semiconductor patterning techniques with the polymer technique described herein for forming suspended CNTs in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 11
FIGS. 10A-10E
shows an SEM image of suspended CNTs obtained via the exemplary technique of . | |
InterCon is a preeminent international technology conference and is attended by the distinguished members of information technology, consumer technology, artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain, and e-commerce. Other panelists were Anvita Varshney, Marta Paiar and Mike Jenkins. Come of the discussions were : in the context of trade wars and a slowdown in the global economy, what types of startups will still be likely to get investments and which not? Will investments in startups continue? Will it be harder and harder for startups to find financing in a slowing global economy?
By uniting tech enthusiasts from 45+ countries, InterCon brings together the leaders in technology who are willing to discover the newest advancements, learn from industry experts, and network. Our past events are known for bridging the gap between the latest technological developments and its application in real life to offer long-term solutions for complex business problems. | https://danagroups.com/october-2019-dana-group-invited-vc-panel-discussion-intercon-2019-grand-hyatt-dubai/ |
What comes to mind when you think of the word ‘negotiation’?
For many, this word conjures up bargaining, the wrestle to do better than your opponent, the need to tightly control information so that we don’t undermine our position, the belief that what the other side gains we lose. In our mind’s eye, we may picture the challenge of buying a used car from a stranger.
On the other hand, we may suspect that if we could collaborate with our negotiating partner we might both get a better deal. However, to do so means we need to risk exchanging information and this requires a willingness to interact with the other side in ways that may make us feel vulnerable.
The sociologist Goffman wrote about this situation in terms of face. Each of us in interaction maintains a face, how we want to appear to the other. We take positions intended to influence the thinking of our negotiating partner and conceal our real interests, perhaps the real value to us of the object of negotiation. This can easily lead to a stand-off with no deal or a deal that leaves substantial value on the table. The parties must therefore find a way to manage changes in face in ways in which promote collaboration.
Goffman conceived of interaction as a performance. There is front of stage where we interact and negotiate and there is back of stage where we prepare and rehearse our performance. In Front Stage the challenge is to manage face (how we represent) and interpret cues (how our audience is responding). As the interaction evolves, there is the delicate task of droppings one’s guard and adapting to change. This is conducted by the way of collusive communication, a guarded step-by-step movement towards revealing true interests.
Collusive communication is not necessarily easy, especially when parties are in conflict or dispute and the basis for trust weak. We may therefore resort to agents who can negotiate dispassionately on our behalf. But can agents effectively collaborate unless they can command the trust and confidence of both parties?
Goffman addresses this dilemma by proposing a third intervention, a mediator who can perform a discrepant role in being privy to the dark and strategic secrets that each side holds. Addressing parties separately (in cacus) provides an opportunity for the mediator to help both sides (Back Stage) to prepare effectively for joint meetings (Front Stage). A mediator becomes a facilitator of collusive communication, creating the conditions which enable interests to be surfaced. Furthermore, a mediator can assist in the interpretation of cues by underpinning listening and inviting refelection.
Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. | https://www.globalmediation.co.uk/2015/10/negotiation/ |
First page number:
8
Abstract
The fragmentation dynamics of core-excited H2S has been studied by means of partial anion and cation yield measurements around the S L2,3-subshell ionization thresholds. All detectable ionic fragments are reported, and significant differences between partial ion yields are observed. Possible dissociation pathways are discussed by comparison to previous studies of electron spectra.
Keywords
Atomic orbitals; Electron configuration; Electronic excitation; Fragmentation reactions; Hydrogen sulfide; Ionization
Disciplines
Analytical Chemistry | Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics | Biological and Chemical Physics | Physical Chemistry
Language
English
Comments
DOI: 10.1063/1.1860012
Permissions
Copyright American Institute of Physics, used with permission
Repository Citation
Guillemin, R.,
Yu, S.,
Stolte, W. C.,
Lindle, D. W.
(2005).
Fragmentation Dynamics of H2S Following S 2p Photoexcitation.
Journal of Chemical Physics, 122(094318),
8. | https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/chem_fac_articles/23/ |
The outdoor environment has an abundance of developmental and learning potential for children. At Har El Daycare, we want to make bringing the outdoors into early childhood education a top priority. The grounds surrounding the daycare make for a perfect place to teach children about nature, animals, weather and more.
In early childhood programs that emphasize the outdoors, forests or other natural parts of the environment can be the classroom, a natural way for children to discover the world around them. Spending time outdoors helps children identify with nature, boosts physical and mental health, and helps children gain self-confidence and respect for the world around them.
Learning in nature provides a host of benefits, including enhancing cognitive abilities, improving eyesight, improving social relations, supporting creative problem solving, increasing physical activity, reducing stress and more!
The North Shore Jewish Community Centre / Congregation Har El dates back to the 1950s. It is the centre for Jewish living on the North Shore, committed to the values of education, culture and community.
Serving the Jewish Community in West Vancouver. | https://www.hareldaycare.com/learning-in-nature/ |
The 4 astronauts, shortlisted for the mission are undergoing a rigorous 11 months training which will complete in the first quarter of 2021. All the four astronauts selected for the mission are men but their identity has not been revealed.
“The training Indian astronauts are doing well,” said Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, in a statement. The training of 4 Indian astronauts for the ambitious manned space mission had started early this year in Russia.
The Indian cosmonauts are undergoing training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) following the courses of the general space training program and the systems of the Soyuz MS crewed spacecraft.
To date, Indian cosmonauts have completed training on crew actions in the event of an abnormal descent module landing: in wooded and marshy areas in winter (completed in February 2020), on the water surface (completed in June 2020) and in the steppe in summer (completed in July 2020).
They have also completed training in short-term weightlessness mode aboard the IL-76MDK special laboratory aircraft, and in July, they were trained to lift aboard a helicopter while evacuating from the descent module landing point.
The contract for the Indian candidates’ training for spaceflight was signed between Gavkosmos and the Human Spaceflight Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on June 27, 2019. On February 10, 2020, GCTC started training of the four Indian cosmonauts.
The entire process of preparation and training is taking place in Russia including, the regular courses comprising medical and physical training, and studying the configuration, structure, and systems of the Soyuz crewed spacecraft. Their health status is monitored daily. The Indian astronauts also have to learn Russian as one of the main international languages of communication in space.
As per the ISRO sources, India’s heaviest launch vehicle “Bahubali” GSLV Mark-III will carry the astronauts to space. Rs.10, 000 crores has already been sanctioned by the Union Cabinet for the Gaganyaan project. This followed the announcement made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Independence Day last year, stating that the Gaganyaan launch will coincide with the 75th year of India’s Independence.
The select candidates will soon be training in a centrifuge and in a hyperbaric chamber to prepare them for sustaining spaceflight factors, such as G-force, hypoxia, and pressure drops.
So far the training has been hard but the instructors at the GCTC praise the effort and high motivation of the Indian cosmonauts. “They also note their extremely serious and very professional attitude to the training process. All of the Indian cosmonauts are in good health and are determined to continue their training.” said the statement by ROSCOSMOS
The 4 astronauts, shortlisted for the mission, are expected to receive training for 11 months. The completion of their training at GCTC is scheduled for the first quarter of 2021. All the four astronauts selected for the mission are men but their identity has not been revealed.
After 11 months of training in Russia, the astronauts will receive module-specific training in India where they will be trained in crew and service module designed by ISRO, learn to operate it, work around it and do simulations.
Though the first Indian to go into space was Rakesh Sharma in 1984 but the spacecraft in which he went was not Indian. Therefore, Gaganyaan will be the first-ever human space mission conceived and developed in India, as a distinct illustration of the Prime Minister’s “Make in India” vision. | https://udaipurkiran.com/indian-astronauts-training-well-for-indias-manned-space-mission-gaganyaan/ |
Plasma levels of natriuretic peptides during ventricular pacing in patients with a dual chamber pacemaker.
The mechanism(s) responsible for the release of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a cardiac hormone of ventricular origin, are still not completely understood. We measured plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and BNP in 15 subjects (10 men, mean age 67 +/- 3 years) with a dual chamber pacemaker and unimpaired heart function during ventricular pacing, which is known to induce an increase in atrial pressure and plasma ANP concentration. Under ECG monitoring, all subjects received sequential atrioventricular pacing for 30 minutes and ventricular pacing for 30 minutes, at the same rate of 80 beats/min. Arterial pressure and plasma BNP and ANP levels were measured every 10 minutes throughout the study. Ventricular pacing led to atrioventricular dissociation in eight subjects and to retrograde ventriculo-atrial conduction in seven. Arterial pressure remained unchanged in all subjects. In the group with atrioventricular dissociation, plasma ANP increased from 10.14 +/- 0.58 to 16.72 +/- 0.92 fmol/mL at the 60th minute (P < 0.0001), whereas plasma BNP did not change at all (from 1.26 +/- 0.07 to 1.16 +/- 0.09 fmol/mL). In the group with retrograde conduction, plasma ANP concentration doubled (from 10.95 +/- 1.66 to 21.40 +/- 1.51 fmol/mL, P < 0.0001), BNP increased 1.5-fold (from 1.16 +/- 0.06 to 1.64 +/- 0.14 fmol/mL, P < 0.001), and the ANP:BNP ratio augmented from 10:1 to 13.4:1. These results indicate that the release of ANP and BNP is regulated by different mechanisms, supporting the view that there is a dual natriuretic peptide system, comprising ANP from the atria and BNP from the ventricles.
| |
First step taken
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Since the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the UN General Assembly, indigenous leaders and other supporters have focused on strategies to turn the declaration into effective law.
The declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Sept. 13, 2007, in a historic vote by an overwhelming majority – 143 member states voted in favor, 11 abstained and Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States voted against the declaration.
While it is not yet binding in law, the declaration expresses the highest moral standard for the treatment of the world’s estimated 370 million indigenous peoples, written as it is in a human rights framework that will guide government policies for indigenous communities and promote the participation of indigenous peoples in the political processes and decisions that affect them.
The first substantial step in the effort to make the declaration law was taken on Dec. 13 when the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution to establish the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The expert mechanism will report directly to the council as a subsidiary body that will “assist the Human Rights Council in the implementation of its mandate” to promote universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and to address human rights violations, including systemic or institutionalized human rights violations.
The establishment of the Expert Mechanism was lauded by U.S. indigenous leaders as a crucial tool to move the declaration forward.
“We’re really excited about the expert mechanism. This new mechanism will provide us with the opportunity to propose ways for the council, U.N. member states and the U.N. system as a whole to implement the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” said Andrea Carmen, Yaqui and the executive director of the International Indian Treaty Council, a nongovernmental organization that works for the recognition and protection of indigenous rights.
From Dec. 16 to 18, 2007 in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, indigenous leaders from Ecuador and elsewhere met for the “International Conference: Formulation and Implementation of the Strategic Plan” for the application of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE in Spanish), the Native-based School of Government and Public Policy, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany and the Esquel Foundation, the conference addressed the issue through five “work tables”: democracy, politics and autonomies; territories and natural resources; administration of justice; economics and development; and identity, culture and patrimony, which included intellectual, spiritual and cultural aspects.
On April 8, Canada’s House of Commons passed a resolution to endorse the declaration as adopted by the U.N. General Assembly and called on the government of Canada to “fully implement the standards contained therein.”
The declaration was endorsed by 148 - 113 in a vote divided exclusively along party lines, with the Conservative Party providing all of the nay votes. The Conservative Party government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper – a close ally of President George W. Bush – claimed following the parliamentary vote that the declaration is not applicable in Canada.
By contrast, on April 15 Maine’s General Assembly passed a joint resolution, co-sponsored by Donna Loring and Donald Soctomah, the legislative representatives of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes, respectively, endorsing the declaration.
The resolution reiterates the declaration’s rights protections for indigenous peoples, including “their rights that pertain to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues,” including the right to economic development.
The National Congress of American Indians added its considerable clout to the effort at its annual meeting in October by passing a resolution supporting the declaration and urging its endorsement by state governments and Congress. | https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/first-step-taken |
As a glass artist, Brigitte is fascinated by the possibilities of quilt designs. Quilting and stained glass have a certain similarity in that both cut and piece material together, but the materials –one hard, the other soft—are very different. Also unique to stained glass is the transparent quality of the glass itself. The endless possibilities of shifting geometric patterning and the interplay of color was an area ripe for exploration.
Brigitte started researching traditional and modern quilt designs, through books, quilting stores and quilt shows. Some of the designs were clearly more suited to being made with fabric and did not translate easily into glass. Other designs did. In trying to make the panels suggestive of fabric, some of the glass has been painted with motifs to mimic printed fabric.
Powered by
Create your own unique website with customizable templates. | http://www.reflectionsglass.ca/quilt-series.html |
From April 2020, a number of AHSNs are working with mental health trusts and community paediatric services to improve the assessment process for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) using computer-based tests (measuring attention, impulsivity and activity).
What is the problem we’re addressing?
ADHD is neurobiological – a disorder of brain development that impacts on behaviour, affecting around 5% (1 in 20) of school aged children. ADHD is a treatable disorder yet if left untreated, can have significant impact on personal development, academic outcomes and family interaction.
There is no simple test to determine whether a child has ADHD. The process for diagnosing or ruling out ADHD is variable across England. It will often include multiple steps and is based on clinical judgement informed by subjective reports from parents, teachers and observation of the patient. As such, children in the UK wait 18 months (average) to obtain an accurate diagnosis, more than the European average of 11 months. Multiple clinic visits over this period result in significant costs to the NHS, estimated at £23 million.
What are the outcomes we trying to achieve?
- Increase in the number of children and young people who have an objectives assessment as part of the clinical assessment.
- Reduction in time for assessment and decision making (from first referral to decision to diagnose/rule out).
- Reduction in number of outpatient appointments between referral and diagnosis.
- Reduction in nurse observation visits in schools.
- Improved patient / family satisfaction / experience.
- Improved clinician satisfaction and confidence in diagnosing or excluding ADHD.
How will we do this?
The core element of this programme will involve work with NHS trusts across England to improve the ADHD assessment offer to children and young people by implementing an objective assessment tool (measuring attention, impulsivity and activity) to supplement current clinical assessment processes.
Research has shown that the use of an objective assessment tool alongside other clinical information, can provide a more rapid diagnosis (with reductions of around five months) after fewer patient visits, improving patient, family and clinician experience. The assessment tool offers instant results that present a report comparing a child’s or young person’s results against a normative data-set, based on age and gender.
East Midlands AHSN supported a 12-month, real-world demonstrator project, where an objective assessment tool (QbTest) was used in different pathways across three East Midlands NHS trusts.
Evaluation of the East Midlands AHSN approach was conducted through a before and after audit at each clinic, which showed:
- Time from assessment to diagnosis reduced by 153 days (median figure)
- The number of appointments to make a diagnosis was reduced by one appointment
- 20% clinical workforce time was released
- 33% cost reduction
- 85% of patients found the results helpful
- 94% of clinicians reported greater understanding of patients’ symptoms
- Return on investment (ROI) = £84,460.
All three trusts in the East Midlands have now approved funding for the provision of the Qbtest as part of their ADHD pathways, ensuring sustainability beyond the AHSN-funded demonstrator.
The AHSN Network started delivery of the as a national programme in April 2020. Each AHSN region worked to map the ADHD service profile and local needs within their area. Most AHSNs have at least one Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or paediatric service that currently offer an objective assessment as part of their assessment process.
To support improvements in the assessment pathway, AHSN teams have been working closely with trusts to help them consider the levels of inefficiencies and unmet need that will influence whether local stakeholders will have an appetite to deliver the programme.
Between April 2020 – end of March 2021, nearly 10,000 children across England had an objective assessment for ADHD using AHSN-supported technology.
You can read more about the first year of the national Focus ADHD programme in this one year review report covering April 2020-March 2021.
Focus ADHD – AHSN national success to date October 21 from EMAHSN on Vimeo.
Contact
If you have any questions about the Focus ADHD programme, please contact Dara Coppel on [email protected]. | https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/about-academic-health-science-networks/national-programmes-priorities/adhd |
W.M. Spellman explores the past half-century, focusing on key topics such as human migration, science and technology, the environment, international business, religion and politics, and the break-up of Europe's overseas empires. Two central points of debate are examined: the struggle between centralized socialism and free-market capitalism; and the interaction between the forces of cultural fragmentation and the competing integrative forces of 'globalization' or world culture.
The socialist paradigm was discredited with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, thereby ending the East-West Cold War conflict; but the second point of tension intensified during the final decade of the century and continues today. Nationalism, as defined by language, culture, and tradition, has frustrated efforts to transcend differences, and in some cases has led to bloody conflicts, while the forces of globalization erode the distinctiveness of the nation state. At the heart of recent debates over the primacy of market forces and economic globalization are two troublesome issues, both addressed in this book: the question of global equity, or the ever-expanding gulf between the developed 'North' and the developing 'South', and the environmental impact of development on the planet's delicate ecosystems.
Authoritative and well-written, this is an ideal introductory guide for anyone with an interest in World history since the end of the Second World War, and the issues and challenges facing the globe today. | https://www.saujanyabooks.com/details.aspx?id=3665 |
”Monkey Mind” is a Buddhist term that describes the persistent churn of thoughts in the undisciplined mind.
Gautama Buddha described the human mind as being filled with drunken monkeys, chattering, screeching, jumping around, and carrying on endlessly.
The monkey mind cannot exist in the present moment but is rather distracted by the thoughts which pass through.
List Of 11 Ways To Tame Your Monkey Mind:
#1 Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness is being aware of the here and now, the current moment, instead of thinking about the past or the future. Mindfulness meditation is a way to calm the monkey mind and offers relief from the constant mental chatter.
In addition, the practice of mindfulness meditation every day can improve your ability to cope with future stressors, reduce your blood pressure, and improve your relationships by boosting your empathy.
Meditation can also prevent your mind from making a situation seem worse than it really is.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, a Tibetan teacher and master of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, said about the monkey mind:
“Monkey mind says do this and do that, and if we listen, it causes problems and we can become crazy. If we fight the monkey mind, it becomes the enemy, so make friends with it. How? Keep giving it jobs that it’s happy doing. Now, instead of it being the boss, you are the boss. Meditation is like giving it a purpose so it has no reason to wander.”
#2 Walking Meditation
Walking meditation is more of an open eyes mindfulness method that you can use on the go. Walking meditation involves bringing your attention to the sensations and pressure in the feet as they make contact with the ground.
It’s particularly effective for relaxing the monkey mind, promoting calmness, and increasing creativity.
#3 Practice Deep Breathing
When stressed, lost in a problem of the future or past in your mind, breathe with your belly for several minutes and just focus on the air going in and out. This will calm your body and monkey mind down and bring your awareness back into the present moment again.
Moreover, you can take 5 deep breaths, holding it in for one second, and exhaling through the mouth slowly. Practicing this breathing exercise will help you feel an instant wave of calmness come over you.
#4 Yoga
Yoga teaches you to stop, be honest with yourself and your body, and live in the moment. The calm that a regular yoga practice brings helps rid the chaos, exhaustion, agitation, frustration, which usually fills the monkey mind.
Once you start practicing yoga, you become much more conscious of how you react to things, and you begin to accept things for what they are.
Note – stress doesn’t necessarily cease entering your life after starting a yoga practice, but your perception of drama and stress will definitely change.
#5 Mantra Meditation
A mantra is a sound, word, or a short phrase which is repeated over and over again for the purpose of focusing and calming down the mind.
During mantra meditation, you repeat the mantra. This repetition will replace all busy thoughts and help you shut out the outside world, hence calming your monkey mind and body. This leads to inner peace and a sense of bliss and inner happiness.
Important note – during a mantra meditation, it is essential not to try to meditate but rather relax into effortlessness and let the mantra come in the same way as thoughts come.
#6 Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a dynamic form of moving meditation. The art of Tai Chi Chuan emerged initially within China during the middle of the 19th century.
Tai Chi practice is an art that brings us into balance with ourselves and those around us. The practice stresses the cultivation of inner strength, the principles of relaxation and yielding, and harmony of both mind and body.
Moreover, with this practice, you develop an awareness of where your body holds tension within itself, that gradually becomes integrated into your daily life.
#7 Create A Minimalist Workspace
My workspace is just a laptop on a wooden desk. I use a comfy chair and there is room for my glass of water, phone, and a nice photo of my family, besides the computer. That’s it. Also, clear the walls of your room. This brings peace and makes it harder for your mind to wander during work.
