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[Modified technique of the Ivanissevich operation for varicocele in children]. On the basis of the results of rheotesticulographic studies in 38 children with left-sided II-III degree varicocele, the impairment in hemodynamics in the testicle at the involved side was established. No suppression of androgen function of the organ was revealed. The expediency to perform in patients of pediatric and young age the Ivanissevich operation, the effectiveness of which is increased in use of intraoperative phlebotesticulography was noted. The effective method for varicocele treatment in children has been suggested. The testicular vein is ligated near the deep inguinal ring as well as at the level of the upper third, then it is excised between the ligatures together with the deviating branches. The method was used in treatment of 120 patients with II-III degree varicocele. No disease recurrence is noted during 1.5 years.

KYODO NEWS - Jul 9, 2017 - 19:06 | Sports, All Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo said on Sunday he may leave Inter Milan after six-and-a-half seasons at the Serie A club. "I'm excited to find out myself where I will be playing," Nagatomo said before boarding his flight at Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture to rejoin Inter for the time being. "I have the option of staying at Inter and also the option of transferring. There are other clubs that covet me." Nagatomo, 30, has called Inter home since January 2011 and has a contract with them through the 2018-19 season. But the fullback said that with the World Cup being held next year, he may have to part ways with Inter if he feels regular playing time will not come under new manager Luciano Spalletti. "I want to push myself at a club where I can get games, where I will have a chance," Nagatomo said.

Six years ago I posted on the idea of using combinatorial auctions as a substitute for zoning. Since then, news on how badly zoning has been messing up our economy has only gotten worse. I included the zoning combo auction idea in my book The Age of Em, I’ve continued to think about the idea, and last week I talked about it to several LA-based experts in combinatorial auctions. I’ve been pondering one key design problem, and the solution I’ve been playing with is similar to a solution that also seems to help with patents. I asked Alex Tabarrok, whose office is next door, if he knew of any general discussion of such things, and he pointed me to a long (110 page) 2016 paper called “Property is another name for monopoly” by Eric Posner and Glen Weyl. (See also this technical paper.) And that turned out to be a relatively general argument for using the specific mechanism that I was considering using in zoning combo auctions, get this, as a new standard kind of property right for most everything! Looking for web discussion, I find a few critical responses, and one excellent 2014 Interfuildity post on the basic idea. In this post I’ll go over the basic idea and some of its issues, including two that Posner and Weyl didn’t consider. But let’s start with basics. Imagine that you are the sole power over some new large empty territory, able to do anything you want with it. You will soon invite many people to (pay to) enter your territory, and each of them will need some sort of local property rights to support their activities. So you will need to divide your large territory into many smaller property units. And you will want to divide things well, i.e., to “carve nature at its joints,” so that you can promote the productive use of this territory. After all, if people expect to be more productive in your territory, they’ll pay you more for your properties. Yes, if you bundle things together badly, people might be able to re-bundle them in better ways later. But that could be a slow and expensive process; better to get it right the first time. For example, you’ll want to put things that need to be coordinated more closely together into the same bundles, and you’ll want boundaries between the units that are easy to monitor and enforce. You may also want each unit to contribute to and be subject to some sort of governance structure, to ensure a rule of law and sufficient production of public goods. Even in the best case of a single owner who can choose any property rules he or she likes, this general problem of designing efficient property rights is complex and hard. But the framework I’ve just outlined is in essence the usual account of ideal property rights within the law & economics field (a subject on which I teach often) . One important dimension of property design is the strength of the property rights. For example, in land property you might let each owner do absolutely anything they want with their land, or your might limit some activities (like explosives, pollution, and blocking views or sunlight) if neighbors are likely to place a higher value on such limits than each owner would place on their absence. And one key area where property rights can be stronger or weaker is regarding one’s freedom to set a resale price. When you announce an offer to sell your property at a certain price, you in effect give an option to buy that property to the rest of the world. The world values this option, and values it more the lower is its strike price. Options on properties given to the world at lower prices make it easier for others to buy the properties that they value, and to assemble and recombine property units into new bundles. So when you design a property rights system, you might want to add extra incentives for people to create and maintain lower price offers. Consider the examples of people who bought internet domain names, like “walmart.com”, early on in the hope of being able to resell them to the big firms who go by those names. Or consider homeowners who demand huge prices to sell their land to someone trying to assemble a large area to build a shopping mall. In these and many other cases, economic harm is done because owners can pretend to value their property for much more than they actually do. This also seems a big problem in combo auctions; one-sided combo auctions, where everyone buys from one seller, seem to work much better than do two-sided auctions, where many sellers can demand very high prices even when their values are much lower. In 1965 the economist Arnold Harberger (of Harberger triangle fame) published on self-assessment in property taxes. The idea is to let each owner assess their property at any value they want, but that assessed value becomes a price at which they offer to sell their property to anyone. (Harberger didn’t invent the idea; it goes back at least to ancient Rome.) Posner and Weyl consider applying this basic idea to most all property, and call it a “Harberger tax.” That is, a simple way to create an incentive for low offer prices on any kind of property is to require the owner of that property to continuously pay a fee proportional to their posted offer price, i.e., the price they announce at which they will sell their property. The lower their price, the less they pay. Of course the owner of a property is well advised to not set their price much below the value that they actually have for this property, to avoid regret should someone accept their offer. When people become attached to a property, their value will be well above its market price, and given an honest valuation of it, the chance that it will be sold should be very low. Now this fee is not mainly intended to raise revenue for redistribution or central services. It is instead intended mostly to promote efficient use of property, so that the best people use each item in the best ways. Because of this, I’d rather not call this fee a “tax”, and so I’ll instead call it an “stability rent.” Just as you can buy something by paying all at once or by making “installment” payments spread out across time, part of this stability rent is payment for the property. But another part is a price you pay over time to increase your chance of keeping the property. That is, to increase the stability of your relation to this property. You can never guarantee perfect stability, however, as that would require an infinite rent. At this point you may feel that the more familiar kind of property, where you buy something at once for good and then never have to sell it or pay any property tax on it, is the more “natural” kind. Relative to that, this alternate form may seem to you an unnatural mutant abomination. But note that in fact today you usually have to make continuing payments to preserve most property. You pay for maintenance, cleaning, repair, and for a place to store things. You usually also suffer substantial chances of losing most property, via obsolescence, destruction, misplacement, theft, and legal and government policies, such as eminent domain. And you already assign explicit monetary values to property when you consider if to buy or sell, and how much to insure it for. So these new continuing fees, property loss chances, and assessment tasks are mostly just changes in degree from what you accept now. You can also think of familiar property as a special case of this new property regime, with the stability rent set to zero. And I am persuaded by the analysis of Posner and Weyl to believe that the most economically-efficient rent level is usually not zero. At least if we can ignore some complications, that I will mention soon. Yes, increasing the fee decreases the incentive of a property owner to maintain and improve that property. But for small fees that loss is outweighed by gains in making property easier to transfer to new owners. (And zoning combo auctions might work better.) To deal with various problems, Posner and Weyl propose that owners be allowed to update prices at anytime, to lump items into bundles that must be sold together, to specify “non-additive prices on subsets of goods”, to deduct observable investments from rents, and to get up to several months to actually transfer property once sold. They also suggest that potential buyers can pay a small refundable fee to inspect properties, and that some (as yet not worked out) combination of blockchains and IOT (internet of things) be used to allow direct transfer of property control while protecting owner privacy and preventing mischief by officials. They note that private insurance could help people to ensure their ability to make future rent payments, and that private apps could help people to estimate and frequently update their many property values. With everyone always posting prices on all of their property, such apps would have a lot of data to work with. I’ll also note that previous owners should be liable for any damage to property during a transfer period, and that if stability rents were distributed back to pools of owners with roughly the same wealth and other social characteristics, then individuals would only pay net stability rents when they put higher than average values on their properties, relative to others in their pool. Gramma is then only at risk of losing her longtime home if she values that home much more than do other people much like her. Yes, you might not like having to pay more in this system to get stability of your property. But that’s because in this system you are paying more of the social cost of stability. Its like how polluters prefer a world where they can pollute for free, and don’t have to pay for the social cost of their pollution. The rest of us who have to breathe their pollution shouldn’t sympathize much with their plight. Yes, this system adds some complexity to property law, but it can also greatly simplify many areas of law, including property tax assessment, eminent domain, necessity exceptions to contract, accident liability levels, corporate buyouts, and patent and copyright licensing, Posner and Weyl identify several factors that influence the ideal fee level: property turnover rate, sensitivity of value to owner investment, variance and multimodality of value distribution, and whether value tends to grow or decline over time. Even so, We would advocate a relatively coarse system with a small number of easily distinguishable categories such as natural resources, equipment, real estate, corporate securities, general personal property, keepsakes, and heirlooms. … Rates within these categories being set per a coarse and easily auditable heuristic, such as the currently observed turnover rate. They estimate that an ideal fee level to be roughly half the rate of property turnover: A 2.5% annual rate is likely to be nearly optimal on this basis for a wide range of assets, like factories, natural resources, and houses, where investment plays a significant role but allocation can also be seriously distorted. … [This] would transfer about a third of use value to [rent recipients] … [It] achieves 70-90% of the maximum possible allocative welfare gains and the investment losses erode only 10-20% of these gains. .. [This is] likely to raise .. 10-20% of national income in most developed countries. .. The [purchase] prices of assets would be only a quarter to a half of their current level. Let me finish this post by highlighting two issues that Posner and Weyl don’t seem to discuss. First, social norms may often arise to treat those who buy property through this system as illicit “scabs” who betray a community. For example, stamp collectors might create a shared social norm to post low official prices on their stamps, and to shun anyone known to have bought stamps via such prices. This coordination could greatly reduce the average stability rents paid by stamp collectors, a gain that comes at the expense of non-stamp-collectors. Similarly, in some community members might typically put all of their property into one single bundle for one entire price of everything they own. This community might then try to identify and shun anyone known to have purchased such entire bundles. Members of this community might then get into the habit of greatly reducing the prices they put on total bundles, and thus greatly reducing their stability rent payments. If a scab were to actually try to buy such a bundle, the target would correctly feel that this scab threatened to grab a large fraction of the value of everything they own. This target might well respond emotionally and fiercely, and his or her allies might respond similarly. The threat of violence could be very real here. I thus suggest that the size of property bundles be limited to much smaller scales. After all, it is hard to see many people actually buying such large bundles, and thus hard to see how huge bundles can add much to allocative efficiency. I also suggest that stability rents be refunded via small enough pools of socially-connected people. The idea is for pools to be small enough to discourage groups from coordinating to reduce their payments relative to outsiders, and yet large enough for fees to give individuals strong incentives to reveal their property values. The second issue I want to highlight is that a second enforcement mechanism exists. The mechanism that Posner and Weyl consider for encouraging people to declare accurate values for their property is the prospect that someone might come along and honestly value it at more than the declared price. In commodity futures markets, however, most traders are speculators who don’t actually intend to take delivery of the commodity traded; they instead hope to get out of the market before the official delivery date, and to profit from having bought low and sold high. Similarly, in this system there could also be speculators who seek to profit from mispricings, but who don’t want to actually take delivery of property. When the owner A of some property puts a price offer P1 on it, and then B accepts that offer on date D, then A might have a month M until they have to actually make the property available for B to control on date D+M. Before date D+M, it is B who officially owns the property, and by the rules of this system B must offer a new price P2 for anyone else to take. But if C accepts this P2 offer during this period, it makes more sense for C to gain the right to take control of the property from A on date D+M, instead of forcing B to actually take delivery and then have another month to transfer it to C on date D+2M. But if this is the rule, then an original owner A who had underbid and set price P1 below their actual value V might be tempted to pay a higher price P2 to get their property back again, with P1 < P2 < V. And a speculator might take the role of B hoping for just this outcome, from which they would gain a pure cash profit of P2-P1. Given a chance Q of A having underbid and thus being willing to pay P2 to get it back, taking on such a speculator role to challenge A’s claim of value P1 should on average be profitable if Q*(P2-P1) > (1-Q)*(T+P1-P0), where T is the speculator’s transaction cost and P0 is the price they expect to get selling the property to a third party. People who are in the market to buy a property like this, but who are flexible on which particular property they buy, are in an especially good position to take on this speculation role, as they have an especially low added transaction cost. After all, they were already going to buy and pay a transaction cost. Thus professional speculators and flexible buyers will watch for clues that indicate underbid properties that can be profitably challenged. And if society applies a norm of honestly to value declarations, we may not feel much sympathy for people who are “exploited” due to lying about their values for property. As a result, owners are induced to limit how far they set prices below their actual values both by the prospect that sincere buyers will arrive who sincerely value the property at more than their declared price, and also by speculators looking to profit from underbids. This means that for any given fee rate, declared values will be more honest. We can thus set fees to lower higher levels than we otherwise might and still get good allocative efficiency. Overall I find this proposal quite promising, though still underspecified. Someone really needs to work out what sort of blockchain and IOT arrangements might actually be workable here. I’d also like to see something better for dealing with asymmetric info on property features than the inspection proposal given. And of course we should do lab experiments and field trials before we actually adopted such property rules on a large scale. GD Star Rating a WordPress rating system

Today I start with a new series, which is very important to me. It is about healthy weight loss. I myself, as you have already noticed, is a heavyweight. Unfortunately, I am very much overweight and that is exactly what I need to do. Because I’m getting sick…. The Rock the Blog Event at the Cebit in Hannover is over. Many impressions could be collected. I was able to listen to cool contributions from Blogger, was allowed to learn good tips from companies. I could take a look at the work of Blogger and was allowed to… For too long I have unfortunately not published here. But this time really has the reason that I worked too much and I therefore came to nothing. You probably also noticed that I was in Copenhagen and could not do anything on weekends. Then I had health problems, but… We start with the next month. Every month I would like to introduce you a blog which I find pretty cool and which you just have to visit. Here are really no limits of what area these blogs come from. I visit either because I like the personalities, the… Again and again persons asked me why I wear a beard. Every time I ask myself why this question is asked. Why we shoudn’t wear a beard? Nobody knows this. Either you like beards or you do not like beards. In order to answer these questions, I have picked… Every man who has a beard loves to have it too. But most people do not know the right care. One of the most important care pillars is beard oil. Why do I need it? The beard is nice and good and even I do not want to miss it any…

Effect of wheat leaf ribonuclease on tumor cells and tissues. The antiproliferative and antitumor effect of wheat leaf ribonuclease was tested in vitro on the human ML-2 cell line and in vivo on athymic nude mice bearing human melanoma tumors. The antiproliferative activity of this plant ribonuclease was negligible in comparison with bovine seminal ribonuclease. In the experiments in vivo, a significant decrease of the tumor size, however, was observed in the mice treated with wheat leaf ribonuclease (27 kDa) compared with the control RNase A and polyethylene glycol. In nude mice injected intratumoraly with wheat leaf ribonuclease, the tumor size decreased from 100% in the control mice to 39% in treated mice. In the mice treated with polyethylene glycol-conjugated wheat leaf ribonuclease, the tumor reduction was observed from 100 to 28%, whereas in counterparts treated with polyethylene glycol-conjugated bovine seminal ribonuclease the tumor inhibition was reduced from 100 to 33%. Certain aspermatogenic and embryotoxic activity of wheat leaf ribonuclease and bovine seminal ribonuclease also appeared, but was lower in comparison with the effect of onconase. Mutual immunological cross-reactivity between wheat leaf ribonuclease antigens on one side and animal RNases (bovine seminal ribonuclease, RNase A, human HP-RNase and onconase) on the other side proved a certain structural similarity between animal and plant ribonucleases. Immunogenicity of wheat leaf ribonuclease was weaker in comparison with bovine seminal ribonuclease (titer of antibodies 160-320 against 1280-2560 in bovine seminal ribonuclease). Interestingly, immunosuppressive effect of wheat leaf ribonuclease tested on mixed lymphocyte culture-stimulated human lymphocytes reached the same level as that of bovine seminal RNase. The antibodies against wheat leaf ribonuclease produced in the injected mice did not inactivate the biological effect of this plant RNase in vivo. This is probably the first paper in which plant ribonuclease was used as antiproliferative and antitumor drug against animal and human normal and tumor cells and tissues in comparison with animal ribonucleases.

The present invention relates generally to apparatuses and methods for controlling a length of a brewing cycle during which time a brewer brews a beverage. The present invention more specifically relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a length of a brewing cycle during which time a brewer brews a beverage, where an initial brew time which is stored in a controller can be adjusted relatively easily. Some automatic brewers which brew hot beverages, such as coffee or tea, provide that the length of a brewing cycle can be programmed into the brewer so that each time the brewer performs a brewing cycle, generally the same volume of beverage is brewed. For example, some automatic brewers provide a controller which generally controls the brewing operation and the length of the brewing cycle. Additionally, a warmer switch, a brew button and a run/program switch are provided on the brewer. To initially set the length of the brewing cycle of the brewer, a user switches on the warmer switch causing a warmer in the brewer to turn on, then switches the run/program switch from a "run" setting to a "program" setting. Then, the user presses the brew button to begin brewing, and after allowing the brewing to continue until the desired amount of beverage has been brewed by the brewer, the user turns off the warmer switch or presses the brew button a second time. The controller programs the brewing cycle to be the length of time between the beginning of the brewing and the switching off of the warmer switch or the pressing of the brew button a second time by the user. Subsequently, should the user wish to initiate a brewing cycle of the same length of time, the user switches the warmer switch on, switches the run/program switch from the "program" setting to the "run" setting and presses the brew button. Should the user wish to adjust the length of the brewing cycle which has been previously programmed into the brewer, the user may repeat the entire above-described process, i.e. switches the warmer switch on, switches the run/program switch to a "program" setting, presses the brew button, and then either switches the warmer switch off or presses the brew button a second time. Alternatively, on some automatic brewers, the user may turn an analog knob on the brewer to set the length of the brewing cycle. Then, after the brewer completes the brewing cycle, the user may adjust the setting of the analog knob depending on whether or not the previous setting had resulted in the desired volume of beverage being brewed. Using the analog knob on the brewer to adjust the brewing cycle often results in much trial and error where the user first sets the knob, and then waits to see if the setting provides the desired volume of beverage. If not, the user adjusts the knob before starting another brewing cycle. Therefore, while one method of adjusting the brewing cycle requires a user to repeat the entire process of programming the length of brewing cycle into the brewer, the other method may require a user to go through much trial and error. In brewers which have multiple batch settings, the user may have to repeat either process with regard to more than one brewing cycle setting of the brewer.

Diane von FurstenbergCatherine printed silk shirt dress The Catherine dress from Diane von Furstenberg is an easy, elegant and even somewhat sensual shirt dress. The buttoned front allows you to show a hint of skin, while the wide leather belt pulls you in at the waist for a flattering silhouette. The ruffled hem falls playfully to mid-thigh length.

E-mail this article Sending your article The Bruins have signed Benoit Pouliot to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. RDS was among the first to report the signing. The 24-year-old was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft. Minnesota traded Pouliot to Montreal for Guillaume Latendresse on Nov. 23, 2009. This past season, Pouliot scored 13 goals and 17 assists in 79 games. Pouliot was a healthy scratch for four games in the first round against the Bruins. "He's been a healthy scratch in Montreal," acknowledged GM Peter Chiarelli. "He certainly has shown some flashes. He's got to earn a spot, as will everyone else. He's anxious to come here and prove himself. We think he's got a pretty good package." The 2005 draft included Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Marc Staal, Anze Kopitar, Paul Stastny, and Keith Yandle. Framed against those players, Pouliot has been a major disappointment. In 183 games, Pouliot has scored 37 goals and 35 assists. The left-shot forward will be a reclamation project for the Bruins, who like his size (6-foot-3, 199 pounds) and skill. In Boston, Pouliot is best known for one-punching David Krejci during the regular season. In the playoffs, Pouliot took a run at Johnny Boychuk, which brought Andrew Ference calling. Pouliot becomes the third former Canadien that GM Peter Chiarelli has signed upon the opening of free agency. On July 1, 2008, the Bruins signed Michael Ryder. A year later, they signed Steve Begin. * The Bruins have signed Trent Whitfield and Anton Khudobin to two-year extensions.

Wounded, destitute and sick people in one of the cities worst affected by the conflict in Syria are to receive emergency aid from international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) amid worsening reports of crisis as winter bites deep across the region. The aid packages totaling just over $256,000 being sent out by ACN this week will provide medical help for the wounded, repairs to the war-damaged homes of Christians and basic aid, such as heating, food and rent money, for people in need. This latest emergency help means that, since the Syrian crisis broke nearly three years ago, ACN urgent aid for the region has now topped $3.6 million, making it one of the largest aid packages of its kind since the charity began in 1947. Amid continuing dire reports from Syria, ACN pushed through this latest aid after a desperate S.O.S. appeal from Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo, who described “the bombing of many Christian homes” and the urgent need to help “many wounded people” in his city, in the north of the country. Working under Bishop Audo’s authority, Aleppo-based Sisters of Jesus and Mary are being entrusted with $121,700 to help up to 500 families in urgent need of gas and electricity for heating and cooking as well as rent money, medical assistance, food and clothing. A further $67,600 will fund repairs to war-damaged homes, shops and other businesses of Christians in Aleppo who are determined to stay in the country. Bomb-blasted windows and doors are being given top priority for repairs. At Bishop Audo’s request, another $67,600 is going to help wounded people receiving treatment at St Louis Hospital, Aleppo. In her letter of last week requesting ACN help, Sister Annie Demerjian from the Sisters of Jesus and Mary described the urgent need to increase help for suffering families both in Aleppo and in another northern Syrian city, Hassake, also receiving aid from the charity. At a time of increasing reports of a widespread breakdown of schools and employment in Aleppo with bombing of factories and key services, Sr. Annie said: “We feel the massive need to carry on providing assistance to our Christian families threatened with the loss of morale. “The assistance will enable us to erase the families’ pain.” This aid for Aleppo comes on top of earlier ACN aid sent through the Jesus and Mary Sisters a year ago. Since then, the help needed has drastically increased and the number of people receiving emergency assistance from the Sisters has more than doubled. Appealing to ACN for help, Sr Annie wrote: “Unfortunately, life has become very expensive due to the lack of materials, particularly energy. To obtain gas and diesel fuel, especially in the harsh winter, is like a dream.” Echoing the words of Bishop Audo, she said that a key aim is to help Christians to stay in the region. She said: “Despite the dramatically difficult situation, people still do not want to leave their homes.” “So that they are not forced to emigrate, we are trying to help them survive until hopefully this present crisis is overcome.” Thanking ACN for its help, Sr. Annie wrote: “Many people in Aleppo and Hassake, particularly women, children and elderly are expecting us, as workers of Christ, to give a helping hand.” “Without your help, we cannot alleviate their suffering in this misery that we actually undergo in Syria.”

L.O.L. Surprise Series 4 Interactive Live Surprise L.O.L. Surprise Series 4 Interactive Live Surprise Grab a L.O.L Surprise! Interactive Live Surprise to add the cutest, most realistic pets to your L.O.L Surprise! collection. These adorable little pets will respond to sound, touch and motion, just like a real furry best friend. Hoops D.O.G.G. Fuzzy Fan Bunny Hun Royal Kitty Watch them blink their big eyes when they’re tired, wag their tails, twitch their ears and even blush! Unwrap the three mystery, interactive accessories for Bunny Hun, Fuzzy Fan or Hoops D.O.G.G and prepare to fall completely in love!

Thoof: Personalize Your Web Experience (Assuming You Use It Enough) Thoof is a new service that aims to bring you news stories and blog posts custom-tailored for you. It might be easiest to think of it as a similar idea to how Netflix or iTunes gives you personalized movie and music recommendations based on your rental and purchase histories – Thoof does the same thing with stories but does so by keeping track of what you’ve clicked on to read in the past on the site.When you click on a link on the Thoof site, a new window opens to follow the link. When you are done reading it or if you determine right away that you don’t like it, you simply close this window to return to Thoof where you can either mark the story as ‘not interesting’ (which means that it won’t be used in calculating what stories the service will think that you will like), ‘improve’ the story by suggesting edits for Thoof elements such as the summary of the story or the tags for it, or you can do nothing and Thoof will simply keep track of the fact that you read the story and appeared to have liked it.In this way, Thoof seems much more in line with StumbleUpon and Reddit than Digg. In StumbleUpon of course you either mark a site as ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ and then stumble on to the next one being served up to you based on your likings. With Thoof however you don’t preset specific categories that you are interested in, instead Thoof is completely relying on your reading habits. This approach could help serve up stories to you that you may find a lot more interesting than stories on the front page any purely socially driven site. It’s also refreshing that instead of giving a submission a vote like Digg, the action of you clicking on and at least presumably reading the story is your vote for it. There is no blind-Digging going on here and really there is no reason for it as every person has their own tailored page.The service worked pretty well after just my initial tests. For example, I clicked on a story entitled ’10 Reasons to Drink More Water’. When I came back to Thoof and reloaded the page, there waiting for me was another story ‘5 Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water’. Certainly this leads to a question about ‘gaming’ of Thoof, after all, any member can submit any link and give it any title they want. So if I click on and read an iPhone article, someone could have submitted a eBay auction page with the name iPhone in the title even though it has nothing to do with an iPhone. Luckily though the aforementioned ‘improve’ link is in place to hopefully curb some potential abuse like this.Thoof certainly has some potential as a personalized website/news source as it has created a recommendation engine that is different and somewhat more versatile than those of StumbleUpon or Reddit. Its greatest strength, however, might also be a major weakness: the fact that the site gets better the more you use it means that there is a training curve and the usability from the start will vary from person to person.Thoof has a very helpful post on their blog on ‘How to Read Thoof‘ outlining some good practices for using the site.

Q: Is there a better way to get the Camera pixels than onPreviewFrame on Android? onPreviewFrame only gets called when the preview frames from the camera get displayed. I'm processing the image as an open gl texture using the same technique here: http://nhenze.net/?p=172&cpage=1#comment-8424 But it seems like a waste to render the preview to the screen just so I can draw over it with my textured image. Is there a better way to get the pixels from the camera than during the call to onPreviewFrame? A: yes, you can use a SurfaceTexture. There's some mild trickiness here as it needs to be an external texture not the normal 2D texture. This means that if you render the texture with ES2 you need some like #extension GL_OES_EGL_image_external : require uniform samplerExternalOES s_texture; in the fragment shader. Example code: int[] textures = new int[1]; // generate one texture pointer and bind it as an external texture. GLES20.glGenTextures(1, textures, 0); GLES20.glBindTexture(GLES11Ext.GL_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL_OES, textures[0]); // No mip-mapping with camera source. GLES20.glTexParameterf(GLES11Ext.GL_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL_OES, GL10.GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL10.GL_LINEAR); GLES20.glTexParameterf(GLES11Ext.GL_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL_OES, GL10.GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL10.GL_LINEAR); // Clamp to edge is only option. GLES20.glTexParameteri(GLES11Ext.GL_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL_OES, GL10.GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_S, GL10.GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE); GLES20.glTexParameteri(GLES11Ext.GL_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL_OES, GL10.GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_T, GL10.GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE); int texture_id = textures[0]; SurfaceTexture mTexture = new SurfaceTexture(texture_id); mTexture.setOnFrameAvailableListener(this); Camera cam = Camera.open(); cam.setPreviewTexture(mTexture);

Segments in this Video Multiple Myeloma's Effects (07:14) FREE PREVIEW Paul Nicholls is diagnosed with a blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma which caused him to have fragile bones; his illness attacks his bone marrow and is closely related to leukemia. Before returning into remission, doctors told Paul he would become paraplegic. Thalidomide Returns(03:57) Thalidomide was once a drug given to pregnant woman to treat morning sickness and as a sleep agent; it has returned as a way to treat blood cancer. Freddie Astbury, a surviving victim of misuse of the drug, explains how regulation of the drug is important. Thalidomide's new Form(08:17) Laureen Campbell suffers from blood cancer which has made her bones so fragile any movement puts her at risk of death; after her thalidomide treatment she went into remission and lives a quality life. Paul founded the charity Team Continuum which raises support for cancer patients like himself. Description The "bête noire" of Big Pharma is making a comeback—this time as a treatment for blood cancers. Thalidomide is the drug best known for causing deformities in thousands of children in Europe and the U.S., but in May 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved thalidomide for use in combination with another drug, dexamethasone, to treat newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Other stage 3 trials should soon lead to new licenses for more cancers. Drug dosage is the key issue. We film with Paul Nichols at the New York marathon. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and entered the Revlimid trial in January 2006. He has been in full remission since then and now takes the drug on a monthly prescription. For Paul, thalidomide is a miracle drug.

