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329 F.3d 919
Steven MARTIN and Tammy Stolka, Plaintiffs-Appellants,v.Donald N. SNYDER, Jr., et al., Defendants-Appellees.
No. 02-1135.
United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit.
Argued April 2, 2003.
Decided May 23, 2003.
Rehearing Denied June 12, 2003.
Michael E. Martinez (argued), Bell, Boyd & LLoyd, Chicago, IL, for Plaintiff-Appellant.
John P. Schmidt (argued), Office of Atty. General Civil Appeals Div., Chicago, IL, for Defendant-Appellees.
Before BAUER, EASTERBROOK, and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges.
EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge.
1
Steven Martin has been in Illinois' custody since 1987, when he was convicted of murder. His projected parole date is in December 2004. During summer 2000 Tammy Stolka, Martin's girlfriend, paid him a visit. While the couple embraced and kissed, Martin fondled her buttocks. That led to a disciplinary ticket for abuse of privileges. The prison's adjustment committee concluded that Martin had violated prison rules about sexual contact and prohibited him from receiving visitors for 30 days. Stolka was placed on a restricted list of indefinite duration. In January 2001 Martin and Stolka requested the warden's permission to marry; the request was denied because Stolka was not then allowed to visit Martin. They filed this suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, contending that the Director of the Department of Corrections plus the prison's warden and several other officials violated the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment by restricting the couple's ability to see and wed each other.
2
In December 2001 the district court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). The judge concluded that Martin has received all the process due him for restriction of visiting rights and that Stolka has no independent right to visit prisoners, so that she was not entitled to a hearing. See Mayo v. Lane, 867 F.2d 374, 376 (7th Cir.1989). Although the court recognized that prisoners have a fundamental right to marry, see Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 94-100, 107 S.Ct. 2254, 96 L.Ed.2d 64 (1987), it relied on Turner's observation that prisons may curtail this right for sound penological purposes. 482 U.S. at 89, 107 S.Ct. 2254. Violating a valid prison rule is a good reason to block marriage, the judge held. Shortly after this opinion was released, the warden sent Stolka a letter reinstating her visitation privileges. The restriction had lasted 18 months, and the marriage had been deferred for 12 months. Martin and Stolka soon saw one another again and have since been married.
3
Because the marriage has occurred and visitation is ongoing, plaintiffs' request for injunctive relief is moot. And what could be the damages from delay? Martin and Stolka do not have children, so their welfare is not at issue, nor does marriage create a right of procreation from within prison walls or even of contact visitation. See Gerber v. Hickman, 291 F.3d 617 (9th Cir.2002) (en banc); Goodwin v. Turner, 908 F.2d 1395 (8th Cir.1990). Turner v. Safley recognizes a right to a particular legal status, not a right to intimacy or privacy. Marriage may affect eligibility for social welfare programs or health benefits, may reduce (or increase) income taxation on joint income, and may affect inheritance when one spouse dies. But both plaintiffs are alive, and they do not contend that marriage would have reduced their taxes or increased their receipts from third parties. Marriage often has religious or spiritual significance, but plaintiffs do not assert that interest either. Instead, they contend, lack of an earlier ceremony caused them emotional distress. Martin immediately encounters 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(e), which provides: "No Federal civil action may be brought by a prisoner confined in a jail, prison, or other correctional facility, for mental or emotional injury suffered while in custody without a prior showing of physical injury." See Zehner v. Trigg, 133 F.3d 459 (7th Cir.1997). Martin does not contend that he has suffered any physical injury. Stolka, however, is unaffected by this statute and may have a claim to at least some compensation. Compare Carey v. Piphus, 435 U.S. 247, 98 S.Ct. 1042, 55 L.Ed.2d 252 (1978), with Memphis Community School District v. Stachura, 477 U.S. 299, 106 S.Ct. 2537, 91 L.Ed.2d 249 (1986). It is unnecessary to catalog the possibilities, or to decide what effect Calhoun v. DeTella, 319 F.3d 936 (7th Cir.2003), may have on Martin's claim, because qualified immunity blocks damages in any event.
4
Defendants have asserted qualified immunity as a basis for affirmance, as they are entitled to do even though the district court did not reach that issue. See Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Ludwig, 426 U.S. 479, 96 S.Ct. 2158, 48 L.Ed.2d 784 (1976). The first step in assessing an immunity defense is determining whether the complaint states a claim. See Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, 201, 121 S.Ct. 2151, 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001). The district court thought not, but we do not share this view. After Turner, a complaint based on prisoners' interest in marriage states a claim; a legitimate penological justification for refusing to allow the marriage is a defense that cannot be adjudicated under Rule 12(b)(6). Turner itself shows this. The Court looked to the record, not to the allegations of the complaint, and it ruled in the prisoner's favor because the record did not show a penological justification for refusal to allow the marriage in question. A plaintiff may of course plead himself out of court by cinching the defense for his adversary, but this complaint does not do so. Although it alleges that the warden revoked the plaintiffs' visitation privileges on account of rule violations, this need not imply that a marriage would have undermined the prison's ability to enforce its rules. Plaintiffs sought to alter their legal status, which was possible without restoring regular visitation opportunities. Moreover, defendants have never explained why Stolka's right to visit Martin was suspended for longer than Martin's right to receive a visit from Stolka. So the complaint was not enough to support a decision in defendants' favor. Because there is no record, however, we cannot tell whether defendants could establish a penological justification for the delay.
5
Nonetheless, plaintiffs get no further. Though the complaint protests a denial of marriage, we know now that the warden did not preclude it. He only postponed it. Turner does not say that every delay violates the Constitution, and several decisions have held that prisoners may be required to wait for counseling or administrative processing. See, e.g., Jolivet v. Steele, 1992 WL 95506, 1992 U.S.App. LEXIS 9993 (10th Cir. Apr. 30, 1992). Restrictions on visitation, though not enough to justify prohibiting marriage, may well justify deferment, so that the sanction for misconduct will have some sting. No case of which we are aware concludes that a year's delay is unconstitutional when the prisoner's misbehavior has led to curtailment of visiting rights. Nor does the lack of authority imply that delay is so clearly forbidden that no one would bother to defend or litigate about the practice. There have been other protests about delay in marriage, and wardens have won all of the appellate decisions we could locate. (The only potentially contrary decision is Buehl v. Lehman, 802 F.Supp. 1266, 1271-72 (E.D.Pa.1992), which as the opinion of a trial court not only is of negligible precedential value but also does not reveal the outcome; it holds only that the plaintiff had enough evidence to get past summary judgment.) The district judge in this very suit thought that delay for as long as Stolka's visiting privileges were suspended is lawful. It is very hard to see how it could be deemed clearly established that delay is forbidden, when a federal judge with ample time for legal research has reached the conclusion that delay is constitutional. Qualified immunity thus is appropriate in this case, but in the future district judges should not dismiss similar complaints at the pleading stage.
AFFIRMED
6
WILLIAMS, Circuit Judge, dissenting.
7
I respectfully dissent. The panel's conclusion that the defendants are entitled to qualified immunity is based on the characterization of Martin and Stolka's claim as a postponement of their marriage rather than a denial. This is an artificial distinction in a case such as this where, as the majority points out, the plaintiffs were allowed to marry only after their § 1983 suit was filed. A decision by defendants to change their conduct after the plaintiffs file suit does not erase the constitutional violation. Other than a de minimus delay reasonably related to penological goals, a denial of the right to marry must be analyzed under the reasonableness inquiry established in Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 89-92, 107 S.Ct. 2254, 96 L.Ed.2d 64 (1987). Otherwise, once a constitutional violation stops, plaintiffs would have no recourse for a deprivation of their rights. I view this case, therefore, as involving not simply a delay in the right to marry, but a denial.
8
Left, then, with Martin and Stolka's claim that defendants violated their right to marry, I believe additional fact development is necessary before this court could decide whether defendants are entitled to qualified immunity, particularly in this case where plaintiffs' complaint was filed pro se. "Rule 12(b)(6) is a mismatch for immunity and almost always a bad ground for dismissal.... [A]nd when defendants do assert immunity it is essential to consider facts in addition to those in the complaint." Jacobs v. City of Chicago, 215 F.3d 758, 775 (7th Cir.2000) (Easterbrook, J., concurring).
9
Furthermore, I do not believe that Martin's damages claim is precluded by 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(e). In dicta, the majority appears to support the premise that Martin has no possible damages remedy. This analysis seems to be in conflict with this circuit's rule as expressed in Calhoun v. DeTella, 319 F.3d 936, 941 (7th Cir.2003), that "§ 1997e(e), as the plain language of the statute would suggest, limits recovery `for mental and emotional injury,' but leaves unaffected claims for nominal and punitive damages, which seek to remedy a different type of injury." Therefore, I would reverse the decision of the district court and remand for further consideration of both plaintiffs' substantive due process and equal protection claims.
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Q:
MongoDB $unwind field name conflict
Schema: {title: '', author: '', post: '', comments: [{author:'', comments: ''}]}
Would there be 2 authors in the new document as a result of $unwind: "$comments"? How to give a new field name to comments.author?
A:
$unwind outputs a document for each element in the array. Each new document has the array replaced by one of the elements in the array. In this case, because it is an array of embedded documents, the output of the new field will be an embedded document, named comments and with the fields author and comments.
So there will not be a conflict, as the author field will be embedded in the comments field.
The easiest way to see this is to try it yourself:
db.test.aggregate([{ $unwind : "$comments" }]);
Outputs:
{
"_id" : ObjectId("55e76c41ca8a53ab3b4e827b"),
"title" : "",
"author" : "",
"post" : "",
"comments" : { "author" : "", "comments" : "" }
}
If you did want to flatten the embedded document and rename the field, you would add a $project stage into the aggregation pipeline after the $unwind.
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DOWNLOADS
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DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Description) The Biostatistics Core is part of the Biostatistics Support Group (BSG) which has provided research support to the University of Minnesota Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program (BMT) since its inception in the late seventies and core support to the Stem Cell Program Project since 1995. Statisticians provide expertise in the planning and analysis of clinical and laboratory studies. They also supervise a technical staff in the design, maintenance, and data collection of the BMT research database. This comprehensive database contains clinical data on each of the more than 3,000 patients who have received transplants at the University of Minnesota over the past 30 years. The support provided by the Biostatistics Core will continue along the same lines as for the current grant. The services are divided into the following connected Objectives: Objective 1. Statistical Planning and Analysis. To provide statistical expertise in the planning and analysis of clinical trials (projects 2, 3, 4, 5) statistical consultation to researchers carrying out laboratory studies (Projects 1-5, Core D). To provide access to the BMT database for retrieval of suitable clinical data for planning of new studies and to serve as historical controls. Objective 2. Data Collection, Entry, and Quality Assurance. To collect, enter, and quality assure pre- and post-transplant data on donors and patients enrolled in clinical trials of the Program Project. Objective 3. Database Design and Management. To design, maintain, protect the integrity, and update the comprehensive BMT database to accommodate the needs of the Stem Cell Program Project. Maintain and update the reporting and data retrieval system. Objective 4. Maintenance of the Computer Network. To maintain and update the computer network for data entry, connection to the database and connections to the hospital information systems to accommodate the needs of the Program Project.
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DENVER — The Supreme Court’s decision Wednesday on Proposition 8 unlocked the door for same-sex marriage in California but also may have stifled the voices of the state’s voters.
In its 5-4 decision, the high court ruled that the private group behind the citizen-initiated measure on the November 2008 ballot had no standing to defend Proposition 8 in federal court, even after California Gov. Jerry Brown and state officials refused to do so.
The ruling on standing, while seemingly technical, has alarmed critics on both ends of the political spectrum, who worry that the decision effectively gives state officials the unchecked power to nullify ballot initiatives they dislike by refusing to enforce them or defend them in court.
“I think regardless of what anybody thinks about same-sex marriage, everyone who cares about democracy should be concerned about this decision,” said John Matsusaka, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California. “It’s fundamentally undemocratic.”
The national revolt against higher taxes arguably began with a California citizen initiative: Howard Jarvis’ Proposition 13 in 1978. Over the years, the state’s voters have weighed in on such hot-button issues as term limits, bilingual education, affirmative action, medical marijuana, punishment for crimes, government debt and, in 2008, same-sex marriage.
But the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., essentially held that those who draft, finance and campaign for the initiatives can’t get into the courtroom to defend their handiwork.
“We have never before upheld the standing of a private party to defend the constitutionality of a state statute when state officials have chosen not to,” Chief Justice Roberts said in the majority opinion. “We decline to do so for the first time here.”
Most of the criticism of the court’s ruling on standing has come from conservative analysts such as Ryan T. Anderson, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who said the decision “sets a disturbing precedent.”
“It would allow the executive branch to effectively veto any duly enacted law simply by refusing to defend it against a constitutional challenge,” Mr. Anderson said.
Conservative activists traditionally have used the ballot measure to greater effect than liberals, but left-wing political blogger Kevin Drum of Mother Jones agreed that the decision “has neither the flavor of justice nor of democratic governance, regardless of whether I like the outcome.”
“In cases like these, of course the governor and legislature are going to decline to defend the law in court,” Mr. Drum said in a post last week. The high court is “basically gutting the people’s right to pass initiatives that elected officials don’t like and then to defend them all the way to the highest court in the land.”
State voter powers
About half the states allow citizen ballot initiatives and popular referendums, and all states have mechanisms for their legislatures to refer issues to the ballot. The initiative typically is used “when elected representatives don’t do what the people want,” Mr. Matsusaka said.
Under the Supreme Court’s ruling, however, any ballot measure passed by state voters can be rendered moot by a lawsuit combined with an unsympathetic state attorney general.
In Colorado, for example, conservatives immediately connected the dots to the state’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a 1992 initiative that requires voters to approve tax increases. If Democrats in the blue-trending state are able to replace term-limited Attorney General John Suthers, a Republican, with one from their own party next year, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights could be eliminated.
“Did the Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Ruling Just Destroy Colorado’s TABOR Law?” said a headline Wednesday on the Colorado MediaTrackers website.
Conservative Denver commentator Joshua Sharf said the 20-year-old constitutional amendment “might be left without defense, and without any party with standing to conduct a defense.” It could be “killed by default,” he said.
In his dissent to the Prop 8 ruling, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy broached the same issue, writing that the majority opinion “has implications for the 26 states that use an initiative or popular referendum system.”
“The court’s reasoning does not take into account the fundamental principles or the practical dynamics of the initiative system in California, which uses this mechanism to control and to bypass public officials — the same officials who would not defend the initiative, an injury the court now leaves unremedied,” Mr. Kennedy said.
In an unusual breakdown on the normally ideologically divided court, the centrist Justice Kennedy was joined in his dissent by conservative Justices Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas and liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
More challenges likely
Some constitutional scholars defended Chief Justice Roberts‘ ruling, saying it closely tracked with precedent and that any other decision could have led to enormous practical problems.
“Allowing private individuals to invoke federal court jurisdiction when they disagree with a government’s decision not to defend a law would have vitiated the long-settled [constitutional] requirement that federal court litigants have a direct and particularized interest in the case they pursue,” Columbia University law professor Suzanne Goldberg wrote in a lengthy posting on the popular SCOTUSblog.com website.
“And this, in turn, would have created enormous political problems. Proposition 8’s sponsors — while claiming to be acting in the California government’s stead — were making arguments condemning gay parents that directly contradicted California law and policy,” she wrote.
Coincidentally, the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which the high court struck down Wednesday, was nearly left without a defense after the Obama administration refused to respond to a lawsuit filed against it. Instead, the Republican-dominated House of Representatives provided the funds to pay non-government attorneys to defend the measure.
Such examples of executive-branch cherry-picking are rare, but analysts say they could become more common as a result of Wednesday’s decision.
“Most government officials see it as their obligation to enforce the laws when they take their oath, so it’s unusual,” said Mr. Matsusaka, “but now that we know you can do it, I think we’re going to see more of it.”
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Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
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Flying squad to the rescue.
Set up following a serious train crash at Sutton Coldfield in January 1955, the accident and emergency department at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary was the first such department to organise and operate an accident flying squad. On its 25th anniversary Tim Brett, deputy administrator at the hospital, looks at its development and the role it plays today.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrolytic test machine, and particularly, to an electrolytic test machine including, as basic components, an electrolytic call in which an electrolytic liquid is stored so that a test material is immersed in the electrolytic liquid, an electrode immersed in the electrolytic liquid, and a DC power source from which a current is supplied between the test material and the electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
The above electrolytic test machine is used, for example, for a cathode peeling-off test for a coating film (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 195612/1995). This test is carried out using an aqueous solution of NaCl as the electrolytic liquid, in such a manner that the polarity of the test material is set at a negative polarity (as a cathode), while the polarity of the electrode is set at a positive polarity (i.e., as an anode). Therefore, a chlorine gas, which is a harmful gas, is generated on the side of the electrode with electrolysis of the aqueous solution of NaCl.
In this case, a chlorine gas treating means is used to purify the chlorine gas by using activated carbon as a catalyst.
The purifying capability of the activated carbon is decreased over time and hence, it is necessary to replace the activated carbon with new activated carbon before the purifying capability of the activated carbon in service is completely lost.
A simple method is to conduct time-management of the replacement time of the activated carbon. However, such time-management causes the following disadvantage:
During the test, a current flowing between the test material and the electrode is varied depending upon the structure of the test material or the like. Therefore, for example, if the maximum current of the DC power source is set at 50 A and continuously supplied, the duration of the purifying capability per kg of the activated carbon is about 50 hours. If the duration of one run of the test is about 2 hours, the possible frequency of the test is 25 runs. Therefore, replacement of the activated carbon must be carried out after every 25 runs of the test. This brings about a reduction in testing efficiency because the frequency of replacement of the activated carbon is too high.
The actual current during the test is about 10 A and hence, the current amount used over the total frequency of the test per kg of the activated carbon is 10 A.times.2 hr.times.25 runs=500 A.multidot.hr, and the effective current amount per kg of the activated carbon is 50 A.times.50 hr=2,500 A.multidot.hr. If time management is used, only about 20% of the purifying capability of the activated carbon is consumed, and about 80% is wasted.
On the other hand, another chlorine gas treating means collects and treats chlorine gas which has floated out of the aqueous solution of NaCl and flows within the electrolytic cell.
However, if such a chlorine gas treating means is used, it is impossible to inhibit the production of NaClO in the aqueous solution of NaCl and the dissolution of the chlorine gas into the aqueous solution of NaCl.
As a result, a problem arises because a coating film of the test material is whitened by a bleaching effect of NaClO, and the appearance of the coating film is considerably different from a corroded state in a natural environment. Another problem that arises is that the concentration of chlorine in the aqueous solution of NaCl is increased. Hence, an irritant odor is generated during replacement of the test material or during replacement of the aqueous solution of NaCl which degrades the working environment.
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This is the broad point version of the high quality easy Flow 9000 refill by Schmidt®. It fits all types of retractable pens that use a Parker® style refill.This new broad Schmidt easyflow 9000 refill in G2 format is actually a hybrid ink between a ballpoint and rollerball, for a smooth and easy writing feeling with the convenience of a ballpoint with the ink flow of a fountain pen. It uses low viscosity ink but is not liquid and flows very smoothly across the paper.
The easy flow 9000 features a Stainless steel tip with TC ball including tip protection cap! Iso 12757 - 2 G2 (formerly DIN 16554/2). Extended shelf-life for use in retractable pens without cap! The Schmidt easyflow 9000 Broad is also available in Medium Point! The Schmidt 9000 easyFlow available in Canada, ships worldwide!
* This ink cartridge is not recommended, if you like carrying your ballpoint pen in your shirt pocket as it's low viscosity ink is more prone to leaking than regular ballpoint ink.
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Chimerica triumphs at Critics Circle Theatre Awards
Nick Clark
Nick Clark is the arts correspondent of The Independent. He joined the newspaper in June 2007, initially reporting on the stock markets. He has covered beats including the City, and technology, media and telecoms and made the switch to arts in December 2011. He has also contributed articles to the sports section.
A play about tracking down the Tiananmen Square “tank man” picked up three gongs at the 25th Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, which included being named best new play.
Writer Lucy Kirkwood picked up the new play award for Chimerica, which also landed the best director prize for Lyndsey Turner and best designer for ES Devlin.
Chimerica, dubbed a “dazzling thriller,” started at the Almeida Theatre before transferring to the West End. It was developed over six years by Headlong.
It follows the fictional Joe, a young American photojournalist, after he snaps the iconic image in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
More than two decades on and living in New York, he spots a cryptic message in a Beijing newspaper and sets off to track the unknown hero down.
The Independent praised the play’s “sheer theatrical boldness” and hailed Kirkwood’s “remarkably ambitious, three-hour exploration of the fast-changing and complex relationship between the United States and China”.
The most promising playwright went to two writers this year, Rory Kinnear whose play The Herd was staged at the Bush Theatre, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Soho Theatre.
Kinnear also won the award for best Shakespearean performance as Iago in Othello. He won the best actor gong, split with co-star Adrian Lester, for the role at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards last month.
The best actress award went to Lesley Manville for her performances in Ghosts, which also started at the Almeida before transferring, this time to Trafalgar Studios. Lenny Henry won best actor for Fences.
Kate O’Flynn, who won plaudits for her role as Racheal in Port at the National Theatre, was named most promising newcomer other than a playwright. The part saw her go from the age of 11 to 24. The best musical award went to the Young Vic Theatre’ s The Scottsboro Boys.
The Critics Circle Theatre Awards have been running since 1989 and is selected by journalists.
Chair Mark Shenton said it proved the “value of independent awards that aren’t enslaved to celebrity”.
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As Internet based broadband systems have become widely deployed, the display of high-quality streaming media (e.g., television signals) delivered through Internet protocol (“IP”) based networks has been contemplated. Many vendors seek both to display media as well as to stream digital media in various customer premises, including digitally connected homes. However, because of the high bandwidth and processing power required to deliver and display digital video, it is quite a challenge to provide high quality IP-based television (“IPTV”) functionality using traditional settop box (“STB”) capabilities.
Use of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”) as a protocol for network digital media transmission and reception has been proposed and adopted for its strength in error-free reliable data delivery in digital streaming media applications. The ubiquity of TCP/IP, the ease of creating applications on top of TCP/IP, and the error-free nature of the TCP/IP communications are some of its advantages. However, disadvantages of using TCP/IP as a transfer protocol for digital media applications include the fact that the central processing unit (“CPU”) load when using TCP/IP is quite high and often limits the application performance on low end IPTV settop boxes used for digital media streaming and rendering.
TCP/IP it is a heavyweight protocol in terms of its resource use and generally does not scale well for high bandwidth applications on low powered STBs. Normally, when TCP/IP is used to receive an audio-visual (“AV”) data stream from a server through a network for playback on a client, a network interface on the client receives packetized data into kernel space buffers, the packets flow up to the TCP/IP layer, and then the packets are copied to application buffers. In addition, the TCP/IP stack creates acknowledgement packets and sends the acknowledgement packets out through the network interface to the server. When the successful transmission of a packet is acknowledged, the received payload data stored in the application buffers gets copied back to playback decoders, from which the payload data is consumed by the video- and audio-rendering hardware, and displayed on an output device.
The processing steps required to move TCP/IP data input through the network interface to the output device using a standard TCP/IP stack are expensive in terms of CPU processing. For example, within the IP layer, IP packet headers are validated, and header checksum analysis is performed in software. Within the TCP layer, received packets are acknowledged back to the server, packets are copied from the network interface to user space application buffers via sockets, a checksum is performed at the TCP layer, and flow control is maintained through various algorithms based on slow-start methods, congestion avoidance, and requests for retransmissions.
At various protocol layer transitions (e.g., Ethernet to IP or IP to TCP) the CPU must compute information for use in packet headers. Often data is moved from one memory location to another for access by hardware. If cached memory access is used to speed up computations, the data caches must be written back to main memory because the CPU will make the cached data lines dirty, which degrades the CPU's performance. In addition, modern protocol stacks process packets with socket buffers, which provide a flexible implementation and general purpose data structure for passing data around internally in operating system kernels. However, the socket buffer allocation, tracking, and freeing (when transmissions are completed) can consume significant CPU resources as well.
Thus, the TCP/IP protocol stack generally uses significant CPU and memory resources, and low end STBs are usually unable to sustain high bandwidth reception (e.g., 20-50 Mbits/sec) without a TCP offload facility (“TOE”). While hardware acceleration of TCP has been applied in high performance servers, it adds an additional cost for STBs, and such a cost can be prohibitive.
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NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FULL-TEXT PUBLICATION
File Name: 10a0205n.06
No. 08-3978 FILED
Apr 01, 2010
LEONARD GREEN, Clerk
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT
JEREMY GARRETT,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v. ON APPEAL FROM THE UNITED
STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
BELMONT COUNTY SHERIFF’S SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
DEPARTMENT; BELMONT COUNTY JAIL,
Defendants-Appellees.
/ OPINION
BEFORE: SILER, MOORE, and CLAY, Circuit Judges.
CLAY, Circuit Judge. Plaintiff, Jeremy Garrett, an Ohio state prisoner proceeding pro se,
appeals the July 9, 2008 sua sponte dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claim for failure to state a
claim upon which relief can be granted. For the reasons set forth below, we REVERSE the district
court’s order.
BACKGROUND
All facts are taken from the complaint and from Plaintiff’s objections to the magistrate
judge’s Report and Recommendation (“R&R”) since those were the facts considered by the district
court in its order. Plaintiff alleges that his wife was incarcerated or detained by the Belmont County
Sheriff’s Department (“Belmont”) and was placed on suicide watch while in Belmont’s custody
No. 08-3978
because she had attempted suicide. She was subsequently released on “probation/bond” for some
time; while on release, she again attempted suicide. (Dist. Ct. Doc. No. 5, Pl.’s Obj. to R&R, 2).
Plaintiff further alleges that Belmont placed his wife in a mental facility where she continued to
threaten to commit suicide through letters to Plaintiff. Plaintiff’s wife was again released on bond
and then succeeded in committing suicide shortly thereafter.
Plaintiff alleges that he repeatedly tried to get prison guards and other officials working for
Belmont to investigate the matter when his wife sent him numerous letters between February 6,
2006, and February 28, 2006 threatening to commit suicide. He alleges that, instead of investigating
the matter, Defendants mocked him and ignored his request for help. Finally, Plaintiff alleges that
he and his children suffered emotional distress because of the loss of their loved one, resulting from
Defendants’ conduct.
Plaintiff was incarcerated by Belmont at all relevant times and is scheduled to remain
incarcerated until 2012. He and his wife have six children, and the pleadings fail to make clear their
current situation now that Plaintiff’s wife is deceased. Plaintiff seeks monetary damages, burial
costs, counseling costs, and an investigation of the prison guards and sheriff’s employees implicated,
the county jail, and the sheriff’s department (collectively “Defendants”).
Plaintiff filed a complaint, proceeding pro se, on May 9, 2008, along with a motion to
proceed in forma pauperis in district court, alleging Eighth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment
violations raised under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The motion to proceed in forma pauperis was granted on
June 19, 2008 when the magistrate judge filed a R&R recommending that Plaintiff’s case be
dismissed under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
2
No. 08-3978
Plaintiff filed objections to the R&R on June 27, 2008 and the district court entered an order on July
9, 2008 adopting the magistrate judge’s R&R with some additional reasoning. This timely appeal
followed, which resulted in the case being remanded to the district court to determine whether
Plaintiff could proceed in forma pauperis on appeal. On February 5, 2009, the district court entered
an order directing partial payments for filing fees on appeal and certifying that the appeal is not being
taken in good faith, and on August 6, 2009 the district court denied Plaintiff’s request for counsel
on appeal. Plaintiff also appeals the denial of his request for counsel on appeal.
DISCUSSION
I. Standard of Review
This Court reviews de novo a district court’s sua sponte dismissal of a pro se litigant’s claim
at the pre-docketing screening stage under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) for failure to state a claim.
Thomas v. Eby, 481 F.3d 434, 437 (6th Cir. 2007). All well-pleaded allegations in the complaint
must be accepted as true at this stage of the litigation. Id. See also Ashcroft v. Iqbal, --- U.S. ---, 129
S.Ct. 1937, 1951 (2009) (Courts must “consider the factual allegations in [the] complaint to
determine if they plausibly suggest an entitlement to relief.”). Pro se complaints are to be held “to
less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers,” and should therefore be construed
liberally. Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972); see Martin v. Overton, 391 F.3d 710, 712
(6th Cir. 2004). Liberal construction of pro se complaints can include additional allegations set forth
in objections to the magistrate judge’s R&R at the discretion of the district court and this Court. See
Ratliff v. United States, 999 F.2d 1023, 1026 (6th Cir. 1993) (construing additional allegations in pro
3
No. 08-3978
se petitioner’s objections to magistrate judge’s R&R as part of allegations of ineffective assistance
of counsel in habeas corpus proceeding); Sellers v. Morris, 840 F.2d 352, 355 (6th Cir. 1988) (same).
Because the complaint initially appears on its face to raise claims related to Plaintiff’s prison
conditions due to the prison guards’ alleged actions ignoring his requests for assistance, at first
glance it would appear that the restrictions of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”) would
apply. This Circuit has held that district courts have no discretion to allow leave to amend to avoid
sua sponte dismissal under the PLRA. See McGore v. Wrigglesworth, 114 F.3d 601, 612 (6th Cir.
1997). However, the PLRA did not abrogate the discretion to liberally construe pro se complaints.
See Grinter v. Knight, 532 F.3d 567, 577 (6th Cir. 2008) (continuing to liberally construe pro se
complaints from prisoners under PLRA). Because this Court finds that Plaintiff’s allegations once
liberally construed are best interpreted as falling outside the scope of the PLRA, our Circuit’s
limitation on the authority to grant leave to amend is no longer applicable. See Jones v. Bock, 549
U.S. 199, 203-05 (2007) (discussing the policy goals of PLRA as specifically targeting prisoner
lawsuits regarding prison conditions); 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(c)(1) (“The court shall on its own motion
or on the motion of a party dismiss any action brought with respect to prison conditions under [42
U.S.C. § 1983]. . . .”) (emphasis added).
II. Analysis
Plaintiff alleges essentially two claims that are both actually better understood as raised in
his capacity as the legal representative of his deceased wife: 1) an Eighth Amendment claim for
failure to provide appropriate medical treatment on behalf of his wife; and 2) a Fourteenth
Amendment claim based on substantive due process for failure to assist his wife when she was
4
No. 08-3978
suicidal. While Plaintiff might also be claiming that his own constitutional rights were violated by
the prison and its employees, especially in light of the damages sought, taking both his complaint
and objections to the R&R together, his arguments are primarily directed at the two claims on behalf
of his wife. On both claims, the district court erred by failing to liberally construe Plaintiff’s
complaint to argue a theory upon which relief could be granted – namely that Belmont and the other
Defendants failed to provide proper medical treatment and were deliberately indifferent to Plaintiff’s
wife’s life during the time in which she was in state custody, particularly in the mental institution.
Instead, for both claims, the district court found that since Mrs. Garrett was released on bond at the
time of her suicide, the state did not have a special relationship with her and she was not in custody;
therefore, Plaintiff’s claims must be dismissed for failure to state a claim.
A. Standing
As an initial matter, this Court must consider whether Plaintiff is raising a claim based on
an infringement of his own constitutional rights or of his wife’s rights. In this Circuit “a § 1983
claim is ‘entirely personal to the direct victim of the alleged constitutional tort.’” Barber v. Overton,
496 F.3d 449, 457 (6th Cir. 2007) (quoting Claybrook v. Birchwell, 199 F.3d 350, 357 (6th Cir.
2000)); see also Jaco v. Bloechle, 739 F.2d 239, 242 (6th Cir. 1984). Therefore, only the victim or
her estate’s representative may bring a § 1983 claim, and “no cause of action may lie under § 1983
for emotional distress, loss of a loved one, or any other consequent collateral injuries allegedly
suffered personally by the victim’s family members.” Claybrook, 199 F.3d at 357. Those kinds of
injuries are appropriately raised in a state tort law cause of action.
5
No. 08-3978
Plaintiff alleges some injuries that would not be cognizable as § 1983 claims under Barber
and Claybrook, namely, Plaintiff’s and his children’s distress at the loss of their loved one. See
Barber, 496 F.3d at 457-58; Claybrook, 199 F.3d at 357-58. The district court implicitly construed
the complaint as bringing a cause of action implicating Mrs. Garrett’s constitutional rights as well.
However, interpreting Plaintiff’s claim as raising Mrs. Garrett’s constitutional rights as her estate’s
representative, the question then becomes whether Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that he is the
legal representative of her estate. Again, construing his complaint liberally, Plaintiff has clearly
alleged that he is Mrs. Garrett’s surviving spouse. Under Ohio law, if Mrs. Garrett died intestate and
all of her children are also Plaintiff’s children, which Plaintiff also alleges, then Plaintiff would be
entitled to the entire estate as the surviving spouse. OHIO REV . CODE ANN . § 2105.06(B) (2009).
As the sole person entitled to inherit under Ohio intestacy law, Plaintiff is the most appropriate legal
representative of the estate. Therefore, since Plaintiff did allege that he is her spouse and that Mrs.
Garrett is deceased, this Court interprets that allegation as sufficient to state a claim that Plaintiff is
the legal representative of Mrs. Garrett’s estate.
B. Eighth Amendment
Plaintiff alleges an Eighth Amendment violation for failure to give appropriate medical
attention to his wife. In order to state a claim under this theory, Plaintiff must show that his wife was
a prisoner, that she had a serious medical condition, and that Defendants displayed a deliberate
indifference to her health. Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 102-06 (1976) (deliberate indifference
can be “manifested by prison doctors in their response to the prisoner's needs or by prison guards in
intentionally denying or delaying access to medical care or intentionally interfering with the
6
No. 08-3978
treatment once prescribed.”); Wilson v. Seiter, 501 U.S. 294, 302-04 (1991) (reiterating the deliberate
indifference standard articulated in Estelle). The seriousness of the medical condition at issue is
usually considered an objective inquiry. Prison officials must provide medical care to prisoners and
protect prisoners from conditions that might cause future harm. Helling v. McKinney, 509 U.S. 25,
33 (1993) (prison officials violate Eighth Amendment if they do not protect prisoners from harms
of second-hand smoke). The deliberate indifference standard is analyzed as a subjective prong:
Plaintiff would need to show that Defendants in fact knew of his wife’s medical condition, should
have concluded a substantial risk existed, and actually drew that conclusion. Farmer v. Brennan,
511 U.S. 825, 839 (1994). If prison officials reasonably respond to the risk, they will not be held
liable even if ultimately the harm is not avoided. Id. at 844. Deliberate indifference requires more
than simple medical malpractice, and has been described as “an unnecessary and wanton infliction
of pain” or to be “repugnant to the conscience of mankind.” Estelle, 429 U.S. at 105-06.
Plaintiff alleges through his additional allegations in the objections he filed that his wife was
a prisoner in the custody of Belmont when she first attempted suicide. She was then released on
bond, attempted suicide again, and was returned to the custody of Belmont when placed in a mental
institution. Finally, she was released again from the mental institution, and then she committed
suicide in “the exact way she said she would.” (Dist. Ct. Doc. No. 5, Pl.’s Obj. to R&R, 2).
The district court seems to have assumed that Plaintiff’s claims only related to his attempts
to get assistance for his wife from prison guards after his wife was released the second time, ignoring
the likelihood that his claim also includes an allegation that it was deliberate indifference to release
Mrs. Garrett from the mental institution in the first place. Perhaps this assumption has its roots in
7
No. 08-3978
Plaintiff’s original complaint that did not include the information about Mrs. Garrett’s relationship
to Belmont. A more complete reading of Plaintiff’s allegations would include those alleged in his
filed objections or the district court should have allowed leave to amend to include such allegations.
Therefore, construing the complaint to include the factual allegations about Mrs. Garrett’s
confinement by Belmont in prison and in the mental institution, Plaintiff’s allegations should be
understood to include the claim that his wife was in custody when her Eighth Amendment rights
were violated.
The district court also seems to have assumed that Belmont was required to release Mrs.
Garrett from the mental institution or that they did not have any duty to continue to hold her.
However, these assumptions seem to contradict the factual allegations Plaintiff added to his
objections. Both times Mrs. Garrett was released, Plaintiff alleges that she was on bond. If the state
had the authority to place Plaintiff’s wife in the mental institution because of her suicide attempt
while on bond, it is unclear why they would not have had the authority and the duty to continue to
hold her in that institution through the duration of her probation/bond if proper medical care while
in state custody (i.e., while in the mental institution) would have included continued confinement.
While Belmont might be able to prove that it was required to release Plaintiff’s wife and/or that they
had no duty to continue to place her in the mental institution because it was not medically necessary,
Plaintiff has alleged that his wife was in the custody of Belmont at the mental institution and that she
did not receive necessary medical assistance but instead was released.
The district court found that Mrs. Garrett was not in custody at the time of her suicide and
so did not address the other two parts of the claim that must be addressed in order for Plaintiff to
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No. 08-3978
survive the review of his complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. However, the allegations in Plaintiff’s
complaint show quite clearly that Defendants were aware of Mrs. Garrett’s suicidal nature and the
fact that she was suffering from a serious medical condition. Plaintiff has further alleged that
Defendants “ignored and mocked” the threats of suicide Plaintiff received from his wife, from which
it seems plausible that Plaintiff could prove the subjective prong of deliberate indifference. (Dist.
Ct. No. 2, Compl. ¶ 1). Construing Plaintiff’s complaint to include the allegations added in his filed
objections and reading those allegations liberally, we find that Plaintiff has alleged that his wife was
denied appropriate medical care while in Belmont’s custody either because her suicidal ideation was
not treated sufficiently or because she should not have been released from the mental institution.
Therefore, the Eighth Amendment claim should have survived the failure to state a claim analysis.
C. Fourteenth Amendment
Plaintiff also alleges a related Fourteenth Amendment claim arguing that his wife’s
substantive due process rights were violated when Defendants failed to take action to protect Mrs.
Garrett, knowing of her suicidal ideation. Generally, there is no constitutional duty for “a state or
local government entity to protect its citizens from private violence, or other mishaps not attributable
to the conduct of its employees.” DeShaney v. Winnebago County Dept. of Soc. Svs., 489 U.S. 189,
193-94 (1989) (internal citations omitted). However, there are two recognized exceptions to that
general rule. The first is where there is a special relationship between the state and the plaintiff,
which usually arises only when the state restrains an individual’s liberty. Sargi v. Kent City Bd. of
Educ., 70 F.3d 907, 910-11 (6th Cir. 1995) (collecting cases in which courts have found such a
special relationship and noting that it was only in cases of imprisonment and commitment to a
9
No. 08-3978
mental institution). The second, and less common, exception is where the danger faced by a plaintiff
is state-created, i.e., the state took actions, or failed to take actions, that created or increased the risk
of exposure to private violence. Kallstrom v. City of Columbus, 136 F.3d 1055, 1066 (6th Cir.
1998). The district court found that Plaintiff failed to state a claim under either theory.
Once a person is no longer in state custody, the state no longer has a special relationship that
falls within the exception that gives rise to a duty to protect that person. Bynum v. City of Magee,
Miss., 507 F. Supp. 2d 627, 633 (S.D. Miss. 2007). It was on this basis that the district court
dismissed Plaintiff’s claim on the theory of a special relationship. Bynum also held that the
“Constitution does not impose upon a city a duty to hold a suicidal individual for the sole purpose
of providing him with medical care.” Id. However, in addition to not being binding on our Circuit,
Bynum is distinguishable from this case because in Bynum, the deceased had not been placed in a
mental institution by the state and then released, nor was the decedent subject to the supervision of
the state through probation or bond, as in this case. Plaintiff’s wife was in state custody – both
incarcerated and in a mental institution – for some of the relevant time, during which time the state
had a duty to protect her from suicide. See Heflin v. Stewart County, Tenn., 958 F.2d 709, 716 (6th
Cir. 1992).
Additionally, since Plaintiff has alleged that his wife was released on bond both times, it
seems apparent from the allegations that the state maintained authority to confine Mrs. Garrett,
confirmed by her alleged commitment to the mental institution; consequently, if proper medical
treatment required continued commitment to that institution, the state could have confined her on
the basis of her probation in addition to her suicidal ideation. It is, of course, possible that
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No. 08-3978
Defendants could assert viable defenses to Plaintiff’s claim, such as that they no longer had the
authority to confine his wife in the mental institution or they did sufficiently respond to her threats
of suicide, but those defenses are not before this Court since this case was dismissed before
Defendants were served and before they filed any responsive pleadings.
The district court was correct in finding that Plaintiff failed to state a claim for the state-
created danger exception since he alleged no facts that would tend to support a theory that
Defendants acted in any way that created or increased the risk of suicide. For this theory of relief,
Plaintiff’s case is very similar to Bynum, where police came upon a suicidal person and were called
to assist him several other times, because in the instant case Plaintiff’s wife was suicidal throughout
her interactions with Defendants and Defendants did nothing to encourage those tendencies and in
fact tried to assist her by putting her on suicide watch and in a mental institution. See Bynum, 507
F. Supp. 2d at 634-35.
The information about Mrs. Garrett’s relationship with Belmont was presented for the first
time in Plaintiff’s objections to the R&R. However, the district court was presented with that
information and still dismissed the case for failure to state a claim. The district court erred in not
construing Plaintiff’s allegations to include a claim that Mrs. Garrett’s constitutional rights were
infringed while she was in the custody of Belmont, i.e., while she did have a recognized special
relationship with Defendants. In other words, Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged a claim that
Defendants violated Mrs. Garrett’s Fourteenth Amendment right to be protected from suicide when
she was released from the mental institution instead of continuing her treatment while she was on
probation/bond.
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No. 08-3978
D. Plaintiff’s Complaint Was Improperly Dismissed
Plaintiff’s pleadings, when liberally construed, state a claim based on the theory that
Plaintiff’s wife was in state custody – either incarcerated or held in the mental institution
involuntarily – at the time when the appropriate medical attention was not given to her, resulting in
her release and opportunity to commit suicide. Since the facts as Plaintiff alleged are sufficient to
support that theory, Plaintiff should have been able to proceed past the initial pre-screening process
in this case on both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment claims. This case is best understood as
raising Mrs. Garrett’s constitutional rights asserted by Plaintiff as Mrs. Garrett’s estate’s
representative. If Plaintiff’s wife had a special relationship with Defendants at the time when the
alleged deprivation of medical care took place, then Plaintiff has stated a claim for relief based on
violations of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments. While Plaintiff, as a pro se litigant, may not
have included all of the specific factual allegations usually required to show that he is his wife’s legal
representative and that he was raising her claims, it seems quite apparent that he intended to raise
her Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment claims. Because this Court allows pro se litigants some
leeway in pleading standards, this litigation should proceed to resolve whether the factual
underpinnings of Plaintiff’s claims might be proven.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, we REVERSE the district court’s order dismissing Plaintiff’s 42 U.S.C. § 1983
claim for failure to state a claim and REMAND with instructions to the district court to permit
Plaintiff to proceed as the legal representative of his wife’s estate, to permit the filing of the
complaint, and to consider whether to appoint counsel to assist Plaintiff in this matter. If the district
12
No. 08-3978
court deems it necessary and proper, Plaintiff should be given leave to amend to clarify his legal
theory of raising his wife’s constitutional claims as the representative of his wife’s estate and to
sufficiently allege the required factual allegations to support that theory since that claim is not
covered by the PLRA.
13
No. 08-3978
SILER, Circuit Judge, dissenting. I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion in this
case for the reasons stated hereafter.
First, there is a valid issue concerning standing on the part of Jeremy Garrett, the plaintiff.
As the majority concluded, “a §1983 claim is ‘entirely personal to the direct victim of the alleged
constitutional tort.’” Barber v. Overton, 496 F.3d 449, 457 (6th Cir. 2007) (quoting Claybrook v.
Birchwell, 199 F.3d 350, 357 (6th Cir. 2000)). Accordingly, only the victim or her estate’s
representative may prosecute a § 1983 claim and “no cause of action may lie under [§] 1983 for
emotional distress, loss of a loved one, or any other consequent collateral injuries allegedly suffered
personally by the victim’s family members.” Claybrook, 199 F.3d at 357. As the majority correctly
observes, Garrett does not declare in the complaint that he is prosecuting this action as the fiduciary
of his wife’s estate. Instead, he seeks relief based on injuries that he suffered as a result of her death.
Although Garrett might be entitled to the entire estate as the surviving spouse under Ohio law, he
is still not the legal representative of the estate, who must be appointed by a court. Nevertheless,
because the issue of standing was not raised nor discussed in the district court, I believe that it would
be more appropriate to discuss the case on the merits.
Therefore, my second point of disagreement concerns the merits of the dismissal of the
complaint by the district court. The dismissal of a complaint by the district court under 28 U.S.C.
§§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b) is reviewed de novo. Thomas v. Eby, 481 F.3d 434, 437 (6th Cir. 2007).
As a threshold matter, Garrett must allege some state action upon which to ground his § 1983
claim. He argues that the defendants knew his wife was suicidal when they took her into custody.
14
No. 08-3978
He reasons that by taking her into custody, the defendants assumed the duty to hold her and to
provide her with mental health treatment. He takes the position that by releasing her from custody
after she had attempted suicide and over the objections of Garrett and other family members, the
defendants violated due process.
However, the Due Process Clause does not impose upon the state an affirmative duty to act.
DeShaney v. Winnebago County Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 489 U.S. 189, 195 (1989). Thus, the “State’s
failure to protect an individual against private violence”—including violence directed toward one’s
self—does not violate due process. Id. at 197. However, we have recognized two exceptions to the
DeShaney rule: (1) the “special relationship” exception, and (2) the state-created danger exception.
Kallstrom v. City of Columbus, 136 F.3d 1055, 1066 (6th Cir. 1998).
Neither exception applies here. The fact that Mrs. Garrett was released from custody prior
to her suicide is fatal to the “special relationship” exception. Id. A suicidal person does not have
a constitutional right to remain in custody indefinitely for her own protection. See DeShaney, 489
U.S. at 201 (noting that “the State does not become the guarantor of an individual’s safety by having
once offered him shelter”). “Liability under the state-created-danger theory is predicated upon
affirmative acts by the state which either create or increase the risk that an individual will be exposed
to private acts of violence.” Kallstrom, 136 F.3d at 1066. Garrett claims that the defendants acted
affirmatively when they released his wife from custody even though she was suicidal. However, no
facts suggest that the defendants made Mrs. Garrett vulnerable to “any danger to which she was not
already exposed,” i.e., her own suicidal tendencies. Sargi v. Kent City Bd. of Educ., 70 F.3d 907,
913 (6th Cir. 1999). The defendants arguably knew that Mrs. Garrett was potentially suicidal when
15
No. 08-3978
they released her from custody, but they did not create that risk—it was ever present. See Jones v.
Reynolds, 438 F.3d 685, 691 (6th Cir. 2006) (stating a failure to act is not an affirmative act under
the state-created-danger theory”). The majority opinion suggests that there may be a constitutional
claim under the Eighth Amendment that Mrs. Garrett was not given medical attention while she was
in state custody. However, the complaint filed in this case does not make such an allegation. Garrett
is not claiming that his cause of action is based upon cruel and unusual punishment to his wife while
she was in jail, but that it was cruel and unusual punishment for her to be released on bond.
Therefore, I would affirm the district court’s dismissal in this case.
16
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My personal Story, please comment.
"The uninhabited stare from his piercing blue eyes became a definite signal of what was about to happen. His expression was void of compassion, empty of love, and his strength didn’t come from within but rather from his craze to afflict pain. His full swoop of destruction in a matter of minutes did enough damage to me that left my future predetermined and my burdens real. Satisfied with “his” power, he would not hold back as he would strap his belt over my bare behind or back until the welts turned into blood and my dexterity for movement was likened to an 80-year-old woman"
I agree about the paragraph thing. I applaud you for blogging about what must be a very difficult subject for you. I think after reading it, it just confirms to me that God has a plan for all of us, including you.
As evil exists in this world, so does true goodness, that starts with God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Maybe God Bless you and help you as you find God's purpose for your life, and hopefully you can help others who are struggling with the same issues as you.
I'm of two minds about your writing Lisa, though I think I understand your intent is therapeutic. Your subject matter is real and I'm sure difficult to write about because of how it must make you feel to do so. You probably have a compelling story to tell. However, your choice of words made the work hard for me to understand when I tried to read it. You say your story is "raw", but you pile on all these obscure Victorian adjectives in sentences, as if that will convey more emotion. What your writing lacks most is clarity. The easiest way to improve it would be to write shorter, more direct sentences. Just say what you mean and get rid of some of the lace.
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Life cycle of Sarcocystis camelicanis infecting the camel (Camelus dromedarius) and the dog (Canis familiaris), light and electron microscopic study.
In the present study, the heteroxeneous life cycle of Sarcocystis sp. infecting camels were studied. A total of 180 slaughtered camels collected from different localities in Egypt were investigated for sarcocysts. Only 116 animals were found to be infected (the infection rate was 64%). Muscle samples of esophagus, diaphragm, tongue, skeletal, and heart muscles were examined. Exclusively, microscopic sarcocysts were detected in all examined organs. The infection rates of the esophagus, diaphragm, tongue, skeletal, and heart muscles were 60%, 50%, 40%, 40%, and 10%, respectively. By means of transmission electron microscopy, details of the ultrastructure of the sarcocysts were studied. The specific architecture and ornaments of the cyst wall, its protrusions, and the cyst interior were recorded. Unique features of protrusions of the primary cyst wall, the knob-like structures, arise around each protrusion. Experimental infection of carnivores by feeding heavily infected camel muscles revealed that the dog, Canis familiaris, is the only final host of the present Sarcocystis species. Gamogony, sporogonic stages, and characteristics of sporulated oocysts were also investigated.
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Q:
In large JS apps where do I put custom methods to libraries and plugins
I have a fairly large javascript application mostly using jquery and knockout. Essentially I make one major separation in my folder structure app has all the code I have written and is further divided into constants, views, models, and viewmodels. Then I have vendor which is code I did not write like jquery, knockout, plugins, etc. The problem I am having is where do I put the stuff that falls in between. I Have written some custom bindings for knockout and extended some functionality of some jquery plugins and they are just sitting in the root of my app dir. What is a best practice or naming convention for this.
+app
-- constants
-- models
-- viewmodels
-- views
jquery-plugin-extras.js
knockout-bindings.js
etc
+vendor
jquery.min.js
knockout.min.js
jquery-plugin.min.js
A:
+app
-- system (or core) //contains core or system related generics
-- config // single place to store your configurations, if you have just one, put it at the root
-- plugins // all plugins or ko bindings here
-- constants
-- models
-- viewmodels
-- views
-- main.js // any bootstrapping, initial configurations and such go in to this file.
+lib
--jquery.min.js
--knockout.min.js
--jquery-plugin.min.js
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Background
==========
Mortality after admission is seen as an important indicator of hospital performance, and forms part of several sets of quality indicators \[[@B1],[@B2]\]. Some systems of measuring hospital performance even rely exclusively on post-admission mortality rates to rank hospital quality \[[@B3]\]. However, there are several pitfalls when it comes to calculating these indicators. The first question to consider is the influence of trends in place and time of death on hospital mortality statistics. An observed decline in hospital mortality after a myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke could indicate better care, but could also point to earlier discharge or to an increased transfer between hospitals, with death occurring after discharge or transfer. For Canada it has been shown that excluding transfer cases changes performance ranking for MI \[[@B4]\]. A related problem is the risk of administrative errors related to transfer. An American study revealed that double counting of patients in routine statistics occurred in 10--15% of all inter-hospital transfer cases, which significantly influenced both hospitalization and mortality rates \[[@B5]\]. It has been argued that the influence of transfer on hospital mortality statistics has grown in recent years, due to the shortening of length of stay \[[@B6]\]. An analysis of UK data has shown that the proportion of 30-day mortality falling within the initial admission has actually decreased over time\[[@B7]\].
A second question is how to attribute deaths after admission to the cause of death. Hospital mortality rates as a measure of quality are usually evaluated in terms of the direct cause of morbidity, but this need not be the true cause of death. Country statistics of deaths are in most cases based on national death records. These often take a different view of the cause of death by taking the patient history into account, before admission to the hospital. This opens up room for discrepancy and conflicting interpretations of death rates. Studies in Denmark \[[@B8]\] and the UK \[[@B9]\] have shown that a fairly large proportion of deaths after a hospitalization for MI or stroke are attributed to different causes in death records.
A third question associated with the use of mortality quality indicators is to what extent patients should be followed up after discharge, especially if hospital discharge registrations are not linked with each other or with a national death certificate register, as is the case in the Netherlands. Without such a link-up the administrative burden of follow-up after discharge is high, with large differences in the effort hospitals put into this follow-up. For example, the Dutch Health Care Inspectorate (IGZ) asks hospitals to collect data on 30-day mortality after admission for myocardial infarction. However, in the last publicized outcomes for this indicator, \[[@B10]\] about 40% of hospitals could not provide data on mortality after discharge. An in-depth analysis of five Dutch hospitals commissioned by the IGZ \[[@B11]\] revealed that there were also large differences in the way hospitals interpreted the necessary follow-up after discharge or transfer, with some settling for including transfers, others ignoring these, while others also included death outside their hospital.
The goal of this study is to assess the importance of these three questions for the computation of mortality indicators after discharge in the Netherlands for two conditions: myocardial infarction and stroke. The first question, the influence of trends in place and time of death on hospital mortality statistics, will be addressed by classifying death cases after an hospital admission for these conditions according to time and place of death. The second question, how to attribute deaths after admission to the cause of death will be addressed by comparing the cause of hospital admission with the cause of death on the death certificate. The third question, the extent to which patients should be followed up for the computation of mortality indicators, will be addressed by computing seven different mortality indicators which differ in the extension of the follow-up and the associated administrative burden.
Methods
=======
Records from the Dutch hospital discharge register (LMR) for the period 1995--2003 were linked to the population register by Statistics Netherlands. The hospital discharge register is maintained by Prismant Utrecht. This register contains discharge data for all Dutch general and academic hospitals, and contains information on patient-characteristics (date of birth, gender, place of residence) and episode characteristics (discharge diagnosis, date of admission and discharge). More than 87% of all hospital discharges in this register were successfully linked at the micro-level to the population register\[[@B12]\] The linkage techniques and the reliability and usability of this dataset for statistical research have been described elsewhere\[[@B13],[@B14]\].
In addition this combined set was linked to the Dutch death certificate register, maintained by Statistics Netherlands. This was necessary to establish the time and the cause of death. This linkage was facilitated by the fact that both datasets use the same personal identifier, thus yielding almost 100% linkage rates after excluding those who emigrated abroad since admission to the hospital.
Approval for the use of the anonymized patient data was covered by a general agreement between Statistics Netherlands and Prismant. In addition, the Dutch association of hospitals (NVZ) approved the use of the hospital registration data for this study. No separate ethical approval was necessary for the use of these data.
This combined dataset was used to analyze the place, time, cause and rate of death within the first year after an index-admission for myocardial infarction or stroke among people aged 35 years and above. Index cases were defined using the main discharge diagnosis. The LMR uses the ICD9-CM (Dutch Clinical modification\[[@B15]\]) to register discharge diagnosis. Myocardial infarction was defined as ICD9-CM code 410, stroke as ICD9-CM code 431--434 and code 436.
Inclusion criteria for cases in the analysis were (a) having a principal diagnosis for myocardial infarction or stroke, (b) being 35 years or older at the end of the year of admission. Exclusion criteria were: (1) having another admission for the specified condition within 365 days before the index-admission; (2) having no hospital data available for any part of the period between 365 days before and 365 days after index admission; (3) ambiguously identified patients in the linked set in the year before and after the index-admissions, in order to avoid having administrative twins or émigrés; (4) if the date of mortality on the death certificate preceded the date of admission (as was noticed for 11 MI and 6 stroke patients). The second exclusion criterion mentioned above was necessary in order to verify the place of death (inside or outside the hospital) and to verify that an index-admission was not preceded within a year by a previous admission. This criterion implied that the first and last year of the dataset were used for verification purposes only, and did not yield any index-admissions. The third criterion led to the exclusion of 5% of previously selected cases.
Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"} sums up some characteristics for selected index-cases.
######
Characteristics of patients included in analysis & general characteristics Dutch hospitals & Dutch population
**Admission characteristics\***
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- --------- ------------ ---------
period 1996--2003
diagnosis Myocardial infarction Stroke
agegroup \[35--74\] \[75+\] \[35--74\] \[75+\]
Number of hospital admissions within LMR (before linking) 151,104 60,853 104,222 85,098
Number of hospital admissions within linked LMR 134,272 56,737 91,769 75,656
link yield (%) 88.9 93.2 88.1 88.9
Index cases selected before application mortality restriction 111,204 49,653 75,424 67,118
Index cases selected after application mortality restriction (death within a year of admission) 13,662 19,328 16,089 31,304
Characteristics index-cases
Mean age 60.4 81.0 63.1 81.7
Proportion male (%) 74.5 49.9 60.7 41.8
Length of stay (days) 8.3 9.6 14.8 21.6
Decrease length of stay 1996--2003 (%) -10.2 -7.2 -29.6 -30.4
**General characteristics Dutch hospitals**^**†**^
year
1996 2003
Number of hospitals (general, academic, categorical) 148 129
Number of beds (clinical & day care) 58,135 52,292
Number of clinical admissions (thousands) 1,589 1,602
Number of clinical hospital days (thousands) 15,531 12,757
Number of day care admissions (thousands)^§^ 705 1,221
Workforce (full time equivalents, thousands) 139 175
**General characteristics Dutch population**^**†**^
year
1996 2003
average population size ages 35--74 7.1 7.9
average population size ages 75+ 0.9 1.0
persons treated in a hospital for cva (ICD9 430--434, 436--438\] per 10,000 population^‡^ 15.1 15.4
persons treated in a hospital for coronary heart disease \[ICD9 410--414\] per 10,000 population^‡^ 45.4 39.8
\* source: this study
^†^source: CBS \[21\]
^‡^standardized on Dutch population 1--1--2000.
^§^source: LMR. Prismant Utrecht
For all cases, the time to death was computed by subtracting the date of admission to a hospital from the date of mortality on the death certificate. All selected index-admissions were assigned a time of death class (within 0--29 days after admission, within 30--89 days after admission, within 90--365 days after admission), counting the date of admission as zero. For this analysis only those index cases resulting in death within a year of admission were used. We used chi-squared tests to detect significant correlations between year of admission and time of death and place of death categorizations.
All cases were also assigned a place of death class using any of four groupings:
-deaths within the index-admission
-deaths within a subsequent admission in the same hospital as the index-admission
-deaths that occurred in a different hospital
-deaths outside hospital
The cause of death was established using the primary cause registered on the death certificate, using the ICD-10 classification. Causes of death were grouped into three:
-cause of death attributed to cause of index-admission
-cause of death attributed to a circulation disorder other than index-condition
-deaths due to other causes
The difference in classification systems used in our morbidity data (ICD-9) and mortality data (ICD-10) caused a minor problem in establishing the correspondence between the cause of mortality and the index-condition for stroke because no exact translation could be made. We, therefore, decided to compare the outcomes with a slightly broader ICD-10 definition of stroke \[I61--I69\], also including indeterminate types. We used chi-square analysis to detect significant correlations between year of admission and cause of death.
In our data follow-up of patients was possible for a year after discharge. To show the effect of including or excluding different types of follow-up on mortality rates, we calculated seven different types of mortality rates, for each year in our dataset. Thirty-day mortality within the initial admission was easily calculated in addition to three period (30-, 90- and 365-day) rates were calculated for deaths in the hospital setting only (including transfers and readmissions) and for deaths outside the hospital. The denominator for each rate was the total number of admissions fulfilling index-conditions, including those still alive 365 days after the start of the initial admission. Rates were standardized for age and sex using the composition of the Dutch clinical hospital population in the year 2000.
Results
=======
Actual linkage rates of hospital discharge records to population register data were somewhat higher than average for the selected cases. Of all admissions in 1996--2003 for AMI age \[35--74\] 88.9% could be linked, for 75+ this was 93.2%. For stroke, linkage rates were somewhat lower, with 88.1% for 35--74 age category and 88.9% for those aged 75+ (Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"}).
For the period 1996--2003 we included 32,990 deaths after admission for MI and 47,393 deaths after admission for stroke in our analysis. Of the MI cases 67.9% of those aged 35--74 died within the first thirty days after admission, compared to total deaths within a year. For those aged 75+ this was 66.1%. For stroke age differences were larger with 67.6% dying within 30 days for ages 35--74 and 60.2% for ages 75+. These proportions are all stable over time: no significant differences between years were detected over the period 1996--2003.
Table [2](#T2){ref-type="table"} lists the breakdown of MI deaths in the different time of death and place of death classes and the year of admission, (given in two-year bands). Table [3](#T3){ref-type="table"} gives a similar breakdown for stroke. Chi-squared tests were used to detect significant trends over time, these are indicated within the tables.
######
Dutch in-hospital mortality for myocardial infarction 1996--2003: deaths tabulated by age and place of death within 30, 90 and 365 days of admission
**Deaths during initial admission** **Deaths in same hospital. during subsequent admission** **Deaths in a different hospital** **Deaths outside hospital** **All locations**
---------------------------- ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ----------------------------- ------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
**Time after admission** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%**
**Ages 35--74**
**deaths in 0--29 days** \* \*
**1996--1997** 2,257 86.8 68 2.6 153 5.9 123 4.7 2,601 100.0
**1998--1999** 1,967 82.1 69 2.9 207 8.6 153 6.4 2,396 100.0
**2000--2001** 1,793 79.9 81 3.6 242 10.8 128 5.7 2,244 100.0
**2002--2003** 1,627 79.7 75 3.7 223 10.9 116 5.7 2,041 100.0
**deaths in 30--89 days** ^†^
**1996--1997** 47 10.5 121 27.0 65 14.5 215 48.0 448 100.0
**1998--1999** 50 14.6 110 32.2 44 12.9 138 40.4 342 100.0
**2000--2001** 42 12.5 99 29.4 63 18.7 133 39.5 337 100.0
**2002--2003** 37 11.2 115 34.8 65 19.7 113 34.2 330 100.0
**deaths in 90--364 days**
**1996--1997** 4 0.4 317 35.3 137 15.3 439 48.9 897 100.0
**1998--1999** 3 0.4 242 33.1 110 15.0 376 51.4 731 100.0
**2000--2001** 3 0.4 247 35.2 113 16.1 338 48.2 701 100.0
**2002--2003** 5 0.8 203 34.2 94 15.8 292 49.2 594 100.0
**Ages 75+**
**deaths in 0--29 days** \* ^†^ \* ^†^
**1996--1997** 2,956 89.3 79 2.4 87 2.6 188 5.7 3,310 100.0
**1998--1999** 2,869 88.5 92 2.8 102 3.1 178 5.5 3,241 100.0
**2000--2001** 2,674 86.4 118 3.8 130 4.2 173 5.6 3,095 100.0
**2002--2003** 2,618 83.7 119 3.8 168 5.4 222 7.1 3,127 100.0
**deaths in 30--89 days**
**1996--1997** 80 14.2 173 30.7 45 8.0 265 47.1 563 100.0
**1998--1999** 73 12.6 170 29.3 66 11.4 271 46.7 580 100.0
**2000--2001** 88 15.8 161 28.9 61 11.0 247 44.3 557 100.0
**2002--2003** 69 12.2 161 28.4 49 8.7 287 50.7 566 100.0
**deaths in 90--364 days**
**1996--1997** 5 0.5 368 33.8 103 9.5 613 56.3 1,089 100.0
**1998--1999** 9 0.9 330 31.8 114 11.0 584 56.3 1,037 100.0
**2000--2001** 8 0.8 329 31.2 96 9.1 620 58.9 1,053 100.0
**2002--2003** 7 0.6 377 34.0 88 7.9 638 57.5 1,110 100.0
\* 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .001.