#8 Unhinge From Adrenaline
Adrenaline, also known as the “fight-or-flight“ hormone, is released in response to a stressful, dangerous, exciting, or threatening situation.
An adrenaline lifestyle can do soul-damaging things – being greedy, overworking, winning even at the expense of relationships, or insistence on getting ahead. Slow down and let go. Be more conscious of the present moment.
#9 Nature
Humans’ interaction with nature increases one’s inner peace, according to research. You can start by taking short walks outside on an everyday basis while abstaining from using any type of electronic device.
From time to time, you can take nature retreats for several days.
#10 Archery
Archery might not be the first sport you think of when trying to calm your monkey mind, but, the sport of archery is a form of meditation since it demands coolness and calmness. Just like with meditation, an archer needs to concentrate solely on the task at hand. If you let your mind stray and think about what you are going to do tonight, then the arrow misses the target.
According to Charles Objero, an executive member of the York Lions Archery club and a fourth-year psychology major:
“Archery has been beneficial to me because it’s a really good stress reliever; you shoot your stress away. For me especially, it helps me clear my mind and has helped me find inner peace.”
#11 Spend Some Time Alone
You don’t have to be lonely, sad, or bored when you are alone. Actually, being alone will give you time and space to regroup and to remember what is really important in your life. Understand you are good enough all by yourself. And you don’t need to always be around other people. | https://www.insightstate.com/spirituality/monkey-mind/ |
Our group is doing a project on how body image affects women of all ages and race. Unattainable standards of beauty and body image are every where in the media. We want to advocate for all the women out there who aren't a size zero with no stretch marks, and feel they are ugly or need to change themselves. It is impossible to go through a day in our world without seeing advertisements for weight loss, beauty products, and the latest clothing. The message that is being portrayed is that unless women look like one of the models who are being used to sell the products, their body type and physical appearance are inadequate. We also want to prove that body image is a huge problem in our society. Not only with women but also men. As a result of pressure from the media, women of all ages develop eating disorders to try to obtain the perfect body. People are going to extremes and sometimes killing themselves to look like super models.
This is a non-campus group.
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COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) —Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a great week so far! This week’s Workout Wednesday will focus on core strengthening exercises for busy women on the go.
A strong core is more important than you might think. John P. Thayer YMCA Fitness Expert, Karen Gill tells News 3’s Crystal Whitman there are a few moves to help maintain core strength.
“This particular class is for your core. So the common misconception that your core is just your six-pack is not true. It is everything from your knees to the top of your shoulders…. so this class works absolutely your glutes, it works your upper back, and it works your actual belly, six-pack, shoulders and your quads,” said Gill.
If you know of a great upcoming exercise or training routine for a future Workout Wednesday be sure to message us on our WRBL News 3 Facebook page. | https://www.wrbl.com/news/workout-wednesday-exercises-for-better-core-strength-at-john-p-thayer-ymca/ |
Vulnerable, emotion-laden album delves into singer's mind
Mike Posner performs on stage during KROQ Absolut Almost Acoustic Christmas at The Forum on December 9, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for KROQ/Entercom)
DETROIT - Detroit native Mike Posner dropped his third studio album last month, a raw, emotion-laden record that dives into the vulnerable parts of the singer's mind and life.
"A Real Good Kid" is a 40-minute long emotional roller coaster that Posner asks fans to listen to straight through "without texting, without emailing, without outside distraction of any sort." The album blends singing and spoken word verses in a way that can only be fully appreciated when listened to this way.
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After requesting that those who can't devote time to listen to the record as it was intended to be heard return to the music at a later time, Posner introduces the next 11 tracks.
"People keep asking what happened to me," he says.
Posner drew heavy criticism for changes in his appearance and sound when he performed during the halftime show of the 2018 Detroit Lions Thanksgiving football game. He took the stage with his hair and beard scraggly and grown out, a completely new look for the singer.
But the change wasn't random, as Posner shares in his deeply emotional 2019 release.
"The answer is this."
Posner sings about the death of his father in "January 11th, 2017." He describes the day and touches on what the loss did to him, before closing the song with recordings of him speaking with his father. It's the first, but not only, instance such recordings are included in the songs.
He moves on to tackle acknowledging the pain and struggles associated with a breakup in "Song About You" and "Move On," addressing what he must do to move forward.
"Avicii died and little homie calls me up, and he's crying. I told him, 'I'ma be honest with you,
If you don't get your (explicative) together, you're next," he says.
Posner also offers a look into a life that isn't as perfect as one may think it is. It's a candid and sincere moment, perhaps some of the most emotionally charged lines in the whole record.
"Am I the only one here who doesn't know what the (explicative) is going on?" he says, raising his voice before dropping to near crying. "I worked the last 10 years. I'm a multimillionaire. I'm 30 years old. It's supposed to all be good. It is not (explicative) all good."
In the longest song on the album, the nearly 6 1/2 minute "Perfect," Posner sings about just that -- perfect moments, both good and bad, such as opening up to someone and getting let down. It's a simple, almost comforting track.
He ties together the album with "How It's Supposed To Be." He runs through a list of things that he has done and things that have happened to him, including his father's death, reiterating that "maybe that's the way it's supposed to be."
Posner closes the song and the record with an excerpt of his father talking from an Oct. 2, 1988, when Posner was 8 months old.
"Let's see if we can get him -- Michael, look up here! Where you goin', Michael?" his father says, in what appears to be a home video, before the album ends with his father saying, "Anyway, he is a real good kid," wrapping up the many feelings and memories encompassed in the record.
Posner uses the album to unravel his mind and unpack what has impacted him heavily, taking imperfect moments and creating a lyrical masterpiece, packed with vulnerability and uncertainty. | |
"There is a flower vase on the desk."
Translation:机の上に花瓶があります。
21 Comments
机の上には花瓶があります。is what I wrote. Am I right, or am I confused about the usage of には?
- 994
It works here like a possessive article or "of".
The upper side (上)of (の) the desk (つくえ)
The word order is reversed compared with English.
"Ni" means it is at or on the table and the meaning is obvious (no one will look for the vase under the desk). The correct English for this sentence would be "the vase is on top of the desk" and that is not what they asked.
- 143
"Flower vase" sounds very awkward in English. We just say "vase", the most typical contents are flowers, and I can't think of any other type of vase that would be distinguished by using an attributive noun this way.
What's the difference between 上に and 上の ?
本棚の上の、あの窓を閉めてもらえる?
机の上に花瓶があります
When you want to talk about the object that is above another object, you use 上の, because の is possessive, and it's like saying, "the thing that belongs to the other thing," so, saying, "Could you close that window on the bookshelf?" is like saying, "Could you close the bookshelf's above's window," which I know is really bad English grammar, but that's how I think of the way the の particle is used. 上に is used when you want to talk about putting something above something else, or if you want to talk about something existing on top of something else, such as in the example sentence you gave, which translates to "There is a vase on the desk."
Firstly thanks for your answer and secondly I had the same thought than yours. One day I asked that question to a Japanese and this was his answer:
「本棚の上の、あの窓を閉めてもらえる?」 Would you mind closing that window above the bookshelf for me?
「机の上の本を取ってください。」 Please take a book on the desk.
「机の上に花瓶があります。」 There is a vase on the table.
「わたしの上に空があります。」 There is a sky above me. or There is a sky over me.
Basically, the word 「上」 in Japanese has no distinction between “above”, “on”, and “over”. Judgment by context.
Why is it necessary to include 上 when the English sentence does not say above the desk, but on the desk?
Ok. I'll answer my own question. It's because whenever anyone places something on a desk, they are placing it above the desk.
- 350
Does desk have to go first? I put 花瓶が机の上にあります。 Why is this order wrong? | https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/23467576/There-is-a-flower-vase-on-the-desk |
Students will treat myself and others with respect. Students will keep their hands to themselves, and students will be encouraged to only say nice words when speaking amungst each other.
These two classes probably have the most freedom in the art room. I want these students to explore the matierals they are working with, whether it's crayons, markers, oil pastels, watercolors, clay, glue sticks, scissors, or anything else we get out hands on. I do expect them all to participate and to learn how to use art materials respectfully. I do expect them to try and follow directions. I keep them on their toes just as much as they keep me on mine.
Students should have an understanding of most of the supplies in the Art Room. However, I review the materials we use during each class. I expect them to respect the materials and care for them. If materials are not used properly, we will not be using them. I expect the students to respect me as well. When I am giving instructions or doing demonstrations, students should be quietly listening and waiting for their chance to create. I expect students to show an effort when creating their art work. Their art work is a reflection of themselves. I will always help show a student how to draw, make, or create something, but I will not do their work for them. It is "their" work. I want to see "their" efforts.
All of the expectations from above plus the following: I expect these students to come into Art class with their own ideas. This way we can make something that the students are interested in. I expect the students to help take care of the materials, washing paint brushes, organizing sketchbooks (6-8), cleaning up the tables and floor. I expect these students to set an example for the younger students. I expect them to take pride in their Art work, and show me that they are creating something that means something to them. | https://sjbdel.org/expectations |
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Maple Glazed Salmon
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DHRecipes
Ingredients
2 Salmon fillets
2 tablespoons Maple syrup
2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon White pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat broiler
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl
Place salmon on a baking sheet or tinfoil and spray the surface with olive oil
Brush the salmon with at least half of the sauce. You can add more sauce in the middle of cooking as well once you pull out of the oven
Broil for about 10 minutes or until cooked
Tips
Can use regular coarse pepper if you don't have white pepper.
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The goal of the project is developing software for ebook reader devices based on Calibre systems.
-
Toolbox for learning languages
This project involves the creation of a web based application involving Natural Language Processing.
-
Machine translation for a marketplace
The goal of the project was to create ad text translator from Japanese into Russian.
-
Resumes parsing and matching with jobs
The main goal of the project is to build a system that parses resumes and jobs and performs resumes/jobs matching to find resumes matching to specific job or jobs matching to specific resume.
-
NLP news tracking tool
The goal of this project was to create a tool that is able to track follow-ups to news stories by calculating similarities between pairs of news articles.
-
Legal documents parser
The main goal of the project is to extend this software using feature that allows users to review the related legal documents based on the information from the model.
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Finances chatbot
Implemented a chatbot that replies to the question in human-like format.
-
Illegal behavior detection
The goal of the project was to use Natural Language Processing power to discover illegal behaviour. | https://mediterra-soft.com/natural-language-processing/ |
Complex buying behavior
Complex buying behavior is undertaken by consumers when they are highly involved in purchase and perceive significant differences among brands. Consumers may be highly involved when the product is expensive, risky, purchased infrequently, and highly self-expressive. Typically, the consumer has much to learn about the product category.
For example, a PC buyer may not know what attributes to consider. Many product features carry no real meaning: a “3.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor,” “WUXGA active matrix screen,” or “8 GB dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM memory.”
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CSR in the Spotlight: Location and Gender as Drivers of Its Development
View Sample PDF
Author(s):
Enrique Claver-Cortés (University of Alicante, Spain), Bartolomé Marco-Lajara (University of Alicante, Spain) and Esther Poveda-Pareja (University of Alicante, Spain)
Copyright:
2021
Pages:
22
Source title:
Knowledge Management for Corporate Social Responsibility
Source Author(s)/Editor(s):
Gregorio Martín-de Castro (Complutense University of Madrid, Spain) and Jaime González-Masip (Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain)
DOI:
10.4018/978-1-7998-4833-2.ch010
Keywords:
Business and Organizational Research
/
Business Science Reference
/
Knowledge Management
/
Library & Information Science
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CSR in the Spotlight: Location and Gender as Drivers of Its Development
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Abstract
This study has as its aim to analyze the existence of a possible theoretical relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) development and two factors, namely business location and managers' gender. The industrial district (ID) theory serves as the basis to demonstrate the possible influence of location on this type of environment with an improved implementation of social practices. At the same time, the authors will also consider the possible influence of internationalization within the cluster on CSR development since globalization itself can further favor the implementation of CSR practices. The study additionally examines the role that the variable ‘directors' gender', and more precisely, women directors, can play as a key factor in the development of such practices. The implications that the concurrence of these factors might have, along with the future lines of research that would derive therefrom, will finally be considered.
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Living, learning and evolving: that’s what life’s about.
In order to achieve growth and success, it is essential and only natural for one to set goals for themselves. Accomplishing goals can be intimidating sometimes, and also challenging, but that’s what makes the outcome of achieving them more precious.
It’s a common belief that the best feeling in the world is accomplishment; it grows stronger with every ounce of work and effort that is contributed to it. Everyone has a goal to strive for, whether it’s to buy a brand new car or to learn and master a new skill in a certain time frame etc. Overall, human beings want to achieve, and here are some tips on how to score your goals:
Tip#1: First know the 3W’s of your goal — what you want, when you want it and how you want to achieve it.
When you are thinking of your goal, remember you have to want it bad enough in order to accomplish it. Think about how important your goal is to you, and always remind yourself of the benefits of reaching the finish line of progress. Hard work and effort always have an outcome, a drop of the two elements will never go to waste.
Also, it is crucial to write down when and plan out how you want to reach your goal, in order for you to stay on track. For example, if you are aiming for straight As on your next report card and plan to achieve that by spending a lot more time at the library studying, dates and calendars should become your new best friend. Break down your study habits into increments that will get you to your goal in time and have them marked on a calendar to make tracking your progress easier.
Tip#2: Discipline and push yourself.
To keep yourself motivated, think about someone successful you respect very much, and remind yourself they had to work hard to get to where they are today. If you really want to reach a goal, know it takes sacrifice and plenty of focus to get there. Don’t be intimidated about possible bumps down the road of progress; it will all be worth it in the end.
In a 2015 interview with Beat Magazine, successful singer-songwriter Beyonce Knowles expressed her thoughts on what fear tastes like. “Success. I have accomplished nothing without a little taste of fear in my mouth,” she said.
Remember, don’t be afraid of a challenge, a challenge is an exercise in disguise that will prepare you for working on achieving something bigger in your life whether you fail or succeed at it.
Tip #3: Finally, know that you can do it all alone.
As long as you believe in yourself, you don’t have to rely on anyone else’s approval or accept their denial when it comes to achieving your goal. Your desire and ambition is powerful and inevitable when you really want to aim for something. Good planning and organization while being loyal to your schedule is also key, and your insurance to success.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is your life, and if there is something that you want to achieve, you have all the power to do it. When you finally reach your goal, it is guaranteed a warm feeling of accomplishment. Give yourself a pat on the back and celebrate. Treating yourself will help motivate you in setting up not only more, but larger goals for yourself, as you would have gained a boost of confidence from your latest accomplishment. | https://theamag.com/6593/culture/score-your-goal/ |
One of a series of photographs documenting Melbourne Farmers Markets and the safety measures that were put in place at these markets in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The photograph shows a chalkboard sign outside the entrance to the Carlton Market. This sign asks shoppers to practice 'efficient shopping' and 'social distancing' in line with government regulations that were in place during lockdowns at the time.
It was taken by an employee of Melbourne Farmers Markets and used for their social media accounts in 2020.
Description of Content
Chalkboard sign on footpath outside fenced area.
Physical Description
Born Digital Image
Significance
With support from the Office for Suburban Development, this photograph is part of a wider collection of objects and photographs relating to the Melbourne Farmers Markets that were acquired into Museums Victoria's State Collection in early 2021. These items - including social distancing signage, vegetable-themed face masks and digital photographs - provide lasting documentation of the role of the Melbourne Farmers Markets in providing food and produce to Melburnians during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the months of 2020-early 2021.
Food security and having access to fresh food became a key concern of many Victorians during the emergence of the pandemic. Fears about the fragility of international and domestic food supply chains - coupled with the announcement of lockdowns and 'Stay at Home' restrictions - led many consumers to rush to supermarkets and shops to fill their cupboards. Panic buying, where shelves were stripped bare of produce, became one of the earliest and most potent symbols of the public fear response to the pandemic. While supermarkets struggled to cope with the increased consumer demand, the Melbourne Farmers Markets provided an alternative way for consumers to access produce directly from local farmers and in doing so, support local and small-scale farming businesses through a period of lockdowns and uncertainty.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and since its' establishment in 2002, the Melbourne Farmers Markets had long been committed to supporting small-scale Victorian farmers, vegetable growers, orchardists, apiarists and other producers, with a strong focus on strengthening relationships between the consumer and the producer. This ethos of supporting farmers and strengthening consumer/producer relationships became increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly due to the fact that many farmers had been substantially impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, with some losing the majority of their hospitality trade overnight and being faced with the issue of excess crops.
At the time the pandemic reached the State of Victoria, in early 2020, the Melbourne Farmers Markets Association were operating seven markets across the Melbourne region: Abbotsford, Alphington, Carlton, Collingwood, Coburg, Gasworks and the University of Melbourne. Four of these markets closed down during the pandemic, but three continued to operate and remained open as an 'essential service' throughout lockdowns. Adapting the markets to be 'Covid safe' was a challenge for both staff and customers; hand sanitisation, density controls, 1.5m queueing, cashless payments, discouraging social interactions and maintaining strict social distancing were some of the measures put in place to be able to meet the Victorian Government and DHHS requirements. Through these challenges and adaptations, the Melbourne Farmers Markets continued to provide an important meeting place where consumers could come together to purchase fresh produce and have a direct connection with the farmers that were producing their food.
This collection of Melbourne Farmers Market items providing lasting documentation of how the Melbourne Farmers Markets Association - including its' 150 Victorian farmers - adapted to the challenges of COVID-19 and pivoted their markets to operate in line with social distancing measures. They highlight a range of storylines and themes including; food security, food supply chains, small-scale farming, local food movements, emergency food relief, the impact of lockdowns on hospitality and agriculture industries and the various ways that producers and consumers adapted to the challenges of COVID-19. It also provides an important example of place-based community activity, where local communities were able to come together outdoors, in their local neighbourhoods, during a time of lockdown and social isolation. | https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/2493813 |
With the ascendancy of "evidence-based medicine," much attention has been paid to the quality of the evidence, with randomized controlled tdals (RCTs) considered the "gold standard" against which all other types of studies are compared. There are, however, numerous clinical areas where the initial evidence is provided by observational studies such as prospective cohort and case-control studies, and only later confirmed or refuted by a randomized trial. We plan to examine these topics, and look specifically at predictors of the "best" answer among the observational studies. Specifically, we hypothesize that a priod identification of biases in an observational study will be related to systematic differences in its results. As a further step, we intend to establish the directionality and potential magnitude of the biases by comparing the results of observational studies to the results of "gold standard" RCTs performed on the same clinical topic. We will use meta-analyses of observational studies to identify topics where a large number of observational studies exist (often with some degree of heterogeneity), and compile information on the potential types of bias present in each study. To date, over 20 such areas with numerous observational studies and a gold standard RCT on the same clinical topic have been identified. Our research could identify potential deficiencies in the available data for a given area and guide future investigators on what common pitfalls to avoid when conducting original research in that field.
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Home » Blog » ankle pain » What Are The Causes & Symptoms of a Broken Ankle?
A broken ankle involves any fracture of the bones in the lower leg above the foot. When you stress the ankle joint beyond the strength of its elements, you may fracture the ankle. There are different types and severity of ankle fractures, however all need to be treated as soon as possible to ensure a good outcome.
How does a broken ankle occur?
Fractures can occur simultaneously with injury of other tissue including tears of the ligaments, or muscle injury. You can do this in several ways: rolling the ankle in or out, twisting the ankle side to side, or flexing or extending the joint under force. Applying severe force to the joint by landing straight down on it, such as jumping from a high level can also result in a fracture.
Is my ankle sprained or broken? Can you walk on a broken ankle?
Signs and symptoms of ankle injuries and fractures tend to be obvious, but are not always so. Pain is the most common complaint. Other signs and symptoms may include swelling, bruising and deformity. If you are unable to take a minimum of four steps after the injury, and if you have pain directly over the bones (called malleoli) of the ankle, you should present to your health care professional for assessment and treatment.
How painful is a broken ankle?
What do I do if I suspect I might have a broken ankle?
Your health care professional will undertake a number of tests if suspicious of an ankle fracture. They can then refer you for an X-ray as needed to confirm your diagnosis to make sure you have the best outcome possible. If you think the injury might be severe, get to your local emergency department.
What is the treatment for a broken ankle? Will I need surgery?