Introduction {#sec1-1} ============ Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly prevalent condition that is characterised by repetitive upper airway obstructions resulting in intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation caused by arousals \[[@ref1]\]. Among adults, 30--70 years of age, approximately 13% of men and 6% of women, have moderate to severe forms of OSA \[[@ref2]\]. OSA is often closely associated with other conditions which are recognised causes of morbidity and mortality such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, systemic inflammation, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus \[[@ref3], [@ref4]\]. Recently, there has been a great interest in the interaction between OSA and metabolic dysfunction. There is no consistent data suggesting that OSA is a risk factor for dyslipidemia. Indeed, conflicting results have been observed in cross-sectional and interventional studies \[[@ref5]\]. Taking into account components of the metabolic syndrome, some reports found increased levels of triglycerides \[[@ref6]-[@ref9]\] and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in patients with OSA \[[@ref8]-[@ref10]\], while others studies did not find the correlation between OSA and dyslipidemia \[[@ref11],[@ref12]\]. Of note, the majority of the studies were not specifically designed to evaluate the lipid profile. Therefore, more evidence is still needed. Increased understanding of the independent associations between OSA, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance is important to develop appropriate therapeutic strategies to reduce the high cardiometabolic risks in patients with OSA. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence of lipid abnormalities in patients suspected for OSA referred to our sleep laboratory for polysomnography. Material and Methods {#sec1-2} ==================== The study included 200 patients. It was conducted at University Clinic of Pulmonology and Allergy in Skopje. Inclusion criteria for patients were age from 35 to 60 years and persistence of minimum 2 of 3 clinical symptoms of OSA. The symptoms were snoring, witnessed apnea and daytime sleepiness. Exclusion criteria were previous history and treatment of diabetes and lipid abnormalities. The study was approved by Ethical Committee of the Faculty of Medicine with No. 03-941/2, and before the study procedures, informed consent was obtained from all patients. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated, and patients were divided into two groups according to the BMI. All patients underwent polysomnography (Respironix, model Alice 5). All results from polysomnography were scored manually according to standard criteria \[[@ref13]\]. Apnea, hypopnea and arousals were also identified according to the standard criteria and summarised in the form of a respiratory disturbance index (RDI). All patients with RDI above 15 were diagnosed with OSA. In the morning after 12 hours fasting, a blood sample was collected from all patients. Blood levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), were assessed. Biochemical measurements were conducted using an Architect Abbott C8000 auto analyser. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical software (Stat Soft). Data were expressed as *mean (X)* and *standard deviation (SD)*. Comparisons between variables were made using the unpaired t test for parametric data. The multiple linear regressions were used to determine the association between OSA and metabolic parameters. Statistical significance was considered at p less than 0.05. Results {#sec1-3} ======= From all study patients, 51 were female with an average age of 49 ± 9 years, and 149 were men average age of 47 ± 9 years. There was no significant difference in age, BMI and RDI between male and female. There was the significant difference in the occurrence of OSA in men versus women, 109 (73.2%) of males and 31 (62.8%) of females were OSA positive (p \< 0.03). According to BMI, patients in the study were divided into two groups. There were 120 non-obese patients with BMI ≤ 30 kg/m\^2, and 80 obese patients with BMI \> 30 kg/m\^2. In a non obese group with BMI ≤ 30, 62 patients were OSA negative and 58 patients were OSA positive. In an obese group with BMI \> 30, 14 patients were OSA negative, and 66 patients were OSA positive ([Figure 1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). {#F1} OSA patients had statistically significant higher BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol and lower HDL when compared to OSA negative patients ([Table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"}). There was no statistical difference in age and LDL levels between these two groups of patients. ###### Comparison between OSA positive and OSA negative patients OSA negative RDI \< 15 (76 patients) OSA positive RDI \> 15 (124 patients) --------------- -------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- RDI 5.04 3.81 43.78 18.71 0.000 Age (years) 47.29 9.73 48.22 8.49 NS BMI (kg/m\^2) 27.58 3.14 31.11 4.35 0.000 TG (mmol/l) 1.60 0.36 1.76 0.26 0.000 TC (mmol/l) 4.94 0.50 5.22 0.34 0.000 HDL (mmol/l) 1.45 0.23 1.34 0.23 0.001 LDL (mmol/l) 2.85 0.53 2.94 0.49 NS OSA = Obstructive sleep apnea; RDI = Respiratory disturbance index; BMI = Body mass index; TG = Triglycerides; TC = Total cholesterol; HDL= High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL = Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the study, both OSA positive and OSA negative patients were divided according to BMI in two groups, first group with BMI ≤ 30 and the second group with BMI \> 30. OSA positive patients with BMI ≤ 30 had statistically significant higher levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol, and statistically significant lower level of HDL compared to OSA negative patients with BMI ≤ 30. There were no statistically significant differences in age and LDL levels between these groups ([Table 2](#T2){ref-type="table"}). ###### Comparison between OSA positive and OSA negative patients with BMI ≤ 30 BMI ≤ 30 --------------- ---------- ------ ------- ------- ------- RDI 4.65 3.41 38.68 16.92 0.000 Age (years) 47.08 9.56 47.62 8.38 NS BMI (kg/m\^2) 26.55 2.40 27.38 1.80 0.035 TG (mmol/l) 1.53 0.28 1.66 0.18 0.003 TC (mmol/l) 4.90 0.49 5.10 0.28 0.010 HDL (mmol/l) 1.55 0.22 1.35 0.19 0.000 LDL (mmol/l) 2.84 0.52 2.79 0.36 NS RDI = Respiratory disturbance index; BMI = Body mass index; TG = Triglycerides; TC = Total cholesterol; HDL= High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL = Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. OSA positive patients with BMI\>30 had higher triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL and lower HDL versus OSA negative patients with BMI\>30, but without statistically significant differences ([Table 3](#T3){ref-type="table"}.) ###### Comparison between OSA positive and negative patients with BMI \> 30 BMI \>30 --------------- ---------- ------- ------- ------- ------- RDI 6.81 5.01 48.26 19.17 0.000 Age (years) 48.21 10.76 48.74 8.62 NS BMI (kg/m\^2) 32.14 1.59 34.38 3.11 0.011 TG (mmol/l) 1.85 0.49 1.90 0.28 NS TC (mmol/l) 5.12 0.53 5.33 0.35 NS HDL (mmol/l) 1.37 0.25 1.30 0.23 NS LDL (mmol/l) 2.94 0.60 3.08 0.55 NS RDI = Respiratory disturbance index; BMI = Body mass index; TG = Triglycerides; TC = Total cholesterol; HDL= High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL = Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. When all parameters were analysed with multiple linear regressions, only BMI, total cholesterol levels and LDL levels were found to be independent predictors of OSA ([Table 4](#T4){ref-type="table"}). ###### Independent predictors of OSA OR 95%CI p ----- ------ ----------- ------- BMI 1.6 1.39-1.83 0.000 TC 1.73 1.38-2.16 0.000 LDL 1.47 1.19-1.81 0.000 BMI = Body mass index; TC = Total cholesterol; LDL = Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Discussion {#sec1-4} ========== OSA is the potent risk factor for metabolic disorders. The mechanisms through which OSA may worsen metabolism are complex. It may trigger several pathological mediating pathways (sympathetic activation, neurohumoral changes, glucose homoeostasis disruption, inflammation and oxidative stress) through chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), and these may ultimately cause deterioration in the metabolic function \[[@ref14], [@ref15]\]. According to previous studies, the prevalence of OSA is increased fourfold in patients with obesity. Obesity plays a major part in the development of the metabolic syndrome, which consists of insulin resistance, diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, and lipoproteinemia \[[@ref16]\]. In this study, we have demonstrated that OSA positive patients had significantly higher level of triglycerides, total cholesterol and decreased HDL cholesterol levels versus OSA negative patients. LDL was also higher in OSA patients but with no significant value. There were statistically significant differences in BMI between OSA positive and negative patients. So, the question is, does OSA affect lipid metabolism by itself or obesity is playing the major role in metabolic changes in these groups of patients. The relationships between OSA and various lipid parameters have not been extensively investigated like other components in the metabolic syndrome and the results have been more diverse. Studies of sleep clinic cohorts have consistently reported a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia in OSA positive subjects compared to those without OSA \[[@ref17], [@ref18]\]. The American Heart Health Sleep Study reported that apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was inversely related to HDL-cholesterol levels in younger men and women, but not in older men, and triglyceride levels in younger men and women only \[[@ref19]\]. In contrast, Lam et al. evaluated 255 patients between 30 and 60 years, and they did not find the association between OSA and HDL or TG levels, after controlling for confounding variables \[[@ref20]\]. In our study, after dividing patients according to BMI, OSA positive patients with BMI \< 30 had statistically significant higher levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol, and statistically significantly lower levels of HDL versus OSA negative patients with BMI ≤ 30. This result is corresponding with previously cited studies \[[@ref6]-[@ref8], [@ref9], [@ref17]-[@ref19]\]. However, several studies that were searching for an association between metabolic syndrome and normal weight, over weight and obese patients, reported that prevalence of metabolic syndrome in non-obese patients (BMI 25.0-26.9 kg/m\^2) is between 9.6-22.5%, depending on ethnicity and sex \[[@ref21], [@ref22]\]. So the possibility that OSA mechanisms are worsening lipid metabolism in a non obese group of patients is very high rather that weight gain. In obese patients, both OSA positive and OSA negative, there were no statistically significant differences in lipid blood levels. This result is corresponding with others studies. Sahin et al. in their study found out that OSA positive obese patients had statistically significant higher levels of lipids compared to OSA positive patients with normal weight. But in obese patients, both OSA positive and OSA negative, there were no statistically significant differences in blood levels of lipids \[[@ref23]\]. Sharma et al. compared three groups of patients, 40 obese OSA positive patients, 40 obese OSA negative patients and 40 normal weight OSA negative patients and found that there was no difference in metabolic status between obese OSA positive and obese OSA negative patients \[[@ref24]\]. Schäfer et al. found no relationship between OSA and concentration of lipoproteins in 81 male subjects \[[@ref25]\]. Results from national surveys suggest that dyslipidemias are the most common comorbidities associated with a range of body mass indices (BMI), with substantial increases found with increased body weight. It is estimated that about 68% of obese adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey population had metabolic abnormalities \[26\]. However, the limiting factor of this study may be not so large number of patients, particularly the small number of OSA negative patients with a BMI \> 30. It should be noted that patients with previous history and treatment of diabetes and lipid disorders were excluded from the study. In conclusion, OSA and obesity are the potent risk factor for dyslipidemias. OSA could play the significant part in worsening of lipid metabolism in non-obese patients. But in obese patients, the extra weight makes the metabolic changes of lipid metabolism, and the roll of OSA is not that very important like in non-obese patients. **Funding:** This research did not receive any financial support. **Competing Interests:** The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Stop Zoo's Plan to Kill a Second Healthy Giraffe Recent comments directly from Jyllands Park Zoo affirm that there is no immediate plan to kill Marius, due in part to the fact that the zoo has only been participating in the EAZA European breeding programme for one year and breeding is not allowed in the first year. This is a slightly different statement than EAZA's official statement, according to which EAZA has said they did not know about Jyllands' plans to breed its giraffes with females and kill Marius, and that they did not consider Jyllands to have the appropriate facility to breed giraffes. It must again be stressed that, should Marius become surplus with the arrival of a female giraffe at the zoo after its first year in the breeding programme, and alternative accommodation is not found, Jyllands Park Zoo's plan would still be to kill Marius. Just three days after Copenhagen Zoo's decision to kill Marius, a healthy 18-month-old giraffe, sparked international outrage, The Guardian Newspaper reported on February 12, 2014, that Jyllands Park Zoo in Denmark is also considering killing a young, healthy 7-year-old giraffe, who is ironically also called Marius. It is reported in the article that Marius may be killed again due to being surplus to breeding requirements, in the event that another female giraffe is acquired by the zoo. Tell Jyllands Park Zoo that this must not happen again, and that should Marius become surplus to the needs of the zoo's breeding program, to transfer him to alternative accommodation and spare his life. Update #32 years ago Thanks for your support. The first 100,000 signatures were sent to Jyllands Zoo some hours ago. Although one media report yesterday suggested that Jyllands do not plan to kill a second giraffe, Marius's future remains uncertain, and the petition is still active. Please keep signing and spreading the word.

Monday, September 24, 2012 The "marriage" slippery slide I have recently written about one brave Australian politician who was crucified by the media and even fellow colleagues for daring to speak the truth in public. For his efforts, Cory Bernardi has been pilloried and viciously attacked, and has been forced to resign from one of his positions. See my write-up here. But for suggesting that redefining marriage out of existence can possibly lead to others demanding their “rights” such as the polyamorists, and even those into bestiality, he is still being hounded and viciously attacked by the PC forces of tolerance and diversity. This is all about the censorious stranglehold of political correctness, a secular left pro-homosexual MSM, and gutless politicians who refuse to support their own. It is also about shooting the messenger. The truth is there are all sorts of folks calling for the acceptance of bestiality, both within and without the homosexual community. Indeed, one of the world’s ‘greatest ethicists,’ who even wrote the article on ethics for the Encyclopaedia Britannica is quite in support of it. So while Professor Peter Singer gets a Companion of the Order of Australia for his work, Cory Bernardi gets tarred and feathered and run out of town for his. Go figure. BTW, you can see Singer defending bestiality here, on the ABC show Q&A with the host and most folks just joking about it, thinking this perversion is all just good fun. The more radical the homosexual activists get, the more they embolden other sexual activists to push their agendas. It is happening big time with group marriage rights campaigners, incest rights campaigners, paedophile rights campaigners and bestiality rights campaigners. So let me offer just a small sample of those pushing for their rights to ‘human-animal love’. I present them in no particular order, but it should be clear that a cumulative case can be made here. -Headline: “Indiana Woman Wants to Marry Her Pet Dog – Tries to Rally Support From Gay Rights’ Activists”. The story begins: “Cassandra White of Northern Indiana has petitioned her local government to allow her to marry her dog Brutus. White has sent several letters to gay rights activists to help her lead the march to stop discrimination against her and those like her who should get to ‘marry whomever they want’. Ms. White has made several unsuccessful attempts to get a marriage license after listing only “Brutus” in the section asking for FULL NAME OF PARTY B on marriage certificate form.” It concludes: “Ms. White applauded President Obama for announcing that he is in support for gay marriage and quoted the president saying, ‘I was so happy to hear President Obama yesterday comment on gay marriage.’ Ms. White is asking the state of Indiana to recognize what the president said and change their perspective on allowing her to marry Brutus. White has also received support from ‘Freedom To Marry Our Pets Society’ who plan to organize a protest in Washington to change definition of marriage to include pets.” -A woman in Ghana has married her dog. The bride, Emily Mabou, 29 said this: “For so long I’ve been praying for a life with a partner who has all the qualities of my dad. My dad was kind, faithful and loyal to my mum, and he never let her down.” She claims that her relationships have all been with “skirt-chasers and cheaters.” The priest who performed the ceremony told people not to mock the wedding, but instead “rejoice with her, as she has found happiness at last.” -“Zoophiles” are now coming out of the closet. A very lengthy article on this entitled “Those Who Practice Bestiality Say They’re Part of the Next Sexual Rights Movement” has gone into quite a bit of detail on this. It begins this way: “During his sophomore year in high school, Cody Beck finally got fed up with hearing homophobic cracks. If his classmates thought being gay was weird (Beck was openly bisexual), he had a confession that would blow their minds. He told them he is sexually attracted to dogs and horses. “‘I just couldn’t keep it in anymore, Beck says. Just for the hell of it, I figured I’d throw it out there and have them make fun of me even more. Which they did. An 18-year-old from Arizona who graduated from high school this past year, Beck says classmates taunted him by calling him Bestiality Dude. Being a ‘zoophile’ in modern American society, Beck says, is ‘like being gay in the 1950s. You feel like you have to hide, that if you say it out loud, people will look at you like a freak.’ “Now Beck believes he and other members of this minority sexual orientation, who often call themselves ‘zoos,’ can follow the same path as the gay rights movement. Most researchers believe 2 to 8 percent of the population harbors forbidden desires toward animals, and Beck hopes this minority group can begin appealing to the open-minded for acceptance.” And of course these folks will tell you it is an orientation – they just can’t help it. Where have we heard all this before? “Among the seven zoophiles I consulted for this article, all say that theirs is an orientation and that to meet the definition, one must not harm an animal. For this reason, a man who has sex with chickens, for instance, is not a zoophile because the act is sure to hurt if not kill the chicken. Zoophiles I spoke with say they are as opposed to forcing sex upon animals as the rest of society is opposed to the rape of humans.” -A homosexual pride march in Spain was quite happy to have their bestiality mates along for the ride. As one report states, “‘I like dogs, I like apples, in my bed I sleep with whomever I want,’ was one of the principal chants in the Gay Pride Parade last week in Madrid, where hundreds of thousands marched through the streets to advocate ‘gay rights’ and homosexualist ideology, according to local media reports.” -And this just in from Florida: it seems legal loopholes are allowing folks to share the love with their animal friends. As one news item says, “Eric Antunes, 29, was arrested in May on charges of child pornography and bestiality. Prosecution has now dropped the bestiality charges due to a ‘loophole’ in Florida law. One man’s unique case may have uncovered a loophole in Florida law that allows for certain forms of oral sex between humans and animals. “Eric Antunes, 29, was arrested in May on charges of child pornography and bestiality. After allegedly finding images of child pornography on his home computer, investigators say they searched his cell phone and discovered photos of Antunes engaged in sexual acts with his girlfriend’s three-legged dog. Florida outlawed bestiality in October 2011. When Antunes was first arrested, many believed he would be among the first few people to be prosecuted under the new law.” These are just a few of many examples which I can present here. I presented more such cases of this in my earlier article on Bernardi. Once we allow marriage to be destroyed by the sexual militants, then anything goes. And all the various sexual activist groups know it. A few decades ago pro-family forces were mocked, ridiculed and treated with contempt when they said that allowing de facto unions full marriage rights would open the door to homosexual marriage rights being demanded. They were derided and scorned as hysterical, fear-mongering extremists holding repugnant views. THE Opposition has questioned the motives of 5000 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia, as new figures show boat arrivals from the country have overtaken those from war-torn Afghanistan. As 16 Sri Lankan asylum seekers agreed at the weekend to return home instead of facing detention on Nauru, Opposition Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said the move "calls into question" the processing of every application since the country's 25-year civil war ended in 2009. "As asylum seekers, I assume that they were seeking to flee from persecution," Ms Bishop told the ABC. She questioned why the group would therefore choose to return home, rather than go to the "safe haven" of Nauru. The number of Sri Lankans arriving has soared this year to 3536, up from just 211 arrivals last year, and exceeding the 2996 Afghan arrivals. It's the biggest number of arrivals ever recorded by Sri Lankans, including during the years in which a violent civil war killed more than 70,000 people and hugely damaged the economy. Government figures show just 163 Sri Lankans arriving by boat have been granted humanitarian visas this year, but it is understood many of the arrivals are still being assessed. It follows Opposition suggestions earlier this month the Government strike a deal with Sri Lanka to send asylum seekers intercepted at sea back to their home country "before they set foot on Australian soil" as most were economic refugees. The Government said such a move would break international responsibilities. Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Nick Riemer said the civil war may be officially over, but conditions for Tamils were still "very dire". "There are reports of disappearances ... there are reports of torture by the Sri Lankan authorities," he said. "The fact that there are 16 people who have consented, or who have been pressured, into returning doesn't tell us anything about the overall situation of all of the other Sri Lankans who are still in the Australian system, who are still coming here, and who are still evidently desperate to get out of the country." Opposition Immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said more boats have arrived in the first quarter of the financial year than the Government budgeted for 12 months. Mr Morrison said boats continued to arrive daily, in spite of the new offshore processing regime, including 25 boats in the first 23 days of this month. A SERIES of anti-Islamic protests planned for every Australian capital city and promoted by members of marginal, anti-immigration political groups were effectively suppressed by police yesterday. Despite trying to organise co-ordinated protests, demonstrators ultimately took to the streets only in Melbourne and Perth, with Sydney -- scene of the previous weekend's running battles between police and young Muslim men -- remaining quiet. In Melbourne, members of the right-wing Nationalist Alternative were among a small crowd, which also included Muslims and atheist groups, who gathered outside the state library. Speaking to the crowd through a microphone, one of these men said the former Victorian attorney-general Rob Hulls had gone too far when he changed the laws to make religious vilification illegal. Under the gaze of dozens of police officers, the demonstration eventually ended without incident. In Sydney, two men were arrested on Friday for allegedly using social media to incite violence over the weekend. The pair was reportedly trying to whip up anti-Islamic sentiment, following the previous weekend's protests in the city against an online film, Innocence of Muslims, that ridicules the Islamic faith. Eleven people have been charged over this violence, in which four people were taken to hospital. NSW Police commanders will continue to investigate those involved. A number of other protests had been planned for Sydney, police said, with supporters of the anti-immigration Australian Protectionist Party among those who said they would demonstrate outside the NSW parliament. A petition on Facebook had called for protests in every state and territory capital, saying the previous weekend's violence "once again shined a light on the darker side of Islam". "It is time that we as Australians stand up and defend our land from this extremist behaviour," it said. With hundreds of extra police in the Sydney CBD, however, no such demonstration took place. The NSW Premier, Barry O'Farrell, said the extra police had "exerted control". "I think they've told people that this sort of extremism, this sort of violence, is unwelcome in any community," he said. Police also outnumbered protesters in Perth, with less than a dozen turning up to an anti-Islam demonstration outside parliament house. One of those, who gave his name only as Tony, said he was concerned that Australia was being too influenced by Islam. "This is a country where people are free to express religious beliefs, but when you have one group of people that want to impose their religious and political beliefs, the average Australian should be concerned about it," he said. "This country has accepted people of all races, creeds and colours but the violence people are prepared to use is unacceptable. If it was a group of Catholics, I would still be here." West Australian Premier Colin Barnett said the violence in Sydney represented a dark day for Australia. "One of the great things about Australian society is people from all different races and backgrounds and religions have been able to live happily and peacefully together," he said. "I will always support the right for people to protest . . . so long as they do it in a peaceful way. Unfortunately, in Sydney last weekend, it got out of control." A DECISION to hire an expert in "nudge theory" to advise the state government on innovative ways to influence people's behaviour has been called into question by suggestions it may be of limited use. The initiative is inspired by the British government's "nudge unit", formally know as the Behavioural Insights Team, which was established in 2010. The unit seeks to achieve social change without the need for government regulation by employing behavioural science techniques. For example, it might use peer influence to increase energy efficiency by telling one person how their power use compares with their neighbour's. A senior member of the British team, Rory Gallagher, will be seconded to the NSW government for a year from November to assist the Department of Premier and Cabinet in formulating a local approach. But last year the British minister for government policy, Oliver Letwin, told a House of Lords committee the nudge unit was experimental and there was no concrete evidence it would work. "It is, of course, an open question as to whether any of this will have any effect whatsoever," he told the committee. Mr Letwin defended the Behavioural Insights Team by saying it was low cost, with "almost zero risk". The unit, which employs seven people, costs £520,000 ($806,400) a year to run. The admission followed a National Audit Office report that said it had been unable to convince government departments to consider any of its ideas. Earlier this month the president-elect of the British Science Association, Lord Krebs, said nudge techniques should not be seen as a replacement for traditional government regulation. However, the Cabinet Office says it has saved British taxpayers at least £300 million. 1 comment: Paul said... The question arises: are the Tamil Tigers reconstituting here in Australia under the guise of being "refugees"? I seem to recall many years of them making life in Sri Lanka rather "dire" for anyone who wasn't a Tamil. I think of them more as fugitives rather than refugees. Background Postings from Brisbane, Australia by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.) -- former member of the Australia-Soviet Friendship Society, former anarcho-capitalist and former member of the British Conservative party. Most academics are lockstep Leftists so readers do sometimes doubt that I have the qualifications mentioned above. Photocopies of my academic and military certificates are however all viewable here For overseas readers: The "ALP" is the Australian Labor Party -- Australia's major Leftist party. The "Liberal" party is Australia's major conservative political party. In most Australian States there are two conservative political parties, the city-based Liberal party and the rural-based National party. But in Queensland those two parties are amalgamated as the LNP. Again for overseas readers: Like the USA, Germany and India, Australia has State governments as well as the Federal government. So it may be useful to know the usual abbreviations for the Australian States: QLD (Queensland), NSW (New South Wales), WA (Western Australia), VIC (Victoria), TAS (Tasmania), SA (South Australia). For American readers: A "pensioner" is a retired person living on Social Security "Digger" is an honorific term for an Australian soldier Another lesson in Australian: When an Australian calls someone a "big-noter", he is saying that the person is a chronic and rather pathetic seeker of admiration -- as in someone who often pulls out "big notes" (e.g. $100.00 bills) to pay for things, thus endeavouring to create the impression that he is rich. The term describes the mentality rather than the actual behavior with money and it aptly describes many Leftists. When they purport to show "compassion" by advocating things that cost themselves nothing (e.g. advocating more taxes on "the rich" to help "the poor"), an Australian might say that the Leftist is "big-noting himself". There is an example of the usage here. The term conveys contempt. There is a wise description of Australians generally here Another bit of Australian: Any bad writing or messy anything was once often described as being "like a pakapoo ticket". In origin this phrase refers to a ticket written with Chinese characters - and thus inscrutably confusing to Western eyes. These tickets were part of a Chinese gambling game called "pakapoo". Two of my ancestors were convicts so my family has been in Australia for a long time. As well as that, all four of my grandparents were born in the State where I was born and still live: Queensland. And I am even a member of the world's second-most condemned minority: WASPs (the most condemned is of course the Jews -- which may be why I tend to like Jews). So I think I am as Australian as you can get. I certainly feel that way. I like all things that are iconically Australian: meat pies, Vegemite, Henry Lawson etc. I particularly pride myself on my familiarity with the great Australian slanguage. I draw the line at Iced Vo-Vos and betting on the neddies, however. So if I cannot comment insightfully on Australian affairs, who could? My son Joe On all my blogs, I express my view of what is important primarily by the readings that I select for posting. I do however on occasions add personal comments in italicized form at the beginning of an article. I am rather pleased to report that I am a lifelong conservative. Out of intellectual curiosity, I did in my youth join organizations from right across the political spectrum so I am certainly not closed-minded and am very familiar with the full spectrum of political thinking. Nonetheless, I did not have to undergo the lurch from Left to Right that so many people undergo. At age 13 I used my pocket-money to subscribe to the "Reader's Digest" -- the main conservative organ available in small town Australia of the 1950s. I have learnt much since but am pleased and amused to note that history has since confirmed most of what I thought at that early age. I imagine that the the RD is still sending mailouts to my 1950s address! I am an army man. Although my service in the Australian army was chiefly noted for its un-notability, I DID join voluntarily in the Vietnam era, I DID reach the rank of Sergeant, and I DID volunteer for a posting in Vietnam. So I think I may be forgiven for saying something that most army men think but which most don't say because they think it is too obvious: The profession of arms is the noblest profession of all because it is the only profession where you offer to lay down your life in performing your duties. Our men fought so that people could say and think what they like but I myself always treat military men with great respect -- respect which in my view is simply their due. The kneejerk response of the Green/Left to people who challenge them is to say that the challenger is in the pay of "Big Oil", "Big Business", "Big Pharma", "Exxon-Mobil", "The Pioneer Fund" or some other entity that they see, in their childish way, as a boogeyman. So I think it might be useful for me to point out that I have NEVER received one cent from anybody by way of support for what I write. As a retired person, I live entirely on my own investments. I do not work for anybody and I am not beholden to anybody. And I have NO investments in oil companies or mining companies Although I have been an atheist for all my adult life, I have no hesitation in saying that the single book which has influenced me most is the New Testament. And my Scripture blog will show that I know whereof I speak. The Rt. Rev. Phil Case (Moderator of the Presbyterian church in Queensland) is a Pharisee, a hypocrite, an abomination and a "whited sepulchre". English-born Australian novellist, Patrick White was a great favourite in literary circles. He even won a Nobel prize. But I and many others I have spoken to find his novels very turgid and boring. Despite my interest in history, I could only get through about a third of his historical novel Voss before I gave up. So why has he been so popular in literary circles? Easy. He was a miserable old Leftist coot, and, incidentally, a homosexual. And literary people are mostly Leftists with similar levels of anger and alienation from mainstream society. They enjoy his jaundiced outlook, his dissatisfaction, rage and anger. Would you believe that there once was a politician whose nickname was "Honest"? "Honest" Frank Nicklin M.M. was a war hero, a banana farmer and later the conservative Premier of my home State of Queensland in the '60s. He was even popular with the bureaucracy and gave the State a remarkably tranquil 10 years during his time in office. Sad that there are so few like him. Revered Labour Party leader Gough Whitlam was a very erudite man so he cannot have been unaware of the similarities of his famous phrase “the Party, the platform, the people” with an earlier slogan: "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuehrer". It's basically the same slogan in reverse order. Australia's original inhabitants were a race of pygmies, some of whom survived into modern times in the mountainous regions of the Atherton tableland in far North Queensland. See also here. Below is a picture of one of them taken in 2007, when she was 105 years old and 3'7" tall Julia Gillard, a failed feminist flop. She was given the job of Prime Minister of Australia but her feminist preaching was so unpopular that she was booted out of the job by her own Leftist party. Her signature "achievements" were the carbon tax and the mining tax, both of which were repealed by the next government. The "White Australia Policy: "The Immigration Restriction Act was not about white supremacy, racism, or the belief that whites were higher up the evolutionary tree than the coloured races. Rather, it was designed to STOP the racist exploitation of non-whites (all of whom would have been illiterate peasants practicing religions and cultures anathema to progressive democracy) being conscripted into a life of semi-slavery in a coolie-worked plantation economy for the benefit of the absolute monarchs, hereditary aristocracy and the super-wealthy companies and share-holders of the northern hemisphere. A great little kid In November 2007, a four-year-old boy was found playing in a croc-infested Territory creek after sneaking off pig hunting alone with four dogs and a puppy. The toddler was found five-and-a-half hours after he set off from his parents' house playing in a creek with the puppy. Amazingly, Daniel Woditj also swam two creeks known to be inhabited by crocs during his adventurous romp. Mr Knight said that after walking for several kilometres, Daniel came to a creek and swam across it. Four of his dogs "bailed up" at the creek but the youngster continued on undaunted with his puppy to a second creek. Mr Knight said Daniel swam the second croc-infested creek and walked on for several more kilometres. "Captain is a hard bushman and Daniel is following in his footsteps. They breed them tough out bush." A great Australian: His eminence George Pell. Pictured in devout company before his elevation to Rome There are also two blogspot blogs which record what I think are my main recent articles here and here. Similar content can be more conveniently accessed via my subject-indexed list of short articles here or here (I rarely write long articles these days) NOTE: The archives provided by blogspot below are rather inconvenient. They break each month up into small bits. If you want to scan whole months at a time, the backup archives will suit better. See here or here About Me I am a 5'10" tall, jocular former university teacher aged 70 at the time of writing in early 2014 who still has a fair bit of hair. I am Australian born of working class origins and British ancestry. My doctorate is in psychology but I taught mainly sociology (Research Methods) in my 14 years as a university teacher. In High Schools I taught economics. I have taught in both traditional and "progressive" (low discipline) High Schools. My main interests are blogging, classical music, history, the stockmarket, current affairs and languages. I have been married four times to four fine women with whom I am still on amicable terms. I have one son born in 1987. I am totally non-sporting and have never owned a firearm. My brother has enough guns for the whole family. I did however enjoy my weapons training in the Army. Fuller biographical notes here