^†^2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .05
######
Dutch In-hospital mortality for stroke 1996--2003: deaths tabulated by age and place of death within 30, 90 and 365 days of admission
**Deaths during initial admission** **Deaths in same hospital, during subsequent admission** **Deaths in a different hospital** **Deaths outside hospital** **All locations**
---------------------------- ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ----------------------------- ------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
**Time after admission** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%**
**Ages 35--74**
**deaths in 0--29 days** ^†^ ^†^
**1996--1997** 2,609 94.0 31 1.1 80 2.9 56 2.0 2,776 100.0
**1998--1999** 2,555 94.2 32 1.2 77 2.8 49 1.8 2,713 100.0
**2000--2001** 2,520 93.3 28 1.0 93 3.4 60 2.2 2,701 100.0
**2002--2003** 2,463 91.8 46 1.7 86 3.2 87 3.2 2,682 100.0
**deaths in 30--89 days** \* \*
**1996--1997** 238 44.8 94 17.7 36 6.8 163 30.7 531 100.0
**1998--1999** 192 42.0 92 20.1 26 5.7 147 32.2 457 100.0
**2000--2001** 162 35.8 77 17.0 35 7.7 178 39.4 452 100.0
**2002--2003** 124 26.1 99 20.8 31 6.5 222 46.6 476 100.0
**deaths in 90--364 days** \* ^†^ ^†^ ^†^
**1996--1997** 38 4.3 271 30.7 67 7.6 506 57.4 882 100.0
**1998--1999** 46 5.3 243 28.2 82 9.5 490 56.9 861 100.0
**2000--2001** 37 4.8 189 24.5 79 10.2 467 60.5 772 100.0
**2002--2003** 10 1.3 194 24.7 67 8.5 515 65.5 786 100.0
**Ages 75+**
**deaths in 0--29 days** \* \*
**1996--1997** 4,239 94.7 28 0.6 42 0.9 168 3.8 4,477 100.0
**1998--1999** 4,375 94.7 30 0.6 53 1.1 161 3.5 4,619 100.0
**2000--2001** 4,526 93.5 43 0.9 74 1.5 198 4.1 4,841 100.0
**2002--2003** 4,453 90.4 59 1.2 74 1.5 342 6.9 4,928 100.0
**deaths in 30--89 days** \* ^†^ \*
**1996--1997** 668 52.5 97 7.6 19 1.5 488 38.4 1,272 100.0
**1998--1999** 629 50.2 102 8.1 42 3.3 481 38.4 1,254 100.0
**2000--2001** 641 49.1 115 8.8 49 3.8 501 38.4 1,306 100.0
**2002--2003** 413 29.1 143 10.1 28 2.0 836 58.9 1,420 100.0
**deaths in 90--364 days** \* \*
**1996--1997** 105 6.0 266 15.1 60 3.4 1,328 75.5 1,759 100.0
**1998--1999** 184 10.4 274 15.4 81 4.6 1,235 69.6 1,774 100.0
**2000--2001** 122 6.7 274 15.1 74 4.1 1,350 74.2 1,820 100.0
**2002--2003** 37 2.0 289 15.8 63 3.4 1,445 78.8 1,834 100.0
\* 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .001.
† 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .05
For MI the analysis points to a growing importance of \'other hospitals\' as death location for MI, especially for 30-day mortality. In 1996--1997 about 5.9% of the 30-day mortality after MI for ages 35--74 occurred in a hospital different from that of the initial intake, in 2002--2003 this proportion had significantly risen to 10.9%. This rise was at the expense of 30-day mortality within the initial admission, the proportion of which fell from 86.8% to 79.7% over the same period. For ages 75+ a similar trend is found, but somewhat less strong, although still significant.
No significant changes were detected for MI for other death locations or different distances between time of admission and time of death, with the exception of the proportion of deaths outside the hospital for ages 35--74 within 30--89 days after admission, this fell from 48.0% in 1996--1997 (215 deaths) to 34.2% in 2002--2003 (113 deaths).
For stroke a different picture emerges. No significant changes here for deaths in a different hospital, but a significant rise for deaths outside the hospital for both age groups and all three distance to death classes. The rise is especially strong for the proportion of deaths outside the hospital within 30--89 days of admission, and seems to be concentrated in the last years included in the analysis. For instance for deaths of 75+ within 30--89 days after being admitted the proportion of deaths outside the hospital was stable at 38.4% over 1996--2001, but rose steeply to 58.9% in 2002--2003. It is important to note that the observed 30% fall in average length-of-stay for stroke patients (Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"}) over the period 1996--2003 also occurred mainly in the last four years of this period.
Table [4](#T4){ref-type="table"} (MI) and Table [5](#T5){ref-type="table"} (stroke) list deaths for year of admission, time of death and cause of death. The patterns for both age groups are very similar, so data are presented for 35+. For admissions for MI this shows a significant (p \< 0.05) decrease over time in the proportion of deaths attributed on the death certificate to MI, for all time of death classes. For deaths within 30-days of admission this decrease is accompanied by a significant rise in deaths due to other circulatory disorders and deaths due to other causes. For stroke only for deaths within 90--364 days of admission a similar pattern is found. For deaths due to stroke within 90 days of admission, no significant changes in the distribution of death cases are observed. For both MI and stroke, the diagnostic groups which contribute the most to \'other causes\' are neoplasms, disorders of the endocrine system, and respiratory diseases.
######
Underlying cause of death in people who died after hospital admission for myocardial infarction
**Deaths due to AMI \[I21-I22\]** **Deaths due to other circulatory disorders** **Deaths due to other causes** **all causes**
---------------------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------- ------- ------- ------- -------
**Time after admission** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%**
**Ages 35+**
**deaths in 0--29 days** \* \* \*
**1996--1997** 4,533 76.7 834 14.1 544 9.2 5,911 100.0
**1998--1999** 4,219 74.8 863 15.3 555 9.8 5,637 100.0
**2000--2001** 3,839 71.9 865 16.2 635 11.9 5,339 100.0
**2002--2003** 3,632 70.3 900 17.4 636 12.3 5,168 100.0
**deaths in 30--89 days** \* ^†^
**1996--1997** 392 38.8 385 38.1 234 23.1 1,011 100.0
**1998--1999** 323 35.0 384 41.6 215 23.3 922 100.0
**2000--2001** 310 34.7 350 39.1 234 26.2 894 100.0
**2002--2003** 263 29.4 377 42.1 256 28.6 896 100.0
**deaths in 90--364 days** \* \*
**1996--1997** 541 27.2 804 40.5 641 32.3 1,986 100.0
**1998--1999** 444 25.1 743 42.0 581 32.9 1,768 100.0
**2000--2001** 394 22.5 697 39.7 663 37.8 1,754 100.0
**2002--2003** 326 19.1 720 42.3 658 38.6 1,704 100.0
\* 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .001.
† 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .05
######
Underlying cause of death in people who died after hospital admission for stroke
**Deaths due to cva \[I61-I69\] excl. subarachnoid hemorrhage** **Deaths due to other circulatory disorders** **Deaths due to other causes** **all causes**
---------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------- ------- ------- ------- -------
**Time after admission** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%** **N** **%**
**Ages 35+**
**deaths in 0--29 days**
**1996--1997** 5,395 74.4 898 12.4 960 13.2 7,253 100.0
**1998--1999** 5,459 74.5 823 11.2 1,050 14.3 7,332 100.0
**2000--2001** 5,651 74.9 838 11.1 1,053 14.0 7,542 100.0
**2002--2003** 5,717 75.1 878 11.5 1,015 13.3 7,610 100.0
**deaths in 30--89 days** ^†^
**1996--1997** 1,070 59.3 270 15.0 463 25.7 1,803 100.0
**1998--1999** 989 57.8 265 15.5 457 26.7 1,711 100.0
**2000--2001** 1,012 57.6 281 16.0 465 26.5 1,758 100.0
**2002--2003** 1,036 54.6 311 16.4 549 29.0 1,896 100.0
**deaths in 90--364 days** ^†^ ^†^
**1996--1997** 1,044 39.5 563 21.3 1,034 39.2 2,641 100.0
**1998--1999** 1,064 40.4 513 19.5 1,058 40.2 2,635 100.0
**2000--2001** 1,024 39.5 514 19.8 1,054 40.7 2,592 100.0
**2002--2003** 931 35.5 529 20.2 1,160 44.3 2,620 100.0
\* 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .001.
† 2-sided chi-square test trend significant p \< .05
In Table [6](#T6){ref-type="table"} and Table [7](#T7){ref-type="table"}, mortality rates are presented for both types of index-admissions and both age-groups. Rates were standardized using the average age and sex composition of the clinical hospital population in 2000. In addition, we estimated mortality rate changes (as absolute differences between rates) between 1996 and 2003. Most important observation is that all mortality rates have fallen over this period, but the magnitude of this fall differs. For MI, the highest reduction is observed for 30-day in-hospital mortality. After including readmission and transfer cases, this decrease is much less. For instance, hospital mortality after MI for ages 35--74 has fallen from 7.1 to 5.8 percent, over 1996--2003, a drop of 1.3%, including other 30-day hospital deaths reduces this to 0.9%. Overall 365-day mortality dropped by 1.2%, a larger amount than both 30-day overall mortality (0.8%) and 90-day overall mortality (0.8%). For ages 75+ the picture for MI is the same, but much higher absolute gains in mortality reduction are found at higher levels of mortality. The 30-day in-hospital mortality for 75+ has dropped from 24.2% to 20.2%, a drop of 4.1%. Including other 30-day hospital deaths reduces this drop to 3.1%. Again, 365-day overall mortality dropped by 3.7% further than 30-day overall mortality (3.1%) and 90-day mortality (3.4%). Observed drops in MI-mortality rates occur in most cases gradually over the entire observation period.
######
Mortality rates\* 1996--2003 after admission for myocardial infarction, for seven different definitions of mortality, as percentage of admissions
**30- day mortality initial admission** **30- day mortality initial + subsequent admissions** **30-day mortality all locations of death** **90- day mortality initial + subsequent admissions** **90-day mortality all locations of death** **365- day mortality initial + subsequent admissions** **365-day mortality all locations of death**
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
**a) mortality rates ages 35--74**
**1996--1997** 7.1 7.7 8.1 8.3 9.3 9.5 11.5
**1998--1999** 6.6 7.6 8.0 8.3 9.1 9.4 11.2
**2000--2001** 6.5 7.6 8.0 8.3 9.0 9.4 11.2
**2002--2003** 5.8 6.9 7.3 7.6 8.3 8.6 10.3
**difference 2003--1996** -1.3 -0.9 -0.8 -0.8 -0.9 -0.9 -1.2
**b) mortality rates ages 75+**
**1996--1997** 24.2 25.6 27.1 28.1 31.8 31.8 40.5
**1998--1999** 23.3 24.9 26.3 27.4 31.0 31.0 39.2
**2000--2001** 21.7 23.7 25.1 26.3 29.6 29.7 38.1
**2002--2003** 20.2 22.4 24.1 24.5 28.4 28.1 36.8
**difference 2003--1996** -4.1 -3.2 -3.1 -3.6 -3.4 -3.8 -3.7
\*rates standardized for average Dutch hospital population 2000
######
Mortality rates\* 1996--2003 after admission for stroke, for seven different definitions of mortality, as percentage of admissions
**30- day mortality initial admission** **30- day mortality initial + subsequent admissions** **30-day mortality all locations of death** **90- day mortality initial + subsequent admissions** **90-day mortality all locations of death** **365- day mortality initial + subsequent admissions** **365-day mortality all locations of death**
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
**a) mortality rates ages 35--74**
**1996--1997** 12.3 13.0 13.3 14.5 15.4 16.1 18.8
**1998--1999** 12.5 13.2 13.4 14.4 15.3 15.9 18.7
**2000--2001** 12.5 13.2 13.4 14.2 15.2 15.5 18.4
**2002--2003** 11.4 12.1 12.4 13.1 14.3 14.2 17.3
**difference 2003--1996** -0.9 -0.9 -0.9 -1.4 -1.1 -1.9 -1.5
**b) mortality rates ages 75+**
**1996--1997** 26.5 26.9 27.9 31.8 35.8 34.5 46.8
**1998--1999** 26.5 27.0 27.9 31.7 35.5 35.0 46.3
**2000--2001** 26.3 26.9 28.0 31.6 35.5 34.4 46.1
**2002--2003** 23.5 24.2 26.0 27.3 33.4 29.4 43.0
**difference 2003--1996** -3.0 -2.7 -2.0 -4.5 -2.5 -5.1 -3.8
\*rates standardized for average Dutch hospital population 2000
For stroke a slightly different picture emerges. Reduction of 30-day mortality within the initial admission is lower than the observed drop for 365 day mortality. For ages 35--74, 30-day mortality within the initial admission has fallen from 12.3 to 11.4%, a drop of 0.9%, while 365-day overall mortality has fallen with 1.5%. For ages 75+, 30-day mortality within the initial admission has fallen from 26.5 to 23.5%, a drop of 3.0%, while 365-day overall mortality has fallen with 3.8%. For stroke, the observed reduction occurs in the last two years of the observation period, but not before.
Discussion
==========
In our introduction we identified three problems connected to the calculation of mortality indicators: influence of trends in place and time of death on mortality statistics, discrepancy between cause of admission and cause of death and administrative difficulties with the follow-up of patients after discharge.
Some limitations of the study need to be addressed. About 10% of MI and stroke records could not be linked to population and death registers, because people had administrative twins. However, research by Statistics Netherlands indicates that the influence of this on outcomes is limited \[[@B12]\]. Chances of having an administrative twin are somewhat higher in densely populated areas, and also differ by age. Another limit is of course that available care options are strongly influenced by government regulations, in the Dutch situation for instance the severe restrictions on the performance of cardiovascular procedures. However we do think our results may be of wider applicability. For instance our outcomes for place, time and cause of death analysis are for key elements, like the proportion of deaths occurring within the initial admission or the proportion of 30-day mortality compared to 1 year mortality, very similar to results of a UK study using data from the Oxford Record Linkage Study \[[@B9]\]. This is remarkable because of the large difference between the tax-funded health care system in the UK and the insurance based system in the Netherlands.
Regarding the question of incorporating transfer cases, we showed that in the Netherlands the proportion of deaths occurring after a transfer has grown for MI, especially for 30-day mortality. The proportion of deaths occurring in another hospital has almost doubled for this group between 1996 and 2003. However, for stroke transfer seems not to be an important issue.
Although it is likely the most severe cases with a high risk of mortality are transferred, it is important to stress that the observed increase over time in post-transfer deaths for MI does not necessarily imply an increase over time in mortality rates for transferred patients. Transfer between hospitals is not a random process but is driven by differences in the availability of resources like IC-units, or a difference in treatment options between hospitals. For instance, in the Netherlands only a minority of hospitals (\~20%) are allowed to perform percutaneous translumminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) after a myocardial infarction. Two competing explanations are possible here: mortality rates for cases after transfer are higher because the time between admission and treatment will be longer in general. But mortality rates could also be lower due to better treatment options available in the receiving hospital. Current research like the Prague-1 study \[[@B16],[@B17]\] suggests that the beneficial effects of transfer outweigh negative effects.
The second problem, discrepancy between the cause of hospital admission and the cause of death seems to be an issue growing in importance for deaths after MI but not for stroke. Over the observation period the number of deaths after an MI attributed to another circulatory disease but especially to \'other causes\' has grown significantly. The reason for this is unknown. Part of the explanation could be that the accuracy of the death certificates issued after a MI have improved with more cases in which MI can be seen as a complication rather than a primary cause being attributed to the \'true\' cause. Another possibility could be a change in diagnostic procedures or in the case-mix patients being admitted. Over the period 1996--2003, the age-standardized rate of persons treated in hospital for coronary heart disease fell from 45.4 per 10,000 population to 39.8 per 10,000 (Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"}). No such decline is observed for stroke. It could be the case that improved prevention has especially benefited people with a coronary heart disease.
As for the third area, follow-up difficulties, this analysis demonstrates that it is possible to calculate a wide range of hospital mortality indicators using linked morbidity and mortality data.
Using longer time-frames and adding deaths beyond the initial admission increases the number of mortality cases found for both MI and stroke. However, our results show that there is no substantial difference in trends between easily computed 30-day in-hospital mortality, and other indicators which require more effort to compute. All the indicators point to a decline in hospital mortality for MI and stroke for the observed period, with most of the deaths occurring within 30 days of the first admission. For MI it is advisable to exclude transferred cases from the computation of mortality indicators, because of the significant rise of deaths occurring after transport observed over the study period. This is also in line with emerging literature where exclusion of transfer cases does not appear to alter the main conclusions about hospital performance (Peterson et al \[[@B18]\], Bradley et al (19)). For the specific evaluation for the effect of transfer on mortality rates of transferred patients -- very likely more severe cases -- a separate indicator could be constructed.
Nonetheless, useful insights can be gathered from computing other indicators which cover other places of death beyond index hospitals and longer time frames. Over the observed period, death rates have dropped. It is interesting to observe that the absolute gain improvement in 30-day in-hospital mortality from the period 1996 to 2003 is comparable to the absolute improvement in 365-day mortality (all locations) for MI. This suggests that most of the improvement in survival is reached within the initial hospital treatment period, and that this is a long term effect because no substantial decrease in survival is observed after these first 30 days, which would be the case of there was only a short-term effect of better initial treatment. For stroke the markedly better improved survival rate after one year (as compared to 30-day mortality) indicates that for this condition improvement of care after discharge from the hospital plays a substantial role in the better survival. The almost universal implementation in the last years of our observation period of \'stroke units\' in the Netherlands, aimed at optimizing the integration of pre- and post discharge care for stroke, seems to be very successful. For both MI or stroke, there is room for substantial improvement due to secondary prevention after the initial event.
This sheds light on a debate in the Dutch research community \[[@B19]\] about the cause of the declining mortality in the Netherlands for myocardial infarction: better primary prevention of hearth disease or better post-myocardial infarction treatment with increased use of angioplasties and drugs like statins.
Since 30-day in-hospital mortality correlates well with other types of mortality, it underlines the continuing importance of this indicator as a measure of hospital performance in terms of MI and stroke treatments they provide.
Conclusion
==========
More research is needed to link actual hospital processes to these outcome measures, considering the mixed results recently reported in the literature \[[@B18],[@B20]\]. Therefore, our study cautions against expecting too much from the use of 30-day in-hospital mortality as an indicator, as our research shows it is well worth to study hospital mortality in the broader context of total mortality, and follow-up mortality over longer time-frames. Although necessary for understanding mortality patterns over time, including within mortality rates deaths which occur outside hospitals and after longer periods following index admissions remain debatable and may not reflect actual hospital performance but probably mirrors transfer, efficiency, and other health care policies.
Competing interests
===================
The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors\' contributions
=======================
LCJS performed the analysis, interpreted the results, and drafted the manuscript. OAA designed the study, helped interpret the results, and contributed to the discussion. AB provided and supervised preparation of data used in the study. GPW supervised the study and participated in the formulation of the discussion. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript for intellectual content.
Pre-publication history
=======================
The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:
<http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/8/52/prepub>
Acknowledgements
================
Prismant and the Dutch Hospital Association (NVZ) are kindly thanked for granting permission to use the Dutch hospital data. We also thank Statistic Netherlands for the extensive technical assistance in linking and analyzing the data.
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Q:
How to see if there are any matching characters in a string?
I'm making a card hand generator, and I want it to note if a specific hand is generated, like a three of a kind or a full house. I was trying to figure out how to do it, and I thought of using grep on the strings, but I realized I would have to make a LOT of lines and it would be overly repetitive. There is a file that holds the last generated string called out.txt.
This is an output from the script:
io@conroe$ ./card 5
♦ 6 ♦ Q ♠Q ♥J ♣3
I would want something like this:
io@conroe$ ./card 5
♦ 6 ♦ Q ♠Q ♥J ♣3
PAIR - QUEENS
The code is simple to me, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around how to do this part.
(Now, what would be really cool is if I could find a set of small pixel card graphics and use them in place of the text.)
Code:
#!/bin/bash
cat /dev/null > out.txt
z=$( < out.txt)
for (( y=1; y<=$1; y++ ))
do
< /dev/urandom LC_CTYPE=C tr -dc HDCS | head -c 1 | while read -n 1 s
do
case $s in
D)
printf ' \e[0;31;47m ♦ '
;;
H)
printf ' \e[0;31;47m ♥'
;;
S)
printf ' \e[0;30;47m ♠'
;;
C)
printf ' \e[0;31;47m ♣'
;;
esac
done
< /dev/urandom LC_CTYPE=C tr -dc "1""2""3""4""5""6""7""8""9""10""J""Q""K""A" | head -c 1 | while read -n 1 n
do
if [ $n = "0" ]
then
echo -n '10 '
echo -n '10 ' >> out.txt
else
echo -n "$n "
echo -n "$n " >> out.txt
fi
done
printf '\e[0m'
done
printf "\n"
EDIT: By the way, the strings in out.txt look like this:
6 Q Q J 3
A:
printf '%s\n' {♠,♣,♢,♡}$'\t'{{2..10},J,K,Q,A} | shuf -n5 |
gawk 'BEGIN{ split(",Twos,Threes,Fours,Fives,Sixes,Sevens,Eights,Nines,Tens",vt,","); vt["J"]="Jacks"; vt["Q"]="Queens"; vt["K"]="Kings"; vt["A"]="Aces"; } # values-text
{ c[$2]++; printf("%s %s", $1, $2(NR==5?"\n":"\t")) }
END{ for(i in c){
if( c[i]==2 ){ print "PAIR: " vt[i]; cp++ }
if( c[i]==3 ){ print "THREE: " vt[i]; ct++ }
if( c[i]==4 ){ print "FOUR: " vt[i] } }
if( cp==2 ) { print "TWO PAIRS" }
if( cp&&ct ) { print "FULL HOUSE" } }'
Example output:
♡ Q ♣ A ♢ A ♢ Q ♡ 2
PAIR: Aces
PAIR: Queens
TWO PAIRS
Here is the same thing done entirely by awk, except for the method of seeding awk's rand(), by using bash's $RANDOM passed to awk via the -v option. The output is identical to the above.
gawk -v seed=$RANDOM '
BEGIN{srand(seed)
split("♠♣♢♡",s,"") # suit: 1-4
split("A,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K",v,",") # values: 1-13
split(",Twos,Threes,Fours,Fives,Sixes,Sevens,Eights,Nines,Tens",vt,","); vt["A"]="Aces"; vt["J"]="Jacks"; vt["Q"]="Queens"; vt["K"]="Kings"; # values-text
for(es in s){ for(ev in v){ sv[i++]=s[es]" "v[ev] }}; # 0-51
imax=4; for(i=0;i<=imax;i++){ # pick 5 cards at random from array `v`
rix=int(rand()*(52-i))+i # ranges from 0-51 to 4-51, as per `i`
tmp=sv[i]; sv[i]=sv[rix]; sv[rix]=tmp # swap ramdom value to front of array, as per `i`
split(sv[i],fv," "); c[fv[2]]++ # increment face-value counts
printf("%s", sv[i](i==imax?"\n":"\t")) # print the full hand in incremets
}
for(i in c){
if( c[i]==2 ){ print "PAIR: " vt[i]; cp++ }
if( c[i]==3 ){ print "THREE: " vt[i]; ct++ }
if( c[i]==4 ){ print "FOUR: " vt[i] } }
if( cp==2 ) { print "TWO PAIRS" }
if( cp&&ct ) { print "FULL HOUSE" }}'
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---
title: USB Driver
description: USB Driver
ms.assetid: c20bd393-98d0-498e-a3e8-bbd1958ed774
ms.date: 04/20/2017
ms.localizationpriority: medium
---
# USB Driver
The kernel-mode still image driver for USB buses supports a single control endpoint, along with multiple interrupt, bulk IN, and bulk OUT endpoints. The control and interrupt endpoints are accessible using I/O control codes and [**DeviceIoControl**](/windows/win32/api/ioapiset/nf-ioapiset-deviceiocontrol). The bulk endpoints are accessible using **ReadFile** and **WriteFile**.
Before calling [**DeviceIoControl**](/windows/win32/api/ioapiset/nf-ioapiset-deviceiocontrol), **ReadFile**, or **WriteFile**, you must call [**CreateFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea) (all described in the Microsoft Windows SDK documentation) to obtain a device handle. For devices that support no more than one of each endpoint type (control, interrupt, bulk IN, bulk OUT), a single call to **CreateFile** opens transfer pipes to each endpoint.
For devices that support multiple interrupt or bulk endpoints, a single call to [**CreateFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea) opens transfer pipes to the highest-numbered endpoint of each type. If you want to use a different endpoint, you must do the following:
1. Call [**DeviceIoControl**](/windows/win32/api/ioapiset/nf-ioapiset-deviceiocontrol), specifying an I/O control code of [**IOCTL\_GET\_PIPE\_CONFIGURATION**](/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/usbscan/ni-usbscan-ioctl_get_pipe_configuration), to determine a port's endpoint index numbers (that is, indexes into the returned [**USBSCAN\_PIPE\_INFORMATION**](/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/usbscan/ns-usbscan-_usbscan_pipe_information) structure array). Note that these index numbers are *not* the endpoint numbers described in the *Universal Serial Bus Specification*.
2. Append a backslash and the endpoint's index number to the port name returned by [**IStiDeviceControl::GetMyDevicePortName**](/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/stiusd/nf-stiusd-istidevicecontrol-getmydeviceportname) when calling CreateFile.
For example, suppose a device (with a port name of "usbscan0") has two endpoints of each type (interrupt, bulk IN, bulk OUT), with index numbers as follows:
<table>
<colgroup>
<col width="33%" />
<col width="33%" />
<col width="33%" />
</colgroup>
<thead>
<tr class="header">
<th>Index</th>
<th>Type</th>
<th>Endpoint#</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td><p>0</p></td>
<td><p>Interrupt</p></td>
<td><p>0x01</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><p>1</p></td>
<td><p>Bulk IN</p></td>
<td><p>0x82</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><p>2</p></td>
<td><p>Bulk IN</p></td>
<td><p>0x83</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><p>3</p></td>
<td><p>Bulk OUT</p></td>
<td><p>0x04</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><p>4</p></td>
<td><p>Bulk OUT</p></td>
<td><p>0x05</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><p>5</p></td>
<td><p>Interrupt</p></td>
<td><p>0x06</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
If you call [**CreateFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea) with a port name of "usbscan0", the function opens transfer pipes to endpoints with index values of 2, 4, and 5, as well as the control endpoint.
If you call [**CreateFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea) with a port name of "usbscan0\\1", the function opens transfer pipes to endpoints with index values of 1, 4, and 5, as well as the control endpoint.
For this device, if you want to use interrupt endpoint 0, bulk IN endpoint 1, and bulk OUT endpoint 3, call [**CreateFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea) three times, specifying port names of "usbscan0\\0", "usbscan0\\1", and "usbscan0\\3". This creates three device handles. Whenever a subsequent call to [**DeviceIoControl**](/windows/win32/api/ioapiset/nf-ioapiset-deviceiocontrol), **ReadFile**, or **WriteFile** is made, the device handle associated with the desired pipe should be specified.
Because only one control endpoint is supported, specifying any I/O control code that uses the control pipe causes the driver to use the proper endpoint, regardless of which endpoint (if any) was specified to [**CreateFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea).
For descriptions of all I/O control codes, see [USB Still Image I/O Control Codes](/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/_image/index).
The kernel-mode USB driver does not implement a package or message protocol. Read operations do not require any particular packet alignment, but better performance can be achieved if read requests are aligned to maximum packet size boundaries. The maximum packet size can be obtained using the [**IOCTL\_GET\_CHANNEL\_ALIGN\_RQST**](/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/usbscan/ni-usbscan-ioctl_get_channel_align_rqst) I/O control code.
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Head Injury
A personal injury lawyer in El Paso is ready to represent you
A head injury is among the most serious types of car accident injuries. A head injury may occur when your head strikes a hard object, such as the windshield or steering wheel. In severe cases, a victim may suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI). For example, fragments of the windshield may become embedded in the brain as a result of the blow to the head. Brain swelling, or a concussion, may be caused by the force of the accident.
If you or someone you know sustained a head injury, please contact our office for a free consultation. An experienced El Paso injury attorney is ready to offer quality legal assistance. Call 915-532-1111. At the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, we are ready to put experience and resources to work for you.
How a personal injury attorney in El Paso can help
A knowledgeable personal injury attorney in El Paso can help you pursue compensation for your losses. In the case of a brain injury, victims may be coping with out-of-control medical bills and expensive rehabilitation and physical therapy. Victims also may be unable to return to their jobs, which can mean a significant loss of income over the course of a lifetime.
At the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, we have access to top experts who can help link your brain injury to current and future financial losses. You may also be eligible for compensation due to a loss of consortium (when the injury affects your relationship with our spouse) and other potential damages.
Contact an accident attorney in El Paso
Serious injuries demand serious attention. Contact a tough-minded accident attorney in El Paso. Call 915-532-1111 for a free consultation, or contact us online. At the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, we provide a powerful combination of resources, experience and technology for our clients who are coping with head injuries due to Texas car accidents.
Put the power of an aggressive attorney behind you. Contact the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC. We mean business!
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Weston Collegiate Institute
Weston Collegiate Institute (Weston C.I., WCI, Weston), formerly known by its previous names of Weston Grammar School, Weston High School, Weston High and Vocational School and Weston Collegiate and Vocational School is a Grade 9 to 12 public high school located in the York South-Weston area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the second oldest high school in Toronto, after Jarvis Collegiate Institute. Weston CI is located on 100 Pine Street and has a student population of about 920.
History
Weston Collegiate Institute holds the distinction of being the second-oldest secondary school in Toronto and the oldest in the former City of York, having been established in 1857 as Weston Grammar School. The school's activities and scholarships are supported by the Weston's Alumni Foundation. The school was renamed to Weston High School in 1871, then Weston High and Vocational School in 1922, and lastly to Weston Collegiate and Vocational School in 1939 before adopting its present name in 1965.
WCI displays an international focus as the student body representing over 80 countries in the world. The diversity within WCI is reflected in its school activities and clubs. The school also strives to meet the needs of all students, with programs that prepare students for universities, colleges, and skills trade that lead to work or apprenticeship.
The original school building in Collegiate Gothic, designed by architect Stephen Burwell Coon was built in 1923. The school's modern facility was constr 1970, includes a library, a large indoor pool, a full-sized field with surrounding track, a double gymnasium and a fitness/weight room.
In 2017, the school celebrated its 160th anniversary.
International Baccalaureate program
The International Baccalaureate Program (also known as the IB Program) is a holistic, world-renowned Graduate Diploma recognized by universities internationally. It was introduced by then IB Coordinator, Mr. Gary Hophan, in March 1994 to Weston. The present coordinator is Ms. Anne Dale. All the teachers are specially selected and trained to support the International Baccalaureate program.
The process of applying involves a personal essay about a quote of some sort and successful essays' applicants will then be called in for an interview. Judged on both assessments (and a completed application package which involves report cards, etc.) the applicant will be given or rejected a spot in the program. The interview typically lasts 20–30 minutes and admission is given on the spot. Admission is usually highly selective and only 90 spots are available per year.
The IB Program at Weston Collegiate Institute is taught in English and taken in the latter two years of high school (i.e. Grades 11 and 12). However, due to its rigorous nature, Weston Collegiate Institute offers the Preparatory International Baccalaureate Program (also known as the Pre-IB Program) to students. The Pre-IB Program is largely recommended to students, but entry into the IB program without Pre-IB may be accepted. All IB courses are offered at the enriched level, which greatly exceeds the expectations of the Ontario Secondary School curriculum. By Grade 12, all students study at the university-level, leading some universities to offer advanced standing for Higher Level subjects.
Students who are enrolled in the IB program receive both the International Baccalaureate Diploma and the Ontario Secondary School Diploma upon successful completion. Students are expected to study 3 subjects at the Higher Level (HL) and 3 at the Standard Level (SL). Students may also opt to complete 4 HL and 2 SL subjects if they wish although it is not recommended due to the potential for the exorbitant workload Successful completion of the IB program entails receiving passing grades on all written IB examinations, the Theory of Knowledge essay, and the Extended Essay, as well as 150 hours of volunteered community involvement in three areas (i.e. creativity, action, service; also known as CAS hours). In their final year, students write the official IB exams in May.
All IB students from Weston Collegiate Institute are accepted to their first choice universities and are offered substantial scholarships. In fact, the IB Department at Weston Collegiate Institute provides a number of IB Scholarships for outstanding IB students. Recipients are nominated by IB teachers, administrators, or students and selected by a committee of 5 members (i.e. IB Coordinator, 3 teachers, IB Parent Council parent representatives). The IB Scholarships are broken into the following categories: IB Ideal, Leadership, Most Improved, Creativity, Service, Academic.
Each year, the Grade 12 students, with the help of the IB Coordinator, organize a 3-day trip to Algonquin Park which includes the newly arrived Grade 9's. The purpose of this trip is to help the new students transition to high school and to foster a sense of community. Weston also offers IB tutoring by advanced students to support new students academically. Furthermore, the IB Department, which includes the students, teachers, and coordinator, organizes an annual IB Multicultural Evening and Fundraiser to raise money to support the IB Scholarships and the Annual Algonquin Park trip. Many Weston Collegiate Institute IB Alumni and their friends and family are invited to this event.
Current IB subjects offered
In order to graduate as a diploma student, an IB candidate must take one (or two) science course(s), one math course, and one higher-level English course, Theory of Knowledge, as well as one secondary language (only French is offered at Weston).
Experimental Sciences
Biology HL
Biology SL
Chemistry HL
Chemistry SL
Physics SL
Mathematics
Math Studies SL
Mathematics HL
Mathematics SL
Languages A1, A2, BEnglish A1 HL (required)
French B HL
French B SLIndividuals and SocietiesHistory HL
History SL
Socio-Cultural Anthropology HL
Socio-Cultural Anthropology SL
Information Technology in a Global Society SL
Information Technology in a Global Society HL
Theory of Knowledge (ToK; required)
Athletics
Cricket (indoors and outdoors)
Football
Basketball
Soccer (indoors and outdoors)
Baseball
Golf
Swimming
Badminton
Rugby
Ice Hockey
Volleyball (Co-ed)
Cross-Country
Track and Field
Softball
Slo-pitch
Arts
Dance Club
Dramatic Arts Festivals
Live Production/Plays
Talent Shows
Music Concert/Performances
Computer/Graphic Arts
Film/Video Workshops
Media Art
Photography
Choir
Ensemble
Jazz Band
Orchestra
Strings
Other recreational/co-curricular activities
Student Activity Council (SAC)
French Club
Queer Straight Alliance (QSA)
Spanish Club
ESL Club
Sound, Light and Stage Crew Club
Chess Club
HSERT (High School Emergency Response Team)
Student Newspaper Club
Yearbook Club
Weston Ambassadors
Best Buddies
Robotics Club
Computer Club/Team
Weight Training Club
Dominoes Club
Athletic Council
Future Aces
GO Club
Student Council
Music Council
African Canadian Leadership Committee
Eco Club (Highly esteemed and respected extra-curricular within the school)
Christian Club
Community Fundraisers Terry Fox Run
UNICEF
United Way
CN Tower Climb
30 Hour Famine
Canadian Cancer Society
Free the ChildrenCaring Blood Drive
Parenting Education in the Classroom
Settlement Education Partnership Toronto (SEPT)
Somali Youth Association of Toronto(SOYAT)
Women's HabitatSafe & Caring Schools'''
Empowered Student Partnerships (ESP)
Kids Help Phone
Let's Stop the Bullying: Bully Prevention Program
Me to We
Parks and Recreation After school program
Recognition Assemblies
Recognition Awards Program
Restorative Justice
YOUCAN: Team Toronto, Peace Builders
Notable faculty
Bob Nadin – Ice hockey referee, and IIHF Hall of Fame inductee
Notable alumni
Esmond Butler – private secretary of Governor General (1954-1984), received Order of Canada in 1986
Ed Chadwick – former goaltender with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins
Paul Coffey – Former NHL All-Star Defenceman
Sir James Alexander Lougheed – Northwest Territories/Alberta senator and federal cabinet minister
John Martini – Former football player of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts, and current Head of Boys Physical and Health Education at Pickering High School
Carline Muir – track and field athlete, competed in 2008 Beijing Olympics
William Paris – fighter pilot and trainer of pilots, receive the Order of Canada in 1989
Vera Peters – medical doctor, received Order of Canada in 1975
Bob Pulford – NHL hockey player
Sinclair Stevens (1927–2016) – lawyer, businessman and Federal Cabinet minister
Carole Taylor – former Chair of the Board of Directors of the CBC and politician
Elwy Yost (1925–2011) – TV Ontario movie reviewer
See also
List of high schools in Ontario
References
Listed among "top 75 schools" by the University of Toronto 1996 Ontario Biology Competition
Listed as #52 in the University of Toronto's 2000 National Biology Competition
participated in 2000 Toronto "In the Driver's seat" safety program
Student received a 1996 Canada Governor General's Academic Medal (Bronze)
Student received a 1994 Canada Governor General's Academic Medal (Bronze)
News story about 150th anniversary
External links
Weston C.I. Official site
Weston Alumni Foundation Official site
Weston CI TDSB Site
International Baccalaureate listing
Category:Schools in the TDSB
Category:High schools in Toronto
Category:International Baccalaureate schools in Ontario
Category:Educational institutions established in 1857
Category:1857 establishments in Ontario
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Changes in metabolic profile and population of skeletal muscle fibers of mice overexpressing calsequestrin: influence of losartan.
In heart failure, exertional fatigue of skeletal muscles can occur. A transgenic mouse overexpressing calsequestrin can be regarded as an animal model of heart failure. The aims of the present study were to investigate, whether at the time of cardiac failure the composition of fiber types of skeletal muscles was altered, what kind of alterations in glycolytic and oxidative enzyme activities occurred in different muscle fiber types and whether these were affected by the administration of the angiotensin II receptor blocker, losartan. Hemodynamic parameters were determined using a working heart preparation. Four groups of mice were investigated: wild-type (WT) mice and transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing calsequestrin, with and without losartan treatment. Enzyme activities were measured in homogenates of Rectus femoris muscle and in muscle fibers, which were typed by their metabolic profile. Calcineurin expression was measured by Western blotting. Succinate dehydrogenase activity was increased by 275% in R. femoris muscle homogenates of TG compared to WT mice. This was due to a 57% increase in slow oxidative fibers, which was accompanied by an increased calcineurin expression in TG muscles. This increase was attenuated by losartan treatment. With respect to glycerol-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GPDH), no difference was evident comparing WT and TG. Treatment with losartan resulted in a down-regulation of GPDH in WT and TG. In conclusion, changes in skeletal muscles occur in this mouse model of heart failure and these changes were antagonized by losartan. In contrast to heart failure patients, in the mouse model a shift to the oxidative phenotype of skeletal muscle was noted, possibly due to enhanced calcineurin expression.
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Background
==========
Carcinoid tumours of the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) represent extremely rare lesions. These neoplasms account for 0.1% to 0.3% of all gastrointestinal carcinoid tumours \[[@B1]\]. Unlike cholangiocarcinomas, bile duct carcinoids occur more commonly in younger patients and in women \[[@B2]\]. Altogether, 70 patients with carcinoid tumours arising from the biliary tree have been reported in the literature \[[@B3]\]. Similarly, follicular lymphomas of the ampulla of Vater represent an infrequent entity accounting for only 1-3.8% of all gastrointestinal lymphomas \[[@B4]\] with only a few cases reported in the literature \[[@B4],[@B5]\]. Interestingly, these cases most commonly occured in women. We report the first case of a synchronous carcinoid tumour of the EHBD and an ampullary follicular lymphoma that was treated surgically.
Case Presentation
=================
A 43-year old Caucasian male with no remarkable medical history, was referred to our clinic with intermittent jaundice and a 1-month history of nausea, vomiting, pruritus, dark urine, clay-colored stools and weight loss of 5 kg. The patient did not report abdominal pain or decreased appetite.
On admission, the patient\'s liver function tests (LFTs) were abnormal; aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 78 IU/L (normal, \< 45 IU/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 109 IU/L (normal, \< 45 IU/L), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 226 IU/L (normal, 40-150 IU/L), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) 932 IU/L (normal, 10-55 IU/L), total bilirubin 1.3 mg/dl (normal, 0.21-1.2 mg/dl) and direct bilirubin 0.9 mg/dl (normal, \< 0.5 mg/dl), while the tumour markers CEA, CA 19-9 and AFP were within normal range.
Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed dilatation of the biliary tree, with the hepatic duct measuring a diameter of 1.8 cm. Neither lymph node enlargement nor splenomegaly was demonstrated. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed dilated intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts including the cystic duct and the gallbladder. The common bile duct (CBD) measured 1.4 cm in diameter with an abrupt concentric stenosis in its lower third and a cut-off point located 1 cm distally to the duodenal ampulla. The pancreatic duct was depicted as normal (Figure [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}).
{#F1}
Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) demonstrated the duodenal ampulla of Vater thickened and the CBD dilated with the presence of thick content.
The patient underwent an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The ampulla of Vater was depicted as being infiltrated by the neoplasm. An endoscopic sphincterotomy was carried out, thus letting us better view and sample the region, and the biopsies taken revealed the presence of an undifferentiated neoplasm, but no definitive diagnosis was made.
Taking into consideration the aforementioned findings, our decision was to operate on the patient, and we performed a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with the en bloc resection of the area in question and surrounding structures, including the regional lymph nodes.
Histopathological and immunohistochemical study of the surgical specimen revealed infiltration of the duodenum by a non-Hodgkin B cell lymphoma, predominantly of nodular type, with characteristics of grade I follicular lymphoma \[World Health Organization (WHO) classification\] with G(λ)+ clonicity and indicative immunohistochemical examination (CD 10+, bcl-2-) (Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). In addition, an intramucosal carcinoid of the CBD, measuring a diameter of 0.3 cm, was identified. All eight excised lymph nodes were normal (Figure [3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}).
{#F2}
{#F3}
Postoperatively, the patient was further staged. Regarding the lymphoma, we conducted a CT scan of the neck and chest as well as a bone marrow biopsy to exclude extra-enteric lesions, and we proceeded with a video capsule endoscopy in order to exclude multifocal involvement of the small intestine \[[@B6]\]. All these additional exams yielded no findings. As far as the carcinoid was concerned, the levels of the neuroendocrine markers 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid), CgA (chromogranin A) and NSE (neuron-specific enolase) were found within normal range. Because of the small size and histology of the carcinoid, no other imaging modalities such as Octreoscan or MIBG (meta-iodobenzylguanidine) scintigraphy were used \[[@B7]\].
The follow-up of the patient includes a complete blood count, routine biochemical exams and an abdominal CT scan every six months after surgery, supported with an annual evaluation of CgA levels \[[@B6],[@B7]\]. Eighteen months after the resection, neither the lab tests nor the imaging techniques have revealed any recurrence of the disease nor has the patient referred any symptoms.
Discussion
==========
Carcinoid tumours arise from enterochromaffin cells, also known as argentaffin or Kulchitsky cells. The term enterochromaffin refers to the ability to stain with potassium chromate (chromaffin), a feature of cells that contain serotonin. These cells are located in the gastrointestinal tract (most commonly in the small intestine, appendix and rectum) \[[@B1]\] or at various sites within the respiratory tract \[[@B8]\] or the pelvic cavity (uterine cervix, ovary, testis), the oto-laryngeal region and the breast \[[@B9]\]. A small number of these cells also exist in the biliary tree \[[@B10]\]. The rarity of carcinoid tumours in this region are probably explained by the very limited number of the Kulchitsky cells \[[@B11]\]. Carcinoid tumours of the EHBD account for only 0.1-0.3 of all gastrointestinal carcinoids \[[@B1]\].
The term \'carcinoid tumour\' has been replaced by the term \'well-differentiated endocrine tumour\' in the latest WHO classification of tumours (IARC, Lyons, France, 2000). The malignancy of neuroendocrine tumours is well described, ranging from well-differentiated tumours to malignant neoplasms \[[@B1],[@B12]\].
The WHO staging system is based on the criteria such as tumour size, histological differentiation, Ki-67 immunostaining, invasion of adjacent tissues, and vascular and perineural invasion.
Available data extrapolated from the existing literature suggest that carcinoid tumours of the extrahepatic biliary tree are of low malignancy \[[@B13]\]. However, these neoplasms tend to metastasize if remain untreated \[[@B9]\]. Complete resection of localized tumours, without metastases, results in a 5-year survival of 60-100% \[[@B1],[@B14]\] thus proposing aggressive surgical management as an optimal treatment modality. In contrast, radiotherapy offers no benefit and chemotherapy has been used only in metastastic disease with too few reports to support any definitive conclusions \[[@B15]\].
Primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) constitute more than one-third of all extranodal lymphomas. The stomach is the most common site, followed by the colorectal region and the terminal ileum \[[@B16]\]. The duodenum is less frequently affected. The vast majority (80-90%) of primary gastrointestinal lymphomas originate from B cells and include diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, whereas follicular lymphomas have a reported incidence of 1-3.8% \[[@B4]\].
Compared to other biliary malignancies, lymphomas are more sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, NHLs represent a rare cause of malignant biliary obstruction, accounting for 1-2% of all cases \[[@B17]\], thus making medical decision-making a challenging procedure. Lymphomas of the periampullary region causing obstructive jaundice could be treated with chemotherapy provided that biliary drainage has been established securely through stenting of the CBD. Carcinoid tumours of the EHBD and ampullary follicular lymphomas, constitute exceedingly rare neoplasms. We herein report the first case of a synchronous development of these two malignancies that was treated surgically. Unlike most cases in the literature, where both carcinoids and follicular lymphomas exhibited a female predominance, our case refers to a 43-year-old male. Although the role of surgery for gastrointestinal lymphomas is not the treatment of choice, in our case resection was obligatory since the endoscopic biopsies were inconclusive.
Conclusion
==========
We present a patient harbouring a periampullary neoplasm, causing obstructive jaundice. We proceeded with a pancreaticoduodenectomy based on the preoperative finding of a poorly undifferentiated periampullary neoplasm. However, the final diagnosis revealed a follicular lymphoma of the duodenum and a carcinoid tumour of the CBD. No adjuvant therapy was judged appropriate after thorough staging and the patient is doing well eighteen months after surgery.
Consent
=======
Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.
Competing interests
===================
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors\' contributions
=======================
PA carried out the surgical procedure, designed the study, gathered the data and wrote the manuscript. NA finally revised the manuscript for submission. VSt participated in drafting and revising the manuscript. AT participated in gathering the data and drafted the manuscript. EK performed the appropriate histological analysis of the surgical specimens and provided histological sections as figures for the manuscript. CRL revised the language of the manuscript as a native English speaker. VS carried out the surgical procedure, participated in designing the study and revised the manuscript for submission. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
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Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower who blew the lid on the US government's classified mass surveillance programs, shut down a conspiracy theory that the US is secretly housing alien lifeforms.
Speaking on an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, which aired on Wednesday, Snowden said he did not find any evidence of extraterrestrials when he snooped through the databases of the CIA and NSA.
"Everybody wants to believe in conspiracy theories because it helps life make sense," he told Rogan. "It helps us believe that somebody is in control, that somebody is calling the shots."
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Edward Snowden shut down the conspiracy theory that the US government is secretly harboring aliens at its top secret facilities during an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, which aired on Wednesday.
Snowden, an American whistleblower who revealed details of classified US government surveillance programs in 2013, addressed rumors about secret extraterrestrial lifeforms in his recently released memoir "Permanent Record."
"I know, Joe, I know you want there to be aliens," he said. "I know Neil deGrasse Tyson badly wants there to be aliens. And there probably are, right?"
"I do," Rogan responded.
Speaking to Rogan from Russia, where he has been granted asylum, Snowden said as far as he knew the US government has not made contact with aliens and is not housing them at their facilities, like that of Area 51 in Nevada.
"But the idea that we're hiding them — if we are hiding them — I had ridiculous access to the networks of the NSA, the CIA, the military, all these groups. I couldn't find anything," he asserted.
He said, he found no evidence of extraterrestrial life during his time spent snooping through government databases when he worked as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Read more: How Area 51 became the center of alien conspiracy theories
He admitted that it was entirely possible that knowledge of alien contact were "hidden really damn well" from people with direct access to classified information.
"Everybody wants to believe in conspiracy theories because it helps life make sense," he told Rogan. "It helps us believe that somebody is in control, that somebody is calling the shots."
In his book, which came out last month, Snowden shut down other popular conspiracy theories, like the idea that the US faked the moon landing, or that climate science is a hoax.
"For the record, as far as I could tell, aliens have never contacted Earth, or at least they haven't contacted US intelligence," he wrote.
"Yes, man really did land on the moon. Climate change is real. Chemtrails are not a thing," he added.
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The Blockheads is a two-dimensional exploration, building, crafting, and survival sandbox game developed by Majic Jungle Software set in a massive, evolving, procedurally-generated world. The player controls avatars called blockheads that can destroy or create blocks, collect or craftmaterial resources, or form exotic structures, while exploring an enriched world with equators, poles, weather, climate, seasons, oceans, mountain ranges, deserts, and vast underground cave networks using a wide range of resources.
The Blockheads was first released on 10 January 2013 on Apple's App Store, and was approved on 21 December 2012. It was launched on Android on 9 October 2013. It is currently available to players for Free.
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The Debate Audience Literally Laughed When Donald Trump Said He Respects Women
The second presidential debate included a segment about each candidate’s “fitness to be president,” so moderator Chris Wallace brought up the some half-dozen women who have accused Donald Trump of sexual assault. “Why would so many different women under so many different circumstances
make up these stories?” Wallace asked.
Trump responded by denying the allegations, which has been his strategy thus far. He then blamed the Clinton campaign for producing his accusers, and he topped the whole thing off with: “Nobody has more respect for women than I do.”
Again, this is a line he’s used before. But this time, the audience straight-up laughed.
Perhaps anticipating the reaction, Trump’s campaign team was quick with a response.
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Good Food Friday : Okonomiyaki
I whipped up this awesome pancake for lunch last Sunday – it took minutes to make and was lip smackingly delicious. If your not familiar with Okonomiyaki – it’s japanese pancake and can virtually be made with anything you have in your fridge. You can substitute suitable vegetables, making it really easy to quickly make up for a lunch when unexpected guests drop over or like me, when the craving hits!
Okonomiyaki
SaucesOkonomiyaki sauce (you can find this at the japanese grocers or use kekap manis available at the supermarket)
Japanese mayonnaise (I like the kewpie brand – also available at the supermarket)
MethodBeat eggs in a large bowl. Once mixed well, combine all other ingredients. You may add more water if necessary.
Heat oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Using a ladle, spoon in one full ladle to pan and allow mixture to spread out evenly – sometimes using the base of the ladle to flatten out.
Cook both sides until golden brown.
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---
abstract: 'We present a x-ray dichroism study of graphite surfaces that addresses the origin and magnitude of ferromagnetism in metal-free carbon. We find that, in addition to carbon $\pi$ states, also hydrogen-mediated electronic states exhibit a net spin polarization with significant magnetic remanence at room temperature. The observed magnetism is restricted to the top $\approx$10 nm of the irradiated sample where the actual magnetization reaches $ \simeq 15$ emu/g at room temperature. We prove that the ferromagnetism found in metal-free untreated graphite is intrinsic and has a similar origin as the one found in proton bombarded graphite.'
address:
- 'Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA'
- 'Institut für Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstra[ß]{}e 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany'
- 'Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA'
- 'Institut für Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstra[ß]{}e 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany'
author:
- 'H. Ohldag'
- 'P. Esquinazi'
- 'E. Arenholz'
- 'D. Spemann, M. Rothermel, A. Setzer, T. Butz'
title: 'The role of hydrogen in room-temperature ferromagnetism at graphite surfaces'
---
The possibility of magnetic order in metal-free carbon is fascinating from a fundamental as well as from a technological point of view. In recent years there have been numerous reports of ferromagnetism in virgin graphite [@pabloprb02] as well as graphite treated by ion bombardment [@pabloprl03; @barzola2; @xia08] and carbon nanoparticles [@yakovprb03; @cau06; @par08]; it could be shown that the observed magnetism in proton irradiated carbon is not caused by magnetic impurities but is related to the $\pi$-states of carbon [@ohldag:07]. However, the question how it is possible to establish ferromagnetic order in carbon without any metallic magnetic or non-magnetic elements still remains unanswered. Several theoretical studies in the past have suggested that absorption of hydrogen at the edges of [@kusakabe03] or on [@duplock04] graphene sheets as well as hydrogen chemisorption in graphite [@yaz08] may lead to the formation of a spin polarized band at the Fermi level and robust ferromagnetic order. However, there is so far no convincing experimental evidence supporting the influence of hydrogen. While it is obvious that defects or ad-atoms play a central role, the origin of the magnetic moment observed in graphite [@pabloprb02] is not yet understood.
Another intriguing question arises from the observation that the apparent magnetization detected in magnetic graphite is typically many orders of magnitude smaller than the one found for “classical” magnets like the 3d-transition metals. Apart from the fact that this makes it challenging to obtain a reliable and detailed understanding of the relevant processes that cause the ferromagnetic order in graphite [@jems08], it also leads to the question how such a system exhibiting a small magnetization and presumably negligible magnetic exchange coupling can be a ferromagnet at room temperature. However, the explanation of such extremely small magnetization resides in the uncertainty of the total ferromagnetic mass in the measured samples and in the role of non-metallic defects. Recent studies on proton- [@barzola2] and carbon-irradiated [@xia08] graphite managed to provide maximum limits for the induced ferromagnetic mass allowing to estimate magnetization values exceeding $5~$emu/g. Although important evidence has been obtained that supports the role of vacancies in the graphite ferromagnetism [@yan09], the very origin and extent of surface magnetism [@muSR] remains open. For this reason we will investigate the electronic structure of such samples and correlate our findings with the macroscopic magnetic properties.
In this paper we present x-ray absorption (XA) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra in combination with Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) measurements on proton irradiated and non-irradiated highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) samples. Soft XA dichroism spectroscopy is an element specific technique that is sensitive to the magnetic moment of each elemental or chemical species in a complex heterogenous sample. The x-ray energy is chosen such that core level electrons are excited into empty valence states. Using circular polarized x-rays the intensity of the absorption process in a magnetic element depends on the relative orientation between helicity of the x-rays and the magnetic moment of the atom (X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, XMCD)[@thole:92]. To obtain an XMCD spectrum two XA spectra with either opposite magnetization or x-ray polarization [@sto06] are recorded and compared. It is important to note that XMCD can provide independent information about the magnetic order of different elements or even different chemical states of one element in a sample. Furthermore, it is possible to change the depth sensitivity of the approach by using different detection methods for the absorption yield. We will employ exactly these capabilities of XMCD to show that hydrogen atoms at the surface of graphite play a key role in the ferromagnetism of graphite and that the size of the magnetic moment of graphite at the surface can reach the same order of magnitude than classical ferromagnetic materials.
![Experimental geometry. Circular polarized x-rays are incident on the sample under an angle $\alpha$ collinear with the direction of the applied magnetic field. A photodiode at 90$^\circ$ to the incoming x-rays can be used to measure the reflected x-ray intensity at $\alpha=45^\circ$. The absorption yield is measured by monitoring the sample drain current.[]{data-label="fig:Setup"}](figure1.eps){width="60mm"}
The XA experiments were performed using the eight pole magnet [@arenholz:05] at the elliptical polarized undulator beamline 4.0.2 at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley [@young:02] at room temperature. The x-ray source provides soft x-rays in the energy range between 250-2000 eV and a typical spectral resolution of $E/\Delta E\approx 5000$ with variable x-ray polarization. The photon energy of the x-ray beam has been calibrated using well known absorption resonances. At the carbon K-resonance the degree of circular polarization of the x-rays emitted by such a device is close to 100%. The electromagnet provides a magnetic field was applied parallel to the direction of the incoming x-rays while the sample was oriented at an angle $\alpha$ as shown in Fig. \[fig:Setup\]. At $\alpha=30^\circ$ only the electron yield (EY) emitted from the sample was recorded, while we also recorded the reflected x-ray intensity (reflection yield, RY) at $\alpha=45^\circ$ using a photodiode. The EY approach provides surface specific information from the first 5-10 nm of the sample [@sto06], while the reflected photons provide more bulk sensitive information (0.1-1$\mu$m) [@cxrowww]. XMCD spectra were obtained by switching the direction of the applied field for every data point. The EY and RY data were recorded in an applied field or in remanence after the field was removed.
Sample Ti V Cr Fe Co Ni Cu Zn
-------- ------ ------ --------- ------ ---------------- ------ ------ -----------------
irr. 3.56 7.1 $<$0.03 0.25 $<$0.02 0.11 0.4 0.3
virgin 2.69 8.52 0.11 0.61 $\backsimeq$ 0 0.13 0.06 $\lesssim$ 0.06
: Metallic impurities in the two HOPG samples investigated here measured in ppm = $1~\mu$g element per gram carbon measured by PIXE[]{data-label="tab:impurities"}
{width="80mm"}
. \[fig:loops\]
The two samples discussed in this paper were obtained from a HOPG (0.4$^{\circ}$ rocking curve width) bulk sample. Before performing the XMCD measurements we confirmed the negligible amount of magnetic impurities like Fe, Co, Ni by particle induced x-ray emission (PIXE) and by acquiring XA spectra between 200 eV and 1500 eV. The results of the very sensitive PIXE measurements are summarized in table \[tab:impurities\]. The total amount of metallic impurities in both samples is of the order of 10 ppm ($10~\mu$g per gram carbon), however, the concentration for each of the magnetic elements Fe, Co and Ni is well below 1 ppm. While one sample, in the following referred to as virgin sample, was not treated any further, the other sample was irradiated with a relatively weak fluence of 0.1 nC/$\mu$m$^2$ protons of 2 MeV energy (180 nA ion current). Hysteresis loops of the measured moments from the two samples are shown in Fig. \[fig:loops\]. Both hysteresis loops show features that are indicative of ferromagnetic order, like magnetic saturation at low fields ($\lesssim$0.5Tesla), magnetic remanence at zero field and the existence of a non-vanishing coercive field that is needed to reverse the magnetization into the opposite direction. To illustrate all of these three points we show the overview loops in figure \[fig:loops\](a) as well as magnified view of the low field region of the hysteresis loop in panel (b).
![(a) X-ray absorption spectrum of the irradiated (black) and virgin (red) HOPG sample measured using electron yield as well as the XMCD difference (x100) detected using an applied field of $\pm 0.5$ Tesla. (b) Four different XMCD spectra measured by either switching the x-ray polarization or the applied magnetic field for every data point.[]{data-label="fig:XMCDspectra"}](figure3.eps){width="80mm"}
Carbon K-edge soft x-ray absorption spectra of the virgin and irradiated HOPG samples obtained using the electron yield detection at an angle of incidence $\alpha=30^\circ$ are presented fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\](a). The XA spectrum of the virgin sample shows a narrow resonance at 285.3eV and a broader resonance around 293eV, which represent the well known excitation of 1s core level electrons into empty $\pi^\star$ and $\sigma^\star$ bands [@stohrbook], respectively. The additional feature at the onset of the $\sigma^\star$ resonance results from an excitonic transition [@bruehwiler:95]. The $\pi^\star$ and $\sigma^\star$ feature are much broader in the spectra of the irradiated sample and in particular the intensity of the $\pi^\star$ resonance is greatly reduced, a sign that the irradiated sample is more disordered. This observation is consistent with previous microscopy [@ohldag:07] and Raman [@han03] studies, in which we directly compared irradiated and non-irradiated areas on a carbon sample.
The lower panel in fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\](a) shows the XMCD spectrum obtained in an applied magnetic field of $\pm 0.5$ Tesla using circular polarized x-rays. To plot the XMCD difference, which is on average less than 1% of the XA intensity, on the same scale as the XA spectrum we multiplied it by a factor of 100. The excellent signal to noise ratio is achieved by averaging the XMCD difference over several scans. The onset of the absorption yield as well as the XMCD intensity lies well below the $\pi^\star$-resonance between 270 eV and 275 eV. In our spectra the Fermi level appears at around 283eV, which means that the XMCD and XA signal extend to about 10 eV below E$_F$. The appearance of magnetic circular dichroism in x-ray absorption below the Fermi level has been previously reported by Mertins [*et al.*]{} [@mertins04], who have shown that dichroic effects of non-magnetic origin can indeed be observed as low as 270 eV in the Carbon 1s XA spectrum. The broad pre-edge peak of the of the XMCD spectrum in fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\] exhibits an absolute maximum at around 3 eV below E$_F$. The energy range for which the pre-edge XMCD is observed is consistent with the energy spread of the carbon $\pi$-bands and the maximum of the XMCD at $\simeq
280~$eV corresponds to the valence band maximum $\pi$ valence band (VB$_\textrm{max}$), see for example [@carlisle:00]. The XMCD spectra of both samples also show a positive peak at 284 eV at the onset of the $\pi^\star$-resonance close to the Fermi level. Previous theoretical investigations predicted the occurrence of a spin polarized band due to H chemisorption [@kusakabe03; @duplock04; @yaz08] at this energy, which we now observe in our XA spectrum. To further convince ourselves that the observed XMCD effects are of magnetic origin we acquired XMCD spectra by either switching the magnetization on each data point (constant x-ray polarization) or by switching the x-ray polarization for each data point (constant field). The four spectra are shown in fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\](b). The legend indicates if either the field or the magnetization has been kept constant. No averaging has been applied to these spectra, which explains the higher noise level compared to fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\](a). The main features of the XMCD spectra are reproduced in all four spectra and the sign of the peaks is reversed upon either switching the polarization or the magnetization as it is expected for a true intrinsics XMCD effect.
The XMCD spectrum of the irradiated sample shows an additional feature around 286 eV. X-ray studies on single walled carbon nanotubes [@nikitin:03] and graphite surfaces [@nikitin:08] have shown that C-H bond formation will occur through re-hybridization of carbon $sp^2$ bonds to $sp^3$ bonds by attachment of hydrogen, leading to a resonance in the XA spectrum about 1 eV above the $\pi^\star$ resonance. We find that both, the hydrogen band as well as the re-hybridized $sp^3$ carbon $\pi$-band exhibit a magnetic moment in the irradiated sample. The $sp^3$ feature however is absent in the XMCD spectrum of the virgin sample, while the feature at 284 eV is again a factor of $\sim$ 4 smaller. Combined these observations indicate that the effect of proton irradiation is the incorporation of hydrogen through re-hybridization. This may initially be advantageous for the evolution and stabilization of ferromagnetism in graphite. However, it also becomes evident that intense proton irradiation in particular at ambient temperatures will significantly enhance the diffusion of H and also disturb the crystallographic and hence the electronic structure of graphite reducing the magnetic order. We note that no XMCD intensity is observed at photon energies correlated with the presence of surface oxides around 289eV, excluding the possibility that surface oxidation plays a significant role in the ferromagnetism of graphite.
![XMCD spectra (x100) of the irradiated HOPG samples obtained using EY in an applied field of $\pm$0.7 T ($\bullet$) or in remanence after saturating the sample in a field of $\pm$0.7 T ($-$). Also shown is the XMCD spectrum acquired in saturation using the reflection yield ($\circ$). Lines are added as a guide to the eye. All spectra were obtained at $\alpha=45^\circ$.[]{data-label="fig:XMCDbulksurfrem"}](figure4.eps){width="80mm"}
Figure \[fig:XMCDbulksurfrem\] shows three XMCD spectra (no averaging as in fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\](a)) obtained from the irradiated sample. The spectra were acquired at an angle of incidence $\alpha=45^\circ$, so that the intensity of the RY could be detected at the same time as the EY in our setup. The RY provides bulk sensitive information while the EY is a surface sensitive approach. This is in particular true at energies below the $\pi$-resonance where the absorption cross section is small and the x-rays can penetrate deeper into the material, while the escape depth of the secondary electrons contributing to the EY remains small. The XMCD signal acquired using EY shows the prominent feature at 280 eV, which clearly persists after the external field is removed, showing a clear magnetic remanence of about 60% of the saturation value. On the other hand, there is no XMCD detected in the RY spectrum in fig \[fig:XMCDbulksurfrem\]. Taking into account the different probing depths of the two approaches (10 nm for EY versus 1 $\mu$m in RY) we conclude that the observed ferromagnetism in the irradiated sample originates predominantly from the top 10 nm of the sample. Note, that this does not imply that the ferromagnetic order vanishes completely in the bulk of the sample, instead it means that the (orbital) magnetic moment per atom is smaller than our sensitivity of $10^{-3}\mu_B$.
![Hysteresis loops of the irradiated sample acquired using SQUID ($-$) or XMCD ($\circ$). The axis on the left side show the magnetization of the sample in emu/g. The axis of the right for the XMCD loop is chosen such that the saturation values coincide for comparison.[]{data-label="fig:XMCDSQUIDloop"}](figure5.eps){width="80mm"}
The information that the majority of the magnetic moment originates from the surface allows us now to estimate the true magnetization values of the HOPG surface by normalizing the magnetic moment obtained by the SQUID hysteresis loop in Fig. \[fig:XMCDspectra\](a) with the correct thickness. For simplicity we assume a homogeneous distribution of 90% of the magnetic moment within the first 10 nm and we find that the average saturation magnetization for the irradiated sample is of the order of $15$ emu/g. Fig. \[fig:XMCDSQUIDloop\] shows the corrected SQUID hysteresis loop displaying the magnetization of the sample surface. For comparison the magnetic moment of Fe is about 220 emu/g or Ni 55 emu/g, which means that the magnetization at the surface of HOPG may reach up to 25% of that of Ni, or on average about 0.1$~\mu_B$ per C-atom. Note that a direct determination of the total magnetic moment (spin and orbit) of the carbon atoms using x-ray absorption sum rules is not possible because the carbon K-edge XMCD only probes the orbital moment. Nevertheless, both techniques (SQUID and XMCD) measure the same macroscopic magnetic properties. For comparison we show a hysteresis loop obtained using XMCD at a photon energy of 280eV in fig.\[fig:XMCDSQUIDloop\] which nicely follows the SQUID hysteresis loop. In conclusion we report the observation of ferromagnetic order at surfaces of metal free HOPG before and after proton irradiation. The results in virgin HOPG clearly indicate that the observed ferromagnetism in untreated, pure graphite [@pabloprb02] is intrinsic. We find that the observed XMCD signal originates mostly from the near surface region ($\approx$ 10 nm) of the sample where the saturation magnetization may reach up to 25% of that of Ni. The rather large magnetic moment of ferromagnetic HOPG is now consistent with the occurrence of room temperature ferromagnetism. Furthermore, it points toward the possibility that the magnetic properties of carbon can indeed play a significant role in bio-compatible nano-applications as well as an organic magnetic “substrate" in chiral selective chemistry [@ros08]. The XMCD line shape shows that chemisorbed hydrogen and C-H bond states as well as carbon $\pi$-states exhibit a net spin polarization. While the proton irradiation initially increases the magnetic moment by formation of C-H bonds it also disturbs the system for the same reason by introducing disorder and formation of $sp^3$-bonds providing an explanation on the limit to which the magnetization in carbon can be increased by ion irradiation. Our results also indicate that hydrogen is not implanted – the implantation probability of 2 MeV photons is very small at the surface – but should come from dissociation of H$_2$ molecules by the proton irradiation, since a large hydrogen concentration is always present in the near surface region [@rei06].