There is no single treatment for an ankle fracture. Treatment will depend on the type and severity of the fracture. However, usually treatment will consist of a period of immobilisation in a boot or cast to allow the fracture to heal, and non-weight bearing on crutches. More serious injuries may be referred to an orthopaedic specialist for review or possible surgical management.
Can physiotherapy help for a broken ankle?
Immobilisation or surgery following an ankle fracture can leave the ankle weak, stiff or painful. Most people will require some help to get back to their pre-injury activities and function. Your physiotherapist is an expert in managing these injuries, including providing appropriate rehabilitation exercises and treatment to get you back in action as soon as possible.
How long does it take to walk after a broken ankle?
You health professional can guide you on returning to normal activity. A very rough guide for a simple fracture might be six weeks of immobilisation followed by a slow return to pre-injury activity.
At Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions our physiotherapists are experts at assessing and managing ankle conditions. If you need some help following an ankle injury, we can help you get back on your feet. | https://sydneyphysiosolutions.com.au/causes-symptoms-broken-ankle/ |
Envisioning Guilford College 2027
Guilford College's five-year strategic plan, covering the years 2023 through 2027, will guide us in aligning our resources to support the achievement of our institutional mission to:
"Provide a transformative, practical, and excellent education that produces critical thinkers in an inclusive, diverse environment that is guided by Quaker testimonies of community, equality, integrity, peace, and simplicity and emphasizes the creative problem-solving skills, experience, enthusiasm, and international perspectives necessary to promote positive change in the world."
Led by President Kyle Farmbry, the planning process is community-driven and reflective of the College's Core Values and mission. Input to the process to date has been received from hundreds of faculty and staff members, students, alumni, parents and friends through surveys and small-group discussions, and now it is requested for the draft plan’s priorities, vision and goals.
The following priorities have been identified to organize our strategic-planning effort:
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Academic Engagement and Student Success: Enhance access, learning and completion for Guilford College students.
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Communication: Improve systems for internal and external communication using a variety of mediums.
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Community Building: Foster a positive working and learning environment for our campus.
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Financial Stability: Support long-term sustainability through sound financial processes and practices.
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Partnerships: Cultivate partnerships to support attainment of our mission. | https://www.guilford.edu/Envisioning |
This paper attempts to build on a conceptual analysis of both land tenure and food security to set various links in a dynamic framework that captures both the effects of access to resources on food security and the effects of food security on access to and use of resources. This framework is used to examine a range of issues arising in empirical research and to discuss their implications for future research related to land policy and food policy. The paper first reviews the conceptual literature on both land tenure and food security and suggests a new conceptual framework that incorporates the dynamic linkages between the two. Second, it reviews the existing empirical literature to raise for discussion a number of issues that mediate suggested linkages and briefly examine a limited number of cases of empirical research in which such linkages have been investigated. Finally, the paper discusses the implication of findings presented here for both land and food policy and for future empirical research. Methodological problems which result from seeking to examine empirical linkages between two very dynamic and fluid conceptual domains are considered in an appendix.
Subject
Land tenure Research
Food supply Research
Agriculture Economic aspects Research
Land research Methodology
Permanent Linkhttp://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/21885
Description
iv, 37 p. | https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/21885 |
An accurate diagnosis is the essential first step toward a successful treatment plan in patients who present with pain and suspected nerve entrapment. Pain and dysfunction are often related to an acute traumatic event or a classic presentation that leads to a straightforward clinical diagnosis. The diagnostic approach to abnormalities of the peripheral nervous system always begins with a thorough history and physical examination. Imaging may play an important role in confirming the initial clinical [figure: see text] diagnosis so that a rational plan of treatment may be selected. Diagnostic imaging is especially important when there is significant uncertainty regarding the cause of pain and the outcome may be improved by timely implementation of various treatment options. Diagnostic accuracy is important when various conditions in the differential diagnosis would be treated differently from the beginning. Indeed, certain conditions that result in pain and dysfunction related to peripheral nerve entrapment are best treated with initial rest, protection, and rehabilitation whereas other conditions are best treated with prompt surgery. Promptly arriving at an accurate diagnosis is an essential step in designing a rational course of therapy, in achieving a good outcome, and in treating medical conditions in a timely fashion. Indeed, because pain is mediated through peripheral nerves, establishing an accurate diagnosis is especially important in disorders of the peripheral nervous system in which there may be considerable pain and suffering with an incorrect or delayed diagnosis. Moreover, an early diagnosis is desirable [figure: see text] to preserve motor power and sensory function in cases of clinically occult nerve entrapment. Although entrapment syndromes are well described and widely documented in the literature, they may be easily missed in clinical practice in certain instances. Although MR imaging is useful to confirm and characterize a known or suspected case of peripheral nerve entrapment, there may be evidence of peripheral nerve pathology that is first detected with MR imaging. Clinically unsuspected nerve entrapment may occur in patients with occult dorsal ganglion cysts in the wrist that may entrap the posterior interosseous nerve and produce pain without other symptoms. In addition, the authors routinely see patients with paralabral cysts secondary to tears of the superior labrum in the shoulder resulting in entrapment of the suprascapular nerve. This diagnosis is usually not suspected clinically until there is relatively advanced weakness and muscular atrophy in addition to shoulder pain. MR imaging remains an evolving technique with ongoing improvements in technology and developing clinical experience, resulting in greater diagnostic capacity. In this article current technique and strategies for image analysis and the authors' specific clinical experience with MR imaging of peripheral nerve disorders are reviewed. The exact role of MR imaging in the evaluation of these disorders will be further defined with additional experimental work and published clinical experience. | https://read.qxmd.com/read/11345015/magnetic-resonance-imaging-of-the-peripheral-nervous-system |
Walter Ford: Burning calories in quarantine
When it was finally and mercifully over, I was beat.
Lying in a heap on a sweat covered yoga mat in my living room, I could barely lift myself back to my feet. It was the best I’d felt in weeks.
For the first time since the shelter-in-place order came down, I had broken a good sweat and felt the good feelings that come with a push-your-limits workout.
I admittedly spent most of the first couple weeks of quarantine in bed, milking a back injury and binge watching “Tiger King” and sports movies.
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But not this day. I had just completed a workout routine sent to me by Matt Reiswig and Courtney Parker over at Limitless Fitness, where I am a gym member. It kicked my butt and that’s exactly what I needed.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t spend a lot of time at the gym even before the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m more of a recreational sports guy. That’s how I usually get my exercise in. I see it as a couple of hours each week in which I get to go play with my friends, compete, get in some exercise and more often times than not go home with a smile on my face. But, with all the rec leagues shut down, I needed something to help me use all this excess energy.
The bonus from the workout was the positive up tick in my mood. I felt good.
This isn’t anything we don’t know. Physical exercise is good for the body and the mind.
According to an article published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.
I didn’t want to admit it early on, but the current state of the world had me a bit in the dumps, and it was manifesting itself in sarcasm and a short temper. The workout helped wipe away the sludge that was tinting my world view.
Whether you take a walk, go for a trail run, ride a bike, shoot some hoops in the driveway, build an obstacle course in your backyard or do a designed workout that will push you to your limits, do yourself a favor and get active … in a socially responsible way. It will help.
What was also important about my recent workout and the workouts I will do in the future is my connection to Limitless Fitness. It makes it easy for me to continue to pay my monthly fees as they are still providing me a service, it just takes place at my house now and not their facility.
Reiswig and Parker are like so many others in our community, small business owners doing what they can with the resources they have to still serve their clients and still be standing when the pandemic subsides.
“The people who come to Limitless, we feel they are family and we would treat them like family,” said Parker. “We love our community, we’re proud of our community. The community matters to us.”
Reiswig added, “The community is a place we’re proud of. We want to be nothing but supportive to the community, be helpful and keep giving back.”
We see this from so many businesses in the community. With other area gyms and workout facilities utilizing a myriad of technological approaches to continue serving their members, restaurants doing curbside pickup and delivery, and grocery stores stepping up social distancing and safety measures just to name a few.
I keep hearing we’re all in this together — apart. I truly believe that. So, support your neighbors by supporting local businesses, stay active, and do it all at a responsible distance.
To contact Sports Editor Walter Ford, call 530-477-4232 or email [email protected].
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Open MLK Jr. & Presidents Days
Open MLK Jr. & Presidents Days
January 15, 2020
Waste Commission of Scott County facilities will be open Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, Jan. 20, 2019, and Presidents Day is Monday, Feb. 17, 2020. Regular business hours will be kept at all Commission facilities both days. In addition, the cities of Bettendorf and Davenport will collect solid waste on these dates. Therefore, if your collection day falls on Monday, you should be sure to have your cart(s) at your collection point no later than 7 a.m., as usual, on these days.
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11555 110th Avenue · Davenport, Iowa 52804 · (563)381-1300 · Fax: (563)381-1301
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The Education in Zion Museum welcomed BYU sociology professor Mikaela Dufur, who presented a lecture in the Education in Zion Museum March 6 as part of a lecture series.
Dufur’s lecture, “How Not to Get Ejected from March Madness: The Impact of Sportsmanship, Character and Honor,” encouraged students to look at their own behavior during sports events and strive to be more compassionate.
“I invite us all to be sportsmanlike,” Durfur said. “Especially with upcoming March Madness.”
Durfur, a BYU Athletic Committee member, emphasized the BYU aim of character building, which includes sportsmanship.
“Character is constructed by small decisions,” Durfur said, quoting the BYU aim.
Durfur explained the idea that sports can teach people to be better Christians.
She cited the incidence of poor sportsmanship when New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert punched and pulled the hair of BYU women’s soccer members.
However, Durfur said that BYU students are not exempt from demonstrating poor sportsmanship. She showed a movie clip of former BYU quarterback Max Hall criticizing University of Utah fans.
“Sportsmanship is not about someone else,” Dufur said. “It’s about us. The breakdown of sportsmanship is a lack of love for one another.”
Durfur discussed several social psychological theories that explain why people may struggle with sportsmanship. One of them was what she referred to as BIRGing, Basking in Reflected Glory. BIRGing is when fans associate themselves with the glory and success of the team. On the other hand with CORFing, Cutting off Reflected Failure, happens when fans disassociate themselves with their teams when they lose.
“These things can lead us to bad behavior,” Durfur said.
Durfur transitioned to some developmental theories. She said that young people can be influenced by spectators who demonstrated poor sportsmanship. Youth learned appropriate behavior from their leaders and parents, especially when it came to sports. Parents and leaders set an example for youth in sports when parents demonstrated appropriate fan behavior Durfur said.
“The players learn from spectators and in young sports that’s parents,” Dufur said.
Durfur said that sports can elicit powerful emotions just as music produces powerful spiritual emotions in many religious settings. She hopes that as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we should control our emotions during sports and stand up to a crowd that refuses to behave in a Christlike manner.
“Take a look at our own lives and learn where we can improve and be better,” Durfur said. “It shouldn’t be hard for us to have compassion on others who are different.”
The Education in Zion Museum will continue its teachings on sportsmanship by hosting a family home evening program about church sports in the gallery on March 25 at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. | https://universe.byu.edu/2013/03/13/byu-sociology-professor-encourages-sportsmanship/ |
Although some types of cancer don’t show any kind of signs until it becomes too late, some cancers can be detected pretty early through a combination of symptoms. If you have a family history with the disease, you should definitely pay more attention to certain cancer signs.
Continue reading the article below to learn more about specific cancer signs and symptoms that you should notice before it becomes too late.
Lumps
If you notice any kind of lumps on your body, you should definitely visit a doctor. Lumps can be detected easily – just pass your hand through every body part and you’ll be able to notice if something shouldn’t be there. You shouldn’t panic though – not every lump means that you have cancer. Some are benign and will go away on their own.
Changes in urination
If you’ve started urinating far more often than before, your body is definitely trying to say something. Frequent urination can be a sign of diabetes, and if the symptom is accompanied by pain, it can be a sign of something more sinister. Get yourself checked by a doctor if you notice this symptom.
Diarrhea and constipation
Both symptoms are a sign of some kind of digestive problem that should be checked by a doctor. If you’re also feeling pain in your abdomen, it’s time to visit the doctor immediately as it may be a sign of some type of digestive cancer.
Indigestion
Indigestion is often ignored, but it may indicate cancer. If you often suffer from heartburn after meals, and your stomach hurts frequently, you should go to a doctor as soon as possible.
Sores
If you notice any sores on your body which don’t seem to heal, you should definitely visit a doctor. These sores may indicate skin cancer, as well as other types of cancer depending on the location.
Sudden drop in weight
If you’re losing weight without an apparent reason, you need to visit your doctor. A sudden drop of weight is never a positive symptom, and can indicate a variety of digestive cancers, as well as lung or pancreatic cancer.
Fever
Fever is a sign of inflammation and a weakened immune system. It can also be a sign of leukemia or lymphoma, so it’s best to check it at a doctor.
Fatigue
Although often ignored, fatigue can be a symptom of several types of cancer. It is usually a sign of leukemia or other types of blood cancer as well as colon cancer which leads to blood loss. If you’re feeling tired for no reason, we suggest visiting your doctor.
Pain
If you feel pain anywhere in the body, it might indicate cancer or some benign condition, so it’s best to let your doctor detect the problem. Headaches, bone and stomach pain have all been related to cancer, so visit the doctor on time.
Changes on the skin
If you notice any kind of change on your skin (discoloration or change in texture), it might be a sign of cancer. Skin changes are never a small problem and should be checked by a professional.
Blood in the urine
Blood in the urine is usually a sign of infections, bladder or prostate cancer. If you notice blood drops in your urine, visit your doctor immediately.
Bleeding moles
If the moles on your body have changed size, shape, color or texture or they’re bleeding, visit your dermatologist immediately. Bleeding moles are often a sign of some type of skin cancer.
White patches on the tongue
If you notice big white patches on your tongue, it may be a sign of oral cancer. People who smoke or chew tobacco usually have this symptom which is called leukoplakia. Leukoplakia can be treated if caught on time, so visit your doctor as soon as possible.
Bleeding nipples
If your nipples are suddenly bleeding or have changed size and shape, it may be an indication of breast cancer. Bleeding from the vagina is a symptom of endometrial or cervical cancer, while coughing up blood can indicate lung cancer.
Freckles
Freckles are harmless skin anomalies in general, but if they start to grow in size, they might indicate melanoma or another type of skin cancer.
Coughing
Persistent coughing is never a good sign and usually indicates lung cancer or allergies. If the cough lasts for a long time, it should be checked by a doctor.
Chronic acid reflux
If you’re suffering from acid reflux more often than you should, it might indicate esophageal cancer. The lining of the esophagus is highly fragile, so when acid attacks it, it might lead to Barret’s esophagus, a precancerous condition which should be treated on time.
Breathing problems
Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing for no apparent reasons are not a good sign. These symptoms have often been associated with lung cancer and should be checked sooner rather than later.
Joint pain
If you experience joint pain without injury, it should be checked by a doctor as it might indicate some kind of cancer.
Back and pelvic pain accompanied by bloating
If you notice a combination of these symptoms, there’s a big chance that you’re suffering from ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect on time, so you should go to the doctor as soon as possible in order to catch it.
Although some types of cancer don’t manifest through specific symptoms, some do and should be caught as early as possible. If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, we strongly suggest visiting your doctor in order to increase your chances of survival. | https://www.organichealthcorner.com/notice-possible-cancer-signs-late/ |
Q:
Storing calculation results in DB
What I was taught in the university was we don't save the results in the database, but only the raw data which need for the calculation. For a very basic example,
if:
a + b + c = z
we only save a, b and c in the database.
whenever we need z, we retrieve a, b and c from the database and calculate z at the software layer.
Imagine if the calculation is changed at some point.
2(a + b) + c = z
We still have the raw data and only need to change the calculation at the software.
But what if we need to keep track of which calculation was originally used to calculate z? Can we do that without saving the result (z in this case) in the DB?
A:
You are confused because for every theoretical programming concept or principle (like "avoiding redundancy in a database") one can artificially construct a situation where the concept does not fit any more.
What they missed to teach you at the university is introducing redundancy into a database is not bad "in general". It is often (opposed always) just not necessary and bears a certain risk of making a system prone to errors. However, sometimes that risk is justified and sometimes it is the only way of getting certain requirements implemented.
For knowing if and how redundancy in a system is required, one needs to know the real use case and understand the real world situation. And that is the problem with a question like
But what if we need to keep track of which calculation was originally used to calculate z
this is not a real use case. It is an inventend situation which can mean different things in different real world situations. Sure one can "keep track of which calculation was originally used": it could mean
storing the whole formula, or
storing an index into a list of formulas, or
putting those formula and the result outside the database into a log file, or
just storing z redundantly, or
storing z with a timestamp, or with a version number, or
it could mean providing different versions of the same calculation program in parallel for production, without storing anything else, or
something else, give enough time and space for additional ideas.
To decide about the right design one needs context to validate the requirements, not just some vague idea. Real use cases provide such context, so ask your question when having such a real situation at hand, then you can probably answer that by yourself (or describe that use case here and get a more specific answer).
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Congress Watch, a division of Public Citizen, is seeking new organizing interns for the Spring 2020 academic session. We are also pre-accepting interns for the Summer 2020 session. Public Citizen is a national, non-partisan, public interest group with over 500,000 members and activists. The Congress Watch division engages in public education, grassroots organizing, and advocacy before Congress and administrative agencies on money in politics, open government, corporate accountability, financial regulation, health and safety, and access to justice.
The Congress Watch organizing internship is designed to provide a better understanding of the role of public interest activism within the legislative and administrative process. The position is expected to give a broad experience influencing U.S. Congress and Administrative agencies as well as varied activities to build a background in public interest policy and advocacy work. This organizing internship position supports every aspect of the work of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division with a special focus on money in politics.
Responsibilities:
Interns will have a varied and interesting range of assignments. Key components of the job are:
- Writing blog posts and other communications pieces intended for grassroots audiences.
- Raising awareness about current issue campaign priorities using social media tools and conducting outreach to activists.
- Providing administrative support, including compiling daily clips, building and maintaining web pages, performing data entry, and other tasks as assigned.
Requirements:
Knowledge: Demonstrated background in using online communication tools (HTML, social media, Salsa, etc.) and strong computer skills as well as a basic knowledge of the legislative process.
Skills: Excellent research, analytical thinking, oral and written communication, and organizational skills.
Qualities: Conscientious, accurate, and tenacious. Strong commitment to public interest work. Willingness to assist with all aspects of issue advocacy work. A preference will be given to applicants seeking academic credit for this internship placement and a 15 hour per week commitment is required.
Public Citizen hires interns for the fall, spring, and summer semesters with flexibility regarding start and end dates.
To Apply:
Public Citizen offers unpaid internships (course credit can be arranged and a small number of paid internships ($15 an hour). To be considered for a paid internship for Summer 2020, candidates must apply by March 13, 2020, and submit materials listed below. Our summer internships are typically full time (40 hours a week for around eight weeks), although we have some flexibility as to hours and weeks. Chosen applicants will be notified by Monday, April 6, 2020.
If you are applying for a paid internship, please include an essay outlining why you want to intern at Public Citizen and any other information about you that you wish to have considered, including your need for financial support (500 words or less). If you have completed the FAFSA, please also submit a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR). | https://www.citizen.org/about/careers/organizing-internship/ |
For many Baby Boomers, a visit to Vietnam represents both a cultural exploration and a reconciliation of political beliefs from the 1960’s. It can be voyage of discovery, exploration of history, an answer to long unanswered questions, and the turning of a new page on a country deeply embedded in US history.
One way to learn more about the country is a visit to one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, many of which are included on Vietnam tours. There are four cultural and two natural sites on the list.
Hue, in Central Vietnam, is the former capital of the country (until 1945), and is the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual center of Vietnam. The city is packed with pagodas, temples, citadel and royal tombs, or at least what remains of them, all blended into the incredible natural landscape. Here you’ll find the Imperial City, the Forbidden Purple City and the Inner City. Hue became a cultural world heritage site in 1993.
Ha Long Bay is a collection of over 1,300 islands and islets in the Gulf on Tonkin, and was once the residential place of the ancient Viet people. The islands form a seascape of limestone pillars, and most are uninhabited and unspoiled by a human presence. The area is rich is bio-diversity, with multiple eco-systems. Ha Long Bay became a natural world heritage site in 1994.