Elevated plasma-free cortisol concentrations and ratios are associated with increased mortality even in the presence of statin therapy in patients with severe sepsis. Dissociation between plasma-free cortisol and total cortisol profiles exists in critical illness. Data on plasma-free cortisol are based on either calculated values or immunoassay-based measurements. Both have significant limitations. Statins have been advocated as a therapy in sepsis. Whether they impact on plasma cortisol through inhibition of cholesterol synthesis is unclear. In patients enrolled into a randomized trial of statins in sepsis (n = 250), we examined the association of mass spectrometry measured plasma-free cortisol, plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios, and outcome and the impact of concomitant statin therapy on cortisol profiles in 80 steroid naïve patients. Two hundred twenty serial measurements of plasma-free cortisol, plasma total cortisol, and interleukin-6 were collected from 80 patients (43 placebo and 37 statins). Data from 10 volunteers were used as controls. Data are presented as median and interquartile range. Compared with controls, in severe sepsis, baseline plasma total cortisol was elevated two-fold (463 nmol/L [284-742 nmol/L] vs 245 nmol/L [200-299 nmol/L], p < 0.001), plasma-free cortisol 20-fold (75 nmol/L [20-151 nmol/L] vs 5 nmol/L [5-7 nmol/L], p < 0.001), and plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratio six-fold (0.15 vs 0.02, p = 0.058). Baseline interleukin-6 was elevated at 121 pg/mL (65-611 pg/mL). In severe sepsis, there were no differences in plasma total cortisol (p = 0.66), plasma-free cortisol (p = 0.77), and interleukin-6 (p = 0.29) between statins and placebo groups. Plasma-free cortisol, plasma total cortisol, and plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol were positively correlated with interleukin-6 (p = 0.0001, p < 0.0004, and p < 0.001, respectively) and day 90 mortality (p = 0.03, p = 0.03, and p = 0.058, respectively). Elevated plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios were associated with increased length of stay (p = 0.04). Baseline plasma-free cortisol, plasma total cortisol, and plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios were higher in nonsurvivors as compared with survivors (174 nmol/L [77-329 nmol/L] vs 57 nmol/L [17-122 nmol/L], p = 0.016; 890 nmol/L [333-1,430 nmol/L] vs 408 nmol/L [269-681 nmol/L], p = 0.035; and 0.19 [0.13-0.29] vs 0.14 [0.07-0.20]; p = 0.054, respectively). In severe sepsis, plasma-free cortisol increase is 10-fold greater than that of plasma total cortisol. Both are similarly associated with inflammatory response and mortality. Elevated plasma-free cortisol/plasma total cortisol ratios were associated with increased length of stay. Statin therapy does not influence the plasma cortisol profiles in patients with severe sepsis.

%% [B] = tensor_tucker_prod(A,M) % function [B] = tensor_tucker_prod(A,M) B = A; for k = 1:length(A.size) B = ttm(B, M{k}, k); end end

Introduction {#Sec1} ============ Recent times have seen higher demand for sustainable and green products reproduced from waste materials^[@CR1]^. In particular, this has called for more research and development endeavors to recycle waste materials into biodegradable products with low environmental impacts^[@CR2]^. The potential of several types of cellulose-based materials from agro-wastes such as palm oil, pineapple, kenaf, sisal, etc. as reinforcing materials in cement composites has been discovered decades ago, but yet to be thoroughly understood and applied in real-world construction^[@CR3],[@CR4]^. Cellulose can be extracted from various plants while oil palm empty fruit bunch is one of its sources. Malaysia is the second-largest producer of palm oil and the country's palm oil industry produces about 90 million tonnes of lignocellulosic biomass, including empty fruit bunches, oil palm trunks, and oil palm fronds, as well as palm oil mill effluent^[@CR5]^. Reinforcement of natural fibers and cementitious matrices from various sources of plant fiber have found to improve the mechanical strength of the composites and currently is being applied in various industrial sectors including construction, automobiles, aerospace's, etc.^[@CR6],[@CR7]^. In particular, renewable waste materials such as agro-waste have enhanced the mechanical properties of cement mortar^[@CR8]^. However, direct incorporation of natural fiber material into mortar leads to low concrete workability, decay problems, low resistance to chemical attack, and other structural problems^[@CR9]^. The most common approach to overcome these problems is through surface modification of plant fibers using various chemical treatments (alkali, silane, ozone, etc.) and physical treatment (plasma, UV radiation, corona, etc.)^[@CR10]--[@CR12]^. Another approach to improve the properties of natural fibers is through a top-down approach by deconstructing the structure of the plant itself into nano or microfibrous materials such as nanocrystalline cellulose (CNCs) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)^[@CR13]^. In recent days, construction industries conduct various researches to discover new eco-friendly reinforcement materials to reduce cement usage. Previous few examples of the reinforcement material that contributes to minimizing the cement usage include steel, glass, carbon, etc.^[@CR14],[@CR15]^. In order to replace this material, various high-performance nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes have been utilized to improve the performance of cement composites^[@CR16],[@CR17]^. However, troubles in dispersion and cost-effectiveness are the major crisis with these materials, which are needed to be addressed before commercialization^[@CR7]^. At present, the performance of nano and micro cellulose materials as reinforcement of cementitious composites is getting research attention worldwide. Positive result discovered by Cao *et al*.^[@CR12]^ through the use of CNCs extracted by using the acid hydrolysis process. An enhancement of cement mortar up to 30% for the flexural strength with the addition of 0.2% CNCs was found^[@CR12]^. Another achievement found with the addition of CNCs in oil well cement studied by Reza *et al*.^[@CR18]^, revealed that CNCs reduced the porosity up to 33%, surface area to 66% and 0.7% of the total design water by mass. Also, CNCs have raised the compressive and tensile strength by 60% in the first 24 hours of composite's age. However, research on CNCs based cementitious composites extracted from palm oil fruit bunches are very rare in the existing literature. Therefore, this present study intends to report the effect of CNCs suspension on the mechanical properties of mortar via different: i) curing environment, ii) percentage of CNCs added and iii) morphological observation. A series of experiments were conducted to examine the effect of different curing methods (water, lime and wrapping curing) to find the best method of curing, as well as the microstructural and mechanical properties of the cement composites after adding CNCs. Materials and Methods {#Sec2} ===================== The cement mortar mix used in this study were prepared by mixing the CNCs aqueous suspension together with fine aggregates and cement at 0.5 water/cement ratio^[@CR19]^. The amount of CNCs liquid suspension added to cement composites was from 0% to 0.8% by volume of cement content. The dispersion behavior of the CNCs in aqueous suspension was found to be more stable compared to the powder form. Preparation of the CNCs {#Sec3} ----------------------- The cellulose was supplied by a local company from Waris Nove Sdn. Bhd. at Kuantan, Pahang Malaysia that commercially produces α-cellulose from palm oil wastes for industrial applications. The extraction process began by referring to the extraction methods from Dong *et al*.^[@CR20]^ and Lu and Hsieh^[@CR21]^ with the production of CNCs from α-cellulose. The first step is to extract the microcrystalline cellulose (MCCs) from α-cellulose^[@CR20]^. In order to produce MCC, 2.5 N hydrochloric acid (HCl) was mixed with α-cellulose and incubated for 15 minutes at the controlled temperature of 105 °C. This is followed by the addition of cold water to the hot mixture, stirred and the mixture was left overnight. The mixture was filtered and then washed with water until the pH reached 6\~7. The filtered sample was dried in a hot air oven for 60 minutes at 60 °C. The finally the sample was ground and sieved using 60 µm sieve aperture before it was extracted for CNCs. Based on Kumar *et al*.^[@CR22]^, during the CNCs extraction, 64% w/v sulphuric acid (H~2~SO~4~) was used for the acid hydrolysis process. The acid solution was initially preheated to 45 °C and MCCs were added at a ratio of 10:1 (diluted H~2~SO~4~: MCCs). Subsequently, the solution was stirred for 60 minutes, mixed with 1/10 fold of chilled distilled water, and centrifuged at 6000 rpm for 15 minutes to remove any excessive acid. Then, the remaining precipitate underwent dialysis for 5-7 days for neutralization. Finally, the solution was centrifuged and subjected to sonification for 15 minutes to form CNCs aggregates. The final product was refrigerated at 4 °C until the further application. In general, when MCCs was mixed with sulphuric acid (through acid hydrolysis process) it changes the MCCs to CNCs^[@CR23]--[@CR25]^. Sulfuric acid hydrolysis of cellulose is a heterogeneous process where the acid diffuses into the pulp fiber and cleaves the glycosidic bonds in the cellulose polymer. Depending on reaction times, temperature, and how the heating rate is controlled, the hydrolysis could also occur on the crystalline regions and some of the hydroxyl groups on the crystalline surface and convert into sulfate groups (e.g., conversion of cellulose-OH to cellulose-OSO~3~−H^+^). CNCs can be generated which is in a milky white color but not as brownish or blackish color. The brownish and blackish color solution shows that the CNC is burned due to improper selection of acid concentration and temperature. Therefore, in this study concentration of sulphuric acid used was 64% w/v with a temperature of 45 °C for 60 minutes. With this condition of acid hydrolysis, the end product of CNC comes out to be milky white in color. Figure [1(a)](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"} shows the MCCs powder after the α-cellulose pre-treatment process and Fig. [1(b)](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"} displays the CNCs aqueous suspension after the acid hydrolysis process (milky white in color). The schematic illustration of the CNCs extraction process was simplified in Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}. The chemical composition of the extracted CNCs from palm oil wastes used in this study was evaluated via X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) assessment and tabulated in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}. The main constituents of the CNCs were detected as carbon and oxygen. A low amount of sulfur was also detected, most probably from the leftover acid during the acid hydrolysis process with the H~2~SO~4~ solution.Figure 1Two different types of cellulose production (**a**) MCC powder (**b**) CNCs aqueous suspension.Figure 2Schematic illustration of CNCs extraction process.Table 1Chemical composition of cellulose nanocrystals used as an admixture in cement composites.Chemical CompositionMass Percentage (%)Carbon, C43.76Oxygen, O55.12Sulfur, S1.01Others0.11 Cement mortar samples preparation and strength tests {#Sec4} ---------------------------------------------------- ### Cement and sand preparation {#Sec5} Portland Cement Type I was used throughout the study. This was obtained from a Tasek Cement Company located at Ipoh, Malaysia. Based on ASTM C778-113^[@CR26]^, two types of sand with different sizes were blended in the equal portion into the mortar mixes, i.e passing 850-µm sieve and retained at 600-µm sieve and passing 600-µm sieve and retained at 150-µm sieve^[@CR26]^. ### Mortar samples casting {#Sec6} The specimens consisted of 50 mm cubes and 40 mm by 40 mm by 160 mm prism for compressive and flexural strength tests, respectively. By following the ASTM C109/C109M^[@CR19]^, the specimens were prepared based on the optimum mix design of 1:2.75 (cement:sand) with a water/cement (w/c) ratio of 0.5 and five different content of CNCs by volume of cement (0% for control specimen, increased every 0.2% until reaching 0.8%) as additive. Based on previous literature, the addition of CNCs in cement composites only up to 0.2% and 0.4%. Therefore, a range of 0% (as a control specimen) to 0.8% is chosen in this study to understand the effect of CNCs addition in mortar can improve or reduce its performance in strength^[@CR27]--[@CR29]^. The workability of the mortar was obtained via the flow table method as stated in ASTM C230/C230M-14^[@CR30]^. After mixing, the mortar was poured into the specimen moulds and compacted using a vibrating table for two minutes with a vibrating rate of 12000 ± 400/minute^[@CR30]^. ### Mortar samples curing procedures {#Sec7} The hardened mortar specimen was cured in three different conditions -- water, lime, and wrap curing for 28 days. Water curing was done by immersing the mortar samples into tap water until it reaches the testing day. As for lime curing, the specimens were prepared using a saturated lime solution, which was prepared by mixing 2 grams of hydrated lime in every liter of water. Wrap curing was conducted with at least three layers of polyethylene film wrapping onto mortar samples to prevent water from evaporating during the hydration process. The ambient temperature was maintained at 23 ± 2 °C with more than 50% humidity. Finally, all samples were tested for compressive strength. All the experiments were performed in triplicates. ### Mechanical properties {#Sec8} The mechanical properties of the cement composite with CNCs were studied for its compressive and flexural strength for 7, 14 and 28 days. Compressive and flexural strength test was evaluated using a Universal Testing Machine (MATEST3000) with a maximum loading capacity of 3000 kN and a pacing rate of 0.9 kN/s for compressive strength and 0.04 kN/s for testing flexural strength test^[@CR31]^. CNCs-mortar characterization {#Sec9} ---------------------------- The microstructure of the CNCs mortar was studied under Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM, JSM 670-1 F, JEOL, Japan) and Scanning Electron Microscope/Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS, Quanta 650 MLA-FEG, FEI, Australia, acceleration voltage: 20 kV, coating:30 nm Au-Pd) to understand the changes induced by CNCs on cement composites. Since the resolution of SEM/EDS observation has its limitations, the FESEM test was conducted to further observe morphological changes previously identified by the SEM/EDS under the higher resolution. During this morphological study, various magnifications were applied to the control sample and CNCs-mortar sample. For instance, using FESEM, the magnification was 25,000 times for the control sample, but 10,000 times for the CNCs-mortar sample. The same applies to the SEM/EDS monitoring, with magnification was set at 766 times for the control sample and 854 times for CNCs-mortar sample. In order to study the crystalline pattern of calcium hydroxide formation (portlandite) in cement composites after incorporating CNCs, the X-ray Diffraction (XRD, Rint 2000 Ultima- III, RIGAKU Corporation, Japan) test was conducted using an X-ray Diffractometer with graphite filtered CuK (λ = 1.5433 Å) radiation at 40 kV and 30 mA. The data were collected on a 2θ scale from 0 to 80°. The zeta potential evaluation was done by Zetasizer Nano ZS90: DLS Zeta Potential Analyzer from Malvern Instrument for cement particle and CNCs aqueous suspension to study the dispersion behavior of CNCs before and after mixing with the cement materials. This is important to make sure the CNCs can be uniformly distributed instead of becoming agglomerated during the mixing process. For this reason, both samples were diluted with distilled water until achieving a concentration of 0.01 mol/l with pH 7. The refractive index of the CNCs and cement particles were set to 1.46 and 1.35, respectively. Results and Discussion {#Sec10} ====================== The effects of different curing methods on CNCs mortar {#Sec11} ------------------------------------------------------ As depicted in Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}, all operational parameters of different curing methods have resulted in a myriad of strengths. Among all curing methods, the wrapping method showed the highest improvement in strength after 0.2% of CNCs were added into the mortar matrix, achieving a compressive strength of 49 MPa at the age of 28 days with a 48% increment compared to the control mortar. On the other hand, for lime and water curing methods, the compressive strength of 47 MPa and 43 MPa, respectively, was recorded with the same amount of CNCs added; these are translated into 43% and 42% increment, respectively, compared to the control sample. Therefore, the wrap method was chosen to be used as the curing method throughout the study due to its effect on compressive strength.Figure 3Compressive strength of cement mortar at age of 28 days with different curing methods and CNCs concentration. The hydration of cement mortar must have adequate control of moisture and temperature movement from and into the composites' matrices. Furthermore, a proper curing process -ensures good protection of cement mortar against damage due to loading and mechanical interference^[@CR2],[@CR32]^. Fundamentally, the resistance towards loading and mechanical impacts comes from a good production of calcium crystals (calcium-silicate-hydrate, C-S-H, and calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)~2~) compounds in cement mortar^[@CR33]^. These compounds form after the water combines with cement particle compounds (tricalcium silicate, C~3~S), as stated in Eq. ([1](#Equ1){ref-type=""}) below:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${{\rm{C}}}_{3}{\rm{S}}+(1.3+{\rm{x}}){\rm{H}}\to {{\rm{C}}}_{17}{{\rm{SH}}}_{{\rm{x}}}+1.3{\rm{CH}}.$$\end{document}$$Where: C~3~S = tricalcium silicate CSH = calcium silicate hydrate CH = calcium hydroxide Equation ([1](#Equ1){ref-type=""}) was developed by Allen *et al*.^[@CR34]^ where "x" denotes the variables of water. This shows that the amount of water available during the curing process greatly affects the production of calcium crystals during hydration. On the contrary, insufficient moisture promotes the formation of pores and microcapillary pores, which directly decreases the strength and long-term durability of the concrete. The lime and water curing methods stated in this study have undoubtedly provided sufficient moisture for hydration compared to the wrapping method. However, the wrapping method had unexpectedly given the best result in terms of strength. This is attributed to the ability of moisture preservation (vapor pressure) for optimum hydration. Hence, by controlling the movement of water outside and inside the cement matrices during the curing process, a cement composite with higher resistance to loading impact can be produced^[@CR35]--[@CR37]^. The different compressive strength recorded for different curing methods is also attributed to the addition of CNCs into the matrices. CNCs are known as cellulose-based nanofibers which are built up of hydrophilic nanoporous structure. The expansion and shrinkage of this structure during and after the curing period might have led to microcracking, and consequently, a lower strength than the designed strength. With an obvious lower strength recorded for water and lime curing methods, it becomes clear that cement mortar containing cellulose-based materials such as CNCs ought to be cured using unconventional methods. Zheng *et al*.^[@CR32]^ and Mariano *et al*.^[@CR33]^. have also stated this, where the authors affirmed that the hydrophilic nature of CNCs which causes the structure to absorb and store water is profound and should not be ignored. As such, its curing process should be investigated and studied in-depth. Mechanical properties {#Sec12} --------------------- ### Effect of CNCs on cement mortar strength {#Sec13} The compressive strength performance of cement mortar with CNCs cured under wrapping technique is graphically represented in Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}. With the addition of 0.4% CNCs, the compressive strength increased between 43% and 46% compared to the control sample after 28 days of curing period. Further addition of CNCs did not show a significant increase in strength. For instance, the addition of 0.6% and 0.8%, CNCs showed the compressive strength up to 16% and 38%, respectively. Comparison of previous reports in Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"} shows that CNCs have a high potential in improving the strength of cement composites after its addition. In this study, the optimum CNCs content was found at 0.4%. This was due to the reason that the CNCs had changed the structural properties of the cement mortar. An increase in strength could mean that the CNCs had triggered a good production of C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)~2~ during the hydration process, which is an important component for strength development other than Ca(OH)~2~^[@CR12]^. The function of these hydration products is to bind the cement particles together^[@CR38]^. Though this may be interpreted as the more the binder, the stronger the structure could be, it is apparent that a CNCs content of more than 0.4% does not cause any changes in strength compared to the conventional mortar. This is because the high amount of hydration products formed could have made the structure more brittle and thus, more prone to cracking^[@CR39]^.Figure 4Compressive strength of cement mortar incorporating different percentage of CNCs concentrations under wrap curing condition.Table 2Comparison of previous reports on the effect of CNCs addition in to mortar.ParametersFindingsLiteratureReflectionExtraction method-Cellulose source: Palm oil empty fruit bunch\[1\] Fortunati *et al*., (2013)^[@CR52]^-Cellulose source: Okra bahmia-Process: Acid hydrolysis-Condition: 64 wt/wt % H~2~SO~4~ at 45 °C for 30 minDifferent raw sources of cellulose required different acid hydrolysis condition to extract the CNCs-Process: Acid hydrolysis\[2\] Nuruddin *et al*., (2014)^[@CR53]^-Cellulose source: Kenaf fiber-Process: Acid hydrolysis-Condition :60% H~2~SO~4~ (v/v) at 50 °C for 60 min-Condition: 64% w/v H~2~SO~4~ at 45 °C for 60 min\[3\] Darpentigny *et al*., (2019)^[@CR54]^-Cellulose source: Tunicate-Process: Acid hydrolysis-Condition: 50 wt% H~2~SO~4~ at50 °C for 20 hoursCompressive strengthImproved by 43% to 46% compared to conventional mortar\[1\] Barnat-Hunek (2019)^[@CR55]^ found that with 1.5% addition of CNCs improved 27.6% of compressive strengthThe addition of CNC in cement composites improved the compressive strength performance of more than 20% of the cement composite's original strength. Compressive strength of cement composites\[2\] Aloulou *et al*., (2019)^[@CR56]^ proved that compressive strength improved by 50% with the addition of 1% nano wood fiber.\[3\] As mentioned by Jiao *et al*., (2016)^[@CR57]^, 0.15% addition of CNCs will improve the compressive strength of cement by 20%Flexural strengthImproved by 20% compared to conventional mortar\[1\] Barnat-Hunek (2019)^[@CR55]^ mentioned that with the addition of 1.5%CNCs improved flexural strength of mortar by 10.9%CNCs have a high potential in improving cement composite flexural strength more than\[2\] Fu *et al*., (2017)^[@CR58]^ reported that flexural strength improved by 20% with the addition of 0.2% of CNCs10% of normal cement composites strength.\[3\] Jiao *et al*., (2016)^[@CR57]^ presented the data of flexural strength improvement by 15% after the addition of 0.15% CNCs in cement paste.\[4\] Cao *et al*., (2013)^[@CR29]^ found that with 0.2% CNCs improve flexural strength by 30% With this, morphological studies were conducted to further understand the effect of adding CNCs into cement mortar using FESEM and SEM/EDX plus XRD characterization. Figure [5](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"} shows the FESEM results between conventional mortar (Fig. [5a](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"}) and mortar added with CNCs (Fig. [5b](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"}). Apparently, the formation of hydration products was more obvious in CNCs-mortar. The C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)~2~ compounds had also filled in the pores, making the mortar structure denser and more compacted; the CNCs had not only functioned as nuclei to induce nucleation of hydration products but also a bio base nano-filler^[@CR40]^. The second function has been extensively discussed by Maraino *et al*.^[@CR41]^, where it is stated that its unique and favorable nano-characteristics include large surface area and aspect ratio.Figure 5FESEM image of calcium crystals (C-S-H and Ca(OH)~2~) filled in mortar specimen (**a**) control (**b**) 0.2% CNCs. The XRD data were used to further confirm the existence of hydration products in addition to FESEM images (see Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"}). The highest peaks at 18, 34, 47 and 51 denoted the existence of calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)~2~, also known by its mineral name portlandite, was found higher in the mortar-CNCs sample than the control^[@CR42]^. Calcium hydroxide forms as crystals with a wide range of shapes and sizes, which can completely engulf a small cement particle next to it^[@CR43]^. A significant proportion of the calcium hydroxide formed as an intimate mixture with the C-S-H gel. C-S-H gel tends to be much smaller in which their growth could have impeded by the surrounding solid^[@CR44]^. Therefore, it's hard to distinguish since the latter contains a significant proportion of Ca-OH bonds. Since, the strength of cement mortar depends on the production of C-S-H gel, more formation of C-S-H gel, results in better strength of cement mortar. However, from the XRD test the C-S-H formation is hard to measure correctly due to its amorphous behavior and poorly crystalline. Therefore, the crystallinity of portlandite (Ca(OH)~2~) was measure instead. This is because. the portlandite is a secondary product of hydration (Eq. [1](#Equ1){ref-type=""}) and its highly crystalline^[@CR45]^. C-S-H size has nanometer level morphology and the observation of peak in Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"} confirms the presence of portlandite formation as a binding agent which in turn contributes to the higher mechanical strength of cement mortar.Figure 6XRD pattern of control sample and 0.2% CNCs-mortar at 28 days. P: Portlandite (Ca(OH)~2~), CS: Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate (C-S-H), Et: Ettringite. Since the CNCs added in the cement mortar was in aqueous suspension form, the zeta potential of the solution was also determined to affirm its dispersion characteristic during the mixing process as well as its effects, such as whether the CNCs particles had bonded with itself or cement particles. Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"} shows the zeta potential value of cement and CNCs. The zeta potential of the CNCs aqueous suspension (−50.4 mV), CNCs powder form (−36.1 mV) was much higher than cement particles, which means that it does not agglomerate easily by itself due to the high degree of electrostatic repulsion. This characteristic has arisen due to the earlier acid hydrolysis process which has promoted the formation of sulfate group^[@CR46]^. The lower zeta potential value of −16.6 mV for cement particles indicated easy agglomeration and the significant difference of zeta potential value between CNCs and cement particles, which attract it to stick together due to make the attractive force exceed the repulsion force. The CNCs particles are more likely to stick to the cement particles since it has higher zeta potential^[@CR47]^.Table 3Different zeta potential value between cement particle and cellulose nanocrystals.Types of particleZeta Potential (mV)Cement−16.6CNCs−50.4 Figure [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"} reported the SEM/EDS data of the unhydrated cement particles for control mortar (Fig. [7a](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}) and the adhering CNCs around the cement particles for CNCs-mortar (Fig. [7b](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}). Different magnification was used to observe the dark spot around the unhydrated compound. The dark spot occurred only in the sample containing CNCs. The EDS result of the dark spot confirmed the presence of Sulphur (S) as the CNCs contained some sulfate groups (Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}) that is formed during the acid hydrolysis process. It is expected that CNCs agglomerate around the unhydrated cement particle. However, a dark spot from EDS is difficult to be determined accurately at this point because the CNCs are known to contain light chemical compounds^[@CR29]^. As preventive measures, 30 spots of EDS pointed at the dark spot and the finding is almost similar to the presence of Sulphur. In order to support the idea of the dark spot identity, the result of X-ray Fluoresces (XRF) of cement particle is given in Table [4](#Tab4){ref-type="table"}. The EDS data of unhydrated cement particles illustrated in Fig. [6a](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"} shows the absence of Sulphur content.Figure 7SEM/EDS observation to show the (**a**) unhydrated cement particle of conventional mortar (**b**) CNCs-mortar with dark spot formation around unhydrated cement particles.Table 4Chemical composition of cement by XRF analysis.ComponentPercentage by weight (%)Silica, SiO~2~19.8Alumina, Al~2~O~3~5.6Iron oxide, Fe~2~O~3~3.4Calcium oxide, CaO62.7Magnesium oxide, MgO1.2Sodium oxide, Na~2~O0.02Phosphorus pentoxide, P~2~O~5~0.1Loss of Ignition, LOI2.1Lime saturated factor1.0 The black or darker spot around the cement particle was found to be the CNCs nanofiber sticking to the cement particles. The dark spot was another reason behind the high formation of calcium crystals when CNCs were added where its hydrophilic behavior had caused absorption of water into the porous structure. The inference made here is that the absorbed water had been the major water supply for the unhydrated cement particles to go through the hydration process and form extra calcium crystals even after the curing period. A similar finding has been described by Cao *et al*.^[@CR12]^, where the identical dark ring was found around the cement particle in the cement matrix, which was later identified as concentrated CNCs lingering around the cement particles. The finding shows that CNCs can potentially provide continuous strength development in aging cement mortar^[@CR48]^. ### Flexural strength performance effected by the addition of CNCs {#Sec14} The performance of flexural strength shows a substantial improvement after the addition of CNCs into the mortar matrix (see Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"}). Based on that, the optimum limit of CNCs was 0.4% where an increase in flexural strength of up to 20% stronger than conventional mortar was recorded. However, further addition of CNCs in mortar had resulted in a reduction of 7% to 10% in flexural strength.Figure 8The effect of cement composites containing CNCs as nano reinforced agent. The optimum CNCs content for flexural strength was different from the results of compressive strength because of the CNCs could function better in resisting flexural failure when subjected to axial loading^[@CR42]^. This attribute has yet to be discussed extensively in most of the studies - though the same behavior has been found in many works using carbon nanotubes as the flexural strength booster. These two materials share almost the same nanofiber shape, and thus, theoretically, both can act as the bridging agent or reinforcement material^[@CR8]^. Parveen *et al*.,^[@CR49]^ reported that nanomaterials can be effective in preventing the initiation of crack growth in nanoscale level. Without CNCs, cement composites are vulnerable to freeze and thaw damage, chloride penetration, corrosion and alkali-silica reaction, which degrade the overall performance of composites^[@CR50]^. This occurs when the interfacial interaction between the nanofiber and the bonding agents of the hydration products (C-S-H and Ca(OH)~2~) has enhanced the load transfer between the matrix and reinforcement. Similar findings reported by Nochaiya and Chaipanich^[@CR51]^, shows that the addition of 0.5% carbon nanotube cause the pore reduction left between C-S-H and Ca(OH)~2~ due to the presence of carbon nanotubes as a filler and bridging agents of hydrated cement. Conclusion {#Sec15} ========== The present work concludes the significant impact of CNCs on cement mortar which the CNCs have affected the curing performance of the cement mortar. Wrap curing with polyethylene film was the most effective method, evident through the highest compressive strength recorded. Moreover, the compressive strength of the cement mortar increased 43% to 46% from its original strength when 0.4% of CNCs were added. In addition, the effect of CNCs addition also positively affected the flexural strength of cement mortar that increased about 20% when up to 0.4% CNCs were added. Finally, the addition of CNCs found to change the inner structure of the composites where the formation of calcium crystals (C-S-H or Ca(OH)~2~) that would strengthen the structure continued even after the curing process ended. Further studies on the other potentials of CNCs in improving cement mortar should be examined thoroughly due to its promising characteristics and the possibility of being applied in real-world construction projects. Novelty statement {#Sec16} ----------------- This study is reported to be the novel study on examining the effect of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) derived from palm oil empty fruit bunch (EFB) fiber into cement mortar as a green admixture to increase its structural performance. **Publisher's note** Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University. This work was done under the financial support of AUN/SEED-Net and JICA Collaborative Research (CR) grant under vot R.J130000.7317.4B194, Collaborative Research Program for Common Regional Issues (CRC) grant under vot R.J130000.7317.4B189, PDRU Grant- Vot No. Q.J130000.21A2.04E53, Hitachi Scholarship Program 2019, MRUN R.J130000.7805.4L886, and UTM Matching Grant (Q.J130000.3017.00M90). Diana Mazlan-Experimentation, Data curation, and Writing; Santhana Krishnan- Revised writing, Investigation, and Conceptualization; Mohd Fadhil Md Din --Supervision; Chiharu Tokoro- Supervsion; Nur Hafizah Abd Khalid- Sofware; Izni Syahrizal Ibrahim- Software; Hideki Takahashi- Proof read; Daisuke Komori- Resources. The authors declare no competing interests.