H.O. would like to thank Joachim Stöhr and Hans-Christoph Siegmann for their support and stimulating discussions. SSRL and ALS are national user facilities supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. SSRL is operated by Stanford University and ALS is operated by the University of California under contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. The work at the University of Leipzig is supported by the DFG under DFG ES 86/16-1 and the European Union project “Ferrocarbon".
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J. Stoehr. , volume 25 of [*Springer Series in Surface Science*]{}. Springer, Heidelberg, 1992.
P. Brühwiler, A. Maxwell, C. Puglia, A. Nilsson, S. Andreson, and N. M[å]{}rtenson. , 74:614, 1995.
K.-H. Han, D. Spemann, P. Esquinazi, R. Höhne, V. Riede, and T. Butz. Ferromagnetic spots in graphite produced by proton irradiation. , 15:1719–1722, 2003.
H.-Ch. Mertins, S. Valencia, W. Gudat, P. M. Oppeneer, O. Zaharko, and H. Grimmer. Direct observation of local ferromagnetism on carbon in [C/Fe]{} multilayers. , 66:743–748, 2004.
J. Carlisle, S. Blankenshop, L. Termminello, J. Jia, T. Callcott, D. Ederer, R. Perera, and F. Himpsel. , 110:323, 2000.
A. Nikitin, H. Ogasawara, D. Mann, R. Denecke, Z. Zhang, H. Dai, K. Cho, and A. Nilsson. , 95:225507, 2003.
A. Nikitin, L.-A. N[å]{}slund, Z. Zhang, and A. Nilsson. , 602:2575, 2008.
R. A. Rosenberg, M. Abu Haija, and P. J. Ryan. , 101:178301, 2008.
P. Reichart, D. Spemann, A. Hauptner, A. Bergmaier, V. Hable, R. Hertenberger, C. Greubel, A. Setzer, T. Butz, G. Dollinger, D.N. Jamieson, and P. Esquinazi. , 249:286, 2006.
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In traditional wireless communication systems the main power consumption is due to the actual transmissions power. Therefore, energy-constrained wireless networks have gained considerable research attention in recent years. Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) structure, or multiple antenna communication is one of the techniques that has gain considerable importance in wireless systems and networks. In this paper, BER and throughput performance of MISO system with Go-back-N ARQ(Automatic Repeat Request) technique in wireless networks are analyzed and the energy consumption of MISO-based wireless networks is compared with conventional SISO-based wireless networks. Obtained results show the applicability of MISO system with Go-back-N ARQ technique in wireless networks with smart system design.
The paper proposes information system for providing proper well known delicious restaurants as interactions with users. The system calls 'Moloke', which is an agent for recommending sensitive information on mobile environment The proposing agent differs from existing ones that guide the telephone number and the name of the restaurant. The differences are as following goals. First, the agent gets existing from users as interactive communications on mobile devices through the proper requests on each time zone such as morning, afternoon, and evening. Second, the agent also can recommend a specific restaurant for current personal states such as parties, special community meetings, bio-rhythms and so on. Among them, specially the bio-rhythm is used for recommending proper restaurants to each user. In addition to through proposal suitable design for the mobile agent design more effectively. The research used mobile environment for recommendation service and web environment for data management. Server environment for service used Apache, PHP4, Mysql and mobile page was implemented m-html for approach. Mobile Service was optimized Mozilla-1.22, KUN-1.2.3 Browser
This paper has for its object to propose AFOD(Adaptive First-Order Decimator) which sets a value of decimated element as an average of a value of neighbor intelligible component and a output value of FOD(First-Order Decimator) for the target pixel, and to analyze its performance in terms of subjective image quality and hardware complexity. In the proposed AFOD, a target pixel located at the center of sliding window is selected first, then the gradient amplitudes of its right neighbor pixel and its lower neighbor pixel are calculated using first order derivative operator respectively. Secondly, each gradient amplitude is divided by the summation result of two gradient amplitudes to generate each local intelligible weight. Next, a value of neighbor intelligible component is defined by adding a value of the right neighbor pixel times its local intelligible weight to a value of the lower neighbor pixel times its intelligible weight. Since the proposed method adaptively reflects neighbor intelligible informations of neighbor pixels on the decimated element according to each local intelligible weight, it can effectively suppress the blurring effect being the demerit of FOD. It also possesses the advantages that it can keep the merits of FOD with the good results on average but also lower computational cost.
u-Health is a representative realization method of ubiquitous IT and it is being embossed as an industry that can make our lives abundant. Through the u-Health, the diagnosis will go beyond the restriction of space, which is based on hospital, and be positioned as a universal value in a daily life by combining diagnosis and life naturally. The purpose of this study is to suggest systematic, intelligent, mobile medical information system that has the same effect as the assistant of specialist by providing scientific and objective knowledge, which is suitable for u-Health age. Mobile medical information system can provide user with the opinion of specialist by planting the experience, knowledge and decision making process of specialist that are necessary for solving the problem requiring special medical knowledge and passing through an inference process.
Mobile Ad Hoc Network is easy to be attacked because nodes are distributed not network based infrastructure. Intrusion detection system perceives the trust values of neighboring nodes and receives inspection on local security of nodes and observation ability. This study applied clustering mechanism to reduce overhead in intrusion detection. And, in order to measure the trust values, it associates the trust information cluster head received from member nodes with its own value and evaluates the trust of neighboring nodes. Secure data transmission is received by proposed concept because the trust of nodes on network is achieved accurately.
In a circumstance that the development of mobile media through the on-line consumer desire in the era of Web 2.0 has promoted extension of personal mobile media on the part of consumers, this study examined consumer trends depending on use of e-learning contents through mobile media. In connection with tendencies through mobile prosumers' consumption patterns and use of mobile educational contents, I analyzed user demands based on characteristics of personal media centering around a communities of e-learning portals. Direction of e-learning technological development calls on mobile communication companies to open their networks and share platform following digital convergence. E-learning contents should be produced in a custom-made way for the personal media. This study is aimed at contributing for advancement of e-learning contents consumers' user convenience implicating examination into consumer demands which are necessary to invigorate e-learning contents.
Based on similarities between fuzzy set theory and mathematical morphology, Grabish proposed a fuzzy morphology based on the Sugeno fuzzy integral. This paper proposes a fuzzy mathematical morphology based on the defuzzification of the fuzzy measure which corresponds to fuzzy integral. Its process makes a fuzzy set used as a measure of the inclusion of each fuzzy measure for subsets. To calculate such an integral a -fuzzy measure is defined which gives every subsets associated with the universe of discourse, a definite non-negative weight. Fast implementable definitions for erosion and dilation based on the fuzzy measure was given. An application for robust skeletonization of two-dimensional objects was presented. Simulation examples showed that the object reconstruction from their skeletal subsets that can be achieved by using the proposed was better than by using the binary mathematical morphology in most cases.
In this paper, MAC algorithm for the IEEE 802.11 DCF improving the performance is proposed and analyzed by simulation. The MAC of IEEE 802.11 WLAN to control data transmission uses two control methods called DCF(Distributed Coordination Function) and PCF(Point Coordination Function). The DCF controls the transmission based on CSMA/CA(Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance), that decides a random backoff time with the range of CW(Contention Window) for each station. Normally, each station increase the CW to double after collision, and reduces the CW to the minimum after successful transmission. The DCF shows excellent performance relatively in situation that competition station is less but has a problem that performance is fallen from throughput and delay viewpoint in situation that competition station is increased. This paper proposes an enhanced DCF algorithm that increases the CW to maximal CW after collision and decreases the CW smoothly after successful transmission in order to reduce the collision probability by utilizing the current status information of WLAN. To prove efficiency of proposed algorithm, a lots of simulations are conducted and analyzed.
Video-on-demand (VOD) service allows subscribers to view any video whenever they want. With the development of the high speed computer networks, web-based VOD services are available. To support VOD services, charging scheme is necessary. Pay-per-view is an effective charging scheme for VOD services. Pay-per-view allows the subscribers to pay for what they have viewed. Privacy is another important attribute for VOD services. The subscribers may not want to reveal what they have viewed to anyone including the VOD provider. Anonymity makes it complicated to calculate charge for the VOD service. An approach that achieves both anonymity and pay-per-view charge calculation is necessary. In this paper, anonymous web-based VOD service is proposed. The proposed approach also gives pay-per-view capability.
False sharing is a result of co-location of unrelated data in the same unit of memory coherency, and is one source of unnecessary overhead being of no help to keep the memory coherency in multiprocessor systems. Moreover, the damage caused by false sharing becomes large in proportion to the granularity of memory coherency. To reduce false sharing in page-based DSM systems, it is necessary to allocate unrelated data objects that have different access patterns into the separate shared pages. In this paper we propose sized and call-site tracing-based shared memory allocator, shortly SCSTallocator. SCSTallocator places each data object requested from the different call-sites into the separate shared pages, and at the same time places each data object that has different size into different shared pages. Consequently data objects that have the different call-site and different object size prohibited from being allocated to the same shared page. Our observations show that our SCSTallocator outperforms the existing dynamic shared memory allocators. By combining the two existing allocation technique, we can reduce a considerable amount of false sharing misses.
High Altitude Platform network systems utilize Unmanned Aerial Vehicle as routers for ground node communication. For this purpose, geographical clustering of ground nodes must be required. In this paper, we assume mobile ground nodes over wide area and the clusters composed of ground nodes are identified. UAVs can be positioned at the point of centroid of clusters. The number of UAVs are derived from the area size and the number of ground nodes deployed in that area. From the simulation and application of clustering algorithms, we showed visual clustering results with dynamic variance of number of ground nodes.
The level of transference of NGN is beginning as the operation of Access Gateway in korea at present, but NGN will keep developing continuously to the NGN integrated network until 2010. This research is finding the meaning and assignment of NGN QoS to deduct how to manage the control system and presenting the QoS control process and trial framework. The trial framework is the modeling of the QoS measurement metrics, the measurement time schedule, the section, hierarchy, instrument, equipment and method of measurement and the series of cycle & the methodology about analysis of the result of measurement. The objective standard of quality in communication service is guaranteed not by itself but by controlling and measuring continuously. Especially it's very important time to maintain the research about NGN QoS measurement and control because the big conversion of new network technology paradigm is now spreading.
The variation of real phenomena and shape of nature in our world is so complicated that some mathematical tools using the traditional geometric methods based on the Euclidean geometry and analytical differential method may be irrelevant or insufficient in some problems. Recently, to deal with these circumstances, one can use the fractal geometric method. As another measures, in this paper we introduce the non-integral order derivative function for the analytical method and construct to facilitate their calculation.
This study aims to propose the futuristic guide system in the Web 2.0 era based on the analysis of past changing guide system in the domestic cyber universities. Guide System is destined to transform its feature and form according to the fast shift of technology and people's way of thinking. The theoretical ground this study took is cognitive psychology, communication theory, especially information design theory.
User web service is increasing by development of internet technology. Quantity of encrypted data that transmitted through the network are increasing by development of encipherment technology. We have many problems; it is caused by technical development and service increase of user requests. It is like that, we have reliability of contents and illegality copy problem of internet contents in web application system. It is contents protection skills in web that encipherment technology, authentication and digital signature. We need message encoding and secret key for solve vulnerability of encipherment in web application system. In this paper, we propose a distributed secure system that can data confidentiality and user authentication. It prevent performance degradation from bottle neck in encipherment server, and improve service quality.
The salient features of interactive art development through the participation of spectators in the late 20th century could be creativity and possibility of future growth by biological factors. With the development of artificial life studies, Interactive art holds a position in the biological developmental stage, but relevant studies have not been active. This study analyzes three representative case studies located in the emergent stages of development and examines the traits closely so that the foundation of developmental direction of emergent property would be clarified.
It is difficult to prevent and solve the contrary function of informationized society by a coercive or physical way. It is believed that a systematic education, teachers, experts, parents and students of schools are to be united as one to put every effort on preventing the contrary function of informationized society. In this study, ICT ethics behaviour test system has been designed and implemented with the aim of setting up an appropriate sense of values and cultivating ICT ethics index of juveniles. ICT ethics behaviour test system developed is to meet the contrary function of informationized society actively so the system should prevent the negative phenomenon derived from it. And it is expected to help the system build up the ability of keeping and developing the primary function of informationized society.
This paper is a study and implementation of 3D facial aesthetic surgery system using 3D graphic technology. First, this system shows 3D shape of face which is close to the real face of human by using Pre-Processing and Face-Part-Making modules. Three-dimensional Facial Aesthetic Surgery System is also designed and implemented. Each controller controls the degree of changes for the corresponding part of face. The implemented 3D Facial Aesthetic Surgery System in this paper shows more accuracy, effectiveness and satisfaction in compare with 2D Facial Aesthetic Surgery System that is used in the hospital.
As use of internet gets increased, the efficiency of applying the chart which is expressing and providing information through web is increased. The chart has the high delivering ability of information because it expresses data visually. But there are problems such as compatibility between the chart composing programs, difficulty of sharing the chart data, and displaying the chart on the web. In this paper, we propose the chart markup language, which expresses the chart information by using the XML in order to solve problems of compatibility of the chart expression and sharing the chart information. The CML is possible not only to provide compatibility between platforms and programs but also to share the chart data as it is based on the XML.
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2.1 Brain Cancer
Brain tumor contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in every age group. In infants and young children, brain tumors are the second most common form of cancer, after leukemia. In adults, primary brain tumors rank thirteenth in frequency of all adult cancers and is the second and fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women, respectively, ages 20–39 (Jemal et al., 2002, Cancer Statistics 52(1):23–45). The annual incidence rate, depending on the age group, is between 4.8 and 19.6 per 100,000 population (Boring et al., 1994, CA Cancer J Clin. 44:7–26). It is expected that over 186,000 brain tumors will be diagnosed in the United States during 2002. Of those people, about 36,600 will be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor, which is any tumor that originates in the brain; about 150,000 will be found to have a metastatic brain tumor, which is any tumor that began as a cancer elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain (7th ed. Primer of Brain Tumors, Chapter 3: Facts and Statistics).
The exact cause of brain tumors is unknown. However, several genetic and environmental factors have been identified as increasing the risk of brain cancer. Only about 5% of primary brain tumors are known to be associated with hereditary factors such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), p53 defects (usually associated with LFS), tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, von Hippel-Lindau disease, Turcot syndrome, and familial polyposis. Families with higher-than-average cancer incidence may have an increased genetic pre-disposition. Pregnant women who took vitamin supplements containing C, A, E and/or folate during the entire period of their pregnancy were half as likely to have their child develop a brain tumor before age 5, as compared to those who didn't take vitamins (McNeil C., 1997, J of Natl Cancer Inst. 89:1481–82). Studies also show that brain cancer occurs more frequently in people regularly exposed to acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, formaldehyde, lubricating oils, N-nitroso compounds, phenols, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and organic solvents.
Specific symptoms, treatment, and prognosis (probable outcome) vary according to the site and type of the tumor and the age and general health of the person. For adults, common symptoms include recent onset or persistent headache, vomiting, personality and behavior changes, emotional instability, intellectual decline (e.g., confusion, loss of memory, impaired calculating abilities, and impaired judgment), seizures, reduced level of consciousness, neurologic changes (e.g., vision changes, hearing loss, decreased sensation of a body area, weakness of a body area, speech difficulties, and decreased coordination), fever, weakness, general ill feeling, positive Babinski's reflex, and decerebrate or decorticate posture. Common symptoms in infants include bulging fontanelles, separated sutures, opisthotonos, increased head circumference, no red reflex in the eye. Additional symptoms include tongue problems, difficulty swallowing, impaired smell, obesity, uncontrollable movement, absent menstruation, hiccups, hand tremor, facial paralysis, different pupil sizes, eyelid drooping, and breathing problem.
Examination often shows focal (isolated location) or general neurologic changes that are specific to the location of the tumor. While some tumors may not show symptoms until they are very large and cause rapid neurologic decline, others are characterized by slowly progressive symptoms. Most brain tumors will include signs typical of space-occupying masses (aggregations of cells) which cause increased intracranial pressure and compression of brain tissue. The diagnosis is usually confirmed, and the tumor localized by CT scan, MRI, angiography, and EEG of the head, CSF (cerebral spinal fluid), or a CPK isoenzymes test.
Brain tumors are classified on the basis of both cellular origin and histologic grade. Interestingly, neurons, although having an overall importance to brain function (numbering about 100 billion in the adult brain), have no significant reproductive capabilities and are therefore rarely the site of neoplastic transformation. Instead, half of all primary brain tumors are found at the glial cells (e.g., astocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, and glioglastoma multiforme). The remaining brain tumors take origin from a variety of other supporting elements of the CNS (central nervous system): meninges (meningiomas), choroid plexus (choroid plexus papillomas), nerve sheath tumors (neurinomas), and blood vessels (hemangioblastoma). Specifically, the following types of pediatric brain tumors are commonly diagnosed in infants and children: medulloblastoma (20%), cerebellar astrocytoma (10% to 30%), ependymoma (10%), brainstem glioma (10% to 15%), and craniopharyngioma (5%).
The staging of brain cancer is based on the revised criteria of TNM staging by the American Joint Committee for Cancer (AJCC) published in 1988. Staging is the process of describing the extent to which cancer has spread from the site of its origin. It is used to assess a patient's prognosis and to determine the choice of therapy. The stage of a cancer is determined by the size and location in the body of the primary tumor, and whether it has spread to other areas of the body. Staging involves using the letters T, N and M to assess tumors by the size of the primary tumor (T); the degree to which regional lymph nodes (N) are involved; and the absence or presence of distant metastases (M)—cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to distant organs or distant lymph nodes. Each of these categories is further classified with a number 1 through 4 to give the total stage. Once the T, N and M are determined, a “stage” of I, II, III or IV is assigned. Stage I cancers are small, localized and usually curable. Stage II and III cancers typically are locally advanced and/or have spread to local lymph nodes. Stage IV cancers usually are metastatic (have spread to distant parts of the body) and generally are considered inoperable.
Brain cancer can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surveillance, adjuvant (additional), or a combination of these treatments. Treatment of brain cancer depends on the type of cancer, the stage, the size and shape of the tumor, the age and general health of the patient.
Surgery is the primary treatment for accessible brain tumors. There are many different types of surgery for brain cancer. The most commonly performed surgery for removal of a brain tumor is called a craniotomy. Some patients with brain tumors develop increased intracranial pressure (IICP). To relieve the pressure, a shunt procedure to drain excess or blocked fluid is sometimes required. However, in certain situations, the tumor is too great in numbers, inaccessible and aggressive to cure.
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for brain tumors. It is often used following surgery, for inoperable tumor, to relieve symptoms, and to prevent a cancer in another part of the body from developing in the brain, at a dose of 40 to 60 Gy. Even though no survival advantage was shown, radiation therapy appeared to reduce the incidence of pelvic recurrences. Radiation is also used to shrink an especially large tumor prior to surgery or to slow the growth of inoperable tumors using either external beam (similar to an x-ray) or brachytherapy (internal radiation delivered with implanted radioactive seeds). Fatigue is a possible side effect of radiation therapy, but it gradually ceases after treatment is completed. More importantly, the brains of young children are very susceptible to radiation damages, deterring the use of radiation therapy.
Short-term chemotherapy, such as hydroxyurea and cisplatin, is used primarily in cases where the disease has spread outside the brain. Potential side effects include nausea and vomiting, loss of hair, low blood cell counts, and fatigue. Many chemotherapeutic drugs have been tried in the past as single agents for the palliation of brain cancer, but the results were generally disappointing. Nevertheless, the role of chemotherapy in the management of brain cancer is continually evolving. Oftentimes, chemotherapy with radiation in adjunct to surgery is used. In general, chemotherapy can achieve long-term survival rates of up to 15% to 20%, even in patients with recurrent or metastatic disease (Ali et al., 2000, Oncology 14(8):1223–30). Unfortunately, the high initial response rates to first line chemotherapy does not appear to translate into a survival benefit (Kohno and Kitahara, 2001, Gan To Kagaku Ryoho 28(4):448–53). Moreover, there are many undesirable side effects associated with chemotherapy such as temporary hair loss, mouth sores, anemia (decreased numbers of red blood cells that may cause fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath), leukopenia (decreased numbers of white blood cells that may lower resistance to infection), thrombocytopenia (decreased numbers of platelets that may lead to easy bleeding or bruising), and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Active chemotherapeutic agents include procarbazine, platinum analogs (cisplatin, carboplatin), the nitrosureas, and an oral medication called Temodar® (temozolomide). One chemotherapeutic agent that has proved to be effective is BCNU (Gliadel®, BiCNU®), which is placed into the surgical cavity after the tumor has been removed. Other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of recurrent gliomas include interferon and retinoic acid.
The identification of active chemotherapeutic agents against cancers traditionally involved the use of various animal models of cancer. The mouse has been one of the most informative and productive experimental system for studying carcinogenesis (Sills et al., 2001, Toxicol Letters 120:187–198), cancer therapy (Malkinson, 2001, Lung Cancer 32(3):265–279; Hoffman R M., 1999, Invest New Drugs 17(4):343–359), and cancer chemoprevention (Yun, 1999, Annals NY Acad Sci. 889:157–192). Cancer research started with transplanted tumors in animals which provided reproducible and controllable materials for investigation. Pieces of primary animal tumors, cell suspensions made from these tumors, and immortal cell lines established from these tumor cells propagate when transplanted to animals of the same species.
To transplant human cancer to an animal and to prevent its destruction by rejection, the immune system of the animal are compromised. While originally accomplished by irradiation, thymectomy, and application of steroids to eliminate acquired immunity, nude mice that are athymic congenitally have been used as recipients of a variety of human tumors (Rygaard, 1983, in 13th International Cancer Congress Part C, Biology of Cancer (2), pp37–44, Alan R. Liss, Inc., NY; Fergusson and Smith, 1987, Thorax, 42:753–758). While the athymic nude mouse model provides useful models to study a large number of human tumors in vivo, it does not develop spontaneous metastases and are not suitable for all types of tumors. Next, the severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice is developed in which the acquired immune system is completely disabled by a genetic mutation. Human lung cancer was first used to demonstrate the successful engraftment of a human cancer in the SCID mouse model (Reddy S., 1987, Cancer Res. 47(9):2456–2460). Subsequently, the SCID mouse model have been shown to allow disseminated metastatic growths for a number of human tumors, particularly hematologic disorders and malignant melanoma (Mueller and Reisfeld, 1991, Cancer Metastasis Rev. 10(3): 193–200; Bankert et al., 2001, Trends Immunol. 22:386–393). With the recent advent of transgenic technology, the mouse genome has become the primary mammalian genetic model for the study of cancer (Resor et aL, 2001, Human Molec Genet. 10:669–675).
While surgery, chemotherapeutic agents and radiation are useful in the treatment of brain cancer, there is a continued need to find better treatment modalities and approaches to manage the disease that are more effective and less toxic, especially when clinical oncologists are giving increased attention to the quality of life of cancer patients. The present invention provides an alternative approach to cancer therapy and management of the disease by using an oral composition comprising yeasts.
2.2 Yeast-Based Compositions
Yeasts and components thereof have been developed to be used as dietary supplement or pharmaceuticals. However, none of the prior methods uses yeast cells which have been cultured in an electromagnetic field to produce a product that has an anti-cancer effect. The following are some examples of prior uses of yeast cells and components thereof:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,295 discloses a selenium-enriched dried yeast product which can be used as dietary supplement. The yeast strain Saccharomyces boulardii sequela PY 31 (ATCC 74366) is cultured in the presence of selenium salts and contains 300 to about 6,000 ppm intracellular selenium. Methods for reducing tumor cell growth by administration of the selenium yeast product in combination with chemotherapeutic agents is also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,731 discloses a dietary additive containing whole β-glucans derived from yeast, which when administered to animals and humans, provide a source of fiber in the diet, a fecal bulking agent, a source of short chain fatty acids, reduce cholesterol and LDL, and raises HDL levels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,079 discloses a method of stimulating an immune response in a subject utilizing modified yeast glucans which have enhanced immunobiologic activity. The modified glucans are prepared from the cell wall of Saccharomyces yeasts, and can be administered in a variety of routes including, for example, the oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, topical, and intranasal route.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,483 discloses a process for preparing a chromium yeast product which has a high intracellular chromium content. The process comprises allowing the yeast cells to absorb chromium under a controlled acidic pH and, thereafter inducing the yeast cells to grow by adding nutrients. The yeast cells are dried and used as a dietary supplement.
Citation of documents herein is not intended as an admission that any of the documents cited herein is pertinent prior art, or an admission that the cited documents are considered material to the patentability of the claims of the present application. All statements as to the date or representations as to the contents of these documents are based on the information available to the applicant and does not constitute any admission as to the correctness of the dates or contents of these documents.
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s the smallest common multiple of 8 and k(a)?
8
Suppose 2*v - 1 = 5. Suppose 0 = v*q - q - 88. Calculate the common denominator of q and 69/10.
10
Let q = -245339 + 1942325/8. Let t = q - -2545. What is the common denominator of t and 21/2?
8
Calculate the lowest common multiple of 9 and (4 - -1) + 0 + -2.
9
Suppose -q - 5*l = 263, -335 = 3*q + 5*l + 484. Let b = q - -3847/14. Let u = b + 526/21. Find the common denominator of 121/12 and u.
12
Let n be 14/(-21) + (-47)/(-3). Suppose -n = -6*m + 3*m. Suppose 0 = j + 4*g - 9*g - 21, -5*j + m*g + 85 = 0. What is the least common multiple of 4 and j?
16
Let d(t) = -t + 2. Let k be d(2). What is the common denominator of ((-441)/4)/7 + k and 46/3?
12
Let r = -13337 + 266807/20. Calculate the common denominator of r and 97/18.
180
Let f = 54 + -36. Calculate the smallest common multiple of 24 and f.
72
Let p be (0/1 - -1)*-18461. Let f = -369147/20 - p. Let i = -10292 + 185153/18. Find the common denominator of i and f.
180
Suppose 5*y = -2*v + 4, 2*v = v - 3. Suppose -6*c + 2*c + 48 = 0. Calculate the lowest common multiple of c and y.
12
Let x(s) = 5*s. Let y be x(1). What is the smallest common multiple of y + -1 - (1 + 1) and 12?
12
Suppose 0*o - 76 = -2*o. Let j be 104/6*(-57)/38. Let m = j + o. What is the lowest common multiple of 10 and m?
60
Let x(c) = -6*c**3 + c**2 + 2*c + 2. Let r be x(-6). Suppose d = a - 313, 3*a + r = -4*d + 49. Let p = 3799/12 + d. Find the common denominator of 49/18 and p.
36
Let i = 448/33 - 65/11. Find the common denominator of 5/6 and i.
6
Suppose 70 = 5*z - 20. What is the least common multiple of z and 8?
72
Let s = 2951/240 - 266/15. What is the common denominator of s and 2 - -2*(-58)/(-80)?
80
Let w = 7 - 9. Find the common denominator of -41/5 and 4/20*(-15)/w.
10
Suppose -r + 2*r = 0. Suppose -2*k + 1 = -i, r*k = 5*k + 3*i - 19. Calculate the least common multiple of 18 and k.
18
Find the common denominator of (4/10)/(44/25) and 115/12.
132
Let d be (-45)/(-18)*(-16)/(-10). Let q = 12 - d. What is the lowest common multiple of q and 2?
8
Let h = -4 - -4. Suppose 5*l + 10 = h, -16 - 9 = -3*x + 2*l. Calculate the lowest common multiple of 5 and x.
35
Let m(j) = j**3 + 16*j**2 + 15*j + 13. Let l be m(-15). Suppose u + c - l = -c, u - 4*c - 7 = 0. Calculate the smallest common multiple of u and 3.
33
Let w = 352 - 7027/20. What is the common denominator of w and ((-230)/(-12))/((-63)/(-27))?
140
Let i = -56 + 25. Let j = i + 154/5. Calculate the common denominator of j and (2 + 6)/((-3)/5).
15
What is the least common multiple of (10/6)/5*30 and 10?
10
Suppose 1012 = -x - x. Let l be 9/3 - (-8058)/16. Let o = l + x. Find the common denominator of o and 8.
8
Let v = -334 - -685/2. Calculate the common denominator of v and 17/16.
16
Let d = 5 + -3. Let h be d - (7626/999 + 1). Let m = 16/111 - h. What is the common denominator of -43/6 and m?
18
Let z(i) = i + 14. Calculate the least common multiple of z(-13) and 8.
8
Let h = -6 + 12. Suppose 7*d = 9*d - h. What is the smallest common multiple of 4 and d?
12
Let w = 3 + -3. Let c(j) = j**3 - 10. Let r be c(w). Find the common denominator of 51/5 and (-638)/30 + (-6)/r.
15
Let y = 36 - 16. Calculate the least common multiple of 2 and y.
20
Suppose -n - s = 9 - 0, 0 = 4*n + 5*s + 40. Calculate the common denominator of n/8*744/40 and (-194)/(-40) - 2/5.
40
Calculate the smallest common multiple of (-36)/6*(-5)/((-15)/(-4)) and 10.
40
Let i(r) = 2*r**2 + r + 4. Let f be i(4). Suppose -3*h + f = 2*h. Calculate the lowest common multiple of 10 and h.
40
Suppose 2*v - 74 = -5*p, 0*v + v + 12 = p. Suppose -d - 8 = p. Calculate the common denominator of 65/2 and ((-66)/(-4))/(30/d).
10
Let m be (470 - 0)*(-20)/(-7550). Let g = m + -14937/2416. Calculate the common denominator of g and 4/7.
112
Suppose 4*o - 29 = 35. What is the least common multiple of 22 and o?
176
Let l = -7/171 + 148/57. What is the common denominator of l and -16/27?
27
Suppose -y = 4*d - 22 - 2, 2*y - 3*d - 48 = 0. What is the common denominator of ((-59)/16)/((-2)/(-4)) and (124/18)/(y/(-9))?
24
Let r = -38734211/1784 + 21712. Let o = r - -85647/8920. Calculate the common denominator of o and ((-5)/7)/(16/(-56)).
10
Suppose -52 = s + k + 3*k, -4*k = -20. Let c = s + 475/6. Find the common denominator of ((-754)/325)/((-8)/(-10)) and c.
30
Suppose 16 = 2*z - 3*z. Let c = 6 + -10. Find the common denominator of 2/c + (-55)/z and -37/4.
16
Let a = 0 + 4. Let t be a/(-314)*(-72)/20. Let p = -13829/3140 - t. Find the common denominator of p and -91/6.
60
What is the common denominator of 34/49 and 3/4 + 49/28?
98
Find the common denominator of 47 and (-348)/56 - (-5)/(-10).
7
Let y = -28 - -37. What is the least common multiple of 1 and y?
9
Suppose -25 = 3*i - 8*i. What is the least common multiple of 7 and i?
35
Let b(l) = 5*l + 7. Let o(n) = -6*n - 8. Let p(f) = -5*b(f) - 4*o(f). What is the smallest common multiple of 16 and p(-7)?
16
Calculate the least common multiple of 1/(1/13) + 3 and 20.
80
Find the common denominator of 53/11 and 2/(-11)*(-70)/(-4).
11
Let w = -84 + 283. Suppose 5*i - w = 2*k, -47 + 9 = -i + k. Find the common denominator of (i/40 + -1)*106 and -77/12.
60
Let c = 24835/10846 + 14/493. Calculate the common denominator of c and 81/22.
22
Let a = 4219/6 + -705. What is the common denominator of -32/9 and a?
18
Let y = -3 - -7. Calculate the lowest common multiple of 27/(-18)*(-7 - -1) and y.
36
Let q be 1/(-7) - 187482/(-252). Let o = q + -741. Calculate the common denominator of o and -123/10.
30
Let u be (6/(-18))/((-1)/219). Calculate the common denominator of (1 + u)*1/(-8) and 127/6.
12
Let w be (-369)/(-21) + (-9)/(-21). What is the common denominator of (-4)/w - (-239)/(-18) and 46?
2
Let c = -1364/3 + 444. Calculate the common denominator of c and 79/8.
24
Suppose 5*h - 4*g + 38 = 0, -3*g - 1 = 2*h + 28. Calculate the common denominator of (60/(-25))/(9/h) and 47/9.
9
Let k be (-3)/9 - 14/(-6). Suppose 0*x = -2*x + a - 2, -2*a + k = -3*x. Calculate the common denominator of 4/x - (-158)/(-8) and 43/8.
8
Suppose -4*a + 65 = 25. What is the lowest common multiple of a and 11?
110
Suppose -20 = -4*k, 4*f - 3*k = -9 + 34. Suppose 3 = 3*t - 3. What is the smallest common multiple of t and f?
10
Calculate the lowest common multiple of 11 and (-39)/(-9) - (-4)/(-3).
33
Let p = 2959/1422 + -2/79. Let x = -159945/476 + -1557378/6545. Let v = 6356/11 + x. What is the common denominator of v and p?
180
Let t = 1465/8 + -185. Let x be 951/504 - (-1 - -3). Let f = x - 1/84. Find the common denominator of f and t.
8
Let r be -1 + -9097879*(-15)/192978. Let i = r - 32/10721. Let t = -720 + i. Find the common denominator of -95/8 and t.
24
Let f(c) = -6*c - 6. Let b be f(7). Let x = 6693/16 + -424. Calculate the common denominator of 99/b*4/(-9) and x.
48
Let i = -15466 - -247379/16. What is the common denominator of (177/(-12))/((-9)/2) and i?
144
Let b(k) = 4*k**2 + 3*k + 3. Let p be b(-3). Let j = -16 + p. What is the lowest common multiple of 10 and j?
70
Suppose 4*g - 8*g - 4 = -4*r, -2*r = g - 14. Suppose -4 - 6 = -r*h. Suppose v = 5*v - 88. Calculate the smallest common multiple of v and h.
22
Let w(g) = g**2 - 5*g + 2. Let i be w(6). What is the least common multiple of 8/1 + i/8 and 10?
90
Calculate the common denominator of (-268)/(-28)*((-235)/(-50) - 4) and 57/35.
70
Suppose -4*k - 15 = k, -27084 = 3*v - 2*k. Let q = 144537/16 + v. Let n = 146/47 - 4451/752. Calculate the common denominator of n and q.
16
Let d(c) = 4*c**3 - 2*c**2 - 2*c - 1. Let z be d(-1). Let s(i) = -2*i - 4. Calculate the smallest common multiple of s(-7) and 10/(-25) - 52/z.
10
Suppose q + 2*s - 2 = -10, 0 = -4*q + 2*s + 18. Calculate the lowest common multiple of q and 57.
114
Let g = -1 + 9. Suppose 20 = 2*d + 18. What is the smallest common multiple of (-2)/g - 21/(-4) and d?
5
Suppose -q - 3*q - 44 = -4*s, 4*s - 2*q - 34 = 0. Calculate the common denominator of 97/6 and (10/s)/((-4)/34).
6
Suppose 0*f - 45 = 5*f. Suppose 4*k = 2*n + 30, n + n = 5*k - 36. Calculate the lowest common multiple of k and 23 - 3*(-3)/f.
66
Suppose 2*h - 8 = -2*h. Suppose 3*c - h*c = 14. What is the lowest common multiple of (6/(-9))/((-2)/12) and c?
28
Let j be ((4
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Fictional television ad man Don Draper famously reminded companies who brought a damaged brand to their firm, “If you don’t like what people are saying about you, change the conversation.” This past MLS season, nobody has liked what people have said about Orlando City. As the off-season gets underway for the Lions, you can feel those early ideas of new conversations occurring.
Earlier this week, the club’s reborn OCB squad announced two signings, both teenagers, both with youth national team credentials. Later in the week the club announced that it had forged links with perennial Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. This link will see the clubs sharing resources, strategy, and players for both their men’s and women’s teams.
None of these moves change the horrible season only slightly in our rearview mirror now, and certainly none of it prepares Orlando City to do anything but continue to struggle next season, but they do change the conversation. The mood, one I might add has been fueled by the pessimism of our friends and fellow supporters, has been bleak, dark, and negative.
While I can’t argue against it, some of the posts one reads on social media paint our Lions as a dying patient with no hope for resuscitation, or a hexed pariah that may not play games beyond 2020, much less ever bring another quality player here in a transfer. Of course, this is the talk of frustrated fans making exaggerated statements for clicks and likes. These small moves towards the future this week change that conversation.
Another change to the conversation this week featured one of Orlando City’s founders, Kay Rawlins, in a great roundtable discussion of women in soccer. MLS host Susannah Collins facilitated the riveting 25 minutes in which Rawlins represented the club with her trademark grace and passion for the club and the game. In a front office with a lot of questions from the supporters, Rawlins remains a powerful ambassador with credentials stretching back into the club’s USL glory days.
While the focus was women in soccer, having one of the club’s best representatives front and center in such a discussion can only help the club’s image and continue to change the conversation about the club.
Don’t misread me, these small early off-season events are only the start of what needs to be a long new discussion that changes the way the league and its own fans see Orlando City. They need to improve the core, re-sign the players that have earned it, and fill the gaps that are prevalent across the squad. But, as someone who passionately watches these events, it feels more like the club I know Orlando City to be, and I’m glad someone is taking Don Draper’s advice and finally changing the conversation.
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Industrial hemp in Manitoba, Canada. The yellow flowered plants are volunteer canola ( meaning the field was sown to canola the previous year and these are plants that grew from seed that fell on the ground at harvest.) Laura Rance/Manitoba Co-operator
Industrial hemp in Manitoba, Canada. The yellow flowered plants are volunteer canola ( meaning the field was sown to canola the previous year and these are plants that grew from seed that fell on the ground at harvest.) Laura Rance/Manitoba Co-operator
Hemp bill: 'We've tentatively reached an agreement'
FRANKFORT — After meeting for two hours Tuesday morning with Kentucky House Democratic leaders, state Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville, said a deal is very close on the hemp bill.
"We've tentatively reached an agreement," Hornback said.
Hornback said House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, must sign off on one "very small piece of language" that would move administrative functions of the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission back to the state Department of Agriculture.
If that happens, Hornback said, the hemp bill "will be called for a vote today and pass."
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New language also clarifies the Kentucky State Police's role in the licensing of Kentucky farmers possibly to grow hemp if federal officials allow it.
"KSP's only role in licensing is criminal background checks," Hornback said. Those would be paid for by the commission, with a fee set by the commission.
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, a major hemp backer, also has signed off on the deal, Hornback said. Comer offered to step aside from any leadership role in the hemp commission to facilitate the deal; it isn't clear whether that will be in the final language. The commission apparently will select its own chairman.
Another clarification is the role that the University of Kentucky agriculture research station would play.
Under some versions, the hemp commission with licensing authority was assigned to the school. And several research projects were mandated, although there was no clear funding mechanism.
Hornback said that UK lobbyist Steve Byars, director for government relations, told House leaders Tuesday morning that "UK does not want to be in charge of the permitting. Anything else, UK would do what the legislature directs them to do, is their stance."
Hornback said unfunded mandates have been removed but that UK remains the lead research institution if the DEA grants a permit or issues a waiver to Kentucky to grow hemp.
The House is scheduled to come back into session at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday is the last day of the legislative session, so they must take action or the bill dies.
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An economic evaluation of doxazosin, finasteride and combination therapy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The Proscar Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Study (PLESS) and the Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms (MTOPS) study provide new evidence regarding the benefits of finasteride in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The objective of this study was to utilize data from the PLESS and MTOPS studies to assess the cost-utility of finasteride and finasteride in combination with doxazosin, compared to doxazosin alone in men with moderate to severe BPH symptoms. A semi-Markov decision analytic model was constructed to estimate the clinical consequences, costs and cost-utility of doxazosin, finasteride, and combination therapy. Analyses were conducted for a 15-year time frame from the perspective of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC). Results are reported stratified by baseline serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level according to all baseline serum PSA levels, patients with baseline serum PSA > 1.3 ng/ml, and patients with baseline serum PSA > 3.2 ng/ml. Compared to doxazosin alone, combination therapy was more expensive but more effective. Cost-utility ratios ranged from 27,823 dollars/QALY for patients with PSA > 3.2 ng/ml to 34,085 dollars/QALY for all patients. Finasteride, although dominated by doxazosin, may be cost-effective compared to watchful waiting in patients who fail doxazosin and do not choose to proceed to surgery. Compared to watchful waiting, cost-utility ratios for finasteride ranged from 35016 dollars/QALY for patients with PSA > 3.2 ng/ml to 44,336 dollars/QALY for all patients. Results were robust across a wide range of sensitivity analyses. Combination therapy is cost-effective compared to doxazosin with cost-utility ratios under 40,000 dollars/QALY across a wide range of scenarios. The cost-effectiveness of combination therapy increases as serum PSA level increases.
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3 Important Things To Consider When Choosing A Personal Fitness Instructor
Deciding to take the next step on one’s fitness journey is one thing, but choosing a personal fitness is another. The choice of a fitness trainer you get will determine whether you reach your health and fitness goals, and how effective the workout will be. There will be times when the only thing keeping the exerciser motivated will be the efforts of the personal trainer. Fitness coaches also play a huge role in helping one maximize their time in the gym, see consistency in terms of results, and prevent injuries. In finding a fitness coach, there is a thin line between making a sound investment and throwing one’s money out the window. Here are some of the factors to put into considerations when choosing a personal fitness trainer Glendale CA.
Credentials
There are no two ways to this. Any reputable instructor must be able to show their credentials, and certification in the area of expertise they operate. Most often, a personal fitness trainer Glendale CA must pass an exam provided by an accredited organization. When they provide evidence of this, one will be sure they can maintain the standards and professionalism expected of such organizations.
Personality
Different people are motivated differently, and just as people are different, the personalities of the personal trainer Glendale CA will also likely be different. For the workout to be effective, the choice must be of a compatible instructor. Some people prefer positive reinforcement, while others like being cheered along.
Others will appreciate being screamed at and pushed into those extra pounds and squats. Whatever one’s preferences are, talk to the trainer and get a feel of their techniques. The market today might be helpful as many trainers have videos of themselves at work through which one can gauge their personality.
Experience
Practice makes perfect even in the personal trainer field. Go for a trainer that has been in the field for several years. They will likely be tried and tested, and have had the opportunity to perfect their technique and skill. The right amount of experience means they will know the right way to get the most out of the trainee’s time at the gym.
Anyone can claim to be an efficient personal trainer, but until you screen them properly, you may not know which one you can cope with and can meet your workout needs. The idea of a personal fitness trainer in Glendale CA might be appealing, but the process of making a choice is never straightforward. There could be many other different preferences, but with the three conditions mentioned, the process will be much easier.
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Introduction {#s1}
============
Burnout is a syndrome including emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DE) and low personal accomplishment (PA), resulting from prolonged stress at work ([@B1]--[@B3]). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is the most widely used instrument to assess burnout; it has been translated into various languages and has been used in innumerous countries ([@B4]). Some inconsistencies in its validation and its possible determinants have been described ([@B5]--[@B8]). Depression has a significant relationship with burnout; however, the potential influence of major depressive disorder (MDD) on MBI validation has not been specifically investigated.
Background
----------
According to Maslach\'s description, EE is the syndrome's core dimension and refers to feelings of being emotionally overextended and depleted of one\'s emotional resources ([@B1]). DE comprises negative, detached and impersonal attitudes toward other people (i.e., clients and patients). Reduced PA reflects feelings of incompetence at work and negative self-evaluation ([@B1], [@B9]).
Burnout leads to personal suffering including sleep complaints ([@B10]), increased use of alcohol/drugs ([@B11]), family conflict ([@B12]), higher work absenteeism ([@B13]), higher staff turnover, early retirement and significant financial impact ([@B14]), self-reported unprofessional conduct ([@B15]), and suicidal ideation ([@B16], [@B17]).
Nurses play a distinct and critical role in the health system; however they are frequently under increased stress and work overload ([@B18]). Burnout is high among nurses and nursing assistants ([@B19]--[@B21]) in diverse healthcare settings ([@B22]--[@B24]). Besides the negative impact in the nurse, the overall level of nurse burnout in hospital units has been reported to affect patient satisfaction and other measures of deficient care quality ([@B25]). Assessing and minimizing burnout is fundamental to maintain high levels of work performance, decrease nurse shortages ([@B19], [@B26]) and meet recruitment targets for nurses ([@B27]).
Several studies using the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis have validated the MBI in various countries ([@B4]--[@B8]), including for Brazilian nurses ([@B28], [@B29]). The MBI has a satisfactory reliability, its internal consistency, assessed by the Cronbach\'s alpha, has been reported to range from 0.70 to 0.90 for its three subscales ([@B30]). However, inconsistencies in MBI psychometric properties have been reported ([@B31]). For example, relatively low reliability for the DE subscale ([@B32]), and a best fit for a four-factor model ([@B6]) have been reported. Also, the use of 20 instead of 22 MBI items have been proposed ([@B7], [@B8]). Some factors have been reported to influence the MBI psychometric proprieties including sample characteristics ([@B32]) and the presence or absence of burnout ([@B33]). Recently, two studies reported the best fit for a bifactor model, composed by a general factor and the three traditional factors ([@B5], [@B34]). In the bifactor model, the items may load simultaneously on a global burnout factor and on the three specific ones (i.e., depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment). In such approach it is possible to estimate the relevance of the global and the specific dimensions of burnout altogether.
Burnout is highly correlated with depression and an overlap, particularly between EE and depressive symptoms have been highlighted ([@B35]). Literature data indicate that burnout partially mediate the relationship between work stress and depression ([@B36]), and depression generally follows burnout ([@B37]). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization ([@B38]), high levels of psychological demand, low social support at work, and stress due to inadequate work ([@B14]) have been shown to be significant predictors of subsequent depression. Importantly, among new graduate nurses, changes in burnout levels have been reported to be accompanied by changes in depressive symptoms and also intention to leave the profession ([@B39]). Although they are considered to be distinct entities that complement each other ([@B40]), the complexity of their relationship still deserves elucidation.
Depression may potentially influence the validity of a scale, as it has been shown for the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale ([@B41]). As above mentioned, some factors have been reported to influence the MBI psychometric properties. Although being highly related with burnout the potential influence of depression on MBI psychometric properties has not been investigated. Thus, we conducted this study with nursing assistants of a university hospital to investigate the influence of depression on the psychometric validity of the MBI-HSS.
Methods {#s2}
=======
Sample
------
The study was conducted at the Central Institute of the Clinics Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (ICHC-FMUSP). According to Burns and Grove, to perform factor analysis for each item of a scale, at least 10 subjects are needed ([@B42]). Therefore, to perform the factor analysis of the MBI-HSS, which has 22 items, it would be necessary to study at least 220 individuals. To evaluate the influence of depression on the factor structure of the MBI-HSS, we estimated that depression affects \~20% of subjects with moderate or severe burnout and 7% of subjects with mild burnout ([@B40], [@B43]). Thus, to detect the factorial validity we would need 430 subjects (323 subjects with mild and 97 subjects with moderate or severe burnout) to achieve a test power of 90%, with a two-tailed alpha of 5%. Estimating a rate of missing data of 15%, we estimated that 520 subjects would be necessary. We enrolled 521 nursing assistants belonging to various medical units: 320 individuals working in the general medical unit; 60 in the surgical unit; 66 in the emergency room; and 75 in the intensive care unit. We included 40% of nursing assistants from the day-shift (from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., *n* = 345) and the night-shift (from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., *n* = 176) of each unit.
Data Collection
---------------
We performed the interviews during participants\' work hours, in offices on their respective units. Two researchers, a psychiatrist (T.R.T.) and a psychologist (C.C.S.) went to each medical unit and invited the nursing assistants consecutively as they met them in the nursing workplace.
Ethics Statement
----------------
The study was approved by the Hospital Committee of Ethics in Research of the Clinics Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (CAPPesq--HC-FMUSP); number 1202/07. All participants started the research procedures only after providing signed informed consent.
Instruments
-----------
### Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)
The MBI-HSS is a self-report instrument comprised of 22 items, grouped in 3 subscales. The scores on each subscale are assessed separately: a 9-item subscale for EE, a 5-item subscale for DE and an 8-item subscale for PA. The severity of each item is assessed on a 7-point ordinal scale, based on its frequency from zero (never) to six (always). Cut off points have been established based on the American normative data or dividing the subscales into tertiles or quartiles ([@B44]). The Portuguese translation was performed by two psychiatrists; a consensual version was submitted to 5 healthy volunteers from the hospital staff to evaluate its use, feasibility and clarity. The resulting version was back translated by a native English speaker fluent in Portuguese and approved by the author of the original American MBI-HSS version.
### Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD)
A psychiatrist (T.R.T.) used the Portuguese version ([@B45]) of the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) to diagnose MDD. The PRIME-MD is a structured interview divided into five modules comprising the most frequent mental illnesses in primary care (mood disorders, anxiety, somatoform disorders, alcohol problems and eating disorders) ([@B46]). The mood module presents 9 yes/no questions investigating the depressive symptoms included in the DSM-III-R criteria to diagnose MDD; these criteria have been preserved unchanged by the DSM-IV and DSM-5 ([@B47]).
### Questions to Obtain Demographic and Occupational Data
A questionnaire was used to collect occupational and demographic data including gender, age, marital status, number of children and professional characteristics (professional experience, weekly working hours and absenteeism over the month prior to the interview--missing days from work). Race was self-reported based on the Brazilian census, including white, black, mixed, Asian, and Indigenous people.
Statistical Analysis
--------------------
In the descriptive analysis, we show the absolute frequency and percentages for qualitative variables (gender, race, marital status). Absenteeism was analyzed as a dichotomous variable (by comparing subjects without absenteeism with those absent ≥1 day from work in the month prior to the interview). The number of children were categorized in those with "0," "1 or 2" and "≥3" children. We report the means and standard deviations for quantitative variables (age, time of working experience in healthcare and weekly working hours). We used the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test to compare numerical variables between MDD and non-MDD subsets.
The severity of MBI-HSS items vary from 0 to 6 in an ordinal range. Therefore, we performed the confirmatory factorial analysis using the weighted least squares means and variance adjusted estimation method (WLSMV) ([@B48]), and the software MPLUS 7.4 ([@B49], [@B50]). The CFA was performed for the original 3-factor model and for a bifactor model ([@B51]). We tested the bifactor model because of the significant correlation between its subscales and the recent reported good performance of this model for the MBI-HSS ([@B5], [@B34]). To test the validity of construct, we evaluated the fit of the model to the data by the exact fit *p*-value and chi-square/degree of freedom --X^2^/df and the approximate fit with the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and its *p*-value. Considering the X^2^/df, its values indicate good fit if 0 ≤ X^2^/df ≤ 2, acceptable fit if 2 \< X^2^/df ≤ 3, and poor if X^2^/df \> 3; *p*-values of the X^2^/df indicate good fit if 0.05 \< *p* \< 1.00, acceptable fit if 0.01 ≤ *p* ≤ 0.05, and values of *p* \< 0.01 indicate poor fit. Regarding RMSEA, values 0 ≤ RMSEA ≤ 0.05 indicate good fit, values 0.05 \< RMSEA ≤ 0.08 indicate acceptable fit and values of RMSEA \> 0.08 indicate poor fit ([@B52]); *p*-values of RMSEA indicate good fit if 0.10 \< *p* ≤ 1.00, and acceptable fit if 0.05 ≤ *p* ≤ 0.10.
We performed the analysis of practical significance by means of the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI or non-normed fit index--NNFI) and the comparative fit index (CFI). Values of the TLI are considered good if ≥0.97 and acceptable if 0.95 ≤ NNFI \< 0.97; values of the CFI are considered good if ≥0.97 and acceptable if 0.97 \> NNFI ≥ 0.95 ([@B52]).
To test the hypothesis that MDD impairs the performance of MBI-HSS scale, we conducted the analysis for the subset of nursing assistants without MDD (n-MDD) and for the subset with MDD (MDD) separately. We performed the configural invariance analysis for the non-MDD and MDD subsets for the 3-factor model. For the bifactor model, we performed the configural invariance analysis, and also the scalar invariance analysis and the analysis of scalar vs. configural invariances.
Factor loadings were initially analyzed by the significance of their standard factor loadings estimates and the correlations between the 3 sub-dimensions of the 3-factor model and of the bifactor model.
To evaluate the internal consistency of each factor in the 3-factor model, we calculated the Cronbach\'s Alpha using the SPSS Statistics 24 package. We considered values \>0.7 as indicative of acceptable indices. For the bifactor model, we included the Explained Common Variance (ECV), the non-hierarchical omega (total omega) and the hierarchical omega indices. These indices evaluate how well the subscale items measure the latent construct, reflecting the reliability of the instrument. We used a significance level of \< 0.05.
Results {#s3}
=======
Sample Characteristics
----------------------
The sample consisted of 521 nursing assistants, the majority were women (91%), white, married and with children (Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"}). The MDD subset (*n* = 138, 24, 76%) was more likely to include women, with children, with longer working experience in healthcare and with increased absenteeism in the month preceding the interview (Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"}).
######
Demographic and occupational characteristics of nursing assistants: total sample, MDD and non-MDD subsets.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Demographic and occupational characteristics** **Total sample**\ **MDD subset**\ **Non-MDD subset**\ ***P-value***
**N (%)** **n (%)** ***n*** **(%)**
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- ----------------------------- --------------------------------- ------------------- ------ -------- ----------
**GENDER**
Female 474 91.0 133 96.0 341 87.0 0.011
Male 47 9.0 5 4.0 42 13.0
**RACE**
White 275 52.0 76 55.0 190 49.6 0.446
Mixed 141 27.0 33 24.0 116 30.2
Black 104 20.0 29 21.0 74 19.3
Asian 1 1.0 0 0 3 0.8
**MARITAL STATUS**
Married 260 50.2 72 52.2 189 49.4 0.567
Single 162 31.1 36 26.0 125 32.6
Separated, divorced 64 12.7 19 13.9 47 12.3
Cohabitating 16 3.0 4 2.9 12 3.1
Widowed 17 3.3 7 5.0 10 2.6
**NUMBER OF CHILDREN**
0 164 31.5 34 25.0 127 32.0 0.038
1 or 2 261 50.1 76 55.0 187 48.0
≥3 96 18.3 28 21.0 77 19.0
**ABSENTEEISM, DAYS**
0 410 78.8 95 69.0 312 80.0 \< 0.001
≥1 111 21.2 43 31.0 79 20.0
**Numerical variables** **Total sample mean (*****SD*****)** **MDD mean (*****SD*****)** **Non-MDD mean (*****SD*****)** ***P*****-value**
Age, years 39.5 \(13\) 39.8 (9.8) 39.2 (9.7) 0.546
Weekly working hours 47.9 (20.6) 45.8 \(11\) 48.6 (23.2) 0.122
Work experience in healthcare, years 8.5 (6.4) 9.6 (6.7) 8.1 (6.2) 0.018
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*MDD, major depressive disorder; Absenteeism, days absent from work in the month prior to the interview; N (%), absolute number (percentage); SD, standard deviation*.
*Significance, P \< 0.05*.
Regarding burnout, the MDD subset showed significantly increased scores on EE and DE and decreased scores on PA compared to the non-MDD subset (Table [2](#T2){ref-type="table"}).
######
Severity of burnout according to the MBI-HSS, total sample, MDD and non-MDD subsets.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Total sample**\ **Non-MDD subset**\ **MDD subset**\ ***P-value***
**(*****N*** **=** **521)** **(*****n*** **=** **383)** **(*****n*** **=** **138)**
---- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- --------------- ------ ------ ------------------------------------------
EE 21.80 12.68 18.97 11.5 29.7 12.6 \< 0.001[^a^](#TN1){ref-type="table-fn"}
PA 36.48 6.97 37.04 6.8 34.9 7.3 0.004[^a^](#TN1){ref-type="table-fn"}
DE 5.95 5.52 5.34 5.1 7.64 6.33 \< 0.001[^a^](#TN1){ref-type="table-fn"}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*MBI-HSS, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey; EE, emotional exhaustion; PA, personal accomplishment; DE, depersonalization; SD, standard deviation; MDD, major depressive disorder. Significance, P \< 0.05*.
*Mann-Whitney test*.
Construct Validity
------------------
For the total sample, almost all indices were good or acceptable in the bifactor model; in the 3-factor model, the X^2^/df and the RMSEA indices were acceptable, and the CFI and the TLI were below the acceptable cutoff. In the simultaneous analysis (configural), the indices indicated acceptable fit in the bifactor model for MDD and n-MDD subsets, except for CFI and TLI, while in the 3-factor model, acceptable indices were found for the RMSEA only. The scalar analysis for the bifactor model revealed good or acceptable values for all indices, except for the CFI.
In the n-MDD subset, most of the MBI-HSS indices were good or acceptable in the bifactor model (i.e., X^2^/df, RMSEA and its *p*-value, and CFI); in the 3-factor model, acceptable and good indices were found for the RMSEA and its *p*-value, respectively (Table [3](#T3){ref-type="table"}). However, in the MDD subset, no index indicated good fit, and acceptable indices were found for X^2^/df and RMSEA in the 3-factor and in the bifactor models (Table [3](#T3){ref-type="table"}).
######
Factor Analysis of the MBI-HSS.
**Model** **X^**2**^ / df; *p*** **RMSEA; *p*** **CFI** **TLI**
------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
**1-FACTOR**
Total sample (*N =* 513) 1381/209 = 6.61; \< 0.001 0.104; \< 0.001
Non-MDD subjects (*N =* 377) 1072/209 = 5.13; \< 0.001 0.104; \< 0.001 0.784 0.762
MDD subjects (*N =* 136) 506/209 = 2.42; \< 0.001 0.102; \< 0.001 0.806 0.785
Non-MDD and MDD subjects (*N =* 513) 1391/549 = 2.53; \< 0.001 0.077[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.841 0.866
**3-FACTOR**
Total sample (*N =* 513) 695/204 = 3.41; \< 0.001 0.068[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.928 0.918
Non-MDD subjects (*N =* 377) 433/202 = 2.14; \< 0.001 0.055[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.124[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.942 0.934
MDD subjects (*N =* 136) 351/202 = 1.74[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.073[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.002 0.903 0.889
Non-MDD and MDD subjects (*N =* 513) 961/537 = 1.79[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.055[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.057[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.920 0.931
Non-MDD and MDD subjects Configural (*N =* 513) 850/408 = 2.08; \< 0.001 0.065[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.916 0.905
**BIFACTOR**
Total sample 484/184 = 2.63; \< 0.001 0.056[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.046 0.956[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.945
Non-MDD subjects (*N =* 377) 346/184 = 1.88[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.048[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.639[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.960[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.949
MDD subjects (*N =* 136) 318/184 = 1.73[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.073[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.004 0.912 0.890
Non-MDD and MDD subjects (*N =* 513) 776/518 = 1.50[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.044[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.939[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.951[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.956[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}
Configural 663/368 = 1.80[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.056[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.077[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.944 0.930
Scalar 800/514 = 1.56[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001 0.047[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"}; 0.814[^b^](#TN3){ref-type="table-fn"} 0.946 0.951[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}
Scalar vs. Configural 223/146 = 1.53[^a^](#TN2){ref-type="table-fn"}; \< 0.001
*MBI-HSS, Maslach Burnout Inventory- Human Services Survey; RMSEA, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation; CFI, Comparative Fit Index; TFI, Tucker-Lewis index (non-normed fit index); df, degree of freedom; MDD, major depressive disorder. Significance at P \< 0.05*.
*Acceptable fit*.
*Good fit*.
Factor Loadings
---------------
In the 3 factors model, all estimates were significant (Figure [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). In the factorial bifactor model, the PA4 (i.e., I can easily understand how my patients feel about things), PA9 (fell positively influencing other people\'s lives), and the DE15 (don\'t really care what happens to patients) did not load significantly in the general factor, and the EE 20 (i.e., I feel like I\'m at the end of my rope) did not load significantly in the EE factor; both in MDD and in n-MDD subsets (Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}).
{#F1}
{#F2}
Considering the cutoff \>0.6 as indicative of adequate loading, the n-MDD subset presented more items loading adequate in the bifactor model (i.e., factors EE, PA and in the general factor), and in the 3-factor model (i.e. factor EE) compared to the MDD subset. A similar picture was found for the cutoff \>0.5 as indicative of adequate loading; the n-MDD subset showed more items significantly loading in the bifactor model (i.e., EE and PA factors), and in the 3-factor model (i.e., PA factor). No factor showed more items loading \>0.6 or \>0.5 in the MDD subset compared to the n-MDD subset, both in the bifactor and 3-factor models.
Correlations
------------
The 3-factor model revealed significant correlations between EE and PA (negative); between EE and DE (positive); and between PA and DE (negative). Significant correlations between EE and DE (positive); and PA and DE (negative) were also found in the bifactor model; however, the bifactor model revealed an absence of correlation between EE and PA both in the MDD and n-MDD subsets. The coefficients of correlation between the subscales were higher in the subset of MDD both for the 3-factor and the bifactor models (Figures [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}, [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}).
Internal Consistency
--------------------
The reliability analysis for the 3-factor model indicated acceptable Cronbach\'s Alpha index for the EE, both for the MDD and for the non-MDD subsets (Table [4](#T4){ref-type="table"}).
######
Reliability of MBI-HSS (Cronbach\'s Alpha): total sample, MDD and non-MDD subsets.
**Factor** **Total sample** **Subsets**
------------ ------------------ ------------- -------
General 0.724 0.704 0.714
EE 0.868 0.845 0.854
PA 0.587 0.587 0.599
DE 0.551 0.505 0.605
*MBI-HSS, Maslach Burnout Inventory- Human Services Survey; MDD, major depressive disorder; EE, emotional exhaustion; PA, personal accomplishment; DE, depersonalization; Non-MDD subset, N = 377; MDD subset, N = 136*.
Considering the bifactor model, acceptable reliability was found for the total sample and n-MDD subset, but not for the MDD; estimated indices for the non-hierarchical were 0.811; 0.810; and 0.774, respectively, for total sample, non-MDD and MDD subsets. The estimated indices for the explained variance were 0.621; 0.641; and 0.672, respectively, for total sample, non-MDD and MDD subsets. The hierarchical omega revealed that most of the variance was explained by the general factor and only a small proportion of variance was explained exclusively by the EE, PA, and DE individually for the total sample and for both subsets non-MDD and MDD individually (Table [5](#T5){ref-type="table"}).
######
Reliability of MBI-HSS for the bifactor model (hierarchical omega coefficient): total sample, MDD and non-MDD subsets.
**Factor** **Total sample** **Subsets**
------------ ------------------ ------------- -------
General 0.575 0.640 0.595
EE 0.094 0.014 0.030
PA 0.105 0.119 0.104
DE 0.038 0.037 0.045
*MDD, major depressive disorder; EE, emotional exhaustion; PA, personal accomplishment; DE, depersonalization; Non-MDD subset, N = 377; MDD subset, N = 136*.
Discussion {#s4}
==========
For a sample of 521 nursing assistants at a teaching general hospital, we found that MDD influenced the psychometric properties of the MBI-HSS. Additionally, when considering the total sample, although the original 3-factor model showed an acceptable fit, the bifactor solution provided incremental fitness to the model.
The Influence of Depression on MBI-HSS Properties
-------------------------------------------------
The influence of MDD on the performance of MBI-HSS was revealed by results showing non-acceptable fit indices for the MDD subset and acceptable or good indices for the non-MDD subset (i.e., indices of RMSEA and CFI), and higher correlations among MBI-HSS factors in the MDD subset compared to the non-MDD subset.