Hoi An, an ancient town in Quang Nam Province, dates back to the 16-17th centuries when it was a busy commercial port. The architecture of the trading port is still largely intact, and you’ll see houses, pagodas, temples, bridges, wells, markets, and other buildings. The city is closed to cars, allowing visitors to walk or bike in the charming historic town, and despite its ancient ties, it boasts a remarkably urban lifestyle. Hoi An became a cultural world heritage site in 1999.
My Son Sanctuary, located in a valley in Quang Nam Province, is home to the remains of one of the most important Hindu sanctuaries in the country, including 70 shrines and towers. Between the 4th and 13th centuries this dramatic site was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom. My Son became a cultural world heritage site in 1999.
Phong Nha-Ke Banq National Park in the Quang Binh Province is a natural reserve with limestone tectonics, over 300 caves (it is known as the “kingdom of caves”), the world’s longest subterranean river, , and a rich diversity of flora and fauna. These spectacular formations can be traced back some 400 million years. Phong Nha-Ke Banq National Park became a natural world heritge site in 2003.
Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi was built in the 11th century by the Ly Viet Dynasty on the remains of a Chinese fortress dating back to the 7th century. It was the regional center of political power for nearly 13 uninterrupted centuries. The buildings and remains reflect the unique Southeast Asian culture of the Red River Delta and Valley. The Imperial Citadel became a cultural world heritage site in 2010.
Of course, there’s much more to see, do, and experience during your time in Vietnam. But if history and culture are on you list of things to do, you’ll find plenty of tours that can deliver just what you’re looking for.
Pin this to your favorite Pinterest travel boards. | https://www.travelingwithmj.com/unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-vietnam/ |
Entrance is through an obscure double glazed front door. The entrance hall has ample space for coat storage and has doors leading to the lounge and kitchen.
Lounge
Dual aspect reception room which measures 19' 2" x 9' 8" (5.84m x 2.95m) with double glazed windows to front and side elevations. Feature fireplace with stone surround and gas fire insert.
Kitchen and Dining Room
14'6" x 9'7" (4.42m x 2.91m) Range of wall and floor units with worktop over. Built in electric oven and gas hob, stainless steel sink, plumbing for dishwasher and washing machine with space for a fridge freezer. Triple aspect with double glazed windows to front, side and rear elevations.
Lobby Area
Obscure half double glazed door from the kitchen leads into a lobby at the side. From here a half obscure double glazed door leads out to front garden. Further doors lead into the conservatory and the utility room.
Conservatory
11'5" x 7'10" (4.47m x 2.87m) Fully double glazed conservatory looking out onto the rear and side garden.
Utility Room
5'1" x 3'10" (1.55m x 1.16m) Space for a tumble dryer. Double glazed window to rear aspect.
Back to the lounge and a door to the:
Rear Hall
Doors to both bedrooms and the bathroom. There is also a fitted airing cupboard and access to the loft space which is fully insulated and partially boarded.
Bedroom One
8'5" x 18'4" (2.57m x 5.58m) Large double bedroom with double fitted wardrobe and double glazed window to rear aspect.
Bedroom Two
11'5" x 7'10" (3.49m x 2.40m) Double bedroom with built in double wardrobe and double glazed window to rear.
Bathroom
The white bathroom suite including a panelled bath with electric shower over. Pedestal wash basin and a low level WC. Tiling to dado height. Measures 6' 5" x 5' 7" (1.96m x 1.70m) with an obscure double glazed window to side aspect.
Outside
Designed with easy maintenance in mind, the rear garden is mainly paved and surrounds the property on three sides. This attractive area features a selection of well planted borders, a rockery and mature shrubs.
The front of the property has a path with three shallow long steps leading to the front door. Laid with gravel for easy maintenance, with an array of mature shrubs and flowers.
In the back garden there is also a useful brick built storage shed measuring 4'8" x 7'10" (1.41m x 2.39m).
Garage and Parking
The single garage measures 21' 9" x 8' (6.63m x 2.44m) and is fitted with power and light and an up and over door at the front. There is also a pedestrian door at the rear with access out to the garden. In addition to the garage, there is off road parking at the front with space for one car.
Services and Location
Mains gas, electricity, water and drainage. The council tax band through Sedgemoor District Council is: 'C'. For the purpose of planning your journey, the postcode for this property is: 'BS26 2DG'.
About the Area
The medieval town of Axbridge is widely known as the smallest and prettiest town in the Mendips. Situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty with views towards Cheddar Gorge and the Mendips. Axbridge has shops and a post office. There is a pharmacy, a doctor's surgery and a primary school. In addition there are pubs and restaurants. This property is in the catchment area of Hugh Sexey C of E Middle School and Kings of Wessex Academy in Cheddar. Independent schools nearby include Sidcot, Wells Cathedral and Millfield. The A38 offers easy access to Bristol and Bristol International Airport, and the M5 motorway is just under 10 miles away.
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Our helpful team are on hand to answer any queries and concerns you may have. | https://www.charlesbarnard.co.uk/residential-sales/area/bungalow/26942-5-mendip-close |
No CrossRef data available.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 April 2020
There is an increasing demand for treatment for dependence on different psychiatric medication like benzodiazepines. The goal is to determine the user's profile that is attended in a mental health center.
We obtained a sample of 30 users, divided into two groups: A) main drug benzodiazepines, B) primary drug others.
Sociodemographic, psychiatric and drug use variables are collected, making a descriptive retrospective analysis, using means for quantitative variables and proportions for categorical variables.
Group A is composed mainly of women (63.6%) of average age 46 years, and the group B of males (75%) with slightly higher average age (48 years). In group A and B the average level of education is primary/secondary education. Overall, they do not work and are single, having more pensioners and separated in group B.
In both groups, more than half have a history of affective disorders, often followed by anxiety disorders, with higher prevalence in group A (54.6% vs 36.8%), and personality disorders (77.3% and 75%).
In reference to group B, the primary drug of abuse is mostly alcohol. In general there is higher prevalence of nicotine dependence.
The profile of group A is a middle-aged woman who presents comorbidity with affective and personality disorders. The profile of group B is a middle-aged man, alcohol dependent, with earlier onset of use and with personality disorder.
No CrossRef data available. | https://core-cms.prod.aop.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-psychiatry/article/profile-of-the-patients-with-psychiatric-medication-abuse-in-a-mental-health-center/A831BF5CDE90DB3215A26FD02E3851F9 |
It has long been on the agenda for Macquarie University to digitalise student service areas to achieve higher degrees of efficiency while at the same time improving the student experience and engagement. Kylie Ebert, Director Student Life at Macquarie University has driven the initiative to adopt both Advocate and Access across the student service departments. This has been done in order to breakdown data silos and to better equip Macquarie to proactively identify students at risk and to support early intervention. Macquarie University went live with Advocate in June 2020.
Macquarie University Institutional Background for Case Management and Reporting
Prior to implementing Advocate, Macquarie University had an online reporting tool for sexual assault and sexual harassment matters, which was based in Salesforce. While CRM platforms can be configured to support case management processes and workflows, they cannot support the data segregation required for the complex cases universities handle, due to their architecture being built on the premise of easily sharing information with everyone. Salesforce offered good capabilities at capturing a new report but lacked the tools and workflows required to manage complex cases. The shortfalls within Salesforce resulted in Case Managers needing to share confidential information via email. Sharing confidential information via email not only exposed the university to data privacy risk but it also introduced major complications and challenges should the university be required to present a full case report or hearing packet to TEQSA or other authorities.
There were also some inefficiencies which needed to be addressed, such as improving existing processes and ensuring the right stakeholders were involved and well informed in solving complex issues for students.
”Record‑keeping, confidentiality and the audit trail were things that were incredibly difficult for us to manage via email trails. Somebody would copy somebody in, but not someone else, and you spent an awful lot of time in the initial response just trying to piece together information. And then as these matters continued, people dropping in and out and not all having the same view or the relevant parts of the thing that they need to know. It became very, very difficult for us,” said Kylie Ebert, Director of Student Life.
“We also had a number of longstanding and complex matters that had also gone to external agencies, such as the Ombudsman that were still seeking resolution. And obviously, we’re very aware of compliance requirements and the need for us to be ready in a year or two’s time and have a really sound and demonstrated track record of supporting our students,” added Ms Ebert.
Key Drivers Behind Macquarie’s Decision to Implement Advocate
Macquarie were looking for a holistic, university wide solution to support their student-centred approach, with superior reporting capabilities. There were challenges with staff who were unsure as how to classify or report certain matters; there was confusion if it was a student matter, if it should be reported, and who it should be reported to.
“In starting the project, the emphasis was on removing the barriers, both for students and staff, and to really support the normalisation of seeking help. There were lots of students who weren’t asking for help, weren’t reporting things, weren’t expecting a solution to be forthcoming, and so we were wanting to address that,” said Ms Ebert.
“Our priority is to support the student, and to make sure that if an incident arises, everyone involved has recognised that some incidents are quite complex and involve many people – we want to make sure everyone’s safe and is getting assistance as needed. And then there’s obviously things that flow on after that initial response,” said Ms Ebert.
One of the gaps identified in Macquarie’s existing RNA reporting tool was the lack of workflows and action plans. The CARE Network of Advocate was able to fill this gap, with the ability to create personalised action plans for students of concern, with reliable tracking, reporting and allocation of these plans to staff across different departments. The structured workflows in Advocate allow staff to manage the different case types and monitor the progress of their assigned incidents throughout all stages of the process.
Managing the Advocate Implementation Process and IT Integration
The implementation process started in October 2019 and required a lot of project management skills to involve all stakeholders across multiple departments within Macquarie University. One of the areas which really worked out well for the project team, was the support at the senior executive levels for the project to succeed.
“In our initial workshops we had with Julie Stokes, our Symplicity Implementation Manager, we had a session with probably about 30 or 40 stakeholders from around the university, and it was a really great moment when the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic at the time really spoke so highly of what we were trying to achieve in this project,” said Ms Ebert.
To enable co-ordination with the IT department in Macquarie, an IT Project Manager was assigned to ensure the milestones were kept on track to meet the implementation schedule. There was also operational IT support available for Advocate, which was a new initiative for the Student Life portfolio, as previously they hadn’t been supported by IT resources. This was the catalyst for the creation of a new operating model for the team to work closer with the IT team, which has seen many benefits, including the automated daily integration of data with the Student Management System to ensure student data remains current. The team felt that this was a significant step forward for the University.
“Advocate has become a fantastic data tool ‑ we’re not actually as nimble getting things out of our student system as we are with Advocate at the moment,” said Ms Ebert.
How the University is Using Advocate for Case Management and Reporting
Macquarie officially went live with Advocate in June 2020, launching with Care Reports and also inappropriate and unwanted behaviour. The team decided to take a broader view of sexual assault and sexual harassment and cover all other types of unwanted behaviour such as discrimination, bullying, and inappropriate conduct online, providing greater operational transparency. The Incident Report module is operating through the complaints, appeals and discipline team.
Macquarie are leveraging Advocate to manage; Complaints, Academic Integrity, Academic Appeals, Behavioural Misconduct, Safer Communities and Sexual Misconduct Cases, Early Intervention and Wellbeing, Student Advocacy, and Automated Case Routing across various departments and teams. Macquarie are also utilising and Care Scoring allowing the system to automatically generate a list of priority students and cases for pro-active intervention and support.
Currently, there are 70 Advocate users across Macquarie, with many more who actually receive the reports . The main users are in the Student Wellbeing, Student Diversity and Inclusion, Complaints, Appeals and Discipline teams. Over 500 reports were created within the first two months of the system being live, this is due to the team being very successful in promoting the benefits of Advocate to staff as an enterprise-wide reporting tool.
“We’ve had strong engagement from other teams around the university, including the Health and Safety team, Security, Risk and Compliance, and faculties. We’re now involved in discussions with some of our colleagues who organise overseas placements, and exchange programs. So, all of those areas where they are likely to deal with student matters are now well aware of this as our first and foremost reporting tool for student matters and they know they can report into it. Anyone can report. It can be a public report, a staff report, a student report, and that there’ll be an immediate response to that,” said Ms Ebert.
Leveraging Advocate for Process Enhancement and Improvement
One of the main outcomes Macquarie have achieved has been consistency in their approach and actions to dealing with student case matters and support requests. The Advocate project provided the team with an opportunity to review and refine many of their templates, letters, and policies, particularly in the sexual assault and harassment areas.
The Student Life team have improved their IT project management skillset and have also benefited from working with IT subject matter experts during the implementation process. The ongoing benefits of developing a partnership with IT has also been a great win for the team. The Student Life team have implemented a more adaptive response to IT matters, with daily stand-up meetings, weekly check-ins and regular check-in meetings with the Symplicity team. This allowed everyone to work through issues and challenges as they were identified and all parties were able to work through any roadblocks by reprioritising and adapting where needed.
Macquarie’s approach is a student-first, care-orientated response, and Advocate has greatly assisted the University to demonstrate this approach, with institutional reassurance and transparency for a quicker and more thorough resolution of case matters.
Improving Internal Communications for Staff and Students Around Incident Reporting
Advocate has been set up for success within Macquarie off the back on a well organised internal communications campaign. It was promoted widely to staff and students via a new website for an improved user experience.
Subject matter experts Penny Huisman, Manager, Student Diversity and Inclusion and Kim Carmody, Student Support Coordinator, were the spokespeople for the campaign in various staff videos. They coined the tagline ‘Just report it, we’ll sort it’ as a way to encourage staff to report issues that might be of concern. The team is putting an emphasis on encouraging staff to report their concerns, and leave determining the policy and if is something that needs progressing to the Student Life team, as they are the experts. Already, the Student Life team has seen an increase in their initial response time to reports received from Advocate, as they can now review and include the relevant stakeholders at a much quicker pace.
Looking Forward – Macquarie’s Roadmap for Advocate
Macquarie have a lot of exciting enhancements on the product roadmap for Advocate, as they look to leverage more of the functionality of the product to help underpin the universities ‘Student’s First’ approach. Student Life are going to look at involving academic integrity and gaining more involvement from the complaints, appeals and discipline departments. The Student Life team have already started scoping out to see if they can include academic appeals in Advocate. This has allowed the team to identify the gaps between system functionality and organisational readiness, and also to identify any issues they need to address first; such as policy matters.
The Student Life team are looking to see how Advocate can be used more in supporting students ongoing placements and success plans.
“Moving forward for students’ success planning, for academic progression, and versions of the Care Action Plans are on the list for us as well. Leveraging the value of more detailed reporting and analytics that you can get from the system to form a much clearer view of what the systemic issues are, that we might be closing the loop back on for the policy situation. And that’s really enhancing that continuous improvement approach that, again, everybody talks about but is very, very hard to deliver in practice,” said Ms Ebert. | https://www.symplicity.com/success-stories/student-conduct/how-macquarie-university-implemented-the-symplicity-advocate-solution-to-create-a-student-first-approach-to-student-care-and-reporting |
AIM: To classify gallstone disease as a basis for assessment of post-cholecystectomy symptoms.
METHODS: One hundred and fifty three patients with a clinical and ultrasonographic diagnosis of gallstones filled out a structured questionnaire on abdominal pain symptoms and functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) before and at six months after cholecystectomy. Symptom frequency groups (SFG) were categorized according to frequency of pain attacks. According to certain pain characteristics in gallstone patients, a gallstone symptom score was accorded on a scale from one to ten. A visual analogue scale was used to quantify pain. Operative specimens were examined for size and magnitude of stone contents as well as presence of bacteria. Follow-up took place after six months with either a consultation or via a mailed questionnaire. Results were compared with those obtained pre-operatively to describe and analyze symptomatic outcome.
RESULTS: SFG groups were categorized as severe (24.2%), moderate (38.6%), and mild (22.2%) attack frequency, and a chronic pain condition (15%). Pain was cured or improved in about 90% of patients and two-thirds of patients obtained complete symptom relief. Patients with the most frequent pain episodes were less likely to obtain symptom relief. FGID was present in 88% of patients pre-operatively and in 57% post-operatively (P = 0.244). Those that became asymptomatic or improved with regard to pain also had most relief from FGID (P = 0.001). No pre-operative FGID meant almost complete cure.
CONCLUSION: Only one third of patients with FGID experienced postoperative relief, indicating that FGID was a dominant cause of post-cholecystectomy symptoms.
INTRODUCTION
It is commonly accepted that removal of the gallbladder is the best treatment for symptomatic gallstone disease. However, less focus has been on patient selection and typical or common symptoms of this disease in order to understand prevailing symptoms after surgery[1-4]. Although disease severity has been used[5-7], these efforts have not been united into useful and widely accepted working terms for preoperative clinical use and outcome assessment. As a consequence, the indication for cholecystectomy is sometimes vague and assessment of outcome suffers accordingly.
Pain is a key element in gallstone symptoms but pain is a general symptom. Therefore pain characteristics and additional symptoms reported in classical descriptions of the disease has expanded the interpretation[9-11]. Functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) is quite common in the population and the two diseases often appear together. FGID may go away or appear more distinct to the patient after cholecystectomy and thus distort the sense of postoperative relief. Up to 30% of patients have some symptoms following cholecystectomy[13,14]. No consistent physiological substrate for such pain has been documented. It is somewhat unclear to what degree post-cholecystectomy symptoms resemble the exact symptoms before removal of the gallbladder. Most studies are retrospective with follow-up periods commonly ranging from a few weeks to a couple of years[6,14,15]. A recent, prospective study lacked clinically useful working terms with a mixture of both pain associated symptoms and FGID.
Our aim was to categorize gallstone disease according to the severity of clinical symptoms, pain characteristics, and quantify FGID to define postoperative outcome in terms of new or persistent symptoms.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
One hundred and fifty-three patients with an ultrasonographic diagnosis of gallstones admitted for elective laparoscopic treatment of symptomatic, uncomplicated gallstone disease in a Norwegian (n = 100) and a US (n = 53) institution.
Questionnaire
The patients filled out a structured questionnaire on pain characteristics and functional abdominal symptoms before and at six months after surgery. The questionnaire was assembled after a large experience with pre-operative interviews in two randomized trials and modeled as a simplified version of the Rome II questionnaire[16,17]. Symptoms were classified according to appearance ranging from never to almost always in four steps: never, occasionally, very often, and almost always. Only those symptoms that were present more than 50% of the time (i.e. the last two) was counted as a positive answer (Table (Table11).
Table 1
|Perspiration|
|Intolerance to food|
|Acid regurgitation|
|Heartburn|
|Difficulty swallowing, food sticking in the lower esophagus|
|Nausea|
|Loss of appetite (anorexia)|
|Feeling full after eating very little (early satiety)|
|Feeling of abdominal fullness or bloating|
|Abdominal distension, which requires loosening of the belt|
|Frequent loose bowel movements (or more often than usual)|
|Constipation (or less bowel movements than usual)|
|Alternating constipation and loose bowel movements|
|Difficulty passing stools with straining, urgency or feeling of incomplete evacuation|
|Abdominal pain or discomfort is relieved by bowel movements (passing of stool)|
Rate the frequency of the following symptoms associated with abdominal pain during the last 3 mo or longer, using the following scale: 0: Not at all or rarely (less than 10% of the episodes); 1: Occasionally (less than 50% of the episodes); 2: Very often (more than 50% of the episodes); 3: Almost always (more than 80% of the episodes).
Follow-up was conducted at the outpatient clinic for all Norwegian patients at six months at which time the questionnaire was filled out. The American patients were mailed the questionnaire for logistic reasons.
Gallstone pain attacks were categorized as symptom frequency groups (SFG) according to the frequency experienced during the last three months. Patients that were unable to define exact time periods for pain attacks or had a dominant pattern of ubiquitous pain or had symptoms dominated by severe nausea or food intolerance were classified as a chronic symptom group.
A visual analogue scale score (VAS) was used to quantify the severity of pain in the symptom questionnaire. A 100 mm long horizontal line was to be marked vertically at the point consistent with the pain experienced by the patient. The left end was marked “No pain” and the right end “Unbearable pain”.
Gallstone symptom score
According to certain pain characteristics in gallstone patients, a Gallstone symptom score (GSS) was accorded from 1 to 10 (Tables (Tables22 and and33).