Bittium latreillii Bittium latreillii is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae. Description Distribution References External links Category:Cerithiidae Category:Gastropods described in 1826

Rep. Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffTop Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies MORE (D-Calif.) criticized President Trump on Thursday for comments that raised questions about Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential race. Trump said at a press conference in Poland earlier on Thursday that he thinks Russia and "people in other countries" likely meddled in the presidential election, but "nobody really knows." Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump's comments "continue to directly undermine U.S. interests." ADVERTISEMENT "This is not putting America first, but continuing to propagate his own personal fiction at the country's expense," Schiff said in a statement. He added that Trump needs to have the "courage" to bring up the Russia's interference in the U.S. election with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Otherwise the Kremlin will conclude he is too weak to stand up to them," Schiff said. "That would be a historic mistake, with damaging implications for our foreign policy for years to come." Schiff also called for Trump to confront Russia over its "continued destabilization of Ukraine, and the illegal annexation and continued occupation of Crimea and parts of Georgia." "He should make it clear that the U.S. is not going to make common cause with Russia in propping up Bashar al-Assad in Syria, nor turn a blind eye to any potential Russian support of the Taliban or increased trade with North Korea," Schiff said in the statement. Trump in the past has decried the investigations into the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race, including possible collusion between his campaign and Moscow, calling the probes a "witch hunt."

Now Commenting On: Nats looking to bolster pitching staff for '14 Nats looking to bolster pitching staff for '14 9/20/13: Jordan Zimmermann pitches a complete game two-hitter, allowing just one walk and striking out nine for his NL-leading 19th win By Bill Ladson / MLB.com | WASHINGTON -- Dating back to Aug. 9 until the end of the 2013 season, the Nationals owned the best record in baseball, going 32-16. But it wasn't enough to help them go to the postseason. Injuries, lack of offense in the first half of the season and not having quality lefties in the bullpen were the reasons the Nationals struggled this season. Missing Bryce Harper for more than a month because of a left knee injury was a big blow. He was the guy they missed in the middle of the order. 2013 season wraps 2014 outlooks Now, general manager Mike Rizzo starts the offseason looking for a manager to replace Davey Johnson, who retired after Sunday's game. It wouldn't come as a surprise if Rizzo names a skipper after the World Series. Randy Knorr, Trent Jewett and Matt Williams are managerial candidates. "The manager is going to have an input on what we do with the roster," Rizzo said. Once they find their manager, the Nationals must fix a couple of things. They need some lefties out of the bullpen. Letting Tom Gorzelanny and Michael Gonzalez go after the 2012 season turned out to be a big mistake. Washington must improve its bench. Steve Lombardozzi was the only productive player when it came to pinch-hitting appearances. It must fix the back end of the rotation. The team may not need to go out and find a veteran pitcher to help the young pitching staff. It will be interesting to see what the Nationals do during the offseason. Rotation: As of now, the front end is settled with Strasburg, Zimmermann and Gio Gonzalez. The trio won a combined 38 games. However, the back end of the rotation needs work -- big time. Haren will not be back because of his inconsistency on the mound. It's still unknown if Ross Detwiler is healthy. He didn't pitch after July 3 because of back problems. Tanner Roark and Taylor Jordan looked impressive during their brief time with the team, but it's not a given they will be in the rotation next year. Rizzo could go out and get another veteran pitcher to help guide the rotation. At the same time, Strasburg, Zimmermann and Gonzalez are not rookies anymore and should be able to lead a pitching staff by next year. Bullpen: What made the bullpen average? Johnson had a tough time finding quality lefties out of the bullpen. The Nationals started the season with Zach Duke as the long man before he was released in June. Then, they went with Abad and Ian Krol, but they were inconsistent. It took until September to realize that Cedeno was a quality left-hander out of the bullpen. Look for Rizzo to look for some quality lefties for 2014. The back end of the bullpen is fine with Rafael Soriano as the closer and Storen and Clippard as the setup men. Clippard was clearly the best reliever on the Nationals. Johnson even thought he overused Clippard during the season because he didn't have a left-hander who could get left-handed hitters out on a regular basis. Craig Stamman is expected to be back next season. Ryan Mattheus has to have a great Spring Training to make the team next year. Catcher: If only Ramos stayed healthy this year, his numbers would be unbelievable. Ramos dealt with hamstring issues during the first half of the season. But when he came back, he was one of Washington's best power hitters. The Nationals still don't know who their backup catcher will be next year. Jhonatan Solano and Sandy Leon both had bad years with the bat in the Minor Leagues and weren't given much of a chance in the Major Leagues. It wouldn't come as a surprise if Rizzo tried to acquire a backup catcher via free agency. First base:Adam LaRoche had one of the toughest seasons of his Major League career, hitting .237 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs. Those numbers are not even close to the MVP-type numbers he put up for Washington last year. It didn't helped that LaRoche lost 15 to 20 pounds in recent months. It was believed, at first, that LaRoche was losing the weight because of the flu he caught right after the All-Star break. But LaRoche revealed that the weight loss was caused by the medication he was taking for attention deficit disorder (ADD). LaRoche is expected to fix the problem during the offseason. There was a possibility of trading LaRoche in order to put Ryan Zimmerman at first base. But with Zimmerman's throwing problems behind him, LaRoche will be the first baseman in 2014. Second base: It will come down to Anthony Rendon and Lombardozzi fighting for the second base job. For right now, it looks like Rendon has the edge because of the power numbers he could potentially put up. A third baseman by trade, Rendon also was above average with the glove at second. Lombardozzi was the team's best pinch-hitter and could be in that same role next year. When he played often, Lombardozzi was an asset in the top or bottom of the batting order. Rizzo insists that Danny Espinosa is in the mix for the starting second base job, but he will likely be traded before Spring Training. If he isn't traded, he will be no more than a backup infielder. Shortstop: Desmond seems to get better every year. Besides having steady hands at short, Desmond was among the team leaders in home runs and RBIs. The Nationals are hoping that they can sign Desmond to an extension, but he is not taking a team discount to get it done. Third base: For a while, it looked like the Nationals needed a new third baseman for the first time since 2005. Zimmerman had a tough time throwing the baseball because he was still recovering from shoulder surgery. However, during the month of September, Zimmerman was the Zimmerman of old -- making great backhanded catches and making strong throws to first base. Rizzo said he is not planning to make any changes at third base. Left field: Can you imagine if Harper stayed healthy? His numbers would probably be off the charts. He missed more than a month of the season after crashing into the right-field wall in Dodger Stadium. He also had some left hip issues. As of now, Harper doesn't believe he needs surgery to repair his knee or hip. Center field:Denard Span played outstanding defense the entire season. He didn't make an error and should win his first Gold Glove. But it took him a while to get use to National League pitching. Span would put up respectable numbers, thanks to a 29-game hitting streak, the highest in the Major Leagues. Right field:Jayson Werth staved off injuries and was the MVP of the team. He led the team in almost every major offensive category including home runs, RBIs, batting average, on-base percentage and OPS.

Music Scholar masterclass with sublime soprano Dame Emma Kirkby 14 May 2018 Haileybury’s Music Scholars had the chance to be coached by skilful soprano Dame Emma Kirkby in a vocal masterclass on Friday 11 May. English soprano Dame Emma Kirkby is one of the world’s most renowned early music specialists. She has sung on more than 100 recordings and was awarded a DBE in 2007 and the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2011. During the masterclass, some of Haileybury’s current and future music scholars performed a piece for Dame Emma Kirkby, who then offered her experience and expertise on how they could refine and improve it. The pieces included Handel’s Cara Sposa and Lascia Ch'io Pianga, as well as Faure’sLes Roses d’Ispahan. Haileybury’s Director of Music, Andrew O’Brien, said: “It was a privilege to welcome one of the UK’s national treasures, Dame Emma Kirkby, to Haileybury. The way she spoke to the pupils was outstanding and she really brought the best out of every individual, both on a performance and on a deeper intellectual level.” With a theme of music being for everyone, pupils enjoy a rich and varied musical life at Haileybury, There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and to perform, including choirs, orchestras, wind band, concerts, recitals and musicals. Over the past school year, pupils have had the opportunity to take part in masterclasses with members of the Regimental Band of H.M Irish Guards as well as the Principal Trombone for the London Symphony Orchestra, Dudley Bright. Next month, classical pianist Stephen Hough will hold a piano masterclass at Haileybury in conjunction with the Hertfordshire Festival of Music.

Shambip County, Utah Territory Shambip County was a county in Utah Territory, United States from 1856 to 1862. The county was created by the Utah Territorial Legislature in January 1856. It consisted primarily of the Rush Valley. Its county seat was located at the town of Shambip (on Clover Creek), which previously had been known as Johnson after Luke S. Johnson. (The town was later known as Clover before being incorporated into the town of Rush Valley.) Shambip County was abolished in 1862 and absorbed by Tooele County, Utah. References Jenson, Andrew. Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1941) p. 150 Thornadale, William and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987) p. 343 Category:Former counties of the United States Category:Geography of Tooele County, Utah Category:1856 establishments in Utah Territory

Since the introduction of sound with film in 1927, there has been a steady evolution of technology used to capture the artistic intent of the motion picture sound track and to replay it in a cinema environment. In the 1930s, synchronized sound on disc gave way to variable area sound on film, which was further improved in the 1940s with theatrical acoustic considerations and improved loudspeaker design, along with early introduction of multi-track recording and steerable replay (using control tones to move sounds). In the 1950s and 1960s, magnetic striping of film allowed multi-channel playback in theatre, introducing surround channels and up to five screen channels in premium theatres. In the 1970s Dolby introduced noise reduction, both in post-production and on film, along with a cost-effective means of encoding and distributing mixes with 3 screen channels and a mono surround channel. The quality of cinema sound was further improved in the 1980s with Dolby Spectral Recording (SR) noise reduction and certification programs such as THX. Dolby brought digital sound to the cinema during the 1990s with a 5.1 channel format that provides discrete left, center and right screen channels, left and right surround arrays and a subwoofer channel for low-frequency effects. Dolby Surround 7.1, introduced in 2010, increased the number of surround channels by splitting the existing left and right surround channels into four “zones.” As the number of channels increases and the loudspeaker layout transitions from a planar two-dimensional (2D) array to a three-dimensional (3D) array including elevation, the task of positioning and rendering sounds becomes increasingly difficult. Improved audio authoring and rendering methods would be desirable.