Our findings corroborate previous data showing differences on the performance of the MBI, as a consequence of sample psychopathology/characteristics. Schaufeli et al. found good fit indices for the 3-factor model in burned-out employees, but six items of PA did not load accordingly among those non-burned-out ([@B33]); indicating a weak support for validity of the PA subscale in those without burnout. Of note, by definition, symptoms in burned-out employees had to be restricted to workplace, while symptoms in those non-burned-out did not have that restriction. Considering that their sample was comprised of employees who were seeking psychological treatment, the non-burned-out group surprisingly had higher psychopathology, including higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms ([@B33]). Consequently, in their sample, the performance of the MBI was worse in the group with increased depression symptoms (i.e., the non-burned-out group), as we found here. Another example for the influence of sample characteristics on the MBI performance comes from workers taking care of individuals with intellectual disabilities. In that sample, Chao et al. found a better fit for a 4-factor solution instead of the traditional 3-factor model ([@B32]). In particular, items assessing DE loaded in two DE sub-factors ([@B32]). According to the authors, such particularity could be explained by taking into account that services for people with intellectual disabilities are person-centered and focused on building family-like relationships ([@B32]). In that situation, the wording in the DE subscale would be unacceptable to those workers, leading to inconsistent responses and impeding items to combine in a single DE factor.
The stronger correlations found in the MDD subset suggest that MDD may influence the MBI structure by decreasing the original conceptually proposed independence of its dimensions. Interestingly, among elementary and secondary teachers, also using the bifactor model for the MBI, depressive symptoms were reported to be related to the general factor of burnout, instead of any specific dimension ([@B34]). Our MDD subset also showed less items with factor loadings \>0.50 or \>0.60 in the PA and DE factors compared to the non-MDD subset both in the bifactor and in the 3-factor models. Thus, our results suggest that the presence of MDD could decrease the strength and the independence of the PA and DE dimensions.
It is possible that depressed mood could affect the subjectivity of the symptom perception and consequently limit the validity of an instrument. Such possibility, was proposed by Larson to explain the influence of depressive mood on the validation of an instrument to assess fatigue ([@B41]). According to this thinking, MDD could lead to a distinct interpretation of some MBI items, or possibly a qualitative/quantitative change in experiencing some of them, leading to a diverse scoring and consequently influencing MBI-HSS psychometric properties, as we found in our MDD subset of nursing assistants.
MBI-HSS Properties for the Total Sample
---------------------------------------
For the totality of our sample, our results supported the 3-factor model, but indicated a better fit for the bifactor model, confirming the findings reported by Meszaros et al. ([@B5]) and corroborating their proposal of including a general burnout dimension in the conceptualization of burnout ([@B5]).
We found no correlation between EE and PA in the bifactor model, both in the MDD and n-MDD subsets. This independence of PA has previously been reported ([@B5], [@B6]), reinforcing that PA cannot be interpreted as an opposite of EE and DE ([@B6]).
The presence of a general factor in the bifactor model allowed the delineation of the specificity of an item. For example, in the PA factor the items "I can easily understand how my patients feel about things" (i.e., item PA4) and "feel positively influencing other people\'s lives" (i.e., item PA9) loaded in the PA but not in the general factor both in MDD and in n-MDD subsets (Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). Such findings support the specificity of these items as markers of PA. Of note, in the study of Meszaros et al. the PA4 item also did not load in the general factor ([@B5]). In contrast, the item EE20 (i.e., I feel like I\'m at the end of my rope) loaded in the general factor but not in the EE factor; both in MDD and in n-MDD subsets (Figure [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}), suggesting that it actually assess a general aspect of burnout and not specifically EE.
The reliability of the 3-factor model assessed by the Cronbach's Alpha index was higher for the EE than for the DE and PA factors. The higher reliability of EE compared to DE and PA has been reported by previous studies ([@B30], [@B53]) and for samples from various countries ([@B4]). Actually, although instruments capturing burnout have included distinct dimensions \[e.g., professional repression, dehumanization, emotional distancing ([@B54], [@B55]); enthusiasm toward the job, indolence, guilt ([@B56])\], they tend to maintain the exhaustion dimension ([@B54], [@B55]). Those findings support the original view that EE is the burnout syndrome's core dimension ([@B1]).
In the bifactor model, the non-hierarchical omega index indicated a good reliability, and the hierarchical omega revealed that most of the variance was explained by the general factor. These results converge with the above-mentioned proposal that a general burnout factor should be considered.
Some limitations of our study should be addressed. Our nursing assistants are from a teaching hospital and it is not possible to generalize our findings to settings outside this context. Additionally, our study recruited only in a healthcare setting in Brazil and cannot address whether cultural issues specific to Brazil moderate the impact of MDD on MBI psychometric properties.
Conclusions {#s5}
===========
Our data support that the presence of MDD may decrease the construct validity of MBI-HSS, as shown by non-satisfactory values of RMSEA and CFI, and also decrease the independence of its dimensions, as shown by an increase in their correlation, particularly between EE and DE. Such influence may result from distinct interpretation of some MBI-HSS items or from distinct experiences of some burnout symptoms by MDD subjects. Based on our findings, we suggest that researchers consider the influence of MDD when using the MBI-HSS to assess burnout in depressed individuals. We also found a best fit for a bifactor model, including a general factor. To avoid spurious conclusions about MBI-HSS subscales, it is advisable to perform factorial analysis to identify potential influence of the sample, including the influence of depression. Additional studies are warranted to confirm the MDD influence on MBI-HSS validity in different cultures and healthcare settings.
Relevance to Clinical Practice
------------------------------
In this study, assessing burnout in 521 nursing assistants, we found that a current MDD episode results in a negative impact on the MBI-HSS psychometric properties. Consequently, studies and programs intending to assess and reduce burnout should consider checking MBI-HSS psychometric properties, particularly in those with MDD.
Author Contributions {#s6}
====================
TT worked in the idealization of the study, literature search, wrote the protocol, collected the data, worked in the data analysis and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. CF worked in the literature search, collected the data and contributed to the writing of the manuscript. Y-PW worked in the analysis of the data and contributed to the writing of the manuscript. FR worked in the design of the study and worked in the writing of the manuscript. MdL worked in the design of the study and worked in the writing of the manuscript. JS worked in the analysis of the data and performed the statistical procedures. DI worked in the idealization and design of the study and in the writing of the manuscript. JH worked in the rational of the validation process and writing of the manuscript. RF worked in the idealization and design of the study, supervised the data collecting, worked in the data analysis and writing of the manuscript. All the authors contributed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict of Interest Statement
------------------------------
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
We thank Dr. Christina Maslach for reviewing the back translation of the MBI-HSS.
[^1]: Edited by: Michele Fornaro, New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), United States
[^2]: Reviewed by: Andrea Fusco, University of Naples Federico II, Italy; Annalisa Anastasia, Villa Camaldoli Foundation, Italy
[^3]: This article was submitted to Mood and Anxiety Disorders, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry
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Trauma, age, or disease may cause the retina to peel away from its support tissue, a condition often termed retinal detachment. Retinal detachment is more common among those with severe myopia, but may also occur as a result of physical trauma to the eye, cataract surgery, or diabetic retinopathy. Initial detachments may be localized, but without rapid treatment, the entire retina may detach, leading to vision loss and blindness.
During some types of vitreoretinal surgery, portions of the retina must be removed. For example, during membranectomy, layers of unhealthy tissue may be removed from the retina with tiny instruments such as forceps, picks, and micro-dissection, involving separation of tissue layers with fluid jets.
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Imagination vs Reality :
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Revelation 19:19–20
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
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Exodus 4
4 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. 2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
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Shiloh, Messiah, anointed, anointing, unction, ChristMatthhttp://apocalypseofamerica.com/wp-admin/edit.phpew 1:1-17
1 THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And pJosias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat tZorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
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Galatians 2:18–3:6
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey cthe truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now hmade perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
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Mark 1:1-8
1 THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance efor the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
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Luke 24:44–53
These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
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2 Corinthians 10
10 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who din presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
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Romans 1:21–32
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, iwickedness, covetousness, jmaliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, pproud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, swithout natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but xhave pleasure in them that do them.
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Matthew 2:2-9
2 Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Beth-lehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Beth-lehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
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1 Kings 19:5–14
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said,
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As we are in the belly of 2016, it is evident that travel is at the forefront of young people’s agenda with 69% of travellers saying they want to travel somewhere new this year. These experienced explores know what they want and it’s anything from the norm. Below is a look at the trends that you should be aware of as a tourism or hospitality-related business in Southeast Asia, and what you can use to attract customers to your business.
Trend 1: Living like a local
The young, adventurous traveller out there is looking for authentic and real cultural immersion. This does not happen at the main tourist attractions with boxed-up cultural memorabilia and queues upon queues to take a quick snap of a famous building. Hidden far from these places are the real, less travelled spots that this particular crowd crave.
You may be wondering what attracts them away – food is apparently fundamental with 85 percent of respondents saying they love to visit a food market when in a foreign city and they like to ‘live like a local’ and discover cool activities that local youth do.
How to take advantage of this trend? Why not implement images of local traditional meals that you serve and share unique cultural information daily as part of your social media strategy? This will attract this specific group of travellers who are more inclined to come to obscure places. Daily interaction through photographic and informative communication will keep them interested and updated.
The search for genuine food, language and customary exchanges of local people are the things they demand in order to compile their stories and photos to pass on along the road less travelled.
Trend 2: Spending more on “once-in-a-lifetime experiences”
One-third of 3 travellers (33%) are planning to spend more on travel in 2016 than they did the previous year. The younger generation are more concerned with experience than building homes and paying off the mortgage. They save hard to spend it on the thrill of going somewhere new to learn, grow and adapt to a different culture.
Being part of their once-in-a-lifetime experience means a lot for your business. If you have something to offer that is different and unique, like an epic view of sunset or of some ancient buildings, start promoting it on social media and get your name out there. Take care of your online presence and make sure you have reviews and lots of social media activity that highlight the unique elements you have to offer. Upload short videos and photos or even hire a professional to create a sleek online portfolios of ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ places and things to do around your business.
Trend 3: WiFi is now a necessary amenity
Having strong WiFi will make you a desirable place for this cool crowd as they Instagram pictures from your hotspot or a quick Facebook check-in helps to put your place on the map. It is their life line and will increase your business’s popularity. Invest in boosters to put around the place so that the connection doesn’t weaken.
Take note that 46% said free in – room WiFi is a must-have amenity – meaning that, if an accommodation did not provide it, they would look elsewhere. With this knowledge, it would be insanity for any clever hotel, resort, or restaurant to charge for their WiFi – think of it like this: your guests are giving you free promotion, so give them the tools to make that as easy as possible for them.
State it boldly on your website and other social platforms to make the public aware of your free WiFi, and plaster your hashtag and social media handles right alongside it for maximum effect.
Trend 4: Wellness and eco-travel increasingly important values
With the demands of society still in place and old, perhaps outdated ways of living still dominating the western world many people need to escape to recharge, de stress and recuperate. Travelling for wellness is a really important amongst travellers in 2016. Ecotourism is on the rise, helping to promote a greater understanding and admiration for nature and local societies. Supporting conservation efforts and observing wildlife are at the core of this new age tourist genre.
Online promotional packages work well with this crowd and having relevant, daily social media content such as inspirational advice will attract and keep a solid client base.
Trend 5: The rise of the #TravelInfluencers
This group of people are the ultimate trendsetters in the travel industry with huge followings of their blogs and social media. It’s important to stay up-to-date with these online celebrities as their influence on what is hot or not is highly regarded amongst the go getters of this community.
People with followings in the tens, sometimes hundred of thousands, are paving the way and discovering obscure destinations with deeply hidden treasures on this earth. Take a look at Gareth Leonard for example, who created http://tourist2townie.com, guiding people off the worn-out travel trail in search for something deeper. Conjuring up his own hashtag – #traveldeeper to allow people to accompany him on his journey and stay connected has cleverly positioned him high in the rankings of the travel influencers.
Reach out to travel influencers – offer them a free stay or a free meal, or if they have a massive amount of influence, both! Be sure to negotiate their deliverables beforehand so that everything is clear ahead of their arrival. Send them all of your social media handles, hashtags, and agree on an expected output per day. To amplify their visit, engage your social media team to interact with them online throughout their stay, thereby creating a conversation. You’ll be amazed at the results.
Are you ready to take your social media to the next level, build your tribe and increase your sales? Work with the same team that handles big brands like the Shangri-La Hotel group, for less than what you’d pay a full-time staff member. Get in touch with us today: [email protected], or download our FREE guide to creating your online marketing plan by signing up for our newsletter: www.HelloArchipelago.com.
About Author
Kaila Krayewski is a writer, editor, and founder of Archipelago Communcations (link: www.helloarchipelago.com), specialising in social media and content marketing for the luxury travel market. Having lived on Koh Phangan for over four years now, she prides herself on her ability to maintain a professional demeanour while sporting a sun-kissed tan and flip flops.
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---
- name: check k8s version
shell: >
{{ bin_dir }}/kubectl version -o json | jq '.serverVersion.gitVersion' | sed s/\"//g
register: kubernetes_version
- name: init k8s version
set_fact: >
k8s_version: {{ kubernetes_version.stdout }}
- name: Stop if kubernetes version is nonsupport
assert:
that: kubernetes_version.stdout is version('v1.15.0', '>=')
msg: The current k8s version is not supported
- name: check storage class
shell: >
{{ bin_dir }}/kubectl get sc | awk '{if(NR>1){print $1}}'
register: storage_class_check
- name: Stop if StorageClass was not found
assert:
that: persistence.storageClass in storage_class_check.stdout_lines
msg: "StorageClass {{ persistence.storageClass }} was not found !"
when:
- persistence.storageClass is defined
- persistence.storageClass != ""
- name: check default storage class
shell: >
{{ bin_dir }}/kubectl get sc
register: default_storage_class_check
- name: Stop if defaultStorageClass was not found
assert:
that: '"(default)" in default_storage_class_check.stdout'
msg: "Default StorageClass was not found !"
when:
- persistence.storageClass is defined
- persistence.storageClass == ""
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1941 Ne 143rd Ave
Portland, OR97230
Estimated value provides a reasonable estimate of the property’s market value based on comparable properties and other factors.
It is not an actual appraisal, but it is a good starting point to determine the property’s actual value.
Get help from a Pro
Marilyn Conti
ERS Realty, LLC
About Preferred Agents
This agent specializes in this area and can assist you in purchasing a foreclosure property or one best suited to your needs. Buying or selling, they are here to act as your local real estate specialist.
If you are not contacted by the agent within 24 hours, please call 877-888-8722.
Get help from a Pro
Marilyn Conti ERS Realty, LLC
About Preferred Agents
This agent specializes in this area and can assist you in purchasing a foreclosure property or one best suited to your needs. Buying or selling, they are here to act as your local real estate specialist.
If you are not contacted by the agent within 24 hours, please call 877-888-8722.
1941 Ne 143rd Ave is a single family residence located in Portland, OR97230. Built in 1972, this property features 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 9,995 sq ft lot, and 1,244 sq ft of living space. The estimated market value for 1941 Ne 143rd Ave is $371,000.
For the surrounding community of Portland, OR 97230, the average sale price for similar homes to 1941 Ne 143rd Ave is $290,957. The nearby schools are average and include Margaret Scott Elementary School, Hauton B Lee Middle School and Reynolds High School. The overall crime risk for this area is moderate with 3 criminal and sex offenders residing within 1 mile. The natural disaster risk for this area includes low earthquake risk, and very low tornado risk.
Tax History
Year
Taxes
Land
Improvements
Assessment
2014
$4,022
(+1.77%)
$0
$0
$226,380
2013
$3,716
(+1.7%)
$0
$0
$217,790
2012
$3,527
$0
$0
$206,420
Get help from a Pro
Marilyn Conti
ERS Realty, LLC
About Preferred Agents
This agent specializes in this area and can assist you in purchasing a foreclosure property or one best suited to your needs. Buying or selling, they are here to act as your local real estate specialist.
Get your FREE HomeDisclosure Report for
This Single Family Residence at 1941 Ne 143rd Ave, Portland, OR97230 is a 5-bedroom, 3.0-bath, property. This residence is 1,244 square feet and was built in 1972. and sits on a lot that is 9,995 square feet
One in every 3,144 housing units in Portland had a foreclosure filing in 08/2017. 1941 Ne 143rd Ave, Portland, OR97230 is in a state where one in every 2,650 housing units had a foreclosure filing in 08/2017, compared to a national average of one in every 1,758 housing units. There are 563 properties in some stage of foreclosure or bank-owned in Multnomah County where 1941 Ne 143rd Ave is located.
The information at this site is provided solely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer to sell, rent, or advertise real estate outside the state in which the owner of the site is licensed.
The owner is not making any warranties or representations concerning any of these properties including their availability. Information at this site is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified.
Any redistribution or resale is strictly prohibited. All trademarks herein are property of their respective owners.
Please review our Terms of Use policies before using content found on this site in any way.
Properties on this site labeled as Bank-Owned may be owned by the bank or managed by the bank for others.
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Tag Archives: Disappointment
Despite the hype and my most fervent prayers, the District came out on the winning end of its bout with snow. This was due largely to getting considerably less precipitation than was predicted. Most of the DC area reported less than 3 inches of accumulation, but this was enough to close Montgomery and Fairfax county schools and to put the Fed into unscheduled leave. Still, the roads were little more than wet, this morning, and my commute wasn’t harried in the least. It was kind of a let down, to be honest. We’ll see if mother nature throws something more challenging our way, this weekend. Considering that there won’t be any work to miss, I’m guessing that she will.
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624 F.3d 537 (2010)
Jennifer MYERS, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
The HERTZ CORPORATION, Defendant-Appellee.
Docket No. 08-1037-cv.
United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.
Argued: August 4, 2009.
Decided: October 27, 2010.
*541 Robert J. Stein III, William M. Hensley, Adorno Yoss Alvarado & Smith, Santa Ana, CA; Stephen T. Rodd, Stephanie Amin-Giwner, Orin Kurtz, Abbey Spanier Rodd & Abrams, LLP, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellant Jennifer Myers.
Frank B. Shuster, Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC, Atlanta, GA; Kenneth W. DiGia, Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., New York, NY, for Defendant-Appellee The Hertz Corporation.
*542 Before: POOLER, HALL, and LIVINGSTON, Circuit Judges.
DEBRA ANN LIVINGSTON, Circuit Judge:
In this procedurally convoluted case, plaintiffs seek overtime wages they contend they were unlawfully denied by their employer. The plaintiffs apparently initially intended this case to be a nationwide "collective action" under § 216(b) of the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA"), 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), through which employees seeking to recover under FLSA's substantive provisions may assert claims on behalf of other "similarly situated" employees. Unlike in traditional "class actions" maintainable pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, plaintiffs in FLSA representative actions must affirmatively "opt in" to be part of the class and to be bound by any judgment. See, e.g., Hipp v. Liberty Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 252 F.3d 1208, 1216 (11th Cir.2001) (per curiam); 1 Joseph M. McLaughlin, McLaughlin on Class Actions § 2:16 (5th ed. 2009). To this end plaintiffs requested from the district court an order allowing them to send court-facilitated "notice" of their lawsuit to potential plaintiffs to allow such persons to "opt in." When this request was denied, plaintiffs changed their strategy and sought certification of a Rule 23 class action on a New York state law claim for the "timely" payment of wages. This claim was, as we will explain, entirely derivative of plaintiffs' FLSA claim. The district court denied class certification and this appeal followed. We affirm, concluding that it was not an abuse of discretion for the district court to deny class certification. Although plaintiffs urge us to review the district court's earlier denial of their request to send notice to potential FLSA plaintiffs, we conclude that we lack appellate jurisdiction to consider the merits of this earlier ruling.
I. Background
The background facts relevant to our disposition of this case are briefly stated and are undisputed except where noted. Beginning in 1998, Jennifer Myers was employed as a "Station Manager" at a car rental facility of The Hertz Corporation ("Hertz") at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, New York. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 4, 18. Myers's complaint alleges that her job as a station manager required her to work a significant number of overtime hours, but that Hertz has not paid its station managers the time-and-a-half wage for that overtime guaranteed by FLSA. Id. ¶¶ 19-23, 34. Instead, Hertz classifies station managers as "exempt" from FLSA's guarantees on the ground that station managers perform tasks characteristic of "executive" employees. Id. ¶ 24; see also 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(1) (exempting from FLSA's minimum wage and maximum hour requirements those employees who work "in a bona fide executive... capacity" as defined by Labor Department regulations). Myers contends that this designation is incorrect: Hertz station managers do not, she asserts, have the authority to hire, fire, promote, or set the salaries of other Hertz employees, and any tasks performed by station managers characteristic of "management" form only a small part of the overall duties of a station manager. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 26-28.
Hertz's policy on the exemption of certain of its employees from FLSA, known as "Policy 2-50," does not specifically list station managers as exempt from FLSA's guarantees. Instead it sets forth "guidelines [and] general criteria used by [Hertz] to determine an employee's status." Employees classified as "Executive Employees" under the Policy include those who spend 80% or more of their time managing a company subdivision, directing the work of other employees, performing tasks relating *543 to their authority to make personnel decisions, and generally acting in a supervisory capacity and exercising discretion in their work. It appears that Hertz did not analyze the duties of individual station managers to determine whether managers at individual Hertz business locations were exempt, but rather determined that all such employees across Hertz facilities meet the Policy's criteria for exemption as "executives." According to Hertz, station managers fall within this category because their primary responsibilities are managerial, involving the supervision of the other workers at the locations, enforcement of Hertz policies, and management of the inventory, among other tasks. Myers does not contend that the terms of Policy 2-50 are inconsistent with applicable administrative regulations; instead, as mentioned earlier, Myers disputes Hertz's characterization of a station manager's duties. This appeal does not require us to resolve this dispute or the underlying merits of Myers's FLSA claim.
Myers's complaint asserts four causes of action: first, that Hertz violated FLSA § 7, 29 U.S.C. § 207, which requires employers to pay employees who work over forty hours per week "not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which [the employees are] employed" for those overtime hours; second, that Hertz violated "NY Labor Law § 198," Am. Compl. ¶ 42, by misclassifying Myers as "exempt" under FLSA and failing to pay her overtime wages; third, that Hertz violated New York Labor Law § 191, which guarantees the timely payment of wages by employers; and fourth, that Hertz violated New York Labor Law § 162, which requires employers to allow their employees to take meal breaks. Myers attempted to bring these claims on her own behalf and on behalf of a class of "all current and former employees of Hertz who have worked in the positions of `Senior Station Manager,' `Station Manager' or `Station Manager-B' at any Hertz location in the United States from August 1, 1999 through the date the Court orders notice to be sent to putative class members." Id. ¶ 6. Myers sought recovery of her allegedly wrongfully withheld overtime as well as liquidated damages, and she also sought to bring her FLSA claim as a so-called "collective action." Id. ¶¶ 1, 6, 34-37. She invoked 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), which provides:
Any employer who violates [FLSA's substantive provisions relating to minimum wages or maximum hours] shall be liable to the employee or employees affected in the amount of their unpaid [wages], and in an additional equal amount as liquidated damages.... An action to recover the liability prescribed [in the preceding sentence] may be maintained against any employer ... in any Federal or State court of competent jurisdiction by any one or more employees for and in behalf of himself or themselves and other employees similarly situated. No employee shall be a party plaintiff to any such action unless he gives his consent in writing to become such a party and such consent is filed in the court in which such action is brought.
29 U.S.C. § 216(b). Using § 216(b)'s "consent" procedure, four additional plaintiffs opted in to Myers's action in January 2003, each also a current or former station manager at MacArthur Airport.
This appeal follows four rulings of the district court. First, in March 2005 the district court (Denis J. Hurley, District Judge) denied Hertz's motion for summary judgment on plaintiffs' FLSA claim, concluding that disputes regarding material factssuch as whether plaintiffs' salaries were subject to reduction for violations of Hertz's attendance policy and how *544 plaintiffs' duties should be characterized precluded summary judgment on that claim. The court also allowed plaintiffs' Labor Law § 191 claim to proceed, concluding that Hertz's failure to pay overtime at all, if proven to be unlawful, would also support a conclusion that it failed to pay plaintiffs' wages on time as required by § 191. The court dismissed plaintiffs' other two state law claims, concluding that plaintiffs' New York Labor Law § 198 claim, which plaintiffs characterized as a claim for attorneys' fees, was not supported by the plaintiffs' allegations, and that plaintiffs' § 162 claim failed because Labor Law § 162 does not provide a private right of action. The plaintiffs apparently did not attempt to amend their complaint to add additional state law claims following this ruling. In March 2006, after Hertz moved for reconsideration, the district court reversed its earlier conclusion that questions of fact existed regarding whether plaintiffs were "paid on a salary basis," one of the criteria of an "executive" employee set forth in Labor Department regulations. Instead, the court determined that plaintiffs' salaries were not "subject to reduction" and therefore that plaintiffs were "paid on a salary basis" as a matter of law. The court adhered to its previous determination, however, that questions of fact regarding plaintiffs' duties precluded summary judgment for Hertz.
While the summary judgment motions were pending, Myers sought leave to send notice to other potential opt-in plaintiffs "similarly situated" to herself in order to obtain their consent to participate in a "collective action" pursuant to FLSA § 216(b). Myers's motion covered all Hertz employees who had served in station manager positions from August 1, 1999 through the time notice would be sent. Hertz opposed the motion, contending that plaintiffs had failed to make a factual showing regarding the activities conducted by station managers at airports other than MacArthur, and that plaintiffs' allegations that Hertz had engaged in an "unlawful policy or scheme ... to evade the FLSA" by "misclassifying" station managers as exempt were merely conclusory. Hertz further contended that plaintiffs could not show that other station managers were "similarly situated" because FLSA's similarity analysis requires an individualized assessment of what each potential plaintiff did on the job. The district court agreed with this latter argument, and denied the plaintiffs' motion. See Myers v. Hertz Corp., No. 02-CV-4325 (DRH) (MLO), slip op. at 10 (E.D.N.Y. May 18, 2006) (hereinafter "Collective Action Order"):
[T]he Court finds that Plaintiffs' motion suffers from a fatal flaw that further discovery cannot cure: because liability as to each putative plaintiff depends upon whether that plaintiff was correctly classified as exempt pursuant to ... Policy 2-50, any collective action would require the Court to make a fact-intensive inquiry into each potential plaintiff's employment situation. Thus, regardless of the possibility that other Station Managers are improperly being classified as exempt pursuant to ... Policy 2-50, any determination as to their right to overtime would require a highly individualized analysis as to whether the duties they performed fell within that exemption.
Id. at 9.
Plaintiffs thereafter explored the possibility of having the district court certify the Collective Action Order for immediate interlocutory appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b). By this time, the case had been reassigned to Judge Brian M. Cogan. Judge Cogan suggested in an August 2006 hearing that he would deny a certificate of appealability. Plaintiffs subsequently *545 moved pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 to certify a class of Hertz station managers employed in New York State from August 1, 1996, through the time of the motion. The proposed class was to be certified based on the New York Labor Law § 191 claim only. Plaintiffs' counsel indicated to the district court that the class certification motion would be used as a vehicle to get Judge Hurley's earlier rulings, and in particular the Collective Action Ruling, before this Court on an interlocutory basis if the district court were to deny the motion.
On July 24, 2007, Judge Cogan denied plaintiffs' motion for class certification. See Myers v. Hertz Corp., No. 02 Civ. 4325(BMC) (MLO), 2007 WL 2126264 (E.D.N.Y. July 24, 2007). He noted that, "[p]ursuant to the `law of the case' doctrine," he "w[ould] not revisit" Judge Hurley's earlier decisions in the case, including the Collective Action Order. Id. at *2. He then concluded that the plaintiffs failed to satisfy Rule 23's commonality, typicality, and predominance requirements because the main issue to be decided in the case, whether each potential plaintiff was properly classified as "exempt" from FLSA's overtime guarantees, required, as Judge Hurley had found earlier in the Collective Action Order, a "fact-intensive inquiry into each potential plaintiff's employment status under the FLSA." Id. at *4 (internal quotation marks omitted). That plaintiffs' proposed class only encompassed New York station managers (rather than all managers nationwide, as in plaintiffs' earlier putative FLSA collective action) did not matter because "individualized proof" would still be needed to determine whether any particular plaintiff was wrongly classified and thus entitled to overtime pay. Id. The evidence plaintiffs proffered, consisting principally of the testimony of one Hertz representative, to demonstrate that all station managers performed the same tasks, was insufficient to show that liability issues could be proven in common among class members. Id. at *5. We granted plaintiffs' motion for leave to appeal the district court's denial of class certification pursuant to Rule 23(f).
II. Procedural Posture
This case comes to us in an unusual position compared to ordinary wage and hour cases. We have five individual plaintiffs, Myers and the four who have opted in, who assert individual claims for overtime pay under FLSA and claims that Hertz violated New York Labor Law § 191. But this set of claims is unlike that asserted by most FLSA plaintiffs, who contend that both FLSA and a provision of state law independently guarantee them a minimum wage or overtime pay. Labor Law § 191 by its terms only involves the timeliness of wage payments, and does not appear to afford to plaintiffs any substantive entitlement to a particular wage. See N.Y. Labor Law § 191(1)(d) ("A clerical and other worker shall be paid the wages earned in accordance with the agreed terms of employment, but not less frequently than semi-monthly, on regular pay days designated in advance by the employer.").[1]
*546 Thus the § 191 claim is entirely coextensive with, and derivative of, plaintiffs' FLSA claim. The only reason Hertz is alleged to have violated § 191 is that it failed to pay plaintiffs the overtime wages to which they claim to be entitled under FLSA. Myers's complaint confirms this: "By wrongfully and deliberately not paying Plaintiff and the class members the overtime wages they were entitled to under the FLSA and New York Labor Law, Hertz has violated New York Labor Law § 191." Am. Compl. ¶ 47. (Although the complaint references "New York Labor Law" as a source of plaintiffs' rights to overtime separate from FLSA, any substantive claim to wages under New York state law has been dismissed from the case, so the plaintiffs at this point rely solely on FLSA as the source of their § 191 claim.) To prove their § 191 claim, moreover, plaintiffs will have to prove an underlying violation of FLSA and nothing more. As for damages on the § 191 claim, plaintiffs seek only those overtime wages to which they already claim to be entitled pursuant to FLSA. Id. ¶ 48. In summary, plaintiffs' state law claim is merely and nothing more than an alternative method of seeking redress for an underlying FLSA violation. Plaintiffs seek to bring this claim on behalf of a class of Hertz station managers in New York State.
In this context we must decide whether the district court abused its discretion in declining to certify a class on plaintiffs' § 191 claim. See In re Salomon Analyst Metromedia Litig., 544 F.3d 474, 480 (2d Cir.2008). Plaintiffs contend that all of Rule 23's requirements for class treatment of the § 191 claim are satisfied and, in particular, that the district court erred in concluding that the proposed class action would not involve common questions of law or fact that would "predominate over any questions affecting only individual [class] members." Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b)(3). Because Judge Cogan refused to reconsider the Collective Action Order in ruling on the class certification motion, plaintiffs additionally contend that we must also review that order which, they say, formed the basis for the class certification ruling and which was also in error. Hertz creatively invokes a number of doctrines, from Article III's "case or controversy" requirement to supplemental jurisdiction, to argue that no § 191 class action can be certified in this unusual procedural posture. We conclude, however, that we need only address the traditional requirements of Rule 23 to decide plaintiffs' appeal.[2]
*547 III. Class Certification
We apply an abuse of discretion standard "both [to] the lower court's ultimate determination on certification" of a class "as well as to its rulings that the individual Rule 23 requirements have been met." In re Flag Telecom Holdings, Ltd. Sec. Litig., 574 F.3d 29, 34 (2d Cir.2009). While our review of the legal standards applied by the district court and the court's other legal conclusions is de novo, see Salomon, 544 F.3d at 480; In re Initial Pub. Offerings Sec. Litig., 471 F.3d 24, 32 (2d Cir.2006) ("In re IPO"), the district court's application of those standards to the facts of the case is again reviewed only for abuse of discretion, see Salomon, 544 F.3d at 480. This standard means that the district court "is empowered to make a decisionof its choosingthat falls within a range of permissible decisions," and we will only find "abuse" when the district court's decision "rests on an error of law... or a clearly erroneous factual finding, or ... its decision ... cannot be located within the range of permissible decisions." Zervos v. Verizon N.Y., Inc., 252 F.3d 163, 169 (2d Cir.2001) (footnote omitted). "Implicit" in this "deferential" standard when applied in the class action context "is a recognition of ... the district court's inherent power to manage and control pending litigation." Maldonado v. Ochsner Clinic Found., 493 F.3d 521, 523 (5th Cir. 2007) (internal quotation marks omitted). The party seeking class certification bears the burden of establishing by a preponderance of the evidence that each of Rule 23's requirements has been met. See Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 614, 117 S.Ct. 2231, 138 L.Ed.2d 689 (1997); Teamsters Local 445 Freight Div. Pension Fund v. Bombardier Inc., 546 F.3d 196, 202-03 (2d Cir.2008).
Rule 23 requires that a proposed class action (1) be sufficiently numerous, (2) involve questions of law or fact common to the class, (3) involve class plaintiffs whose claims are typical of those of the class, and (4) involve a class representative or representatives who adequately represent the interests of the class. See Fed. R.Civ.P. 23(a). Moreover, Rule 23(b)(3), which would govern the proposed class action here, requires the party seeking certification to show that "questions of law or fact common to class members predominate over any questions affecting only individual members" and that class treatment would be superior to individual litigation. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b)(3). The "predominance" requirement of Rule 23(b)(3) "tests whether proposed classes are sufficiently cohesive to warrant adjudication by representation." Amchem, 521 U.S. at 623, 117 S.Ct. 2231. The requirement's purpose is to "ensure[] that the class will be certified only when it would `achieve economies of time, effort, and expense, and promote uniformity of decision as to persons similarly situated, without sacrificing procedural fairness or bringing about other undesirable results.'" Cordes & Co. Fin. Servs., Inc. v. A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., 502 F.3d 91, 104 (2d Cir.2007) (alteration omitted) (quoting Amchem, 521 U.S. at 615, 117 S.Ct. 2231). Therefore the requirement is satisfied "if resolution of some of the legal or factual questions that qualify each class member's case as a genuine controversy can be achieved through generalized proof, and if these particular issues are more substantial than the issues subject only to individualized proof." Moore v. PaineWebber, Inc., 306 F.3d 1247, 1252 (2d Cir.2002); see also In re Wells Fargo Home Mortg. Overtime Pay Litig., 571 F.3d 953, 958 (9th Cir.2009) (noting that it is "the relationship between *548 the common and individual issues" that the requirement examines (internal quotation marks omitted)).
We need only address the "predominance" requirement here, as we determine that the district court's conclusion that the evidence put forward by the plaintiffs was insufficient to carry their burden to establish by a preponderance that common questions would predominate over individual ones rested neither on an error of law nor a clear error of fact and was "within the range of permissible decisions." Zervos, 252 F.3d at 169. "Rule 23(b)(3) requires that the district court determine what questions of law or fact are common to the members of the class." Cordes, 502 F.3d at 106 (internal quotation marks and alteration omitted). In this case, plaintiffs contend that station managers worked overtime, that Hertz denied them overtime pay, and that they were legally entitled to such payments. Hertz disputes only the third contention, arguing that any denial of overtime pay was legal because plaintiffs are "exempt" employees. The "questions of law or fact" that this case will ultimately require resolving, therefore, include 1) whether plaintiffs were denied overtime and 2) whether plaintiffs were entitled to overtime under FLSA. While the first is a simple factual matter and is not in dispute, the second is a complex, disputed issue, and its resolution turns on exemption, which in turn will require the district court to decide a number of subsidiary questions involving whether plaintiffs fall within the Labor Department's criteria for "employee[s] employed in a bona fide executive ... capacity." 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(1).
Administrative regulations classify employees as "executive" if 1) they are "[c]ompensated on a salary basis"; 2) their "primary duty is management of the enterprise... or of a customarily recognized department or subdivision thereof"; 3) they "customarily and regularly direct[] the work of two or more other employees"; and 4) they "ha[ve] the authority to hire or fire other employees or" if their "suggestions and recommendations" on personnel decisions "are given particular weight." 29 C.F.R. § 541.100(a)(1)-(4).[3] The regulations further provide a non-exclusive list of characteristic "management" activities to which a court may look to determine whether an employee's "primary duty is management," id. § 541.100(a)(2). See id. § 541.102. The exemption question, therefore, is a mixed question of law and fact, see Holzapfel v. Town of Newburgh, 145 F.3d 516, 521 (2d Cir.1998), involving a number of subsidiary questions, each of which may or may not be able to be proven in common with respect to all Hertz New York station managers. Significantly, the regulations make clear that these questions should be resolved by examining the employees' actual job characteristics and duties. The regulations require a court to "determine[]" the "exempt or nonexempt status of any particular employee ... on the basis of whether the employee's salary and duties meet the requirement of the regulations" defining "executive employees." 29 C.F.R. § 541.2. To determine whether an employee's "primary duty" is management, id. § 541.100(a)(2), a court must analyze "all the facts in a particular case," looking to the "principal, main, major or most important duty that the employee performs," id. § 541.700(a) (defining "primary duty").
*549 "[E]conomies of time, effort, and expense" in fully resolving each plaintiff's claim will only be served, and the predominance requirement satisfied, Cordes, 502 F.3d at 104, if the plaintiffs can show that "some" of the above questions can be answered with respect to the members of the class as a whole "through generalized proof" and that those common issues are "more substantial" than individual ones, Moore, 306 F.3d at 1252. Hertz contends that the exemption inquiry requires "an individualized and fact-intensive inquiry" into the job duties of each individual plaintiff to determine whether those duties qualified the individual station manager as an "executive" under the applicable regulations. Hertz Br. at 47. We do not understand Hertz to contend that exemption is an inherently individualized inquiry, such that class treatment will never be appropriate in exemption cases, and we note that district courts in this Circuit have certified classes on state law claims that turn on the question of FLSA exemption for a particular group of employees. See, e.g., Damassia v. Duane Reade, Inc., 250 F.R.D. 152 (S.D.N.Y.2008). But these cases confirm that the exemption inquiry requires examination of the "dut[ies] that the employee" actually "performs," 29 C.F.R. § 541.700(a), and they involve evidence tending to show that the plaintiffs' jobs were similar in ways material to the establishment of the exemption criteria. See Damassia, 250 F.R.D. at 156-61 (certifying Rule 23 class action of overtime claims under New York Labor Law and concluding that plaintiffs satisfied the predominance requirement by, inter alia, demonstrating that the job duties of putative class members were "largely consistent" across the class and that individual differences in job tasks would not be of the "magnitude" to "cause individual issues to predominate," id. at 160). While such evidence will not necessarily be dispositive of the overall predominance inquiry, it will tend to show that the subsidiary questions involved in resolving exemption will be answerable through evidence generally applicable to the class.
Plaintiffs do not contend that their own deposition testimony relating to their specific job duties is generalizable to station managers at other Hertz locations in New York. Nor, it appears, did plaintiffs ever submit any evidence to the district court relating to station managers at Hertz locations other than Long Island, despite having had opportunities to do so. Plaintiffs point to two categories of evidence showing that Hertz's liability can be proven in common: Hertz's decision to classify all station managers as exempt without an examination of each individual manager's duties; and the testimony of Hertz representatives which, plaintiffs claim, establishes that station managers' duties do not vary materially across Hertz locations. With respect to the first category, Hertz's blanket exemption policy, we agree with the Ninth Circuit that while such a policy suggests "the employer believes some degree of homogeneity exists among the employees," and is thus in a general way relevant to the inquiry here, the existence of a blanket exemption policy, standing alone, is not itself determinative of "the main concern in the predominance inquiry: the balance between individual and common issues." Wells Fargo, 571 F.3d at 957, 959. In possible contrast to a uniform corporate policy detailing employees' job duties, the fact of common exemption does not establish whether all plaintiffs were actually entitled to overtime pay or whether they were covered by the applicable administrative regulations defining FLSA's exemptions. See id. at 958 (holding that district court abused its discretion in certifying class of employees claiming wrongful *550 exemption in reliance on a common exemption policy, to the virtual exclusion of other issues potentially requiring individualized proof); see also Damassia, 250 F.R.D. at 159-60 (noting common exemption policy's possible relevance but examining evidence regarding the actual duties of plaintiffs to find predominance). Again, the question of entitlement to overtime pay is answered by examining the employee's actual duties. 29 C.F.R. §§ 541.2; 541.700. Here, all we need decide is that the district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that Hertz's common policy demonstrated little regarding whether the constituent issues that bear on Hertz's ultimate liability are provable in common.
An examination of the second category of evidence, the testimony of Hertz employees, confirms that the district court reasonably concluded that plaintiffs had not satisfied their burden to show that such substantial common issues are present here. Plaintiffs rely principally on the deposition of a single Hertz representative, Robert Ciccotto, who testified about the job duties of station managers, but this testimony provides, as the district court concluded, only mixed support for plaintiffs. Ciccotto, an operations manager who had worked at multiple Hertz locations nationwide, testified that each Hertz operation was "unique" and that there were "some variances" among the company's locations. Ciccotto Dep. at 107:6-108:5. He also testified that a station manager who transferred from one location to another might not necessarily be able, when he began work at the new location, to perform all his required duties without some training relating to the specific Hertz location. Id. at 112:12-113:6. While Ciccotto also stated generally that station managers at various locations have "similar responsibilities" and that their jobs are "more or less the same," id. at 106:13-107:15, it was not unreasonable for the district court to conclude from Ciccotto's testimony as a whole that Hertz's liability might require "individual factual analysis" to resolve, given Ciccotto's reference to differences among Hertz locations and his suggestion that the "primary duties" of managers differ across locations. See Myers, 2007 WL 2126264, at *6. Like Ciccotto, Irwin Pollack, a Hertz division vice-president for employee relations, also testified generally about the duties of station managers, stating that "most of [them] would be similar," Pollack Dep. at 35:10, but he did not elaborate. Because this testimony is quite general and largely inconclusive, we cannot say that Judge Cogan exceeded his allowable discretion in concluding that this evidence did not establish that liability could be proven in common. See Myers, 2007 WL 2126264, at *5.
Plaintiffs respond that the district court committed legal error in ignoring "uncontested" questions in its predominance inquiry and by focusing only on Hertz's "affirmative defenses"that plaintiffs were exempt from FLSA's guaranteesrather than on the common questions presented by plaintiffs' "case-in-chief." Pls.' Br. at 43. First, while it is true that district courts may not exclude conceded issues from a determination whether common issues will predominate overall, see In re Nassau County Strip Search Cases, 461 F.3d 219, 227-29 (2d Cir.2006), the reason for this is that the predominance requirement requires a district court to consider "all factual or legal issues," id. at 227 (emphasis added), to determine whether the issues subject to generalized proof are more "substantial" than those subject to individual inquiry, Moore, 306 F.3d at 1252. The "conceded" issues in this case, such as whether station managers worked overtime, whether they *551 were paid overtime, and whether Hertz classified them as exempt pursuant to a common policy, are clearly less substantial in the overall mix of issues this case presents when compared to the ultimate (contested) question the district court would have to decide in any potential class actionwhether plaintiffs were legally entitled to the overtime they were not paid.[4]
Second, it does not matter that exemption in this case may technically be termed an "affirmative defense." The "defense" is in reality the "mirror image" of plaintiffs' claimplaintiffs claim they were legally entitled to overtime, and Hertz counters that they were not. See Allan Erbsen, From "Predominance" to "Resolvability": A New Approach to Regulating Class Actions, 58 Vand. L.Rev. 995, 1075 (2005) ("[M]ost `defenses' are merely the mirror image of arguments necessary to prove liability."). Thus there is no reason the district court ought to have given the "defense" less weight in determining whether overall class certification would serve the goals of the predominance requirement. Moreover, while it is well established that the existence of a defense potentially implicating different class members differently does not necessarily defeat class certification, see, e.g., Brown v. Kelly, 609 F.3d 467, 483 (2d Cir.2010), it is equally well established that courts must consider potential defenses in assessing the predominance requirement, see, e.g., id.; McLaughlin v. Am. Tobacco Co., 522 F.3d 215, 233 (2d Cir.2008); In re Visa Check/MasterMoney Antitrust Litig., 280 F.3d 124, 138 (2d Cir.2001), abrogated on other grounds by In re IPO, 471 F.3d at 40; Waste Mgmt. Holdings, Inc. v. Mowbray, 208 F.3d 288, 295-96 (1st Cir.2000). While Hertz will ultimately bear the burden of proving the merits of its exemption argument, see In re Novartis Wage & Hour Litig., 611 F.3d 141, 150 (2d Cir. 2010), plaintiffs must at this stage show that more "substantial" aspects of this litigation will be susceptible to generalized proof for all class members than any individualized issues. On the evidence presented to the district court, they have manifestly failed to do this.
We therefore conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in declining to certify a class. We need not address Hertz's alternative argument that Judge Cogan abused his discretion in exercising supplemental jurisdiction "over [plaintiffs'] motion for class certification," Hertz Br. at 33, except to the following extent: Supplemental jurisdiction is about claims, not "motions." See 28 U.S.C. § 1367(a). The only supplemental jurisdiction question (arguably) presented by the class certification motion was whether the district court would take supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims of the absent class members if it were to certify a class. Because the district court did not certify a state law class, this issue is moot.[5]Cf. De Asencio v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 342 F.3d 301, 303-04, 307-12 (3d Cir.2003) (considering whether district court abused *552 its discretion in exercising supplemental jurisdiction over state law opt-out class action claims after certifying both a FLSA collective action and the state law action). Hertz does not appear to challenge the district court's decision to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims of the named individual plaintiffs, and even if it did, we are doubtful that this issue is before us on this appeal of the denial of class certification.
IV. Pendent Appellate Jurisdiction
This brings us to the issue of whether we may review any issue in this case other than that denial. This case is before us pursuant to Rule 23(f), which allows a court of appeals to "permit an appeal from an order granting or denying class-action certification under [Rule 23]." Fed. R.Civ.P. 23(f). The only decision over which we have appellate jurisdiction is, therefore, the district court's class certification decision, which we have affirmed. The plaintiffs urge us, however, to review the district court's earlier rulings in this case, on which, they contend, the class certification ruling was based. They particularly take issue with Judge Hurley's Collective Action Order, asserting a number of objections to that order and, in particular, that Judge Hurley abused his discretion in declining to certify a collective action on the basis of the evidence plaintiffs put forward demonstrating that Hertz station managers nationwide are "similarly situated" with respect to their job duties and Hertz's common exemption policy. 29 U.S.C. § 216(b). Plaintiffs also contend that Judge Hurley erred as a matter of law in concluding that the FLSA exemption inquiry was so inherently individualized that plaintiffs could not, even with further and broader discovery, establish that they were "similarly situated" to other potential plaintiffs.
Congress has, by statute, determined that the federal courts of appeals generally only have appellate jurisdiction over "final decisions" of the district courts. 28 U.S.C. § 1291; Swint v. Chambers County Comm'n, 514 U.S. 35, 45, 115 S.Ct. 1203, 131 L.Ed.2d 60 (1995). Congress has also set forth a limited set of circumstances under which courts of appeals may take jurisdiction over "interlocutory" decisions of district courts, 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a), and has set forth a method to be used by district courts to "certify" and courts of appeals to accept for immediate appeal interlocutory decisions that do not fall within § 1292(a)'s enumerated categories, id. § 1292(b). The Supreme Court additionally may, through its rulemaking powers, add to the list of interlocutory decisions of district courts that are immediately appealable to the courts of appeals. Swint, 514 U.S. at 48, 115 S.Ct. 1203. Finally, federal statutes or rules, such as Rule 23(f), may provide for immediate review of certain non-final rulings of district courts.
The doctrine of pendent appellate jurisdiction is a judicially created supplement to these methods of seeking immediate review of non-final district court rulings. The doctrine allows us, "[w]here we have jurisdiction over an interlocutory appeal of one ruling," to exercise jurisdiction over other, otherwise unappealable interlocutory decisions, where such rulings are "inextricably intertwined" with the order over which we properly have appellate jurisdiction, or where review of such rulings is "necessary to ensure meaningful review" of the appealable order. Bolmer v. Oliveira, 594 F.3d 134, 141 (2d Cir.2010) (internal quotation marks omitted). This two-part standard derives from the Supreme Court's decision in Swint v. Chambers County Commission, see 514 U.S. at 51, 115 S.Ct. 1203, a decision which noted *553 that courts of appeals employ the doctrine but did not expressly endorse it. We have continued to employ this doctrine following Swint, although we have indicated that the exercise of pendent appellate jurisdiction is discretionary, see Greenwich Fin. Servs. Distressed Mortg. Fund 3 LLC v. Countrywide Fin. Corp., 603 F.3d 23, 28 n. 4 (2d Cir.2010), and that we will only exercise it in "exceptional circumstances," Jones v. Parmley, 465 F.3d 46, 65 (2d Cir.2006) (internal quotation mark omitted); see also Bolmer, 594 F.3d at 141 ("[P]endent appellate jurisdiction should be exercised sparingly, if ever." (internal quotation marks omitted)).
Review of a non-appealable interlocutory ruling will generally only be "necessary to ensure meaningful review" of the order over which we properly have jurisdiction when our review of the appealable ruling would be "handicapped by our failure to review" the non-appealable decision. Skehan v. Vill. of Mamaroneck, 465 F.3d 96, 109 (2d Cir.2006), overruled on other grounds by Appel v. Spiridon, 531 F.3d 138 (2d Cir.2008).[6]
For two rulings to be "inextricably intertwined" before us, the "same specific question" will "underl[ie] both the appealable order and the non-appealable order," such that our resolution of the question will necessarily resolve the appeals from both orders at once. Stolt-Nielsen SA v. Celanese AG, 430 F.3d 567, 576 (2d Cir.2005) (noting that the issue presented in two separate orders was "identical"). Indeed, in deciding whether we had pendent appellate jurisdiction over the defendants' challenges to personal jurisdiction, we expressly distinguished Hanil Bank v. PT. Bank Negara Indonesia, (Persero), 148 F.3d 127 (2nd Cir. 1998), and Rein v. Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, 162 F.3d 748, 760-61 (2d Cir.1998), two cases involving interlocutory appeals from rulings on subject-matter jurisdiction under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act ("FSIA"), 28 U.S.C. § 1602 et seq., based on the degree of similarity between the FSIA inquiry and the personal jurisdiction inquiry. In Hanil Bank, we found that we did have pendent appellate jurisdiction, because "[t]he finding of subject matter jurisdiction under the commercial activities exception [to the FSIA] entailed a finding of minimum contacts, and that finding was therefore conclusive on the personal jurisdiction question as well. In other words, the issues of subject matter jurisdiction and personal jurisdiction were inextricably intertwined, because the [Hanil Bank] court could not have answered the former without saying everything that was required to answer the latter." Rein, 162 F.3d at 760-61. In contrast, in Rein, we concluded that the exercise of pendent appellate jurisdiction was not appropriate where the relevant FSIA exception was premised on whether the case was alleged to result from an act of aircraft sabotage and we determined that this inquiry was not "essentially identical" to the question of personal jurisdiction, and that "we [could] easily decide subject matter jurisdiction and leave key issues of personal jurisdiction unresolved." Id. at 761.
Significantly, we have stressed that the pendent appellate jurisdiction standard is not satisfied when we are confronted with two similar, but independent, issues, and resolution of the non-appealable order would require us to conduct an inquiry that is distinct from and "broader" *554 than the inquiry required to resolve solely the issue over which we properly have appellate jurisdiction. Britt v. Garcia, 457 F.3d 264, 273 (2d Cir.2006) (declining to exercise pendent appellate jurisdiction of a challenge to the sufficiency of evidence presented at trial in an appeal from a denial of qualified immunity);[7]see also Skehan, 465 F.3d at 109 (declining to exercise jurisdiction over appeal that would require a "separate further inquiry" into state law issues distinct from the issue raised in interlocutory appeal). This is true even when "considerations of efficiency" might "argue for deciding both issues" together, Rein, 162 F.3d at 758-59, and when the two issues are factually, and even legally, similar, see Britt, 457 F.3d at 273-74; Visa Check, 280 F.3d at 132 n. 4 (concluding that we lacked jurisdiction, in appeal of order certifying class, over separate appeal of district court's denial of motion to strike expert report submitted in support of class certification, even though "the parties' substantive arguments [on both issues] may be similar").[8]
We have not yet provided clear guidance on the standard district courts should apply to motions seeking certification of a "collective action" under § 216(b) of FLSA. Although they are not required to do so by FLSA, district courts "have discretion, in appropriate cases, to implement [§ 216(b)] ... by facilitating notice to potential plaintiffs" of the pendency of the action and of their opportunity to opt-in as represented plaintiffs. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. v. Sperling, 493 U.S. 165, 169, 110 S.Ct. 482, 107 L.Ed.2d 480 (1989).[9] In determining whether to exercise this discretion in an "appropriate case[]," the district courts of this Circuit appear to *555 have coalesced around a two-step method, a method which, while again not required by the terms of FLSA or the Supreme Court's cases,[10] we think is sensible. The first step involves the court making an initial determination to send notice to potential opt-in plaintiffs who may be "similarly situated" to the named plaintiffs with respect to whether a FLSA violation has occurred. See, e.g., Morgan v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., 551 F.3d 1233, 1258-62 (11th Cir.2008); Damassia v. Duane Reade, Inc., No. 04 Civ. 8819, 2006 WL 2853971, at *3 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 5, 2006) (Lynch, J.); Hoffmann v. Sbarro, Inc., 982 F.Supp. 249, 261 (S.D.N.Y.1997) (Sotomayor, J.). The court may send this notice after plaintiffs make a "modest factual showing" that they and potential opt-in plaintiffs "together were victims of a common policy or plan that violated the law." Sbarro, 982 F.Supp. at 261. In a FLSA exemption case, plaintiffs accomplish this by making some showing that "there are other employees ... who are similarly situated with respect to their job requirements and with regard to their pay provisions," on which the criteria for many FLSA exemptions are based, who are classified as exempt pursuant to a common policy or scheme. Family Dollar, 551 F.3d at 1259. The "modest factual showing" cannot be satisfied simply by "unsupported assertions," Dybach v. State of Fla. Dep't of Corrections, 942 F.2d 1562, 1567 (11th Cir.1991), but it should remain a low standard of proof because the purpose of this first stage is merely to determine whether "similarly situated" plaintiffs do in fact exist, see Sbarro, 982 F.Supp. at 261. At the second stage, the district court will, on a fuller record, determine whether a so-called "collective action" may go forward by determining whether the plaintiffs who have opted in are in fact "similarly situated" to the named plaintiffs. The action may be "de-certified" if the record reveals that they are not, and the opt-in plaintiffs' claims may be dismissed without prejudice. See, e.g., Family Dollar, 551 F.3d at 1261; Hipp, 252 F.3d at 1218.
The plaintiffs here ask us to review the district court's decision to deny their motion to send opt-in notice to potential class membersa first-stage determination as described above. We conclude that this ruling does not satisfy the standard we have articulated for the exercise of pendent appellate jurisdiction. Review of the Collective Action Order on the merits would require us to determine whether the district court abused its discretion in determining that plaintiffs had failed to make the "modest factual showing" that potential plaintiffs existed who were "similarly situated" to themselves. See Hoffmann-La Roche, 493 U.S. at 169, 110 S.Ct. 482 (noting that district courts have "discretion" to implement § 216(b) by facilitating *556 the sending of notice). That question is quite distinct from the question whether plaintiffs have satisfied the much higher threshold of demonstrating that common questions of law and fact will "predominate" for Rule 23 purposes in the eventual action. While the two issues in this case are admittedly similar, we are easily able to determine here that the higher predominance standard has not been met without addressing whether the same evidence plaintiffs have put forward in support of Rule 23 class certification could satisfy the lower standard for the sending of notice pursuant to § 216(b) and Hoffmann-La Roche. This is so even though the district court may have relied on and felt itself bound by the Collective Action Order in denying class certification because it is the "issues presented" to this Court that must be "inextricably intertwined" for pendent appellate jurisdiction to be properly exercised, not the issues presented to the district court. CFTC v. Walsh, 618 F.3d 218, 225 n. 3 (2d Cir.2010); see also id. at 222, 224-25 & n. 3 (declining to exercise pendent appellate jurisdiction over district court's issuance of a temporary restraining order, even though jurisdiction was proper over later order converting the restraining order into a preliminary injunction). The two rulings are therefore not "inextricably intertwined" because the "same specific question" does not underlie each ruling, and review of the Collective Action Order is not "necessary to ensure meaningful review" of the class certification decision.
We have emphasized in the past the narrowness of the pendent appellate jurisdiction standard, and this case may well demonstrate precisely why we keep that standard narrow. The danger created by an overly permissive practice of deciding issues over which we lack appellate jurisdiction in interlocutory appeals is that the practice is subject to abuse; parties may bring insubstantial interlocutory appeals in order to bring before us issues which we ordinarily would not be able to review until after a final decision of the district court, thus circumventing the finality rule:
A system in which parties could get immediate appellate review of multiple issues once the door was opened for review of one issue would tempt such parties to rummage for rulings that would authorize interlocutory appeals, thereby securing appellate decisions on many issues without having to wait until after trial.... [While Swint presented a situation in which the party seeking to appeal the non-appealable order was a different party from that which had brought the proper appeal], pendent issues raised by the party that has the right to bring an interlocutory appeal are at least as great a threat to the final-order scheme as are pendent issues raised by other parties. Indeed, it appears, if anything, more likely that one party will appeal a flimsy collateral issue with the intention of obtaining interlocutory review for other issues it presses than that different parties will conspire to secure early appellate rulings.
Rein, 162 F.3d at 757.
The concern expressed in Rein appears to be well founded when we review the record in this case. There are several indications that plaintiffs here may have sought to bring a motion for class certification on their § 191 claim for the express purpose of getting Judge Hurley's earlier Collective Action Order before this Court if and when the district court denied the class certification motion. See, e.g., Tr. of Aug. 11, 2006 Conf., Myers v. Hertz Corp., No. 02-CV-4325 (DRH) (MLO) (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 11, 2006):
[PLAINTIFFS' COUNSEL]: One thing that we've made no bones about with Magistrate Judge Orenstein ... after *557 Judge Hurley's decision [on collective action certification], we didn't say we are trying to get around it. We said we have to make our record for appeal and we're trying to get to the Second Circuit. As we told Judge Orenstein, one way to get there was a 23(f) petition.... If your honor denies our request [for class certification] ... based on the [Collective Action Order], at least that gives us the opportunity to then file a 23(f) petition....
Id. at 5; see also Tr. of July 11, 2006 Conf., Myers v. Hertz Corp., No. CV-02-4325 (DRH) (MLO) (E.D.N.Y. July 11, 2006):
THE COURT: I'm not about to grant nationwide discovery on anything at this moment.... Given the context of where we are. The only claim I have, frankly, is a 191 claim. So to go nationwide is absolutely silly at this stage, without there being something further from a court of competent jurisdiction to tell me to go further.
[PLAINTIFFS' COUNSEL]: I understand that, and I think on theour other option is to push ahead with the Rule 23 motion.
THE COURT: But my problem still is, if the only claim that survived is the state claim, 191, where are we going with that?
[PLAINTIFFS' COUNSEL]: There is still athe federal claim is still here. It just applies to the named people. There's no opt-in on it.
THE COURT: I know, but the discovery with regard to a class
[PLAINTIFFS' COUNSEL]: Our position is, if we get a decision one way or the otherif we get a decision from Judge Hurley in any way denying the Rule 23 motion, even if he says, I'm denying it based on my [Collective Action Order], then we can file a 23(f) petition with the Second Circuit.
Id. at 17-18. In other words, it seems that plaintiffs believed that the Collective Action Order was wrong and sought class certification at least in part as a vehicle for bringing that Order before us through a Rule 23(f) appeal of the intervening class certification decision. We impute no bad faith to the plaintiffs, who have raised substantial arguments to us regarding the merits of that Order (arguments on which we express no ultimate opinion), but our pendent appellate jurisdiction cases foreclose plaintiffs' apparent strategy from being successful: we may not allow a party to circumvent the final decision rule by, "having gotten its foot in the door, seeking to bring in everything else it has." Rein, 162 F.3d at 757.
We therefore conclude that we may not exercise pendent appellate jurisdiction over any district court rulings in this case other than the specific July 24, 2007 class certification opinion for which we granted plaintiffs' Rule 23(f) petition for leave to appeal. We note, however, that our decision not to exercise pendent appellate jurisdiction over the Collective Action Order should not be taken as bearing on that order's merits one way or the other. See Britt, 457 F.3d at 274. Our decision today does not prevent plaintiffs from renewing their motion for the district court to facilitate opt-in notice for a potential FLSA collective action in this case, perhaps after further factual investigation by plaintiffs' counsel, or after the district court allows further discovery between the parties (a decision lying within that court's discretion, of course).[11] Indeed, like a motion for class certification brought pursuant to *558 Rule 23, a motion to facilitate the sending of notice of a pending FLSA action to potential opt-in plaintiffs may be renewed after a denial, and a district court may continually evaluate, as the case progresses, whether such notice should be provided, whether an existing class should be modified, or whether the action should be "de-certified" if the evidence shows that opt-in plaintiffs are not "similarly situated" to the named individual plaintiffs. See, e.g., Family Dollar, 551 F.3d at 1241-43, 1262 (noting that district court denied two motions to facilitate nationwide notice to potential plaintiffs prior to certifying a FLSA collective action on plaintiffs' third motion); cf. In re Initial Pub. Offering Sec. Litig., 483 F.3d 70, 73 (2d Cir.2007) ("District courts have ample discretion to consider (or to decline to consider) a revised class certification motion after an initial denial.").
V. Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court denying class certification is AFFIRMED.
NOTES
[1] We are somewhat doubtful therefore that § 191 is the appropriate vehicle to seek the overtime pay to which plaintiffs claim to be entitled. Section 191 guarantees plaintiffs only timely payment of "wages earned in accordance with the agreed terms of employment." N.Y. Labor Law § 191. Plaintiffs have never alleged that overtime payments were part of the "agreed terms" of their employment with Hertz. New York Labor Law appears to protect a substantive right to overtime under a different set of statutes and administrative regulations. See generally Ballard v. Cmty. Home Care Referral Serv., Inc., 264 A.D.2d 747, 695 N.Y.S.2d 130, 131 (2d Dep't 1999). New York courts have suggested that plaintiffs may not use Labor Law § 191 to seek unpaid wages to which they claim to be entitled under a statute; rather § 191 guarantees only that the wages the employer and employee have "agreed" upon be paid in a "timely" manner again according to the "terms of [the employee's] employment." See, e.g., Jara v. Strong Steel Door, Inc., No. 14643/05, 20 Misc.3d 1135, 2008 WL 3823769, at *11-*12 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. Aug. 15, 2008) (dismissing § 191 claim seeking overtime payments as "redundant" of plaintiffs' overtime claim brought under Labor Law § 663; "[P]laintiffs' [claim] does not allege a frequency of payment violation.... [T]he gravamen of plaintiffs' complaint is that the sums paid were not equal to what plaintiffs claim they were entitled to receive. To the extent that prevailing wages are sought to be recovered, Labor Law § 191 is an inappropriate vehicle for such recovery."). However, to the extent this "merits" issue is "unrelated to a Rule 23 requirement," we do not address it further. In re Initial Pub. Offerings Sec. Litig., 471 F.3d 24, 41 (2d Cir.2006).
[2] We do, however, address Hertz's arguments to the extent that we conclude that we have Article III jurisdiction over plaintiffs' state law claims. Even if plaintiffs may ultimately have chosen the wrong vehicle through which to seek overtime pay under New York state law, these claims nevertheless satisfy the "case or controversy" requirement of Article III.
[3] To the extent the claims of some members of the class would require application of the regulations in effect prior to August 23, 2004, the analysis with respect to the prior version of the regulations is substantially similar.
[4] This case is therefore poles apart from plaintiffs' primary authority, the Strip Search Cases, 461 F.3d 219. There, we concluded that it was an abuse of discretion for a district court to decline to find the predominance requirement satisfied when the defendants had conceded all "the major liability issues" and asserted an affirmative defense which, the defendants also conceded, would involve only "de minimis" individualized inquiry with respect to each plaintiff against whom the defense was asserted. Id. at 227-30.
[5] We therefore need not decide whether, had the district court certified a class, the court would have abused its discretion by exercising jurisdiction over the § 191 claims of the class members. See 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c); Lindsay v. Gov't Employees Ins. Co., 448 F.3d 416, 424-25 (D.C.Cir.2006).
[6] We separate the two parts of the Swint standard for clarity purposes. In some cases, however, we acknowledge that the analysis of the two parts will be substantially the same. See Rein, 162 F.3d at 758.
[7] Although we did not stress this point in our analysis of pendent appellate jurisdiction in Britt, asserting jurisdiction over the evidentiary sufficiency issue would have been particularly inappropriate given that, as we highlighted earlier in the opinion, the denial of qualified immunity is appealable "to the extent that it turns on an issue of law," 457 F.3d at 271 (quoting Johnson v. Jones, 515 U.S. 304, 313, 115 S.Ct. 2151, 132 L.Ed.2d 238 (1995)), and indeed the appeal "must not pose the [evidentiary] sufficiency question over which Johnson [v. Jones, 515 U.S. 304, 115 S.Ct. 2151,] made clear we have no interlocutory appellate jurisdiction," id. Permitting assertion of pendent appellate jurisdiction over a question of this type would substantially undermine the requirement that interlocutory appeals of denials of qualified immunity be limited to those turning exclusively on questions of law, an independent reason to deny pendent appellate jurisdiction in that case.