Table 2
|Had an abdominal pain attack at least once for the last 3 mo or longer?|
|Experienced either pain or discomfort in the abdomen of a continuous steady nature at least once per week for the last 3 mo or longer?|
|For women: Did the onset of pain begin during pregnancy or soon after pregnancy?|
|Evaluated in the Emergency Department or seek medical attention for the abdominal pain?|
|Admitted to the hospital for the abdominal pain?|
|Estimate how often pain medications are required for the pain:|
|Not at all or rarely (less than 10% of the episodes)|
|Occasionally (less than 50% o the episodes)|
|Very often (more than 50% of the episodes)|
|Almost always (more than 80% of the episodes)|
|Time-interval during which the pain most often occurs:|
|7 am – 12 pm|
|12 pm – 6 pm|
|6 pm – 11 pm|
|11 pm – 7 am|
|Highly variable and unable to predict time of onset|
|Rate how often the pain occurs in the following abdominal areas:|
|Right upper quadrant1|
|Left upper quadrant1|
|Right lower quadrant1|
|Left lower quadrant1|
|Midline or center of the upper abdomen1|
|Is there often an area where the pain is strongest (able to point with one or two fingers):|
|Right upper quadrant|
|Left upper quadrant|
|Right lower quadrant|
|Left lower quadrant|
|Midline or center of the upper abdomen|
|Highly variable and unable to predict one area|
|No|
|Experience discomfort in the right upper quadrant when bending forward?|
|Abdominal pain radiates from where it started?|
|If yes, where does it radiate most often?|
|Right upper back beneath the right shoulder blade|
|Upper back between the shoulder blades|
|Lower back|
|None of these places mentioned|
|Highly variable and unable to predict a dominant area|
|Estimate the number of pain attacks over the last 3 mo|
|Estimate the usual duration of a pain attack in hours and minutes|
|Experience urge to move around during a pain attack1|
|Choose one of four patterns describing pain attacks (depicted by graphs):|
|Low-grade warning pain followed by a steady rise to a maximal constant pain, gradually getting better after a while|
|Low-grade warning pain followed by a steady rise to a maximal degree with occasional waves of pain, gradually getting better after a while|
|Pain begins suddenly with maximal intensity and improves over time|
|Pain begins suddenly with maximal intensity and persists with waves of pain until it goes away|
|Rate level of maximal pain intensity by 100 mm visual analogue scale score-scale|
Pain attacks are defined as suddenly appearing pain that is distinct from, and stronger than any continuous, steady pain or discomfort.
Table 3
|Percent of patients with symptoms according to pain presentation
|
|Symptom||Score||Severe||Moderate||Mild||Chronic|
|Pain in upper abdomen: Pain most common in right upper quadrant or intensifies when bending forward or lying on the right side||2||100||96.6||94.1||88.2|
|Pain attacks commonly last more than one hour||1||73.0||66.7||76.5||46.2|
|Pain in a ”plateau fashion”||1||62.2||72.9||67.6||64.3|
|Urge to move during pain attacks||1||51.4||69.0||58.8||84.6|
|Pain commonly occurs at night||1||43.2||61.0||50.0||29.4|
|Pain radiation to the back||1||40.5||47.5||38.2||58.8|
|Nausea during pain attacks||1||61.1||48.3||52.9||50.0|
|Use of analgesics in > 50% of pain attacks||1||54.0||54.3||44.1||41.2|
|Perspiration during pain attacks||1||36.1||41.4||41.2||60.0|
In our practice, patients were found to have symptomatic, uncomplicated gallstone disease if ultrasonography detected gallbladder stones and the patients had relevant clinical symptoms. Endoscopy was neither a routine part of the pre-operative work-up nor planned as a diagnostic aid in case of persistent symptoms.
Pathology
Operative specimens were prepared for examination of bacterial contents, stone size and routine histology on the back table immediately after the operation finished.
Bile was aspirated with a syringe from the gallbladder and sent for culture together with a piece of the wall. Stone size was measured with a caliper after the gallbladder had been opened on the back table. Finally the specimen was put on formalin and sent to the pathologist for routine (hematoxylin and eosin) staining and histological assessment.
Ethics
The Regional Ethical Committee of Western Norway and The National Data Inspectorate approved the study. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Cleveland Clinic approved the study (IRB 7000/04). The study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as part of NCT01190280.
Statistical analysis
The χ2 test was used to compare the level of improvement between groups, and to compare the presence of FGID between patients with different symptom alleviation before and after operation. Logistic regression for dependent paired data was used to analyze the difference in FGID before and after surgery between different GSS-groups. The statistical software used was PASW Statistics version 18.0 and Intercooled Stata 9.2 for Macintosh.
RESULTS
The patient demographics are shown in Table Table44.
Table 4
|Symptom frequency group||Females||Males||Total|
|All groups||122 (79.7), 47 (17-81)||31 (20.3), 51 (28-85)||153 (100), 48 (17-85)|
|Severe disease||31, 45 (17-81)||6, 44 (25-64)||37 (24.2), 45 (17-81)|
|Moderate disease||47, 44 (20-72)||12, 53 (39-70)||59 (38.6), 46 (20-72)|
|Mild disease||26, 53 (25-78)||8, 52 (34-85)||34 (22.2), 53 (25-85)|
|Chronic disease||18, 53 (23-81)||5, 55 (30-80)||23 (15.0), 54 (23-81)|
|Responders to follow-up||89 (77.4), 49 (20-81)||26 (22.6), 52 (25-85)||115 (75.2), 50 (20-85)|
χ2 for gender; P = 0.889.
Symptom frequency groups and visual analogue scale score
Four SFG were categorized according to frequency of pain attacks: severe (24.2%): ≥ 1 pain attack per week, moderate (38.6%): ≤ 3 pain attacks per month, mild (22.2% of the patients): ≤ 2 pain attacks per 3 months, or chronic pain condition (15%): no discernable pain attack pattern.
The VAS was equally distributed between all patients, mean VAS preoperatively was 82.8 with variation from 17 to 100 (Table (Table55).
Table 5
|Preoperative SFG||Patients||Preoperative
||Responders||Postoperative
||mean % reduction in GSS|
|mean GSS||mean VAS||mean GSS||mean VAS|
|Severe disease||37 (24.2)||6.11||81.1||29 (78.4)||1.76||33.0||69.1|
|Moderate disease||59 (38.6)||6.47||86.6||41 (69.5)||1.32||15.8||78.7|
|Mild disease||34 (22.2)||6.09||81.3||26 (76.5)||1.04||12.8||87.0|
|Chronic disease||23 (15.0)||4.35||76.8||19 (82.6)||1.00||8.9||62.7|
SFG: Symptom frequency groups; GSS: Gallstone symptom score; VAS: Visual analogue scale score.
Gallstone symptom score
Mean preoperative GSS in pair-wise comparisons showed a significant difference preoperative between chronic and moderate disease patients (P = 0.022). There was a non-significant trend towards a greater rate of cure or symptom relief measured with GSS among patients with less severe disease (P = 0.651). Patients in the most severe SFG had the highest GSS and experienced more remaining symptoms, for details see Tables Tables55 and and66.
Table 6
|Groups
|
|Asymptomatic but improved||Symptomatic or worse||Unchanged||P value1|
|Patients||0.651|
|All patients||76 (66.1)||28 (24.3)||11 (9.6)|
|Severe disease||15 (51.7)||10 (34.5)||4 (13.7)|
|Moderate disease||27 (65.8)||9 (22.0)||5 (12.2)|
|Mild disease||20 (76.9)||5 (19.2)||1 (3.9)|
|Chronic disease||14 (73.7)||4 (21.0)||1 (5.3)|
|Age||0.490|
|< 60||54 (64.3)||23 (27.4)||7 (8.4)|
|> 60||22 (71.0)||5 (16.1)||4 (12.9)|
|Gender||0.573|
|Women||56 (62.9)||24 (27.0)||9 (10.1)|
|Men||20 (76.9)||4 (15.4)||2 (7.7)|
Functional gastrointestinal disorder symptoms
A FGID was present in 87.6% before surgery and in 57.6% at follow-up after surgery. No difference was seen between the different SFG (P = 0.244). There was a trend that patients with FGID before surgery were less likely to experience improvement of their pain or complete relief. Likewise, patients without FGID after surgery were more likely to report improvement or complete relief of pain (Table (Table77).
Table 7
|Presence of FGID||Patients||Asymptomatic||Symptomatic, improved||Unchanged or worse||P value1|
|None pre-operative||13 (11.3)||11 (84.6)||2 (15.4)||0|
|Present pre-operative||102 (88.7)||65 (63.7)||26 (25.5)||11 (10.8)||0.449|
|None post-operative||49 (42.6)||42 (85.7)||7 (14.3)||0|
|Present post-operative||66 (57.4)||34 (51.5)||21 (31.8)||11 (16.7)||0.001|
|Total||115 (100)||76 (66.1)||28 (24.3)||11 (9.6)|
FGID: Functional gastrointestinal disorder.
Gallbladder specimen examination
Histology of the gallbladder showed that 85% had chronic and 10% subacute inflammation while 5% were normal. Bacteriological examination in 79 patients discovered bacteria in 12 (15.2%) without difference between the groups. The distribution of bacteria was: gram-negatives 3.8%, gram-positive cocci 8.9%, and mixed cultures 2.5%. Stone type was not examined.
The number of stones was measured in 66 patients and size in 64 patients. The mean number was 2.5 (range 1-9) with variation between SFG from 2.3 to 2.8. The stone size was mean 13 mm (range 1-40) with variation between groups from 12.5 to 13.2 mm. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups.
DISCUSSION
Gallstone symptoms are still classified simply as biliary colic long after a variety of pain characteristics have been described for these pain attacks[9,10]. Thus, studies of outcome of gallstone disease are usually hampered by lack of scientifically acceptable definitions and designs[3,5,6,16]. This includes an inadequate definition of gallstone symptoms, lack of proper recognition of FGID as a concomitant complaint, prospective design and defined follow-up methods. Freedom of pain attacks is a major outcome measure after cholecystectomy. Complete cure of a biliary type pain in contrast to a persisting dull aching pain, has been reported as a reasonable goal for surgery. Previous studies have reported that so-called biliary colic remained in only 8%-9% of patients in contrast to non-colicky pain in 18%-32%[13,19]. Others have found an incidence of around 20% of persistent pain of the same character as before the operation[20,21]. Lublin and coworkers reported presence of pain in 25% and non-pain symptoms in 43% . It seems that distinct or marked pain is present in up to 4%-9%[12,13] whereas pain or “discomfort” connected with dyspeptic symptoms are not clearly categorized. Around 25% of our patients improved without being completely cured after removal of the gallbladder. This corresponds to previous figures of 18% and the frequency of more diffuse intestinal symptoms found by others during post-operative examination. One author mentioned similar findings without giving figures but did not find interference with quality of life measurements. Up to 93% satisfaction has been reported after removal of the gallbladder[13,15,22,24,25].
FGID consists of two main subgroups, functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with overlapping features making them both symptomatic of an irritable or dysfunctional gut[26,27]. The criteria in the Rome II and the more recent Rome III questionnaire give a formal definition of FGID[17,28]. In the West, there tends to be a female predominance. FGID appears as a real condition of gallstone disease[3,12,22,29]. The pathological connection is still obscure but a common dysfunctional trait has been shown. A diagnostic problem arises only when gallstone disease becomes vague with regard to pain expression[3,5,22]. Lublin and coworkers reported that 80% of patients had so-called non-pain symptoms pre-operatively in accordance with an 88% incidence of FGID in our patients. In our practices, nearly all gallstone patients coming to surgery have upper abdominal pain either in the right upper quadrant or epigastrium although a small percentage has intolerable nausea or food intolerance that dominates over pain. FGID was therefore judged a concomitant condition in most cases. Our outcomes are quite similar to those of others who have attempted to classify pre-operative symptoms[5,6]. It could be perceived that freedom of pain with an attack pattern was the decisive factor when cure or relief was achieved, whereas FGID of various intensities caused the bulk of the persistent symptoms, because FGID persisted in 57% of the patients. The post-operative GSS and VAS were markedly decreased and it is therefore likely that the patients were cured of the pain attacks that led to cholecystectomy. Besides, even so-called bilary colic, even if it resembles pre-operative symptoms, needs a substrate when the gallbladder has been removed. It has not been proved that this stems from the common bile duct (CBD) or the sphincter of Oddi, even though symptoms caused by CBD disease, such as a stone, may be quite similar. Therefore, we will argue that there is reasonable evidence pointing to FGID as a cause of persisting symptoms after surgery.
Some investigators have reported that patients with the most severe, frequent or bothersome pre-operative symptoms are less likely to be cured[5,6,13,22]. The present study corroborated this as results showed that only frequency of pain attacks expressed as SFG separated the patients with regard to severity in the pre-operative evaluation. GSS only separated the pain attack groups against the chronic group. This is broadly correlated with a Swedish study but differed insofar that we amalgamated what were their two most severe groups into one. Lublin and coworkers used frequency without a more specific definition. The disease may wax and wane and this may influence the response to the questionnaire[3,5]. A minority of 15% had chronic symptoms with daily occurrence as the rule. We suspect that some of the patients with daily symptoms reported by Halldestam and coworkers might have been classified as a chronic symptom group by our definition. This would distort comparison of outcome because these two groups responded differently to operative treatment in our study. It is also difficult to ascertain the meaning of “atypical” or multiple locations of pain. Pain in the right upper quadrant or epigastrium is a core issue in the diagnosis of gallstone disease but admittedly in a small minority of patients other symptoms dominate. However, as long as these symptoms can be assigned to gallstone disease, they are not a contraindication to surgery in such cases.
Although patients with the highest pre-operative mean GSS had the largest relative score reduction, this group retained a higher post-operative score and had the highest VAS score. The reason for that was largely assumed as being caused by persistent symptoms of FGID even though this could not be established with certainty because of overlapping symptoms in gallstone patients. It was, however, consistent with the observation that the severe SFG had more patients with no relief and also had a slightly larger GSS burden and consequently higher post-operative GSS and VAS score, indicating that a larger disease burden or more symptoms was in concert with a higher VAS. This may be interpreted as more persistent pain. One study found that patients with the most bothersome symptoms before surgery had less chance of cure. The highest odds ratio for persistence was obtained by “gas/flatulence”, a common symptom of IBS or FGID. This could easily be interpreted as caused by FGID but it has been unusual to explicitly label post-cholecystectomy symptoms as FGID even though many symptoms fit this diagnosis. One explanation may be that these symptoms has for too long been discerned as part of a wider range of gallstone symptoms while we will argue that they are two concomitant disease expressions with many overlapping features making it difficult to separate them.
Compared with measurements before surgery VAS has reached levels of around 68 (of 100) pre-operatively to levels of 35 to 45 post-operatively[13,15,19,21]. In the present study, VAS was similar across all four GSS groups and it fell after surgery to a mean of 18 (range 9 to 33). Therefore, it could not by itself be used to distinguish between the patients before or after surgery. Our post-operative median score value indicates no more than mild to moderate pain.
Theoretically, a bile duct focus might cause pain quite similar to that originating in the gallbladder but only about 2% has common bile duct stones after removal of the gallbladder[6,13]. Psychometric testing has shown that a psychosomatic disturbance may influence outcome after cholecystectomy[8,32]. It has been observed that women tend to have more postoperative pain while some have reported that gender is irrelevant[15,20,34]. Women under the age of 60-years have been found to have significantly more pain of the diffuse, more continuous type that is also described in functional dyspepsia, and satisfaction has been greater for men. We found that women were less likely to become asymptomatic. Age of the patient has not influenced outcome[20,34], whereas the opposite was found when 50 or 55-years-of-age was used as cut off value[4,22]. In contrast to previous studies, patients more than 60-years-of-age fared slightly worse in the present study[5,13]. Stone size and number, bacteriology, or histology did not impact the symptom presentation in this study.
We recommend a follow-up period of 6 mo before assessing outcome after cholecystectomy[8,22]. Whether qualified personnel should interview a study object or a questionnaire be used, remains open for discussion[8,16,22,29]. It may be a point of concern whether a self-assessment questionnaire will make the patient report more complaints than will be revealed by a professional interview.
Approximately 10% of patients did not improve or even got worse whereas the condition of 25% improved and the rest was cured. Patients with the most SFG were less likely to be completely cured and this group also had a higher pre-operative symptom score (GSS). Post-operative FGID persisted in 57% of patients and indirect evidence suggests that persistent symptoms were caused mainly by FGID. The main indication for elective cholecystectomy in uncomplicated gallstone disease should be pain attacks. Patients should be informed about the chance of persistent symptoms.
COMMENTS
Background
Patients with gallstones often have various abdominal symptoms that may be caused by the gallstones or are present as a separate condition but with a common physiology. The accompanying abdominal symptoms are called functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID). Because of its common nature and presence of pain or discomfort it is difficult to separate a functional condition from the gallstone disease itself. Lack of a clear distinction between the two and a poor understanding of the physiology that causes both conditions, especially FGID, makes it difficult to treat these symptoms if they remain after the operation. The article characterizes symptoms caused by gallstone disease in order to define which symptoms remain after removal of the gallbladder. Hope of improving understanding of their character and origin will subsequently have a potential bearing on treatment.
Research frontiers
Current treatment methods may not be satisfactory due to limited insight in physiological mechanisms. Therefore, FGID causes a major health problem with a large amount of sick-leave days. Because of this burden on both patient and society it is important to conduct proper research to gain insight in disease mechanisms and offer effective treatment.
Innovations and breakthroughs
The study tried to characterize gallstone disease according to intensity and frequency of pain attacks as well as concomitant functional symptoms. The pre-operative condition has then been compared to persisting symptoms after surgery. Such methodical studies of the character of gallstone disease are scarce.
Applications
An understanding of disease expression may give better insight into why complete symptom relief does not occur in some patients after cholecystectomy. Thus, it may be possible in the future to decide which patients will have the greatest chance of cure as well as offer efficient treatment of persisting symptoms after cholecystectomy.
Terminology
Gallstone disease is characterized by bouts of pain or pain attacks in about 85% of patients. The rest have a combination of more consistent pain, strong food intolerance or nausea. FGID is present in about 88% of gallstone patients. This condition may have particular symptoms but a clear-cut physiologic mechanism or organic origin has not been decisively described for it. The diagnosis is sometimes made by exclusion of other diseases. It is difficult to separate clinically from gallstone disease when both are present in the same patient.
Peer review
The authors have nicely analyzed the existing preoperative functional disorder in patients of gallstones to substantiate its correlation with post-operative symptoms. | http://lifewithnogallbladder.com/article/post-cholecystectomy-symptoms-were-caused-by-persistence-of-a-functional-gastrointestinal-disorder/ |
After disasters and other breaks in continuity of services, child welfare agencies' tasks are continuing to manage, capturing lessons learned, and rebuilding better systems. In this section you will find federal and state resources for longer term recovery and rebuilding from natural disasters or other major unexpected events, including resources on mental health services and research.
Coping with Disasters and Strengthening Systems: A Framework for Child Welfare Agencies
This resource was developed by the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (NRCOI) a service of the Children's Bureau and provides information for before a disaster occurs, during a disaster, and after a disaster.
FYSB: New Video
Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) provides news and resources related to issues such as homelessness, adolescent pregnancy, and domestic violence. Watch FYSB's new video “The Family and Youth Services Bureau — Join Us” to learn more about FYSB work and programs.
Mental Health: The First Step to Well Being
This collection of articles from the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth analyzes some of the most prominent mental health issues facing at-risk youth in order to provide youth workers with insight into the prevention and treatment of mental health challenges. Post-traumatic stress disorder, the risks and uses of psychotropic medications, and postpartum depression in teen mothers are discussed.
National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth (NCFY)
NCFY is a free information service for Community, organizations, and individuals interested in developing new and effective strategies for supporting young people and their families. Their website includes youth development resources, funding announcements for FYSB's programs, free publications, and a calendar of conferences and trainings.
Preparing for Disasters and Disruptions to Service Continuity
Preparing for disasters involves creating plans, preparing to manage during a disaster, and enhancing critical infrastructure prior to a disaster. In this section of the Child Welfare Information Gateway, you will find federal and state resources for professionals and families to prepare for disasters—both natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, fires) and human created (e.g., terrorism) —including examples of state disaster plans.
Q&A: Helping Families Protect Themselves From Recurring Trauma
Produced by the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth, this interview with Laurel Kiser, of the University of Maryland’s Family-Informed Trauma Treatment Center, discusses the potential negative effects of anticipatory stress and highlights Strengthening Family Coping Resources, a multi-week program that Kiser and her colleagues facilitate that helps families deal with recurring stressors.