Introduction ============ Caridean shrimps (infraorder Caridea) belonging to the genus *Lysmata*, Risso 1816, are heavily targeted in the marine ornamental trade ([@ref-20]; [@ref-8]; [@ref-36]) and have experienced increases in market demand ([@ref-35]). Many marine ornamentals provide needed ecosystem services in home aquariums, such as algal--grazing and scavenging and are a biological alternative to other mechanical and chemical methods for aquarium maintenance ([@ref-21]; [@ref-35]). In the United States, Florida is the center of the ornamental fishery ([@ref-30]), where *Lysmata boggessi* and *Lysmata wurdemanni* are collected as bycatch between October and May from commercial stone crab traps and are landed year-round in the commercial bait shrimp trawl fishery ([@ref-8]; [@ref-33]). These shrimp are desired among aquarists specifically for their ability to regulate the pest anemone *Aiptasia* spp., Gosse 1858 ([@ref-34]), which is often introduced to aquaria via live rock. Previous studies suggest that their recent increase in popularity is in part driven by this biological control ([@ref-35]). The overall increase in landings of marine invertebrates that provide ecosystem services has raised concerns regarding the impact of harvest on wild stocks and their surrounding environment ([@ref-1]; [@ref-19]; [@ref-35]; [@ref-8]). For instance, [@ref-19] found that many ornamental fisheries operated on small spatial scales and that harvest could result in a nearly 50% localized reduction in population size. Unfortunately, there are severe data gaps in the life history, reproductive biology, population structure and growth characteristics for many of these organisms ([@ref-21]; [@ref-35]), which is especially true for ornamental crustaceans and *Lysmata* spp. The alarming result is that ornamental fisheries in Florida have not been managed using fisheries data and no management strategies currently inform the catch targets (i.e., maximum sustainable yield, total allowable catch) necessary to ensure stock sustainability ([@ref-19]). If these data gaps were to lead to fisheries mismanagement and the overexploitation of ecosystem service providers such as *Lysmata*, then an unintended ecological consequence would be the loss of those same services from the wild ([@ref-35]; [@ref-8]). In addition to their fishery and ecosystem value, shrimp from the genus *Lysmata* are notable for their rare sexual system, protandric simultaneous hermaphroditism (PSH). Individuals displaying PSH settle and mature initially as males and over a series of transitional molts develop functional female gonads to become simultaneous hermaphrodites ([@ref-25]; [@ref-39]). The latter sex phase, characterized by the presence of ovotestes and gonopores ([@ref-16]) is capable of functioning as either sex but cannot self-fertilize ([@ref-13]). Phylogenetic studies have determined that PSH is a fixed and conserved trait within the genus ([@ref-4], [@ref-5]; [@ref-11]), which is thought to be advantageous for increasing mating opportunities in low density populations and fitness specifically for large male phase shrimp ([@ref-3], [@ref-6]; [@ref-31]). Interestingly, the size at which *L. wurdemanni* males transition to hermaphrodite varies with season and appears flexible, which is suspected to be a strategy to decrease reproductive output when conditions are unfavorable ([@ref-7]; [@ref-12]). If true across the genus, this adaptive capability may be an important consideration in the management of other harvested populations. [@ref-9] produced a snapshot of the life history parameters of a Florida *L. boggessi* population, but they did not capture the important detailed seasonality to these parameters. We implemented a similar methodology as used by [@ref-9] and [@ref-12] to assess life history and reproductive characteristics, but focused on a fished population of *L. boggessi* on the west Florida shelf. These shrimp are found in nearshore waters and are landed year round as bycatch in the commercial bait shrimp (*Farfantepenaeus duorarum*) industry. The primary objective was to describe the seasonality of sex phase ratio and size at sex change at the population level and fecundity, embryo volume and reproductive investment at the individual level. Materials and Methods ===================== Study site, sampling protocol and shrimp measurements ----------------------------------------------------- We sampled a segment of the *L. boggessi* population on the Florida west coast using fisheries-dependent techniques for a full year. This genetically homogeneous population ranges from Key West to approximately Cedar Key, Florida ([@ref-8]). Shrimp were collected by a trained observer at night and as bycatch once per month from December 2012 to November 2013 via roller-frame trawlers ([@ref-18]) in a shallow subtidal region off the west coast of Florida. This area, locally referred to as The Reef, is located adjacent to the St. Martin's Aquatic Preserve, 6--8 km offshore of Citrus County, Florida ([Fig. 1](#fig-1){ref-type="fig"}). The depth ranged from 2 to 5 m and the benthic substrate was composed of heterogeneous coarse sand, seagrass and low relief hard bottom areas. Seagrass areas were dominated by *Thalassia testudinum* and *Syringodium filiforme* and the hard bottom was characterized by exposed limestone covered with a thin (\<2 cm) layer of sediment. *L. boggessi* shelter diurnally within crevices found in hard bottom ([@ref-9]), but their cryptic and nocturnal nature poses a logistical challenge for collecting specimens. We were able to circumvent this limitation by using commercial trawlers, which provided sufficient catch efficiency to achieve the sample sizes required for a statistically robust population assessment. Nocturnal segregation of shrimps by size or ontogenetic phase was not suspected in *L. boggessi* based on previous population studies of *L. wurdemanni* ([@ref-12]). Therefore, we are confident that the haphazard trawler coverages collected representative samples of *L. boggessi* on The Reef. {#fig-1} During each sampling event the trawl vessel simultaneously deployed two roller-frame trawls (4.27 m height × 0.61 m width), one on the port and one on the starboard side, 8--10 times between sunset and 02:30 h. Trawl durations were 30--45 min. A mesh size of 25.4 mm was used near the mouth of the trawl net and throughout the tapered body, with a finer mesh catch bag (19.1 mm) woven into the tailing end. The vessel tracks, average speeds and tow times were recorded with a hand-held Garmin^™^ GPS Map 60CSX. *L. boggessi* landed during each deployment were counted and approximately 30 individuals on alternating deployments were haphazardly sub-sampled for further measurements back at the laboratory. The sub-sampled shrimp were fixed onboard the fishing vessel in 10% neutral buffered formalin and were transferred after 48 h to 70% ethanol for preservation. Preserved specimens were viewed under a Leica^®^ Model S8AP0 dissecting stereomicroscope to measure body size, determine sex phase and assess embryonic development in gravid hermaphrodites. Carapace length (CL) was measured using Leica^®^ Application Suite V4 image analysis software to 0.1 mm from the mid-dorsal posterior margin of the carapace to the posterior edge of the eye orbital. Sex phase was determined by observing the second pair of pleopods for either the presence or absence of the appendices masculinae, where presence indicated male phase and absence indicated hermaphroditic phase ([@ref-16]). Hermaphrodites were considered gravid if they retained an embryonic mass on the ventral side of their abdomen. Masses were delicately removed with forceps and the embryos were then counted at 10× power under the stereomicroscope to determine batch fecundity. We were not able to confidently categorize embryo maturation based on eyespot and yolk sac development alone, so we used only early embryo masses void of either feature for this analysis. Therefore, fecundity estimates were not corrected for embryo loss. To calculate embryo volume, 10 embryos were haphazardly sub-sampled from each removed mass and measured along their short and long axes to a precision of 0.001 mm. Lastly, hermaphrodites and their corresponding embryo mass were dried at 60 °C for 24 h and weighed separately to approximate reproductive output. Population-level life history parameters in *Lysmata boggessi* -------------------------------------------------------------- Temporal differences in sex phase ratio, in terms of the proportion of male phase shrimp and size at sex change (CL~50~) were assessed from the monthly sub-samples. Sex phase ratio was estimated as the number of male phase individuals divided by the total number of males plus hermaphrodites in the population during each month ([@ref-10]). CL~50~ was calculated via binomial logistic regression with 95% confidence interval bounds. The CL~50~ estimates represented the CL at which *L*. *boggessi* would have a 50% probability of being either male phase or hermaphroditic, with the likelihood of hermaphroditism increasing as CL exceeded the CL~50~ point estimate ([@ref-9]). Individual-level reproductive characteristics in *Lysmata boggessi* ------------------------------------------------------------------- For hermaphrodites with early stage embryo masses, fecundity was determined as the number of embryos per individual. Reproductive investment was calculated as the quotient dry embryo mass divided by its respective dry hermaphrodite mass and represents the resource allocation of an individual towards reproduction ([@ref-9]). For embryos that were removed for measurement, their volume was calculated with the formula ([@ref-41]): $$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{upgreek} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document} }{}$${\rm EV }= \frac{1}{6} ({LS}^{2}{\rm \pi})$$\end{document}$$where *L* denotes the long axis measurement and *S* the short axis. The mean volume estimate for an individual hermaphrodite was the average of the 10 sub-sampled embryos. For the following seasonal analyses, the categorization of months into seasons was based on local temperature readings and photoperiod oscillations representative of the study area ([Fig. 2](#fig-2){ref-type="fig"}). Hereafter, December--February is referred to as winter, March--May as spring, June--August as summer and September--November as fall. {#fig-2} For fecundity and embryo volume, their relationships with CL and hermaphrodite body mass, respectively, were fit with general linear models and their slopes tested (*t*-test) to determine if they differed significantly from zero. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to determine the effect of the primary factor (i.e., season) on reproductive output, fecundity and embryo volume. Monthly samples were pooled by season to achieve adequate sample sizes and only individuals with early stage embryos were used for the reproduction analyses. Only one covariate, either hermaphrodite body mass or CL, was controlled for in each independent analysis. The linear relationship between reproductive investment and hermaphrodite dry body mass was also tested and assessed using the allometric model *y = ax^b^*, where *b* indicates the exponential increase or decrease of reproductive allocation per unit of shrimp body mass. A log--log transformed least-squares regression of the variables reproductive output and hermaphrodite dry body mass was analyzed using a *t*-test to determine if the slope deviated from expected unity (*b* = 1) ([@ref-26]). Significance for all tests was achieved at α = 0.05. Results ======= Landings of *Lysmata boggessi* ------------------------------ Sampling commenced on 6th December 2012 and concluded on 7th November 2013. Although intra-month variability in landings could not be accounted for due to the nature of scheduling fisheries dependent sampling, monthly sampling was achieved with a median number of 31 days between each sampling event. A total of 5,131 shrimp were landed over this study period ([Fig. 3](#fig-3){ref-type="fig"}). Each month, 118 ± 10 (mean ± 1 SD) individuals were sub-sampled for additional detailed measurements. CLs ranged from 3.9 to 11.3 mm and 776 individuals were determined to be male phase. Of the remaining 638 hermaphrodites, 498 were gravid at the time of capture. {#fig-3} Population-level life history parameters in *Lysmata boggessi* -------------------------------------------------------------- Sex phase ratio varied between 0.18 in March and 0.90 in October with a mean of 0.54 ± 0.24, *n* = 12. Variation was plotted against a dashed line representing a 1:1 male: hermaphrodite ratio ([Fig. 4](#fig-4){ref-type="fig"}). The population was skewed toward males from September to January (0.65--0.90) and toward hermaphrodites from February to May (male proportions 0.18--0.33). {#fig-4} The monthly CL~50~ was highly variable and ranged from 6.20 ± 0.09 mm in March to 9.17 ± 0.12 mm in January ([Fig. 5](#fig-5){ref-type="fig"}). The proportion of ovigerous hermaphrodites ranged from 0.05 in December 2012 to 0.94 in February 2013, with the highest proportions occurring from February to May ([Fig. 6](#fig-6){ref-type="fig"}). These proportions remained consistently high (\>0.50) throughout the year, except during October, November and December, when they were less than 0.40. Generally, high proportions of ovigerous hermaphrodites coincided with low CL~50~ estimates. {#fig-5} {#fig-6} Individual-level reproductive characteristics in *Lysmata boggessi* ------------------------------------------------------------------- Individual fecundity ranged from 45 to 1,614 embryos per shrimp, 642 ± 293 (mean ± 1 SD) and was highly variable among seasons and hermaphrodite sizes. All seasonal fecundities were positively correlated with CL and hermaphrodite body mass and mean embryos reached a high in spring and a low in fall ([Table 1](#table-1){ref-type="table"}; [Figs. 7](#fig-7){ref-type="fig"} and [8](#fig-8){ref-type="fig"}). The two ANCOVA analyses used to test the effect of season on fecundity revealed strong seasonality. The covariates of CL and hermaphrodite body mass both resulted in significant interaction effects (*p*-values \< 0.001), indicating that the relationship between each covariate and fecundity differed between seasons. Posthoc Tukey's multiple comparison tests showed that the spring and summer fecundities were greater than fall, spring was greater than summer and summer was greater than winter (*p*-values \< 0.001). 10.7717/peerj.8231/table-1 ###### Seasonal fecundity estimates and regression parameters for the relationships between the dependent variable fecundity and both independent variables carapace length and hermaphrodite dry body mass.  Season *n* Mean (SD) CL parameters Body mass parameters -------- ----- ----------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------- ------ --------------- ----------- ------ Fall 25 472 (137) 141.0 (24.3)[\*](#table-1fn1){ref-type="fn"} −662 (196) 0.59 2,871 (946) 181 (98) 0.25 Winter 69 474 (160) 140.1 (14.8)[\*](#table-1fn1){ref-type="fn"} −779 (133) 0.57 2,613 (380) 106 (55) 0.4 Spring 158 748 (293) 207.2 (17.6)[\*](#table-1fn1){ref-type="fn"} −1,094 (157) 0.47 4,513 (4,340) 84 (66) 0.41 Summer 80 700 (337) 259.0 (16.3)[\*](#table-1fn1){ref-type="fn"} −1,490 (139) 0.76 6,713 (421) −125 (54) 0.76 **Note:** Significant at α = 0.05. {#fig-7} {#fig-8} Embryo volume ranged from 0.056 to 0.230 mm^3^, with winter having the highest mean of 0.15 ± 0.02 mm^3^, *n* = 69 and summer having the lowest mean of 0.10 ± 0.01 mm^3^, *n* = 80. Other than a slightly positive, but significant, correlation between volume and hermaphrodite body mass during winter, there were no statistically significant relationships between embryo volume and either CL or body mass ([Table 2](#table-2){ref-type="table"}). The results of the ANCOVA showed an effect of season on embryo volume (*p*-value \< 0.001), though the interaction term was not significant (*p*-value = 0.10) and therefore the interaction term was removed and the ANCOVA analyses re-run. This second test produced similar main effect outcomes. Posthoc Tukey multiple comparison tests showed that during winter hermaphrodites produced larger embryos than hermaphrodites in any other season ([Table 2](#table-2){ref-type="table"}). Spring hermaphrodites produced the second largest embryos and no significant difference in volume was found between summer and fall. 10.7717/peerj.8231/table-2 ###### Seasonal embryo volume estimates and regression parameters for the relationships between the dependent variable embryo volume and independent variables carapace length and hermaphrodite dry body mass.  Season *n* Mean (SD) CL parameters Body mass parameters -------- ----- ------------- --------------------------------------------- ---------------------- -------- ------------- ------------- ------ Fall 25 0.11 (0.01) 0.0007 (--) 0.06 (0.04) 0.03 0.23 (0.14) 0.09 (0.01) 0.58 Winter 69 0.15 (0.02) 0.0007 (--)[\*](#table-2fn1){ref-type="fn"} 0.09 (0.03) 0.04 0.22 (0.07) 0.12 (0.01) 0.57 Spring 158 0.13 (0.02) 0.0001 (--) 0.14 (0.01) 0.0003 0.02 (0.04) 0.13 (0.01) 0.47 Summer 80 0.10 (0.01) 0.0002 (--) 0.09 (0.01) 0.01 0.09 (0.04) 0.09 (0.01) 0.76 **Note:** Significant at α = 0.05. The mean reproductive investment ranged from 0.14 ± 0.04, *n* = 69, in winter to 0.20 ± 0.05, *n* = 158, in spring ([Table 3](#table-3){ref-type="table"}). In all seasons other than summer, reproductive investment increased linearly with hermaphrodite body mass, as the slope describing the relationship between these two variables did not differ from unity ([Fig. 9](#fig-9){ref-type="fig"}). For summer the slope *b* did significantly differ from unity, as reproductive investment decreased with hermaphrodite body mass (Paired *t*-test, *t*(79) = −3.30, *p*-value \< 0.001). The primary factor (season) assessed in an ANCOVA, with body mass as the covariate, was significant (*p*-value \< 0.001) and showed that there were seasonal differences in the dependent variable (reproductive investment). The interaction term was not significant and therefore was removed and the model re-run (Season: ANOVA, *F*(3,331) = 27.64, *p* \< 0.001). After it was re-run, the primary factor season was still significant. Posthoc Tukey multiple comparison tests concluded that reproductive investment in spring was significantly greater than all other seasons and that summer was greater than winter (*p* \< 0.05). 10.7717/peerj.8231/table-3 ###### Reproductive investment for hermaphrodites in each season, and regression parameters showing the relationship between hermaphrodite dry body mass and embryo mass after a log-log data transformation.  Season *n* R.O. (SD) Regression parameters Hypothesis testing -------- ----- ------------- ----------------------- -------------------- -------- ------- ---------------------------------------- Fall 25 0.15 (0.03) −0.9049 0.90 (0.18) −0.22 1.24 0.82 Winter 69 0.14 (0.04) −0.7466 1.14 (0.12) −0.64 1.68 0.52 Spring 158 0.20 (0.05) −0.6895 1.03 (0.10) −0.181 1.154 0.86 Summer 80 0.17 (0.04) −0.584 1.21 (0.08) −3.3 1.79 \<0.01[\*](#table-3fn1){ref-type="fn"} **Note:** Significant at α = 0.05. {#fig-9} Discussion ========== The trawl gear overall yielded catches representative of the *L. boggessi* population, despite their small individual sizes, due to debris (i.e., macroalgae, seagrass) reducing pore openings by lining the mesh during tows. Under stress *L. boggessi* were also presumed to seek refuge within this bycatch debris rather than escaping through the net. However, one exception was that this gear type did appear to underrepresent extremely small shrimp with a CL less than three mm. It is possible that these individuals were capable of passing through small openings, or were degraded beyond recognition by debris and biomass in the catch bag. These small shrimp would have been new recruits and likely male phase. *L. boggessi* are also gregarious and are often found cohabiting small crevices in limestone outcroppings ([@ref-9]). Therefore, there was the possibility that the population on The Reef was aggregated at scales smaller than what we were able to measure using the trawl. However, the nocturnal roaming activity of *L. boggessi* (Dickson et al., 2012, unpublished data) was presumed to shift the population more towards a normal distribution during sampling and reduce the potential clustering bias. Although sampling limitations still exist, fisheries dependent sampling via roller-frame trawls is the most effective method for sampling cryptic *L. boggessi*. Thus, this methodology was deemed adequate for our study objectives. The abundance of *L. boggessi* on The Reef was relatively low throughout the year, but peaked in the winter. Sex phase ratios were also male-dominated from fall to early winter and size at sex change decreased dramatically during spring months. Delayed sex change in male shrimp was not directly measured in this study but the similar trends in life history parameters reported here and by [@ref-12] for *L. wurdemanni* suggest that this phenomenon may also exist for *L. boggessi* on The Reef. Seasonality was also observed in fecundity, reproductive investment and embryo volume. Even though delayed sex change contradicts the general hypothesis that males should transition into hermaphrodites as soon as possible to increase fitness ([@ref-4]) this phenomenon may in fact be beneficial if it occurs for *L. boggessi* on The Reef. For instance, it might allow males to capitalize on a sex specific mating advantage, as was observed in *L. wurdemanni* ([@ref-14]), where large males are more competitive in spawning with post-paturial molt hermaphrodites than small males. However, [@ref-12] suggested that delayed sex change in temperate *L. wurdemanni* was largely driven by abiotic factors and was a response to suboptimal periods for reproduction. If delayed sex change does occur in *L. boggessi*, then this latter notion is suspected for this population on the west coast of Florida. Similar to the study performed by [@ref-12] the months where life history characteristics insinuate delayed sex change in *L. boggessi* (high proportions of male phase shrimp and CL~50~ values) coincided with cool temperatures and short photoperiods. These abiotic conditions are presumed to be suboptimal for embryo development and therefore, these males may also have transitioned later to temporarily forego the associated cost of functioning as hermaphrodites ([@ref-14], [@ref-15]; [@ref-2]; [@ref-40]). If true, then the advantage of delayed sex change is the ability for males to allocate resources toward growth and survival during suboptimal reproductive periods and then transition into large and more fecund hermaphrodites when conditions improve. It is also possible that delayed sex change for *L. boggessi* is not adaptive. For instance, assuming that *L*. *boggessi* have short life expectancies (approximately 1 year) similar to *L. wurdemanni* ([@ref-12]) the high proportion of males during fall may simply be a result of the population consisting of only a few large old individuals and a strong cohort of small young recruits. If true, then the high CL~50~ values during this cool season may be interpreted more as a threshold size at sex change for the species. Additional information on population structure, growth and lifespan is needed to determine the relationships among these factors and life history. Regardless of whether or not delayed sex change is adaptive, there is undoubtedly a strong demographic shift in *L. boggessi* on The Reef from February through May, where the majority of male individuals across all size classes transition into hermaphrodites. This observation supports the notion that PSH *L. boggessi* utilize their sex change plasticity to optimize reproduction and fitness. The peak reproductive seasons for *L. boggessi* were spring and summer, which were first evident from the high mean fecundity and reproductive investment estimates for individuals during these months ([Tables 1](#table-1){ref-type="table"} and [3](#table-3){ref-type="table"}). Although these estimates were greater than for fall and winter, they do not account for the positive correlation between individual size and fecundity and therefore may be misleading if the size structure of the population was different among seasons. However, the ANCOVA regressions ([Figs. 7](#fig-7){ref-type="fig"} and [8](#fig-8){ref-type="fig"}) did suggest that fecundity for small individuals was equal across all seasons and greater for larger individuals during spring and summer. In addition, spring and summer exhibited lower proportions of males, higher proportions of gravid hermaphrodites and lower CL~50~ estimates than compared to fall and winter. These reproductive characteristics alone do not identify these seasons as being the optimal reproductive period, but in conjunction with the previous life history parameters support this claim. The results for embryo volume (i.e., greater in winter than summer) were a surprise considering that the high winter estimate (0.15 ± 0.02) more closely resembled the volume for spring than for fall or summer. If winter is truly suboptimal for reproduction, then this finding may be explained by a common tradeoff between fecundity and embryo volume, as reported for other decapod crustaceans ([@ref-24]; [@ref-23]; [@ref-28]; [@ref-29]). For *L. boggessi* this may involve hermaphrodites investing limited resources into a few large embryos vs. numerous small ones, with the rationale that larger embryos contain more nutrients and therefore have a greater probability for individual survival. Alternatively, the winter estimate may be biased due to the categorization of seasons used in this study, considering that the life history parameters (sex ratio and CL~50~) for February appeared to be precursors for a high reproductive period. In addition, there was also a positive correlation between body size and embryo volume during winter ([Table 2](#table-2){ref-type="table"}), which could suggest that the winter estimate is an artifact of the population being skewed towards large individuals. Conclusion ========== Our findings show that the primary breeding seasons for *L. boggessi* on The Reef are spring and summer and high reproductive activity occurs from February to September. We suspect that the seasonality of life history parameters and reproductive characteristics observed here may be, in part, a function of the abiotic conditions (i.e., temperature, photoperiod) at this location. Due to the plasticity of *L. boggessi* size at sex change, seasonality may vary among *L. boggessi* across a latitudinal range, which could have implications for management. To test this hypothesis and to further fill data gaps for fisheries management, similar studies are needed for *L. boggessi* populations in other geographic areas. Future studies should also incorporate methods to assess population size distributions and cohort growth. Lastly, research addressing the influence of biotic factors on *L. boggessi* populations is limited and warrants more attention. For instance, peaks in abundance for *L. boggessi* on The Reef coincided with observed increases in the abundance of *Laurencia* spp. macroalgae. *Laurencia* is ubiquitous throughout Florida waters ([@ref-22]), is characterized by high productivity during winter months ([@ref-38]) and can serve as refugia and transport vehicle for small invertebrates across the benthos ([@ref-27]; [@ref-37]; [@ref-17]; [@ref-32]). It is unclear whether *Laurencia* increases the susceptibility to capture for *L. boggessi*, or instead facilitates their immigration from elsewhere. Understanding of the ecology of ornamental species such as *L. boggessi* is equally important as determining the life history and reproductive characteristics for ensuring sustainable harvest. Supplemental Information ======================== 10.7717/peerj.8231/supp-1 ###### ANCOVA analyses summarizing the effect of the primary factor season on reproductive output, fecundity and embryo volume. Hermaphrodite body mass and carapace length were controlled for as covariates. ###### Click here for additional data file. 10.7717/peerj.8231/supp-2 ###### Raw Lysmata Data containing trawl tow information and shrimp sample information. ###### Click here for additional data file. Special thanks to H. Patrick, P. Gardner and G. Smith for help with field and laboratory work and M. Helmholtz, R. Burnen, Frog, Eric, Aaron and J.T. Christmas from the Hernando Beach, Florida shrimp trawling community for generously allowing us to sample from onboard their trawlers. Additional Information and Declarations ======================================= The authors declare that they have no competing interests. [Michael D. Dickson](#author-1){ref-type="contrib"} conceived and designed the experiments, performed the experiments, analyzed the data, prepared figures and/or tables, authored or reviewed drafts of the paper, and approved the final draft. [Donald C. Behringer](#author-2){ref-type="contrib"} conceived and designed the experiments, authored or reviewed drafts of the paper, and approved the final draft. [J. Antonio Baeza](#author-3){ref-type="contrib"} conceived and designed the experiments, authored or reviewed drafts of the paper, and approved the final draft. The following information was supplied regarding data availability: Raw data is available in the [Supplemental Files](#supplemental-information){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.

6人同時プレイもできるお絵描きバトルゲームが登場 セガ・インタラクティブは、2016年2月19日・20日に千葉・幕張メッセで開催されている“ジャパン アミューズメント エキスポ 2016”にて、自分が描いた絵が画面上に登場し、敵戦闘機と戦うお絵描きアミューズメントマシン『らくがきカードバトル撃墜王』を公開した。 広告 以下、リリースより。 『らくがきカードバトル撃墜王』 描いた絵が飛び出す！絵が戦闘機になってバトル開始！！ 「カード」「お絵かき」「競う」「戦う」といった子供が大好きな要素が詰まった新ジャンルのアミューズメントマシンが登場！ 『らくがきカードバトル撃墜王』は、自分で絵を描いたり、色を塗ったカードをモニター上に置くと、その絵がリアルに画面上に現れます。 操作は簡単で、ボタンを押すと、絵からミサイルが発射され、敵の戦闘機を攻撃します。 ゲームは6人同時にプレイすることができ、みんなで一緒に楽しく盛り上がることができます。 《製品特長》 ●描いた絵が飛び出す！ 無地カードもしくはぬり絵カードを購入し、無地カードに好きな絵を描いたり、ぬり絵カードに色を塗ってカードをモニター上に置くとバトル開始！ 描いた絵がスキャンされて飛び出します。 ●描いた絵で戦闘機の強さが決まる！ 描いた絵・ぬり方によって戦闘機の強さが変わります。絵の上手い下手で戦闘機の強さが決まらないので、子供も大人も平等に戦えます。「ぬり絵」カードは10種類あり、小さなお子様や絵を描くのが苦手な方でも楽しく遊べます。 ●ボタン連射攻撃！ ボタンを連打するとミサイル攻撃ができます。ボタン連打が苦手な小さなお子様は、ボタンを押さなくても自動攻撃を行うため、年齢、スキルによって大きな差が出ないようになっています。 ●6人同時プレイ！ 仲間や居合わせた方と一緒に楽しめます。6人揃わなくても、それまでに子供達が描いた戦闘機がCPU機として登場し、6機で戦闘する仕組みとなっています。

Q: What style of lager is Corona? And what other beers are similar? Corona Extra is a Mexican beer that is very popular (in Australia anyway). Most people seem to like it for it's drinkability, and suitability for enjoyment in hot weather. Is there a name for this style of lager? Eg; I don't think it's a pilsener or dark lager. And what other beers are in the same style? A: The BJCP classifies Corona Extra as a Premium American Lager, being, clear, yellow, not hoppy but with a little more body than a light. Assuming 'dry' isn't some radically different beer, the category would probably still be correct. BJCP draft guidelines (not official) consider putting Asahi Super Dry and Corona Extra in 2A 'International Pale Lagers' which is 'Loosely derived from original Pilsner-type lagers....' 1MB PDF if you want to read the draft.

Updates Appearances Codex text "Remember that our strength lies in commitment to tradition and to each other." Every alienage has a hahren, an elder. It falls to the hahren to arrange marriages for those without family, to negotiate with the guards when there's trouble, and to act as a sort of mayor and surrogate uncle to the people of the alienage. The title, like so many things, is a holdover from the time of Arlathan, for hahrens are not necessarily the oldest person in their community, or even all that old. Tradition gives the role to the oldest soul, the wisest, cleverest, and the most level-headed. Valendrian has been hahren of the Denerim Alienage since he was in his thirties. “We now have a dog and Alistair is still the dumbest one in the party.” — MorriganThis article contains spoilers for Dragon Age: Origins. Click here to reveal them. After "Unrest in the Alienage" if The Warden is a city elf: He was taken across the sea by Tevinter slavers. His whereabouts are now unknown. After "Unrest in the Alienage" if The Warden is not a city elf: He was nearly shipped to Tevinter by slavers, but was returned to the Alienage by The Warden.

"I soon noticed that many cases of congenital hypoplasia of the mandible occurred and that the organovegetative and psychic life of the infants was more disturbed when the hypoplasia was more pronounced. I have never seen babies live for more than sixteen or eighteen months who presented hypoplasia such that the lower maxilla was pushed more than 1 cm behind the upper.(Pierre Robin 1934)" Introduction {#Sec1} ============ In 1923 Pierre Robin described a constellation of findings that bears his name today \[[@CR1]\]. The triad of findings included micrognathia, glossoptosis and respiratory obstruction; however, considerable confusion in the medical literature delineating Robin sequence has been demonstrated \[[@CR2], [@CR3]\]. Pediatricians often encounter the entity "Robin sequence"; however, there are still many unanswered questions surrounding this disorder. Robin sequence can still be associated with significant morbidity and even mortality \[[@CR4]\]. Glossoptosis associated with airway compromise is most often the culprit instigating respiratory insufficiency (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}). However, other causes can cause breathing problems, and these patients should be carefully investigated preferably by a multidisciplinary team \[[@CR5]\]. Traditionally tracheotomy has been considered the definitive treatment in securing a stable airway when the airway was compromised. However, tracheotomy can be associated with significant morbidity and even mortality \[[@CR6], [@CR7]\].Fig. 1Typical cases of glossoptosis. Patient has a cleft of the small palate (not visible on photo). Note retrusion of mandibula with regard to maxilla Distraction of the mandible has become an accepted method to treat the micrognathia and subsequently the airway compromise \[[@CR8]--[@CR12]\]. Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a technique in which bone is gradually lengthened after performing an osteotomy. After a short latency period, the bone segments are distracted. The bone segments are separated from each other at a slow, steady rate. Similar to fracture healing new bone will subsequently be formed between these segments. After the acquired bone length is achieved the consolidation period ensues in which the bone segments are held in their advanced positions. This is needed because the newly formed bone has to mature and consolidate. During DO the distraction proceeds at a slow, steady state ensuing not only bone lengthening but also concomitant soft tissue expansion. Subsequently will not only new bone be formed, but the muscles, blood vessels, nerves and mucosa will also be elongated. Ilizarov popularized distraction on the lower extremity in the 1940s \[[@CR13]\], although Codvilla introduced distraction nearly 100 years ago \[[@CR14]\]. Following in the footsteps of Ilizarov, mandibular distraction was first performed experimentally by Snyder \[[@CR15]\]. The first clinical report of mandibular distraction in the English literature was reported by McCarthy et al. in 1992 \[[@CR16]\]. Like Ilizarov did, mandibular distraction was performed with an external device. Since then, numerous reports have been published demonstrating the feasibility in relieving airway obstruction \[[@CR8]--[@CR12]\]. However, an external distraction system is cumbersome to take care of; it leaves external scars and always needs a second operation to remove the distraction device. In an attempt to alleviate these disadvantages, an internal and resorbable distraction device (located under the skin) was developed \[[@CR17]\]. The goal of this manuscript is to review our results of performing mandibular distraction with a resorbable system in patients with Robin sequence and life-threatening airway compromise. Methods {#Sec2} ======= For this study we looked at the patients we treated early, i.e. in the first 3 months after births. Patients were considered for distraction only after a diagnosis of Robin sequence was made (glossoptosis, micrognathia and airway compromise). The medical ethical board approved this study. Patients were seen by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a pediatrician, ENT surgeon, geneticist, dietician and plastic surgeon. Non-invasive treatment options such as prone positioning and nasal continuous positive pressure are sufficient measures for most newborn babies with Robin sequence. Only patients that could not be treated conservatively and would traditionally be considered candidates for a tracheotomy were candidates for distraction osteogenesis. Before intervention patients were observed with continuous pulse oximetry and blood gas evaluation (pCO2, HCO 3 etc). Saturation measured over 12 h in all patients was \< 90% for \> 5% of the 12 h \[[@CR10]\]. Polysomnography was only used if the aforementioned results were not comparable to the clinical picture. Patients received an endoscopy by the ENT surgeon prior to DO to exclude any other cause of airway obstruction (e.g. tracheomalacia, stenosis etc) besides the glossoptosis. The first patient treated (Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}) had already a tracheotomy, while the others were treated primarily for airway compromise. The aim in the first patient was to relieve him of his tracheostoma.Table 1Patient characteristicsNameDate of birth (day.month.year)Age at surgery (days)Amount of distraction (mm)Associated malformations (syndrome)OutcomeDuration of hospital stay (days)1. JH09.19.20068320COL 11a2 gene mutation (anocular Stickler syndrome)Admission with tracheacanule. Minor local symptoms of infection at pin site. Removal 10 months post op.182. NS10.04.20071518COL 11a2 gene mutation (anocular Stickler syndrome)Successful detubation on day 9 post op. Minor local symptoms of infection at one pin site163. SS10.03.20071916NoneSuccessful detubation on day 8 post op.114. LB11.16.20071720No mutation on Col2A1 and Col11A1 genes. No definite exclusion of Stickler because of severe myopiaSuccessful detubation on day 11 post op. Technical failure of one distraction screw 5 weeks after surgery185. LN01.17.20081318NoneSuccessful detubation on day 8 post op.236. LK03.30.20089418NoneSuccessful detubation on day 5 post op.147. RS06.26.20082720Megaencephaly and retardation, no genetic mutation foundSuccessful detubation on day 8 post op.278. LW02.08.20104522NoneSuccessful detubation on day 5 post op.169. RS06.19.201016202.19 Mb deletion in 3q22.2q22.3. Further research is ongoingSuccessful detubation on day 7 post op.1510. GH11.03.20092218NoneSuccessful detubation on day 6 post op.2011. JH07.31.20081118NoneSuccessful detubation on day 8 post op.1712. AE04.23.20102416Suspicion of Stickler due to familiar myopiaSuccessful detubation on day 8 post op.14*op.* operation All patients were treated with the Lactosorb internal distractor distributed by W. Lorenz Surgical, a Biomet company. The precise placement has been described previously by Burstein \[[@CR17]\]. Briefly, the surgical approach was a submandibular incision (2--2.5 cm) with dissection to the mandibular body and angle while preserving the mandibular branch of the facial nerve. The two dissolvable plates were placed after the vector of distraction was determined from a mandibular X-ray or a CT scan. An osteotomy was performed after the plates were fixated with soluble screws (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}). The distractor wire was subsequently placed subperiostealy and protruded the skin through an incision placed above the ear (Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}). After the placement of the distractor, we waited for 36--48 h before the distraction was started. A postoperative X-ray was made. Distraction was performed at a rate of 1 mm twice daily (Figs. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"} and [5](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"}). After surgery all patients were treated in the pediatric intensive care unit, until the intubation tube could be removed. On average this was performed 5--7 days after the actual distraction was initiated, i.e. when 10--14 mm of bone lengthening was achieved. Distraction was continued until the mandibular alveolus was in a normal position with regard to the maxillary alveolus or until the maximum technical length of distraction with this device (20--25 mm) was achieved (Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"}). After a consolidation phase of 4 weeks the distraction screw was removed in the outpatient clinic with patients receiving only paracetamol 30 min before removal of the screw. An X-ray was performed before the distraction screw was removed to demonstrate bone consolidation.Fig. 2Location of osteotomyFig. 3Placement of internal device with distractor wire visible above ear. This could easily be concealed with a baby hatFig. 4After osteotomy the mandibular is gradually lengthened with the distraction. **a** Prior to distraction. This brings the tongue forward (**b**) and alleviates the respiratory obstructionFig. 5Comparison of resorbable plate size with 2-euro coinFig. 6Example of patient before (**a**) and after (**b**) surgery. Notice the extra space in the oropharynx after the distraction and that the nasogastric tube has been removed Results {#Sec3} ======= Twelve patients with Robin sequence were included (Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}). All our patients had an associated cleft palate. Beside our first patient who already had a tracheostoma prior to distraction, a tracheotomy was prevented in all other patients. The mean age at surgery was 32 days (range 11--94 days). The average amount of distraction performed wa**s** 18 mm. All patients were extubated after an average of 7.5 days. The average length of stay in the hospital was 17 days after surgery (range 11--27 days). All patients were discharged without any nasal continuous positive pressure. Although feeding issues are not the aim of this manuscript, it should be noted that six of the patients went home without nasogastric feeding and another four patients had the nasogastric feeding discontinued before the distraction screw was removed. Our first patient treated with internal distraction could not be decannulated after the distraction process that started at the age of 3 months. The X-ray showed only about 8--10-mm distraction, despite the expected 20-mm distraction. No surgical re-exploration was performed, but we expect that an incomplete osteotomy or possible mechanical default of the apparatus was the cause. The patient was eventually decannulated at 7 months of age, and it is unknown whether the distraction influenced this in a positive way. In another patient the distraction screw fell out after 95% of the consolidation phase was completed. The patient showed no symptoms, and the technical failure did not lead to any delay or problems. Patient No. 7 in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"} developed some redness in the skin around the distraction screw but with antibiotic ointment and oral antibiotics; this resolved without complications. Discussion {#Sec4} ========== This study demonstrates that the use of an internal bioresorbable distraction system for the treatment of airway compromise in Robin sequence seems a safe procedure with no serious short-term sequelae. The treatment of patients with airway compromise and associated micrognathia and glossoptosis has been an ongoing research field for many physicians involved in pediatric care. There are numerous ways to address the airway obstruction in newborns ranging form prone positioning to nasopharyngeal airway placement and surgical intervention. Recently the " pre-epiglottic baton plate" (PEBP) has been described as another method to treat sleep apnea in infants with isolated Robin sequence \[[@CR18]\]. The aim of our manuscript was not to compare the different treatment methods but to investigate an innovative method. We have previously demonstrated that there is widespread confusion regarding the description of this disorder \[[@CR2], [@CR3]\]. Moreover, by having different descriptions of Robin sequence, it is not possible to compare various treatment options. Robin sequence affects approximately 1:8000--8500 live births. Additionally it has been demonstrated that many different syndromes could be associated with Robin sequence \[[@CR2], [@CR3]\]. Some patients have multiple congenital malformations that do not fall within diagnostic criteria for a specific syndrome. It has been demonstrated that syndromic Robin sequence patients are associated with worse outcomes regarding the severity of feeding problems and airway occlusion \[[@CR7]\]. For this study we used the definition described originally by Pierre Robin, consisting of micrognathia, glossoptosis and airway compromise. All our patients had an associated cleft palate. It is well known that most patients with Robin sequence can be treated with positional changes and nasal continuous positive pressure without surgical intervention \[[@CR4]\]. However, it is also recognized that a small subgroup needs some form of intervention to maintain an adequate airway \[[@CR4], [@CR10]--[@CR12]\]. Tracheotomies for example can be associated with significant morbidity for the patient and places a huge social burden and responsibility on the family of the patient \[[@CR6]\]. Average age at decannulation is 3.1 years, and the long-term sequelae of tracheal stenosis or tracheomalacia may be present in up to 50% to 75% of cases \[[@CR6], [@CR7], [@CR12]\]. Other complications that could be associated with tracheotomy include sudden airway obstruction from mucous plugging or accidental decannulation. Additional concerns include airway infection, airway bleeding and possible inhibition of proper speech and swallowing development. Tongue--lip adhesion was introduced in 1946 and has long been an alternative to tracheotomies. Success rates have been determined between 50 and 80% although patient characteristics were not always clearly defined in the manuscripts \[[@CR19], [@CR20]\]. Complications associated with glossopexy include a dehiscence of the adhesion and scarring of the salivary glands. Patients also need a second operation to undo the tongue--lip adhesion. The feasibility of distraction osteogenesis in the treatment of airway problems was recently assessed by a comprehensive meta-analysis performed by Ow and Cheung \[[@CR21]\]. This review retrieved 646 patients in which a bilateral distraction was performed to treat upper airway obstruction. Tracheotomy was prevented in 91.3% of neonates. However, distraction osteogenesis is still a relatively new technique and is performed with an external device in most cases \[[@CR9]--[@CR12], [@CR16], [@CR22], [@CR23]\]. External distraction leaves scars on the side of the face and always needs a second operation to remove the pins \[[@CR21]\]. The internal device is small (Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"}). Patients need only one operation as the material is dissolvable. The inconspicuous scar is located under the border of the mandible and above the ear. The external distraction has the added benefit that multiple vectors of distraction are possible, making it a more suitable distractor in patients with, for example, hemifacial microsomia and an absent condyle of the mandible (class II and III mandibular hypoplasia). However, the external distraction device is cumbersome and could definitely be inconvenient for parents and caretakers. For this reason patients are often admitted to the hospital for extended periods of time \[[@CR12]\]. The distractor wire of the internal device above the ear is small, and this could easily be concealed under a baby hat. In this study patients had a distraction at an early age. This obviously was done to prevent a tracheostomy. However, at this age the mandible is also small and soft, and if screws are not adequately fixed they will break out. As the child gets older, the bone will become harder and more stable with subsequent easier fixation of the distractor. A recent study has demonstrated that the long-term results of distraction osteogenesis are sustained \[[@CR11], [@CR12]\]. However, the entire process of distraction osteogenesis has multiple steps that each have potential complications and subsequently presents a unique challenge to the surgeon. Potential complications such as open bite deformities, tooth malformations or losses and possible nerve damage should be discussed before every intervention. A recent review has demonstrated that the external distraction device is often associated with the following complications: tooth injury (22.5%), hypertrophic scarring (15.6%), nerve injury (facial and inferior alveolar) (11.4%), infection (9.5%), inappropriate vector (8.8%), device failure (7.9%), fusion error (2.4%) and temporo-mandibular joint injury (0.7%) \[[@CR22]--[@CR24]\]. However, when we compare our study with the only other study population where the same internal resorbable device was used \[[@CR8], [@CR17]\], it seems that the internal device is associated with less morbidity than the external device. Although it should be mentioned that our study population is small, and long-term follow-up is needed to determine which device is superior. In our study we had one patient where an "unsuccessful" distraction was achieved. Prior to distraction she had a tracheotomy, as was custom in our hospital at that stage. Objectively we achieved only 10 mm of distraction despite the expected 20 mm. However, we were able to decannulate her at 7 months of age. Since literature demonstrates that the average age of decannulation for children with Robin sequence is 3.1 years, it is possible that the distraction did shorten her tracheotomy time \[[@CR25]\]. It is often stated that the mandible in Robin sequence always has a "catch-up" phase and that patients have a normal mandible in the long-term. However, it is demonstrated in the literature that micrognathia seldom recovers fully and that the previously reported "catch-up growth" often does not occur \[[@CR26], [@CR27]\]. Neonates with Robin sequence suffer from two main problems: airway obstruction and feeding difficulties. The main aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of this internal resorbable device to prevent tracheotomies; however, the impact distraction has on feeding was not studied and will be investigated in the future. Still we can address that the majority of our patients were dismissed without the need for a nasogastric tube and were able to be fed with a bottle and a Haberman teat feeder. Many other factors must be taken into consideration before deciding which intervention is best for the patient. In some patients with Robin sequence, mandibular distraction can permanently correct the obstructed airway, and subsequent inconvenience and costs associated with the maintenance of the tracheotomy can be avoided \[[@CR8], [@CR9], [@CR11], [@CR12]\]. It has also been demonstrated that some patients need multiple distractions and some patients will only benefit from a tracheotomy because of neurological impairment \[[@CR28]\]. Conclusion {#Sec5} ========== The internal distraction system seems safe for infants with micrognathia and has certain benefits when compared to the external distractor. A tracheotomy was prevented in all our patients, and complications were limited. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate the influence that internal distraction has on the growth of the mandible and teeth. DO : Distraction osteogenesis ENT : Ear nose and throat CT : Computed tomography Each author listed above has participated in the concept and design, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafting or revising of this manuscript; each author has approved the manuscript as submitted. An erratum to this article is available at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00784-015-1519-z>. Conflict of interest {#d30e884} ==================== The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Open Access {#d30e889} =========== This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