[8] A possible exception to this concern for avoiding broader and distinct inquiries is Merritt v. Shuttle, Inc., 187 F.3d 263 (2d Cir. 1999), in which we held, in an appeal of the denial of a motion to dismiss based on qualified immunity, that review of a district court's earlier ruling denying a motion to dismiss based on lack of subject matter jurisdiction would be "necessary to ensure meaningful review" of the qualified immunity order. id. at 269. While inquiry into subject matter jurisdiction may well involve "broader" and "distinct" questions from those posed by the appealable interlocutory order, Merritt's holding is easily justified under the prong of our pendent jurisdiction analysis directed at whether review of the pendent issue is necessary to ensure meaningful review of the appealable order, given "our independent obligation to satisfy ourselves of the jurisdiction of [our] court and the court below." In re Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether ("MTBE") Prods. Liab. Litig., 488 F.3d 112, 121 (2d Cir.2007). However, this justification has no applicability in this case.
[9] Hoffmann-La Roche involved § 7(b) of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ("ADEA"), 29 U.S.C. § 626(b), which "incorporates enforcement provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act," including § 216(b). Hoffmann-La Roche, 493 U.S. at 167, 110 S.Ct. 482; see also 29 U.S.C. § 626(b). Hoffmann-La Roche's interpretation of § 216(b) therefore binds us in FLSA cases as well as in ADEA cases. See Hoffmann v. Sbarro, Inc., 982 F.Supp. 249, 261 n. 15 (S.D.N.Y.1997).
[10] Indeed, while courts speak of "certifying" a FLSA collective action, it is important to stress that the "certification" we refer to here is only the district court's exercise of the discretionary power, upheld in Hoffmann-La Roche, to facilitate the sending of notice to potential class members. Section 216(b) does not by its terms require any such device, and nothing in the text of the statute prevents plaintiffs from opting in to the action by filing consents with the district court, even when the notice described in Hoffmann-La Roche has not been sent, so long as such plaintiffs are "similarly situated" to the named individual plaintiff who brought the action. See Morgan v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., 551 F.3d 1233, 1259 (11th Cir.2008) (noting that "certification" of a collective action is a device to facilitate notice to potential class members and does not actually "create a class of plaintiffs" for a FLSA collective action). Thus "certification" is neither necessary nor sufficient for the existence of a representative action under FLSA, but may be a useful "case management" tool for district courts to employ in "appropriate cases." Hoffmann-La Roche, 493 U.S. at 169, 174, 110 S.Ct. 482.
[11] We will not address Myers's arguments related to the scope of discovery in this case in light of our disposition of the other issues.
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My Total Lifetime Earnings & The New Wealth Ratio™!
Morning hustlers! Got a piece of juicy mail come my way over the weekend, and thought I’d hit you with it to further encourage your voyeurism ;)
This letter came courtesy of the Social Security Administration, and was a stark contrast from the other notice I received at the same time pretty much telling me I’m getting kicked out of my health insurance plan by the end of the year, ugh… Looks like it’s finally time to check into Obamacare and see what the fuss is about (double ugh?).
Anyways, the more positive piece of awesomeness I’m referring to is of course the Social Security Statement that sums up all your reported (taxable) earnings over the course of your lifetime. I’m not too sure why I’m still receiving it via printed mail when I thought you could only get it online nowadays (www.ssa.gov/myaccount) but in either case my inner nerd was doing back flips. It’s not every day you’re reminded of all your income here on Earth! Or, perhaps more accurately, all of your income that you’ve since SPENT!
(BTW, I highlight “taxable” here as it’s not really how much you’ve earned your entire life (which would be *gross* income), but how much you’ve paid taxes on. Which could vary drastically depending on your sources of income/set up/etc. Still, it’s pretty damn interesting to know.)
The last time I shared my total earnings was back in October of 2010, and by that point I had earned a tidy sum of $489,400.
Here’s What My Total Earnings Look Like Now:
$829,783! Almost a million bones! That’s good right? Maybe? Maybe not?
I added in a column there to the right to put things in better perspective… A million dollars sounds good, but does it change when you know it covers almost 20 years? Or that incomes may not be totally stable? Or that you’ve been living in an expensive part of the country where salaries are higher?
You’ll remember from Friday’s post that the important part is what’s saved vs. what’s earned. So that’s the real telling point to fully appreciate the achievement or not (though of course you could still give yourself a pat on the back for managing to get someone to pay you so much over the years regardless ;)). It may be sexy to earn a hot million or two, or even 10, but if your bank account’s showing $15 in it something else is certainly going on… like, you’re having a helluva time pretending to be a rock star!
Introducing the “Lifetime Wealth Ratio”
Since the Social Security Administration would have no idea how much you’re saving in comparison to this income, we’re left to come up with our own means of figuring how good we’re doing or not. So today I introduce to you the newly coined term – and future buzzword – the “Lifetime Wealth Ratio™”
Which is calculated like this:
Net Worth ÷ Total Income Earned
We’ll use my pal Jacob from iHeartBudgets.net as our first example. You may recall a post he shared on this site back in January where he divulged his total lifetime earnings over the years too. He went all the way back into childhood which isn’t included in these S.S. Statements (you know, like gift money, lawn mowing hustles, inheritances, etc), but to this best calculations he figured out he had received a staggering $601,600 by the time he hit 27. Nothing to sneeze at by any means. His total net worth at that time? $55,000.
This would give Jacob a Lifetime Wealth Ratio™ of approximately 9%. Is that good? Bad? I dunno. I’m just the guy who makes up terms on the fly ;) (And then fake trademarks them) But, I can tell you it’s a helluva lot better than 0%! And if you’re really forcing me to come up with some sort of ranking system here, and, well, I know you are, then twist my arm no longer.
I would suggest rankings as so:
0%-10% – Meh
10%-25% – Now we’re cooking!
25-50% – You’re on fire, baby! Give me your number!
50-100% – Marry me.
100%-1,000% – How do I get into your will?
(You probably couldn’t tell, but it took me all but 15 seconds to make that up)
What you’re shooting for, of course, is to have as high a ratio as possible. This would show how good you are at saving/investing/blowing up your money/etc. And if you’re asking yourself how it’s possible to get a return of more than 100% with this calculation, well, Google “compounding.”
J. Money’s L.W.R.
(Look at that! It already has its own acronym!)
To put this ratio to an even better test, let’s see where I personally stand myself…
At the same age of 27 like my boy Jacob, I made a total of $232,495 according to this same S.S. department when added all up. Almost 2/3rds of what Jacob had earned by that point – so far not good. Since this was right around the time I started tracking my net worth too, I can also tell you that it was exactly $58,769.65 at that point. Almost exactly the same as Jacob – we’re twinsies!
Running the ratio, however, paints a different story. If you divide 58,769.65 by 232,495 you’re left with an LWR of 25%. More than double Jacob’s 10%, and barely into the zone where I ask for my own number! Ow ow!
Now of course I jest in fun as Jacob’s a good friend of mine and has already acknowledged he was horrible with money years ago (if you’re a follower of his blog you’ll know that’s definitely no longer the case) but this should help put things in better perspective. And surely the ranking system could use a little fine tuning based on your own judgement.
(Keep in mind everyone tallies their own net worths differently too, and that there’s much more to it than just “saving money.” All the usual suspects to growing wealth will play a part here – investing returns, real estate, business ownerships, etc)
Let’s run my numbers again, only this time with current totals. At the ripe age of 34 (another variable to consider) I’ve made $829,783 of taxable money as shown above, and have a net worth of $456,140.18 as of September (new net worth comes out this week).
According to this trending new ratio everyone’s talking about, I’m now hovering at around 55% – double the growth! And now apparently time to marry myself, haha… As you can see, I’ve been getting smarter with my money :) And *that* is something I can be proud about.
Here Are Other Interesting Facts S.S. Shared With Me:
If I continued working until full retirement age (67), my payment would be $2,314/mo
They also stated I’ve received “enough credits” to quality for disability benefits. I never really consider what would happen if I got disabled, because, well, it’s horrible to think about (and thus disability insurance has been on my to-do list for years now, bad blogger!), but God forbid something does happen, it looks like I could start receiving paychecks of $2,278/mo right this second. Which is almost exactly what I’d get if I started pulling money at 67!
That’s pretty crazy…. And probably why there’s so much fraud with this stuff, eh? If people could collect pretty much the same amount of money but 30-40 years earlier for gaming the system?
It also looks like I’ve earned enough credits for my family to receive “survivor benefits” too should I pass away at any point. And that I have thought about before, as I poured my heart out to everyone in my “If I die I’d be a happy man” post of mushiness the other week :) I also made sure years ago to pick up life insurance policies for both the wife and I as soon as we bought our first house so we’d always have enough to pay it off. Something for you guys to consider too when large events happen in your life (homes, kids, marriages, etc).
Here’s what my family would get if/when that fateful day comes:
My child (#1 since #2 wasn’t born yet as of 2013): $1,836/mo
My wife who’d be caring for this same kid: $1,836/mo
My wife if I die when she’s 67: $2,448/mo
All of which can’t surpass $4,286/mo total a month for my family. That’s a $52,000/year salary! Wow… For pretty much doing nothing besides just working like you’re supposed to do anyways…
While that’s all fine and dandy, of course I’m not counting on any of it. My wallet would greatly welcome it in, but we all know the system’s flawed so we continue hustling away and stashing that money as if it were us against the world. I would much prefer a nice surprise later in life than a nasty one if you know what I’m sayin’. Can’t get caught with your pants down!
All interesting stuff to learn about though… never know what types of freak blogging incidents could be around the corner ;)
Your Homework This Week…
Your homework this week is to do yourself a solid and find out what your own Lifetime Wealth Ratio™ is. And for that you’ll need your two numbers:
Total lifetime earnings (you can find it here if you don’t have a recent statement nearby)
Your net worth (if you’ve never run it before, here’s a quick and dirty spreadsheet I use w/ my money coaching clients… extra credit for filling out the budget part while you’re at it too)
Run the calculations (worth divided by earnings) and then see how it makes you feel. You can share it with us below if you’d like, but really it’s just a number for you personally to stew on. And the silly rankings I made up don’t matter that much either. What does is that you know where all your money’s going and you’re consciously applying it to reach your goals. If the ratio makes you happy – then great! Keep going! And if it pisses you off, well, time to do something about it.
At the end of the day, all that matters is that you’re on top of it and continuously working towards better financial lives. Now go grab your L.W.R.™!
UPDATE:Many astute readers have mentioned that it’s more accurate to calculate your ratio with “taxed medicare earnings” vs “taxed SS earnings” due to capping that goes on with SS earnings. My numbers are the same in both sections so it doesn’t make a difference, but if you’re a baller and make a lot more where you’d be capped, consider running w/ the medicare earnings number instead.
UPDATE #2: Our wealth ratio just got mentioned in a NY Times article! Look what my new favorite journalist said about it ;)
“This number represents one of the best ways I’ve seen to close the gap between our past and future selves.”
—–PS: Anytime I share my numbers with y’all please know it’s for educational purposes only. I don’t divulge any of this to brag or compare myself to others, yada yada yada , it’s all in the name of transparency and to show you real-life numbers from a real-life person. Even if my name really isn’t J. Money (how’s that for ironic? Being secretive to be more transparent!). The one thing that drew me to blogs years ago was open discussions with money, so this is why I share my entire financial life with y’all. It’s my favorite way to learn, and hopefully it helps you guys in the same way.
This is one of the main concepts in Your Money Or Your Life. Last time we calculated it was towards the end of last year and it was a little below 70% (it should be higher now since this year our net worth has grown by more than we earned). I actually graphed it over time and it was kindof crazy to see that even as recently as 2010, the ratio was more like 15%. What a difference we were able to make in just a short number of years!
Well apparently we are getting married, where should we register? I’d like a new Belgian waffle maker. I guess I’ll brag about my LWR, but mine is skewed because I hardly earned anything out of college my first four years. Then when I started to earn some real money is when I started to invest hard core (maxing out everything) and the market was heading down and so it was the perfect storm of making money and buying low.
Ouch- looking at my history of earnings is grim. But it makes me feel awesome about having a net worth of 35k! If I’ve been able to save and invest that much on my puny earnings, I’m gonna be rockstar as I start pulling in the BIG bucks ;)
I feel the same as Stefanie. I definitely thought WTF when I pulled it up… and I want to look at how some of these numbers come up a little closer. There are 3 years there where it shows me making less than $5,000 and I was full time employed… which really freaks me out that I somehow totally botched my taxes.
On the flip side, with a lifetime income of less than $60,000, I’m surprised I would still pull in over $600 a month if I were disabled. There are plenty of places in the country where I could actually get by on that.
The earnings numbers on the SSA site don’t come from your tax returns, they come from what your employer reported to the IRS and paid taxes on. In my early years I worked for a shady restaurant owner who scammed the government and didn’t pay taxes on the wages he paid me. My W2 forms from the restaurant were correct and I was able to send copies to the SSA to get them to correct my earnings for those two years when I apparently earned zero dollars though I was employed full time. There is a link at the top of the Earnings Summary page that tells you how to correct errors.
Wow! Nice work on increasing your LWR so much over the last few years! That’s got to feel good! I’m off to dig up my own lifetime earnings so I can check mine out! I’m also hoping to see a big increase in recent years :-)
Great concept J. Another helpful tool that goes right nest to the “rule of 300” in my financial tool box.
I calculated two. The first from the SS Earnings life time gross and the second from life time savings Net (after taxes, social security, insurance, 401k, etc). 33% & 55% respectively. I completely agree that compounding helps drive the ratio. More importantly, the compounding interest can be free from taxes if you are stuffing your IRAs, Roths and 401k to the limits of your capability. The lower number gets me a bit prickly because of all of the taxes that sucked out.
The Net LWR is a figure that puts control back into my hands and more meaningful to me.
Haha! I would, but I’m not sure he realizes how obsessed I am with our money and early retirement! Maybe I will bring it up when we have a bit more time to discuss, though I am sure he would love the “reward”!
Thanks much for the mention sir, though I wish it was for different circumstances. :) Nice work on killing it on the upswing in your percentage over the past few years. My wife actually got her letter a few months ago and wondered the same thing about getting in online – but you’ve given me some homework to get done this week so I’ll be checking it out the site so I can run the numbers.
I like the concept of the LWR and based on your calculations, I am around 40%. As a side note, though, I personally hate to get the social security statement in the mail (which they will soon not come at all because of governmental cutbacks and you will have to go online). I hate to see it because I don’t believe the government when they say I will get the number they project. It’s like a big tease.
With a quick calculation I am at 40%, but is not entirely accurate. I did and do not pay FICA during the school year for employment that is part of my academic work (which is much of my income), plus it does not take into account rental income and such. But I like saying I am at 40%. ;)
I’m jealous you still get your statement in the mail! I too thought it was only online now. I would love to get that piece of mail. I would use it to as motivation to make more money than I did the previous year.
When I calculate my LWR, I get 45%. I don’t have the wife’s numbers, so I am just looking at my income and my investments. It will be interesting to see how it changes when I add in all of her stuff.
Ours is 35% is probably lower since our NW is from my wife and I but I don’t have her numbers. Still not too shabby and it’s increased a butt-ton since we started using YNAB and tracking our net worth.
I hate that SS website since it requires you to put in a new password every 6 months! COME ON!
Nice! I’m not going to calculate mine right now cause I’ve been in school the past 6 years so it would look pretty awful, I’m sure… but as far as the SS goes, I hear people talk about “delaying” SS until 70. That doesn’t technically mean you have to work until 70, does it? It just means you are delaying taking the money.
It means delaying taking your payments until 70. You can retire whenever you want and the longer you wait to take social security, the higher your monthly payment will be. As soon as you start withdrawing, you are locked into that monthly number until you die.
As a Canuck I’d have to pull up the Quebec Pension Plan amounts and I think I will do just that! I would need to work 10 years and pay taxes in the US in order to benefit from SS so we’ll see how life pans out and I will likely earn partial benefits from both countries. You are doing so well J. and have worked hard to put your family in a such a healthy financial position.
This is a good idea and something I constantly rant about on social media. Calculate the total earnings to see how much you’ve saved is a good way to judge overall saving and spending behaviors. After thinking it over the LWR can be skewed due to the fabulous market returning 35% on various years, so Net Worth is not a true measure of what you saved. The market returns inflate the LWR figures. Don’t kill the messenger! Besides that it’s still cool to know your ratio.
In the “marry me” tier! Woohoo! Based off of my 2013 lifetime earnings and net worth at 12/31/13, I’m at 69.5%.
However, I owe that all to my parents. I was fortunate to be able to graduate debt free. Additionally, my parents were (and still are) big advocates of getting going on retirement early, so in my first “real jobs” (internships in college), they would match my Roth IRA contributions. (i.e. if I committed $2,500 of my earned money, they would gift me $2,500 to max out at $5k.) Considering I earned $6k-9k those two summers though, $2,500 was not an insignificant amount to me!
I fully anticipate this percentage to take a dip in the coming 5-10 years when I will purchase a home, but it’s an exciting number for the time being!
Work it! That’s awesome regardless of where the $$ is coming. You still had to stash some aside in order to get those matches form your parents, right? I like that idea of helping to motivate you to start early. My dad told me to start contributing from day one but it took me years to finally listen to him :( That match would have helped! :)
Great article and something I’ve never thought about before. Right now I’m at 50.8%, not too shabby considering I come from a family of VERY bad money managers and I’m a widowed mom (no life insurance from hubby) with two school age kids. Actually, I sat down and calculated everything I have going on in investments, pensions, etc. and I’m sitting very pretty for retirement, even if I stopped saving now. Time to work on health, I want to get to retirement age healthy enough to enjoy all those hard worked for savings!
I like where you’re going with this. I’ll have to look back at my statements and see where I’m at. And I’ll have to prepare myself to be sad when I see how much money I’ve wasted over the years.
BTW – SS website does have an option somewhere in one of the tabs where you can find out how much money you’d receive if you decide to retire early. You just have to make some assumptions about your age, income, etc.
Hey, is that net worth the house hold net worth? Then you need to take your wife’s earning into account too. Also, there is a cap on earning taxed on social security security. It’s probably more accurate to look at the taxed medicare earning if you made 6 figures.
My estimated benefit at 67 is about $2,100. Not sure about ratio because I need to look at my wife’s earning too. It’s probably around 70%.
Ahhhh good point! Totally left out the wife’s info, d’oh. Though most of our net worth came from me as she’s been in grad school pretty much the entire time we’ve been married, haha, so it’s prob still pretty accurate… Would be interesting to have her get her SS #’s though and then merge ’em all to find out. Too bad she hates talking about money (!!!).
(Oh, but also, that would mean we’d have another stream of income coming in if SS really is still around when it’s retirement age time from her… so that’s pretty cool. We’re just looking forward to the day when school is over and she’s got a 9-5 again. Can’t even imagine what it’ll feel like with a 2nd full-time salary again! Our kids are decimating all my earnings, haha…)
Hah, good lookin’ out man. I really like that calculation, as it doesn’t just show how much money you’re rolling in now, but it shows how much you’ve held on to.
It’s a sobering look at “how well have I don’t with my money over the years.”
Obviously, mine is TERRIBLE, and it’ll take a LONG time to bring mine back as I’ve blown through a CRAP TON of cash. But just looking at it now, I’m up to 14% (up from 9%), so already feeling a bit better.
Obviously, you’re a HUSTLER at 55%, which is awesome. It shows you put your money into assets and investments, not mall food and Reeboks (oops).
I can’t wait to get my SS statement, love combing through that thing! :)
Yay, this was fun! Sounds like you’re taking on several new spouses, J. Money ;-) Question on Total Lifetime Earnings — as you note, the SS tracking caps this at the SS annual cap, so if you’re earning over the cap, shouldn’t you really be adding your gross income there? Doing so would, of course, end up lowering the LWR since the Total Lifetime Earnings is in the denominator. Thanks also for the link to the SS site to create an account and access my numbers.
Interesting indeed… I haven’t thought that much into it to be honest (kinda made it up on the fly – hah!) but I say work the numbers how you feel makes it more accurate :) My taxed medicare earnings were the exact same amounts, so not sure if my numbers are being capped or not. But you’re right – gross would probably get it closer, even though it’s not possible to SAVE gross money which then leaves you at a disadvantage there. So maybe it evens out?
I’m Canadian, so a lot of this post was news to me. Especially the disability payments, yes I can see why people would game the system. That being said, we have something similar up here, but I’ve never really looked into it…
I had no idea that you could check to see your lifetime earnings for your social security account. I haven’t been working that long so I probably have no where near your total but still, that is pretty nifty knowledge o have at your finger tips.
You might not have the same hefty total, but you could very much have a better ratio depending on your habits! And that’s really the key here in this exercise. To see how much of the earnings are being put away into “wealth.”
I haven’t seen one of these in the longest time. I think I need to go to SSA.gov to check out my statements…and then feel shame at my low ratio. :) Great concept though, J Money. Do you count your home equity in that as well, you think, or should I take that out?
I think half of people will say it doesn’t belong and then another half will say it does, so there’s no real answer there I’m afraid. Just depends on your reasoning for tracking net worth and what you’re trying to get out of it.
Personally, I want a good snapshot of where all my money and assets are, so I most def. include it because it’s the biggest asset on the books (I don’t call it “home equity” though, I just list what it’s est value is in the assets column, and then what the mortgages are in the liabilities column – which in effect gives you your equity). I always find it weird to not have the house listed since then you can’t account for all the debt that’s then owed on it, unless the house is already paid off. Either way I’d just pick one for now and then roll with it. You can always change later :)
Personally, I sure DO count my home equity (and the mortgage on the liabilities side of things) — because I live and work in one of the 10 US cities with the highest home prices (most of the 10 are here in the SF Bay area), and once I retire I fully plan to sell this nice home and move to some other State where real estate prices are less than 1/3rd as much as here (that would be more than 90% of the US, I believe:-).
So that chunk of cash (difference between the price at which I sell the home here, and the price at which I buy a home elsewhere) will definitely be part of my retirement stash — would be silly not to count it (as it would be, BTW, not to count present expected values of pensions and annuities, including social security — but, that’s another story!).
For really top-notch accounting practice (as an accountant I’m very keen on that:-), I should probably add a “phantom liability” for the median price of a US home (less than $200k today) because I will have to live SOMEwhere (and renting is no cheaper). But living in a ZIPcode with median home prices over 5 times the overall US levels (in Palo Alto) that’s actually a minor (even though still important) adjustment.
Accounting requires more judgment and common sense than many other professions, at least when you’re striving to accurately reflect reality, rather than legally minimize taxes or make a business look shiny to potential investors. If your home’s value is roughly in line with median US prices then it may be better not to include in your “net worth” as selling it and buying somewhere else isn’t going to give you much, if any, added cash at retirement (though at that time you might consider a reverse mortgage, if you don’t much care about what if anything is going to be left for your heirs). Ditto if you’re planning to retire in one specific area with costly homes! But in a situation like mine, reality based accounting demands a pretty different approach…
The best part of this was seeing my earnings in the year 2000. Thanks Dad for hiring me to work at minimum wage for 36 hours one week ($187).
Since I’ve only had a few years of meaningful money making experience, I am going to wait until I file my taxes to calculate this for real.
Did you consider your wife’s lifetime earnings too? Even though me and my husband have different retirement accounts we have combined real estate investments, and combined expenses, so we probably should just have a combine LWR.
No, I didn’t include my wife’s lifetime earnings in it mainly just because I didn’t think of it :) It would skew the numbers a bit, but she also only worked a few years full-time before going back to school so wouldn’t be that drastic of a change, at least I don’t think. Perhaps I’ll go back later and do more of a robust calculation and then post again about it… It’s all rather fun calculations! Haha..
Despite my love/hate relationship with net worth, the LWR certainly paints a picture of where you have come from financially. That number is all after your deductions and your taxable income only, which in your LWR certainly promotes saving and saving tax deferred.
Yup! I can’t tell you how many years I fully maxed out my 401k too (like, entire $16k or whatever it was back then) which shaves off a lot of thousands off the bat. So many vehicles out there to really take advantage of if you can!
I halved our net worth to get just “my” L.W.R, and it’s 23.6%. If I include hubby’s SS history and our total net worth, we go up to 27.4%. I had a few years of no taxable income during grad school, and it’s funny seeing those 0s on my SSA statement.
I’ve been reading all your posts for the last year and very excited about where my financial health is going. This number really made a huge impact on me as I’ve got a L.W.R. of 30% and I’m 25 years young now. I’ve read your reading list and many others so this really shows me that I’m actually making a difference with all your knowledge!
By the way when I talk about money with people I pitch them your blog because you’ve made such an impression on the way I look at my finances.
The LWR is another great formula to check progress. I added it to my never-ending spreadsheet and will use it going forward. I dropped this in just below an existing formula I found in The Millionaire Next Door, by Drs. Stanley and Danko. Borrowing a page from their book (literally), here is the formula:
So, how much money does a person need to be classified as being “wealthy”? This is actually highly subjective, in that “wealthy” to one person will have an entirely different meaning for someone else. However, as a rule of thumb, use the following quick test:
Index = (your age) x (annual pre-tax household income) / 10
Now compare your actual net worth with the index figure to classify your current financial position:
• A successful wealth accumulator has an actual net worth of about two times their index figure.
• An average wealth accumulator has an actual net worth right around the index figure.
• An under-achiever in the area of wealth accumulation has an actual net worth of one-half or less of the index figure.
Key Thoughts
“Building wealth takes discipline, sacrifice and hard work. Do you really want to become financially independent? Are you and your family willing to reorient your lifestyle to achieve this goal? Many will likely conclude they are not. If you are willing to make the necessary trade-offs of your time, energy and consumption habits, however, you can begin building wealth and achieving financial independence.”
I accepted your challenge before you even got to proposing it. Just too tempting to keep reading with out knowing where I stand.
Well at 27. I’m in the now we are cooking! With 18%!
And that is while servicing 60k in debt student loans and car note( note just sounds so much more sophisticated!)
Can’t wait to recalculate it next December!
Interesting…. that would make sense, too. I do know that the quality of paper they now print them on is much worse – and in black and white – so at least they’re saving money there ;) And I’m pretty sure they printed them off in “draft” mode too – it looked/looks pretty bad, haha… I’ll gladly take it though!
This math is interesting. Consider – Say I made $40,000 in 1985, and saved just 10%. My employer matched 5%, so $6K saved. From 86-2013 the S&P was up by a factor of 17X, or $102K for the money saved that year. 30 years, and patience will reward me.
That said, our net worth is just over 50% of our lifetime earnings. Over 60% if you include the house. (Note – for my purposes, net worth doesn’t include the house, I need to live somewhere, but does include the remaining mortgage, it still has to get paid.)
This seems like a bit of a nonsense number as it is entirely age dependent assuming you earn any return on your investments. Basically LWR is smooshing together a few different metrics in away that is obfuscating instead of illuminating. A young person could be at 10% but actually on the pathway to an early and comfortable retirement while an old person could be at 70% and going to be soon eating dog food if they retire.
There are really two useful metrics:
Your savings rate tells you how well you are doing at saving relative to your consumption rate and this forecasts the total number of years you will need to work to support your living standard through retirement.
Your portfolio size combined with a safe withdrawal rate can give you a number of easy rules/metrics to give you a “retirement number” or other portfolio target that allows you to measure your progress towards retiring.
Those two things are useful starting points for savings and retirement planning and are relatively invarient or else self correcting to a number of idiosycratic parameters for a given worker. This proposed LWR on the other hand has strong variance with the time in the labor force and a number of other parameters. The proposed table of percentages is in fact meaningless since for a young worker they imply things are much worse than they are and for an older worker give a false sense of security.
For sure, there are tons of variables that go into this stuff if you’re seriously using it to figure out if you can retire or not (which this obviously is not set up to do, esp. considering I made it up on a whim ;)), but I do think it gets people to stop and pay attention to their money and habits which is never bad. And if your % is 5% vs 50% well it definitely tells you something more than not. I’ve seen far worse and complicated calculators that people won’t even touch out of being confused, so if this one gets you to take action and get a grasp of your finances, well, I think it’s done it’s job.
I agree on the accounting side of your post, but take exception with the “eating dog food” meme. I often shop at Sprouts near closing time (long working days, well remunerated though:-) and I notice a small crowd of elderly (though dignified) people waiting. I once got curious and asked. Turns out that (not an official policy, it appears, but a pragmatic reality), the local Sprouts at closing time inventories perishables (bread, vegetables, fruit) that wouldn’t be sellable tomorrow — and `sells` them for nominal amounts (like, 10% of displayed prices, I believe) to those elderly people. That’s cheaper than any dog food you could buy around here — and healthier for humans, of course; I guess that’s how you survive here in Palo Alto (if you have a place to live — rents are crazy) on SS alone; I’m sure Sprouts is not the only grocery store with a similar unofficial-but-pragmatic policy, by a long shot. There IS something humbling in reflecting that, “there, but for Fortune, go you, or I”… and on the fact that those elderly people love Palo Alto SO much, despite its crazy high cost of living, that they’ll go to such extremes, rather than sell here and move somewhere with a reasonable COL. (I like Palo Alto but as an immigrant myself don’t share that deep, undying love — once I retire, years from now, I’ll sell the crazy-pricey home here, and move somewhere, anywhere!, with a sensible set of real estate prices and other COL aspects!-)
Huge fan and love all your posts. Curious, any reason why we don’t use the “Taxed Medicare Earnings” # instead of the “Taxed SS Earnings”. I don’t believe the numbers on the SSA,.gov website truly reflects our lifetime earnings especially for high earners that reach the SS Earning cap.
“For 2014, the maximum amount of taxable earnings was $117,000. In 2015, the maximum amount of taxable earnings is $118,500.”
I think the Taxed Medicare Earnings is closer to true lifetime earnings since the cap has been lifted.
“In 1993, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act removed the taxable wage limit for the Medicare tax beginning in 1994 and years thereafter. Therefore, there is no maximum employee or employer contribution amount for Medicare tax for 2014. All covered wages will be subject to Medicare tax at a rate of 1.45%. Employers will match the employee’s tax.”
Just a suggestion for your readers who want a better lifetime wealth ratio.
You might want to adjust your net worth figure to account for the fact that much of it may be subject to significant taxes (income taxes for deferred accounts and capital gains taxes for investments in taxable accounts), and so only ~80% of the total figure may actually be “yours”. But 100% of cash is definitely “yours”.
Sure, once you sell investments or the house/etc you’ll end up with less, but for now it’s 100% mine and I prefer the simpleness of just tracking the balances in all columns vs tweaking each one and complicating it more. I’ll burn out from doing that and I know that it’s not an exact science at the end of the day so for me it still does it’s job. If it makes you more comfortable (or any others reading this) to account for the different variables, by all means rock it! These worths are really only for us anyways, so set it up as you feel fit :)
Just stumbles onto your website and saw this article. You made me sign up on the SSN website (which I never know it existed till today) to pull my earning data. Combining me and my wife earnings, it’s a little over 200%
I have been tracking my NW since 2007 on a spreadsheet and recently entered everything into mint.com and personal capital.
Interesting post and good info on the SSA, I had no idea that resource existed.
My LWR for 2013 is 22% but I think it will be even higher for 2014, it will be interesting to see how it turns out at the end of the year. I check my LWR for the last couple years and it really bounced around alot, but that was due mostly to life changes…
I like your writing and perspective!
Since I’ve been able to get through 50 years with just under $1.5M, and doing OK, it makes me wonder about the next 40-50 years (I’m at 25%). Especially since longevity is looking more and more probable for some folks. Enjoyed the article.
Hey, thanks Todd – appreciate you saying so! And liked that you dropped your total $$ and ratio too – us number nerds love seeing stuff like this :) Hope you’ll stick around and drop by future articles too.
I had never calculated my own lifetime wealth ratio before this. Hell, I had not even paid attention to the figures on the social security lifetime statement. It was eye opening to read this and then realize how much I earned, and how much I no longer had.
Certainly puts things in perspective, but motivates me to improve going forward. On another note, congrats J. Money on the last 3 strong earning years as a full time blogger. Trading time for money (aka the 40 – 60 hour work week) many of us have done is not sexy by any stretch, and your 100k reported earnings is considerably more when factoring in the write offs. :)
I’m thrilled to have stumbled upon this website and your concept of the Lifetime Wealth Ratio. Now that this has been invented, I think it would be really helpful and interesting to hear some thoughts regarding what the LWR would ideally be by certain ages or stages of life. For example, to be on track to a comfortable retirement you would want to ensure your LWR is at least xx by age 40, yy by age 50, zz by age 60. This probably isn’t as helpful to those that had good financial discipline when they are younger, but it might provide some useful guidance to those that are attempting to make up for lost time. Just a thought…
I think any time spent reviewing their money or this Ratio is time well spent :) It’s hard to put a number by the decades without generalizing, but I admit it would make for a fun and good exercise to do. I think what’s most important is just that your ratio continues to go up alongside the years. As long as that happens you know you’re at least on the right track. Your monthly expenses are a major part of this.
First timer on your blog and love it! I wish I found it a few years ago. I stumble through my own money management (self tought, read a lot) and love to get more ideas without having to pay someone else to manage my money.
I am in line with your New Years resolution. I need to break away from the electronics and enjoy life a bit more. I am well on my way with my money, now I need to live (and find a few more income generators for fun :) )
This post inspired me to finally look at my SSA information. I was quite surprised by my record of taxable earnings but everything looks accurate. My Lifetime Wealth Ratio is 42%! Not bad if I do say so myself since I’ve never been a high-earner. Love this post.
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Disclaimer
I, J. Money, only claim the thoughts from my head. I am not a banker, CPA, money manager or anything else of that sort. Please seek a professional for any "real" advice. More info: privacy & disclosure page
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JETS IMPORTS FLY TO PERTH HOPING TO FACE THE GLORY
Positive news for the Jets, with confirmation Roy O’Donovan and Wayne Brown will travel to Perth for Newcastle’s clash with the Glory on Saturday.
It’s a huge boost ahead of the toughest road trip in the A-League.
About Mitchell Hughes
Mitchell Hughes is head sports reporter and presenter with NBN News in Newcastle. Mitch started his career as an editor with NBN, before graduating from Newcastle University and taking his first reporting job in the Tweed Heads/Gold Coast region.
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What our customers say
My feet are super sensitive. However, my need for pretty feet supersedes any foot sensitivity, therefore I come here every couple of weeks to get them done. For $22, I get my feet and nails cleaned, trimmed, filed, scrubbed, rubbed and polished. Totally worth it.
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Listed in Yelp 100 Challenge 2014
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My nails are very small so many times people aren’t thorough. At C’est L’amour, the gel manicure is extremely detailed and my nails look ten times better than when I walked in. The salon is very clean and accommodating. I walked in at 6:45 and they close at 7 but were more then happy to seat me. I will definitely be returning soon!
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C’est L’amour – This Is Love
At C'est L'amour Nail, you can enjoy the ultimate relaxation. The stress of your busy days can be kneaded away while our estheticians rejuvenate your tired muscles. Forget your troubles while listening to our peaceful music and journey into a world of indulgence. Bring a little art home by choosing your favorite nail design from our collection or your own imagination.
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Phrenic nerve and diaphragm function following open heart surgery: a prospective study with and without topical hypothermia.
In a prospective study, 100 patients undergoing open heart surgery were randomly allocated to receive ice/slush topical hypothermia for myocardial protection (Group I, n = 56) or not (Group II, n = 44). Chest radiographs, diaphragm screening, lung function and phrenic nerve conduction time were assessed pre-operatively and at 1 week and 1 month post-operatively in all patients and subsequently at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years in all patients with radiological evidence of diaphragm paralysis. The two groups were similar in terms of age, sex, diabetes and smoking habits. Cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were similar in the two groups. Radiological evidence of partial left lower lobe collapse was more frequent in Group I (79 per cent vs. 36 per cent, p < 0.01). Twenty (36 per cent) Group I patients developed unilateral diaphragm paralysis (19 left-sided) compared with none in Group II. Diaphragm paralysis was still present in 19 patients (34 per cent) at 1 month, in five patients (9 per cent) at 1 year and in one patient (2 per cent) at 2 years post-operatively. Phrenic nerve conduction time was recorded in 98 per cent of patients pre-operatively, but was unrecordable on the appropriate side in all 20 patients with diaphragm paralysis 1 week post-operatively. Prolonged phrenic nerve conduction time on the left side was found in a further seven Group I patients 1 week post-operatively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of post-operative arrhythmias, myocardial infarction or mortality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The present invention relates generally to navigation and velocity estimation in crafts and vehicles. More particularly the invention relates to a spatial velocity meter, a navigation arrangement, a method for spatial velocity estimation and a navigation method. The invention also relates to computer programs and respective computer readable media.
In the last decades, navigation systems have been developed which facilitate the determination of a position dramatically compared to the earlier known methods. These navigation systems determine positions on basis of accurate radio signals received from a plurality of satellites, and are commonly referred to as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS:s).
An alternative or complementary way to navigate and determine a craft's movement can be provided by an inertial measurement system (INS). The INS registers relative movements of the craft. Based on these movements, in turn, conclusions may be drawn as to the craft's speed and course. In case certain initial conditions are known, such as data defining a starting position and an initial speed, it is also possible to produce updated position information for the craft. The INS normally contains an inertial measurement unit (IMU), which in turn includes accelerometers and rate gyros. The accelerometers measure specific forces which are translated to a known coordinate frame with aid of angular measurements performed by the rate gyros. Newton's laws of motion are applied to generate velocity and attitude information.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,559 describes a fully coupled positioning solution, wherein INS data is integrated with GPS data by means of a Kalman filter. Thereby, a positioning accuracy may be achieved, which is better than what would be possible to attain with a GPS receiver only.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,344 discloses a purely IMU-based system for monitoring distortions in a pipeline. A so-called pipeline pig is here used to register parameters relating to accelerations and angular velocities. Based on these data, and a set of initial conditions in the form of an initial attitude matrix and an initial velocity vector, a Kalman filter is used to provide i.a. a velocity vector.
Hence, the prior art includes various solutions for positioning and determination of a craft's velocity based on IMU data. However, there is yet no example of a solution through which an accurate velocity vector may be determined without the input of artificially generated external information. Namely, either reception of GPS signals (or equivalent GNSS signals) is required, or an initial velocity vector must be supplied. This renders the known solutions comparatively vulnerable and sensitive to disturbances and spoofing.
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Specialization within the ventral stream: the case for the visual word form area.
Is there specialization for visual word recognition within the visual ventral stream of literate human adults? We review the evidence for a specialized "visual word form area" and critically examine some of the arguments recently placed against this hypothesis. Three distinct forms of specialization must be distinguished: functional specialization, reproducible localization, and regional selectivity. Examination of the literature with this theoretical division in mind indicates that reading activates a precise subpart of the left ventral occipitotemporal sulcus, and that patients with pure alexia consistently exhibit lesions of this region (reproducible localization). Second, this region implements processes adequate for reading in a specific script, such as invariance across upper- and lower-case letters, and its lesion results in the selective loss of reading-specific processes (functional specialization). Third, the issue of regional selectivity, namely, the existence of putative cortical patches dedicated to letter and word recognition, cannot be resolved by positron emission tomography or lesion data, but requires high-resolution neuroimaging techniques. The available evidence from single-subject fMRI and intracranial recordings suggests that some cortical sites respond preferentially to letter strings than to other categories of visual stimuli such as faces or objects, though the preference is often relative rather than absolute. We conclude that learning to read results in the progressive development of an inferotemporal region increasingly responsive to visual words, which is aptly named the visual word form area (VWFA).
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President Barack Obama's reelection campaign on Monday morning opened a new front in its election faceoff with presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, releasing documentary-style videos and a full website portraying Romney as a job-destroying corporate takeover artist.
The Obama campaign put out a two-minute video and a six-minute video featuring interviews with former workers at GST Steel, a company acquired by Romney's private equity firm Bain Capital in 1993. GST shut down its Kansas City plant in 2001, costing about 750 workers their jobs.
The Obama campaign has also launched a website, RomneyEconomics.com, which focuses on GST and two other companies that went bankrupt after Bain acquired them: Dade International, a medical diagnostics equipment firm, and Stage Stores, a chain of small-town department stores.
That means there are likely to be more videos such as the ones released today focusing on GST.
For now, the Obama campaign will be airing the two-minute ad in Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Virginia, the campaign said. The six-minute video can only be seen online.
The campaign describes GST this way on RomneyEconomics.com:
Kansas City’s GST Steel was a successful company that had been making steel rods for 103 years when Mitt Romney and his partners took control in 1993. They cut corners and extracted profit from the business at every turn, placing it deeply in debt. When the company eventually declared bankruptcy, workers were denied their full pensions and health insurance, and the federal government was forced to step in and bail out the pension fund.
When Reuters wrote about GST in January, Romney spokesman Ryan Williams offered this comment: "Bain Capital invested in many businesses. While not every business was successful, the firm had an excellent overall track record and created jobs with well-known companies like Staples, Dominos Pizza and Sports Authority."
Watch both GST videos here:
UPDATE: 9:05 a.m. -- The Romney campaign responded with a written statement:
“We welcome the Obama campaign’s attempt to pivot back to jobs and a discussion of their failed record. Mitt Romney helped create more jobs in his private sector experience and more jobs as Governor of Massachusetts than President Obama has for the entire nation," said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul.
"President Obama has many questions to answer as to why his administration used the stimulus to reward wealthy campaign donors with taxpayer money for bad ideas like Solyndra, but 23 million Americans are still struggling to find jobs," Saul said. "If the Obama administration was less concerned about pleasing their wealthy donors and more concerned about creating jobs, America would be much better off."
UPDATE: 9:55 a.m. -- The ads have generated a significant amount of pushback from beyond the Romney campaign as well.
The Daily Caller points out that Romney was no longer "running the day-to-day activities" at Bain Capital when GST Steel went bankrupt in 2001.
A former Obama adviser, Steve Rattner (himself a former private equity executive), says the ads are "unfair" (the RNC pushed this out).
And the Washington Examiner suggests that Romney responds by pointing out that Obama cost tens of thousands of jobs by pushing the auto companies to close dealerships in exchange for a bailout.
UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. -- The Obama campaign's ad buy is only for one day, href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/05/obamas-bain-ad-a-day-engagement-123398.html" target="_hplink">according to Politico, making it more of a play to earn media coverage than a real paid ad campaign intended to persuade voters.
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On Thursday, the New York City Council claimed to make a tough decision: They decided to put forward legislation that would reverse the city’s ban on gay conversion therapy. What are they thinking? This is a decision based on fear, and the law must not be repealed.
So why would NYC want to allow gay conversion therapy? As the New York Times puts it, “The City Council fears that if a federal lawsuit challenging the ban were to reach the Supreme Court, the panel could issue a ruling that protected the practice.” In essence, the City Council is worried about the radically conservative court the Trump administration has been able to create, and to prevent the issue from reaching the Supreme Court, the Council wants to abolish the ban.
The Council was pressured into making the move because in January a group called The Alliance Defending Freedom filed a federal lawsuit over the ban on behalf of a therapist in Brooklyn, saying it violated free speech between a therapist and their client. New York didn’t want to allow the issue to go up the courts, so they decided to terminate the issue on their own terms.
Are cities all across the United States suppose to repeal laws that protect LBGTQ people because they
are afraid the Supreme Court may rule in favor of someone who challenges these laws?
We certainly think this is a dangerous course to take, and it may lead to ever-increasing challenges
to the laws that currently protect the LBGTQ community.
Tell the New York City Council not to repeal the Gay Conversion Therapy ban! You can email them directly by clicking here.
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Ormond Beach Votes Today On Night Driving Ban
ORMOND BEACH — A law that would ban driving on the beach at night in Ormond Beach is expected to pass tonight without difficulty, Mayor Nicholas Fortunato said Monday.
City commissioners will cast a second and final vote on an ordinance that bans traffic on the beach an hour after sunset until 3 a.m., but establishes two zones where cars can park after dark. Parking areas would be set up on the north and south sides of the Granada Boulevard beach approach and on both sides of the Cardinal Drive beach ramp.
The city will continue to allow daytime beach driving, but officials are taking steps to ensure the beach is safe for pedestrians. Traffic-free zones will be set up at the north and south city boundaries for beachgoers who want to stroll or swim in an area free from moving cars.
Traffic signs will be posted and traffic lanes are being set up as additional attempts to reduce the chances of accidents.
Commissioners approved the night driving ban in the first of two required votes on Nov. 19. If approved tonight at the 7:30 p.m. meeting, the law would take effect in 10 days, said City Manager John Leemkuil.
At the preliminary vote last month, two of the five commissioners voted against a night driving ban. Ted Porter said constituents in his district are are opposed to beach driving and Joe Thompson said the ordinance had too many regulations.
Fortunato said the law is the commission's attempt to respond to the wishes of city voters. In a straw ballot last month, Ormond Beach voters favored a night driving ban 4,926 to 4,141. Eighty-two percent of the 9,009 voters supported continuing daytime beach driving.
If the ordinance is approved on a second and final vote, Ormond Beach will become the fifth government is Volusia County to ban nighttime driving on the beach. Similar regulations are in effect in Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, New Smyrna Beach and unincorporated areas in Volusia County.
Ponce Inlet would be the only government in east Volusia still allowing cars to drive on the beach at night.
The action is a response to a Florida Supreme Court ruling in June that local governments can be liable for traffic accidents on beaches within their boundaries. Before that ruling, the liability of local governments was increased by a bill passed in May by the Legislature that outlawed driving on beaches unless approved by three-fifths of the local governing body.
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Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to extraction of nucleic acid and in particular to the extraction of nucleic acid via an extraction device or apparatus.
Related Art
Nucleic acids are polymeric macromolecules essential for all known life forms. Nucleic acids include DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) made from monomers known as nucleotides. The most important macromolecules found in living things are nucleic acids and proteins, as they function in encoding, transmitting and expressing genetic information. To examine nucleic acid, an ‘extraction’ process is required. Other names for “extraction” include “purification”, “isolation”, or “concentration”. Complex laboratory methods for extraction of nucleic acid are known such as extraction via column chromatography and magnetic beads based separation.
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1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to semiconductor packages and, more particularly, to semiconductor packages with optical interconnection structures, memory cards including the same, and electronic systems including the same.
2. Related Art
Semiconductor packages which are capable of processing a large amount of data are increasingly in demand with the development of smaller electronic systems such as mobile systems. In response to such a demand, it may be necessary to increase the integration density of semiconductor devices used in the electronic systems. However, there may be some limitations in increasing the integration density of the semiconductor devices. Recently, three dimensional semiconductor devices including vertical transistors instead of planar transistors have been proposed to increase the integration density of the semiconductor devices. Nevertheless, there may be a lot of technical difficulties in developing the three dimensional semiconductor devices.
Stack packages including a plurality of stacked semiconductor devices (also, referred to as semiconductor chips or semiconductor dice) have been proposed to process a large amount of data. Each of the stack packages may be fabricated by stacking a plurality of semiconductor chips on a single package substrate and by encapsulating the stacked semiconductor chips. That is, high capacitive semiconductor packages may be fabricated in a stack package form. In such a case, the number of signal paths (i.e., signal lines) for driving the semiconductor chips may increase in proportion of the number of the stacked semiconductor chips. Accordingly, it may be necessary to reduce a line width and a pitch of metal interconnection lines (corresponding to the signal paths) disposed on and in the package substrate in order to realize the high capacitive stacked packages.
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"This is Delta Five, we're in deep shit!" "Request assistance A-S-A-bloody-P, over!" "Nearest support is two hours away, boys!" "Two hours?" "Just another day at the office, gents." "What are you gonna do, Commander?" " When we get home." " Oh, I dunno." "Place in the country, some pub lunches, gorgeous wife..." "Commander Robin Tyler, checking it in?" "I don't know about that, Frankie." "I'm not quite ready for that yet." "Anyway, I'm the guy who's gonna win this bloody war." "One, two..." "Fucking hell!" "Well, that did a lot of good." "Bollocks, boys, we don't have the ammo for this." "Our only way out is that beauty over there." "60 meter dash, over open ground." "Sorry, Tommy." "You're up, son!" "Hold on, hold on, hold on!" "Hold on!" "On my two." "Two, one!" "Shit, he's hit!" "Alright, on two." "One, two!" "Tommy, you'll do anything to get out of a job, mate." "Give them everything we've got!" "Here!" "Alright, Tommy, here we go." "Tommy." "Grab on to me." "He's up there!" "Come on!" "Come on, Tommy." "Come on!" "Go!" "Go!" "Frank!" "Go!" "Go!" "Get in the car!" " We never leave a man behind!" " Get in the car!" "Sorry, Frank." "To absent friends." "You're unusually perceptive." "Hardly a word all day." "Then I realized, it's two months since Dieter died." "To absent friends." "Excuse me, miss." "I strongly warn against consorting with this man." "You're bound to end up in some perilous situation where he can save the day, just to make himself look heroic." " Tommy." " Frank." "My colleague, Caterina." "Tommy and I served together." "Well..." "I've got all the embarassing stories about him, Caterina, in case you're interested." " You and I should definitely talk." " It's a date." "Sit down." "What are you doing here?" "On holiday or... ?" "I'm not..." "But I can locate anyone." "You're looking for me?" "It's Rob." "He's in trouble." "What kind?" "You know I'm MI6 now?" " Yeah." " So is Rob." "Posted in Libya." "He disappeared, three nights ago." " They haven't found him?" " That's just it." "They're not even bloody looking." "What?" "Some..." ""delicate political situation" bollocks." "Nobody's going in, Frank." "It's down to you and me." "Have you got any plans once you get there?" "I don't have one, obviously." "You know how unstable things are." "I read the news." "MI6 are sending no one." "And he's one of theirs." "Doesn't that tell you anything?" "Yeah..." "They're assholes." "It's too high-risk." "If it wasn't your friend, you wouldn't go." "Is there anything I can do to make you change your mind?" "Have you seen my shirts?" "_" "How many MI6 on the ground here?" "No bloody idea." "I wasn't even supposed to find out he's missing." " How did you?" " I check in with Rob from time to time." "When he didn't answer, I started snooping." "As far as I know, he was the only asset here." "His address was about the only intel I could get." "_" "Fifth floor." "Delta Five." "Lift's busted." "Five flights." "Wanna keep an eye on the street?" "Yeah." "Come on, Frank." "Yeah." "Four men are on the way." "All tooled." "Thanks for the heads-up." "Sorry, I left my phrasebook in the taxi." "Tyler, Rob Tyler?" "You're looking for Rob?" "I'm not him." "I'm looking for him." "Not Rob Tyler?" "Right." "Not Rob Tyler?" "_" " _" " Wait, wait, wait..." "Wait!" "Rob Tyler?" "Sorry, I couldn't understand your accent." "Yes, I'm Rob." "This is my place." "Afternoon." "Drop the weapon." "Useful old bugger, isn't it?" "Do you have any idea who that fella was?" "Not a scooby." "Can you find out?" "Not without MI6 realizing I'm here." "They all think I'm visiting my bloody aunt." "I'll check in with Cat." "See what she can find out." "You think this bloke took Rob?" "No." "He was looking for him too." "What for?" "Check these out." "See if you can get any answers." "I'll meet you back at the hotel." "Where are you off to?" "Fancy a coffee." "I'm sorry?" "Oh, American?" "English." "Oh, a cup of tea?" "Are English customers that predictable?" "We don't get many." "A friend of mine comes here." "A Scottish guy, talks a lot, usually can't understand a word he's saying." "I'm sorry, I don't know anyone like that." "You'd remember him." "He's a bit rough around the edges but he's kind of friendly." "Are you going to order something?" "I'll take a black coffee." "I found these in Rob's apartment." "Are you sure you don't know him?" "Please, leave." "You don't need to be afraid." "I'm a friend," "I'm looking for Rob." "Stay and you'll get someone killed." "Please go." "Welcoming Committee?" "Have a seat, Mr. Martin." "You know my name..." "Dr. Mangoush." "And you know mine." "I've read about the women and children you've murdered." "A man from your country is in no position to judge, Mr. Martin." "I am simply trying to restore order to a lawless land." "Is that why you're looking for Rob Tyler?" "What makes you think I am?" "Oh, I bumped into someone else who's after him." "A chap with burns on his face, a bit of a temper." "General Dekma is a savage." "Unlike your good self, of course." "Your friend Rob disappeared with an associate of mine." "I would like to find them both." "And you expect me to help you?" "I am a civilized man, Mr. Martin." "I would reward your cooperation." "And if I don't... cooperate?" "I will do what I must do." "This is not my cup of tea." "I've ID'd the man with burns on his face." "So have I, General Dekma." " What do you know about him?" " He's like Mangoush." "They're both trying to topple the government there." "Turns out they're both looking for Rob, same as us." "Seems like everyone is." "Except MI6." "That's odd, isn't it?" "I'd say." "Do you have any idea who took him?" "None." "Can you still get information out of French intelligence?" "Yeah, I guess." "What's that about?" "It means calling a guy who keeps asking me out to dinner." "I'll buy." "What is it you need?" "Mangoush said an associate of his disappeared the same night as Rob." " Do you have a name?" " No." "Well, I'll see what I can dig up." "They're not room service, are they?" "I forgot to pick up my dry cleaning." "_" "Who is this?" "Would you have come along if they'd asked nicely?" "Of course not." "That's what I thought." "It's nice to hear your voice, Commander." " Rob?" " You too, Frankie." "I just wish it was better circumstances, mate." "When can we meet?" "How 'bout now?" "Where?" "Look across the square." " Rob!" " Rob!" "All the way out here to save him and we only get him killed." "Circus posted Rob out here alone." "No assets on the ground, zero support." "Seems crazy, doesn't it?" "A place like this." "You work there, but you had nothing on the mission." "Nothing but an address." "Need to know, mate." "And according to them..." "I don't." "Where are you going?" "Home." "What've you got?" "Dinner date on Saturday night." "That associate of Mangoush, he's a government minister." "Name of Mustafa Al-Kubar." "Okay." "He was in charge of destroying Kaddafi's chemical weapons." "But everyone suspects he kept one for himself." "Nice little earner." "Your friend would've tried to stop him selling it on." "Yeah." "Until someone stopped him." "What do you mean?" "Rob's dead." "When?" "About two hours ago." "I watched it happen." "I'm so sorry, who did it?" "I'm not sure, but I've had enough." "I'm getting the body and I'm bringing him home." "Mr. Martin." "I'm sorry, but we are not able to release the body." "I can get authorization from his family in England." "Mr. Tyler will be buried tomorrow by his family here." "His family here?" "What do you want?" "I need to talk to you." "I told you to go." "You wouldn't listen, now he's dead." "I'm sorry for your loss..." "Mrs. Tyler." "Come inside." "How did you find out?" "I tried to claim the body, but you already had." "Rob didn't want anyone to find out about us." "He thought that they would try to hurt me to get to him." "Who do you think killed him?" "Dekma or Mangoush." "It had to be one or the other." "No." "They wanted him alive." " Are you sure?" " Certain." "Then who did this?" "Do you know this man?" "Al-Kubar, a government minister." "He's working for Mangoush." "Rob said he was a very dangerous man." "He was." "He was peddling a chemical weapon." "Disappeared the same night as Rob." "What?" "What is it?" "I'm not sure." "Maybe nothing." " Rob!" " Rob!" "Ready, mate?" "What are you doing?" "We're not leaving." "Why not?" "Rob's not dead." "That's her." "Who is this?" "Tom Evercroft, a friend of Rob's." "A friend, huh?" "Like him?" "We need to talk." "Please, let me mourn in peace." "I would, but you're wasting your time." "Your husband faked his death." "I just watched them lower my husband into the ground!" "That wasn't Rob." "So they buried an empty box, huh?" "They buried Mustafa Al-Kubar." "What?" "Frank thinks Rob killed him." "But you..." "You watched him die." "They took us to a specific location," "Rob called us to make us look in a precise direction." "At a precise moment, a truck pulled to a stop, blocking our line of sight." "He timed it all perfectly." "Called the truck driver to make sure he passed at just the right moment." "Giving Rob enough time to get out of the car and detonate the bomb." "He knew the body would be buried here with no autopsy." "No proof it wasn't him." "No." "Rob loved me." "He wouldn't do that." "There's one way to find out." "Demand an autopsy." "What good would that do?" "If they dig up a body in Rob's grave and it's not him, he's got a big problem." "It's been two hours." "Sincerely hope you know what you're doing, mate." "Rob will have a man inside the coroner's office." "Sorry, Frank..." "For dragging you out here." "Truth is..." "I think this was more about saving me than it was Rob." "Things that bad?" "My life's going nowhere, Frank." "When they shot me, they might as well have killed me." "Well, they didn't." "While you're alive, you've got to keep fighting." "Look who's here." "Visitors." "_" " _ - _" "They want us to go with them." "You've got to be kidding me." "Rob Tyler, alive and well." "How could you do this to me?" "I'm sorry, Daria..." "If there'd been any other way..." "Couldn't let a man die in peace?" "Could you, boys?" "Nice way to treat your friends." "It's complicated, Frankie." "Looks pretty simple to me." "You staged your death to stop Mangoush, Dekma and us looking for you." "You're a pair of crazy bastards." "Shouldn't have come here in the first place." "We came here to help you." " I know." " Because no one else would!" "And I love you for it." "But you very nearly screwed things up." "Looks like an explanation's in order." "Sarin gas... 20 times more deadly than cyanide, impossible to detect, wipes out the nervous system within minutes of exposure." "Bloody hell." "Paper said they were all destroyed." "That government minister planned to sell it to Dekma, who was gonna use it to wipe out Mangoush, so you killed him and took the weapon." "And I had to make myself disappear, before they got their hands on it." "So what are you gonna do with it?" "I thought I'd just let it off, Tommy, see what happens." "I'm gonna get it the hell out of Libya, what do you think?" "So no one can use it." "How?" "A boat." "Leaves port in the morning." "What kind of boat?" "One that floats." "Hostiles in pursuit, heavy surveillance, journey to the port is risky and the probability of avoiding capture in open water minimal." "What are you doing, Frankie?" "Sorting out your rubbish plan." "No, boys, you've done enough." "Everything is in place." "I can't risk you getting involved." "Still wants to be the hero." "Cat?" "I'm gonna need a plane." "So I walk in, and Rob's halfway out the window, trousers round his ankles." "Her husband smashes up a chair, starts hitting Rob." "Then this bird, half-naked, starts screaming at the husband for breaking her chair, while this geezer strolls away, calm as anything, trousers still round his ankles." "Not really helping repair my image here, mate." "In Rob's defense, he did always say he wanted to settle down with a good woman." "Anyway..." "On that bombshell..." "Tommy, what about you?" "Bachelor pad in Croydon, pretty dire really." "Not as dire as that beard, my man." "Frankie... ?" "Anyone special?" "What about that bird in the restaurant?" "She's a colleague." "You'll meet her tomorrow, she's bringing the plane." "When was the last time you two saw Rob?" "What?" "Seven, eight years?" "And still, you risk your lives to save him." "Why?" "Our last mission in in Iraq." "Tommy got shot." "So did I." "The boys had to get the hell out of there or we'd all be dead." "So I'm lying there, been in better states." "And the future's looking... fairly gloomy." "I'm drifting in and out, losing track of time." "Can't tell if it's been two minutes or two hours." "I figure I'll take a few down with me but one way or another, this is it." "Next thing I know, the enemy had found me." "Then I see the most beautiful thing" "I've seen before or since." "These two ugly bastards back to save me." "Never leave a man behind." "And if we do, it's just till we find a chopper." "I've missed this." "Me too, boys." "To absent friends." "You're late." "Watching General Dekma." "To make sure your kind offer only reaches me." "Very well." "I will be there at sunrise... to take back my weapon." "What's up?" "I'm almost there, should be landing in about an hour." "Okay, I'll see you there." "Do you still have the weapon?" "Yeah, why?" "My new "boyfriend,"" "at French intelligence, he's been tapping Mangoush's mobile." "He says he's picking it up this morning." "Frank?" "Did you get that?" "See you at the airfield." "Mangoush is coming for the weapon." "How's that possible?" "If you're looking for Rob, he's outside." "I need to see your phone." "Okay." "What for?" "One call, last night, when we were all sleeping." "No, I didn't make a call last night." "Looking for this?" "Took it last night." "You suspected Rob last night." "What the fuck, man?" "Rob?" "What is this about?" "That was the reason you faked your death, so you could sell the weapon." "Where were you taking the truck, Rob?" "He was selling the Sarin to Mangoush." "Isn't that right, Commander?" " It was for us." " No!" "Twenty years of service." "And what do I have to show for it, eh?" "It's wrong, what you're doing." "Come on, Tommy." "We stopped knowing right from wrong years ago, mate." "Quiet." "Whatever's happened since the war, you're better than this, Rob." "Tell him there's no deal." "There's no way out of this, Frank." "Tell him there's no deal." "Where is the weapon, Mr. Tyler?" "Where is the weapon?" "Rob, don't tell him." "The cement truck." "We had a deal." "Let's go!" "Take one of those cars we'll meet you at the airfield!" "I don't expect you to forgive me, but..." "I'm gonna make this right, okay?" " I'm out, Tommy!" " I'm out too, boys!" "Take the wheel." "Frank!" "_" "_" "You alright, mate?" "Just another day at the office." "Tommy!" "Well, chaps, we're pinned down, outnumbered," "and I'm in dire need of medical attention." "Just like old times, Tommy." "We need to get back to the jeep." "Look at it." "There's no chance, Dekma would chase us down." "The two of you can make it though." "No, Rob, we don't leave a man behind." "This might be that moment, boys." "My turn to be the hero, eh?" "No." " Yes." " No!" "Yes!" "Listen, Frankie, just do me a favour, will you?" "Tell her I'm sorry." "And tell her I love her." "I'm still your friend, boys." "Just forgot it for a while." "Gimme that box, Frank." "Gimme the damn case!" "Okay, get your running shoes on, lads." "Come on!" "Come on!" "Finally." "Put this on the plane." "You're staying here, Tom." "I need a doctor, Frank." "Daria will help you." "And make sure that MI6 takes care of her." "Rob would've wanted it." "What are you talking about?" "MI6 doesn't even know I'm here." "They couldn't have their fingerprints on this, so you came to me..." "so I could do their dirty work." " When did you know?" " When I saw Dekma." "He couldn't have known where to find the weapon unless you called him." "He's our dog in this fight." "I was supposed to make sure he got the weapon." "I'm gonna destroy it." "I'm sorry, Frank." "Rob was right, you know?" "It's hard to tell right from wrong anymore." "He said to say that he's sorry... and that he loves you." "I'm sorry we couldn't save him." "But you did."
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Stephen Kaye
Stephen Kaye (born 1951) is a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. He was appointed to the bench in 2003, serving as a judge of the Trial Division until his appointment the Court of Appeal in 2015.
Kaye is the son of William Kaye, who was also a Supreme Court judge. His paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine. Like his father, Kaye attended Scotch College, where he was dux in 1968. He then studied law at Monash University.
References
Category:Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Category:Monash University alumni
Category:Living people
Category:1951 births
Category:People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne
Category:Australian people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
Category:Monash Law School alumni
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[Comparative studies on perfused adult and fetal guinea pig liver metabolism before and after anoxia loadings, with special reference to intracellular redox state].
In order to pursue peculiarities of fetal metabolism, fluorometric measurements of intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) were made in perfused adult and fetal guinea pig livers following the administration of various agents before and after anoxia loadings. Oxygen and glucose concentrations of the drainage from perfused livers were also measured. The following results were obtained: (1) NAD reduction, oxygen uptake and glucose production were observed to be lower in fetal livers in response to lactate, pyruvate, octanoate and ethanol than the adult ones, suggesting immaturity of fetal intracellular metabolism. (2) However, on the basis of NAD reduction following norepinephrine (NE) administration, fetal plasma membraneous receptors were considered to be similarly active, although induced glucose production was lower than the adult ones. Sequential NE administrations yielded consecutive changes in NAD reduction and glucose production, suggesting active response of fetal plasma membrane to NE. (3) After one hour and three hours of anoxia loadings, adult NAD reduction rates by NE were decreased remarkably to 37% and 11%, respectively, of the control values on average, while fetal rates were reduced to only 61% and 45% of the control values, suggesting anoxic tolerance of fetal plasma membrane. (4) After three hours of anoxia loading, NAD reduction was observed following succinate administration in adult livers, indicating membraneous damage due to anoxia. No such changes were observed in fetal livers. (5) Scanning spectrophotometric studies demonstrated activities of mitochondrial cytochromes in perfused adult and fetal livers, indicating the efficacy of non-destructive in vivo measurements.
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An esophagobronchopleural fistula successfully treated by a surgical procedure combined with conservative therapy after resection for lung cancer.