Ready for Anything: A Disaster Planning Manual for Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
This manual from the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, guides youth-serving organizations in creating an emergency preparedness plan and explains the three areas of disaster planning: prevention and preparedness, response, and recovery. It includes worksheets and checklists that can help organizations prepare for disasters before they happen.
Improving Attachment Between Mothers and Children
This article describes a recent study on whether new mothers dealing with past trauma would be able to develop an attachment to their babies. If the mothers could develop an attachment, the study examined if addressing the mother’s issue would help with bonding. The results show that all the mothers in the study who were dealing with past trauma had trouble bonding with others and over 75% of the mothers with unresolved trauma had insecurely attached infants. The researchers found that being in the process of dealing with past trauma can help mothers form secure bonds with their children, despite the mothers themselves having difficulty attaching to others around them.
5 Tips for Providing Trauma-Informed Sex Education
This article highlights the work of two researchers who are pioneering changes in sex education that bridge the gap between sex education and trauma-informed care by better understanding how sex education could be more sensitive to students’ traumatic experiences. This article also offers tips, based on this research, for implementing a trauma informed approach to sex education.
Slideshow: 5 Collaborations to Ensure Trauma-Informed Care for Youth and Families
This slideshow highlights five types of professionals that runaway and homeless youth program managers can collaborate with to support youth who have experienced trauma.
Brief: Developing a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System
This issue brief provides an overview of trauma and its effects, and describes some of the primary areas of consideration for state or county child welfare systems as they design and implement approaches that are more responsive to trauma.
Resource: Narrative Writing Exercises for Promoting Health Among Adolescents: Promises and Pitfalls
This resource describes a literature review that explores the potential mental health benefits and concerns of using narrative writing with youth and young adults.
Resource: Helping Youth Prevent Suicide Among Their LGBTQ Peers
This article highlights free resources educators and youth service providers can use to implement the Trevor Project’s Lifeguard Workshop, a program encouraging young people to be “lifeguards” for one another by having the knowledge to help in a crisis. Professionals can request a free, in-person workshop or use the resources highlighted in the article to create personalized trainings.
Resource: Integrating Medical and Mental Health Care for Teen Moms
This article describes the mental health challenges teen moms face and highlights a Denver-based program that integrates mental health screening and treatment into their existing medical care.
Resource: Youth-Friendly Manual Shows New Fathers the Ropes
This NCFY article highlights a manual (PDF, 28 pages) that uses driving and car analogies and youth-friendly language to teach teen dads and expectant dads about topics such as establishing paternity, what to expect when the baby comes home, caring for the baby, and co-parenting.
Share with Youth: A Roadmap to Behavioral Health: A Guide to Using Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services
This guide (PDF, 24 pages) can help people understand how to use health insurance coverage to improve their mental and physical health. It provides an eight step road map for understanding behavioral health, finding and accessing appropriate providers, and staying on the road to recovery. | https://youth.gov/federal-resources?f%5B0%5D=federal_resources_agencies%3A107&f%5B1%5D=federal_resources_agencies%3A123&f%5B2%5D=federal_resources_topic%3A20&f%5B3%5D=federal_resources_topic%3A34&f%5B4%5D=federal_resources_topic%3A39 |
Could You Improve Team Use in Your Organization?
by Kevin McManus, Chief Excellence Officer and Systems Guy, Great Systems
Several years ago, I came across some survey results that intrigued, angered, and motivated me. In that monthly issue of Training Magazine, a half-page table summarized the results of a survey that the magazine had conducted regarding the use of teams in organizations. To this date, I still find these results to be amazing in terms of the lack of perspective they reflect – many of the respondents stated that they did not have any teams at work in their organizations! It is pretty tough to improve team use when you don’t even recognize all of the teams that you have.
Specifically, 73% of the organizations surveyed stated that they had “some employees that were members of a working group identified as a team.” This of course meant that 27% of the respondents felt that they did not have any teams in their companies. A second set of statistics from this survey indicated that of those organizations with teams, only 55% of their employees were members of these teams – 45% of their workforce however were not on a team. These percentages did not vary significantly with company size, indicating in this case at least that “size did not matter.” Why would these statistics bother me so? Why would they serve to motivate me to challenge their accuracy?
EXPLORE More: Do You Have Great Teams?
Team Use Exists in All Organizations
The answers are simple – I believe that all organizations have teams and that essentially all employees are members of at least one team. The disparities between my beliefs and those reflected in the survey indicate a lot of what I feel is holding back high performance in organizations. We don’t recognize the teamwork that is going on in our world today, and worse, we don’t make the regular investments necessary to improve the effectiveness of these teams.
A difference in operational definitions offers one possible explanation for these off base percentages. I personally hesitate to call a group of people working together to achieve a common a goal a “team” until they have demonstrated a certain degree of cohesiveness and accomplishment. The “groups versus teams” debate however is grounded more in semantic differences than practice.
The fact that these groups are working together to achieve a common goal makes them a team, even though their level of effectiveness may be less than desired. Our failure to recognize them as such however results in a lot of sub-optimization across most, if not all, businesses, schools, churches, chambers of commerce, and city councils.
Unless all employees of a given organization work in an isolated, non-interactive vacuum, they are on some kind of team. In other words, if you count on other people to achieve your own work goals, you are on a team. Your team might not meet regularly, it might not have a fancy name, and it might fail miserably in terms of managing their group dynamics, but you are still a team because you share a common goal and need each other to help attain it.
DISCOVER More: Team Characteristics of Three Team Types
How Could You Improve Your Levels of Team Use?
We have further complicated and confused the use and effectiveness of teams by attempting to make distinctions between formal team processes and the daily work that each person does for the organization. Do you remember quality circles, self-directed work teams, or kaizen teams? Once an organization chooses to use these terms, trains people in team concepts, or places those who become members of such teams on a pedestal, they essentially tell the other employees that their groups are not as important. The message is often sent that you are on a team when you away from the workplace in a meeting room, but for the other 39 hours a week you are not on a team. In other words, for most of your time at work, teamwork is not important.
I have even heard people say “We tried to use teams in our organization, but they did not work, so we dropped that program.” This explains the survey percentages, but more importantly, it also shows why so many companies just can’t seem to improve like they would like to. If we did not need teams, this whole argument would be moot. In sports, it is obvious whether teams exist or not. In business, schools, or communities, the definitions are far less clear, let alone the potential benefits that could be gained if the city council could learn to effectively use that time they spend together each month.
If you question my argument, watch these groups in action, or better yet, ask yourself “When was the last time I almost fell asleep in a meeting?” Members of effective teams only fall asleep in meetings on the day after Super Bowl Sunday! The recognition and development of the teams you already have in place is needed for several reasons. These reasons include increasing performance ownership, enhancing project quality, reducing the time it takes to put a project in place, and demonstrating the dependency that employees have on each other to achieve their personal goals and the goals of their organizations.
LEARN More: Process Improvement Strategies
Improving Across the Board Team Use
We each have unique skills that are more developed than the skills of others. Without teams, these skills often go to waste. Worse yet, without the recognition of team existence and efforts to improve team effectiveness across the board, workplaces do not improve like they should and in turn fail to realize their potential. This applies to non-work teams as well. The names you give to your teams are secondary to recognizing their existence. Across the board team use is needed for high performance.
By taking the first step of recognizing that you have many teams in place already, you can begin to help each team improve the ways in which they work together to achieve the goals that need to be attained. The next time you meet with one or more people, either at work or away from the job, ask yourself “Do we have a common goal?” If you are taking the time to meet, you probably do. What would it take to make team use more effective? In this day and age, we need to use our time together wisely. We also need each other to make our workplaces and communities more effective.
Keep improving! – Kevin McManus, Chief Excellence Officer and Systems Guy, Great Systems
If you would like more information about the team effectiveness tools and processes I have to offer, please send me an e-mail at [email protected]. | https://greatsystems.com/2016/03/do-you-have-teams/ |
The J. Willard Marriott Library is the flagship academic library for the State of Utah and the primary service hub for students and faculty at the University of Utah. Today, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, 3D printing, and other advanced technologies now join books, journals, and other traditional research materials among the resources that students and faculty rely upon most.
In order to keep up with their changing needs, the library needs to build an interdisciplinary digital productivity space. This type of work has already led to some incredible collaborations, including helping create a prosthetic ear for a four-year-old using 3D printing, mapping global energy production sites in virtual reality for a geology class, and using artificial intelligence and image recognition to detect squamous cell carcinoma, the deadliest form of oral cancer. These projects and countless others are just a tiny sample of the future innovations that the library is facilitating.
The Marriott Library has identified the following funding priorities for the Imagine New Heights campaign: | https://giving.utah.edu/imaginenewheights/marriott-library/ |
Sheffield United v Man City comes under our tactical microscope and we’re not expecting an easy ride for Pep’s boys.
Tactical pattern
This looks set to be one of the most territorially lopsided contests of the season. Not only will the hosts be emboldened by the near success of their approach last campaign, in which they held just 32% possession and lost 1-0, but this year Sheffield United’s poor form has seen them retreat even further in matches such as these. They rank 19th for possession average, with 41.1% from six games.
Manchester City look a little bit blunt of late, for reasons discussed below, which makes Chris Wilder’s backs-to-the-wall approach likely to work. United will look to soak up pressure in ultra-compressed lines deep in their own half, comfortable in the knowledge they can clear away any balls into the box. Counter-attacking will be a serious issue for the Blades, who have only scored three goals this season, but no matter: Wilder would be delighted with a 0-0.
Key battle zone
The most important area of the pitch here is central midfield. For Manchester City, their emerging creativity issues come from this area of the pitch where Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan struggle to feed forward passes into the final third, leading to the stale possession football we saw in City’s 1-1 draw with West Ham. City are down from 2nd last season to 10th this season for total number of progressive passes made, a metric that measures line-breaking forward passes.
Unless Bernardo Silva or Kevin de Bruyne drop considerably deeper than usual, Pep Guardiola’s side will again struggle to play with the verticality or speed needed to prise apart United’s rigid three-man midfield. Sander Berg is beginning to look the part for United, too, plus Ethan Ampadu was impressive defensively against Liverpool. Ampadu is statistically Sheffield United’s best tackler and interceptor in central midfield.
Keep an eye on… De Bruyne’s crossing
Despite being in the bottom three, Wilder’s side aren’t conceding many goals and were unlucky to lose 2-1 at Anfield last weekend. Their only real defensive weakness in 2020/21 has been defending crosses, which account for three of the last four that Aaron Ramsdale has let in. Each of those four has been built down the flanks, exposing a relatively minor flaw.
Man City are particularly poor at swinging balls into the box, sitting 19th in the league for accurate crosses (2.0 per match) despite attempting 17.6, which puts them about mid-table. Assuming City are reduced to sluggish possession for long periods of the game, they will need to improve on their accuracy when finding space to cross. De Bruyne undoubtedly has the best chance of creating danger.
Back under 2.5 goals at 8/5 (Betfair)
One to watch… Raheem Sterling
If low-tempo possession football and an inability to take advantage of Sheffield United’s main defensive weakness wasn’t bad enough for City, they are also without a recognised striker for Saturday’s game. Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus are both out with thigh injuries, leaving Raheem Sterling to lead the line as he did in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League.
Sterling started the game on the right before moving into a central role after Ferran Torres was withdrawn, scoring within four minutes of his positional switch. However, Sheffield United’s powerful back three is likely to out-muscle Sterling, who won’t find many opportunities to move in behind Wilder’s deep defensive line. | https://www.football365.com/news/sheffield-united-v-manchester-city-betting-blades-can-frustrate-blunt-citizens |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is the registration of a device enabled for carrying beverage cans, which incorporates significant innovations and advantages over the techniques used up until now.
More specifically, the invention proposes the development of a device enabled for carrying beverage cans which, because of its particular arrangement, allows the manual carrying of beverage cans grouped together in a "pack", in a comfortable, simple and effective manner for the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Beverage and refreshment cans which are usually carried manually by the user are known in the current state of the art.
It is also very common for said cans to be arranged by way of a "pack", when it is distributed, stored, marketed or carried by the user and consumer.
It is therefore a pressing necessity to enable carrying said beverage cans by way of a "pack", and to allow facilitating the distribution, storage, sale and carrying operations by the user.
The present invention contributes to solving and overcoming the present drawbacks, as it allows manually carrying beverage cans grouped in a "pack", in a comfortable, simple and effective manner for the user, in addition to facilitating their distribution, storage and sale.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The device enabled for carrying beverage cans according to the invention is essentially characterised in that it comprises a body of a laminar nature and with a symmetrical rectangular geometry, having on its surface at least one pair of incisions without mutual contact defining along their path a plurality of tabs with a folding or bending capacity in relation to the body itself, such that the proportions and the geometry of the incisions are suitable for the tight insertion into each pair of incisions of the upper base or mouth of a beverage can; the body furthermore has added cuts arranged transverse and perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the same body and arranged between the pairs of incisions.
Preferably, the incisions have a semi-circumferential, arcuate or crescent geometry.
The geometry of the incisions may define a concavity. In a preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans according to the invention in which the geometry of the incisions defines a concavity, the tabs are extended towards the concave side of each incision.
The incisions of each pair preferably have a mutual symmetrical arrangement.
Preferably, the tabs defined by each incision are arranged adjacent to others and without a space between them.
In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, there are three tabs defined in each incision of each pair.
Alternatively, in the device according to the invention, there are two tabs defined in each incision of each pair.
Alternatively, in the device according to the invention, there are four tabs defined in each incision of each pair.
In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the tabs in turn have an incision in their region of contact with the body itself.
Preferably, in the device according to the invention, the tabs cover a central circular sector of 70° in each incision.
Additionally, in the device according to the invention, the body has a bending line from the end of at least one incision closest to the edge of the body, and said bending line directed towards the same closest edge of the same body.
Preferably, the other end of the same incision has another bending line symmetrical with the other bending line of the same incision.
Preferably, the bending line coming from the end of the incision closest to an edge of the body is perpendicular to said edge of the body and furthermore ends at said edge.
Alternatively, in the device according to the invention, the body has six pairs of incisions, the pairs of incisions being arranged symmetrically and regularly in two groups of three on each side of the axis of symmetry of the body which is parallel to its larger side.
Preferably, the body of the device according to the invention incorporates manual gripping means.
In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention when it incorporates manual gripping means, said gripping means comprise an extension of a side edge of the body attached to the same body by a bending line, and having at least one through opening enabled for fingers to pass through same, and the other bending lines of at least one pair of incisions ending at the bending line.
Preferably, the extension has two openings, said two openings configuring three regions or areas of contact and for the securing of the extension with the body itself, at least one of the three regions or areas of contact facing a pair of incisions and furthermore being in contact with their bending lines.
In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, there are three regions or areas of contact facing, respectively, three pairs of incisions and furthermore being in contact with their respective bending lines.
In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the body has at two opposite side edges V-shaped recesses towards the interior of the body itself, the axis of symmetry of the V-shaped recesses coinciding considerably with the main axis of the transverse cuts.
Additionally, the body of the device according to the invention has on at least one side edge an added segment or skirt, which is attached to the same body by a bending line.
Preferably, the segments arranged at the edges corresponding to the longest sides of the body have at their ends an added gluing area.
As a result of the present invention, the manually carrying of beverage cans grouped in a "pack", in a comfortable, simple and effective manner for the user, in addition to facilitating their distribution, storage and sale, is achieved.
Other features and advantages of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1
is a schematic plan view of a preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention.
Figure 2
is a view indicating details of the use of a preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention.
Figure 3
Figure 1
is a schematic view indicating the use of the preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention depicted in .
Figure 4
is a schematic plan view of another preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention.
Figure 5
Figure 4
is a schematic view indicating the use of the preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention depicted in .
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1
As shown schematically in , the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the invention comprises a body 1 of a laminar nature and with a symmetrical and rectangular geometry.
Said body 1 has on its surface at least one pair 2 of incisions 21 with a semi-circumferential, arcuate or crescent geometry, and with a mutual symmetrical arrangement without mutual contact.
Furthermore, each incision 21 defines a plurality of tabs 22 which are extended towards the interior or concave side of the semi-circumferential or arcuate geometry of each incision 21. In such sense, a semi-circumferential or arcuate geometry implies the existence of a concave side.
At the same time, the tabs 22 have a folding or bending capacity in relation to the body 1 itself.
Figures 2
3
The proportions and geometry of the incisions 21 are suitable for the tight insertion into each pair 2 of incisions 21 of the upper base or mouth of a beverage can 3, as can be seen schematically in and .
Figures 1
2
3
4
5
As can be seen in , , , and , the body 1 has added cuts 4 arranged transverse and perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the body 1 and arranged between the pairs 2 of incisions 21.
In this preferred embodiment of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the invention and depicted in the drawings, the tabs 22 defined by each incision 21 are arranged adjacent to others and without spaces between them. As a result, this increases the surface area for anchoring the can 3 and furthermore facilitates the production of the punch used for the manufacture thereof.
Figure 1
Also in this preferred embodiment depicted in the drawings, each incision 21 of each pair 2 defines three tabs 22, as can be seen in . The tabs 22 thereby act better in vertical mode, and the ridge of the body 1 covers more of the mouth of the can 3, which means that the cans 3 are better secured, hindering them from falling out.
In other preferred embodiments, there may be two tabs 22 or four tabs 22, for example.
Figure 1
For the best working performance of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention, the tabs 22 in turn have an incision 23 in their region of contact with the body 1 itself, as can be seen in .
The presence of said incision 23 facilitates and improves the use and performance of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the present invention, as it prevents an eventual bending of the tab 22 in different and inappropriate areas, which would mean the loss of its height level and maximum securing.
The incision 23 furthermore weakens suitably and in the right proportion this precise region of contact of the tabs 22 with the body 1 itself. This means that when the cans 3 are positioned by means of a piston during the manufacturing process, the latter has sufficient force to bend all the tabs 22 easily, and at the same time, the same tabs 22 put up resistance and secure the ring of the can 3 on its entire surface. This represents an important improvement in relation to the state of the art known, facilitating its assembly and manufacture, particularly taking into account a high-output automatic process.
Figure 1
Also for better working performance of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the proposed invention, the tabs 22 cover a central circular sector of 70° in each incision 21, as can be seen in . Said coverage is more effective for suitably securing the cans 3.
Figure 1
In this preferred embodiment, the body 1 has six pairs 2 of incisions 21, the pairs 2 of incisions 21 being arranged symmetrically and regularly in two groups of three on each side of the axis of symmetry of the body 1 which is parallel to its larger side, as can be seen in . In such sense, a rectangular geometry implies the existence of two axes of symmetry perpendicular to one another.
Figures 1
2
3
4
5
Figures 1
4
The body 1 also has a bending line 20 from the end of each incision 21 closest to the edge of the body 1, and directed towards the same closest edge of the body 1, as can be seen in the preferred embodiments of , , , and . At the same time, the other end of the same incision 21 can also have another bending line, which is symmetrical with the other bending line 20 of the same incision 21, as can be seen particularly in the preferred embodiments of and .
Furthermore, to facilitate the use of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the proposed invention, the body 1 can incorporate gripping means for being carried manually.
Figures 1
3
In this preferred embodiment depicted in and , the gripping means comprise an extension 11 of one side of the body 1 attached to the same body 1 by a bending line 111, and having at least one through opening 12 enabled for fingers to pass through same.
Figures 4
5
In other preferred embodiments, such as the one depicted in and for example, in the gripping means the extension 11 can have two openings 12, said two openings 12 configuring three regions 13 or areas of contact and for the securing of the extension 11 with the body 1 itself, each of the three regions 13 or areas of contact facing a pair 2 of incisions 21. This arrangement improves resistance, and when carried manually stresses are better distributed, providing better stability to the assembly.
Figures 1
3
4
5
Furthermore, in the preferred embodiments depicted in , , and , the body 1 has at two opposite side edges V-shaped recesses 5 towards the interior of the body 1 itself, the axis of symmetry of the V-shaped recesses 5 considerably coinciding with the main axis of the transverse cuts 4. In this preferred embodiment, the arrangement of the V-shaped recesses achieves a better vertical area for the securing of the tabs 22 which bear the cans 3, since these securing points are located on the central axes of the cans 3.
Figures 1
3
In the preferred embodiment of and of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the invention, it can be seen how the body 1 has at its side edges an added segment 6 or skirt, which is attached to the same body 1 by a bending line 66.