Q: How would you design an AppEngine datastore for a social site like Twitter? I'm wondering what would be the best way to design a social application where members make activities and follow other member's activities using Google AppEngine. To be more specific lets assume we have these entities: Users who have friends Activities which represent actions made by users (lets say each has a string message and a ReferenceProperty to its owner user, or it can use parent association via appengine's key) The hard part is following your friend's activities, which means aggregating the latest activities from all your friends. Normally, that would be a join between the Activities table and your friends list but thats not a viable design on appengine as there are no join simulating it will require firing up N queries (where N is number of friends) and then merging in memory - very expensive and will probably exceed request deadline...) I'm currently thinking of implementing this using inbox queues where creation of a new Activity will fire a background process that will put the new activity's key in the "inbox" of every following user: Getting "All the users who follow X" is a possible appengine query Not a very expensive batch input into a new "Inbox" entity that basically stores (User, Activity Key) tuples. I'll be happy to heard thought on this design or alternative suggestions etc. A: Take a look at Building Scalable, Complex Apps on App Engine (pdf), a fascinating talk given at Google I/O by Brett Slatkin. He addresses the problem of building a scalable messaging service like Twitter. Here's his solution using a list property: class Message(db.Model): sender = db.StringProperty() body = db.TextProperty() class MessageIndex(db.Model): #parent = a message receivers = db.StringListProperty() indexes = MessageIndex.all(keys_only = True).filter('receivers = ', user_id) keys = [k.parent() for k in indexes) messages = db.get(keys) This key only query finds the message indices with a receiver equal to the one you specified without deserializing and serializing the list of receivers. Then you use these indices to only grab the messages that you want. Here's the wrong way to do it: class Message(db.Model): sender = db.StringProperty() receivers = db.StringListProperty() body = db.TextProperty() messages = Message.all().filter('receivers =', user_id) This is inefficient because queries have to unpackage all of the results returned by your query. So if you returned 100 messages with 1,000 users in each receivers list you'd have to deserialize 100,000 (100 x 1000) list property values. Way too expensive in datastore latency and cpu. I was pretty confused by all of this at first, so I wrote up a short tutorial about using the list property. Enjoy :) A: I don't know whether it is the best design for a social application, but jaiku was ported to App Engine by it's original creator when the company was acquired by Google, so it should be reasonable. See the section Actors and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! in design_funument.txt. The entities are defined in common/models.py and the queries are in common/api.py.

Archives Follow me on Facebook Facebook outage I did a little Twittergram shortly before noon just as Facebook was coming back up off of a 1.5-hour outage. Twittergrams are 30-second audio messages that I can send to my followers on Twitter. I talked with one of the engineers inside Facebook (we were trying to get him to come down to lunch) and they said that they had a problem with a code update that they rolled up last night — the way they were talking I don’t think it was a hack, but rather an update that didn’t go well. Folks over on TechMeme are saying that Facebook might have been hacked, though. UPDATE: Facebook PR’s Brandee Barker has posted an official statement, which I’ve printed below. By the way, the first place I go to get news is on Twitter now. The flow there is incredible and generally stories get discussed there long before they do on blogs. Oh, and Facebook PR has a group that they’ve invited some of the press and bloggers into. Here’s an official statement that was just posted to that group: This morning, we temporarily took down the Facebook site to fix a bug we identified earlier today. This was not the result of a security breach. Specifically, the bug caused some third party proxy servers to cache otherwise inaccessible content. The result was that an isolated group of users could see some pages that were not intended for them. The site has now been restored and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.” Published by Robert Scoble As Startup Liaison for Rackspace, the Open Cloud Computing Company, Scoble travels the world looking for what's happening on the bleeding edge of technology for Rackspace's startup program. He's interviewed thousands of executives and technology innovators and reports what he learns in books ("The Age of Context," a book coauthored with Forbes author Shel Israel, has been released at http://amzn.to/AgeOfContext ), YouTube, and many social media sites where he's followed by millions of people. Best place to watch me is on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RobertScoble View all posts by Robert Scoble […] that Facebook were fixing a technical issue regarding proxies, and nothing to do with security, according to the Scobleizer blog which has some sort of access to Facebook’s PR team. Facebook is now alive again, and […] I can tell you that I was logging into other peoples profiles the whole day. I could read their inbox messages amongst other things. I also realized that every time I refreshed the profile page, it would be logged in as a different user. I can tell you that I was logging into other peoples profiles the whole day. I could read their inbox messages amongst other things. I also realized that every time I refreshed the profile page, it would be logged in as a different user. I was with Dan Farber this morning when he got the exact same message on his Blackberry. Funny, it wasn’t a planned meeting, we just bumped into each other randomly in the bar of my hotel. He was passing down the street and saw me in the window, and came in. Small world. This is something I’ve noticed; maybe there’s a future blog post in it: Anything to do with Web 2.0, whether we’re talking about something big [Google], medium [Twitter, Facebook] or tiny [gapingvoid, The Assimilated Negro blog] has an Achilles heel. I have yet to find an exception to the rule. I was with Dan Farber this morning when he got the exact same message on his Blackberry. Funny, it wasn’t a planned meeting, we just bumped into each other randomly in the bar of my hotel. He was passing down the street and saw me in the window, and came in. Small world. This is something I’ve noticed; maybe there’s a future blog post in it: Anything to do with Web 2.0, whether we’re talking about something big [Google], medium [Twitter, Facebook] or tiny [gapingvoid, The Assimilated Negro blog] has an Achilles heel. I have yet to find an exception to the rule. One more passive-aggressive schmuck who’s afraid to stand for to the name his parents, in their love, gifted him Sorry to be an asshole, Robert, but “Strong Opinions+Anonymity=Scum of The Earth @15: [hugh macleod] Anything to do with Web 2.0, whether we’re talking about something big [Google], medium [Twitter, Facebook] or tiny [gapingvoid, The Assimilated Negro blog] has an Achilles heel. I have yet to find an exception to the rule. This- all in response to @4 [One more VC]: What you Facebook PR now? Awfully amusing. I do not get your point Hugh. Are you saying that Robert’s latest post on Facebook – something close to his 100th in the last 14 days – isn’t close to PR? You chose to slam the poster without addressing the post. So… I haven’t a clue to your point. Yes Robert. This is me. The guy who – jeez, are you somehow forcing sound effects on me? One more passive-aggressive schmuck who’s afraid to stand for to the name his parents, in their love, gifted him Sorry to be an asshole, Robert, but “Strong Opinions+Anonymity=Scum of The Earth @15: [hugh macleod] Anything to do with Web 2.0, whether we’re talking about something big [Google], medium [Twitter, Facebook] or tiny [gapingvoid, The Assimilated Negro blog] has an Achilles heel. I have yet to find an exception to the rule. This- all in response to @4 [One more VC]: What you Facebook PR now? Awfully amusing. I do not get your point Hugh. Are you saying that Robert’s latest post on Facebook – something close to his 100th in the last 14 days – isn’t close to PR? You chose to slam the poster without addressing the post. So… I haven’t a clue to your point. Yes Robert. This is me. The guy who – jeez, are you somehow forcing sound effects on me? @15 “This is something I’ve noticed; maybe there’s a future blog post in it: Anything to do with Web 2.0, whether we’re talking about something big [Google], medium [Twitter, Facebook] or tiny [gapingvoid, The Assimilated Negro blog] has an Achilles heel. I have yet to find an exception to the rule.” Doesn’t that apply to any software? If we are to believe Facebook’s PR is sounds like they had a breakdown in regression testing and/or overall testing and QA. Happens in almost any software development project at one time or another. I don’t see how what happened to Facebook is unique to “Web 2.0″ Unless you are suggesting these Web 2.0 companies have poor testing procedure as a whole. In which case, then yes, that is their Achilles heal. @15 “This is something I’ve noticed; maybe there’s a future blog post in it: Anything to do with Web 2.0, whether we’re talking about something big [Google], medium [Twitter, Facebook] or tiny [gapingvoid, The Assimilated Negro blog] has an Achilles heel. I have yet to find an exception to the rule.” Doesn’t that apply to any software? If we are to believe Facebook’s PR is sounds like they had a breakdown in regression testing and/or overall testing and QA. Happens in almost any software development project at one time or another. I don’t see how what happened to Facebook is unique to “Web 2.0″ Unless you are suggesting these Web 2.0 companies have poor testing procedure as a whole. In which case, then yes, that is their Achilles heal. […] at the CTV studios, apparently they were able to access Facebook. I understand that Scoble and a few others in the valley are back up also. But here in the Canadian hinterlands of Manotick, Facebook is a definite no-show, […] […] that Facebook were fixing a technical issue regarding proxies, and nothing to do with security, according to the Scobleizer blog (which has some sort of access to Facebook’s PR team). Facebook is now alive again, and […]

Many of today's entertainment or communication-related electronic user devices rely on receiving, transmitting, and/or using streaming digital data or content. Adaptive bit rate streaming is a technique for streaming digital data (particularly, multimedia content) over digital networks. Adaptive bit rate streaming may include detecting a bandwidth capacity and CPU capacity of the user device in real time and adjusting the quality of a video stream accordingly to allow continuous streaming with a highest quality stream of the different bit rate streams corresponding to a current bandwidth capacity and CPU capacity of the user device. In some implementations, a streaming client of a user device may access a manifest file (also referred to as a variant playlist file) that identifies different streams of an identical piece of content available for download at differing bit rates. The streaming client may also access index files that identify segments of the streams, and the order in which the segments are to be played. In some instances, when starting streaming of content, the streaming client requests segments from the lowest bit rate stream from a streaming server.

I think most people know that Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta are members of the Philadelphia Phillies’ rotation. I’m guessing that a lot of you — even those not from or otherwise affectionate towards Philadelphia — could identify Vince Velasquez as a Philly starter, too. It may interest you to know, then, that none of these three men, all possessed of relative fame, led their club in strikeout percentage as a starter last year. The man who did so struck out fully 27.1% of the batters he faced, which was the 14th-best such mark in the league among starters with as many innings thrown. He also posted, at 1.01, the second-highest differential between his ERA (4.80) and FIP (3.79) in the game. His name is Nick Pivetta. Nick Pivetta is 25 years old. You may wish to consider Nick Pivetta. When my colleague Jeff Sullivan last considered Nick Pivetta, back in April, he called him “the newest good Phillies starter,” and gave particular attention to Pivetta’s renewed confidence in his curveball. Nothing in Pivetta’s 2018 performance suggested Jeff was off the mark in this assessment, and indeed there may now be more reasons to be optimistic about the right-hander’s future than there were before the year. Here’s one of them: a heat map of all the curveballs Pivetta threw this year (from the pitcher’s point of view): And here’s that same chart, but for 2017: In 2017, the curveballs Pivetta threw were basically in the same spot — down and away to righties; down and in to lefties — whether he was ahead or behind in the count. As a pitcher, it’s good not to do the same thing all the time. So it’s very encouraging that this year, Pivetta found two new places to throw his curveball: in on right-handers’ hands, even when behind in the count, and down and away to lefties. Pivetta used to have one curveball, and now he has four. Because of the way his pitches interact — as Jeff noted, he uses his curveball mostly to set up his fastball — that means an even greater increase in the number of possible pitch sequences available to him. And it’s not as if Pivetta spent the entire year reliant on that promising curve. Although he ended 2018 having thrown the pitch 21.7% of the time — more than six points above his 2017 mark — he wasn’t consistent in his use of the pitch throughout the season. In April, when Jeff wrote about it, Pivetta was going to the curve around 27% of the time. By the end of the year, with the Phillies solidly out of contention and (presumably) with a tiring arm, Pivetta went to the curve a little less than 19% of the time. The difference was, for the most part, made up by his increased use of a sinker, which generates an unusually high percentage of whiffs for a pitch of its kind (8.3% in 2018). That ability to adjust an otherwise successful approach as the season goes along augurs well for his future. Which brings me to another promising thing about Pivetta’s 2018 — he didn’t really get worse as the season went along, despite setting a career high in innings pitched: Nick Pivetta Didn’t Slow Down In 2018 IP K% BB% WHIP ERA FIP FB% Hard% 1st Half 96.1 27.4% 7.3% 1.32 4.58 3.76 35.4% 34.0% 2nd Half 67.2 26.7% 7.5% 1.29 5.05 3.84 33.9% 28.8% When it comes to pitching, the best predictor of success in the future is success in the past, and we now have evidence that Pivetta can put up a FIP- better than league average (92) over a full season. That isn’t evidence we had before the season (Pivetta was never especially highly regarded as a prospect), and it means that it’s now reasonable to expect something at least close to that level of performance in 2019. Pivetta is never going to be a guy who blows you away with his stuff or his velocity — his spin rate is just about average, and his velocity is fast but not otherworldly in this supercharged environment — but he can be a guy fully in command of four serviceable big-league pitches, and that’s not nothing today or any day. For a fourth starter, it’s very good indeed. What I’ll be paying attention to in 2019 is whether the large gap between Pivetta’s ERA and his FIP, which I noted at the beginning of this piece but have left unmentioned until now, persists for a third consecutive season. There are some players who just consistently under-perform their peripherals for one reason or another, and a third season with an ERA more than a full point above his FIP might be reasonable evidence that Pivetta is one of those guys. It might also just be evidence that Philadelphia’s defense is unusually terrible. Batters hit over .300 on ground balls against Pivetta in 2018, which is unusual given that the league average usually sits in the .240s; he also allowed an unusually high slugging percentage on fly balls. Maybe some of those balls will find gloves in 2019. Maybe they won’t. Again, Philly’s defense was very bad in 2018. Either way, we’ll learn something. For now, Pivetta remains one of the better young starters in the game, and a key component of what could be — depending on how free agency plays out — a very solid Phillies team in 2019.

The biggest stars in music history came out to celebrate Berry Gordy's journey from Detroit to Broadway when 'Motown: The Musical' hit the stage last night. See Tracee Ellis Ross,Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and other MOTOWN Legends walk the red carpet inside.... Before Diddy, Jay-Z, Baby, Master P,Jermaine Dupri or any other hit-making record label owner you can name check....there was Berry Gordy. And last night, Mr. Gordy watched his life come full circle as the story of him turning Detroit aka The Motor City into "Motown" made its debut on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in NYC. "Motown: The Musical"is about the history and love-story style legacy of Motown AND the musical acts it turned into international superstars. Though reviews about the musical have been mixed, there's no denying the contribution of Motown and acts like The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations and others and beyond. So it's best you go see it for yourself! On the red carpet..... Fashion hottie Tracee Ellis Ross came out to support both Berry and her mom. And she looked amazing...even though we're trying to figure out that bra(less) situation up top... Berry Gordy proudly posed on the red carpet with his former muse Diana Ross (who's also the mother of his daughter Rhonda Ross) and his new muse and arm candy Eskedar Gobeze. Diana, whom most folks would call was Motown's First Lady, also posed with Berry and Stefan Kendal Gordy (Berry's son and a part of LMFAO) and Jada Grace (one of Stefan's new artists). Then Miss Ross posed with cast members from the musical. Mary Wilson (who was one of the original members of The Supremes) posed on the red carpet. Does Tracee Ellis Ross have a glass eye? Just asking..... Did she get that dress from the back of her Diana's closet? That dress is all wrong. I must say that the old school Motown artists look GREAT for their age (i.e. Gladys Knight, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson). Sorry, but I have to squint to look at Diana's son-in-law (Rhonda's husband). LAWD. WTF is going on with Tracy's dress. I know Diana don't like like Rhonda's husband. Diana don't like nothing black unless you own a record company. I think all her daughters are rebelling against her & finding jet black men. I have to make a trip to NY to see the play These are indeed some FABULOUS-BLACK folk! Not feeling most of the outfits but these folks are so talented, fashion is a non-issue. Diana Ross is the FIRST d-i-v-a! Gladys Knight & Mary WIlson look GREAT! Love Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Jesse J & Berry Gordy. Cuba couldn't bother to change OUT of his hoodie??? SMH... The only sista that was natural there was Rhonda Ross and the sista LOOKEDDD BEAUTIFULLLL, Gorgeous sista!!!!!!!!! The other older sistas got all that silly ass shit in they head, perfume extra loud and shit, brothas got on them cheap ass 1970 suits. But sistas please take that shit out yall head PLEASE !!!!!!IF NOT NOBODY ELSE DOOOOOOO IT FOR MEEEE!!! The white woman is no longer the standard of beauty you don't have to put that shit in your head to feel good Look like the elder brotha and sistas had a good time, although it may have been a little tension between some people in the building they still keep it old skool. Alot talented people there unlike today where the singers are mediocre and don't really have soul and niggas be loving that shit. Times are surely changing when these folks are gone , and we're old we gone have niggas saying Beyonce was the greastest and Chris brown made the best music. funny thing about time is that it changes! these people are legends but they will also die therefor making room for others to be great! as well as more music! duh! And Beyonce is already on her way to be the greatest...its already happening!ill wait for you to tell me who else would it be... Well sista, there's a ton of artist better than Beyonce in my opinion!! But hey when it comes to popularity and a majority more people like beyonce. Jill Scott alone is better than beyonce IN MY OPINION, Kem, i mean most neo soul artist sound better than the mainstream artist IN MY OPINION!!!So when it comes to popular culture ok you can give it to herrr but i don't like pop so there it is.

Q: Find if something was committed every 6 months I have a request for a query and its throwing me for a loop here. Scope: Build a report that will tell us if a taskey was used every 6 months I.e. Sally made report x this month, she needs to make that report again with in 6 months. I need the report that tells me which ones are out of the range and which ones where out of the range. I just need a count. So I made this view SELECT ed.eventkey, ed.contactkey, ed.wfstagekey, ed.contact1id, ed.contact2id, ed.startdate, ed.enddate, ed.eventstatusid, ed.activeind, ed.modifiedbyid, ed.modifieddate, ed.ScheduledDate FROM STMA_CM.dbo.eventdefinition ed WHERE ( (ed.wftaskkey = 120 AND year (ed.enddate) = 2013) AND ed.eventstatusid IN (15, 16)) and activeind=1 And did this to try and get and understadning but it only gave me the ones in compliance select * from (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=1) as A left join (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=2) as b on b.contactkey=a.contactkey left join (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=3) as c on c.contactkey=a.contactkey left join (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=4) as d on d.contactkey=a.contactkey left join (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=5) as e on e.contactkey=a.contactkey left join (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=6) as f on f.contactkey=a.contactkey left join (select * from {{POC}} where month(enddate)=7) as g on g.contactkey=a.contactkey I tried some dynimic sql but it wasnt working either. BEGIN DECLARE @ckey INT, @ekey INT, @cstat INT, @ustat INT, @pocdate1 DATETIME, @pocdate2 DATETIME, @pocdate3 DATETIME, @pcount INT, @ecount INT, @pcdate DATETIME, @dcdate DATETIME DROP TABLE #yractive CREATE TABLE #yractive( contactkey INT, pcdate DATETIME, dcdate DATETIME, branch VARCHAR(100), numpoc INT, pocupdate1 DATETIME, pocupdate2 DATETIME, pocupdate3 DATETIME, msg VARCHAR(1000)) INSERT INTO #yractive(contactkey) SELECT c.contactkey FROM contact c LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.ContactRole cr ON c.contactkey=cr.contactkey WHERE c.activeind=1 AND cr.rolekey=8 AND dbo.getContactBranch(c.contactkey) LIKE 'MA%' AND (YEAR(dbo.getwftaskDate(c.contactkey, 6,75))=2013 OR dbo.getContactStatus(c.contactkey,'ts')IN ('Placed','Suspension')) DECLARE c_poc CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR SELECT contactkey FROM #yractive FOR READ ONLY OPEN c_poc FETCH NEXT FROM c_poc INTO @ckey SELECT @cstat=@@FETCH_STATUS WHILE @cstat<>-1 BEGIN IF @cstat<>-2 BEGIN SET @pcount=0 SELECT @pcount=COUNT(*) FROM dbo.eventdefinition WHERE wftaskkey=120 AND eventstatusid =16 AND contactkey=@ckey AND enddate > '2013-01-01' UPDATE #yractive SET numpoc=@pcount WHERE contactkey=@ckey SELECT @pcdate=MAX(wfdate) FROM dbo.contactworkflow WHERE contactkey=@ckey AND wfstagekey=4 AND wftaskkey=49 UPDATE #yractive SET pcdate=@pcdate WHERE contactkey=@ckey SELECT @dcdate=MAX(wfdate) FROM dbo.contactworkflow WHERE contactkey=@ckey AND wfstagekey=6 AND wftaskkey=75 UPDATE #yractive SET dcdate=@dcdate WHERE contactkey=@ckey IF @pcount>3 BEGIN UPDATE #yractive SET msg='# of pocs for this year exceeds '+LTRIM(RTRIM(CAST(@pcount AS VARCHAR(2)))) WHERE contactkey=@ckey END IF @pcount>0 BEGIN DECLARE c_upd CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR SELECT eventkey FROM dbo.eventdefinition WHERE wftaskkey=120 AND eventstatusid =16 AND contactkey=@ckey AND enddate > '2013-01-01' ORDER BY enddate DESC FOR READ ONLY OPEN c_upd FETCH NEXT FROM c_upd INTO @ekey SELECT @ustat=@@FETCH_STATUS SET @pocdate1='' SET @pocdate2='' SET @pocdate3='' SET @ecount=1 WHILE @ustat<>-1 BEGIN IF @ustat<>-2 BEGIN IF @ecount <= @pcount BEGIN IF @ecount=1 BEGIN SELECT @pocdate1=enddate FROM dbo.eventdefinition WHERE eventkey=@ekey UPDATE #yractive SET pocupdate1=@pocdate1 WHERE contactkey=@ckey END IF @ecount=2 BEGIN SELECT @pocdate2=enddate FROM dbo.eventdefinition WHERE eventkey=@ekey UPDATE #yractive SET pocupdate2=@pocdate2 WHERE contactkey=@ckey END IF @ecount=3 BEGIN SELECT @pocdate3=enddate FROM dbo.eventdefinition WHERE eventkey=@ekey UPDATE #yractive SET pocupdate3=@pocdate3 WHERE contactkey=@ckey END END SET @ecount=@ecount+1 END FETCH NEXT FROM c_upd INTO @ekey SELECT @ustat=@@FETCH_STATUS END CLOSE c_upd DEALLOCATE c_upd END FETCH NEXT FROM c_poc INTO @ckey SELECT @cstat=@@FETCH_STATUS END END CLOSE c_poc DEALLOCATE c_poc SELECT * FROM #yractive END A: This is how I did it. Got me what i wanted using the partion helped out alot. select c.contactkey,c.firstname, c. lastname , ed2.enddate'second most recent', ed.enddate'most recent' from STMA_CM.dbo.contact c inner join (select * from (select *,RANK() over (PARTITION BY contactkey order by enddate desc) as 'rn' from eventdefinition where wftaskkey in( 120) and eventstatusid=16) as s where s.rn =1) ed on ed.contactkey = c.contactkey left join (select * from (select *,RANK() over (PARTITION BY contactkey order by enddate desc) as 'rn' from eventdefinition where wftaskkey in (173,120) and eventstatusid=16) as s where s.rn =2) ed2 on ed2.contactkey = c.contactkey WHERE ed.activeind=1 and ed2.activeind=1 order by contactkey

Prolonged daytime exercise repeated over 4 days increases sleeping heart rate and metabolic rate. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of prolonged exercise repeated for 4 days on sleeping heart rate (SHR) and metabolic rate (SMR). Eleven young untrained men exercised at moderate intensity 5 hrs daily for 4 days, alternately on a cycle ergometer (57.0 +/- 1.3% .VO2max) and a treadmill (64.7 +/- 1.6% .VO2max). They spent the night prior to the exercise period (control, C) and the 4 nights following exercise days (N1 to N4) in room calorimeters for the measurement of SHR, SMR, and respiratory quotient (RQ) from midnight until 6 a.m. Every morning, before the exercise bouts, plasma-free epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) levels were measured. After exercise, all SHR values were significantly higher than at C level (52 +/- 1 bpm, p < 0.001) and the highest value was observed on N2 (61 +/- 2 bpm). SMR increased by 11.2 +/- 1.5% from C to N1, p < 0.001, and then plateaued up to N4, whereas RQ decreased from C (0.833 +/- 0.009) to N2 (0.798 +/- 0.005) and then plateaued. Plasma NE levels were higher the morning after each day of exercise and peaked on N2, whereas no significant variations were found for E. Variations of SHR between C and N2, and N3 and N4 were correlated with changes of SMR. No significant relationships were found between morning plasma NE, and either SMR or SHR variations. To conclude, prolonged exercise repeated for 4 days was associated with increases in SHR and SMR during the night following each day of exercise concomitantly with an enhanced lipid oxidation. The sustained stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system may be partly responsible for these effects.