The patient was a 43-year-old woman, who had undergone a right middle and lower lobectomy for adenocarcinoma of the lung. An esophagobronchopleural fistula developed two months after the operation. It was treated by a combined procedure consisting of pedicle flap closure of the fistula and thoracoplasty. The esophagobronchopleural fistula recurred two days later, however, and another pedicle flap closure with fenestration of the chest wall were performed in a third operation. A bronchopleural fistula then recurred, after which it was treated by conservative therapy including intravenous hyperalimentation, frequent dressing changes and systemic administration of appropriate antibiotics. It closed spontaneously 23 days after surgery, in spite of this being a very rare but serious complication very difficult to treat and cure. From our experience with this particular case, we recommend, for treating esophagobronchopleural fistulas, proper drainage, antibiotic therapy, intravenous hyperalimentation and packing of the empyema space, together with closure of the fistula using a muscle or pleural flap.
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Hi Mark
Whoops. I think that a chunk of the minutes are missing - those that I
took when there was no internet connectivity just prior to lunch on
Tuesday. Here they are, including the results of the chad votes from
Paul:
These minutes go just after
"B: Specification of binding for async response"
and before Anish began scribing "scribe: Anish".
Thanks
Katy
Mark Nottingham <[email protected]>
Sent by: [email protected]
10/11/2005 07:11
To
WS-Addressing <[email protected]>
cc
Subject
Minutes of the Tokyo F2F
... are available for review at:
http://www.w3.org/2002/ws/addr/5/11/f2f-minutes.html
and attached for convenience.
[attachment "f2f-minutes.html" deleted by Katy Warr/UK/IBM]
Thanks to Tony Rogers, Yin-Leng Husband, Katy Warr, Anish Karmarkar
and Jeff Mischkinsky for scribing.
--
Mark Nottingham Principal Technologist
Office of the CTO BEA Systems
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Knowledge, attitudes and prejudices of nursing students about the provision of transcultural nursing care to refugees: A comparative descriptive study.
The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and prejudices of nursing students regarding the provision of transcultural nursing care to refugees. The sample of this comparative descriptive study was composed of 317 volunteering nursing students living in Ankara, Turkey. Descriptive statistics were presented as number, percentage, and mean ± standard deviation. The relationships among dependent and independent variables were analyzed with Pearson chi-square test. p ≤ 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. The mean age of the students was 21.19 ± 1.66 years; 88.6% were female. Only 30.0% (n = 95) of students (predominantly seniors) were educated on transcultural nursing. Statistically significant differences were found among grades of nursing students on the answers to the items, "Refugees are under coverage of general medical insurance system," "The concept of 'Health' differs from culture to culture," "Cultural features of the patient are important for caring nurse," "In order to provide care to only refugees and foreign patients, nurses from other cultures should be employed in hospitals," "Interpreters should be employed in hospitals 24 hours for services for refugees," and "According to my observations, refugees and their relatives admitted to the hospital are not respecting the healthcare workers and hospital rules." In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in students' comfort level with nursing care activities between those students who were literate in a foreign language and those who were not literate in a foreign language. Our findings show that attending lectures on transcultural nursing in a curriculum of seniors and being literate in a foreign language had a positive impact on the attitudes of students in terms of the provision of medical care to refugees. It is recommended that nursing programs integrate lectures on transcultural nursing into the curricula of all four grades of nursing education and encourage students in language learning to better serve our disadvantageous guests.
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Room for everyone in Niagara Falls, Ontario
This cul-du-sac located, raised bungalow is one in a signature enclave of luxury residences. The great for entertaining lounge is open to the showcase kitchen with walkout to the pergola covered BBQ deck overlooking the pool sized back yard. The master hideaway with relaxing spa bath, 2 bdrms and main bath up and in the lower level is a fully self-contained two bdrm with lounge open to the well appointed kitchen, walkout to patio. $517,500
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The present invention relates to optical apparatus, and particularly to apparatus using liquid crystals for shaping the spatial intensity profile of optical beams having designated wavelengths.
The invention is especially suitable for use in providing a soft aperture for shaping the intensity of laser beams utilizing the properties of cholesteric liquid crystals. The term "liquid crystals" as used herein includes crystals both in the solid and fluid state. The term "cholesteric" is used generically to mean liquid crystals which have chirality, whether pure cholesteric compounds or nematic materials mixed with chiral additives.
Birefringent elements have been proposed for use as soft aperture devices. They are made by the use of materials having retardance which decreases radially from the center to the edge of the device, usually by varying the thickness of the material. Birefringent crystals both solid and liquid have been used in such devices. See S. D. Jacobs, "Liquid Crystals As Large Aperture Waveplates and Circular Polarizers", SPIE 307,98-105, 28 Aug. 1981; D. Giuliani, et al., "Radial Birefringent Element And Its Application To Laser Resonator Design", Opt. Lett. 5, 491 (1980); and J. M. Eggelston, et al., "Radial Intensity Filters Using Radial Birefringent Elements", J.O.S.A. 71, 1264 (1981). Soft apertures have also been made using variably absorbent glass. See Hudson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,347 issued Sept. 2, 1969.
Liquid crystal devices providing notch or blocking filters have been designed to selectively reflect laser light having a limited wavelength spectrum, but do not vary the spatial intensity of the beam to provide an apodizing effect or act as a soft aperture. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,290 issued July 25, 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,181 issued Jan. 16, 1973 and the following articles, J. Adams et al., "Cholesteric Films As Optical Filters", J. App. Phys. 42(10) 4096 (1971); F. J. Kahn, "Cholesteric Liquid Crystals For Optical Applications", Appl. Phys. Lett., 18(6), 231 (1971); S. D. Jacobs et al., "Liquid Crystal Laser Blocking Filters", LLE Review 15, 30 (1983); and S. D. Jacobs, et al., "Liquid Crystal Laser Blocking Filters", presented at the Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America, New Orleans, La., Oct. 18, 1983.
Through the use of cholesteric liquid crystals bodies in accordance with the invention, the spatial profile of designated wavelengths of optical radiation can be tailored across almost any aperture area and differently in different areas of the aperture. Oftentimes the beams to be shaped or apodized propagate along the same or closely adjacent paths, for example the beams may be colinear beams. In addition to being of different wavelengths, the beams may have different cross sections which are overlapping. The optical apparatus provided by the invention makes it possible to shape or apodize such beams of different wavelengths and cross sections without interference, i.e. the apparatus acts as a soft aperture for one of the beams without apodizing the other. The shapes of the beams can be tailored to different dimensions, again without interference and without requiring spatial beam separation. Other features and advantages of the optical apparatus for spatial intensity shaping which is provided by the invention are: Capability of shaping beams having any arbitrary input polarization; Compact size and ease of fabrication so as to shape beams regardless of their cross sectional dimension; The ability to shape beams over a wide range of desigated wavelengths, for example from 300 nanometers (nm) to 5000 nm; Capability of operating at high beam power, since shaping is accomplished through selective reflection and not absorption; High transmittance and low insertion loss for the portions of the beam which are not modified in intensity (the unapodized portions of the beam); and Minimal wavefront distortion to the transmitted beam, since the liquid crystal and the substrates which comprise the apparatus can be index matched.
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Keurig vs. Nespresso
Keurig and Nespresso manufacture brewing systems that make single servings of gourmet and premium coffees. Keurig machines use coffee pods, known as K-Cups, to brew their beverages and have connections to well-known beverage brands, such as Folgers, Celestial Seasonings, and Starbucks. Nespresso uses specially-perforated foil and plastic capsules for their machines, which only brew coffee, espresso, and cappuccino, though off-brand solutions for tea and hot chocolate do exist.
Whichever machine one chooses, the user is mostly locked into that company's marketplace, as the systems use proprietary technology that each company guards zealously. For instance, Keurig's K-Cups cannot be used to replace Nespresso capsules and vice versa.
Contents: Keurig vs Nespresso
Brewing
Like Tassimo, Nespresso and Keurig machines focus on single-servings (one cup) of coffee. Where they differ is in that the Keurig can also make tea, hot chocolate, and other hot drinks, while the Nespresso only brews coffee, espresso, and cappuccino (in models with milk systems). Keurigs cannot brew espresso. Off-brand solutions exist for making hot chocolate and tea in a Nespresso machine, but these are not necessarily supported by the manufacturer and may void warranties.[1]
Brewing times will vary according to the model and the drink being made, but most preparations usually take fewer than 4 minutes, from start to finish. To brew coffee, the machines combine distilled water, heated to an exact temperature for the best flavor. Keurigs use pressure-based systems, while newer Nespresso models use a centrifuge-based technology for their brewing. Some Keurig and Nespresso machines carry their brewing tasks out better than others, meaning it is important to read reviews before purchasing a machine. For example, in the video below, which compares a Keurig coffeemaker to a Nespresso Vertuoline, the Keurig brews at a hotter temperature than the Nespresso.
Capsules vs. K-Cups
Nespresso developed their capsule-based brewing system in 1976, but it wasn't until 1990 that it began to catch on in European markets. The Nespresso capsule is made mainly from aluminum and uses a food-grade lacquer inside to further protect drink ingredients. The foil is slightly perforated in different patterns depending on the requirements of the particular coffee; these patterns adjust brewing times and temperatures, as needed. Keurig cups, called K-cups, are mainly made of plastic with a foil cover. A pod or capsule has only 3-4 grams for coffee (for example), enough for one cup.
The pod/capsule system keeps coffee fresh for a longer period of time, as it doesn't expose the grounds and other contents to air and humidity, as might happen with coffee in an opened bag or can.
Coffee Brands
Keurig offers over 200 kinds of drinks, including some made by the most familiar coffee and tea brands on the market. Among them are Green Mountain, Starbucks, Folgers, Twinings, Celestial Seasonings, Caribou, and Tully's.
Nespresso offers a wide range of coffees from around the world, including Brazilian Dulsao, Ethiopian Bukeela, Colombian Rosabaya and Indian Indriya, among others. Their focus on coffee also includes lungo coffee (for longer brewing times), vanilla-enhanced grounds, caramel-infused brews, spiced coffees, and limited edition grounds offered seasonally or annually. Examples of these limited editions include Hawaiian Kona Special Reserve and Maragogype Special Reserve.
A major difference between Keurig and Nespresso is that Nespresso does not have any deals with tea companies, so tea lovers may prefer Keurig machines for this reason alone. However, Nespresso owners have found creative workarounds to this problem.
Both companies use proprietary technology for their coffee pods and have often employed legal action to stop competitors from releasing similar, compatible, and cheaper products.
Cost
Nespresso and Keurig machines range from around $80-$100 to as much as $180-$300 for higher-end models. Nearly all models are for single servings, meaning they are best suited for homes and small businesses, where volume coffee-making is not required.
For a coffee drinker, each cup of Nespresso or Keurig brew will cost about $0.75 cents, with the more expensive grounds running as high as $2.00 per cup. Bulk buying of pods or capsules can bring this price down, but it stills cost several times more per cup than store-bought coffee brews.
Cost Per Serving
The coffee machines are a negligible part of the overall cost of enjoying Nespresso or Keurig coffee and drinks. Both companies sell their machines at close to cost with the idea of locking the customer in to repeat purchases of materials. The coffee in K-cups and Nespresso capsules costs several times more than store-bought grounds, with some grounds pricing out at the equivalent of over $50 a pound.[2]
Both companies have fought hard to keep competitors from releasing compatible, off-brand pods/capsules. Nespresso's patents expired in 2012 and their parent company, Nestlé, is trying to create new patents to extend protection. Keurig has fought against several companies creating generic pods, with spotty success. Both companies have explored licensing their technologies, mainly for the coffeemakers themselves.
Cleaning
As with all coffee machines, periodic cleaning is needed to preserve the purity of flavors in the brewing process. Some higher-end Nespresso models have an automated cleaning system, but most models from both companies rely on "blank brew" cleaning, the practice of running water and a mild cleaner (e.g., white vinegar) once or twice through the machine. Cleaning is needed depending on usage, but in most cases, should be done every 2-3 weeks.
Durability and Reliability
Most Keurig and Nespresso models are can be expected to last 2-5 years, but much depends on usage and proper maintenance. Both companies offer a limited one-year warranty on all models, but some licensed manufacturers may extend that warranty up to two years on certain models.
Pods and capsules are rated to maintain freshness for up to 18 months, provided the container itself is not altered in any way. However, the flavor and coloring of some grounds may fade much sooner due to higher amounts of volatile compounds.
Market Share
Nespresso is the global market leader in unit sales of machines and single-serve units, with the bulk of its sales in Europe and Asia. Keurig is the best-selling coffee maker of its type in the U.S., but Nespresso continues to have a slight edge in sales among premium coffee drinkers (about 28-36% of the global market).[3]
Environmental Impact
Neither Keurig K-cups nor Nespresso capsules are recyclable. For K-Cups, the plastic and foil construction makes separating the components difficult, while Nespresso capsules combine aluminum and lacquer. This means that each pod or capsule ends up as landfill waste.
Nespresso does have a limited recycling plan in some European countries and a "return the empties" plan using pre-paid boxes. K-cups are often reused, and companies such as Ekobew create special reusable options, but this is done manually by machine owners and is not a company policy. In any case, these efforts are only a tiny amount of recycling amid millions of pods and capsules discarded each week.
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Monday, 20 June 2016
Can you think a thought which isn’t yours? A remarkable new study, led by psychologist Jay Olson from McGill University in Canada, suggests you can. The research, published in Consciousness and Cognition, used a form of stage magic known as “mentalism” to induce the experience of thoughts being inserted into the minds of volunteers. It is an ingenious study, not only for how it created the experience, but also for how it used the psychology lab as both a stage prop and a scientific tool.
Years before he was famous, stage illusionist Derren Brown wrote a book called Pure Effect, where he argued that presenting tricks as "psychology" could be an effective form of misdirection. In his innovative shows, Brown often claims he is debunking psychics by demonstrating how psychology can be used to manipulate people’s minds. In practice, his mind-reading and mind control feats can involve the same traditional techniques used by stage magicians, it’s just that he presents them as psychology rather than magic.
Olson and his colleagues from McGill took this approach a step further, telling their participants that they were taking part in a study to see if an fMRI brain scanner could read thoughts and influence their mind.
Hidden from the participants was the fact that the experiment was actually conducted in a mock scanner – something that exists in most neuroimaging facilities to test experiments before they are run on the genuine equipment. To add to the plausibility of the story, the participants went through a realistic briefing, safety screening, and calibration procedure for an fMRI brain scan.
Participants were then asked to complete what they thought were "mind reading" and "mind influencing" experiments.
In the "mind reading" stage, researchers asked each participant to lie in the "scanner", silently think of any two-digit number and press a button when they were done. The fMRI machine then produced a number on screen and the researcher could be seen writing the result onto a clipboard.
Next, the participant was asked to name the number they had silently thought of. The researcher turned the clipboard, stunning the participant by showing exactly their number – seemingly "read" from their mind by the power of fMRI.
The researchers are coy about exactly how this was achieved, only referencing an old mentalism book. In fact, they likely used a variation on a technique called the "swami gimmick" where the mentalist – the researcher in this case – has a fake rubber tip on the end of their thumb, which includes a barely visible shard of pencil lead. Earlier, when the researcher appeared to be writing the fMRI "mind reading" results, he was just pretending. What really happened is that, in the split second after the participant announced their secretly selected number, the researcher discreetly wrote it down on the clipboard using their thumb.
In the second, "mind influencing" condition, the participant was told that the machine was programmed to put a number into their mind. This time the researcher "wrote down" the number the machine had chosen to "transmit". As before, the participant was asked to silently think of any two-digit number and after the "scan" the researcher seemed to show that the participant had thought of exactly the number the machine had ‘transmitted’ to them – using, of course, exactly the same thumb-writing trick as in the mindreading phase.
So here’s where the real psychology came in. After the scans, the researchers asked the participants to rate how much control they felt they had over their choice of numbers. Of course, in reality all their choices were completely voluntary, but in the second stage of the experiment, they believed they had less control and that the machine had influenced their thinking. Consistent with this perception, they also took longer to choose a number in the mind influencing condition than in the "mind reading" condition.
The researchers checked whether anyone had worked out what was really happening. A few participants expressed doubts about whether the "fMRI machine" was really influencing them and were removed from the analysis, but none suspected stage magic.
Olson and his colleagues replicated their results using a second experiment, run in exactly the same way, but this time they also interviewed the participants to find out what they’d felt during the procedure. They reported a range of anomalous effects when they thought numbers were being "inserted" into their minds: A number “popped in” my head, reported one participant. Others described “a voice … dragging me from the number that already exists in my mind”, feeling “some kind of force”, feeling “drawn” to a number, or the sensation of their brain getting “stuck” on one number. All a striking testament to the power of suggestion.
A common finding in psychology is that people can be unaware of what influences their choices. In other words, people can feel control without having it. Here, by using the combined powers of stage magic and a sciency-sounding back story, Olson and his fellow researchers showed the opposite – that people can have control without feeling it.
But the research team’s motivations where not purely focused on everyday psychology. In some types of mental health problems, people start to experience their thoughts and actions being controlled by what seem like outside forces. Olson’s team hope that their work can provide a way of studying one aspect of this experience, safely and temporarily in the lab, potentially providing a window into how these more debilitating experiences affect the mind and brain.
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MTN launches 5G trial in South Africa
MTN has launched the first 5G trial in South Africa — and in the broader Africa — in partnership with networking equipment vendor Ericsson. Last November, the operator’s principal rival, Vodacom, said it would launch a 5G trial in partnership with Nokia, but hasn’t yet provided details of that effort.
MTN Group chief technology and information officer Babak Fouladi said at a press conference at the operator’s Fairland, Johannesburg head office on Monday that its plan is to have everyone in South Africa connected to mobile broadband, including in rural areas. He said MTN will do this by building a ubiquitous 3G network covering the entire country, while offering the latest technologies based on 4G/LTE and — hopefully soon 5G — in urban areas.
The group launched the 5G trial “in recent days”, said MTN South Africa spokeswoman Jacqui O’Sullivan at Monday’s event. It follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Ericsson at AfricaCom, an industry event in Cape Town, in late 2017 to collaborate on the roll-out of 5G.
“This is the highest achieved on a mobile network in Africa,” MTN said in a statement.The 5G trial has achieved download speeds of more than 20Gbit/s with latency (network round-trip time) of just five milliseconds. 20Gbit/s is significantly faster than fastest connection speeds available to South African consumers over fixed fibre-optic lines, where speeds top out at 1Gbit/s.
The 5G trial is based on commercially available baseband hardware and 5G mobility is supported, the group said.
“MTN has tested a range of 5G use cases and applications in its test lab proof of concept in South Africa, which will lead to commercial deployment in the near future,” it said.
However, MTN South Africa chief technology and information officer Giovanni Chiarelli emphasised that the operator is hamstrung in its roll-out plans until it can get access to additional radio frequency spectrum.
Regulator Icasa has still not formally allocated spectrum to local operators to deploy 4G infrastructure, forcing the companies to reallocate 2G and 3G spectrum for 4G technology.
Spectrum
“There is no doubt that 5G will offer the consumer higher speeds and lower latency, but to achieve this we need the capacity that comes with additional spectrum. Thus, once again, we call on the government to urgently release the much needed spectrum that is required in South Africa, to lower the cost of data and drive growth and development for all South Africans,” Chiarelli said. “We are talking about blocks of hundreds of megahertz, or even gigahertz.”
Chiarelli said 5G delivers at least 100 times the throughput of 4G. He said it will prove to be a significant challenger to fixed fibre alternatives. He said latency is 10 times better than on 4G, with results typically of between one millisecond and 5ms. That compares well with fibre.
For the trial, MTN is using 800MHz of spectrum in the 15GHz band. The spectrum was licensed to MTN on a test basis by Icasa. It may not be used to launch commercial services.
MTN rival Vodacom late last year said it would trial 5G technology in South Africa with Nokia, a competitor of Ericsson’s. Working with Vodacom in a series of workshops and trials, Nokia would test how 5G technology could be used to meet demand in South Africa, the mobile operator, which is majority owned by the UK-headquartered Vodafone, said at the time.
The companies would focus on the delivery of ultra-high-definition and virtual reality video using the enhanced mobile broadband and ultra-low latency capabilities of 5G, they said in a statement in November 2017.
Nokia would leverage expertise from its Bell Labs Consulting arm to work with Vodacom and identify where, when and how to evolve its network to 5G.
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We are Africans from different works of life, passionate about development of our continent, we are banded together by a common desire to give a voice to Africans all over the world to begin to tell their own stories.
Our main motivation is the rich history of this great continent; so rich that it predates all human civilisations. A continent so versatile and blessed, rich in human and all kinds of mineral and material resources.
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Bitcoin and major digital currencies on Tuesday clawed back some of the previous day’s losses.
Bitcoin BTCUSD, +4.30% , the world’s largest digital currency, lost as much as 4% late Monday, hitting a low of $6,213.46, inching closer to key support near $6,000. In Tuesday trading a single bitcoin was last going for $6,334.42, up 1.8% since Monday at 5 p.m. Eastern on the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange.
In what’s been a torrid year, with some cryptocurrencies shedding more than 80%, Josh Fraser, the co-founder of Origin, an open-sourced blockchain platform, said growth in the technology sector should see digital currencies end the year on a bright note. “Prices will slowly recover some of the losses they experienced in [the first of half of] 2018,” wrote Fraser in an email to MarketWatch.
“We’re seeing a shift towards development in the blockchain and crypto space, which is extremely important because some of the key pain points in the space are usability and pricing. People who have written off crypto as a result will only be drawn back in when they see real utility, versus speculation. This will help stabilize prices and is why building usable systems is critical.”
NY AG says exchanges susceptible to abusive traders
The Office of the New York state Attorney General released a report on the state of the virtual currency industry. The report, which began under former AG Eric Schneiderman, found that, among other things, that many platforms are vulnerable to malicious behavior. “The report finds that virtual asset trading platforms have yet to implement serious efforts to monitor and stop abusive or manipulative trading,” the attorney general’s office said in a news release.
“Few platforms seriously restrict, or even monitor, the operation of “bots” or automated algorithmic trading on their venue.”
The report added that of the 14 exchanges questioned, four didn’t supply answers, arguing they don’t operate in New York state and are therefore outside the remit of the AG.
Read:A B.S. in bitcoin? These colleges are now offering cryptocurrency-related courses
Ripple’s XRP surges 20%
Altcoins have pushed higher Tuesday, led by the XRP coin XRPUSD, +3.60% which runs on the Ripple network, and has surged 20.9% to 32 cents.
Elsewhere, after falling back below $200 on Monday, Ether ETHUSD, +7.32% , has regained the $200 handle, trading up 7.9% at $209.91, Bitcoin Cash BCHUSD, +4.80% was at $437.20, up 6.3% and Litecoin LTCUSD, +4.79% climbed by 4.1% to reach $53.86.
Coming off a tough Monday, bitcoin futures are trading marginally higher Tuesday. The Cboe Global Markets Group Inc.’s September contract US:XBTU8 rose by 1.4% to settle at $6,302.50, and the CME Group Inc. September contract US:BTCU8 ended up 0.7% at $6,275.
Read:Opinion: Your crypto ‘stable coin’ isn’t tethered to anything
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Hexahydropyrimidines are produced by condensation of aldehydes or ketones with 1,3-diamines (U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,379 to Hajek et al.; Reibsomer, J. L., & Morey, G. H., J. Org. Chem., 1950, 15, 245; Evans, R. F., Aust. J. Chem., 1967, 1967, 20, 1634-61). Water is a by-product in these reactions and must be removed either to favor the imine equilibrium or for product purification. Generally, the condensation is acid or lewis acid catalyzed and run in solvents (DE Patent No. 1,670,093 to BASF). In some cases the open-chain tautomer is produced as a co-product which further contaminates the desired hexahydropyrimidines.
A process has been found to make alkyl-, dialkyl-, and trialkylhexahydropyrimidines in high yield without the formation of water or its open-chain tautomer. The invention is selective to the hexahydropyrimidines with only ammonia as the by-product. Cyclization, ammonia elimination and hydrogenation occur rapidly to produce the hexahydropyrimidine derivative in a single reaction step.
The hexahydropyrimidines have use as catalysts in the production of polyurethanes and epoxies (U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,416), as fungicides (U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,120), emulsifiers (U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,593 to Stanley), pharmaceuticals (J. Pharm. Sci., 1968, 57, 1817-19 and EP 226,511), fuel oil additives (U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,279), antioxidants (U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,416), and light stabilizers for olefins (U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,302 to Gupta et al).
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Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday threatened 20 years in jail to the author of a statement purporting to bear his signature that said the lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak had been extended.
Mnangagwa, who was speaking at his farm after touring Gweru city in central Zimbabwe, told state broadcaster ZBC the statement, which circulated on social media last week and was immediately denied by the government, was fake.
"That is absolutely nonsense, I have never made such a statement," Mnangagwa said.
"If we catch this person it must be exemplary and they must go in for at least at level 14, which is 20 years imprisonment. That, I think we need to demonstrate that we don't want false news to be circulated."
Zimbabwe last month published lockdown regulations, which included jail terms of up to 20 years for people who spread falsehoods regarding the outbreak.
National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said more than 5,000 people had been arrested for venturing outside their homes without permission.
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---
abstract: |
The degenerate parabolic equation $u_t+\partial_x [u^3\,(u_{xxx} + u_x-\sin x)]=0$ models the evolution of a thin liquid film on a stationary horizontal cylinder. It is shown here that for each mass there is a unique steady state, given by a droplet hanging from the bottom of the cylinder that meets the dry region with zero contact angle. The droplet minimizes the associated energy functional and attracts all strong solutions that satisfy certain energy and entropy inequalities, including all positive solutions. The distance of solutions from the steady state cannot decay faster than a power law.
[**Keywords**]{} Thin liquid film; coating flow; strong solutions; steady state; symmetrization; energy; entropy method; Lyapunov stability; power-law decay.
[**AMS Subject Classification:**]{} 35K25; 35K35; 35Q35; 37L05; 76A20.
author:
- |
Almut Burchard Marina Chugunova\
University of Toronto\
[{almut,chugunom}@math.utoronto.ca]{}\
\[0.5cm\] Benjamin K. Stephens\
University of Washington\
[[email protected]]{}
date: 'November 30, 2011'
title: |
Convergence to equilibrium for a thin film equation\
on a cylindrical surface
---
Introduction and description of the results
===========================================
Degenerate fourth order parabolic equations of the form $$\label{eq:thin-film}
u_t + \nabla \cdot (u^n \nabla \Delta u) + \mbox{lower order terms}=0$$ are used to model the evolution of thin liquid films on solid surfaces. Here, $u(x,t)$ describes the thickness of the fluid at time $t$ at the point $x$, the fourth derivative term models the surface tension, and the exponent $n>0$ is determined by the boundary condition between the liquid and the solid. The equations were derived from the underlying free-boundary-value problem for the Navier-Stokes equation by the lubrication approximation, which is valid if the film is relatively thin.
{height="4cm"}\
An interesting example is Pukhnachev’s model for a thin liquid film on a rotating horizontal cylinder [@Pukh1], as shown in Figure 1. The model equation is $$\label{eq:Pukh}
u_t + \partial_\theta
\left[ \frac{1}{3} \frac{\sigma}{\rho \nu R^4 } u^3
\left( u_{\theta\theta\theta}+u_\theta \right)
- \frac{1}{3} \frac{g}{\nu R} u^3 \sin \theta + \omega u
\right] =0\,.$$ Here, $\theta \in \RR/(2\pi\ZZ)$ denotes the angle measured from the bottom of the cylinder, the film is assumed to be uniform in the axial direction, and inertia is ignored. The power $n=3$ indicates a [*no-slip*]{} boundary condition between the liquid and the solid. The other physical parameters of the system are the surface tension ($\sigma$), the viscosity ($\nu$), the acceleration of gravity ($g$), the density of the fluid ($\rho$), the radius of the cylinder ($R$), and the rotation speed ($\omega$). Note that the surface tension appears with an additional lower-order term that corrects for the curvature of the cylinder. Eq. (\[eq:Pukh\]) refines an earlier model of Moffatt [@Moffatt] that neglects surface tension. Numerical and asymptotical analysis of Pukhnachev’s equation along with numerous open questions can be found in [@Benilov3; @Benilov1; @Kar], and linearizations about steady states are examined analytically and numerically in [@ChKP09; @John].
We will show that the long-time behaviour of Pukhnachev’s model on a [*non-rotating*]{} cylinder is controlled by steady states. Our results imply that
- Eq. (\[eq:Pukh\]) with $\omega=0$ has for every given mass a unique nonnegative steady state;
- the steady state minimizes energy and attracts all solutions of finite entropy;
- the distance of solutions from the steady state decays no faster than a power law $\sim t^{-\frac{2}{3}}$.
Note that solutions of finite entropy are almost everywhere strictly positive. The steady state has the shape of a shallow drop hanging from the bottom of the cylinder, with a dry region at the top that it meets at zero contact angle, see Figure 2 below. We suspect that the distance from the steady state actually behaves as $t^{-\frac{1}{3}}$. This conjecture is supported by simulations, and by analogy with aggregation processes such as late-stage grain growth in alloys [@LifSly] and the formation of drops at a faucet, where the growth of the grain or droplet is limited by the rate of mass transfer through a region of low density to the region of accumulation.
Our results are motivated by the work of Carrillo and Toscani, who proved global convergence to self-similar solutions for the thin film equation $$\label{eq:basic}
u_t + \partial_x [u^n u_{xxx}]=0$$ on the real line with $n=1$ [@CT]. In contrast with the recent precise convergence results of Giacomelli, Knüpfer and Otto [@GKO], our conclusions are qualitative and global. We work in a large class of nonnegative strong solutions that contains all positive classical solutions, and we do not assume (and do not prove) uniqueness of the solutions. Our lower bounds on the distance from the steady state should be compared with results of Carlen and Ulusoy [@CU], who showed for Eq. (\[eq:basic\]) with $n=1$ that the distance from the self-similar solution satisfies a power-law [*upper bound*]{}. We will give a more detailed description at the end of this section.
Thin liquid films have been the subject of rigorous mathematical analysis since the pioneering article of Bernis and Friedman [@BF]. A vast body of papers is dedicated to existence of solutions, regularity, long-time behaviour, finite-time blow-up, and the interface between wet ($u>0$) and dry $(u=0)$ regions, see for example [@BG; @B2; @BertPugh1996; @B15; @Report; @Otto] and references therein. An even larger part of the literature studies the properties of physically relevant solutions through asymptotic expansions, numerical analysis, and laboratory experiments.
A fundamental question is [*well-posedness*]{}: which initial values give rise to unique nonnegative solutions that depend continuously on the data? The difficulty is that solutions of fourth order parabolic equations generally do not satisfy a maximum principle, and linearization leads to semigroups that do not preserve positivity. To give a simple example, the function $u(x,t) = 1 + t\cos(x)$, which develops negative values after $t=1$, solves Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) (given below) with $n=0$ and $\alpha=1$. Bernis and Friedman proved that initial-value problems in one space dimension have weak solutions in suitable function spaces [@BF]. A far-reaching technical contribution was their use of [*energy*]{} and [*entropy*]{} functionals that decrease along solutions. Still, after twenty years, uniqueness remains an open problem.
There are many questions surrounding [*steady states*]{}: Are they uniquely determined by their mass, and if not, how many are there? Are they strictly positive, and if not, what is the contact angle between wet and dry regions [@LaugPugh]? Under what conditions are they stable, do they attract all bounded solutions, and what is the rate of convergence? Since energy decreases along solutions, we expect that steady states should correspond to critical points of the energy, that solutions should converge to steady states, and that minimizers of the energy should be asymptotically stable. However, in the absence of a proper well-posedness theory, the proof of these statements requires more than a standard application of Lyapunov’s principle (as stated, for example, in [@HS]).
One strategy for proving convergence to equilibrium is to use entropy in place of energy. The basic thin film equation (\[eq:basic\]) has a family of entropy functionals of the form $ S_\beta(u)= \int_\Omega u^{-\beta}\, dx $ that decrease along solutions. For $\beta=n-2$, this was established by Bernis and Friedman, for $\beta=n-\frac{3}{2}$ it is due to Kadanoff (see [@Kadanoff]), and the range $n-3< \beta < n-\frac{3}{2}$ was developed independently in [@B2; @BertPugh1996]. Other families of entropies have since been discovered [@JM; @Laug]. In their classical papers, Beretta, Bertsch, Dal Passo and Bertozzi, Pugh used these entropies to show that solutions of Eq. (\[eq:basic\]) with $n > 0$ on an interval become positive after a finite time and converge uniformly to their mean [@B2; @BertPugh1996]. Remarkably, this convergence holds for a very broad class of weak solutions, about which little else is known. Several works over the last decade have combined energy and entropy methods by deriving coupled inequalities for the energy and entropy dissipation. In this way, Tudorascu proved exponential convergence to the mean for thin films on finite intervals [@Tudorascu], and Carrillo, Toscani [@CT] and Carlen, Ulusoy [@CU] have proved global (power-law) convergence to self-similar solutions of the thin equation with $n=1$ on the real line [@CT; @CU].
![The energy minimizing steady state for Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) with $\alpha=1$ and initial data $ u_0 = 0.5, 1, 2$. The minimizer is concentrated if the mass is small, and spreads out over $(-\pi,\pi)$ as the mass increases. ](pic8m.eps){height="5.5cm"}
A promising approach, first pursued by Otto [@Otto], treats thin-film equations as [*gradient flows*]{} that evolve by steepest descent on the space of nonnegative functions of a given mass, endowed with a suitable metric. Since Eq. (\[eq:thin-film\]) has the form $u_t = \left[u^n\left(\frac{\delta E} {\delta u}\right)_x\right]_x$, a formal computation suggests certain variants of the Wasserstein metric. These metrics measure the distance between two mass densities as the cost of an optimal transportation plan that pushes one density forward to the other. Gradient flow methods have been very successful for the porous medium and fast diffusion equations, which are second-order degenerate parabolic equations that share many features of thin films. There also has been some progress on thin film equations with $n=1$, where the metric is just the standard optimal transportation distance [@Otto]. Thin-film equations with $n>1$ have proved resistant to this approach, because the geometry of the relevant Wasserstein distance with mobility is not well understood, and the thin film energy is not geodesically convex [@CLSS].
Yet another strategy is to linearize about the steady state. This linearization is delicate if the steady state has a dry region. Recently, Giacomelli, Knüpfer and Otto have developed a technique specifically for droplets with zero contact angles [@GKO]. They prove well-posedness and convergence to the steady state for initial values in a singularly weighted Sobolev space that forces the solution to vanish to a certain order at the contact point. So far, these techniques have been developed for Eq. (\[eq:basic\]) with $n=1$.
We study the role of energy-minimizing steady states for the dynamics of $$\label{eq:PDE}
u_t + \partial_x\left[u^n\,
(u_{xxx} + \alpha^2u_x -\sin x)\right]
= 0\,,
\quad x \in \Omega = \RR/(2\pi\ZZ)\,$$ with $n>0 $ and $\alpha>0$. Each of these equations describes the evolution of a thin film. As in Eqs. (\[eq:thin-film\]) and (\[eq:basic\]), the exponent $n$ is related to the boundary condition between the liquid and the solid, the first two terms in the parentheses model surface tension, and the third term accounts for gravitational drainage. The $\alpha^2 \partial_x [u^n \partial_x u]$ term is reminiscent of the porous-medium equation, but appears with the opposite sign, resulting in a long-wave instability [@B15]. The units of time and length are scaled so that the surface tension and gravitational terms appear with coefficient one. The parameter $\alpha>0$ is a geometric constant, with $\alpha=1$ for a horizontal cylinder. Values of $\alpha>1$ appear when inertial effects are taken into account [@Kelmanson Eq. (2.3)]. In general, the geometric coefficient is a function that depends on the curvature of the surface [@MCC Eqs. (64) and (68)]. We are mostly interested in the case where $n=3$ and $\alpha=1$, which corresponds to Pukhnachev’s model at zero rotation speed, but find it illuminating to consider also other values of $n$ and $\alpha$.
Many competing definitions of weak solutions have been proposed. Following Bernis and Friedman, we define a [*strong solution*]{} of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) on a finite time interval $(0,T)$ to be a nonnegative function $u\in L^2\bigl((0,T), H^2(\Omega)\bigr)$ that satisfies $$\label{eq:BF-strong}
\int_0^T\int_\Omega
\Bigl\{ u\phi_t - (u_{xx} + \alpha^2\,u
+ \cos x)\bigl(u^n\phi_x\bigr)_x
\Bigr\}\, dx dt = 0$$ for every smooth test function $\phi$ with compact support in $(0,T)\times \Omega$. Such solutions are believed to be unique. We will consider strong solutions that exist for all $t>0$ and satisfy additional bounds on the energy and entropy (see Section \[sec:conv\]). In particular, these solutions are almost everywhere strictly positive.
Our main results concern the convergence of solutions to steady states. We start from the [*energy*]{} for Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]), given by $$\label{eq:def-E}
\label{EF} E(u) = \frac{1}{2} \int_\Omega
\bigl(u_x^2 - \alpha^2 u^2\bigr)\, dx
- \int_\Omega u\,\cos x\,dx\, ,$$ where the first integral accounts for the surface tension, and the second integral for the gravitational potential energy. Formally, the energy decreases according to $\frac{dE(u)}{dt} = - D(u)$, where $$\label{eq:def-D}
D(u) = \int_{\{u>0\}} u^n \bigl(u_{xxx} +\alpha^2u_x
-\sin x\bigr)^2\, dx$$ is the [*dissipation*]{} associated with Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]).
Note that the energy is not convex for $\alpha>1$, and not bounded below in $H^1$ for $\alpha\ge 1$. Nevertheless, we show in Section \[sec:min\] that for every choice of $\alpha>0$ the energy has a unique minimizer among [*nonnegative*]{} $H^1$-functions of a given mass $M$. We denote this minimizer by $u^*$. The shape of $u^*$ (depending on $\alpha$ and the mass) is described precisely in Theorem \[thm:min\]. The minimization problem is complicated by the fact that the minimizers can have dry regions, where the Euler-Lagrange equation is weakened to an inequality. We combine a careful analysis of the variational inequality with symmetrization techniques.
In Section \[sec:steady\], we show that $u^*$ is the unique steady state of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) with zero dissipation when $\alpha\le 1$. For $\alpha>1$, we find also saddle points, as well as a continuum of two-droplet steady states that are not critical points for the energy in $L^2$. Since the definition of strong solutions forces steady states to meet any dry spot at a zero contact angle, Theorem \[thm:min\] implies in particular that such steady states exist if $M(1-\alpha^2)\le 2\pi$. For each value of $\alpha$ and $M$, there is also a continuum of time-independent solutions of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) with compact support and positive contact angles, which are analogous to the steady states in [@LaugPugh]. Their role in the long-term evolution of positive solutions remains open.
Section \[sec:conv\] contains the main convergence result, Theorem \[thm:conv\]. We show that the energy minimizer $u^*$ is a dynamically stable, locally attractive steady state of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]). For $\alpha\le 1$, we show that all solutions that satisfy certain energy and entropy inequalities converge to $u^*$. For $\alpha>1$, the convergence holds on a sub-level set of the energy that contains no other strong steady states.
The entropy methods of [@B2; @BertPugh1996; @CT; @CU; @Tudorascu] do not apply to Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]), because the entropy can increase as well as decrease along solutions. For steady states with dry regions, the entropy is not even finite. We combine Lyapunov’s method with a linear bound on the growth of the entropy to produce a sequence of times along which the solution converges weakly to a steady state, using a recent argument of [@Cheung-Chou]. We pass to convergence in norm along the full solution by proving a local coercivity estimate on the energy near the minimizer (which becomes global for $\alpha\le 1$).
Finally, in Section \[sec:rate\], we turn to the rate of convergence. We show that convergence to the steady state is exponential whenever $u^*$ is strictly positive. This extends the results of [@B2; @BertPugh1996; @Tudorascu] to examples where the steady state is non-constant (but note that our proof uses energy in place of entropy). When $u^*$ has a dry region and $n>\frac{3}{2}$, we show that solutions cannot approach it faster than a power law $\sim t^{-\frac{2}{2n-3}}$. In the proof, we show that Kadanoff’s entropy $S_{n-\frac{3}{2}}$ grows at most linearly.
All our results are easily adapted to the long-wave stable case of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) where the $\alpha^2 \partial_x [u^n \partial_x u]$ term appears with the opposite sign (see [@B15]). There, the energy-minimizing steady state is dynamically stable and attracts all solutions of finite entropy. It is strictly positive and exponentially attractive so long as $M(1+\alpha^2)>2\pi$. Otherwise, the rate of convergence is limited by a power-law, at least when $n> \frac{3}{2}$. For $M(1+\alpha^2)=2\pi$, the minimizer has a touchdown zero, and for $M(1+\alpha^2)<2\pi$, it has the shape of a droplet with zero contact angles.
This work was partially supported by NSERC though a Discovery grant (A.B., B.S.) and a postdoctoral fellowship (M.C.). We thank Victor Ivrii, Mary Pugh, and Roman Taranets for stimulating discussions, and Rick Laugesen and Vladislav Vasil’evich Pukhnachev for valuable comments on an early version of the manuscript.
Energy minimizers {#sec:min}
=================
In this section, we study the energy landscape over the space of nonnegative functions of a given mass, $${\cal C}_M=\Bigl\{u\in L^2(\Omega)\mid u\ge 0, \int_\Omega u(x)\,
dx=M
\Bigr\}\,.$$ We use two topologies on this space, the usual $L^2$-distance $||u-v||_2$, and the $H^1$-topology, with distance function $$d_{H^1}(u,v) = ||u_x-v_x||_2\,,\quad u,v\in {\cal C}_M\,.$$ Since $u$ and $v$ have the same mass, their difference has mean zero, and this distance is equivalent to the usual $H^1$-distance. It is clear from Eq. (\[eq:def-E\]) that the energy is continuous in $H^1$. By convention, $E(u)=\infty$ if $u\not\in H^1$.
For $\alpha<1$, $E$ is a positive definite quadratic form, and hence strictly convex. This can be seen either from the Wirtinger inequality (see, for example, [@Dac p. 61]), or by writing the energy in terms of the Fourier series of $u$ as $$E(u)=\pi\sum_{p\in\ZZ\setminus{0}} (p^2-\alpha^2)|\hat u(p)|^2
-\alpha^2\frac{M^2}{2\pi}- \pi(\hat u(1)+\hat u(-1))\,.$$ For $\alpha=1$, the energy is convex, but not strictly convex on ${\cal C}_M$, because its Fourier expansion depends linearly on $\hat u(\pm 1)$. For $\alpha>1$, convexity is lost.
We will show that the energy has a unique minimizer on ${\cal C}_M$, and describe its profile. Our first lemma shows that a minimizer exists.
\[Existence of minimizers.\] \[lem:energy-bound\] For every $M< \infty$, $E$ attains its minimum on ${\cal C}_M$.
Let $u\in {\cal C}_M$. Since $u$ is nonnegative and has mean $\frac{M}{2\pi}$, it satisfies $$\int_{\Omega} u^2 dx \le M \,\|u \|_{L^{\infty}}\,, \quad
||u||_{L^\infty} \le \frac{M}{2\pi} +
\sqrt{\pi}||u_x||_{L^2}\,.$$ Inserting these estimates into the functional, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\nonumber E(u)
&\ge& \frac{1}{2}\Bigl( ||u_x||_{L^2} -
\frac{\alpha^2M\sqrt{\pi}}{2}\Bigr)^2
- \frac{\alpha^4\pi}{8} M^2 - \Bigl(1+\frac{\alpha^2}{4\pi}\Bigr)M\,,
\label{eq:energy-bound}\end{aligned}$$ which shows that $E$ is bounded below on ${\cal C}_M$.
Consider a minimizing sequence $\{u_j\}_{j\ge 1}$. By Eq. (\[eq:energy-bound\]), the sequence is bounded in $H^1$. We invoke the Rellich lemma and pass to a subsequence (again denoted by $\{u_j\}$) that converges weakly in $H^1$ and strongly in $L^2$ to some function $u^*$ in ${\cal C}_M$. Since $E$ is weakly lower semicontinuous on $H^1$, we have $$\inf_{u\in {\cal C}_M}E(u)
\le E(u^*)
\le \lim_{j\to\infty} E(u_j)\le
\inf_{u\in {\cal C}_M} E(u) \,,$$ and conclude that $E$ attains its minimum at $u^*$.
The Euler-Lagrange equation for $E$ under the mass constraint is given by $$\label{eq:EL}
u_{xx} +\alpha^2 u +\cos x = \lambda \,,$$ where $\lambda$ is a Lagrange multiplier. We need to incorporate also the positivity constraint. If $u\in {\cal C}_M$, we decompose $\Omega$ according to the value of $u$ into the positivity set and the zero set of $u$, defined by $$P(u)=\{ x\in\Omega \mid u(x)>0\}\,,
\quad
Z(u)=\{ x\in\Omega \mid u(x)=0\}\,.$$
\[lem:EL\] If $u^*$ minimizes $E$ on ${\cal C}_M$, then it solves (\[eq:EL\]) on $P(u^*)$. The Lagrange multiplier is positive and satisfies $\lambda \ge \sup \bigl\{ \cos x\mid x\in Z(u^*)\bigr\}$. Furthermore, $u^*$ is of class ${\cal C}^{1,1}$, and $u^*_x=0$ on $\partial P(u^*)$.
Let $\phi$ be a smooth $2\pi$-periodic test function, and set $$u^\eps= \frac{M}{M^\eps} (u^*+\eps\phi)\,,
\quad M^\eps=\int_\Omega \bigl(u^*+\eps\phi\bigr)\, dx\,.$$ We compute the first variation of $E$ about $u^*$ as $$\frac{d}{d\eps} E(u^\eps) \Big\vert_{\eps=0}
= \int_\Omega
\bigl( u^*_x\phi_x -\alpha^2 u^*\phi - \phi\cos x
+\lambda \phi \bigr) \, dx\,,$$ where $$\lambda=-\frac{1}{M}\Bigl(2E(u^*) +\int_\Omega u^*\cos x\, dx\Bigr)\,.$$ Let $\phi$ be a smooth test function supported in $P(u)$, and set $$\eps^0=
\left(\max_{x\in {\rm supp}\phi} \frac{|\phi(x)|}{u^*(x)}\right)^{-1}>0\,.$$ By construction, $u^\eps(x)\ge 0$ for $|\eps|\le \eps_0$, and therefore the first variation of $E$ along $u^\eps$ must vanish. Since this holds for every smooth test function supported on $P(u^*)$, the Euler-Lagrange equation holds there.
Similarly, the first variation is nonnegative for every nonnegative test function $\phi$, because positive values of $\eps$ yield admissible competitors $u^\eps$ on ${\cal C}_M$. This means that $u^*$ satisfies the variational inequality $$u_{xx} +\alpha^2 u + \cos x \le \lambda \quad \
\mbox{on}\ \Omega$$ in the sense of distributions. Taking $\phi\equiv 1$, we that $\lambda\ge \alpha^2 \frac{M}{2\pi}>0$, and by considering nonnegative test functions supported on $Z(u^*)$, we obtain the claimed inequality for $\lambda$.
To see that the contact angles are zero, assume that $u^*(\tau)=0$. The variational inequality implies that $u^*(x)- \frac{\lambda+1}{2}(x-\tau)^2$ is concave in $x$. In particular, the graph of $u^*$ lies below a support line at $x=\tau$. Solving for $u^*(x)$, we see that $$0 \le u^*(x)\le \frac{\lambda+1}{2}(x-\tau)^2 + b(x-\tau)\,,$$ where $b$ is the slope of the support line. It follows that $b=0$, and $u^*$ is differentiable at $\tau$ with $u^*_x(\tau)=0$.
Our next goal is to determine the minimizers of $E$ on ${\cal C}_M$ explicitly. At first sight, this appears to be a simple matter of minimizing over the two free parameters in the general solution of the Euler-Lagrange equation. This solution is given by $$\label{eq:EL-sol}
u(x) = \frac{\lambda}{\alpha^2} + u^0(x) +
A\cos(\alpha x) + B \sin(\alpha x) \,,$$ where $$\label{eq:u-part}
u^0(x)=
\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
-\frac{1}{2} x \sin x\,,\quad & \alpha=1\,,\\[0.1cm]
\frac{1}{1-\alpha^2} \cos x\,, \quad &
\alpha\ne 1\,.
\end{array}\right.$$ A moment’s consideration shows that the minimizer cannot be a strictly positive function given by Eq. (\[eq:EL-sol\]), unless $A=B=0$ and $M>\frac{2\pi}{|1-\alpha^2|}$ (in which case $\lambda=\frac{M\alpha^2}{2\pi}$). If $u$ vanishes somewhere in $\Omega$, then $\lambda$ depends implicitly on $M$ through a nonlinear equation. The number of components of the positivity set is another unknown, the constants $A$ and $B$ may differ from component to component, and the contact points that form the boundary of the positivity set contribute additional free parameters.
We reduce the number of parameters by observing that minimizers of $E$ on ${\cal C}_M$ are necessarily symmetric decreasing on $[-\pi,\pi]$ about $x=0$. To see this, let $u^\#$ be the symmetric decreasing rearrangement of $u$ [@LL Section 3.3]. By definition, each sub-level set $\{x\in\Omega \mid u^\#(x)>s\}$ is an open interval centered at $x=0$ that has the same measure as the corresponding set $\{x\in \Omega \mid u(x)>s\}$. Classical results ensure that $u^\#\in {\cal C}_M$, and that $$\label{eq:rearrange}
||u^\#||_{L^2}=||u||_{L^2}\,,\quad ||u^\#_x||_{L^2}\le
||u_x||_{L^2}\,,\quad \int_\Omega u^\# \cos x \, dx
\ge \int_\Omega u \cos x\, dx \,,$$ see [@Kawohl; @PSz]. It follows that $$E(u^\#)\le E(u)\,.$$ If $u$ is a minimizer, then $E(u^\#)=E(u)$, and in particular, the last inequality in (\[eq:rearrange\]) must hold with equality. Since the cosine is strictly symmetric decreasing, this forces $u$ to be symmetric decreasing as well [@LL Theorem 3.4].
It is now easy to determine the minimizer by solving the Euler-Lagrange equation with zero contact angle boundary conditions on a symmetric interval $(-\tau,\tau)$. The remaining three parameters are the coefficient $A$, the Lagrange multiplier $\lambda$, and the contact point $\tau$. The next lemma will be used to show that the positivity set of a minimizer grows with its mass.
\[One-sided derivatives.\] \[lem:one-sided\] Assume that $u^*$ minimizes the energy on ${\cal C}_M$. If $P(u^*)=(-\tau,\tau)$ for some $\tau\in (0,\pi]$, then $u^*_{xx}(\tau_-)>0$ and $\lambda>\cos\tau$.
Since $u^*$ satisfies the Euler-Lagrange equation by Lemma \[lem:EL\], it has bounded derivatives of all orders on $(-\tau,\tau)$. We analyze the sign of the first non-vanishing one-sided derivative of $u^*$. By symmetry, it suffices to consider the right endpoint at $x=\tau$. The positivity of $u^*$ implies that $u^*_{xx}(\tau_-)\ge 0$.
Suppose that $u^*_{xx}(\tau_-)=0$, then $u^*_{xxx}(\tau_-)\le 0$. On the other hand, by differentiating Eq. (\[eq:EL\]), we obtain $u^*_{xxx}(\tau_-)=\sin\tau\ge 0$. This leaves only the possibility that $\tau=\pi$. Differentiating once more, we obtain $u^*_{xxxx}(\pi_-)=-1$, which is the wrong sign for $u^*$ to have a minimum at $\pi$. It follows that $u^*_{xx}(\tau_-)>0$. The claimed inequality for $\lambda$ follows from Eq. (\[eq:EL\]).
The following theorem summarizes our results, see Figure 3.
\[fig:mass-tau\]
![The energy minimizer for $\alpha=0.5, 1, 2$ with initial data $u_0=3$ ([*left*]{}). Mass versus contact point for $\alpha = 2, 1, 0.5$ ([*right*]{}).](pic5m.eps "fig:"){height="5.5cm"} ![The energy minimizer for $\alpha=0.5, 1, 2$ with initial data $u_0=3$ ([*left*]{}). Mass versus contact point for $\alpha = 2, 1, 0.5$ ([*right*]{}).](mass-tau.eps "fig:"){height="5.5cm"}
\[thm:min\] Let $E$ be the energy functional in Eq. (\[eq:def-E\]) for some $\alpha > 0$. For each $M>0$, $E$ has a unique nonnegative minimizer of mass $M$. The minimizer is strictly symmetric decreasing on its positivity set. It depends continuously on $M$ in ${\cal C}^{1,1}$, and increases pointwise with $M$ in the sense that for any pair of minimizers $u_1^*,u_2^*$ of mass $M_1,M_2$, $$M_1< M_2\ \Longrightarrow\ u_1^*(x)< u_2^*(x)\,, \quad
x\in P(u_1^*)\,.$$ If $\alpha<1$ and $M(1-\alpha^2)>2\pi$, then the minimizer is strictly positive and given by $$\label{eq:u-positive}
u^*(x)=\frac{M}{2\pi} + \frac{1}{1-\alpha^2}\cos x\,,
\quad x\in \Omega\,.$$ Otherwise, it is given by $$\label{eq:u}
u^*(x) = u^0(x) + A\cos(\alpha x)-
u^0(\tau)- A \cos(\alpha\tau)\,,\quad |x|<\tau$$ and vanishes elsewhere. Here, $\tau$ is a smooth increasing function of $M$ with $\tau\cdot \max\{\alpha,1\}<\pi$, the function $u^0$ is given by Eq. (\[eq:u-part\]), and $A=\frac{u^0_x (\tau)}{\alpha\sin(\alpha\tau)}$.
Fix $\alpha> 0$ and $M>0$. By Lemma \[lem:energy-bound\], there exists a minimizer $u^*$ of mass $M$. If $u^*$ is strictly positive, then Eq. (\[eq:EL-sol\]) holds for all $x\in\Omega$. Since positive minimizers are symmetric about $x=0$, smooth, periodic, and have mass $M$, we conclude that $\alpha<1$ and Eq. (\[eq:u-positive\]) holds. In order for $u^*$ to be nonnegative and symmetric decreasing we must have $M(1-\alpha^2)\ge 2\pi$. In that region, $u^*$ is clearly strictly increasing in $M$.
If, on the other hand, the positivity constraint is active, then $u^*$ is symmetric decreasing on some interval $(-\tau,\tau)$ and vanishes for $|x|\ge \tau$. By Lemma \[lem:EL\], $u^*\in
{\cal C}^{1,1}(\Omega)$ and $u^*_x(\pm\tau)=0$. On $(-\tau,\tau)$, $u^*$ is given by Eq. (\[eq:EL-sol\]). Since $u^*$ and $u^0$ are even, $B=0$. The Dirichlet condition at $\tau$ yields $$\lambda=-\alpha^2\bigl(A\cos(\alpha\tau)+u^0(\tau)\bigr)\,,$$ the Neumann condition determines $A$, and we find that Eq. (\[eq:u\]) holds. We denote this function by $u^*(x;\tau)$. If $\tau\cdot \max\{\alpha,1\}<\pi$, we claim that $u^*(x:\tau)$ is indeed nonnegative, symmetric decreasing in $x$, and strictly increasing with $\tau$. To see this, we differentiate Eq. (\[eq:u\]), and use that $u_x^*(\tau;\tau)=0$ to obtain $$\frac{dA}{d\tau}\cdot \alpha\sin\alpha\tau = -
u^*_{x\tau}(\tau;\tau)= u^*_{xx}(\tau;\tau)>0\,.$$ By the chain rule, and using once more that $u^*_x(\tau;\tau)=0$, we have $$u^*_\tau (x;\tau) = \frac{dA}{d\tau} \cdot \bigl( \cos(\alpha
x)-\cos(\alpha\tau) \bigr)>0 \quad\mbox{for}\ |x|<\tau\,.$$ Since $u^*$ vanishes identically when $\tau=0$, this confirms that it is positive and strictly symmetric decreasing for $|x|<\tau$.
The mass of $u^*$ is given by $M(\tau)=\int_{-\tau}^\tau u^*(x;\tau)\, dx$. We use that $u^*_x(\tau;\tau)=0$ to compute $$\frac{dM}{d\tau} = \frac{dA}{d\tau}\int_{-\tau}^\tau
\bigl(\cos(\alpha x)-\cos(\alpha\tau)\bigr)\,dx>0\,,$$ and infer that we can solve for $\tau=\tau(M)$ as a strictly increasing smooth function of $M$. By the chain rule and the inverse function theorem, $$\frac{d}{d M} u^*(x;\tau(M)) = \frac{\cos(\alpha x)-
\cos(\alpha\tau)}{ \int_{-\tau}^\tau
\bigl(\cos(\alpha x')- \cos(\alpha\tau)\bigr)\, dx'}
>0 \,.$$
It remains to determine the ranges where Eq. (\[eq:u-positive\]) and (\[eq:u\]) hold. For $\alpha<1$, the energy minimizer on ${\cal C}_M$ is unique by the strict convexity of $E$. If $M\ge \frac{2\pi }{1-\alpha^2}$, the minimizer is given by Eq. (\[eq:u-positive\]). For smaller values of the mass, we use instead Eq. (\[eq:u\]), and compute that $M\to 0$ as $\tau\to 0$ and $M\to \frac{2\pi}{1-\alpha^2}$ as $\tau\to \pi_-$. Continuous dependence on $M$ follows, since Eq. (\[eq:u\]) agrees with Eq (\[eq:u-positive\]) at $M=\frac{2\pi}{1-\alpha^2}$.
When $\alpha \ge 1$, the positivity constraint is always active, because $E$ is not bounded below without it. Therefore, the minimizer is given by Eq. (\[eq:u\]) on some interval $(-\tau,\tau)$. For $\alpha=1$, we must have $\tau<\pi$, because the particular solution $u^0( x )= -\frac{1}{2}x\sin x$ from Eq. (\[eq:u-part\]) cannot be continued as a differentiable $2\pi$-periodic function across $x=\pi$, in violation of Lemma \[lem:EL\]. It is easy to check from Eq. (\[eq:u\]) that $M\to 0$ as $\tau\to 0$ and $M\to\infty$ as $\tau\to \pi$. For $\alpha>1$, we have that necessarily $\alpha\tau<1$, since otherwise the function defined by Eq. (\[eq:u\]) fails to be symmetric decreasing. Since $M\to 0$ as $\tau\to 0$ and $M\to\infty$ as $\tau
\to \alpha^{-1}\pi$, the theorem follows.
Steady states {#sec:steady}
=============
In this section, we investigate the relationship between steady states of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) and critical points of the energy in Eq. (\[eq:def-E\]). For $\alpha\le 1$ and $n\ge 1$, we will show that the global minimizer $u^*$ determined in Theorem \[thm:min\] is the unique point in ${\cal C}_M$ where the energy dissipation defined in Eq. (\[eq:def-D\]) vanishes, but for $\alpha>1$ there are additional steady states. We start with some definitions.
*Let $u\in {\cal C}_M$ such that $E(u)<\infty$, and let $P(u)$ be its positivity set.*
- $u\in H^2(\Omega)$ is a [*strong steady state*]{} of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) if for every smooth $2\pi$-periodic test function $\phi$ $$\int_\Omega \bigl(u_{xx} + \alpha^2\,u +
\cos x\bigr)\cdot \bigl(u^n\phi_x\bigr)_x \, dx = 0\,;$$
- $u$ is an [*$L^2$-critical point*]{} of the energy on ${\cal C}_M$ if every differentiable curve $\gamma: (-\eps_0,\eps_0)\to {\cal C}_M$ in $L^2$ with $\gamma(0)=u$ satisfies $$E(\gamma(\eps)) \ge E(u) - o\bigl(||\gamma(\eps)-u||_{L^2}\bigr)\,,
\quad \mbox{as}\ \eps \to 0\,.$$
Strong steady states are time-independent strong solutions in the sense of Eq. (\[eq:BF-strong\]). As elements of $H^2$, they are of class ${\cal C}^{1,1}$ and meet dry regions with zero contact angles. The reason why we define critical points in the $L^2$-topology rather than in $H^1$ is that the boundary of ${\cal C}_M$ in $H^1$, which consist of nonnegative functions of mass $M$ that vanish at some point on $\Omega$, contains many curves that are differentiable in $L^2$ but not in $H^1$. By analogy with the subdifferential in convex analysis, we ask only for a lower bound on the energy difference because $E$ is lower semicontinuous, but not continuous, on ${\cal C}_M$ with the $L^2$-norm.
The following two lemmas relate these notions to the Euler-Lagrange equation.
\[lem:steady\] Let $u\in {\cal C}_M$, and define the dissipation $D(u)$ by Eq. (\[eq:def-D\]). If either
- $u$ satisfies Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on each component $C$ of $P(u)$ with a constant $\lambda =\lambda(C)$ and with $u=u_x=0$ on $\partial C$,
or, equivalently,
- $u\in H^3_{loc} (P(u))\cap H^2(\Omega)$ with $u=u_x=0$ on $\partial P(u)$ and $D(u)=0$,
then $u$ is a strong steady state.
We first prove the equivalence of the two conditions. Assume that $u\in {\cal C}_M$ satisfies Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on each component of $P(u)$. Since $u_{xxx}=-\alpha^2u_x+\sin x\in H^1(P(u))$, it follows that $u\in H^3_{loc}(P(u))\cap H^2(\Omega)$, and $D$ vanishes. Conversely, if $D(u)=0$ then $u_{xxx} +\alpha^2 u_x-\sin x$ vanishes in $L^2_{loc}(P(u))$. This means that $u_{xx} +\alpha^2 u+ \cos x$ is locally constant on $P(u)$, i.e., $u$ satisfies Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on each component $C$ of $P(u)$ with a constant $\lambda =\lambda(C)$.
Let $\{C_j\}$ be the collection of connected components of $P(u)$. If $u$ solves Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on each $C_j$ with some constant $\lambda_j$ and $\phi$ is a smooth $2\pi$-periodic test function, then $$\Big\vert
\int_{P(u)} (u_{xx} +\alpha^2 u +\cos x)\cdot
(u^n\phi_x)_x\, dx\Big\vert
\le \sum_{j} \Big\vert
\int_{C_j} \lambda_j \cdot (u^n\phi_x)_x \, dx\Big\vert
= 0\,,$$ showing that $u$ is a strong steady state.
Although strong solutions need not be regular enough to justify differentiating the energy, for $n\ge 1$ it is not hard to show (by arguments analogous to [@GS Lemmas 1 and 2]) that the dissipation vanishes in all strong steady states of Eq. (\[eq:def-D\]). The next lemma generalizes the description of the minimizers in Lemma \[lem:EL\].
\[Characterization of critical points.\] \[lem:critical\] A function $u\in {\cal C}_M$ is an $L^2$-critical point of the energy if and only if there exists a $\lambda\in\RR$ such that $u$ solves the Euler-Lagrange equation (\[eq:EL\]) with this value of $\lambda$ on every component of $P(u)$ and $u=u_x=0$ on $\partial P(u)$.
Suppose that $u\in {\cal C}_M$ solves Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on $P(u)$, and that $u=u_x=0$ on $\partial P(u)$. For $v\in {\cal C}_M$, we compute the directional derivative $$\begin{aligned}
\frac{d}{ds}
E((1-s)u + sv) \Big\vert_{s=0^+}
&=& \int_\Omega \bigl\{ u_{x}\cdot (v-u)_x -
(\alpha^2 u +\cos x)\cdot (v-u)\bigr\}
\, dx\\
&=&- \int_{P(u)} \lambda \cdot (v-u)\, dx -
\int_{Z(u)} \cos x \cdot (v-u)\, dx\\
&=& \int_{Z(u)} v\cdot(\lambda-\cos x) \,dx\,.\end{aligned}$$ Since $E$ agrees with its second order Taylor expansion about $u$, it can be written as $$\label{eq:Taylor}
E(v)= E(u) + \int_{Z(u)} \!\! v\cdot (\lambda\!-\!\cos x)\, dx
+ \frac{1}{2} \int_{\Omega} \!
\bigl\{(v_x\!-\!u_x)^2-\alpha^2 (v\!-\!u)^2\bigr\}\, dx\,.$$ Let $\gamma:(-\eps_0,\eps_0)\to {\cal C}_M$ be a differentiable curve through $u$ in $L^2$. Writing $\gamma(\eps)=u + \eps\gamma'(\eps) + o(\eps)$ in $L^2$, we see that the nonnegativity of $\gamma(\eps)$ implies that $\gamma'(\eps)$ vanishes almost everywhere on the zero set $Z(u)$. By Eq. (\[eq:Taylor\]), $$E(\gamma(\eps)) - E(u) \ge \int_{Z(u)} \gamma(\eps)
\cdot (\lambda-\cos x)\, dx
- \frac{1}{2} \int_{\Omega}
\alpha^2 (\gamma(\eps)-u)^2\, dx = o(\eps)\,,$$ showing that $u$ is an $L^2$-critical point.