Figure 3
Furthermore, the segments 6 arranged at the edges corresponding to the longest sides of the rectangular body 1 have at their ends an added gluing area 61 to facilitate the use and carrying of the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the proposed invention, as can be seen particularly in .
According to the preceding explanation, the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the invention allows manual carrying by the user of beverage cans grouped together by way of a "pack", in a manner that is more effective, safer and simpler than that known in the state of the art, furthermore exhibiting very good properties for the manufacture thereof.
The details, shapes, dimensions and other secondary elements, as well as the materials used in manufacturing the device enabled for carrying beverage cans of the invention, may be suitably replaced with others that are technically equivalent and do not depart from the essential nature of the invention or from the scope defined by the claims included below. | |
A favorite at large family gatherings. Fun to eat and think about the name of this dish! The small round noodles covered in a glaze type dressing with citrus fruit . . . what’s not to like?
Combine in a saucepan:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cup pineapple juice (use drained juice from cans)
- 2 beaten eggs
Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Add:
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Cool to room temperature. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add:
- 1 pkg (16 oz) Acini de Pepe pasta
Cook 5-7 minutes or according to pasta directions.
Drain, rinse, cool. Combine pasta with previously cooked sauce and refrigerate. Add:
- 3 11oz cans mandarin oranges, drained
- 3 20 oz cans pineapple, combination of crushed & tidbits as desired
- 1 9oz container of whipped topping
Mix saucy pasta with fruit and whipped topping. This is especially good if served after refrigeration of several of hours if you can wait that long.
Variations could include adding some of the following ingredients : maraschino cherries, coconut, mini marshmallows, chopped nuts. Also, you could use real whipped cream instead of non-dairy whipped topping. | https://gingercooks.com/2014/10/26/frog-eyed-salad/ |
On Monday, September 24, 2018, the Blavatnik Family Foundation hosted the fifth Blavatnik National Awards Ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Over 200 guests attended the ceremony, including some of the country’s most prominent figures in science, business, and philanthropy.
Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President of Stanford University and renowned neuroscientist, served as the Master of Ceremonies, and musicians from the Juilliard School Orchestra performed throughout the evening. The three 2018 Blavatnik National Laureates were presented with their medals by Len Blavatnik, the Founder and Chairman of Access Industries and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and each gave a short presentation on their research.
Life Sciences Laureate Janelle Ayres, PhD, of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, was recognized for her pioneering research on disease tolerance and host-pathogen interactions. Dr. Ayres’ research has the potential to solve one of the greatest current public health threats: anti-microbial resistance. Dr. Ayres’ mentor and friend, Dr. Ruslan Medzhitov, a 2007 Winner of the Blavatnik Awards himself, said “Janelle’s work opened a new dimension to understanding host-microbial interactions to understanding infectious diseases. That created a whole new discipline within immunology and even within infectious diseases.”
Physical Sciences & Engineering Laureate Sergei V. Kalinin, PhD, of Oak Ridge National Laboratory was celebrated for creating novel techniques to study, measure, and control the functionality of nanomaterials at the atomic and nanoscale. Dr. Kalinin’s work in manipulating individual atoms has the potential to enable scientists to create new classes of materials by assembling matter atom-by-atom. “Sergei is on a dramatically sharp trajectory,” said Dr. Dawn Bonnell, Vice Provost for Research, Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, and Sergei’s former PhD advisor. She added, “he has the willingness, the intellectual capability to take what he needs from a variety of different fields to implement his ideas and bring them to fruition.”
Chemistry Laureate Neal K. Devaraj, PhD, of the University of California, San Diego, was honored for his transformative work on the synthesis of artificial cells and membranes, which has created an exciting new field of research that aims to bring greater understanding to the origins of life, a major goal in synthetic biology. “Neal is really a singularity in the world of chemical biology. It takes a lot of depth and insight into chemistry to be able to invent new chemical reactions, but at the same time he has depth as a biologist,” commented Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi, Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Chemical & Systems Biology and Radiology at Stanford University, and Neal’s mentor.
A distinguished jury selected these three National Laureates from 286 nominations submitted by 146 research institutions across 42 States.
Twenty-eight 2018 Blavatnik National Finalists were also honored during the evening. Dr. Tessier-Lavigne stated that 45% of this year’s honorees were immigrants hailing from nine different countries. Since the Awards inception in 2007, 249 scientists and engineers from 44 countries across six continents have been recognized by the Blavatnik Awards. As a native of Canada, he remarked, “I feel a special bond with all of them as an immigrant myself.” Dr. Tessier-Lavigne concluded the ceremony with a ‘fireside chat’ with the three Laureates, posing questions related to the future of their respective disciplines and the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education.
Distinguished guests who attended the ceremony included 2001 Nobel Laureate Dr. Barry Sharpless of The Scripps Research Institute; 2006 Nobel Laureate Dr. Roger D. Kornberg of Stanford University; 2000 Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric Kandel of Columbia University; Dr. Andrew Hamilton, President of New York University; Dr. Lawrence S. Bacow, President of Harvard University; Dr. Eric Lander, Director and Founder of the Broad Institute; Dr. Bruce Stillman, President and CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Prof. Nili Cohen, President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities; Prof. Joseph KIafter, President of Tel Aviv University; Warner Music Group CEO, Steve Cooper; and Australian writer-director-producer Baz Luhrmann.
Click here to see the Facebook Album from the 2018 Blavatnik National Awards Ceremony. | http://blavatnikawards.org/news/items/2018-blavatnik-national-awards-ceremony/ |
The detection and handling of data leakages is becoming a critical issue for organizations. To this end, data leakage solutions are usually employed by organizations to monitor network traffic and the use of portable storage devices. However, these solutions often produce a large number of alerts, whose analysis is time-consuming and costly for organizations. To effectively handle leakage incidents, organizations should be able to focus on the most severe incidents. Therefore, alerts need to be analyzed and prioritized with respect to their severity. This work presents a novel approach for the quantification of data leakages based on their severity. The approach quantifies the severity of leakages with respect to the amount and sensitivity of the leaked information as well as the ability to re-identify the data subjects of the leaked information. To specify and reason on data sensitivity in an application domain, we propose a data model representing the knowledge within the domain. We validate our quantification approach by analyzing data leakages within a healthcare environment. Moreover, we demonstrate that the data model allows for a more accurate characterization of data sensitivity while reducing the efforts for its specification. | https://research.tue.nl/en/publications/a-severity-based-quantification-of-data-leakages-in-database-syst |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for analysing signals comprising a linear combination of a number of sinusoids, or complex exponential functions, each having unknown amplitude, frequency, and initial phase. An additive noise can be present in these signals.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
There are many fields, (eg. speech, seismic, radar and biomedical processing) in which a wide variety of signals are encountered, which are a summation of sinusoids or complex exponential functions. Some of these signals can have harmonically related frequencies which results in a periodic waveform. Other signals consists of frequencies which are not harmonically related; this results in an irregular waveform. Frequently, it is desirable to be able to analyse the signals, and to break them down into components which can be readily handled for collecting or conveying information. It is known that any function can be expanded in a Fourier series of sinusoids or complex exponential functions. By superposition of the resultant series of sinusoids, or complex exponential functions, one can synthesize or recreate the original waveform.
Many proposals have been made for analysing periodic and complex signals, by spectral analysis methods. Known methods can be categorized as parametric or non-parametric. Conventional methods are based on the Fourier Transform, and are non-parametric. Most modern methods assume a rational transfer function model, ARMA (Auto-Regressive, Moving-Average) and hence they are parametric. Such methods achieve high frequency resolution, at the expense of enormous computations. Such techniques are described in "Spectrum Analysis--A Modern Perspective" by S. K. Kay, and S. L. Marple Junior, in the proceedings of the IEEE, volume 69, No. 11, November, 1981, pages 1380-1419, and in "Digital Signal Processing" edited by N. B. Jones, IEE Control Engineering Series 22, 1982.
The conventional Fourier Transform approach is based on a Fourier series model of the data. Recently, the fast Fourier Transform, and associated algorithms(e.g. the Winograd Fourier Transform and the Prime Factor Fourier Transform) have been suggested, and implemented using high- speed mini-computer, micro-computer, and array processes. It has been possible to compute the power spectral density of sampled data using the Fourier Transform in real-time for a large class of signals. In general, such a technique is fast and relatively easy to implement, and works well for very long sampled data and when the signal-to-noise ratio is low. However, this approach has the disadvantage that it lacks adequate frequency precision when the number of samples is small. This becomes more of a problem when the signal has time varying parameters, as for example in the case of speech. The frequency precision in Hertz is approximately equal to a discrete frequency in size, which is the reciprocal of the observation interval. Likewise the frequency resolution in multi-dimensional analysis is inversely proportional to the extent of the signal. Also, one has the problem of spectral leakage, due to the implicit windowing of the data resulting from the finite number of samples. This distorts the spectrum, and can further reduce the frequency precision. Since this is a non-parametric approach, both the amplitude and the phase spectrum are required to unambiguously represent a signal in the time domain.
Modern spectral estimation methods, developed in the past two decades, are based on a time series model ARMA, mentioned above. Such methods can have the advantage of providing higher frequency resolution. However, it should be noted that such higher frequency resolution can be achieved only under large signal-to-noise ratios. When this ratio is low, these methods do not give better frequency resolution than the classical Fourier Transform method. The computational requirements of these methods are much higher, and this makes them uhattractive, and possibly impractical, for real-time processing.
The Pisarenko Harmonic Decomposition method is a special ARMA model. Whilst this model can have some advantages, it does not include initial phases, and therefore this information is lost. It requires calculation of autocorrelation functions, and a computationally complex eigenequation solution. Evaluation of the order may involve several solutions of eigenequation. When incorrect order is used, spurious components or incorrect frequencies will be introduced with biased power estimates.
The extended Prony method has been developed for a signal consisting of real undamped sinusoids in noise. Whilst it does not require estimation of the autocorrelation functions, it requires the solution of two sets of simultaneous linear equations and a polynomial root solving, a difficult task.
When expanding a function consisting of a series of sinusoids or complex exponential functions, one needs to know the frequency, amplitude and initial phase of each component. Traditionally, the phase spectrum of the Fourier Transform has been ignored. It has generally been believed that the amplitude spectrum is more important than the phase spectrum, because the amplitude spectrum shows explicitly the signal's frequency content . Indeed, in some techniques, the initial phase information has been lost. Further, known techniques cannot be simultaneously both fast and accurate.
It is desirable to provide a method, and an apparatus for, expanding or analysing a signal into a series of sinusoids or complex exponential functions, which can be carried out in real time. The technique should give the frequency, initial phase and amplitude of all components, and further should be applicable to signals where these three parameters may vary but are nearly constant over a short observation interval. In other words, this method should work for reasonably few samples in short time or interval analysis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of analysing a signal, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) Taking the Fourier Transform of a signal, on a first basis set to create a plurality of first frequency components representative of the signal;
(ii) Separately applying a shift to said signal to create a shifted signal;
(iii) Taking the Fourier Transform of the shifted signal on a second basis set to create a plurality of second frequency components representative of the shifted signal;
(iv) Obtaining the arguments of at least one pair of corresponding first and second frequency components;
(v) Subtracting the arguments of the corresponding first and second components, to derive a phase difference; and
(vi) Obtaining the frequency of the corresponding constituent of the original signal from the respective phase difference;
The present invention is based on the realization that, a shift of a signal only causes change in the phase term in frequency domain. In addition, at a frequency basis that is close to the frequency of a particular sinusoid or complex exponential function in the signal, the argument and magnitude of the frequency constituent can be approximated by the phasor (or phasors for certain windows) of the sinusoid or complex exponential function at this frequency basis. It is expected that the tecnnique will frequently be applied to a time-varying signal and in this case the shift will be a time shift. However, the technique can be applied to many situations where one parameter varies with another parameter.
To determine the parameters of the sinusoids forming a time- varying signal, one should compare the original signal and a time- shifted signal, to obtain a set of phase differences at dominant spectral components. The frequencies of the dominant or main spectral components can then be quickly, and simply obtained from the phase differences. Once the frequencies are known, the initial phases and amplitudes of the dominant spectral components can also be obtained. In contrast to known techniques, the method of the present invention can be readily implemented in real time, and does not require a large number of samples.
In accordance of another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus, for use in analysing a signal, to determine the dominant spectral constituents thereof, the apparatus comprising:
(i) Delay means, for applying a delay to an input signal, to create a shifted signal;
(ii) First transform means for applying a Fourier Transform to an original signal, to create a plurality of first frequency components;
(iii) Second transform means for applying a Fourier Transform to the shifted signal to create a plurality of second frequency components;
(iv) Argument obtaining means, for obtaining the arguments of the corresponding first and second frequency components;
(v) Phase difference obtaining means, connected to the argument obtaining means; and
(vi) Frequency calculation means, connected to the phase difference obtaining means, for obtaining the frequencies of the constituents of the original signal from said phase differences.
From the obtained phase difference, one determines the frequency. This can be used to obtain the initial phase, and the amplitude of the corresponding constituent of the original signal can then be obtained. This can be applied to decomposing a signal to obtain the dominant components, or detecting the presence of a particular frequency.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, which show embodiments of the present invention, and in which:
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a rectangular-to-polar converter forming part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a dominant spectral components detector forming part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a frequency obtaining unit, forming part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an initial phase obtaining unit, forming part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an amplitude obtaining unit, forming part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 shows a network forming part of the amplitude obtaining unit of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 shows another network forming part of the amplitude obtaining unit of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 shows another network forming part of the amplitude obtaining unit of FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 shows the further network forming part of the amplitude obtaining unit of FIG. 6;
FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 13 shows a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 14 shows a block diagram of a fifth embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 15 shows a graph of an original signal generated from parameters of table 1;
FIG. 16 shows a graph of a resynthesized signal generated from parameters of table 2;
FIG. 17 is a graph of the estimation error;
FIG. 18 is a graph of the frequency spectrum for the original signal; and
FIG. 19 is a graph of the frequency spectrum of the estimation error of FIG. 17.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As mentioned, the present invention is applicable to many different signals, whether periodic or non-periodic. The signals can vary temporally or spatially. Further, the signal can comprise sinusoids or complex exponential functions. In some cases a parameter of interest may be analogous to frequency, but is not strictly an operating frequency. For example, a radar is used to determine the distance of objects. It transpires that one needs to sample the signal for discrete variations in the operating frequency, and in this case the distance becomes in effect the frequency parameter of the signal to be analysed. For simplicity, the invention is described only in relation to a time varying signal comprising sinusoids, although it can be applied to such other signals.
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown in block form a circuit of an apparatus, for implementing the present invention. In known manner, the circuit includes an anti-aliasing filter 2, which has an input for an analog signal. The output of the anti-aliasing filter 2 is connected to an analog-to digital converter 4, where the analog input is converted to a digital signal. For a digital input, a digital antialiasing filter would be used. This digital signal is represented by y(nT), where n is an integer that is an index for the discrete sample data and where T is a sampling period in seconds. Here, we are concerned with signals which comprise of a limited number of sinusoids. As is known, this signal can be represented as in the following equation: ##EQU1## where T=the sampling periods in seconds
n=an interger, index for the discrete sampled data
N=total number of samples within the time window
A.sub.i =amplitude of ith simusoid
f.sub.i =frequency of ith sinusoid
&phgr;.sub.i =initial phase of ith simusoid
A.sub.o =D.C. component.
As set out in this equation, it is assumed that various parameters, namely the amplitude, frequency and initial phase do not vary for each component of the signal. There are of course many signals in which these parameters vary considerably. However, there are also other signals in which these parameters are either constant as assumed, or only vary slowly with time. In the latter case, for a short time period, one can assume that they are constant.
In accordance with the present invention, it is necessary to process both the original signal and a time-shifted signal. In the present embodiment, this is achieved by providing two separate processing lines. In a first, upper processing line, there is a buffer register 8, in which values of the signal are stored.
At the same time, the lower processing line commences with a time delay unit 6, in which a time delay rT is added to the original, signal. As a result, a time-shifted signal is obtained, which can be represented by the following equation: ##EQU2## This equation shows one of the well- known properties of the Fourier Transform, which states that if a signal is advanced in time by rT seconds, then the spectrum will be modified by a linear phase shift of 2&pgr;f.sub.i rT.
The second processing line includes a corresponding second buffer. register 10, in which values of the time-shifted signal are stored. One then has the original signal and the time-shifted signal in the two buffer registers 8, 10. Timing is controlled such that when the buffer registers are storing data in regular intervals of time, the downstream apparatus operate on the previous time frames. The two buffers can also be combined to form only one buffer with extra samples for the time delay and connections to both processing lines.
In accordance with the present invention, it is necessary to effect a Fourier Transform of these two signals. To provide the necessary window function, a window coefficient generator 12 is provided to supply the window coefficient to a window coefficient register 14 at initialization. The window coefficient register 14 is connected to window multipliers 16, 18 in the two processing lines. Each window multiplier 16, 18 serves to multiply data from a respective buffer register 8, 10 by the chosen window function. Different window functions can be used, depending upon the characteristics required. For simplicity, a simple rectangular window can be used. Alternatively, one could use a Hanning window or a Hamming window. It should be borne in mind that the finite samples results in a spectral leakage problem. By careful choice of the window function, the leakage problem can be reduced.
Then, in the two processing lines there are Fourier Transform processors 20, 26. These Fourier Transform processors 20, 26 effect a discrete Fourier Transform of the windowed signal, to produce a periodic extension in time of the windowed signal. For a rectangular window, projections of the original signal on the basis set which expands the entire signal space can be obtained as the following equation: ##EQU3## A corresponding equation can be obtained for the transform of the time- shifted signal.
As can be seen from this equation, for any k in the discrete frequency domain, the Fourier Transform Y(k) is a resultant of a number of complex vectors. These vectors are projections of all sinusoids on the kth basis. For the ith sinusoid, the projections will be stronger on the closest kth basis where: ##EQU4## In other words, when the discrete frequency corresponding to the kth basis is close to f.sub.i provided that no other sinusoid has a frequency close to the same basis, the amplitude of the first complex vector for this particular sinusoid i is much higher than the amplitude of all the other complex factors making up that component. Due to the small contribution of the other factors, the resultant Y(k) is almost equal to this complex factor, and we can write: ##EQU5##
In these equations, the approximately equals sign is used for accuracy, but for clarity in the following discussion an ordinary equals sign is used.
Now, for the time-shifted signal y (nT+rT), one obtains a similar equation. From the Fourier Transform of this equation and using the similar argument to that outlined above, we can show that for the sinusoid i, we get the following: ##EQU6## Comparison of equations 4 and 5 with the corresponding equations 6 and 7 will show that, as expected, the magnitude of the amplitude is unchanged, and that the argument is altered by a phase shift term 2&pgr;f.sub.i rT. Accordingly, as the time shift is varied, the amplitude remains unchanged, but the respective phase difference varies.
In the first signal line, following the Fourier Transform processor 20, there is a rectangular-to-polar converter 22, in which the output of the processor 20 is converted to polar coordinates. The rectangular-to-polar converter is shown in detail in FIG. 2. As indicated at 60, it has inputs for the real and imaginary parts of each component of the signal Y, namely ##EQU7## The inputs 60 are connected to respective square circuits 62, in which the real and imaginary parts are squared. These squared quantities are then added in an adder 64, to give the squared value of the amplitude of each component as indicated at an output 66. The inputs 60 are further connected to a divider 68 in which the imaginary part of each component is divided by the real part. The resultant is transmitted to a unit 70 in which the operator TAN.sup.- 1 is performed. This gives the argument of each component at an output 72.
A buffer register 24 receives the output of the converter 22, and stores the squared values of the amplitude and the argument for each component of the transformed signal.
A dominant spectral components detector 30 is connected to the buffer register 24, and processes the data stored therein, to determine the dominant spectral components. The dominant spectral components detector is shown in detail in FIG. 3. As detailed below, two different techniques are combined, to determine the dominant spectral components.
Here, we use the convention: |Y(k)| is the magnitude of Y(k). As shown, there are inputs 80 for three comparators 81, 82 and 83. For each index k, the first comparator 81 is provided with | Y(k)| and |Y(k-1)|. In the first comparator 81, these two quantities are compared, and a l signal transmitted, if . vertline.Y(k)| is greater than or equal to . vertline.Y(k-1). vertline.. Similarly, for the second comparator 82, the quantities . vertline.Y(k)| and |Y(k+1) are supplied to the inputs. These two quantities are compared, and if |Y(k). vertline. is greater or equal to |Y(k+1), a one signal is sent. For the third comparator 83, the quantity |Y(k)| and a threshold signal Th are supplied to the inputs. These two values are compared, and if |Y(k)| is greater than the threshold value, a one signal is transmitted.