Interaction of the periplasmic PratA factor and the PsbA (D1) protein during biogenesis of photosystem II in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The biogenesis of photosynthetic complexes is assisted by a growing number of trans-acting factors in both chloroplasts and cyanobacteria. We have previously shown that the periplasmic PratA factor from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis 6803) is required for adequate C-terminal processing of the PsbA (D1) subunit of photosystem II (PSII) supporting the idea that the early steps of PSII assembly occur at the plasma membrane. Here we report on the molecular analysis of the interaction between PratA and the D1 protein. Both yeast two-hybrid and glutathione S-transferase pulldown assays revealed that PratA binds to the soluble forms of both mature and precursor D1 C-terminal regions. In agreement with that finding, the binding region was mapped to amino acid positions 314-328 of D1 by applying a peptide-scanning approach. Approximately 10-20% of the soluble PratA factor was found to be associated with membranes in a D1-dependent manner. Sucrose density gradient centrifugations allowed the identification of a specific membrane subfraction that contains both PratA and D1 and which might represent a transfer and/or connecting region between plasma and thylakoid membrane. Imaging data obtained with enhanced cyan fluorescent protein-labeled D1 protein in wild-type and pratA mutant backgrounds further supported this notion.

*-1*-3. -6*sqrt(2) Simplify (-6*sqrt(55)/sqrt(5) - sqrt(11))**2 + 1. 540 Simplify (4*sqrt(10)/sqrt(5))**2 + 3. 35 Simplify -3 + sqrt(7) + 5*sqrt(7) + -3. -6 + 6*sqrt(7) Simplify sqrt(5) + (sqrt(5) - (sqrt(45)/(sqrt(63)/sqrt(7)))**2) + (sqrt(605))**2*3. 2*sqrt(5) + 1810 Simplify (-2 + 4*(-5 + sqrt(13)*-1))**2. 176*sqrt(13) + 692 Simplify (5*(sqrt(15) - ((sqrt(15) - sqrt(45)/sqrt(3)) + sqrt(15) + sqrt(15))))/(sqrt(243) + sqrt(27)). -5*sqrt(5)/12 Simplify (2*sqrt(88)/sqrt(4))/(sqrt(275)*6). sqrt(2)/15 Simplify (((sqrt(110) + (sqrt(110) - (sqrt(110) + sqrt(110)*-1)) + sqrt(110))*-1 + sqrt(110) + sqrt(110))/sqrt(10))**2. 11 Simplify (sqrt(8) + 4)**2 + (sqrt(30)/sqrt(3))/sqrt(5). 24 + 17*sqrt(2) Simplify -4*sqrt(8)/sqrt(64). -sqrt(2) Simplify (1*sqrt(3388))/(sqrt(4) - 6*sqrt(8)/sqrt(2)). -11*sqrt(7)/5 Simplify (6*(sqrt(720) + -3))**2. -2592*sqrt(5) + 26244 Simplify (1*(5 + (-3 + sqrt(3))*-6))**2. -276*sqrt(3) + 637 Simplify (sqrt(110)/sqrt(2)*-2)/(2*sqrt(44)). -sqrt(5)/2 Simplify (sqrt(33) - 5*sqrt(528))/sqrt(11). -19*sqrt(3) Simplify (4*sqrt(110)*-2)/(sqrt(10)*-2*6). 2*sqrt(11)/3 Simplify (sqrt(104) - 1*2*sqrt(104))/(-1*sqrt(32)). sqrt(13)/2 Simplify (1*sqrt(567) + -3)**2. -54*sqrt(7) + 576 Simplify (sqrt(2057) + sqrt(2057)*-1 + (sqrt(17) - -4*sqrt(425)))**2. 7497 Simplify (((sqrt(105) - (sqrt(105)*2 + sqrt(105))) + sqrt(105))/sqrt(3))/sqrt(7). -sqrt(5) Simplify (-2*((sqrt(13) - (1 + sqrt(13))) + 2))**2. 4 Simplify 4 + (sqrt(144) - sqrt(36))/sqrt(12). sqrt(3) + 4 Simplify (5*sqrt(252)/sqrt(6))/(sqrt(96)*-3). -5*sqrt(7)/12 Simplify sqrt(175) + 2 + sqrt(70)/sqrt(40). 2 + 11*sqrt(7)/2 Simplify sqrt(228)/(-2*sqrt(12)*-3). sqrt(19)/6 Simplify (sqrt(77) + 6*5*sqrt(77) + sqrt(77))/sqrt(11). 32*sqrt(7) Simplify (-5*1*sqrt(833))**2 + (3*-2*sqrt(833))**2 + 1. 50814 Simplify (sqrt(209)/(sqrt(121)/sqrt(11)) + sqrt(684) + -5)**2. -70*sqrt(19) + 956 Simplify -6*(-2 + sqrt(242) + -1 + 2 + sqrt(242)). -132*sqrt(2) + 6 Simplify (-5*(sqrt(192)/sqrt(4) + (sqrt(363) + sqrt(363) + (sqrt(363) - (sqrt(363) + 0 - sqrt(363)) - sqrt(363)) - sqrt(363) - sqrt(363))))**2. 1200 Simplify sqrt(95)/(sqrt(30)/sqrt(6)*-5 - sqrt(5)). -sqrt(19)/6 Simplify sqrt(52)*-4*-6. 48*sqrt(13) Simplify (-4*sqrt(28)/(sqrt(36) - sqrt(4)))**2. 28 Simplify (sqrt(171) + sqrt(171)*-2 + 2)**2 + 2. -12*sqrt(19) + 177 Simplify ((1 + sqrt(128) + sqrt(2) - ((sqrt(2)*2 - sqrt(2)) + 0))*-4)**2. 256*sqrt(2) + 2064 Simplify (sqrt(19) - (-2 + sqrt(19))*4) + -5*(sqrt(19) - -2*sqrt(19))**2. -847 - 3*sqrt(19) Simplify sqrt(14)/sqrt(63) - sqrt(2) - 4*sqrt(8)/sqrt(4). -14*sqrt(2)/3 Simplify (5 + sqrt(242)*1)**2. 110*sqrt(2) + 267 Simplify ((sqrt(17) + sqrt(153)*3 - sqrt(17)*1*-5) + -5)**2. -150*sqrt(17) + 3850 Simplify (sqrt(2736) + -6*-1*sqrt(2736) + sqrt(2736) + 0 + 1 + sqrt(2736))**2. 216*sqrt(19) + 221617 Simplify (sqrt(162) + sqrt(162)*-2 + sqrt(162) + 2 + sqrt(162))**2*6. 216*sqrt(2) + 996 Simplify ((sqrt(65) + 2*sqrt(65)*-4 + sqrt(65))/(sqrt(5) + (1*sqrt(405) - sqrt(405))))**2 + 2. 470 Simplify 1 + -2*(sqrt(52)*1)**2. -103 Simplify sqrt(102)/(sqrt(1200)/sqrt(8)). sqrt(17)/5 Simplify sqrt(637) + -5*-2*sqrt(637). 77*sqrt(13) Simplify (3 + sqrt(17) + 4)**2 + (sqrt(459) + sqrt(51))/sqrt(3). 66 + 18*sqrt(17) Simplify -1*sqrt(175) - (sqrt(7) + (sqrt(7) - -4*(sqrt(35)/sqrt(5) + sqrt(7)))). -15*sqrt(7) Simplify -5 + sqrt(1872) + -1. -6 + 12*sqrt(13) Simplify 1*(1*sqrt(612))**2*-4. -2448 Simplify -3 + (sqrt(325) + 2)*-6. -30*sqrt(13) - 15 Simplify 6*(-2 + sqrt(539)*-2 + ((sqrt(539) + 0)**2 - sqrt(539))). -126*sqrt(11) + 3222 Simplify ((sqrt(432)*2 + 0)*5)**2. 43200 Simplify (5 + (-2 + sqrt(832) + sqrt(832))*1)**2. 96*sqrt(13) + 3337 Simplify sqrt(288) - (sqrt(288) + -5 + (1 + sqrt(288) + sqrt(288))**2) - (sqrt(288) + (1 + sqrt(288) - sqrt(288))*-3). -1145 - 60*sqrt(2) Simplify sqrt(18)/(sqrt(9) + 4*sqrt(9)*1). sqrt(2)/5 Simplify (sqrt(88)/sqrt(32))**2 - (4 + 1*sqrt(11))**2. -8*sqrt(11) - 97/4 Simplify (((sqrt(66) - -6*sqrt(66)) + sqrt(66))*-5)/sqrt(6). -40*sqrt(11) Simplify (sqrt(99) - -1*1*sqrt(99) - sqrt(99))/(-5*-2*sqrt(9)). sqrt(11)/10 Simplify (3*-6*(-1 + sqrt(612)))**2. -3888*sqrt(17) + 198612 Simplify sqrt(110)/(sqrt(110)/(sqrt(11)*5)). 5*sqrt(11) Simplify ((sqrt(13) - sqrt(78)/sqrt(24)) + sqrt(13))**2 - (sqrt(26)/sqrt(2) + 3 + sqrt(13)). -2*sqrt(13) + 105/4 Simplify 5 + -2 + sqrt(66)/(sqrt(486)*1 + sqrt(6) + sqrt(6) - sqrt(6)). sqrt(11)/10 + 3 Simplify -2*(sqrt(147)*1 - sqrt(147))*2. 0 Simplify sqrt(22)/(1*sqrt(2)) + sqrt(132)/(sqrt(48)/sqrt(4)). 2*sqrt(11) Simplify sqrt(3)*-3 + -2 + -2 + sqrt(3) + -1. -5 - 2*sqrt(3) Simplify (4 + (sqrt(5) - sqrt(5)*-1) + 2 + sqrt(80))**2. 72*sqrt(5) + 216 Simplify (-5 + (-4*sqrt(51)/sqrt(3) - (sqrt(17) - sqrt(68))*-1))**2. 50*sqrt(17) + 450 Simplify (3 + 1 + sqrt(19))*-3 + 5. -3*sqrt(19) - 7 Simplify (sqrt(1575) - (sqrt(1575) + 5*(1 + sqrt(1575)))**2 - sqrt(1575))*3. -170175 - 2700*sqrt(7) Simplify sqrt(6)/(sqrt(8)/sqrt(4)) - (sqrt(3) - ((sqrt(3) + 1)*-4)**2). 32*sqrt(3) + 64 Simplify sqrt(7200) + 1. 1 + 60*sqrt(2) Simplify (1*(-3 + 1 + sqrt(1872) + sqrt(1872) + 5))**2. 144*sqrt(13) + 7497 Simplify (sqrt(12) - sqrt(12)*1) + 1. 1 Simplify (sqrt(104) - -1*(sqrt(104) + sqrt(104)*2))/(1*sqrt(200)). 4*sqrt(13)/5 Simplify -3 + (2*sqrt(441))/sqrt(7). -3 + 6*sqrt(7) Simplify sqrt(12)/(sqrt(486) + sqrt(486)*-3 + sqrt(486)). -sqrt(2)/9 Simplify (-2*sqrt(132)/sqrt(4))/(sqrt(300)*-2 + sqrt(300)). sqrt(11)/5 Simplify (3 + sqrt(44) + 3 + sqrt(44) + (sqrt(11) + -3 + -3 - sqrt(11) - sqrt(11)))**2. 99 Simplify ((sqrt(570) + sqrt(570)*-1)/sqrt(10))/(sqrt(12)*-1). 0 Simplify sqrt(2) + 0 + -1 + -1*sqrt(2)*-2. -1 + 3*sqrt(2) Simplify (sqrt(36) + (sqrt(252) + -1*sqrt(252) + sqrt(252))/sqrt(7))/(-3*sqrt(12)*5). -2*sqrt(3)/15 Simplify ((sqrt(84)/sqrt(4) + sqrt(21))*4)/(-1*sqrt(1008)). -2*sqrt(3)/3 Simplify -5*(-6*(sqrt(11) - sqrt(33)/sqrt(3)) + sqrt(11)). -5*sqrt(11) Simplify 4*sqrt(10)/sqrt(2) - (-5 + sqrt(10)/sqrt(2)). 5 + 3*sqrt(5) Simplify (sqrt(68) - 2*sqrt(68)*-5)/(sqrt(32)/sqrt(128) - sqrt(4)). -44*sqrt(17)/3 Simplify -2*(-1*sqrt(72))/sqrt(4) + 4. 4 + 6*sqrt(2) Simplify sqrt(80) + 0 - (sqrt(405) + 1)**2. -406 - 14*sqrt(5) Simplify sqrt(156)/sqrt(48) + sqrt(13) + sqrt(936)/sqrt(2). 15*sqrt(13)/2 Simplify (sqrt(640)*-1)/(sqrt(200)*-2). 2*sqrt(5)/5 Simplify (2*sqrt(1152))/(sqrt(216)*1 + sqrt(216) + sqrt(6))*4. 64*sqrt(3)/13 Simplify (-3*sqrt(14)*-1)/(sqrt(24)/sqrt(300)). 15*sqrt(7) Simplify sqrt(171) + -3 + 1 + 3. 1 + 3*sqrt(19) Simplify 4*(-3*sqrt(1300))**2. 46800 Simplify (sqrt(1300) - (2 + sqrt(1300)*-1))**2. -80*sqrt(13) + 5204 Simplify -5 + sqrt(208) + 1. -4 + 4*sqrt(13) Simplify sqrt(56)/((sqrt(8) + sqrt(16)/sqrt(2))*3). sqrt(7)/6 Simplify (sqrt(162) + 0 - (0 + sqrt(242)))**2. 8 Simplify (5 + 6*(2 + sqrt(1216) - sqrt(1216)))**2. 289 Simplify sqrt(45)/(1*sqrt(144)). sqrt(5)/4 Simplify sqrt(55)/(sqrt(110)/(sqrt(10) - sqrt(10)*1 - sqrt(10))). -sqrt(5) Simplify (sqrt(18)*-2 - sqrt(14)/sqrt(63))**2. 722/9 Simplify (sqrt(7) - (1 + sqrt(63))) + sqrt(7) + (sqrt(700)*-1)**2. -sqrt(7) + 699 Simplify -3*((sqrt(224) + (sqrt(224) - -1*sqrt(224)) + sqrt(224))/sqrt(4))/(4*sqrt(8)*-2). 3*sqrt(7)/2 Simplify ((sqrt(171) - 2*sqrt(171))*-3)/sqrt(9). 3*sqrt(19) Simplify ((sqrt(1980) - (-2*sqrt(1980) + sqrt(1980)))/(((sqrt(110)/sqrt(2) - sqrt(55)) + sqrt(55))/sqrt(11)))**2. 1584 Simplify ((sqrt(95) + sqrt(95) + -1*sqrt(95))*4)/(-1*sqrt(20)). -2*sqrt(19) Simplify (sqrt(60)/sqrt(6))/sqrt(5) + -5. -5 + sqrt(2) Simplify -4*((sqrt(13)*-2)**2*-6 + 4). 1232 Simplify (sqrt(72)/(sqrt(30)/sqrt(5)))/(sqrt(294)*1 + sqrt(294)). sqrt(2)/14 Simplify (3 + (1*sqrt(180))**2 - sqrt(180) - sqrt(180))*-4. -732 + 48*sqrt(5) Simplify 3 + (sqrt(6)/sqrt(27))**2 + 1. 38/9 Simplify 1 + (sqrt(70)/(sqrt(20)/sqrt(2)))**2. 8 Simplify sqrt(396) - (sqrt(396) + 0 + sqrt(396)) - (sqrt(55)*2)/sqrt(5). -8*sqrt(11) Simplify (sqrt(38) - sqrt(4598)*2)/((sqrt(14) + sqrt(14)*2)/sqrt(7)). -7*sqrt(19) Simplify (-3 + sqrt(80))*3. -9 + 12*sqrt(5) Simplify (sqrt(11)*1*-3 - (sqrt(275) - (0 + sqrt(275))))**2. 99 Simplify (sqrt(405)*1 + sqrt(405) - (-5 + (sqrt(5) - (sqrt(5) + 1))))**2. 216*sqrt(5) + 1656 Simplify ((4*sqrt(308))/sqrt(11))/(sqrt(36)*-4). -sqrt(7)/3 Simplify (0 + -1*(sqrt(567)*3 + sqrt(567) + sqrt(567)) + sqrt(567))**2. 9072 Simplify ((2 + s