Conversely, assume that $u$ is an $L^2$-critical point. By considering $\gamma(\eps)=\frac{M}{M^\eps}(u+\eps\phi)$, where $\phi$ is a smooth function with support in $P(u)$, we see that $u$ satisfies the Euler-Lagrange equation on $P(u)$. Since $u\in H^1$, it is continuous and vanishes on $\partial P(u)$. We need to show that $u_x$ also vanishes on $\partial P(u)$.
Consider a connected component $C$ of $P(u)$, and let $\ell$ be its length. By Rolle’s theorem, $u_x$ vanishes somewhere on $C$, and by the Euler-Lagrange equation, $\sup_{C} |u_x| \le \ell \cdot (\lambda+1+||u||_\infty)$. In particular, $u$ is Lipschitz continuous on $\Omega$. We claim that $u$ has one-sided derivatives at every point $\tau$ with $u(\tau)=0$. If $\tau$ is the limit of an increasing sequence of zeroes of $u$, then it follows from the above estimate that $u_x(\tau_-)=0$. Otherwise, if $\tau$ lies on the right boundary of a component $C$, its left derivative exists because $u$ solves the Euler-Lagrange equation on $C$. Similarly, $u_x(\tau_+)$ exists, and vanishes unless $\tau$ is the left endpoint of a component of $P(u)$.
Let $\phi$ be a smooth test function on $\Omega$, and consider variations of the form $$u^\eps(x)= \frac{M}{M^\eps} u (x + \eps\phi(x))\,,
\qquad M^\eps = \int_\Omega u(x +\eps\phi(x))\, dx\,.$$ Since $u\in H^1$, the curve $\gamma:u\mapsto u^\eps$ is differentiable in $L^2$ with $\gamma'(0)=\phi u_x$. We compute with the chain rule $$\frac{d}{d\eps} E(u^\eps)\Big\vert_{\eps=0}
= \int_\Omega \phi_x \cdot\Bigl(
\frac{1}{2} u_x^2 +\frac{1}{2} \alpha^2 u^2 + u\cos x\Bigr)\, dx
- \int_\Omega \phi u \sin x\, dx -\lambda \frac{d}{d\eps}
M^\eps \Big\vert_{\eps=0}\,,$$ where $$\lambda= - \frac{1}{M} \Bigl(2 E(u) + \int_\Omega u\cos x\,dx\Bigr)\,,
\quad
\frac{d}{d\eps} M^\eps\Big\vert_{\eps=0} = \int_\Omega \phi u_x \,.$$ Setting the first variation equal to zero yields the (weak) Beltrami identity associated with Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) (see, for example [@Dac Theorem 2.8]). We next write $P(u)$ as the union of its connected components $C_j$ and integrate the first integral by parts on each component. (The number of components may be finite or countable.) Using that $u$ satisfies Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) and vanishes on $\partial P(u)$, we obtain $$\frac{d}{d\eps} E(u^\eps)\Big\vert_{\eps=0}
= \frac{1}{2} \sum_j \phi u_x^2 \Big\vert_{\partial C_j}\,.$$ Since $u$ is an $L^2$-critical point, this expression vanishes for every smooth function $\phi$ on $\Omega$. By concentrating $\phi$ at one point $\tau\in \partial P(u)$, we conclude that $|u_x(\tau_-)|=|u_x(\tau_+)|$.
It remains to show that $u_x(\tau_+)=0$. Suppose for the contrary that $u_x(\tau_+)=-u_x(\tau_-)= a>0$. Then $\tau$ is the common boundary point of two components of $P(u)$. Let $I$ be an open interval that contains $\tau$ but no other zeroes of $u$, and consider the variation $$u^\eps(x)=
\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\frac{M}{M^\eps}
\psi^\eps(u(x))\,,\quad &x\in I\,,\\[0.2cm]
\frac{M}{M^\eps} u(x)\,, & \mbox{otherwise}\,,
\end{array}\right.
\qquad M^\eps= \int_{I^c} u(x)\, dx +
\int_I \psi^\eps(u(x))\, dx\,,$$ where $\eps < \min_{x \in \partial I} u(x)$, and $\psi^\eps$ is defined for $y\in [0,\infty)$ by $$\psi^\eps(y) =
\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
y\,, & y\ge |\eps|\,,\\
\eps\,,\quad &\eps> 0, \, y\le\eps, \\
\max\{2y +\eps,0\} \,, \quad & \eps < 0, \, y\le -\eps\,.
\end{array}
\right.$$ Then $\gamma: \eps\mapsto u^\eps$ defines a curve in ${\cal C}_M$ that is differentiable in $L^2$ with $\gamma(0)=u$, and we have $$\gamma'(0)=0\,,\quad
\frac{d}{d\eps} E(\gamma(\eps))\Big\vert_{\eps=0}
= \frac{a}{2}\,,$$ contradicting the assumption that $u$ is an $L^2$-critical point.
Combining Lemma \[lem:steady\] with Lemma \[lem:critical\], we see that the profile of a steady state where the dissipation vanishes is the sum of profiles of critical points of the energy whose supports are mutually disjoint. We next show that all these profiles are symmetric.
\[Symmetry.\] \[lem:symmetry\] If $u$ is a positive solution of Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on some interval $C$ with boundary values $u=u_x=0$, then it is symmetric about $x=0$.
Let $u$ be a positive solution of Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) on $C=(\tau_1,\tau_2)$. Then $u$ is given by Eq. (\[eq:EL-sol\]). For $\alpha =1$, the boundary conditions $u(\tau_j)=u_x(\tau_j)=0$ read $$\begin{aligned}
A \cos(\tau_j) + B \sin(\tau_j) +
\lambda - \frac{1}{2} x \sin(\tau_j) &=& 0\,,\\
-A \sin(\tau_j) + B \cos(\tau_j) - \frac{1}{2} \sin(\tau_j) -
\frac{1}{2} x \cos(\tau_j)&=& 0\,.\end{aligned}$$ After eliminating $B$, we see that $\cos\tau_j$ for $j=1,2$ both solve the quadratic equation $$\label{eq:quadratic}
x^2 -2\lambda x -c=0\,,$$ where the constant $c$ is determined by and $A$ and $\lambda$. For $\alpha\ne 1$, the boundary conditions can be expressed in the single complex equation $$e^{-i\alpha\tau_j}(A+iB) =
-\frac{\lambda}{\alpha^2} - \frac{1}{1 - \alpha^2} \cos(\tau_j)
+ \frac{i}{\alpha(1 - \alpha^2)} \sin(\tau_j)\,.$$ By considering the square modulus $A^2+B^2$, we see again that $\cos \tau_j$ for $j=1,2$ both solve the quadratic equation Eq. (\[eq:quadratic\]), with a constant that depends on $A$, $B$, $\alpha$, and $\lambda$.
By Vieta’s theorem, the two roots of Eq. (\[eq:quadratic\]) add up to $2\lambda$. Since $\lambda\ge\cos\tau_j$ by Lemma \[lem:EL\], we conclude that $\cos \tau_1= \cos\tau_2$. This leaves two scenarios: The first is that $C=(-\tau,\tau)$ for some $\tau\in (0,\pi)$, and $u$ is given by Eq. (\[eq:u\]). The other scenario is that $C=\Omega\setminus [-\tau,\tau]$ for some $\tau\in [0,\pi)$, and $u$ is the $2\pi$-periodic continuation of $$\label{eq:u-saddle}
u(x) = u^0(x) + A\cos(\alpha(x+\pi))-
u^0(\tau)- A \cos(\alpha(\tau+\pi))\,,\quad \tau<x<2\pi-\tau\,,$$ with coefficient $A(\tau)=\frac{u^0_x(\tau)}{\alpha \sin(\alpha(\pi+\tau))}$. In both cases, $u$ is symmetric about $x=0$.
\[fig:types\]
We conclude from Lemmas \[lem:steady\]-\[lem:symmetry\] that Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) has four types of strong steady states with zero dissipation, see Figure 4. The first three are $L^2$-critical points of the energy, but the last generally is not. While critical points are typically isolated, the fourth type of steady states can form a one-parameter continuum in ${\cal C}_M$.
- [*Smooth films*]{} are positive except possibly for touchdown zeroes. They occur as energy minimizers if $\alpha<1$ with $M(1-\alpha^2)\ge 2\pi$, and as saddle points if $\alpha>1$ with $M(\alpha^2-1)\ge 2\pi$. If $\alpha$ is not an integer, they are symmetric about $x=0$ and given by Eq. (\[eq:u-positive\]). If $\alpha$ is an integer $k>1$ and $M(k^2-1)>2\pi$, there are also non-symmetric solutions of the form $$u(x)= \frac{M}{2\pi} - \frac{1}{k^2-1} \cos{x}
+ A\cos{k x} + B\sin{kx}\,$$ with $A$ and $B$ small enough.
- [*Hanging drops*]{} are given by Eq. (\[eq:u\]) on an interval $(-\tau,\tau)$ with $0<\tau<\pi$, and have a dry region at the top of the cylinder. Among them are the energy minimizers for $\alpha<1$ with $M(1-\alpha^2)<2\pi$, as well as for $\alpha\ge 1$.
The other two types occur only for $\alpha>1$:
- [*Sitting drops*]{} are given by Eq. (\[eq:u-saddle\]) on an interval $(\tau, 2\pi-\tau)$ with $0<\tau<\pi$, and have a dry region at the bottom. They are $L^2$-critical points, but never minimizers of the energy.
- [*Two-droplet steady states*]{} are the sum of a hanging and a sitting drop whose positivity sets are disjoint. They do not correspond to $L^2$-critical points of the energy unless the value of $\lambda$ from Eq. (\[eq:EL\]) agrees in the two droplets.
The next theorem is illustrated in Figure 5.
\[thm:unique\] Let $M>0$ and $\alpha>0$ be given. If $\alpha\le 1$, then the global minimizer $u^*$ is the unique strong steady state of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) on ${\cal C}_M$ with zero dissipation. For $\alpha>1$, there exists for each $M>0$ an energy level $E_1> E(u^*)$ such that $u^*$ is the unique strong steady state with zero dissipation in the sub-level set $\{u\in {\cal C}_M\mid E(u)<E_1\}$.
By Lemmas \[lem:steady\]-\[lem:symmetry\], every strong steady state where the dissipation vanishes is the sum of one or two critical points with disjoint positivity sets. For $\alpha\le 1$, the convexity of the energy implies that the unique minimizer $u^*$ (determined in Theorem \[thm:min\]) is the unique critical point. For $\alpha>1$, we use that the minimizer is unique and given by a hanging drop, and then use Lemma \[lem:symmetry\] to see that it is isolated within the set of steady states with zero dissipation.
Convergence to equilibrium {#sec:conv}
==========================
In this section we will prove our main result, that global strong solutions of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) with $\alpha\le 1$ converge strongly in $H^1$ to the unique energy minimizer of the same mass. We have already described these steady states in the previous sections.
As described in the introduction, a global strong solution of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) is a nonnegative function in $L^2_{loc}((0,\infty),H^2(\Omega)\big)$ that satisfies Eq. (\[eq:BF-strong\]) for every smooth test function with compact support in $(0,\infty)\times \Omega$. We consider only strong solutions that additionally satisfy a linear bound on the $H^2$-norm, $$\label{eq:global-strong}
\int_0^T\int_\Omega u_{xx}^2\, dx dt \le
A + B T\,$$ with some constants $A,B$, and the [*energy inequality*]{} $$\label{eq:energy-integrated}
E(u(\cdot, T)) + \int_0^T\int_{P(u)} u^n
\bigl(u_{xxx}+\alpha^2 u_x
- \sin x \bigr)^2
\, dx dt \le E(u(\cdot,0)) \,.$$ To convince the reader that this class of solutions is not empty, we paraphrase the existence theory of Bernis and Friedman for $n>2$. We note in passing that the method has been extended to the entire range $n>0$, and that it implies much stronger existence and regularity results [@B2; @BertPugh1996; @Report].
The basic version of the methods exploits that the entropy $$S(u)=\int_\Omega u^{-n+2}\, dx$$ formally decreases under Eq. (\[eq:basic\]) with $n>2$. Note that $S(u)<\infty$ implies that $u$ can vanish only on a set of measure zero. Strictly speaking, $S$ is not an entropy for Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]), because it may increase as well as decrease along solutions, due to the presence of the long-wave instability and the gravitational drainage term. These terms can be accommodated with a technique of Chugunova, Pugh and Taranets [@Report], as follows. Along smooth solutions, $$\label{eq:naked-entropy}
c_n^{-1} \frac{d S(u)}{dt}
= - \int_\Omega u_{xx}^2\, dx +\int_\Omega
\bigl(\alpha^2u_x^2 + u\cos x\bigr)\, dx\,,$$ where $c_n=(n-2)(n-1)$. Integrating over time and bounding the second integral with Eq. (\[lem:energy-bound\]), one obtains $$\label{eq:entropy-integrated}
S(u(\cdot, T))+
c_n \int_{0}^{T}\!\! \int_\Omega u_{xx}^2 \, dx \, dt
\le S(u(\cdot, 0)) + KT \,,$$ where $K$ depends only on the energy and the mass. In particular, classical solutions satisfy Eq. (\[eq:global-strong\]). A similar computation shows that the energy inequality (\[eq:energy-integrated\]) is an identity for classical solutions.
Strong solutions that satisfy Eqs. (\[eq:global-strong\]) and (\[eq:energy-integrated\]) are obtained by regularizing $$u_t + \partial_x \left[f_{\epsilon}(u)\,
\partial_x(u_{xx} + \alpha^2\,u+ \cos x)
\right] = 0\,,\quad x \in \Omega\,,$$ for example with $f_\eps (z) = z^n + \eps$ [@BF]. The regularized equations are known to have unique smooth solutions that exist for all times $t>0$. For these solutions, the energy inequality (\[eq:energy-integrated\]) holds with equality, and the entropy inequality (\[eq:naked-entropy\]) holds for the corresponding entropy functional with the the same constants $c_n$ and $K$. By the usual compactness arguments, there exists a sequence $u^{\eps_j}$ that converges uniformly on compact time intervals to a nonnegative strong solution $u$ on $(0,\infty)\times\Omega$, which is smooth wherever it is positive. Moreover, $u^{\eps_j}_{xx}$ converges to $u_{xx}$ weakly in $L^2(0,T)\times \Omega$ for each $T>0$, and $u^{\eps_j}_{xxx}$ converges to $u_{xxx}$ weakly in $L^2_{loc}(P(u))$. In the limit, the energy and entropy inequalities in Eqs. (\[eq:energy-integrated\]) and (\[eq:entropy-integrated\]) remain intact, because the double integrals are weakly lower semicontinuous due to their convexity in the highest derivative.
We turn to the long-time behaviour of solutions. Lyapunov’s principle says that a dissipative dynamical system should converge towards the set of critical points of the energy. Thin film equations present two difficulties: Since well-posedness has not been settled, we are not sure how to view them as dynamical systems, and lower bounds on the dissipation are not easy to obtain.
The next lemma bounds the distance from the minimizer in terms of the energy. Since energy decreases along solutions of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]), the lemma implies that implies that $u^*$ is dynamically stable in the sense of Lyapunov.
\[lem:coerce\] Let $\alpha>0$ and $M>0$ be given, and let $u^*$ be the energy minimizer on ${\cal C}_M$ obtained in Theorem \[thm:min\]. Then $$\sup \left \{ d_{H^1}(u,u^*) \ \Big\vert \ u\in {\cal C}_M,
E(u)\le E(u^*)+\Delta E\right\} \longrightarrow 0\quad (\Delta E \to 0)\,.$$ For $\alpha<1$, we have the explicit estimate $$\label{eq:coerce}
d_{H^1}(u, u^*) \le \left(\frac{2\Delta E}{1-\alpha^2} \right)^{1/2}\,$$ for all $u$ with $E(u)\le E(u^*)+\Delta E$.
We argue by contradiction. If the conclusion fails, then there exists a minimizing sequence $\{u_j\}$ such that $\inf_j d_{H^1}(u_j,u^*)>0$. By Lemma \[lem:energy-bound\], a subsequence converges weakly in $H^1$ and strongly in $L^2$ to the minimizer $u^*$. But since the minimizer is unique, and all convergent subsequences have the same limit, the entire sequence converges. By the expansion of the energy in Eq. (\[eq:Taylor\]), $$\begin{aligned}
d_{H^1}(u_j,u^*)
&=&
\left( 2 \Delta E(u_j) - 2 \int_{Z(u^*)} u_j\cdot (\lambda-\cos x)\, dx
+\alpha^2 \int_\Omega (u_j-u^*)^2\, dx\right)^{\frac{1}{2}}\\
&\to& 0 \quad (j\to\infty)\,,\end{aligned}$$ contradicting the choice of the sequence. For $\alpha<1$, the bound in Eq. (\[eq:coerce\]) follows immediately from the observation that the linear term in Eq. (\[eq:Taylor\]) is nonnegative, see Lemma \[lem:EL\].
For $\alpha=1$, one can take advantage of the positivity of the linear term in Eq. (\[eq:Taylor\]) to obtain an explicit estimate of the form $ d_{H^1}(u, u^*) \le c_1(\Delta E)^{1/2} +c_2\Delta E$, where the constants $c_1$ and $c_2$ depend on the mass. We next construct a sequence of times along which the dissipation goes to zero.
\[time-sequence\] Let $u$ be a global strong solution of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) that satisfies inequalities (\[eq:global-strong\]) and (\[eq:energy-integrated\]), and let $E_0$ be its energy at time $t=0$. There exists a sequence of times $t_j\to\infty$ such that $$\sup_j ||u_{xx}(\cdot, t_j)||_2 <\infty\,,\quad
\lim_{j \rightarrow \infty} D(u(\cdot, t_j))
= 0\,.$$
Eq. (\[eq:global-strong\]) implies that the set $$C_1 = \Bigl\{ t\in (0,T)\Big\vert ||u_{xx} (\cdot, t)||_2^2
\ge 4B\Bigr\}$$ has measure bounded by $\mu(C_1)\le \frac{A}{4B} +\frac{T}{4}$. Similarly, for every $\eps>0$, Eq. (\[eq:energy-integrated\]) implies that $$C_2 = \Bigl\{ t\in (0,T)\Big\vert D(u(\cdot, t)) \ge \eps \Bigr\}$$ has measure bounded by $\mu(C_2)\le \frac{E_0-E(u^*)}{\eps}$. It follows that for $T>\frac{A}{B}+\frac{4(E_0-E(u^*))}{\eps}$, we can find $t\in [\frac{T}{2},T]$ that lies neither in $C_1$ nor in $C_2$. The sequence $t_j$ is constructed by taking sequences $\eps_j\to 0$ and $T_j\to\infty$.
We combine this lemma with the stability result from Lemma \[lem:coerce\] to show that $u^*$ is in fact asymptotically stable.
\[thm:conv\] Let $u$ be a global strong solution of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) of mass $M$ and initial energy $E_0$ constructed by the method of Bernis and Friedman, and let $u^*$ be the energy minimizer on ${\cal C}_M$. If $\alpha>1$, assume in addition that the sub=level set $\{E\le E_0\}$ in ${\cal C}_M$ contains no other steady states with zero dissipation. Then $$\lim_{t\to\infty} d_{H^1}(u(\cdot, t), u^*)=0\,.$$
Let $\{t_j\}$ be the sequence of times constructed in Lemma \[time-sequence\]. Since $\{u(\cdot, t_j)\}$ is uniformly bounded in $H^2$, there is a subsequence (again denoted $t_j$) that converges weakly in $H^2$ and strongly in $H^1$ to some limit $v\in {\cal C}_M$. We want to show that $v = u^*$.
For $\delta>0$, consider the set $P_\delta(v)=\{x\in\Omega \mid v(x)>\delta\}$. Since $u(\cdot, t_j)$ converges uniformly to $v$, we have that $u(x,t_j)>\frac{\delta}{2}$ on $P_\delta(v)$ for $j$ sufficiently large, and it follows that $$\int_{P_\delta(v)}
\bigl(u_{xxx}(\cdot, t_j) +\alpha^2 u_x(\cdot, t_j)-
\sin x \bigr)^2\, dx \le \frac{2}{\delta} D(u(\cdot, t_j))\to 0\,.$$ Since we already know that $u_x(\cdot, t_j)$ converges to $v_x$ strongly in $L^2$, this means that $u_{xxx}(\cdot, t_j)$ converges to $\sin x -\alpha^2 v_x$ strongly in $L^2(P_\delta(v))$. The limit agrees with $v_{xxx}$, and we see that $$v_{xxx} +\alpha^2v_x-\sin x = 0
\quad \mbox{on} \ P_\delta(v)\,.$$ Since $\delta$ was arbitrary and $v\in H^2$ by construction, it follows from Lemma \[lem:steady\] that $v$ is a strong steady state of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]). Since $E(v)\le E(u(\cdot, 0))$ and $D(v)=0$, we conclude with Theorem \[thm:unique\] that $v=u^*$.
We next observe that $E(u(\cdot, t_j))\to E(u^*)$ by the continuity of the energy in $H^1$. Since the energy decreases monotonically along solutions by Eq. (\[eq:energy-integrated\]), we have $$\lim_{t\to\infty} E(u(\cdot, t))= E(u^*)\,,$$ and the claimed convergence follows with Lemma \[lem:coerce\].
Rate of convergence {#sec:rate}
===================
In the final section, we consider the rate of convergence to steady states. We will show that strictly positive energy minimizers are exponentially attractive, while steady states that have zeroes can be approached at most at a polynomial rate. The reason is that the entropy inequality in Eq. (\[eq:entropy-integrated\]) limits the rate at which the solution can converge to zero on a subset of $\Omega$. To obtain the strongest lower bound, we will use Kadanoff’s entropy $$\label{eq:S-Kadanoff}
S(u) = \int_{\Omega} u^{-n+\frac{3}{2}}\, dx\,.$$ One can verify by direct calculation (involving repeated integration by parts [@B2; @JM]) that classical positive solutions of the thin-film equation Eq. (\[eq:basic\]) with $n\ne \frac{3}{2}$ satisfy $$\label{eq:Kadanoff}
c_n^{-1} \frac{dS(u)}{dt}
= \int_\Omega u^{-\frac{1}{2}} u_x u_{xxx}\, dx
= -4 \int_\Omega u^{\frac{1}{2}}
\Bigl( (u^{\frac{1}{2}})_{xx}\Bigr)^2\, dx < 0\,,$$ where $c_n = \bigl(n-\frac{3}{2}\bigr)\bigl(n-\frac{1}{2}\bigr)$. This is a special case of Eq. (2.13) in [@B2]. For Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]), Kadanoff’s entropy can grow at most linearly with time:
\[Entropy bound.\] \[lem:entropy\] Fix $n>\frac{3}{2}$, and let $S$ be given by Eq. (\[eq:S-Kadanoff\]). Let $u_0\in {\cal C}_M$ be an initial value of finite energy and entropy. Then the global strong solution of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) constructed by the method of Bernis and Friedman satisfies $$\label{eq:entropy}
S(u(\cdot, t)) \le S(u(\cdot,0)) + K_0t\,,$$ where $K_0$ depends on the mass and the initial energy.
If $u$ is a positive classical solution of Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]), we differentiate the entropy and integrate by parts to obtain $$c_n^{-1} \frac{dS(u)}{dt} = \int_\Omega u^{-\frac{1}{2}} u_x
u_{xxx}\, dx + \alpha^2 \int_\Omega
u^{-\frac{1}{2}} u_x^2\,dx - \int_\Omega
u^{-\frac{1}{2}}u_x\sin x\, dx\,,$$where $c_n= \bigl(n\!-\!\frac{3}{2}\bigr)\bigl(n\!-\!\frac{1}{2}\bigr)$. The first summand we rewrite with the help of Eq. (\[eq:Kadanoff\]). The second summand we integrate by parts $$\int_\Omega u^{-\frac{1}{2}} u_x^2\, dx
= 2 \int_\Omega u (u^{\frac{1}{2}})_{xx}\, dx\,,$$ and combine it with the first by completing the square. This produces a remainder term of the form $\frac{\alpha^4}{4}\int_\Omega u^{\frac{3}{2}}\, dx$. The third summand we integrate by parts as well. We arrive at $$c_n^{-1}\frac{dS(u)}{dt} = - \int_\Omega
u^{\frac{1}{2}} \left( 2( u^{\frac{1}{2}})_{xx}-
\frac{\alpha^2}{2} u^{\frac{1}{2}}\right)^2\,dx +
\frac{\alpha^4}{4} \int_\Omega u^{\frac{3}{2}}\,dx
+2\int_\Omega u^{\frac{1}{2}}\cos x\, dx\,.$$By Lemma \[lem:energy-bound\], the last two integrals are bounded by a constant that depends only on the mass and the energy. Integrating along the solution, we see that Eq. (\[eq:entropy\]) holds for classical solutions.
By the same computation, Eq. (\[eq:entropy\]) holds for the solutions of a suitably regularized equation with the correspondingly regularized entropy and with the same constant $K_0$. Since the strong solution is a uniform limit of such solutions, the entropy converges as well, and the claim follows.
\[thm:decay\] Consider Eq. (\[eq:PDE\]) with parameters $n>0$ and $\alpha>0$, and set $\beta=n-\frac{3}{2}$. Let $u$ be a solution of mass $M$ that satisfies the energy and entropy inequalities in (\[eq:energy-integrated\]) and (\[eq:entropy\]). Assume that $u$ converges in $H^1$ to the energy-minimizing steady state $u^*$ of mass $M$.
- If $n>\frac{3}{2}$ and $u^*$ vanishes on a set of positive length $L$, then $$d_{H^1}(u(\cdot, t), u^*) \ge
\frac{1}{\sqrt{\pi}}\cdot \Bigl(\frac{L}{S_0+K_0t}\Bigr)^{\frac{1}{\beta}}\,;$$
- if $n>2$ and $u^*$ vanishes quadratically at a point, then there exist positive constants $K_1$ and $K_2$ (depending on the initial energy and entropy) such that $$d_{H^1}( u(\cdot,t),u^*)\ge
\bigl(K_1+K_2t\bigr)^{-\frac{2}{2\beta-1}}\,;$$
- if $\alpha<1$ and $u^*$ is strictly positive, then $$d_{H^1}(u(\cdot, t),u^*)\le K_3 e^{-\mu t}\,$$ for some constant $K_3$ (depending on $u$), where $\mu = (1-\alpha^2)(\min u^*)^n$.
If $Z(u^*)$ has measure $L>0$, we estimate $$S(u(\cdot, t)) \ge L
\Bigl(\ \sup_{x\in Z(u^*)} u(x,t)\Bigr)^{-\beta}
\ge L\cdot ||u(\cdot, t)-u^*||_{L^\infty}^{-\beta}\,.$$ Since $u$ and $u^*$ have the same mass, we have $||u(\cdot, t)-u^*||_{L^\infty}\le \sqrt{\pi}\,
d_{H^1}(u(\cdot,t),u^*)$, and the first claim follows from the bound on the entropy in Eq. (\[eq:entropy\]).
If $u^*$ has a zero of order $\gamma>\frac{1}{\beta}$, we consider the interval $I$ of length $L$ centered at that point and obtain with the same calculation as for the first case that $$||u(\cdot, t)-u^*||_{L^\infty}
\ge \sup_{x\in I} u(x, t)- \sup_{x\in I} u^*(x)
\ge \Bigl(\frac{L}{S_0 + K_0t}\Bigr)^\frac{1}{\beta}
- O(L^{\gamma})$$ as $L\to 0$. Choosing $L=\eps\cdot(S_0+K_0t)^{-\frac{1}{\beta\gamma-1}}$, we see that for $\eps>0$ sufficiently small $$||u(\cdot, t)-u^*||_{L^\infty} \ge
(K_1+K_2t)^{-\frac{\gamma}{\beta\gamma-1}}$$ with some constants $K_1, K_2>0$. Setting $\gamma=2$ and adjusting the constants we obtain the second claim.
If $u^*$ is strictly positive, then $\alpha<1$ by Theorem \[thm:min\]. By Eq. (\[eq:Taylor\]), $$\begin{aligned}
E(u(\cdot,t))-E(u^*)&=&\frac{1}{2} \int_\Omega
\bigl( (u_x-u^*_x)^2-\alpha^2 (u-u^*)\bigr)^2 \, dx\\
& =&
\pi \sum_{p\in\ZZ\setminus{0}} (p^2-\alpha^2)|\hat u(p)-\hat{u^*}(p)|^2\,.\end{aligned}$$ Since $u$ converges to $u^*$ in $H^1$, there exists a time $t_0$ such that $\min u(\cdot, t)>0$ for all $t> t_0$. At all later times, $u$ is a strictly positive, classical solution that can be differentiated as often as necessary. Since $u^*$ solves the Euler-Lagrange equation (\[eq:EL\]), the dissipation satisfies $$\begin{aligned}
\frac{d}{dt} E(u(\cdot, t) ) &=& -\int_\Omega u^n
\bigl((u-u^*)_{xxx}+\alpha^2 (u-u^*)_x \bigr)^2\, dx\\
&\le& - (\min u)^n \cdot \int_\Omega \left [
\partial_x((u-u^*)_{xx}+\alpha^2 (u-u^*))\right]^2
\,dx\\
&=&
- (\min u)^n \cdot \pi \sum_{p\in\ZZ\setminus\{0\}}
p^2(p^2-\alpha^2)^2 |\hat u(p)-\hat{u^*}(p)|^2\\
&\le& - \Bigl(\frac{\min u \ }{\min u^*}\Bigr)^n
\cdot 2\mu \, \bigl( E(u(\cdot, t))-E(u^*)\bigr)\,.\end{aligned}$$ In the last two steps, we have used Parseval’s identity to rewrite the integral in terms of the Fourier coefficients of $u-u^*$, and estimated the Fourier multipliers by $$p^2(p^2-\alpha^2)^2\ge (1-\alpha^2)(p^2-\alpha^2)\,,\quad (p\ne
0)\,.$$ Since $u(\cdot, t)$ converges uniformly to $u^*$ as $t\to\infty$ by Theorem \[thm:conv\], it follows from Gronwall’s lemma that $E(u(\cdot, t))-E(u^*)\le Ke^{-2\mu t}$ for some constant $K$. By Eq. (\[eq:coerce\]) of Lemma \[lem:coerce\], this implies the claimed exponential convergence of $d_{H^1}(u(\cdot, t),u^*)$.
If $n=\frac{3}{2}$ and $u^*$ vanishes on a set of positive length, we obtain as in the proof of the first case of the theorem yields an exponential bound of the form $d_{H^1}(u(\cdot, t),u^*)\ge K e^{-\mu t}$, where $K$ and $\mu$ depend on the mass, energy, and entropy of the solution.
\[fig:converge\]
![Evolution of a solution with $\alpha=1$, $n=3$ and initial data $u_0=1$. Time shots of the numerical solution at $t = 0, 10^{-2}, 10^{-1}, 1, 10, 10^2, 10^3$ ([*left*]{}). $L^2$-distance of the solution from the energy minimizer. The dashed line shows the lower bound from Eq. (\[eq:Pukh-rate\]) ([*right*]{}).](pic2m.eps "fig:"){height="5.5cm"} ![Evolution of a solution with $\alpha=1$, $n=3$ and initial data $u_0=1$. Time shots of the numerical solution at $t = 0, 10^{-2}, 10^{-1}, 1, 10, 10^2, 10^3$ ([*left*]{}). $L^2$-distance of the solution from the energy minimizer. The dashed line shows the lower bound from Eq. (\[eq:Pukh-rate\]) ([*right*]{}).](energy-cor.eps "fig:"){height="5.5cm"}
[ *Let $u$ be a global strong solution of $$u_t + \partial_x\left[u^3\,
\partial_x (u_{xx} + u+\cos x)\right]
= 0\,, \quad x \in \RR/(2\pi\ZZ)\,$$ constructed by the method of Bernis and Friedman, and let $u^*$ be the unique nonnegative energy minimizer of the same mass $M$. Then $$\lim_{t\to\infty} d_{H^1}(u(\cdot,t),u^*)=0\,.$$ The minimizer is a droplet with zero contact angles and profile $$u^*(x) = -\frac{1}{2}\bigl(x\sin x - \tau\sin\tau)
+ \frac{1}{2} (1-\tau\cot\tau)(\cos\tau-\cos x)\,,
\quad |x|<\tau\,.$$ The contact point $\tau$ is a continuous, strictly increasing function of the mass, with $\tau\to 0$ as $M\to 0$ and $\tau\to\pi$ as $M\to\infty$. If, additionally, $$\int_\Omega \bigl(u(x, t)\bigr)^{-\frac{3}{2}}\,dx \le S_0 + K_0 t \,,$$ then $$\label{eq:Pukh-rate}
d_{H^1}(u(\cdot, t), u^*) \ge \frac{1}{\sqrt{\pi}}\cdot\Bigl(
\frac{2(\pi\!-\!\tau)}{S_0+K_0t}\Bigr)^{\frac{2}{3}}\,.$$* ]{}
[123]{}
The thin-film equation: recent advances and some new perspectives. , [**17**]{}:S291-S307, 2005.
Steady rimming flows with surface tension. , [**597**]{}:91–118, 2008.
A new type of instability: explosive disturbances in a liquid film inside a rotating horizontal cylinder. , [**497**]{}:201–224, 2003.
Nonnegative solutions of a fourth-order nonlinear degenerate parabolic equation. , [**129(2)**]{}:175–200, 1995.
Higher order nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations. , [**83(1)**]{}:179–206, 1990.
Singularities and similarities in interface flows. Trends and perspectives in applied mathematics, 155–208, Appl. Math. Sci., 100, Springer, New York, 1994.
The lubrication approximation for thin viscous films: regularity and long-time behaviour of weak solutions. , [**49(2)**]{}:85–123, 1996.
Long-wave instabilities and saturation in thin film equations. , [**51(6)**]{}:625–661, 1998.
Nonlinear mobility continuity equations and generalized displacement convexity. :1273-1309 (2010).
J. A. Carrillo and G. Toscani. Long-time asymptotics for strong solutions of the thin film equation. :551-571 (2002).
Asymptotic equipartition and long time behavior of solutions of a thin-film equation. :279–292, 2007.
. , 3003–3028 (2010).
On the nature of ill-posedness of the forward-backward heat equation. , [**65**]{}:319–344 (2009).
Nonnegative Solutions for a Long-Wave Unstable Thin Film Equation with Convection. :1826-1853 (2010).
B. Dacorogna. Introduction to the Calculus of Variations. Imperial College Press, second edition 2009.
L. Giacomelli, H. Knüpfer, and F. Otto. Smooth zero-contact-angle solutions to a thin-film equation around the steady state. : 1454–1506, 2008.
Dan Ginsberg and Gideon Simpson, Analytical and numerical results on the positivity of steady state solutions of a thin film equation. Preprint [arXiv:1101.3261]{}, 2011.
M. W. Hirsch and S. Smale. Differential equations, dynamical systems, and linear algebra. Academic Press, New York-London, 1974.
Steady state coating flows inside a rotating horizontal cylinder. , [**190**]{}:321–322, 1988.
An algorithmic construction of entropies in higher-order nonlinear PDEs. , [**19**]{}:633-659, 2006.
. , [**48(1)**]{}:55–64, [2007]{}.
B. Kawohl. Rearrangements and convexity of level sets in PDE. Springer Lecture Notes in Mathematics [**1150**]{}, 1985.
On inertial effects in the [Moffatt-Pukhnachov]{} coating-flow problem. : 327-353, 2009.
. , [**4(3)**]{}:613–634, 2005.
. , [**11**]{}:293–351, 2000.
Analysis. AMS Graduate Studies in Mathematics [**14**]{}, 1997/2001.
, , [**19(1,2)**]{}:35–50, 1961.
A family of nonlinear fourth order equations of gradient flow type. , [**34**]{}:1352–1397, 2009.
The flow and solidification of a thin fluid film on an arbitrary three-dimensional surface. :2788-2803, 2002
Behavior of a viscous film on outer surface of a rotating cylinder. :651-673, 1977.
Lubrication approximation with prescribed nonzero contact angle: an existence result. , [**23**]{}:2077–2161, 1998.
Isoperimetric inequalities in mathematical physics. , Princeton University Press, 1952.
Motion of a liquid film on the surface of a rotating cylinder in a gravitational field. , [**18(3)**]{}:344–351, 1977.
Asymptotic solution of the rotating problem. , Special Issue on Mathematics and Continuum Mechanics, p. 191–199, 2004.
Lubrication approximation for thin viscous films: asymptotic behavior of nonnegative solutions. , [**32**]{}:1147–1172, 2007.
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Detroit has seen an influx of new restaurants and hotels in recent years. Where can it look to find the next generation of hospitality leaders? Led by $1 million from Bedrock and Quicken Loans, the city is looking to invest $9 million total into revitalizing programming and infrastructure at Breithaupt Career and Technical School.
The school, located on the city’s west side, currently trains 450 students in culinary arts, retail and hospitality; automotive service and collision repair; and mechatronics and welding. With the full investment, Breithaupt can train 650. According to a press release, Breithaupt expects to train over 2,000 youth and adults in the next three years.
The $1 million investment from Bedrock is the first major contribution to the project, which is a partnership between Detroit Public Schools Community District, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, the City of Detroit, and the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board. According to the release, DTE Energy, Penske Corporation, General Motors, and the Ford Motor Company will also partner in the school revitalization.
“Our tenants have a strong need for people who have culinary arts, retail, and hospitality skills, and Bedrock’s investment in Breithaupt will help build a pipeline of talent for Detroit’s growing economy,” said Jim Ketai, CEO, Bedrock. “Our company is investing billions in transformational development projects that will generate tens of thousands of permanent and construction jobs in Detroit. Every tenant in our portfolio will benefit from gaining access to job candidates like those that graduate from Breithaupt.”
Bedrock will also “work with community and industry experts to align their curriculum with high-growth, high-demand industries.”
Detroit has multiple hotels in various stages of development, including Bedrock’s Shinola Hotel, the Element Detroit Hotel, and the recently announced West Elm Hotel.
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Want more course info?
About this unit
This unit in Project Management focuses on managing teams undertaking systems development. You will study how technical developments shape project management, as well as how workplace culture, systems and organisational structure impact on project management. You will gain an understanding of the need to analyse and evaluate marketing, commercial, operation and technical variables throughout a project's lifetime, and the importance of stakeholder engagement in project design and management.
The unit will provide practical knowledge about different project management processes, including project initiation, planning, execution and closure of a project, and how project management frameworks can be employed to provide both the necessary structure and flexibility to successfully fulfil project aims.
The unit pays particular attention to the key activities of the Body of Knowledge of the Project Management Institute and teaches the value of reviewing and improving processes for future projects, known as the 'lessons learned' approach. You will also study the nature of risk in the context of software development projects and learn how to manage a portfolio of different projects simultaneously.
OUA has done away with traditional semesters to give you the flexibility you need. Find out more.
Eligibility
In order to enrol in this unit, you must be accepted into the following course:
Computer Professional Education Program, Australian Computer Society
It is also recommended that you complete the following unit, prior to enrolling:
Risk Management: Professionalism and Compliance
If you are completing this unit as a standalone unit (i.e. not part of the Computer Professional Education Program), the prerequisite is waived.
Course pathways
This unit is an approved elective in the following course:
Computer Professional Education Program, Australian Computer Society
Content may also be relevant to other courses, and could qualify you for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for a course offered by another institution.
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to take full responsibility for the design, documentation and successful completion of medium-scale projects in this field. You will have gained a practical understanding of how to effectively scope and plan a project and provide high quality plans and accurate reporting to stakeholders. You will also be able to identify, mitigate and manage risks associated with your projects, manage change control and ensure that your project deliverables are achieved on time, within budget.
You will be able to provide effective leadership to your project team, identify issues and take appropriate action to remedy any problems with team performance. You will be able to communicate project needs and aims and influence different stakeholders involved, from the organisation to customers and suppliers, in order to realistically achieve your project aims.
Finance options
This unit is not eligible for a government loan. Upfront payments can be made by credit card, cheque or money order. Enquire now for more information.
You may be eligible to receive FEE-HELP for this course!
This course can be paid for through the FEE-HELP government loan scheme. If you are an Australian citizen or hold a permanent humanitarian visa, this means you don’t need to pay upfront.
Instead, the Australian government will pay your course fees on your behalf. You’ll begin repaying your loan through the tax system once you start earning more than the minimum threshold of $54,869 (2016-17 income year).
For two decades, Open Universities Australia (OUA) has partnered with leading Australian educators to make tertiary-level courses easier to access for people, no matter their background, their work status or their other life commitments. OUA has built up their reputation by making education more flexible, easier to tailor and available almost entirely online.
OUA's devotion to online education remains to this day, but where they once focused on higher education, today they offer the broadest set of post-secondary education and training programs in Australia.
Open Universities Australia offers a range of administrative and student support options. As a student of OUA you will have access to four hours of free expert tutoring support for each unit undertaken through the tutoring service SMARTHINKING. This on-demand service allows you to get fast, detailed feedback on your assignment drafts and gives you access to your tutor in real time.
The My OUA portal is an online student medium that allows you access to all your course and enrolment information as well as access to student forums and assessment tips.
Disclaimer: Career FAQs Pty Ltd ABN 39 299 617 067 (Career FAQs) markets the education and training services of a range of Australian tertiary course providers, and receives a commission from them for each prospective student. Career FAQs is not an education provider. All material and information regarding our education providers and their courses – on our site, via email, or over the phone – is delivered through our capacity as their agent. The material shared with you on the website is provided as general information only. It is not intended as professional advice, and should not be taken as such. All information is provided in good faith, and is believed to be accurate and current as at the date of publication. However, Career FAQs provides no guarantee that any information or material on the website, or linked websites, will be accurate or complete. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
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MAINE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT Reporter of Decisions
Decision: 2018 ME 148
Docket: Lin-18-72
Submitted
On Briefs: September 26, 2018
Decided: November 8, 2018
Panel: SAUFLEY, C.J., and ALEXANDER, MEAD, GORMAN, JABAR, and HUMPHREY, JJ.
IN RE CHILD OF MATTHEW R.
PER CURIAM
[¶1] Matthew R. appeals from a judgment of the District Court
(Wiscasset, Raimondi, J.) terminating his parental rights to his son. He argues
that the court erred and abused its discretion in finding that he was unwilling
or unable to protect the child from jeopardy and that those circumstances were
unlikely to change within a time reasonably calculated to meet the child’s needs
and in finding that termination of the father’s parental rights was in the child’s
best interest. See 22 M.R.S. § 4055(1)(B)(2)(a), (b)(i) (2017). We affirm the
judgment.
[¶2] In August 2016, while the child was residing with a family member
pursuant to a safety plan between the Department of Health and Human
Services and the child’s parents, the Department filed a petition for a child
protection order. The petition alleged that the mother had a significant
substance abuse problem with related periods of incarceration and that the
2
father was unable to maintain a safe, clean home unaffected by the mother’s
drug abuse. On November 3, 2016, the court entered an agreed-upon jeopardy
order with respect to each parent. Jeopardy as to the father arose from the
father’s failure to protect the child from being exposed to risks resulting from
the mother’s drug abuse, including an unsanitary home visited by unsafe
people. Jeopardy was also based on the father’s inability to exercise
independent judgment, separate from the mother, to protect the child. The
court placed the child in the Department’s custody and maintained the kinship
placement.
[¶3] By August 2017, the mother had been incarcerated for violating
probation and conditions of house arrest, and the Department petitioned to
terminate both parents’ parental rights. The petition alleged that the mother
had proved unable to stop using drugs and that the father, who would not
separate from the mother, was unrealistically confident that she would recover
from her addiction and that she could be trusted with the child’s care.
[¶4] The termination hearing was held over the course of three days—
December 5, 18, and 19, 2017. The court then, upon the mother’s consent,
entered a judgment terminating the mother’s parental rights. After considering
all of the evidence presented, the court carefully considered the facts weighing
3
against termination and those weighing in favor of termination and found, by
clear and convincing evidence, the following facts with respect to the father.
See In re Children of Melissa F., 2018 ME 110, ¶ 11, 191 A.3d 348.
There are a number of factors that would support the
conclusion that termination is not appropriate in this case. [The
father] does not have a problem with substance abuse. He has
consistently held down a full-time job . . . for more than 5 years. He
has facially complied with some of the Department’s requirements.
He has obtained safe and appropriate housing. He did participate
in a CODE [court ordered diagnostic] evaluation. He has attended
counseling. He has visited regularly and consistently with [the
child]. He has met and co-operated with the Department’s
caseworker. The CODE evaluator . . . makes it clear that lack of
intelligence and capacity to parent is not an issue here. [The father]
and [the child] have a bond with each other. There is no question
that [the father] cares about [the child]. All those factors weigh
against termination.
The factors that support termination are clearly laid out in
the Guardian’s final summary:
[The father] has a problematic co-dependent relationship
with [the mother] that has spanned over numerous
long-term incarcerations and continued drug use. His
unyielding loyalty to [the mother] comes at the price of
jeopardizing [the child]’s safety. [The father]’s inability
and/or refusal to recognize the extent of [the mother]’s drug
use and take proactive measures to protect [the child] from
the risk [the mother]’s substance abuse poses has caused
[the father] to be an unsafe caregiver for [the child]. The only
reason [the father] is safely able to have unsupervised
visitation with [the child] now is because [the mother] is
incarcerated and [the child] is not at risk of being exposed to
her substance abuse or the effects thereof.
4
It is difficult for the court to reconcile [the father]’s
intelligence level and capacity to parent with [the child]’s condition
and the conditions in which [the child] was living when he came
into care. As the Guardian noted in her report dated [August] 2016:
“At almost 5 years old, [the child has significant speech delays].” At
the home visit immediately preceding the filing of the petition,
there was a loaded syringe within [the child]’s reach on the porch.
The home was filthy with trash and feces on the floor. Even during
the pendency of this case unsanitary conditions persisted until the
home was foreclosed upon and [the mother] went to jail. [The
mother] was in jail for two years after [the child]’s birth. During
that time [the father] was responsible for [the child]’s care. [The
child]’s condition as of the filing of the Department’s petition is the
most compelling evidence as to the care and quality of parenting
provided by both [the father] and [the mother].
The question presented to the court is how a competent,
caring parent could allow these things to happen, and if anything
has changed such that [the child] would be safe in [the father]’s
care in the future.
[The father]’s updated reunification plan as of [May 2017]
provided that, among other things:
• He was to attend Al-Anon meetings;
• Demonstrate that he is able to make independent judgments
in the best interest of [the child];
• Know who the people are that are around [the child] and
who associates with [the mother];
• Be involved in [the child]’s pediatrician, dental, eye doctor
and Early Headstart appointments and follow through with
[the child]’s provider’s recommendations; and
5
• Make a plan in the event that [the mother] relapses or
associates with people who are known to use drugs and/ or
have criminal involvement.
[The father] never attended Al-Anon meetings. These were
particularly recommended to assist him in dealing with his issues
of co-dependency with respect to [the mother]. He did go to
counseling, but both his counselors were of the opinion that he was
not engaged in the counseling or motivated to change. He was
attending because the Department made it a requirement for
reunification.
[The father] has not demonstrated that he is able to make
independent judgments in the best interest of [the child]. He lost
unsupervised visitation with [the child] because he allowed [the
mother] to have unsupervised contact with [the child] in violation
of DHHS restrictions. . . .
. . . .
[The father] is not a bad man. He would not intentionally
expend energy to commit a bad act or to harm someone. [The
father] lives life in survival mode. Life happens to him. He does
what he can to meet his basic needs. He has support from his family
members who step in to help—if they can—in the event of
catastrophe. [The father] does not appear to have the insight or
emotional energy to care for others or to understand the needs of
others. He addresses [the mother]’s needs because she insists
upon it. Otherwise, [the father] does what he has to do to get by as
best he can. He works. He cares for [the child] in his way, but has
no understanding of [the child]’s needs, and, therefore, no concept
of how to meet them.
[The father]’s most recent counselor testified at hearing that
one of [the father]’s positive qualities was steadfastness and
loyalty. He has been consistently loyal to [the mother]. When [the
mother] is in his life, [the mother] and her needs are the focus of
his attention. The irony of this is that [the father]’s loyalty,
6
dependence and deference to [the mother] causes him to be blind
to the safety issues caused by her substance abuse. [The child] has
been put at risk as a result. [The father]’s focus on survival and on
[the mother]’s needs has left no room for understanding or insight
with respect to [the child]’s needs. Nothing about this has changed
during the pendency of this case. [The father]’s continued
dependence on [the mother] and lack of insight compels the finding
that [the child] would continue to be at risk if returned to [the
father]’s care.
. . . .
Therefore, based on the foregoing, the court finds by clear
and convincing evidence that [the father] is unwilling or unable to
protect [the child] from jeopardy and these circumstances are
unlikely to change within a time which is reasonably calculated to
meet [the child]’s needs.
The court also finds that it is in [the child]’s best interest to
terminate the parental rights of [the father]. . . .
. . . .
. . . . [The child] . . . is doing very well [in his current
placement], and thriving in his environment. When he first came
to [the placement], he . . . had significant . . . delays. He is now
developmentally on target and his [abilities] ha[ve] improved
immeasurably. . . . [H]e has received all the medical, educational
and special services he needs to address the issues that existed
when he came into care.
[¶5] The father timely appealed from the judgment. See 22 M.R.S. § 4006
(2017); M.R. App. P. 2A(a), 2B(c)(1).
[¶6] Based on these facts, which have strong evidentiary support, the
court did not err in finding that, despite his efforts to comply with the services
7
arranged by the Department, the father remains unable to understand the
child’s needs and protect him from the jeopardy presented by the mother’s
substance abuse and related conduct within a time that is reasonably calculated
to meet the child’s needs. See 22 M.R.S. § 4055(1)(B)(2)(b)(i); In re Thomas D.,
2004 ME 104, ¶ 21, 854 A.2d 195. The father argues that he was placed in an
untenable position because to retain his parental rights to the child he would
have to implicate the mother in criminal conduct and break off contact with her
while she was in prison and expecting their second child. The findings of the
court were, however, properly focused on the needs of the child as required by
statute. See 22 M.R.S. § 4055(1)(B)(2)(b)(i). The court found, with evidentiary
support, that the father understood and responded to the mother’s clearly
articulated wishes but did not understand the child’s needs and could not
prioritize them—a circumstance that was not likely to change within a time
reasonably calculated to meet the child’s needs. See id.
[¶7] Nor did the court err or abuse its discretion in determining that the
termination of the father’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. See
22 M.R.S. § 4055(1)(B)(2)(a); In re Thomas H., 2005 ME 123, ¶¶ 16-17,
889 A.2d 297. The court’s determination is fully supported by its findings that
the child needs nothing short of permanency as he recovers from a young
8
childhood during which the parents exposed him to damaging instability and
living conditions that did not meet his developmental needs.1
The entry is:
Judgment affirmed.
Kristina Dougherty, Esq., Wise Old Law, LLC, Portland, for appellant father
Janet T. Mills, Attorney General, and Hunter C. Umphrey, Asst. Atty. Gen., Office
of the Attorney General, Augusta, for appellee Department of Health and Human
Services
Wiscasset District Court docket number PC-2016-8
FOR CLERK REFERENCE ONLY
1 The child was so badly deprived of love and support in his early years with both parents that he
was unable to speak in clear words when he was five years old. He has made rapid and remarkable
progress since being placed away from his parents.
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Q:
Yield n times in a method not working?
An example of what I'm trying to do is probably best:
def repeater(n = 1)
n.times { yield }
end
By default, repeater will go through the block given once. However, I want it to go through the block multiple times if given n > 1. For some reason the above code doesn't work.
For instance:
I would expect this to result in 64, but instead it returns 5:
y = 2
repeater(5) { y *= 2 }
Why is this happening? Where am I going wrong? I'm fairly new to yield, and don't understand it entirely (clearly).
A:
The problem is that the return value of repeater is the return value of times, which will always be n, so you should interrogate the resulting value of y itself instead:
y = 2
repeater(5) { y *= 2 } #=> 5
y #=> 64
If you want repeater to actually return the final result, you could reduce over a Range:
def repeater(n = 1)
(0..n).reduce { yield }
end
y = 2
repeater(5) { y *= 2 } #=> 64
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Graphics processing architectures may facilitate the delivery of immersive experiences such as virtual reality (VR) environments, augmented reality (AR) environments and multi-player games to users. These experiences may involve the capture of 360° video content, wherein the captured video content may be used to deliver the immersive experience to a display such as a head mounted display (HMD) in real-time. The time-sensitive nature of real-time immersive experiences may present various image capture and encoding challenges with respect to power consumption, battery life and quality.
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Master Bathroom Renovation
A master bathroom (and bedroom) needs to be a place for relaxation & peace. I have been looking to renovate my master bathroom…(and my whole house)! I am neither a contractor, nor an interior designer. I depend mostly on Pinterest and other DYI blogs/websites for ideas and instruction. This bathroom from Centsational Girl is something that has really stood out for me. The Carrara tile used on the backsplash looks phenomenal. The brown stones from the vanity play beautifully with the floor, its all a perfect balance…in my non-professional opinion.
The Allen + Roth Kingscote 48-in Espresso Under mount Single Sink Bathroom Vanity with Engineered Stone Top, looks amazing in this space. I have a his and hers vanities and I want to make a wise choice. I am debating whether to paint the existing cabinets and change out the tops or just remove them completely and go with something like this beautiful Allen + Roth vanity.
Related Posts
Glammed Events
We are a creative life & style + mommy blog, where you can get ideas, inspirations & where you can celebrate life in community. Check out our website and join other mommies like you as we inspire and encourage each other.
Melissa Sanchez
Glammed Events is a life & style blog, inspired by Melissa’s dreams & aspirations. From a mom sharing her heart to encourage other moms who might be going / living/ surviving the same daily victories / struggles.
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Q:
O(1) lookup in C++
Is there a data structure in C++ with O(1) lookup?
A std::map has O(log(n)) lookup time (right?).
I'm looking from something in std preferably (so not Boost pls). Also, if there is, how does it work?
EDIT: Ok, I wasn't clear enough I guess. I want to associate values, kind of like in a map. So I want something like std::map<int,string>, and find and insert should take O(1).
A:
Arrays have O(1) lookup.
Hashtable (std::unordered_map) for c++11 has O(1) lookup. (Amortized, but more or less constant.)
I would also like to mention that tree based data structures like maps come with great advantages and are only log(n) which is more often than not sufficient.
Answer to your edit -> You can literally associate an index of an array to one of the values. Also hash tables are associative but perfect hash (each key maps to exactly 1 value) is really difficult to get.
One more thing worth mentioning: Arrays have great cache performance (due to locality, aka. elements being right next to each other so they can be prefetched to cache by the prefecthing engine). Trees, not so much. With reasonable amount of elements, hash performance can be more critical than asymptotic performance.
A:
Data structures with O(1) lookup (ignoring the size of the key) include:
arrays
hash tables
For complex types, balanced trees will be fine at O(log n), or sometimes you can get away with a patricia trie at O(k).
For reference:complexity of search structures
A:
An array has O(1) lookup.
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Jeremy Englemans Textures - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Lots of very, very useful textures. If you absolutely need to add some realism to your textures, this should be your first stop.
Lots of Textures - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Anything and everything you could ever need for your 3D projects, as far as texturing goes!
SMW Enterprise - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>SMW Enterprise is wellknown for their unique ornamented high resolution textures for 2D
and 3D computer created art projects. Support programs for game developer and Free
textures are also available.
3D Exploration - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>A really useful program which allows you to view, render, and convert almost all major 3D formats. The demo is fully functional for 30 days
3D Glasses Online - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Whether it is a regular stock order of our paper 3D glasses, 3D decoders, Fireworks Glasses, or Anaglyphic Glasses, delivered in lightning speed or a special order of custom printed 3-d glasses, including Eclipse glasses, Holographic glasses, and Polarized glasses, we know you will be pleased with our service, quality and competitive pricing.
A good 2D program -- Mac & PC - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>A vector based program. It uses bones to manipulate characters. Can export to video (avi, quicktime) and flash.
Elefont 1.4 & Spiralizer1.2 - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Elefont is a free tool to create 3D text objects from TTF fonts. They are generated into DXF-files and you can also use it to create scaleable texts from TTF fonts in a CAD system.
Spiralizer generates many kinds of 3D spiral models for all renderers which can import DXF objects.
HexaSuper2 - HexaSuper2 is the best modeling shareware program I have seen on mac. The manga mode is fantastic you can turn a sketch into a 3D model! I registered (It's a bargain just $54) and it exports nicely into many different formats (DXF, 3DS, Povray, etc) I highly recommend it. (Enmanuel Ulloa - Costa Rica, Central America.)
Moray V3.3 For Windows - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Moray is an interactive wire-frame modeller that allows you to model a world for POV-Ray interactively, allowing you to see the setup of your scene as you build it. No editing of POV-Ray script files (unless you really want to). Moray displays a wireframe representation of the scene in 2D views and 3D camera views.
Moray has a plugin system that allows third-party developers to enhance Moray's functionality beyond what we have done. One of the more important plugins is one that supports keyframe animation. Check it out on the Downloads page.
Need a FONT? - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Lots and lots of FREE FONTS to download.
old version of Amapi - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Free older version of the modeling program Amapi
Pixels 3D - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>looks like a full featured modeller with obj. 3ds. dxf and others for file export. it is also mac osx compatible
Poser - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Poser is a great peice of software that generates realistic people for your 3d projects.
RansomActive.com - RansomActive.com™ is the latest web resource from the Ransom Group™, the people that brought you Textureworld.com™. Textureworld™ is known through out the 3D community as the premier source of high quality seamless textures. The Ransom Group™ has combined the quality textures we have been offering for years on Textureworld.com™ with our new NetHood Web Engine™ and E-commerce system. We have made it easier than ever for you find the textures you need and get them in your 3D projects as quickly as possible.
Silo - A new powerful Subdivision Surfaces modeler with a small pricetag, for Mac OS X and Windows. Made for speed and lightness, even on older machines.
Imports and exports .dxf, .3ds, .obj.
Check the gallery and drool...!
SnagIt - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>This program allows you to create screenshots. You can capture the whole desktop or specific windows as image files. It is a 30 fully functional demo, however when the 30 days are up you can still continue to evaluate it for free.
Softy 3D - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Free 3D modeler. From the site:
Softy 3D is a 3D modeling program designed for Windows 95 98 and Windows NT 4.0 which is especially indicated for organic modeling. In the market exists some similar programs to Softy 3D, but they are guided to serve as a complement to other programs in a plug-in manner.
Softy 3D is only a modeling program, but the possibility of exporting the generated meshes to a wide variety of 3D file formats, used by the most popular 3D programs, convert it in a more opened and economical option than other similar programs, because you don't have to possess the program for which the plug-in was designed.
VideoMach - VideoMach is a powerful audio/video builder and converter. Use it to construct video clips from still images, enhance your recorded material or convert video, audio and image files between many supported formats. Free fully functional demo.
Ali Syed Sacha Samim Dessin & Fine Art - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>- DRAWINGS -
"Interpreted chiefly using Japanese Ink, the drawings inhabit and incorporate Human-, Animal-, Plant- and Unorganic-Structures into a musically vibrant Cosmos. Captured in the spirit of unity and interrelationship, they lean out towards that "Sense of Wonder."
Subtle and reflective they manifest and celebrate the "joie de vivre" of daily life."
Allan Murray Architects Ltd - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>This is the web site of the architects I work for and who put up with my soggy cycling gear hanging up in the basement!
Aquamakeover - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>This site has a great resource for all mac users and that includes Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. Everyone should check this site out and your mac will work and look better than ever!
Buy Photos at Fotosearch - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Foto Search Stock Photography allows travellers to browse through over than fifty top-quality stock graphics vendors at one site! There are over 700,000 images available, including thousands of professional quality photos of both famous and obscure travel locations. Looking through the visual travel library makes me want to book a vacation myself!
There are over 1700 results from a search on "Paris," for instance, including world-class and inspiring images of Notre Dame and le Sacre Coeur, the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the River Seine and the Alexander III Bridge, the Hotel de Ville, and much more! There are over 1200 images of England, and over 2000 images from both Japan and New York City.
Fuzzy Tips Blog pages - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Various tips and workarounds for Strata, EI, ArchiCAD, Photoshop and OS X that I have collected from the net and the Stratalist (thanks guys!)
Online Essay Writing Service - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Directions to create a captivating article
Be involved with what youre clarifying, If theres one thing guaranteed to implant excitement into your staying in contact with, its truly being enthusiastic about what youre explaining.
Fuse intriguing purposes of intrigue. Another factor that can make a paper depleting is a dry point. A couple of subjects or point ranges are ordinarily dry, and it tumbles to you to make the paper all the all the more fascinating through your formed style (more on this later) and by attempting to find hypnotizing bits of information to consolidate that will liven it up a bit and make the information less requesting to relate to.
Write in the dynamic voice. Its the most settled trap in the book, however using the dynamic rather than the dormant voice will therefore make your composed work all the all the more fascinating to examine. Get some trial written work procedures. Theres unmistakably a most distant point to the measure of genuine describing you can do when youre forming a piece everything considered, articles should be objective, honest and balanced, which doesnt, at first look, feel particularly like describing.
Consider your own specific inclination. Your paper will without a doubt be depleting if all that you do is revamp what each other individual says concerning something.
preVision Company - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Founded in 2004, preVision Company is a group of accomplished professionals using powerful digital 3D visualization and 3D rendering techniques to illustrate the true physical nature of architecture and real estate development projects BEFORE they become reality.
preVision Company - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Founded in 2004, preVision Company is a group of accomplished professional artists serving large and small architectural firms.
SimplyStrata - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>This is a tutorial site that I put together. It's all Strata studio tutorials and no broken links. More tutorials to come so check back often.
Site of teams in game developing - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Site of teams in game developing
Site de equipes para a criaçãod de jogos
Strata 3D tutorial in Danish - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>this is the place for the one-and-only-tutorial in Danish in Strata 3D.
There is a lot of pictures, exercises, resources and inspiration.
Strata Tutorials by Pheon - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>This is a list of simple and not so simple tutorials to get the user to grips with Strata 3D's basic and not so basic functions, with anything else like 3D models of my creation to show.
Ted Beargeon.com - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Ted Beargeon.com is an online portfolio containing a 3D gallery and SciFi/Fantasy illustrations published by Visual Assault Comics, Wizards of the Coast, Brass Dragon Games and more.
3D Architectural Renderings - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Global 3D Arts has been working in this way with architects and developers for over 20 years. Our artists have over a decade of experience working with architects and developers in architectural animation, rendering, and in building scale models.
3D Buzz - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Probably the 2nd best Graphic Community Site on the net (we all love the Cafe here):) Has everything.. Definately worth checking out.
3D Cafe - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>A large gallery of images created in a variety of programs, including Strata!
3DMyPage.com - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Free, for a limited time, 3DMyPage.com is offering web hosting of 3D models and
3D models of products and artwork and more in an interactive 3D environment.
great renders - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>a incredible gallery of renders made in Brazil
J. Baker Studio - Since the beginning of this year, 2004, you should see quite a bit more of my doodling around with, Strata 3D 3.9, progressively over the years since I first obtained a copy my plans of its use in my hands are starting to fall into place finally.
James Rothschild Partnership - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Design & Production for Print, Advertising, Engineering simulations, Medical, Film and T.V.
From complex programming for CD or Web to Video animations and editing, JRP delivers a full Multimedia service.
KotaPress Art Gallery - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>The KotaPress Art Gallery features the digital works of the up-and-coming artist as well as the old pro. Have you submitted your work yet?
preVision Company - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>Founded in 2004, preVision Company is a group of accomplished professional artists serving large and small architectural firms.
preVision Company - Founded in 2004, preVision Company serves large and small architectural firms.
preVision Company - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>preVision Company
Renderosity - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>A very large artist community featuring a massive gallery.
Solo Arquitectura - without no doubt the site in Spanish for Architecture lovers.
Here you will be able to find hundreds of links of architectural interest, software, news of the world of Architecture, mail from users, norms and legislation on-line. Always with special emphasis in the information available in Spanish.
Wether you are a professional or an amateur of Architecture, Construction or Design, this one is your Web.
tulio fagim - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>graphic design with extensive use of 2d and 3d softwares in advertising, illustration, character development and surface design.
Universal Presentation Concepts - <div style="display:none">edf40wrjww2links:linkdesc</div>The display models on this page were all created with Strata3D Pro, some are animated, some in flash slideshows. These are all prototypes and most of these became actual product displays.
Link submissions are handled through the administration section of this site. Only registered StrataCafe members may post links on this site. Please do not email me looking for a link. I'm not looking for links on other sites, and have no desire to join "link exchange"-like programs. Thank you.
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According to most calculations, Java is currently the most popular programming language for all sorts of purposes, which means there’s a huge variety of job choices and interesting money-making opportunities for engineers who specialize in it.