The outputs of the three comparators 81, 82, 83 are connected to an AND gate 86. The output of this AND gate 86 is connected to a one shot device 88, which responds to a positive going input. The output of the device 88 is in turn connected to one input of a final AND gate 90.
In use, it will be seen that the AND gate 86 only produces an output, when it has three positive inputs. For this, it is necessary that . vertline.Y(k)| is greater than or equal to both | Y(k-1) | and |Y(k+1)| as well as being greater than a threshold level. In other words, this arrangement detects the presence of a local peak. Since the comparators 81, 82 will transmit a positive signal when |Y(k)| is equal to | Y(k- 1). vertline. and |Y(k+1)|, a plateau formed from a set of three or two equal values of Y(k) could cause the AND gate to transmit two or three separate positive signals, indicative of separate peaks. In order to ensure that, for such a plateau, only one indication of a peak or maxiumum is given, the one shot unit 88 is included. Where one has two or three equal values of |Y(k)| greater than the values of the two adjacent Y(k) points, and the threshold value, then a positive signal will be transmitted by the AND gate 86, for each point. However, as the unit 88 only responds to a positive going input, it will only respond to the first maximum |Y(k)| value, as this sends the input of the unit 88 positive. For subsequent equal values of . vertline.Y(k) |, the input of the device 88 remains positive but is not subject to a positive going input so no further signal will be transmitted from it.
Whilst the comparators are shown processing the quantities . vertline. Y(k)|, they could equally process |Y(k). vertline. .sup. 2 as these are the actual values stored in the buffer register 24.
As a further check on the presence of the peak or maximum, indicative of a dominant spectral component, the arguments of the Y(k) values are used. Examination of equation 5 will show that the difference between the phases of adjacent Fourier Transforms in the spectrum at dominant spectral components is equal to (1-1/N)&pgr;. This characteristic is used to determine the presence of a dominant spectral component.
A subtractor 92 has two inputs, to which the values of the argument of Y(k) and Y(k+1) are supplied. These two arguments are then subtracted to give the phase difference. It is possible that this phase difference is negative. For this reason, a comparator 94 is provided. In the comparator 94, the value of the phase difference V is compared with a 0 value. If the phase difference is positive, i.e. greater than 0, then no signal is transmitted from the comparator 94. If the phase difference V is negative, then a signal is transmitted from the comparator 94 to an adder 96 and to a selector 98. In the adder 96, the value 2&pgr; is added to the phase difference V, to make it positive. In the absence of a signal from the comparator 94, the selector 98 takes the phase difference V supplied to an input 100. When enabled by the comparator 94, the selector 98 takes a signal from the adder 96 at an input 102. The selected signal, representative of the phase difference is then transmitted to two final comparators 104 and 106.
The two comparators 104, 106 have two further inputs supplied with two values U and L, representative of upper and lower limits, these being given by the following equations. ##EQU8## where &xgr;=&xgr;'=0.2, or other chosen value. As indicated, the comparator 104 determines whether the phase difference signal is less than the upper limit, whilst the comparator 106 determines if the phase difference signal is greater than the lower limit. If these two conditions are met, then positive signals are transmitted from both comparators 104, 106, to the final AND gate 90. Accordingly, for a signal to be transmitted from the AND gate 90, it must receive an indication from the one shot device 88 that the . vertline.Y(k) | value is a maximum, and an indication from the two comparators 104, 106 that the phase difference meets the requirement for a dominant spectral component. With these conditions met, a positive signal is transmitted to an increment counter 108 and a recorder 110. The increment counter 108 counts the number of dominant spectral components detected, these being given the index M, whilst the recorder 110 records the k value of that dominant spectral component. Further, as indicated, the signal from the AND gate 90 is transmitted to selectors 32, 34 (FIG. 1).
It is to be appreciated that the two tests for a dominant spectral component need not both be used. For some applications, one could use just the magnitude text, whilst for other applications one could use the argument test.
On the basis of the k values of the dominant spectral components, the selector 32 selects the values of the square of the amplitude and the argument for the dominant spectral components. The square of the amplitude is transmitted to a square root circuit 33, which determines the amplitude of that component. The argument is transmitted to a phase difference obtainer 38. Simultaneously, the selector 34 selects the various Y(k) components of the time-shifted signal from the buffer register 28, corresponding to the dominant spectral components. These are then transmitted to an argument obtaining unit 36. In this unit 36, the arguments of the dominant spectral components are obtained. This is achieved in a similar manner to the derivation for the original signal, effected in the rectangular-to-polar converter 22, as shown by components 68, 70 in FIG. 2.
A subtraction unit 38 is then supplied with the arguments of the components of the original and the time-shifted signal for the dominant spectral components. These arguments are subtracted to give a set of phase difference values &thgr;.sub.i.
These phase differences &thgr;.sub.i are then supplied to a frequency obtaining unit 40. This frequency obtaining unit 40 is shown in detail in FIG. 4. It has an input 120 which is connected to a comparator 122 and to an adder 124. Further, the input 120 is connected to a selector 126. The comparator 122 compares the phase difference value with a zero input. If the phase difference value is less than 0, then it sends a positive or enable signal to the adder 124 and the selector 126. The adder then takes the phase difference input, adds the value to 2&pgr; to it to make a positive value, and transmits the positive phase difference value to the selector 126. When enabled by the comparator 122, the selector 126 takes the signal at its input 128, and transmits this to a divider 132. When the original phase difference value is positive, no signal is sent by the comparator 122, and the selector then transmits the original phase difference value received at its input 130 to the divider 132. As detailed above, the phase difference &thgr;.sub.i is equal to 2&pgr;f.sub. j rT. Accordingly, in the divider 132, the phase difference is divided by the quantity 2&pgr;rT, this value being stored in a unit 134. The output of the divider then gives the frequency for each sinusoid, namely f.sub.i. The frequency values for all the dominant spectral components are then transmitted to an initial phase calculation unit 42 and an amplitude calculation unit 44.
The initial phase obtaining unit 42 is shown in detail in FIG. 5. It has three inputs 140, 142 and 144. These three inputs are connected respectively to: the selector 32 to receive the arguments of the dominant spectral components of the original signal; to the dominant spectral components detector 30 via the selector 32, to receive the k indices corresponding to the dominant spectral components; and to the frequency obtaining unit 40, to receive the frequencies of the dominant spectral components. The input 140 is connected to an adder 146, in which a fixed value &pgr;/2 is added to the argument, and this sum is transmitted to a summation unit 148. Note that the fixed value of &pgr;/2 is provided from a device 150, which is common with a network W, described below. The second input 142 is connected to a subtraction unit 152. The third input 144 is connected to a multiplication unit 154, in which it is multiplied by a fixed value NT the resultant f.sub.i NT is stored in a register 156, for use in the amplitude obtaining unit 44. This resultant is also transmitted to the subtractor 152, in which the corresponding k index is subtracted from it. The output of the subtractor 152 is transmitted to a multiplication device 158, in which it is multiplied by a value (1-1/N). pi.. The output of the multiplication unit 158 is also connected to the summation unit 148, in which it is subtracted from the output of the adder 146. It will be seen that the output of the summation unit 148 is: < Y(k)+&pgr;/2-(1-1/N). pi.(f.sub.i NT-k) It will be seen that this is the value of the initial phase, corresponding to equation 5. This value of the initial phase is passed through a modular 2&pgr; device 160, to give a positive initial phase in the range (0,2&pgr;) at an output 162.
Turning to the amplitude obtaining unit 44, it will be seen that this unit comprises a number of individual networks X, Y and Z. These individual networks will be described, before a description is given of the whole amplitude obtaining unit 44.
Similar to equation 3, it can be shown that, at each dominant spectral component, there are from each sinusoid six elements making up that dominant spectral component, so that both the Hanning or Hamming window could be used. Each element has an amplitude derived by a respective network X, and an argument derived by a respective network Y or Z.
&agr;=0.54 for Hamming window
&agr;=0.50 for Hanning window
&agr;=1 for rectangular window. ##EQU9## This equation is the equation for the time-shifted signal. For the original signal, the term 2. pi.f.sub.i rt, which equals &thgr;.sub.i, is dropped or set to zero.
It can be seen from the above equation that, for a rectangular window only two elements from each sinusoid make up the frequency component and consequently the circuit could be considerably simplified for just a rectangular window. The amplitude obtaining unit 44 derives the values of the magnitude for each sinusoid making up the signal, as given by the following equation: ##EQU10## where ##EQU11##
To further simplify the hardware for unit 44, the negative frequency elements in equation 9 can be eliminated. Thus the networks X. sub.4, X. sub.5, X.sub.6 and Z are eliminated from unit 44.
Turning to FIG. 7, there is shown a schematic of a network X, together with tables indicative of the values of a co-efficient &ggr;, for the various different networks X. Each network X has an input 170, which receives a respective input signal S, as explained below for the amplitude obtaining unit 44. This input is connected to a comparator 172, which determines whether the input signal S is zero or not. The comparator 172 has two enabling outputs connected to a derivation unit 174 and a fixed value unit 176. The input signal S is also supplied to the derivation unit 174. When S does not equal 0, then the unit 174 is enabled, to determine the value of the function: &ggr; Sin(&pgr;S)/Sin(. pi.S/N). When S is equal to 0, then the fixed value unit 176, is activated to provide a value determined from L'Hopital's rule. A selector 178 receives the outputs of the two units or devices 174, 176, together with an enabling signal; it selects the appropriate input signal and communicates this to an output 180, dependent upon the enabling signal. The value of the constant &ggr; is chosen in accordance with the two tables, the constant varying for different windows and for the six different networks X. By way of example, values are given for a rectangular window, and for Hanning and Hamming windows.
As each of the networks Y, Z requires one input which is common to the two networks, a separate network W is provided for obtaining this input signal. Network W is shown in FIG. 10. It has an input 190 for the initial phase obtained by the phase obtaining unit 42, for each of the dominant spectral components. It also has an input 192 for the phase difference signals &thgr;.sub.i although this would be omitted for the original signal. As mentioned above, a fixed value unit 150 containing the value &pgr;/2, common to the initial phase calculation unit 42, is also provided at an input. A summation unit 194 is connected to these three inputs, and sums the initial phase, the phase difference, and substracts the fixed value &pgr;/2, to give an output of: &phgr;.sub.i +. theta..sub.l -&pgr;/2. The values of this output for the different dominant spectral components are stored in a register 196, for use in the networks Y, Z.
The network Y is shown in FIG. 8. It has an input for the signal S, connected to a multiplication device 200. A fixed value device, supplies the value (1-1/N)&pgr;, to the multiplication device 200. The output of the device 200 is connected to a summation device or adder 202, where it is added with a corresponding output from the network W. This gives a signal P, and a device 204 determines the quantity EXP(jP), which is transmitted to the output.
Referring to FIG. 9, which shows a network Z, the network Z is generally similar to the network Y, and like components are given the same reference. The adder 202 produces an output, which is denoted as Q. In a device 206, the quantity EXP(-jQ) is determined.
Turning back to the amplitude obtaining unit 44 of FIG. 6, it will be seen that there are provided two inputs 210, 212 connected respectively to the dominant spectral components detector 30, and the selector 32. The input 210 is connected to both a subtractor 214 and an adder 216. A value f.sub.i NT stored in the register 156 is also connected to inputs of the subtractor 214 and adder 216. Consequently, the output of the subtractor 214 is f.sub.i NT-k, whilst the output of the adder 216 is f.sub.i NT+k.
The subtractor 214 and adder 216 are connected to respective increment and decrement units 218, 220, 222 and 224. The increment units 218, 222 add the quantity 1 to the received signal, whilst the decrement units 220, 224 subtract the quantity 1. The networks X.sub.1, X.sub.4 receive the ouputs of the subtractor 214 and 216 directly. The networks X. sub.2, X. sub.5 receive the outputs of the increment units 218, 222 respectively, whilst the networks X.sub.3, X.sub.6 receive the outputs of the decrement units 220, 224. The networks Y, Z receive inputs corresponding to that received by their corresponding networks X. Since the networks X all behave similarly, and since the networks Y, Z also all behave similarly, a description will just be given of the operation of the network X.sub.1 and associated network Y denoted by the reference 226.
The network X.sub.1 and the network Y are connected to a multiplication unit 228. The network X.sub.1 obtains the magnitude of the element of the transformed component; as explained above, the network X. sub.1 receiving the input f.sub.i NT-K. The network Y simultaneously obtains the argument for that element, as explained above. This argument and amplitude are then multiplied together by the multiplication device 228, to give a signal representative of that element of the transformed component. A summation unit 230 has inputs for all six elements making up the component of the transformed signal. These are summed, and the sum is transmitted as a signal R to a unit 232. Since the signal contains real and imaginary components, in the unit 232, these real and imaginary components are squared, summed and square rooted to obtain the magnitude of the signal R. This is transmitted to a dividing unit 234, which also receives the signal 1Y(k)1. In the dividing unit 234, |Y(k). vertline. is divided by |R. vertline. to give the amplitude of that dominant spectral component.
A description will now be given of the other embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14. In these other embodiments of the present invention, many of the components are the same as in the first embodiment described above. These components are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions of them and their modes of operation are not repeated.
Turning to FIG. 11, there is shown a second embodiment, which includes an alternative way of obtaining the arguments of the time- shifted components and the phase differences. Here, the time-shifted processing line includes an argument obtaining unit 36a, which replaces the argument obtaining unit 36 of the first embodiment. This argument obtaining unit 36a is located immediately after the Fourier Transform processor 26. Consequently, the arguments of all the components will be obtained. These are then stored in the buffer register 28. The selector 34 then selects the arguments of the dominant spectral components, and these are supplied to the phase difference obtaining unit 38. This technique may have advantages in some circumstances, although it does require the derivation of some redundant values, namely the arguments of the components which are not dominant spectral components. Otherwise, the remainder of this embodiment functions as the first embodiment.
With reference to FIG. 12, in this third embodiment, the Fourier Transform processor 26 is connected to the output of the dominant spectral components detector 30. The buffer register 28 and selector 34 of the first embodiment are omitted. The Fourier Transform processor 26 is controlled by the dominant spectral components detector, so as to only obtain the Fourier Transform of the dominant spectral components. These Fourier Transforms are transmitted to the argument obtaining unit 36, in which the respective arguments are obtained. Otherwise, again this circuit functions as for the first embodiment.
As mentioned above, the signal sample taken is of finite length. In effect, a finite signal represents a signal which has already been subjected to a rectangular window. This characteristic can be used to simplify the circuit. One simply takes the finite signal sample available, and operates on this, without subjecting it to a window function. This enables the elimination of the components necessary for producing and applying the window function, namely the components 12, 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 1.
With reference to FIG. 13, there is shown an apparatus including a single input buffer register 8. The signal sample available is considered to be a signal having n samples where n=0 . . . N+r-1. This signal sample is broken up to form an original signal, and a time- shifted signal. The signal samples in the range n=0 . . . N-1 are treated as the original signal, whilst the signal samples in the range n=r . . . N=r-1 are treated as the time-shifted signal.
It will be noted that these two signals overlap. This fact is used, to eliminate unnecessary duplication in the Fourier Transform calculation. The first Fourier Transform processor calculates the Fourier Transforms for the original signal. The Fourier Transform processor 26 utilizes this first transform to reduce the time needed to get the transform of the shifted signal. Thus, from the buffer register 8, the signal samples in the nonoverlap range are sent to the Fourier Transform processor 26, and the Fourier Transform of the relevant parts of the original signal are sent from the first Fourier Transform processor 20 to the second Fourier Transform processor 26. Again, this third embodiment otherwise operates as for the first embodiment.
Finally, turning to the fourth embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 14, again the overlap between the original and time-shifted signals is utilized, to reduce the operations required. Here, the time delay rT is again applied to obtain a time-shifted signal. However, it is only applied to part of the original signal, and in the buffer register 10 only the additional values of the time-shifted signal are stored, which do not overlap the original signal. Again, like the third embodiment of FIG. 12, there is a Fourier Transform processor 26a, for just obtaining the Fourier Transform of the dominant spectral components. To reduce the effort required, it is supplied with the Fourier Transform of the original signals from the Fourier Transform processor 20. Additionally, the non-overlapping samples from the original and time- shifted signals are supplied from the buffer register 8, and the additional samples of the time-shifted signal are sent from the buffer register 10. Otherwise, this circuit functions as described for the first and third embodiments.
By way of example, reference will now be made to FIGS. 15-19, which show an application of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
These figures show a simulation carried out using the parameters listed in the fo11owing table 1. ##TBL1##
The frequencies were selected, such that they have different distances between adjacent sinusoids. Also, the frequency locations are all at the middle of frequency bins, so that all the local maxima of the side lobes of the window spectrum can be captured. In other words, maximum spectral leakage is displayed in the spectrum. The signal was processed by the outline above, using a Hanning window, and r equals to 1. The results of the simulation are given in the following table 2. ##TBL2##
FIG. 15 shows a graph of the original signal, given by the parameters of Table 1. FIG. 16 shows a graph of the resynthesized signal, according to the parameters given in Table 2. FIG. 17 shows the error waveform, on a larger scale. Two additional spectra or graphs are plotted in FIGS. 18 and 19; the first one is obtained from the original signal, whilst the second one in FIG. 19 is obtained from the estimation error waveform.
From the Table 2, we can see that the method obtained five dominant spectral constituents, corresponding generally closely to the original constituents of the original input signal. We can see that the main error in this resynthesized signal is from the estimation of the lower frequencies. This is apparent from the error waveform in FIG. 17, and also the error waveform spectrum in FIG. 19. The two lower frequencies are close together, so that the frequency estimations are more influenced by spectral leakage. In addition, they have less separation from their own negative frequencies than other higher frequency components. Higher net interferences therefore exist in these lower frequencies.
It is to be appreciated that the above description of the various embodiments of the apparatus and method are for an application in which one wishes to know the dominant spectral components of an unknown signal. This basic technique can be varied in numerous ways.
Whilst the above technique uses simultaneous processing of the original signal and a time-shifted signal, this is not always necessary. In some circumstances, it may be acceptable to use sequential processing. In this case, the original signal would be processed first, and then the time-shifted signal. In this case, one can eliminate much of the hardware or operations needed for the time-shifted signal.
Further, for example, in the phase obtaining unit 42, it may sometimes be desirable to operate on the argument of the time-shifted signal. In this case, the summation unit 148 should include an input for a quantity representative of the phase difference 2&pgr;f.sub.i rT.
Whilst the technique has been described as applied to a time- varying signal, it could be applied to a signal which varies in dependence upon another parameter, such as distance. Also, it is not always necessary to look for the dominant spectral components. In some circumstances, one may be interested in simply knowing the characteristics of a small part of the frequency spectrum. This can be selected.
In the case of components comprising complex exponential functions, the equation can be written as ##EQU12##
The process involved in finding f.sub.i and &phgr;.sub.i are identical to those for sinusoids. As for the evaluation of A.sub.i, the phasors for the negative frequencies in equations 3, 8 and 9 are eliminated, reducing the number of terms by half.
The way to distinguish sine components from the complex exponential components is that for sine components there are corresponding magnitude peaks at both the positive and the negative frequencies of the transformed signal. Whereas exponential components have only one magnitude peak either at the positive frequency or at the negative frequency depending on the sign of the exponent.
For multi-dimensional signal analysis, the process is in parallel of the one-dimensional signal analysis.
Finally, whilst the described apparatus has been shown as different function units for clarity, these could be combined in various ways and implemented in one device or unit. The functions could be implemented, for example, optically or electronically. The devices can be analogue or digital.
It is expected that this technique could be applied to the decomposition or analysis of numerous signals, such as vibration signals. Such analysis makes it much easier to store data representative of the signal. Instead of having to store numerous sample points of the signal, one need simply store the amplitude, frequency and initial phase values for the dominant spectral constituents. This reduction in the data required to define a signal also facilitates transmission of the signal, and can be used to clean out or eliminate background noise.
The technique can be applied to relatively short data samples, and still obtain accurate results. It is anticipated that this may well enable Modems to handle a larger amount of data. | |
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