When considering what you can do with Java, many developers think of building:
Application servers
Web applications
Unit tests
Mobile applications
Desktop applications
Enterprise applications
That’s a good list, but it doesn’t begin to cover the incredible range of things you can do with Java. For example, many developers use Java to create games and tutorials. And Java often figures into cross-language development with products such as JNBridge, which means that your Java experience can come in handy even if you’re not writing pure Java applications.
Just look around a bit—there’s a good chance Java developers can find work that actually makes it fun to go to work in the morning. If you need inspiration, check out these 10 surprisingly cool ways to earn a living with Java:
1. Working in the cloud
As they do with many languages, software developers use Java to build cloud-based application services, web APIs, client applications, and so on. It’s not just that Java is useful for creating new applications in the cloud or moving existing applications to the cloud. But Java’s proven ability to work anywhere fits perfectly into the modern mix of cloud, mobile, and desktop applications designed to function the same way no matter where they happen to be running. There is also no lack of AV/VR apps out there (many of which are mobile apps) that all rely on cloud-based resources.
Companies such as Belatrix specialize in cloud-development outsourcing, and Heroku provides Java-specific cloud services. Or imagine creating an app that will help users see on their phone, tablet, or other device what their hair will look like when restyled. According to ITFirms, many top Java development companies are involved in cloud-based work with a broad range of high-profile clients (think organizations like Nestlé, the United Nations, Universal Studios, Jaguar, and others).
Especially important for cloud development is unit testing using simulations in a process called “mocking,” in which software objects are used to simulate real-world objects and determine whether unit tests pass or fail. One of the most useful and commonly used packages for mocking is Mokito, which is Java-based. You can leverage combined Mokito and Java skills to perform unit testing of all sorts of applications and devices—imagine unit testing robots, satellites, or IoT devices that rely on cloud resources to work.
2. Exploring space at NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses Java for a number of interesting applications. A personal favorite is World Wind, a software development kit (SDK) that lets you zoom in from outer space and examine any location on earth. The data source is a combination of Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data. An amazing 90 example applications show how to use this SDK—wouldn’t it be awesome to work on the code that makes it all possible? And in a blog post on developing NASA’s mission software with Java, four top NASA engineers detail the role Java played in various space missions.
NASA is always creating interesting new products, so keep an eye on Ames Research Center news. You can find a list of job openings for NASA at a number of sites, such as Indeed.
3. Working with the Internet of Things
You probably hear a lot about the Internet of Things (IoT) these days. The IoT is everywhere, from sensors in massive industrial machinery to smart-house devices like security cameras. In fact, did you know that the popular Nest thermostat relies on an interesting mix of Java and AI? Some smart vending machines are Java based, using software to track inventory, temperature, humidity, and location. In addition, many wearable technology applications are built in Java.
Want to find out more about using Java to create IoT functionality? Check out Jaxenter for info on why Java is the best language to use for IoT, and Customer Think to learn more about all the skills and resources needed to make IoT happen.
4. Developing self-driving cars
One of the more interesting and demanding uses of technology today is the self-driving car. Sure, you have to create robotics that can steer the vehicle and place the right assortment of sensors to help the car avoid collisions, but some of the most interesting work uses technology to perform tasks that humans consider more or less mundane. Still, to put self-driving cars on public roads, developers need to combine all of these elements in a package that guarantees extreme reliability—or face public outcry.
These online tutorials and simulations can help you understand how Java plays a key role in high-performance applications like self-driving cars.
5. Helping doctors make virtual house calls with chatbots
Once upon a time, doctors made actual house calls, visiting patients in their homes. This may not always have been efficient for the doctors, but it sure was convenient for the patients. Now, there is a booming medical approach designed to let the doctor stay in the office but still visit patients in their homes. One such project is Doctor Online, which relies on Java in its application modules. Though not new, the system includes a full suite of modules designed to make doctor and patient interactions convenient and fast.
Beyond telemedicine, more and more sites, including e-commerce sites, rely on chatbots to provide a personalized touch for everything from choosing the right outfit to tracking lost packages.
Eventually, we could see robotic medical devices that reside in the homes of those who need them. Remote doctors, via the robot, could perform simple tasks like checking a patient’s temperature, listening to their heartbeat, or checking their blood pressure—all without leaving their office. In fact, someday doctor may even be able to perform more advanced tasks, such as administering basic care or performing an EKG.
Java developers will be on the front lines in creating this technology. As the medical profession looks for less expensive ways to address patient needs, look for an ever-expanding role for software engineers in creating the required software.
6. Performing big data analysis
Today, big data analysis is at the center of some of the most interesting uses of technology. Scientists in a number of key industries are using advanced data analysis techniques to discover new patterns in large quantities of data and to better understand complex processes.
Although many engineers believe Python or R is better suited to these kinds of applications, Java is also used for many data analytics tasks, especially in ETL (Extract/Transform/Load) processes. Java is often used to work with Hadoop implementations. Fortunately, a wide variety of tools are available to perform data analysis using Java, including libraries and frameworks like Weka, Rapid Miner, Massive Online Analysis (MOA), Apache SAMOA, JSAT , Java Machine Learning Library — Java-ML, Retina Library, Java Data Mining Package — JDMP, and many others.
It doesn’t hurt that highly compensated big data jobs are popping up in a wide variety of companies and data analysis applications. For example, these skills could be invaluable to help social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn deal with their issues managing everything from hate speech to terrorist recruiting. Java-based data analysis might one day help stop a terrorist attack or uncover large-scale voter manipulation.
Want to learn more? Check out the Udemy course on Basic Data Analysis with Java or read Java Data Analysis by John R. Hubbard.
7. Getting your name on the big screen
Special effects firms like Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) rely on Java for all sorts of software-based wonders. In fact, you can often find jobs at ILM for just about any development skill. Currently, ILM uses a combination of Java and Python to handle tasks like sequencing animation scenes.
8. Making games
A lot of popular video games today—such as RuneScape, for example—run on Java. Basically, Java games are just about everywhere because Java works just about everywhere.
The Open JavaFX (OpenJFX) graphics package eases the burden of working with the kinds of images that makes gamers go crazy. In fact, there are gaming development sites, such as Java-Gaming.org, that are totally dedicated to the needs and interests of Java game developers. You can also find specialized libraries for gaming development, such as Lightweight Java Game Library (LWJGL), designed to make creating games in Java much easier.
Android makes extensive use of Java for apps of all sorts, including games. Check out the Mybridge list of 38 top apps written in Java—you may be amazed by the wealth and variety of apps that depend on Java-development skills.
9. Becoming a mad scientist
There has always been an association in popular culture between number crunching and mad scientists. (After all, how many people do you know who label numbers as evil?) Many modern developers don’t think of Java as the best language for numeric processing and scientific needs, and reviewers tend to cite its lack of math libraries as a serious problem. That may be why Python is more widely associated with these kinds of programming tasks.
However, Java can in fact be a better solution for math-oriented applications when you need to combine heavy numeric or scientific processing with smooth 2D or 3D graphics output. If you’re a mad scientist in training and want to use Java, you need a library such as JScience or JSci. Sites such as Glassdoor provide listings of interesting jobs working with science and Java.
10. Going back to school
A large number of schools and educational institutions (both K-through-12 and higher education) rely on custom Java applications. Until recently, Java was the language of choice for learning programming skills in schools (it has recently been overshadowed by Python) and it is still widely used in educational settings.
Creating educational and other applications for schools tends to involve writing a wide variety of smaller applications, compared to fewer but bigger projects in enterprise environments. In the educational world, you could be coding an application to track student statistics one day and working on a modeling process for a lab another day. Freelancer provides listings of jobs in this category.
Java is everywhere
These 10 lesser known things you can do with Java merely scratch the surface of how to turn Java skills into a rewarding career, a lucrative sideline, or even a way to unlock the hidden potential in your current position. Java is so popular and widespread that there’s no shortage of ways to find fun and fascinating work with the language. With a little bit of digging and a dash of creativity, Java expertise can be your ticket to a fascinating career in almost any field.
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Risks, strengths, gender, and recidivism among justice-involved youth: A meta-analysis.
Debate ensues regarding female-specific risk and strength factors among adolescent offenders. Using meta-analysis, we examined whether risk and strength factors predicted recidivism differentially between male and female youth. Database searches identified 22 studies, representing 50,601 justice-involved youth (11,952 females and 38,649 males) and a total of 584 effect sizes. For the global risk domains, there is some evidence for gender neutrality (i.e., risk factors predict to the same degree for both males and females) among most domains (e.g., antisocial peer relations, problematic family circumstances and parenting, substance abuse, antisocial personality/behavior, and antisocial attitudes/orientation). Although the global domains of mental health and child abuse were not significantly predictive for either gender, the global child abuse results trended in favor of predicting recidivism for females. When global risk domains were broken into indicators, some evidence for gender differences emerged (e.g., chronic alcohol use and family substance abuse predicted more strongly for females than for males). Last, gender comparisons among the global strength domains revealed that prosocial peers and the absence of substance abuse predicted success (i.e., no recidivism) for both genders, though a stronger effect emerged for males. In addition, education/employment strengths predicted success for males, whereas prosocial values predicted success for females. Limitations such as the lack of studies that defined constructs from the female experience, and the small number of primary studies are discussed. Advancing the future of gender informed practice with justice-involved youth will require careful consideration of both gender similarities and differences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Ashley Jackson hits India jackpot
IT TOOK a while but it was worthwhile. The auction for some of the world’s best players to take part in the new Hockey India League stretched to double its allocated time. But after 10 hours Ashley Jackson, the Great Britain midfielder, went for £45,000.
He was the sixth highest priced player in the five team franchises, and will play in the Ranchi Rhinos squad, along with the world player of the year, Germany’s double gold Olympian Moritz Fuertze, India midfielder Manpreet Singh, South Africa’s former Reading striker Austin Smith and New Zealand’s Nick Wilson.
If it all goes to plan next month Jackson will have a fantastic experience over five weeks of top-class competition.
Jackson was at the Maxifuel Super Sixes at the superb St George’s Park facility at Burton scoring goals for East Grinstead in their bid to qualify for a fifth successive indoor title in the finals at Wembley Arena on Sunday, January 27, which he will miss.
The money will help take me through the next four-year Olympic cycle, maybe into savings for a house
Ashley Jackson
“It’s great,” he said. “I was watching the auction and it wasn’t looking good at first. The money will help take me through the next four-year Olympic cycle, maybe into savings for a house.
“But it’s not the money, it is the idea of playing in this sort of tournament with the top players in front of fantastic crowds. I will get to experience a bit of India, to see it properly. There are some exciting names there.”
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213 P.2d 602 (1950)
McALPIN
v.
SMITH et al.
No. 8928.
Supreme Court of Montana.
January 13, 1950.
Russell E. Smith, Missoula, Smith, Boone & Rimel, Missoula, for appellants.
Lloyd I. Wallace, Polson, F. N. Hamman, Polson, for respondent.
FREEBOURN, Justice.
This appeal is from a judgment in a quiet title action rendered by the district court of Lake county in favor of plaintiff and respondent R.H. McAlpin and against defendants and appellants Florence Smith, Hope A. Smith, Evelyn C. Smith and Oliver H. Smith, quieting title to certain lands in Lake county in plaintiff and respondent.
The complaint is in the usual quiet title action form. The essential allegations are: That plaintiff is the owner of the lands described in the complaint; that he is in possession of such lands; that defendants assert some claim, right or title in such lands adverse to plaintiff; and asks that title be quieted in plaintiff.
Defendants alleged in their answer that title to the lands was in themselves; admitted the lands were in Lake county where the action was brought; and denied all else.
From a reading of the record and considering all evidence before the lower court, competent and incompetent, it appears that McAlpin, a rancher, in the spring of 1945, went to the Lake county courthouse and found the land in question owned by nonresidents. It was stipulated in open court by counsel for all parties that at this time "the title actually stood in the name of Hope A. Smith, Evelyn C. Smith, Oliver H. Smith and Lester H. Smith," and "that Lester H. Smith was dead, and that his estate was thereafter probated and his one-fourth interest in this land was later decreed to his wife, Florence Smith," one of the defendants.
McAlpin, in March of 1945, wrote "to the Lester H. Smith estate because," as he said, "I knew none of the Smiths personally." He received no answer to this letter. Later Bert Hoxmer, now dead, whose wife was related to the Smiths, came to him "to talk over the terms of the sale of this land." Hoxmer wrote the Smiths "that I offered the Smiths thirty-two hundred dollars for this land and that he recommended they accept this price." A letter from Florence Smith to Hoxmer "included a deed signed by the four Smiths and made out to me."
There was no delivery of this deed to McAlpin because, as he said, "I objected to accepting the deed because there had been no abstract produced, and asked him to produce an abstract before I accepted the deed and made full payment." No part of the purchase price was paid.
Later an abstract was given McAlpin by Hoxmer. McAlpin's attorney, after examination *603 of the abstract, required certain probate proceedings to be had and raised some question as to easements on the land.
The abstract, brought down to August 2, 1946, placed in evidence by plaintiff, showed the record title of the lands to be in the defendants Florence Smith, Hope A. Smith, Evelyn C. Smith and Oliver H. Smith. A letter signed by Evelyn C. Smith to McAlpin's lawyer, dated June 27, 1946, put in evidence by plaintiff, said in part: "Upon checking the correspondence * * * we find that there has been no communication since February 9, 1946, in which you stated that `we cannot close the deal'."
On August 26, 1946, McAlpin, through his attorney, sent the Smiths a check for $3,200. The check was returned.
McAlpin took possession of the land in May 1945, claiming Hoxmer consented to such possession, placed some fences upon it and paid some taxes levied on the land. Since McAlpin did not claim title by adverse possession these circumstances have little weight here.
On September 21, 1946, McAlpin filed a specific performance action against these same defendants in the district court of Lake county, alleging in his complaint, "that on or about the 15th day of April 1945, the defendants were the owners in fee * * * and that defendants still have the legal title" to these same lands. He alleged a contract between the parties to sell and purchase such lands for $3,200; that the contract had been completed; that he had paid the $3,200 into court; and asked that defendants be compelled to specifically perform the contract by executing and delivering a deed to him of the lands. Summons was attempted to be served by publication, the defendants at all times being residents of Wisconsin and outside the state of Montana. The specific performance action continued until February 7, 1948, when it was dismissed, following the decision of this court in State ex rel. Miller v. District Court, 120 Mont. 423, 186 Pac. (2d) 506, 173 A.L.R. 978, holding "An action for specific performance of alleged contract to convey real estate was an action in personam in which jurisdiction of a nonresident defendant could not be obtained by service of summons by publication and in which personal service was required.
The files of the specific performance action were introduced as evidence by plaintiff in the quiet title action now before us, the quiet title action being filed on February 7, 1948, the same day the specific performance action was dismissed.
Notwithstanding the complaints in these two actions are diametrically opposed as to allegation of title to the lands, the parties to the actions are the same, the lands involved are the same and the evidence in so far as plaintiff is concerned undoubtedly would be the same. The real differences between the actions are: Service of summons in the quiet title action could be by publication but in the specific performance action it had to be personal, which explains why plaintiff dropped the specific performance action and instituted the quiet title action, and in order to make his quiet title complaint stand up, plaintiff had to allege title to the lands in himself, while in the specific performance action he had alleged title to be in defendants.
The complainant in an action to quiet title has the burden of proof as to all issues arising upon the essential allegations of the complaint. He must prove title in himself if the answer denies his title. 44 Am. Jur., Quieting Title, Sec. 83, p. 67. The burden of proof was on plaintiff. The plaintiff in an action to quiet title must succeed on the strength of his own title and not on the weakness of his adversary's. Borgeson v. Tubb, 54 Mont. 557, 172 Pac. 326. See also Smith v. Whitney, 105 Mont. 523, 74 Pac. (2d) 450; and Aronow v. Bishop, 107 Mont. 317, 86 Pac. (2d) 644. 51 C.J., Quieting Title, sec. 73, p. 171, lays down the rule: "In an action to quiet title or remove a cloud thereon the general rule is that plaintiff must succeed on the strength of his own title and not on the weakness of his adversary's, except where the parties claim title from a common source. Want of title in plaintiff renders *604 it unnecessary to examine that of defendant."
Plaintiff's own evidence showed beyond question that title to the lands was in defendants.
By stipulation of both parties in open court it was agreed that "the title actually stood in the name of Hope A. Smith, Evelyn C. Smith, Oliver H. Smith and Lester H. Smith" and that "Lester H. Smith was dead, and that his estate was thereafter probated and his one-fourth interest in this land was later decreed to his wife Florence Smith."
The abstract, introduced by plaintiff as evidence, showed the record title of said lands to be in defendants as of the date thereof, August 2, 1946. The complaint, in the specific performance action, signed by plaintiff, under oath, on September 21, 1946, alleged: "That on or about the 15th day of April 1945, the defendants were the owners in fee of the lands" and "that the defendants still have the legal title to said lands." Nothing happened between September 21, 1946, and the time of trial which would change or weaken this title.
Plaintiff did not and could not prove title to the lands in himself. There was a complete failure of proof as to an essential allegation of the complaint, to-wit: That title to the lands was in plaintiff.
For the foregoing reasons the judgment of the lower court is reversed with directions to dismiss the action.
ADAIR C.J., and ANGSTMAN, METCALF and BOTTOMLY, JJ., concur.
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Karyomorphology of Maianthemum sensu lato (Polygonatae, Ruscaceae).
We report results of karyotype analyses using nine species of Maianthemum from China. The species, except M. atropurpureum (with 2n=72), had 2n=36, and the results support the earlier suggestion that Maianthemum has x=18 with 2n=36 in most species. The species examined, however, showed marked differences in karyotype, particularly in the numbers of metacentric, submetacentric, and acrocentric chromosomes as well as in the number of satellites. In addition, we distinguished three different modes based on the number of clear gaps in chromosome length variation: unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal. The unimodal variation (with no gap) was found in M. dahuricum and M. atropurpureum, the bimodal variation (with one gap) in M. tatsienense, and the trimodal variation (with two gaps) in M. bifolium, M. forrestii, M. japonicum, M. henryi, M. purpureum, and M. lichiangense. In the trimodal variation, the positions of the two gaps may differ from species to species. In addition, the frequency of acrocentric chromosomes per complement was generally higher in the trimodal variation than in the unimodal and bimodal variations. Results of our analyses, which had not been clearly presented prior to this, may provide a better understanding of species evolution in the tribe Polygonatae.
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Q:
Replace "\r\n" in NSMutableString, Data received from Server
Im getting data from a server by executing this code:
- (void) sendGeneral:(NSString *) general{
self.responseData = [NSMutableData data];
NSMutableURLRequest *request = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:[NSURL URLWithString:CBURL]];
[request setHTTPMethod:@"POST"];
int i;
i = [general length];
NSLog(@"Length is %i", i);
[request setHTTPBody:[general dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]];
[[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:request delegate:self];
}
the data I'm getting after NSLog it to console containing "\r\n" as you can see from the following data (only part of the data to demonstration)
"numberPhoneFrom":"","FormName":"הרשמה\r\n"},{"CallID":314358,"StartDate":"27/07/2011 19:32","TotalTime":51.0,"numberPhoneFrom":"","FormName":"פרטים כלליים\r\n"},{"CallID":424378,"StartDate":"26/09/2011 18:43","TotalTime":63.6,"numberPhoneFrom":"","FormName":"הרשמה\r\n"},{"CallID":311229,"StartDate":"26/07/2011 13:28","TotalTime":18.6,"numberPhoneFrom":"","FormName":"נסיון\r\n"}
Im trying to clean the "\r\n" with all kind of commands but i can't do it this code get the data in the protocol
- (void) GetData: (NSMutableString *)protocol{
[protocol replaceOccurrencesOfString:@"\n" withString:@"" options:0 range:NSMakeRange(0, [protocol length])];
NSLog(@"server data Function%@", protocol);
}
Getting the data back from server in hear in NSMutableString
/*****************************************************************/
/* connection finish loading and continue talk */
/*****************************************************************/
- (void) connectionDidFinishLoading:(NSURLConnection *)connection {
[connection release];
NSMutableString* responseString = [[NSMutableString alloc] initWithData:responseData encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
// NSLog(@"the Server Response was %@", responseString);
[[self delegate] GetData:responseString];
}
can anyone help?
A:
**Solved this issue on the server, i think this is the best thing to do' servers are much stronger and C# is very good in string handeling
Thank you.**
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Trouble logging in?If you can't remember your password or are having trouble logging in, you will have to reset your password. If you have trouble resetting your password (for example, if you lost access to the original email address), please do not start posting with a new account, as this is against the forum rules. If you create a temporary account, please contact us right away via Forum Support, and send us any information you can about your original account, such as the account name and any email address that may have been associated with it.
Seriously, I would want CE to just be bookshelved enough to make its fans more mature.
Met my match? Sorry, I'm just a fan of characters that are likable as people and not just as anime characters, and also a fan of characters with a brain between their ears that can do more than beamspam. And Kira and Lacus in that respect deliver. THAT is why I like the CE. I think Kira rocks, and Lacus is as close as you can come to being a goddess without actually having a license from Yggdrasil.
I'm also an Illidan fanboy, Sephiroth fanboy, a Belldandy fanboy, a Yuna fanboy, a Tifa fanboy, a Saber fan, and a Rider fanboy. Only a Saber fan because outside of battle she's largely useless.
GSD was not a bad anime by any means. Yes, it was perhaps the first gundam where the first main character was a complete mess and a PHAILURE, but this is why you fall back on what works and bring back goddess and her knight in even better shining armor!
Seriously, if you're looking for a million and one good characters, go read a damn book and get bored to death by the subtleties and throw down GRRM's game of thrones on page 269 because he's boring as shit. If you're watching gundam, pretty much accept that not everyone will have spectacular characterization but at least there'll be plenty of beam spamming and gundam girls. But hey, when it comes to the ultimate definition of good guys, nothing beats the super shiny ship the archangel, a dragon of space with the same color as a pink-haired goddess's hair, commanded by said goddess that also turns gundams into heaven's (or Lacus's) personal bringers of justice (or as WD likes to call it, just-us). And so long as you're willing to take it all in good fun like me, you can just sit back and wave your Kira and Lacus flag all day long .
__________________
Signature stolen by a horde of carnivorous bunnies. It is an unscientifically proven fact that they are attracted to signatures which break the signature rules.
It's so sad that you are becoming such an ignorant person. You come here and all you have been saying is basically the same thing. No matter how many words you add to make it more "intellectual", or "dramatic" it is still the same thing.
Why don't you try what we are trying to tell you? Why are you craving for something that does not exist yet? Your lack of understanding and patience will eventually lead to your demise. And I don't just mean in "internet life", it applies well in real life too.
So what if not all the people like SEED? Please give yourself some dignity. You can't force yourself unto the world. The world does not revolve around Gundam SEED alone.
@demongod: Don't be offended, I just acquired newfound respect for you because of him.
Now unto the next topic:
Do you think that if the CE universe were to continue, would it still use Hirai's Character Designs?
I'd expect a slight redesign keeping in mind the original series started in 02. Nothing major but slight tweaks to modernize them. (see Belldandy throughout the series/OVA's of Ah My Goddess for what I mean very slight tweaks)
What the heck are you talking about?
1. Fix your engrish before you even step a foot here.
2. Please elaborate what you are trying to say. You don't make any sense at all.
3. Can you please not rant when there is an ongoing topic to be discussed. THIS IS NOT HEROTV NOR THE ABS-CBN FORUMS.
4. WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR QUALMS, Its not like Mitsuo Fukuda is some kind of Omnipresent being who can hear you. Your muttering is only worth an opinion, an inappropriate one.
5.Quit flooding the Forum! Your senseless messages don't mean anything here. They're just pointless banter discussed years ago. Now if you want to rant about how seed is better/superior... then go out. You're polluting this thread, so either create another thread or get out, it's that simple...
It's not like you control what happens.
Like what we said, there was nothing wrong about SEED (the series itself). Destiny itself made it hard for other fans to swallow CE. Plus, you're already making CE's fandom look like r*tards.
look unless if they plan to show the flay human bomb on kira then there would be no gsd.
Possible, some SUNRISE plot machine can hook this one out...
Quote:
but it never happen then came gsd then maybe after gs the movie it could 3rd gs season with new director, writers, etc for gs 3?!
you'd not care about the staff, as long as it's still GS3... oh *facepalm*
Quote:
i'm trying to make sure gs will not be like those short lived other time era gundam with one season.
that, my boy, is not up to you... Destiny has already been aired, now, it's the audiences' meticulous senses that the series has to worry about...
DESTINY had a lot of flaws, especially with the last 10 episodes... but their biggest mistake, for me, wasn't found there... it's when Kira suddenly NERFED Shinn and his character development... It's suposed to be Shinn's, right?
Thatīs interesting. For me itīs important, that if we ever get a 3rd season of SEED, that Fukuda and Morosawa is working on it. If theyīre not in it, with all their flaws, it would just be CE and not SEED.
DESTINY had a lot of flaws, especially with the last 10 episodes... but their biggest mistake, for me, wasn't found there... it's when Kira suddenly NERFED Shinn and his character development... It's suposed to be Shinn's, right?
For me, a redesign would be nice...
Since when did Kira Yamato gained the power to influence the production of anime he's in? He isn't that godly.
Seriously, I don't understand why hate for an anime character could be justified when the said character had no influence in how Shinn came to be. Kira Yamato is not an actor, he can't bribe the director or bully Shinn in the locker room after recording. Giving Kira malicious intent when your misgivings were supposed to be aimed at producers, directors and scriptwriter, is just weird.
Look at it this way, it would be similar to not liking the 3rd Episode of Starwars but blaming Darth Vader for it...
"That evil Darth Vader! It is all his fault the script failed! He warped Lucus's mind!"
EDIT: To clarify, you can justifiably dislike a character for what he or she stands for, what they did in the story, and objecting to their beliefs. But no way could you claim Kira is "responsible" for Shinn's sucky treatment. In no way did Kira's existence in the story forced Shinn to lose everything; Shinn was written out, and Kira had to be reintroduced because someone had to be the main character. If you don't like Kira, that's your choice. But do hate him for things that make sense.
i'm trying to make sure gs will not be like those short lived other time era gundam with one season.
"Short lived"?
This is getting released soon. There's at least one new original Gundam model every year. It's still ranked as one of the top five most popular anime shows in Japan, ever, in many polls.
What you don't seem to understand is that MSG, Z and ZZ are "seasons" 1, 2 and 3 of UC Gundam according to your model where GS is "season" 1 and GSD is "season" 2, so... I guess GS is the one that's "short lived", huh?
Quote:
besides if they have new storyline with new director & etc it must still be gs & have the original 4 gs that is K.L.A.C.
Hopefully with them dying in the first episode so that the Cosmic Era can be resetted.
LOL Ha! I won't say anything further^^...You know, as to curve the momentum of this ...
The way I see it, if Kira wasn't around Yzak could have taken over instead. Kira wasn't essential for the change; a pre-established Coordinator pilot with known background and motivations is all that's needed as a replacement. Yzak even has his own fleet so Lacus participation isn't required, and the rivary with Athrun can remain.
Kira is an invincible pilot in GSD. But that means nothing, as he can't influence Fukuda. You can hate Kira if you want him to be less godly, but pushing Shinn aside is not his doing. The only way that could have occured is if he showed up onboard Minerva and took over Shinn's job directly, and if that had happened you can freely blame Kira for it.
I believe Flay would take her life at the end of the show, taking Sai with her, and seriously injuring Athrun(?). But that scenario were, thankfully, scrapped.
Another thing with Flay that Fukuda were thinking about was to give her a scar, war wound, and make that one of the reasons Kira and Flay got paired together. Although, thankfully again , this time he chose sex instead.
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Background
==========
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease that primarily affects young children, in which allergic sensitization is present in only a part of patients. Patients with AD may develop allergic rhinitis and asthma at certain ages. In Albania, prior to the ISAAC Phases survey, very little was known about the prevalence of allergic disorders. To give a recent view of the situation was conducted ALB- ISSAC study during the school year 2011-2012 in Tirana, Albania.
Methods
=======
ALB- ISAAC study was based on ISAAC protocols. Symptoms core and risk factor questionnaires, allergen skin prick tests, examination for visible flexural dermatitis were completed in a schedule according to the study protocol. In August 2011, a randomized sample of schools was chosen until a predefined sample of 3000 children for each of three age groups; 6-7, 10-11 and 13-14 years old were achieved.
Results
=======
In 6-7 years old the frequency of eczema ever and visible flexural dermatitis were respectively 1.8% and 1.3%, in 13-14 years old were 2.5% and 0.6%, and in 10-11 years old were 1.7% and 1.3%. The prevalence of sensitization for any allergen was 24.3 % (258/1093). Wheeze ever (OR= 1.50, 95% CI 1.04- 2.17), asthma ever (OR= 2.72, 95% CI 1.36-5.43) and hay fever ever (OR= 2.24, 95% CI 1.24-4.07) were more common among the children with positive skin prick test. While, wheeze past 12 months (OR= 1.71, 95% CI 0.98-2.98) and Nose/eyes past 12 months (OR= 1.74, 95% CI 0.96-3.15) were more frequent among 10-11- years -old with positive SPT, but with no statistical significance. Visible flexural dermatitis was three times more frequent among 10-11-year-olds with positive skin prick tests in 2011-2012 (OR =3.16, 95% CI 1.47-6.82).
Discussion
==========
The prevalence of eczema symptoms, and visible flexural dermatitis at examination, already below the global average in 1995, has remained stable. Alb-ISAAC study found a significant increase in the prevalence of atopic sensitization. Our study found that, the visible flexural dermatitis, wheeze ever, hay fever ever, asthma ever were more frequent among 10-11 years old with positive skin prick test. Different authors tend to identify different phenotypes of atopic dermatitis and even different phenotype of atopy to evaluate the progression toward rhinitis and asthma. It seems that only the allergic extrinsic form follow the distribution and risk pattern that have been assign to asthma and hay fever.
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Soft Computing: Fuzzy Logic, Neural Networks, and Genetic Algorithms
Abstract
Soft computing is a relatively new field within computer science. It is a conglomeration of fuzzy logic, neural networks, and probabilistic reasoning. Probabilistic reasoning is further divided into belief networks, genetic algorithms, and chaos theory. What all of these subfields share is an adherence to nonexact computation. Up until now, we have been using formal Boolean logic, which says that something is either true or false, yes or no, black or white. There are no shades of gray with this type of logic.
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HeLa cell tumor response to 60Co, Cs-137, Cf-252 radiations and cisplatin chemotherapy in nude mice.
HeLa cells were implanted into athymic nude mice from tissue culture and solid tumors established (HeLa cell tumor or HCT). Large cell numbers of 1 X 10(7) were required to obtain consistent and progressive growth, and tumor growth followed a Gompertzian mode. Irradiation studies were carried out using acute Cobalt-60 (60Co), low-dose-rate (LDR) Cs-137 and LDR Cf-252. Cf-252, a neutron-emitting radioisotope, produced an immediate tumor shrinkage and regression response after a dose of 279 cGy. Acute 60Co or LDR Cs-137 irradiation with 1000 cGy had little effect on the HCT. After a dose of 2000 cGy of 60Co radiation tumor shrinkage followed a latent period of approximately 5 days. Cisplatin had no effect on the HCT in nude mice in stationary or late exponential growth.
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An Australian firefighter has died in a Swiss euthanasia clinic, leaving a message for politicians and voters.
Key points: Despite Victoria legalising voluntary assisted dying, Mr Thornton did not qualify
Despite Victoria legalising voluntary assisted dying, Mr Thornton did not qualify He could not find two doctors who would say he would certainly die within 12 months
He could not find two doctors who would say he would certainly die within 12 months Mr Thornton wanted his death to start a national discussion on dying well
Troy Thornton, 54, died by lethal injection late on Friday, Australian time.
His wife Christine was there to hold his hand, but he died without his two teenage children by his side.
The Victorian man said he wanted the nation to think deeply about the concept of dying well, and to challenge the notion that choosing death is somehow wrong.
He wanted to legally end his life at home in Australia, with all those he loved around him.
But despite Victoria becoming the first state to legalise voluntary assisted dying, he did not qualify.
His disease — multiple system atrophy — is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. There are no treatments and there is no prospect of recovery, but death can take years.
That's where the Victorian laws fall down, Mr Thornton said.
He could not find two doctors willing to say with absolute certainty that he would die within 12 months, which in his case is a condition to access the legislation.
That left him with Switzerland as a solution to end his suffering, albeit without his children, his extended family and his circle of friends.
"Doctors have always told me that you don't die of it, you die with it. You can live for quite a few years, but… you end up being a vegetable," he said from the Swiss city of Basel.
"After a while it attacks different systems, breathing, swallowing. I'd end up drowning in my own mucous, that's what happens."
He called his disease a "beast": one that takes everything away slowly.
"First you can't swim, then you can't run, walk, kick the footy with your children, you can't surf, drive; eventually it takes your career. Then you end up being a vegetable.
"It's a pretty grim way to go out."
He described every day as "like Groundhog Day" — filled with incessant vertigo, double vision and nausea.
"I've just had enough, but unfortunately the laws, while they are a huge step in the right direction, they don't help me. They discount a lot of people."
He urged Australian voters to tell their politicians what they wanted when it comes to end of life choices.
"When it's our life, we should have control. We should be able to choose if we are of sound mind. That's what I'd like to say."
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said while the circumstances of the case were "quite tragic", the Government had put a lot of time and effort into making sure there were appropriate checks and balances in the system.
"The criteria the legislation sets down had not been met, which was essentially two specialists being prepared to sign off on the imminently terminal nature of the disease," he said.
"[The tests are there] for a good reason. They're there to protect vulnerable Victorians at what can be clearly a very traumatic time in their life."
Victoria's assisted dying legislation comes into effect in the middle of this year.
AAP/ABC
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Community resolutions not for violent crimes says Khan
30 April 2013 Last updated at 13:31 BST
The "community resolutions" punishment was introduced under Labour for low-level crime and not intended for those committing violent crimes to avoid prison and the courts, the shadow justice secretary has said.
Sadiq Khan was speaking about Labour figures which show police dealt with more than 33,000 offences of violence against the person with a community resolution.
He said there had been a "huge increase for inappropriate offences" and it meant violent people were avoiding courts and prison, or even a caution, and it could mean victims may stop coming forward.
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Q:
Find a file and return after the first match in a perl script
I am using the find from perl. It works but I want to return (exit) from subrutine wanted after a first match is found, I would like to stop the find. I put the return but it doesn't work.
Here is my code:
find(\&wanted, $dir);
sub wanted {
print "Found it $File::Find::dir/$_\n" if /$file/i;
$found_file = "$File::Find::dir/$_";
return "$File::Find::dir/$_";
}
print $found_file;
$dir is the directory I am searching in and $file is the file I need.
Where should I put the returi in the sub wanted. I am new to perl, any help is appreciated. Thanks.
A:
File::Find is a wacky module. It almost requires you code your entire program inside the wanted section. If you don't want to do this, you are usually required to use some sort of badly scoped variable which makes things look ugly. Plus, it uses a separate subroutine that makes the code harder to follow.
The problem is that File::Find isn't object oriented. If it was, you could fetch the files in a loop using a method, and when you get the file you want, you can leave the loop.
Fortunately, there's already a File::Find::Object which is an object oriented version of File::Find.
sub find_file {
my @directories = @_;
my $dir_tree = File::Find::Object->new( @directories );
while ( my $file = $dir_tree->next ) {
next unless ... # Code used to determine if file is what you want
return $file
}
return; #Nothing found
}
The interface is clean and easy to understand. It's how File::Find should work. I don't know why it's not a standard distribution module.
The main problem with File::Find is that it's old (From the Perl 3.x) days, and was never really intended to be a module. It was made to work with the find2perl program that still comes with Perl distributions. Want to see something ugly and scary? Run a find query through find2perl and see the results. This is what old Perl code use to look like.
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Q:
Can't use set_ydata for a "stem"-plot in matlibplot
I can't use the set_ydata method properly. I have the following code (I use IPython notebook)
%pylab wx
x = arange(20.)
y_old = x**2
y_new = 1.3*y_old
markerline, stemlines, baseline = stem(x,y_old)
markerline.set_ydata(y_new)
Which results in the following picture:
I tried to add:
stemlines.set_ydata(y_new)
baseline.set_ydata(y_new)
but the programm crashed. What can be done to refresh all elements of the stem-plot?
A:
You need for loop the stemlines, and set the y_data for every line:
x = arange(20.)
y_old = x**2
y_new = 1.3*y_old
markerline, stemlines, baseline = stem(x,y_old)
markerline.set_ydata(y_new)
for line, y in zip(stemlines, y_new):
line.set_ydata([0, y])
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US Army Corps postpones confrontation over Dakota Access Pipeline construction
By our reporter
5 December 2016
The US Army Corps of Engineers announced on Sunday that it will not grant an easement for the final stage of construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline through Native American tribal lands in southern North Dakota.
The decision came a day before evacuation orders issued by the Corps and the Governor of North Dakota against thousands of protesters at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Hundreds of military veterans supporting the protests—led by Wes Clark Jr., the son of former Democratic presidential candidate General Wesley Clark—have traveled to the reservation in recent days and were planning a demonstration today.
The announcement was clearly aimed at preventing a further confrontation with protesters, who have been subject to brutal violence from police and National Guard units over the past several months and have won widespread support. At the same time, the order does not prevent construction, but is rather a move by the Obama administration to put off a final decision until President-elect Donald Trump takes office next January 20.
After the eruption of protests in the summer, the Obama administration delayed any final decision while standing by as police used water cannon, rubber bullets and concussion grenades against protesters. In September, the Army Corps, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior announced a temporary halt on pipeline construction after initial police violence against protesters generated widespread public outrage.
Sunday’s announcement from the Army’s assistant secretary for Civil Works, Jo-Ellen Darcy, states, “Although we have had continuing discussion and exchanges of new information with the Standing Rock Sioux and Dakota Access, it’s clear that there’s more work to do. The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing.”
Darcy added that the consideration of alternate routes “would be best accomplished through an environmental-impact study with full public input and analysis.” Such a study would take several months to complete.
The announcement reverses a decision made by the Corps earlier this year to override concerns from officials within the Environmental Protection Agency and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation about the initial draft environmental assessment. The Corps issued a final environmental assessment in August approving construction of a tunnel under the Missouri River, threatening the primary water source for much of South and North Dakota, including the Standing Rock reservation.
Significantly, the Corps decision on Sunday does not assert that the current route—which passes under Lake Oahe, formed by a dam on the Missouri River—is not in the “public interest,” only that a further assessment is required. The Obama administration also did not take further action that would block construction, such as declaring the region a national monument.
Nonetheless, the tribal chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, Dave Archambault, who is closely aligned with the Democratic Party, issued a statement full of praise for the Obama administration. “We wholeheartedly support the decision of the administration and commend with the utmost gratitude the courage it took on the part of President Obama, the Army Corps, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to take steps to correct the course of history and to do the right thing,” Archambault said.
The decision actually does nothing to “correct the course of history,” constituting only a brief delay before the next administration takes office, committed to a full-blast development of oil, gas and coal deposits, regardless of cultural, environmental or democratic concerns.
Last week, the Trump transition team released a memo announcing the support of the president-elect for completion of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline, which is financed by a consortium of US and global banks and would transport 50,000 barrels of oil a day from the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota to southern Illinois. The statement asserted that Trump’s position was not connected to his personal investment in Energy Partners, the Texas-based company leading the project.
“It’s not over. It’s never over,” one Standing Rock member told USA Today. “They say one thing and do another.”
North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple denounced the denial of the easement, calling it a “serious mistake” that “prolongs the dangerous situation.” Craig Stevens, a spokesman for the industry consortium, Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now, responded, “With President-elect Trump set to take office in 47 days, we are hopeful that this is not the final word on the Dakota Access pipeline.”
The maneuver to delay final construction of the pipeline and possibly make minor changes to its route was immediately hailed by sections of the Democratic Party. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who has been elevated to the leadership of the Democratic Party in the Senate, issued a statement declaring, “I appreciate very much President Obama listening to the Native American people and millions of others who believe this pipeline should not be built.”
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Deribit – Bitcoin Futures and Options Exchange - bitconion
https://www.deribit.com/
======
zdkl
"Under extreme market circumstances Deribit could decide to partially or
entirely close winning positions to be able to close loosing positions. This
could only occur under extreme circumstances, for example when the market
moves more than 10% in a 12 hour time frame."
Wait what? I've seen way more than 10%/day volatility on *coin/USD markets
often enough. Has anyone else read through the 'tos'?
[https://www.deribit.com/docs/terms-of-service-and-privacy-
po...](https://www.deribit.com/docs/terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy/)
~~~
tcoppi
When you trade derivatives like this, your main risk is counterparty risk.
Deribit, with things like this and the documentation used to describe their
futures and options offerings, does not inspire trust in them as a
counterparty.
~~~
Animats
They're trying hard not to take on counterparty risk. But the gimmicks they
use to avoid it make their options less valuable.
Unlike a cash exchange, a derivatives exchange with "leverage" (which means
they loan customers money) takes on financial risk. They cannot play in this
game unless they have enough financial strength to pay off when they lose.
And, no, they don't get to use the customer's deposits. Those belong to the
customer.
With "leverage", it's quite possible for a customer to have a negative
balance. Then the broker/exchange has to collect from the customer, or cover
the loss.
They're trying to escape this situation by using an "auto liquidation"
approach, which means that when a customer balance approaches zero, they start
closing out customer positions. This allows customers to game the system. Take
a position, leverage it, and keep a near-zero balance. If the customer wins,
they collect; if the customer loses, Deribit closes out the contract. This
adds a special kind of counterparty risk when buying a contract - even if you
win, your position may be closed out in favor of the counterparty before you
can gain anything.
Deribit makes their own private price for Bitcoin, which is a 30 minute moving
average. This makes the "auto liquidation" thing workable. If the price
changed too fast, and especially if it changed discontinously, auto
liquidation would break. But this creates an arbitrage situation between
Deribit and everybody else.
From the terms: _" In no event will Deribit, or its suppliers or licensors, be
liable ... for any amounts that exceed the fees paid by you to Deribit under
this agreement during the twelve (12) month period prior to the cause of
action."_ Financial services do not work like that. They have much larger
obligations to their customers.
------
eggy
Latency in the micro-seconds range is based on network i/o, distance and
wiring, not frameworks. Microwaves travel over 30% faster than fiber optic
links. Erlang will not affect this part of the equation, however, it should
prove to be low-latency, scalable, reliable, and all the other good stuff the
Erlang/BEAM/OTP system is good at on the server.
Pony lang is looking at competing with Erlang, and to be just as fast if not
faster.
Maybe their hoping to just trade on IEX, 'The Flashboys Exchange' that has the
wire coiled up in a shoebox (I know it's not a shoebox!), so even hackers
can't circumvent the intentional delay it causes.
~~~
gruez
>'The Flashboys Exchange' that has the wire coiled up in a shoebox (I know
it's not a shoebox!), so even hackers can't circumvent the intentional delay
it causes.
Explain? How does hiding the delay hinder hackers?
~~~
papercrane
It's not a hidden delay. It's known to be 350μs. The idea is to prevent anyone
seeing a large order to beat them to another exchange (like NYSE) and doing an
arbitrage there based on that information.
[http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/magazine/flash-boys-
michae...](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/magazine/flash-boys-michael-
lewis.html)
------
repomies691
Should I care if it is erlang-based or basic-based? Why should I use this
instead of some of the existing exhanges?
~~~
sedeki
What other exchanges are there for options and futures?
~~~
STRML
I'm the CTO of BitMEX.com[1], which runs derivatives (futures and perpetual
swaps) on Bitcoin and a few other coins. We've been around since 2014. We run
a full-featured testnet [2] for API testing & trade testing.
The other major players are mostly Chinese. In China, there's OKCoin, BTCC
(previously BTC China), 796, and BitVC, as well as a few minor players. In the
rest of the world, there's us, CryptoFacilities, Coinpit, and now Deribit.
We've been in contract with the Deribit team since 2014 - they appear to be a
solid tech team and they certainly understand the underlying finance.
1\. [https://www.bitmex.com](https://www.bitmex.com)
2\. [https://testnet.bitmex.com](https://testnet.bitmex.com)
~~~
asciihacker
In all earnesty, do you have an interest in your clients making big profits?
Or is it in your best interest that most of your clients lose so that you can
pay a few winners?
Do you have a training program that can help me go from 0 to full-time
derivatives trader?
~~~
STRML
Our interest is in traders continuing to trade - in order for them to do so,
they must like the platform and consider it fast, fair, safe, and open.
As for a training program, I usually suggest babypips.com - condescending
domain name aside, the content is really great.
------
slashdotdash
From their "About us" page[1].
"The exchange is built from the ground up to deliver extreme performance and
is built entirely in the programming language Erlang. This gives us big
technological advantages being able to handle huge amounts of requests with
ultra low latency (<1ms). Erlang is a programming language used to build
massively scalable soft real-time systems with requirements on high
availability."
[1] [https://www.deribit.com/docs/about-
us/](https://www.deribit.com/docs/about-us/)
~~~
curiousssly
"huge amounts of requests with ultra low latency (<1ms)" needs more
explanation because if we had 1 million (<1ms) requests from 1 billion I could
still use same definition.
~~~
zdkl
They mention that number again in their colocation page, I suspect they're
providing their best number based on testing in the same datacenter (yay SXB,
FR)
------
tt293
How is this going to get around CFTC rules on commodity derivatives markets?
~~~
zdkl
> incorporated under the laws of Lithuania
> [https://www.deribit.com/docs/terms-of-service-and-privacy-
> po...](https://www.deribit.com/docs/terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy/) >
> hosted in France
> [https://www.deribit.com/docs/](https://www.deribit.com/docs/) §1.9
Are they even subject to those rules?
~~~
cloudjacker
Naive enterprisers think they are exempt from US Securities laws using a 50
year old concept of jurisdiction inside their head
That's always cute
The CFTC is nice, the SEC will come down hard
~~~
zdkl
Yeah if I fall under a US orgs' jurisdiction as a EU citizen not conducting
business with US citizens as far as I can ascertain, please explain where I'm
naive? This isn't sarcasm, I can't think of a way the SEC would have any say
over the exchange instead of it's potential US clients but would like to hear
it
~~~
cloudjacker
> not conducting business with US citizens as far as I can ascertain
If you make a reasonable [and effective] effort to not conduct business with
US citizens then they will leave you alone. The mere fact that I can access
Deribit undermines their exemption.
But I've seen the SEC charge people with thinner rationale. For example, a
eastern european guy in an alleged insider trading ring only traded CFDs on a
European CFD exchange. The SEC claimed that he would know that the exchange
would have to make corresponding trades and hedging trades in US equities and
therefore he is culpable.
If it makes you feel any better, that particular case hasn't reached a verdict
yet and was insider trading, so if you feel comfortable dealing with
extradition hearings to establish case law in a foreign country or simply not
insider trading on US equities, then you'll be fine.
------
al_chemist
MtGox was written in PHP and it was enough for us! Oh wait...
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Pony Chair Pine Wood x Granite Black x Grey
€1,400.00
Quantity
Informed by an upbringing in the Stockholm suburb Högdalen, an area invigorated by the contrasting ideals of ABC societal architecture – a Swedish 21st century term typifying a way of designing cities and ” Allmoge" – a traditional Swedish peasantry genre of architecture used up until the 20th century with focal emphasis on natural wooden materials and venerable craftsmanship. – Magniberg Form
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She isn't a governor anymore, and never even was a full time governor. Aside from that, she's demonstrably not fit for the job.
She is a capitalist.
I don't think she understands what "capitalism" really means
Obama is a socialist. Spend - Baby - Spend $16 Trillion and counting.
A large share of that money (and no, it's NOT $16 Trillion he's responsible for) went to corporations, not the people...which means it's by definition
NOT socialism. If you talk about health care...since private companies get paid, it's not socialism.
In short, voting for that clown is lunatic
80% of the time she isn't telling the truth, and 55% of the time she's blatantly lying!!! And that's the person you consider suitable for the highest
office? Are you kidding me???
She isn't a governor anymore, and never even was a full time governor. Aside from that, she's demonstrably not fit for the job.
She is a capitalist.
I don't think she understands what "capitalism" really means
Obama is a socialist. Spend - Baby - Spend $16 Trillion and counting.
A large share of that money (and no, it's NOT $16 Trillion he's responsible for) went to corporations, not the people...which means it's by
definition NOT socialism. If you talk about health care...since private companies get paid, it's not socialism.
In short, voting for that clown is lunatic
80% of the time she isn't telling the truth, and 55% of the time she's blatantly lying!!! And that's the person you consider suitable for the
highest office? Are you kidding me???
James Carville didn't call Obama a socialist, one of his polling companies did a poll where 55% said Obama was more socialist than the other choices
on offer. You really should get your facts straight before posting
And according to polls, 21% of people in the South want to outlaw mixed-race marriages...which would mean 1 in 5 over there is a racist. Even worse, a
majority of GOP voters still believe Obama's a Muslim
James Carville didn't call Obama a socialist, one of his polling companies did a poll where 55% said Obama was more socialist than the other choices
on offer. You really should get your facts straight before posting
And according to polls, 21% of people in the South want to outlaw mixed-race marriages...which would mean 1 in 5 over there is a racist. Even worse, a
majority of GOP voters still believe Obama's a Muslim
Polls are meaningless, actions count.
Yes, at the time of the poll 55% said Obama is a socialist.
He should wear that title like a badge of honor. Why are you running from it?
So let me get this straight: He cuts social services, ensures Wall Street gets record profits and boni, lets BP off the hook easy, cracks down on
civil rights, hands massive bailouts to CORPORATIONS...and you call him a socialist?
Clearly you don't even have a clue what "socialism" means. Here's the explanation, you need it:
socialism
So let me get this straight: He cuts social services, ensures Wall Street gets record profits and boni, lets BP off the hook easy, cracks down on
civil rights, hands massive bailouts to CORPORATIONS...and you call him a socialist?
Clearly you don't even have a clue what "socialism" means. Here's the explanation, you need it:
socialism
He ran up the national debt to $16 trillion.
His ObamaCare introduced uncertainty into our economy.
Socialism is growing the government and attacking Boeing in South Carolina.
So now you're simply going to continue to post your catch phrases without ever engaging in a real conversation? You claimed it's costing more...and
were proven wrong. But instead of starting to THINK for a second, you simply keep on posting the same nonsense. Kinda silly, don't you think?
I can't believe people are actually still posting on this thread, I posted here about a week ago mainly because I thought it was a joke... I liken
the title to the movie anchorman where will farrell thinks christina applegate is joking about wanting to be an anchor. "I thought you were joking, I
even wrote it down in my diary, She had a very good joke today, I laughed about it over lunch!"
Clearly anyone here with half a brain knows Palin should be barred from any type of political office. I mean this guys main arguement is the debt and
not to spoil his day but the debt has been rising at the slowest percentage since clinton was in office. Bush left this country with a ton of debt and
debt that would pile on after he left office, from wars, bills puts into action etc. and thought that the american public, ie you, would be naive
enough to think Obama was still dishing this money out on his own accord. Clearly this tactic worked on someone. Also Obama is ten times more educated
then Palin, I'd like to see a debate I really would, he'd use one big word and Palin would think he was talking about last nights dinner. This
thread is pathetic and this won't ever come true anyway, Palin's stupidity is out of the bag like George W's was at the middle of his 2nd term
(apperant much earlier to me but to the common public, if they aren't blind right wingers). The whole entire concept is laughable lets see this
debate PLEASE!!!!
She's a former 1/2 term gov. He's POTUS. There is no way a POTUS would do that .. unless he was mega stupid. (come to think of it,
considering what has been going on in the Oval Office all these years, could very well be). I'm sure he won't do it. He doesn't have to. She's
looking for attention to continue her schtick.
That being said .. Obama and Palin are exactly alike, but at opposite ends of the political scale. The only difference, he managed to bamboozle
enough to get into the White House. She did not. Other than that they are mirror images of each other. (From the severe lack of experience
necessary to be POTUS as well as the kooky churches they went to down to the ineptitude.)
edit on 3/15/2012 by FlyersFan because: typo
Obama isn't Mega Stupid. He is Mega Desperate with an approval rating of 41% and
This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.
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Needlestick injuries among German medical students: time to take a different approach?
Medical students are at risk of occupational exposure to blood-borne viruses following needlestick injuries (NSIs) during medical school. The reporting of NSIs is an important step in the prevention of further injuries and in the initiation of early prophylaxis or treatment. The objective of this study was to describe the mechanisms whereby medical students experience occupational percutaneous blood exposure through NSIs and to discuss rational strategies for prevention. Incidents of exposure to blood-borne pathogens among medical students at a large German university were analysed. Year 6 medical students completed a written survey immediately before the clinical part of their training began, describing incidents that had occurred during the previous 5 years. In our study, 58.8% (183/311) of participating medical students recalled at least one NSI that had occurred during their studies. Overall, 284 NSIs were reported via an anonymous questionnaire. Occupational exposure to blood is a common problem among medical students. Efforts are required to ensure greater awareness of the risks associated with blood-borne pathogens among German medical students. Proper training in percutaneous procedures and how to act in the event of injury should be given in order to reduce the number of injuries.
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Q:
java scanner's same-exact-inputs are not equal (for me?)
I want to compare three couples of input from Scanner (just a quick test)
by using the Compare method.
When I run this program, it returns false for all three inputs even though there should be a true in between. When I remove Scanner and put in a String myself, I get the correct result
First I thought that it's caused by the extra "Enter" button that stays in the buffer, but when I debugged it, there's nothing unwanted in the buffer
and an extra call for input won't do any help.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class MainSector {
String Primary, Secondary;
MainSector(String Primary, String Secondary){
this.Primary = Primary;
this.Secondary = Secondary;
}
MainSector(int Primary, int Secondary) {
this.Primary = String.valueOf(Primary);
this.Secondary = String.valueOf(Secondary);
}
boolean Compare(MainSector x){
return (x.Primary == Primary && x.Secondary == Secondary );
}
}
public class Test {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner u = new Scanner(System.in);
Scanner y = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Enter String:");
MainSector Sector1 = new MainSector(u.nextLine(),y.nextLine());
System.out.println("Enter String:");
MainSector Sector2 = new MainSector(u.nextLine(),y.nextLine());
System.out.println("Enter Integer:");
MainSector Sector3 = new MainSector(u.nextInt(),y.nextInt());
System.out.println(Sector1.Compare(Sector2));
System.out.println(Sector1.Compare(Sector3));
System.out.println(Sector2.Compare(Sector3));
}
}
It returns false three times here even if the first two inputs are exactly the same. For example, I get the correct result with this:
System.out.println("Enter String:");
MainSector Sector1 = new MainSector("aa","bb");
System.out.println("Enter String:");
MainSector Sector2 = new MainSector("aa","bb");
System.out.println("Enter Integer:");
MainSector Sector3 = new MainSector(45,65);
It returns:
true
false
false
A:
Your problem lies in your compare method; using == compares reference values. Since you are using different object in your comparisons, they will never have the same reference value in this case. You need to use .equals(Object) to compare the exact values. I have edited the code below to reflect this and tested it.
Also, you really don't need 2 scanners to do this, you can use one! As always, please remember to close your scanners; it's good practice.
import java.util.Scanner;
class MainSector {
String Primary, Secondary;
MainSector(String Primary, String Secondary){
this.Primary = Primary;
this.Secondary = Secondary;
}
MainSector(int Primary, int Secondary) {
this.Primary = Integer.toString(Primary);
this.Secondary = Integer.toString(Secondary);
}
//Note the changes made to this method!
boolean Compare(MainSector x){
return ((x.Primary.equals(Primary)) && (x.Secondary.equals(Secondary)));
}
} //End MainSector
public class Test {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner u = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Enter String:");
MainSector Sector1 = new MainSector(u.nextLine(),u.nextLine());
System.out.println("Enter String:");
MainSector Sector2 = new MainSector(u.nextLine(),u.nextLine());
System.out.println("Enter Integer:");
MainSector Sector3 = new MainSector(u.nextInt(),u.nextInt());
System.out.println(Sector1.Compare(Sector2));
System.out.println(Sector1.Compare(Sector3));
System.out.println(Sector2.Compare(Sector3));
u.close();
} //End main
} //End Test
I found a great post, where the answer is explained in extreme detail if you wish to know more: How do I compare Strings in Java?
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Oreocereus
Oreocereus is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), known only from high altitudes of the Andes.
Its name means "mountain cereus", formed from the Greek prefix (, mountain) and the New Latin , meaning wax or torch.
As they are covered with woolly white fuzz (modified spines), a few species in this genus are sometimes known as the old-man cactus, a generic name that also refers to Cephalocereus senilis or Espostoa lanata. More rarely, the old man of the mountain is also used for some species.
Synonymy
The following genera have been included in this genus:
Arequipa Britton & Rose
Arequipiopsis Kreuz. & Buining
Morawetzia Backeb.
Submatucana Backeb.
References
Category:Trichocereeae
Category:Cacti of South America
Category:Flora of the Andes
Category:Cactoideae genera
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Q:
Unauthorized when creating a document in DocumentDb via REST
I'm using .NET Core, so I can't use the Azure DocumentDb SDK. That is why I want to create a document via the REST interface. I've managed to query the database, but when I POST a JSON document, I get an Unauthorized response. This is my code:
const string DatabaseId = "DB-id";
const string CollectionId = "UserSettings";
var documentDbUrl = "Injected via DI";
var authorizationKey = "Also injected;
using (var httpClient = new HttpClient())
{
var utcNow = DateTime.UtcNow;
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-ms-date", utcNow.ToString("r"));
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-ms-version", "2015-08-06");
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-ms-documentdb-is-upsert", "true");
var resourceLink = string.Format("dbs/{0}/colls/{1}/docs", DatabaseId, CollectionId);
var baseUrl = new Uri(documentDbUrl);
var masterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator = new MasterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator();
var authHeader = masterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator.Generate("POST", resourceLink, "docs", authorizationKey, "master", "1.0", utcNow);
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("authorization", authHeader);
var response = await httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync(new Uri(baseUrl, resourceLink), userSettings);
// at this point, response.StatusCode is Unauthorized
}
The MasterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator you see there contains the logic to create the hash, which works when querying the database:
public string Generate(string verb, string resourceId, string resourceType, string key, string keyType, string tokenVersion, DateTime requestDateTime)
{
var hmacSha256 = new System.Security.Cryptography.HMACSHA256 { Key = Convert.FromBase64String(key) };
var payLoad = string.Format(System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, "{0}\n{1}\n{2}\n{3}\n{4}\n",
verb.ToLowerInvariant(),
resourceType.ToLowerInvariant(),
resourceId,
requestDateTime.ToString("r").ToLowerInvariant(),
""
);
var hashPayLoad = hmacSha256.ComputeHash(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(payLoad));
var signature = Convert.ToBase64String(hashPayLoad);
return WebUtility.UrlEncode(string.Format(System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, "type={0}&ver={1}&sig={2}",
keyType,
tokenVersion,
signature));
}
I'm sure the databaseid, collectionid, url and key are correct. The key and id's are the same I use to query, which works. And when I change the url, for example by adding the documentid (which I then generate myself), I get another message (MethodNotAllowed).
Update:
Using Postman, I can see this is the response I get:
{
"code": "Unauthorized",
"message": "The input authorization token can't serve the request.
Please check that the expected payload is built as per the
protocol, and check the key being used. Server used the
following payload to sign:
'post\ndocs\ndbs/MyDb/colls/MyColl\nsat, 23 apr 2016 09:44:39 gmt\n\n'\r\nActivityId: 1be76530-ad32-4b54-b96b-6e0d4ebbc851"
}
Any hints on what I'm doing wrong or how I can analyse this?
A:
This is a subtle one, but I was using the following as resource id to generate my hash:
var resourceLink = string.Format("dbs/{0}/colls/{1}/docs", DatabaseId, CollectionId);
// this becomes something like dbs/MyDb/colls/MyCollection/docs
But the /docs should be omitted. So it becomes:
var resourceLink = string.Format("dbs/{0}/colls/{1}", DatabaseId, CollectionId);
// this becomes something like dbs/MyDb/colls/MyCollection
However, when I do that, I get a method not allowed response. This is because I was using this link for the post uri too. But the post uri should be the link with the /docs included.
So my full code now becomes:
const string DatabaseId = "DB-id";
const string CollectionId = "UserSettings";
var documentDbUrl = "Injected via DI";
var authorizationKey = "Also injected;
using (var httpClient = new HttpClient())
{
var utcNow = DateTime.UtcNow;
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-ms-date", utcNow.ToString("r"));
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-ms-version", "2015-08-06");
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-ms-documentdb-is-upsert", "true");
var resourceLink = string.Format("dbs/{0}/colls/{1}", DatabaseId, CollectionId);
var baseUrl = new Uri(documentDbUrl);
var masterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator = new MasterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator();
var authHeader = masterKeyAuthorizationSignatureGenerator.Generate("POST", resourceLink, "docs", authorizationKey, "master", "1.0", utcNow);
httpClient.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("authorization", authHeader);
var response = await httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync(new Uri(baseUrl, resourceLink + "/docs"), userSettings);
}
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Rapper Smoke Dawg Shot to Death in Toronto at Age 21, Drake Pays Tribute
Canadian rapper Smoke Dawg has died at the age of 21 after being shot in Toronto, multiple sources have confirmed.
Following a shooting news in the city o Saturday, June 30, in the Toronto Police OPS official Twitter account, police confirmed that one male victim was pronounced dead.
They have yet to release the identification of the man killed but looking at graphic images and videos of the victim appears to be the R&B singer lying in a pool of blood surfaced on Twitter.
Drake later shared an Instagram Story alongside a photo of the two to pay a heartfelt tribute to the late rapper — who opened up for the 31-year-old rapper during his 2017 Boy Meets World European tour.
The God's Plan singer wrote, "All these gifts and blessed souls and inner lights being extinguished lately is devastating. I wish peace would wash over our city."
Drake continued, "So much talent and so many stories we never get to see play out. Rest up Smoke".
Another artist best known by the name Mustafa the Poet also paid tribute to Dawg with a series of tweets.
He wrote, "The worst day of my life, I somehow keep finding a new worst". He further added, "Smokey is gone, may our prayers follow him to heaven".
As per the report, police confirmed the shooting just before 8 p.m. in the popular area outside Cube nightclub and that the “suspects may have fled in black SUV or white car.”
Local news CP24 reported that “gunfire erupted in broad daylight on one of the busiest streets in the city Saturday evening.”
Following the incident, a spokesperson for the Toronto Paramedic Services that two male patients were taken to a trauma centre by their crews in life-threatening condition. Third victim, a woman who is believed to be in her 30s, was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
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OXTR methylation modulates exogenous oxytocin effects on human brain activity during social interaction.
Oxytocin (OT) effects on brain function and behavior are mediated by the oxytocin receptor (OXTR). The distribution of OXTR in the brain can profoundly influence social behavior. Emerging evidence suggests that DNA methylation of OXTR influences OXTR expression. Previously, we conducted a pharmaco-functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study in which healthy subjects were randomized to 24 IU intranasal OT or placebo and imaged with fMRI while playing a dyadic social interaction task known as the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) game with same-sex partners. Here, we investigate whether DNA methylation of OXTR modulates the effect of intranasal OT on the neural response to positive and negative social interactions in the PD game. OXTR methylation did not modulate OT effects within brain regions where we previously reported OT effects in response to reciprocated (caudate nucleus) and unreciprocated cooperation (amygdala and anterior insula). However, OXTR methylation did modulate OT effects on the response to both reciprocated and unreciprocated cooperation in other brain regions such as the precuneus and visual cortex. Further restricting the analysis to OXTR rs53576 GG individuals revealed that OXTR methylation modulated OT effects on the precuneus response to reciprocated cooperation in men, the lateral septum response to reciprocated cooperation in women, and the visual cortex response to unreciprocated cooperation in men. These results suggest that OXTR methylation status may influence OT effects on mentalizing, attention and reward processing during social interactions. OXTR methylation may be important to consider if exogenous OT is used to treat social behavioral disorders in the future.
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This invention relates to methods for embossing a pattern in a piece of glass.
Hot glass is a relatively sticky material that tends to adhere to hot embossing tools. In the manufacture of glass articles, this sticking tendency is controlled by working the hot glass with chilled tools. Fine detail however, cannot be embossed in glass with chilled tools because a skin forms on the surface of the glass, which limits the fineness of the pattern than can be impressed. This skin inhibits the flow of the glass into the small detail of the embossing die.
If the die temperature is increased to permit a greater glass flow, a condition will be reached where the glass will adhere to the tool making the embossing impossible. The adherence of molten glass to mold surfaces has been reduced by vibrating the mold while the glass was in contact with the mold as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,482,760 issued on Aug. 9, 1922 to J. A. Milliken. This vibration was heretofore used to eliminate the necessity for cooling the mold between separate molding operations. Carbon and graphite die materials have nonstick properties that permit their utilization in glass forming. However, these materials cannot be employed to emboss fine patterns because the details in the patterns are destroyed by the oxidation of the materials at high temperature.
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