Illinois Official Reports Appellate Court In re Marriage of Kiferbaum, 2014 IL App (1st) 130736 Appellate Court In re MARRIAGE OF JUDITH KIFERBAUM, Petitioner-Appellant, Caption and HANAN KIFERBAUM, Respondent-Appellee. District & No. First District, Second Division Docket No. 1-13-0736 Filed September 30, 2013 Held In proceedings that resulted in the trial court granting respondent’s (Note: This syllabus petition for an order of protection under the Illinois Domestic constitutes no part of the Violence Act and then dismissing petitioner’s request for an order of opinion of the court but protection on the ground that the Act prohibits mutual orders of has been prepared by the protection, the appellate court reversed the dismissal of petitioner’s Reporter of Decisions request, since she was seeking a correlative separate order of for the convenience of protection, not a mutual order of protection, and although correlative the reader.) separate orders of protection are not favored, they are allowed if certain requirements are met, and petitioner satisfied those requirements by filing a separate petition, commencing a separate action, filing a written petition, providing notice to all parties, and being prepared to present separate proof supporting her petition. Decision Under Appeal from the Circuit Court of Cook County, No. 09-D-577; the Review Hon. Naomi Schuster, Judge, presiding. Judgment Affirmed in part and reversed in part; cause remanded for further proceedings.  Counsel on Jan R. Kowalski, of Chicago, for appellant. Appeal No brief filed for appellee. Panel PRESIDING JUSTICE SIMON delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion. Justices Neville and Pierce concurred in the judgment and opinion. OPINION ¶1 On January 23, 2009, petitioner Judith Kiferbaum (Judith) filed the underlying petition for dissolution of marriage from her husband, respondent Hanan Kiferbaum (Hanan). Judith also sought, and was granted, a temporary order of protection on January 23, 2009, and a plenary order of protection on February 4, 2009. With respect to the parties’ abusive behavior toward each other, the parties’ agreed disposition order of June 8, 2009, also restricted contact between the parties. On March 17, 2010, judgment for dissolution of marriage was entered with the issue of maintenance remaining open. ¶2 On June 21, 2012, Judith sought an emergency order of protection against Hanan that was granted and set for further hearing on July 12, 2012. However, that petition was dismissed on July 12, 2012. Also on that date, after the petition was dismissed, Hanan filed an emergency petition for an order of protection against Judith. The trial court found that the petition was not an emergency and set the matter for further hearing. On July 20, 2012, Judith filed a petition for an emergency order of protection that was denied for lack of personal knowledge of Hanan’s alleged conduct. On July 31, 2012, Judith filed the underlying petition for an order of protection. ¶3 An agreed order restraining and enjoining Judith and Hanan from certain locations was entered, the petitions were continued to allow discovery, and the court set a November 30, 2012, hearing date on the “cross petitions for order of protection.” The matter was continued to January 30, 2013, when the trial court granted Hanan’s petition for an order of protection and set argument for Hanan’s motion to dismiss Judith’s amended petition for an order of protection on February 5, 2013. On February 5, 2013, the trial court granted Hanan’s motion to dismiss, finding that the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 (750 ILCS 60/101 et seq. (West 2010)) does not permit mutual orders of protection. ¶4 Judith argues on appeal that the trial court erred in construing section 215 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (750 ILCS 60/215 (West 2010)) in dismissing Judith’s petition. Judith also contends that the trial court abused its discretion in granting Hanan’s petition. For the following reasons, we affirm the judgment of the trial court as to the grant of Hanan’s petition for a protective order and reverse the dismissal of Judith’s petition for a protective order. -2- ¶5 I. BACKGROUND ¶6 Judith and Hanan were married on January 17, 1988, and the marriage was registered in Haifa, Israel. The parties resided in Skokie, Illinois, and had one child under the marriage, born on June 25, 1988. On January 23, 2009, citing irreconcilable differences, Judith filed the underlying petition for dissolution of marriage from Hanan. Judith also filed a petition for an order of protection, a third-party complaint against respondent’s business and banking entities, an emergency ex parte petition for a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and other relief, and a petition for interim prospective attorney fees and costs against Hanan. ¶7 Judith presented an affidavit in support of her petition for an order of protection, testifying to Hanan’s behavior toward Judith at various dates in the prior year that exhibited escalating and repeated abuse and harassment such that Judith feared for her personal safety. Judith averred that Hanan repeatedly yelled at her, telling her that she must follow his rules, and that if she did not comply with his rules and demands he would “screw [her] completely,” humiliate her to her friends and employers, and leave her penniless. Judith also detailed occurrences where Hanan demanded that Judith perform oral sex or she would be responsible for “a bad situation.” Judith testified that for fear of what Hanan might do, she complied with his demand each time while crying throughout the ordeal. Judith also detailed times where Hanan insulted her by yelling at her that she was a “whore” and screaming that she was “only good to suck dick! I give you $4,000 a month for that! I’d be better off to f*** any [other] woman or anybody! I’ll pay any money because it is better than you!” ¶8 The court entered an emergency order of protection against Hanan and set the matter for a hearing on February 13, 2009. On January 27, 2009, Hanan filed an emergency motion to vacate the order of protection and an evidentiary hearing was held on February 4, 2009. Following testimony by both parties, the trial court noted the stark differences in the testimony of the two required a credibility determination and, having observed the witnesses and heard their testimony, found Judith credible. The court concluded that Hanan’s behavior rose to a level of harassment requiring an order of protection. ¶9 The order of protection was subsequently dismissed ab initio by a June 8, 2009, agreed disposition order awarding Judith exclusive possession of the marital residence and an automobile, and also forbidding any harassment or contact between the parties. Despite the order, the parties continued to have acrimonious relations, including numerous instances of damage to Judith’s vehicle requiring various repairs and leading to Judith calling the police. Hanan admitted to one instance of damage to Judith’s vehicle while it was parked at Nordstrom’s at Old Orchard Mall parking lot, whereby Hanan placed bodily fluids including vomit, urine and feces on the driver’s seat. The court entered an order requiring Hanan to have the vehicle cleaned. ¶ 10 On March 17, 2010, judgment for dissolution of marriage was entered with the issue of maintenance for Judith remaining open. The parties continued to maintain an acrimonious relationship, including various cross-allegations of property damage and harassing conduct. On June 21, 2012, Judith filed another emergency petition for an order of protection against Hanan. Judith claimed that Hanan vandalized her vehicle numerous times, vandalized Judith’s storage area at her garage, harassed and threatened her via e-mail, and gave an anonymous complaint to her employer that led to her termination. Judith claimed that she suffered from severe anxiety and lived in fear of Hanan. -3- ¶ 11 At the emergency hearing on the petition, Judith testified to these allegations and the court entered an order prohibiting Hanan from all personal contact with Judith, including by telephone, e-mail and third parties. In addition, Hanan was prohibited from entering or remaining at the Nordstrom store where Judith was employed. The temporary order was effective until July 12, 2012, when a further hearing was set. According to several filings in the record, Judith’s June 21, 2012, petition was dismissed on July 12, 2012. ¶ 12 On the afternoon of July 12, 2012, after the order on Judith’s June 21, 2012, petition had expired, Hanan filed his own petition for an emergency order of protection. Hanan alleged therein that Judith had continued to contact him after the June 21, 2012, order had been entered. He alleged that Judith was often drunk, calling him late at night, asking for money, threatening to have Hanan arrested if he did not have sexual relations with her, threatening suicide, and sending him naked pictures of herself. Hanan also alleged that Judith had parked outside his home, followed him in her vehicle, and interrupted his meetings with friends. At the emergency hearing on the petition, Hanan testified to his allegations but the trial court refused to accept that his claims supported a finding that this was an emergency or that he was afraid. The court continued the matter to August 3, 2012, for further hearing. ¶ 13 On July 20, 2012, Judith filed an emergency petition for a protective order against Hanan alleging that he had damaged her vehicle and harassed her. Judith asserted that this scared her and caused her great anxiety such that she was afraid to leave her house and to sleep. At the emergency hearing on the petition, Judith testified to these allegations but admitted that she never witnessed Hanan actually vandalizing her vehicle. The trial court denied the petition, finding that it was based purely on speculation and there was no evidence actually showing that Hanan had damaged Judith’s property. ¶ 14 On July 31, 2012, Judith filed the underlying petition for an order of protection against Hanan, amending that petition on August 3, 2012. In an agreed order of the parties on August 3, 2012, Judith was restrained and enjoined from accessing the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant that Hanan frequented with friends. Hanan was enjoined and restrained from accessing two other Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants as well as a T-Mobile store in Skokie. ¶ 15 On August 17, 2012, Hanan moved to strike portions of Judith’s petition. On October 9, 2012, the court ordered, inter alia, “hearing on the cross petitions for order of protection shall be held on 11/30, 2012 at 9:00, without further notice. All trial subpoenas are continued to said date.” On November 2, 2012, Judith moved to amend her petition to add new allegations of abuse and that was granted on November 13, 2012. On November 20, 2012, Hanan filed a motion to dismiss Judith’s petition reasserting his motion to strike claims that Judith’s allegations were barred by collateral estoppel as denied in the previous denial of petitions or that they were speculative and unsupported. ¶ 16 On November 30, 2012, Judith filed an amended affidavit in support of her petition and Hanan presented argument and testimony in support of his petition for a protective order. The transcript of this hearing is not of record. Judith asserts that Hanan presented his case first, as his petition was filed first, and that Judith limited her examination to Hanan’s allegations, expecting to present her case-in-chief after Hanan concluded presenting his case. The hearing was continued to December 13, 2012, allegedly after Hanan’s case-in-chief. On December 13, 2012, the court continued the matter for hearing “regarding pending petitions for order of protection” to January 13, 2013. On January 3, 2013, an order was entered continuing all pending motions in the case to January 30, 2013. -4- ¶ 17 On January 30, 2013, the trial court entered several orders, including granting Hanan’s petition for an order of protection to be effective until July 30, 2013. The court also set a hearing for argument on Hanan’s motion to dismiss Judith’s amended petition for an order of protection on February 5, 2013. On February 5, 2013, following argument, the trial court dismissed Judith’s petition for an order of protection stating in a written order that “Hanan’s motion to dismiss is granted because the [Illinois Domestic Violence Act] does not permit mutual orders of protection and only allows for correlative orders which are out of state mutual orders of protection as defined in the article submitted by Judge Gamrath, which are the court’s oral findings made on today’s date.” See Celia Guzaldo Gamrath, Enforcing Orders of Protection Across State Lines, 88 Ill. B.J. 452 (2000) (Gamrath Article). Judith appeals the trial court’s order granting Hanan’s petition for an order of protection and the order granting Hanan’s motion to dismiss Judith’s petition. ¶ 18 II. ANALYSIS ¶ 19 We begin by noting that we are without the benefit of a response brief from Hanan to respond to Judith’s arguments on appeal. As our supreme court has said, “[w]e do not feel that a court of review should be compelled to serve as an advocate for the appellee or that it should be required to search the record for the purpose of sustaining the judgment of the trial court. It may, however, if justice requires, do so. Also, it seems that if the record is simple and the claimed errors are such that the court can easily decide them without the aid of an appellee’s brief, the court of review should decide the merits of the appeal. In other cases if the appellant’s brief demonstrates prima facie reversible error and the contentions of the brief find support in the record the judgment of the trial court may be reversed.” First Capitol Mortgage Corp. v. Talandis Construction Corp., 63 Ill. 2d 128, 133 (1976). Accordingly, on April 18, 2014, this court entered an order noting that Hanan had failed to file a brief within the time prescribed by rule and that this case would be taken for consideration on the record and Judith’s appellant’s brief only. ¶ 20 Unfortunately, we are also limited by an incomplete record. “ ‘A reviewing court is entitled to have the issues on appeal clearly defined with pertinent authority cited and a cohesive legal argument presented. The appellate court is not a depository in which the appellant may dump the burden of argument and research.’ ” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Gandy v. Kimbrough, 406 Ill. App. 3d 867, 875 (2010) (quoting In re Marriage of Auriemma, 271 Ill. App. 3d 68, 72 (1995)). Supreme Court Rule 341(h)(6), (7) requires a statement of the facts, with citation to the record, necessary for an understanding of the case and a clear statement of contentions with supporting citation of authorities and pages of the record relied on. Ill. S. Ct. R. 341(h)(6), (7) (eff. July 1, 2008). These rules are not merely suggestions, but are necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the courts. First National Bank of Marengo v. Loffelmacher, 236 Ill. App. 3d 690, 691-92 (1992). ¶ 21 We will not sift through the record or complete legal research to find support for this issue. Ill-defined and insufficiently presented issues that do not satisfy the rule are considered waived. Express Valet, Inc. v. City of Chicago, 373 Ill. App. 3d 838, 855 (2007). In fact, for these violations, this court may not only strike portions of the brief or consider arguments waived, but strike a brief in its entirety and dismiss the matter. Marengo, 236 Ill. App. 3d at 692. Further, where the record is not complete, “the reviewing court must presume the circuit -5-  court had a sufficient factual basis for its holding and that its order conforms with the law.” Corral v. Mervis Industries, Inc., 217 Ill. 2d 144, 157 (2005). ¶ 22 Judith argues on appeal that the trial court erred in construing section 215 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (750 ILCS 60/215 (West 2010)) in dismissing Judith’s petition for an order of protection and that the trial court abused its discretion in granting Hanan’s petition for an order of protection. Because the order of protection at issue in this case expired by its own terms on July 30, 2013, the issues asserted by Judith are either moot or arguably moot. As we have no argument from Hanan, we will not perform the research and argument to determine whether the issues are moot. Even assuming both issues were rendered moot, the issues are reviewable under the public interest exception to the mootness doctrine because of the societal interest in protecting victims of domestic violence. Whitten v. Whitten, 292 Ill. App. 3d 780, 784 (1997). Despite these various issues and because of the important social interest and lack of authority, we render an opinion on Judith’s claims. ¶ 23 First, we may summarily dispose of Judith’s second issue presented as the record does not contain a transcript of the proceedings before the court from the November 30, 2012, hearing on Hanan’s petition for an order of protection. Hanan’s petition included a supporting affidavit alleging that he was fearful of Judith’s continued contact and mental instability. A hearing was held on Hanan’s petition with testimony and argument and the trial court granted the petition on January 30, 2013. A trial court’s entry of an order of protection will not be overturned absent a clear abuse of discretion. Lutz v. Lutz, 313 Ill. App. 3d 286, 289 (2000). Without a record of the hearing before this court, we presume the circuit court had a sufficient factual basis for its holding and that its order conforms with the law and was not an abuse of discretion. ¶ 24 Judith’s next argument is an issue that has not been addressed by this court and merits full consideration. While we do not have a record of the oral findings made by the trial court on February 5, 2013, the court’s written order cites the Illinois Domestic Violence Act and the Gamrath Article as support for the conclusion that mutual orders of protection are improper under the statute and required dismissal of Judith’s petition. We hold that the trial court misinterpreted the statute and erred in dismissing Judith’s petition for a protective order. ¶ 25 A court’s primary objective in construing a statute is to ascertain and give effect to the intent of the legislature. Prazen v. Shoop, 2013 IL 115035, ¶ 21. The first step in determining legislative intent is to examine the language of the statute, and when the language is clear and unambiguous, the statute must be given its plain meaning without resort to further aids of statutory construction. Alvarez v. Pappas, 229 Ill. 2d 217, 228 (2008). For determining the meaning of undefined terms in a statute, a court may turn to the dictionary for assistance. Id. at 225. In addition, by the terms of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, the statute is to be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes, namely, to support and protect victims of domestic abuse and to prevent any further abuse from occurring. 750 ILCS 60/102 (West 2010). ¶ 26 Section 215 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act provides in full: “§ 215 Mutual orders of protection; correlative separate orders. Mutual orders of protection are prohibited. Correlative separate orders of protection undermine the purposes of this Act and are prohibited unless both parties have properly filed written pleadings, proved past abuse by the other party, given prior written notice to the other party unless excused under Section 217, satisfied all prerequisites for the type of order -6-  and each remedy granted, and otherwise complied with this Act. In these cases, the court shall hear relevant evidence, make findings, and issue separate orders in accordance with Sections 214 and 221. The fact that correlative separate orders are issued shall not be a sufficient basis to deny any remedy to petitioner or to prove that the parties are equally at fault or equally endangered.” 750 ILCS 60/215 (West 2010). ¶ 27 Considering the plain language of the section and whether the trial court properly dismissed Judith’s petition, the key determination is the meaning of the terms “mutual order of protection” and “correlative order of protection.” As Judith notes, the terms are not defined by the statute and it is helpful to understand how this issue has arisen and been treated within the arena of domestic violence prevention. The language of this section largely mirrors that of a similar provision within the section concerning domestic violence under the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. 725 ILCS 5/112A-15 (West 2010). Section 215 was amended at the same time as section 112A-15 under Public Act 87-1186 (eff. Jan. 1, 1993). While this section also does not define these terms, the legislature’s differing approach aids our consideration of these terms. Section 112A-15 provides, in full: “§ 112A-15 Mutual orders of protection; correlative separate orders. Mutual orders of protection are prohibited. Correlative separate orders of protection undermine the purposes of this Article. If separate orders of protection in a criminal or delinquency case are sought, there must be compliance with Section 112A-2. Nothing in this Section prohibits a party from seeking a civil order of protection. If correlative separate orders of protection result after being sought in separate criminal or delinquency actions in accordance with Section 112A-2, that fact shall not be a sufficient basis to deny any remedy to either petitioner or to prove that the parties are equally at fault or equally endangered.” 725 ILCS 5/112A-15 (West 2010). ¶ 28 The only case where this court has considered section 215 is People v. Stiles, 334 Ill. App. 3d 953 (2002), an appeal of a criminal conviction for violating an order of protection. In Stiles, the defendant’s former girlfriend obtained a temporary emergency order of protection against defendant on January 6, 2000, barring any abuse, harassment, or any contact. On January 11, 2000, the defendant sought his own order of protection against his former girlfriend that was granted the next day and included a provision barring her from Kelly’s Pub. However, the trial court was unaware of the prior order of protection and entered an order of protection on January 12, 2000. On January 20, 2000, the parties got into an altercation at Kelly’s Pub and the defendant called the police. When the police arrived they ultimately arrested the defendant. Id. at 954-55. ¶ 29 The defendant was found guilty following a bench trial. The trial court found that the defendant fraudulently obtained his order of protection by failing to inform the court of the standing order of protection against him and not serving his former girlfriend. This court affirmed, finding the defendant violated the terms of the order of protection against him and that he had secured his order of protection in violation of section 215 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. Id. at 957-58. Section 215 was quoted in full, but there was no analysis of why this section was violated, the court only stating that the defendant fraudulently obtained his order and that the presumption that orders are presumed valid had been overcome. Id. ¶ 30 In his dissent, Justice Reid also fully quoted the language of section 215, but also did not examine the language of that section in opining that the defendant lacked the required scienter to be found guilty. Justice Reid noted that “[s]ituations like this, where individuals basically -7-  race to the courthouse to acquire ex parte orders of protection, are not uncommon.” Id. at 960 (Reid, J., dissenting). Justice Reid concluded that if the trial judge had asked if there was a separate order “[t]his simple question from the judge would have prevented this situation from occurring,” opining that only one order of protection would have issued if the judge had been properly advised. Id. ¶ 31 Accordingly, we are without any case law analyzing the language of section 215 to determine if the trial court’s interpretation was improper. The terms “correlative” and “mutual” are defined in Black’s Law Dictionary including similar terms such as “related or corresponding” and “reciprocal.” Black’s Law Dictionary 347, 1039 (7th ed. 1999). However, the plain language of the statute and associated research support our holding that the trial court erred in equating the two and finding Judith’s petition barred as seeking a mutual order of protection. ¶ 32 It is clear that mutual orders of protection are prohibited while correlative orders of protection are disfavored as the language in section 215 as well as that in section 112A-15 makes abundantly clear. Mutual orders of protection typically occur within the same document, arising from a singular pleading and proceeding, despite the fact that one party may not have even desired an order of protection. See Joan Zorza, What Is Wrong With Mutual Orders of Protection?, Domestic Violence Reporter 4(5), 67-68, 78 (June/July 1999). The problems with mutual orders of protection are plentiful and have been well documented to include everything from violating due process, to the court’s treatment of these orders, to implementation by the parties and the police, to actually exacerbating the violence and abuse against the abused party. Zorza, supra; see also Elizabeth Topliffe, Why Civil Protection Orders Are Effective Remedies for Domestic Violence but Mutual Protective Orders Are Not, 67 Ind. L.J. 1039, 1065 (1992) (“The woman feels that she is to blame for the violence or that the justice system is not holding the batterer accountable for his behavior. The court verifies the batterer’s belief that he is not to blame for the violence because it is caused by external factors. A mutual order is also less effective for enforcement purposes and can be used in future proceedings against the victim to the advantage of the batterer.”). Accordingly, given the recognized deficiencies with mutual orders of protection and the plain language of the statute, mutual orders of protection are clearly prohibited so as to further its grander goals. ¶ 33 However, correlative orders of protection are not the same as mutual orders of protection and the plain language of the statute providing separately for each type of order indicates the legislature’s clear understanding of this. Both the Illinois Domestic Violence Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure distinguish the two orders and provide similar language discouraging the entry of correlative orders. Importantly, both sections allow for such orders if a separate action is commenced and completed pursuant to the requirements of each statute. Therefore, unlike mutual orders there is not a straight prohibition on correlative orders of protection. ¶ 34 This conclusion is also supported by our research of secondary sources, including the Gamrath Article cited by the trial court. The main thrust of the Gamrath Article involves the enforcement of orders of protection across state lines, particularly in light of the decision in United States v. Morrison, 529 U.S. 598 (2000), striking down a civil rights remedy for victims of gender-motivated violence provided by section 13981 of the Violence Against Women Act (42 U.S.C. § 13981 (2000)). While much of the discussion in the Gamrath Article is not germane to the issue at hand, there is a general section on orders of protection that, presumptively, is what the trial court referenced. The relevant paragraph reads: -8-  “The [Illinois Domestic Violence Act] provides for three types of orders of protection–emergency, interim, and plenary–which depend on the type of notice and due process given, the duration of the order, and the available remedy. Mutual orders of protection are prohibited under the [Illinois Domestic Violence Act], but out-of-state mutual orders of protection may be given full faith and credit if both parties submitted a written request for the order and it was issued upon a showing of mutual abuse. Such orders are known in Illinois as correlative orders of protection.” Gamrath, supra, at 454. In a footnote, Gamrath defines mutual orders of protection as “orders entered against both parties requiring them to abide by the restraints and other forms of relief in the order.” Gamrath, supra, at 454 n.31. Accordingly, Gamrath’s conclusion is in line with this court’s determination and it is clear the trial court misinterpreted the article. ¶ 35 Unlike the flat prohibition of mutual orders, the statute allows for correlative orders where separate pleadings, notice and proof of abuse are provided by each party seeking an order of protection. The statute further requires that a separate order be issued in accordance with the other provisions of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. 750 ILCS 5/60-215 (West 2010). As addressed in the aforementioned law journals, this process alleviates many of the important concerns that require prohibition of mutual orders. This also protects the court and the parties from the issue Justice Reid’s dissent highlights of a race to the courthouse to bar an adversary from seeking an order of protection. If correlative orders of protection were also flatly prohibited, it would leave open the possibility that an abuser could foreclose the ability of the abused to receive protection by the court and law enforcement not only physically, but in legal proceedings. This conclusion would run completely against the purposes of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. ¶ 36 The plain language of section 215 indicates that correlative orders of protection, like that sought by Judith, may be issued and provides a clear roadmap for a party and the court to follow, namely that: “both parties have properly filed written pleadings, proved past abuse by the other party, given prior written notice to the other party unless excused under Section 217, satisfied all prerequisites for the type of order and each remedy granted, and otherwise complied with this Act.” 750 ILCS 60/215 (West 2010). In this case, the record indicates that Judith filed a separate petition for a protective order, commencing a separate action under section 202 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. 750 ILCS 60/202 (West 2010). In further compliance with the statute, and section 215 in particular, Judith filed a written petition, provided an affidavit in support of her allegations, provided notice to all parties, and was prepared to present separate proof in support of her petition. Accordingly, the trial court erred by dismissing her petition. ¶ 37 III. CONCLUSION ¶ 38 For the reasons stated, we affirm the judgment of the circuit court in part and reverse in part and remand the matter for further proceedings. ¶ 39 Affirmed in part and reversed in part; cause remanded for further proceedings. -9- 

Hop over to Google Maps and scroll to the eastern shore of Nicaragua and Costa Rica — or just click here — and you’ll see the section above. Costa Rica is the darker green region to the south and extending up the coast; Nicaragua is the lighter green area. It’s pretty clear, from this map at least, that Isla Calero — known as Calero Island in English — is in Costa Rica. But that fact is in dispute. Nicaragua, relying on a border interpretation different from that of Costa Rica’s, claims sovereignty over the northern tip of the island. Below, via Wikipedia, is a map clearly outlining the claims. There are a lot of disputed border lines around the world and, therefore, a lot disputed territories. In general, these debates are between cartographers and bureaucrats and don’t boil over into military action. The Calero Island dispute is one of these otherwise-peaceful ones — usually. But in 2010, something went wrong. And Google Maps was probably to blame. In the fall of 2010, Nicaragua sent a small force toward the disputed area, intending to dredge an approximately 20 mile-long (33 km) stretch of the San Juan River. On its face, there was nothing nefarious about the operation — it was an engineering job and the military was best equipped to perform it. But the Costa Rican government disagreed. From Costa Rica’s perspective, the Nicaraguan dredging crew had crossed the border between the two nations; intentionally or not, Nicaragua had just invaded Costa Rica. The Nicaraguans didn’t see it the same way. More than a century and a half earlier, the two sides entered into a treaty which sets the boundaries between the two nations. Most interpretations put the disputed area, above, under control of Costa Rica, and Costa Rica acted accordingly. Seeing the incursion of its territory, the Costa Rican government deployed 70 law enforcement agents to the area. Nicaragua responded with 50 troops of its own, and an international incident had begun. Most of the world agreed that Costa Rica controlled the area, pursuant to the treaty linked to above. But a minority interpretation of that treaty — one favored by Nicaragua — said otherwise. And in support of that interpretation, according to Costa Rican press at the time, the commander of the Nicaraguan press cited Google Maps. For reasons unclear, it seemed that Google’s seemingly authoritative maps product roughly agreed with Nicaragua’s interpretation of the treaty. The New York Times explained: “The digital atlas had indeed placed the eastern end of the border between the countries to the south of the generally accepted line, providing Nicaragua with a territorial gain of a few square miles.” The Nicaraguan commander saw this likely error as an opportunity; if Google says it, it has to be true, right? Thankfully, no blood was shed. The two nations resolved their dispute peacefully via international arbitration, although the process itself was contentious and, even as recently as 2016, some details were still in dispute. But the real victims of the non-war were the product managers at Google, who had to eat crow. On November 5, 2010, Google announced that “yesterday they became aware of a dispute that referenced the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua as depicted on Google Maps. This morning, after a discussion with the data supplier for this particular border (the U.S. Department of State), we determined that there was indeed an error in the compilation of the source data, by up to 2.7 kilometers. The U.S. Department of State has provided a corrected version and we are now working to update our maps.” Bonus fact : The Ft. Lauderdale suburb of Sunrise, Florida, is home to about 90,000 people and hosts the arena of the NHL’s Florida Panthers. But in the fall of 2010 — a few weeks before the Nicaraguan invasion of Costa Rica — Sunrise disappeared from the map. Okay, only from Google Maps. As CNN reported, “people who searched Google Maps for the city were directed instead to Sarasota, Florida — a place that, while an alphabetical cousin of Sunrise, is actually 200 miles away. No Sunrise business or addresses or phone numbers showed up. Even city hall and other public entities were strangely absent.” Google said they fixed the error, but the mayor of the city wasn’t convinced; he told CNN that “this [was] ithe third time Google has dropped his city off the digital map.” (It hasn’t happened since, though.) From the Archives : The Middle of Nowhere: Google Maps’ map of the town that doesn’t exist (and never has.)

Q: Django ImportError for models.py (Updating my question with more information.) My django app is running fine on my dev server. I have a view that pulls from the database using the below line that works fine: from myapp.models import MyTable However, if I add the above 'from/import' to another module (see below structure, it's the module named 'problem_module.py') I'm writing where I want to pull from the sqlite3 database, I get this error. raise ImportError("Could not import settings '%s' (Is it on sys.path?): %s" % (self.SETTINGS_MODULE, e)) ImportError: Could not import settings 'myfolder.settings' (Is it on sys.path?): No module named myfolder.settings I've read and tried various solutions recommended when people get this error, but I missing something because i'm unable to resolve it. I'm using Django 1.4 and have the lay-out as recommended. mysite/ manage.py mysite/ __init__.py settings.py urls.py wsgi.py myapp/ __init__.py models.py admin.py views.py indevelopment/ __init__.py problem_module.py A: I figured out what was happening and why after going through the traceback carefully and looking at the django source code. Here is what happens. When you run: python manage.py runserver the environment variable gets set properly assuming you already changed this small little file or just don't pay attention to it because django 1.4 automatically configures it for you. os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "myapp.settings") However, because this setting of os.environ is under a: if __name__ = "__main__" expression, it only gets run if call that file directly, as you do with: python manage.py runserver Otherwise, if you are running a file that needs that environment variable - say testing a module in Eclipse - , the os.environ needs to get set in another place (shell, etc). All the that I got generally pointed to this but I needed the context. But as a little adjustment (yes, not a good idea as it couples) on the source code you can also hardcode it in manually in/django/conf/__init__.py Specifically to see where it happens, the change below works: # in module: /django/conf/__init__.py class LazySettings(LazyObject): def _setup(self): try: # Comment out the call to os.environ and hardcode in your app settings # settings_module = os.environ[ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE] # WARNING: bad practice to do this. ;. settings_module = "myapp.settings"

This is the story of a teenager named Gracie Bowen, who lives in South Orange, New Jersey, is crazy about soccer, as are her three brothers and former soccer star father. Although Gracie wants to join her brothers and father in the nightly practices, she is discouraged by everyone except her elder brother, Johnny. Her father does not believe that girls should play soccer and tells her that she is neither tough enough nor talented enough to play with the boys team. Undeterred, Gracie finds reserves of strength she never knew existed, and persists in changing everyone's beliefs in what she is capable of, including her own. She faces an uphill battle when she fights to give women the opportunity to play competitive soccer. But as the beautiful and strong person that she has always been but she also brings her family together in the face of their own tragedy.

Hei, denne artikkelen er over ett år gammel og kan inneholde utdatert informasjon (Dagbladet): Etter flere måneder med forhandlinger ble Høyre, Frp, KrF og Venstre enige om en kommunereform denne uka. Den innebærer tvangssammenslåing av 13 norske kommuner. Nå kan Dagbladet gi et innblikk i forhandlingene bak, for å forklare hvorfor akkurat disse kommunene blir foreslått tvangssammenslått og ikke andre. I bunn ligger fagrådene fra Fylkesmannen, men det handler også om politisk spill, bostedsadressen til enkelte stortingsrepresentanter, hvor stortingspolitikerne forventer minst «bråk», og lojalitet til lokalpolitikere. Høyre-mastodont Etter det Dagbladet erfarer var stortingsrepresentant Ingjerd Schou (H) pådriveren for at Høyre-kommunene Eidsberg og Spydeberg skulle bli tvangssammenslått med Askim og Hobøl. Schou er selv bosatt i Spydeberg, og gift med Spydeberg-ordfører Petter Schou (H), som personlig har vært positiv til sammenslåing. PAR: Høyres Ingjerd Schou (t.v) og Spydeberg-ordfører Petter Schou (H) på Nobelprismiddag. De to politikerne er gift. Foto: Jon Olav Nesvold / NTB Scanpix Vis mer Hun beskrives som «ekstremt opptatt av Eidsberg», og tilskrives mye av æren for at sammenslåingen ble en realitet. Schou selv ønsker ikke å kommentere opplysningen. - Jeg synes det er fint at vi får en ny kommune i Indre Østfold hvor fire Høyre-ordførere nå tar fatt med konstruktiv positivitet, men har ikke tenkt å kommentere forhandlingene bak. Avtalen som er inngått stiller alle seg bak, sier Schou til Dagbladet. Frp-baby i sør På samme måte skal tvangssammenslåingen av Haram inn i Ålesund, Skodje, Sandøy og Ørskog, være et av Frps ønsker i reformen. Dagbladet får opplyst at parlamentarisk leder Harald Tom Nesvik i Frp skal ha vist særlig engasjement for saken, siden han selv kommer fra Ålesund. Det skal imidlertid ha vært relativt stor enighet i de tre partiene om akkurat denne sammenslåingen. Da var det mer bråk om tvangssammenslåingen mellom kommunene Mandal, Marnardal, og Lindesnes. Kommunesammenslåingen beskrives som Frps baby i kommunereformen, noe som forklares med at Mandal-ordfører Alf Erik Andersen fra Frp har stått på for en slik løsning. Frp møtte stor motstand fra særlig KrF, men fikk gjennom sammenslåingen da sistnevnte valgte å trekke seg fra tvangsdelen av reformen. Leder Helge Andre Njåstad (Frp) i kommunalkomiteen kommenterer opplysningene på følgende måte: TEAM: Helge Andre Njåstad (Frp) sammen med André N. Skjelstad fra Venstre (t.v) og kommunalminister Jan Tore Sanner (H). Foto: Tore Meek / NTB scanpix Vis mer - Det er naturlig at stortingspolitikere har lyttet til sine folkevalgte lokalt, og at deres mening og holdninger til ting har noe å si for de forskjellige partiene, sier han. Endrer Trines Namdal I Sør-Trøndelag gikk særlig Høyre inn for at Høyre-kommunen Ørland og naboen Bjugn skulle tvinges sammen, på tross av at Bjugn allerede hadde vedtatt sammenslåing med naboen Åfjord. Fylkesmannen hadde imidlertid gitt tydelige anbefalinger om at de to kommunene burde slås sammen, og Høyre møtte ikke noen stor motstand i spørsmålet. Da var det mer diskusjon om sammenslåingen Venstre fikk gjennom i Ytre Namdal i Nord-Trøndelag, som er hjemfylket til både namdaling og Venstre-leder Trine Skei Grande og kommunalpolitisk talsmann Andre N. Skjelstad, som har vært Venstres mann rundt forhandlingsbordet. - Vi har ment at det er viktig å få på plass en helhetlig løsning for Ytre Namdal, inkludert Bindal, sier Andre Skjelstad (V). Nyheten om sammenslåingen har allerede skapt store lokale protester. Stortinget går nemlig inn for å spleise Leka, Bindal, Nærøy og Vikna uten at kommunene har sagt ja til en slik sammenslutning, og til tross for at øykommuner som Leka ble lovet at de skulle bli ekstra tatt hensyn til i spørsmålet om tvang. Venstre-lokallagene i regionen er imidlertid godt fornøyd. - Vi hadde sammenslåing som den viktigste saken i kommunevalgkampen både i Leka, Nærøy og Vikna og da frontet vi saken sammen med Skjelstad, som var fylkesleder på den tida. Siden har vi jobbet for å følge det opp. Da det ble det nei i folkeavstemningen i Vikna, tok Skjelstad opp ballen, sier lokallagsleder Bjørn Ola Holm i Vikna Venstre. Står sterkt Han sier Venstre står sterkt i Ytre Namdal, og synes ikke det er rart at lokallagenes ønske har betydd noe i prosessen. VENSTRE-ØNSKE: Sammenslåingen i Ytre Namdal har hele veien vært Venstres klare ønske i reformen. Venstre-leder Trine Skei Grande kommer selv fra den nordtrønderske regionen. FOTO: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet. Vis mer - Dette handler om hvor du har politisk gjennomføringsevne, og hvilke steder partiene står sterkt lokalt, og det er naturlig, sier han. Etter det Dagbladet forstår skal Venstre også ha vært en pådriver for sammenslåingen mellom Balestrand, Leikanger og Sogndal, til dels fordi lokallagene i alle tre kommuner ønsket det, men også fordi Venstre så behov for å gjøre kommunen mer robust fordi det er en høy andel statlige arbeidsplasser der. Det var imidlertid lite bråk om både denne sammenslåingen, et nytt stor-Kristiansand, og sammenslåingen Fet-Sørum-Skedsmo i Akershus. Frp var en stund skeptisk til å la Høyre-styrte Sørum bli sammenslåingen fordi kommunen er svært gjeldstynget, men skal ha gitt etter for særlig Høyre, forklarer en kilde. Flere kilder forteller at sammenslåingen i kommunalminister Jan Tore Sanners hjemfylke var viktig for å sørge for at også Østlandet fikk sin andel tvangsbruk. Reddet av Frp og V Den vanskeligste saken i de betente diskusjonene om kommunetvang, skal ha vært ekteskapet mellom Sandnes og Forsand i Rogaland. De to kommunene grenser ikke mot hverandre, og fikk tommelen ned fra Fylkesmannen da de ba om velsignelse. Når de nå likevel blir et par er det mye på grunn av Frps innsats for å redde ekteskapet. Alle andre partier var skeptiske til sammenslåingen og ville i utgangspunktet ikke tillate den, blir Dagbladet forklart. Det ble også lenge diskutert om Evenes skulle bli tvunget sammen med naboene Ballangen, Narvik og Tysfjord, men kommunen skal ha blitt «reddet» helt i sluttspurten av Venstre. Drama i siste sekund De siste to-tre ukene har særlig vært nervepirrende. I KrF pågikk det lenge interne drakamper om tvangsbruk i reformen, før partiet til slutt konkluderte med at de ikke ville støtte noen form for kommune-tvang. Usikkerheten om KrFs rolle i kommunereformen gjorde at Frps stortingsgruppe vurderte å trekke seg fra gjennomføringen av regionreformen, forklarer en kilde. Det store diskusjonstemaet i regionreformen skal ha vært hva som skal skje i fylkene rundt Oslofjorden, med Frp og Høyre som steile motparter. Pakken ble avgjort da Frp sa ja til tvang i regionreformen på et ekstraordinært gruppemøte tirsdag kveld. Hadde partiet sagt nei da, hadde ingen norske kommuner blitt slått sammen med tvang, for da hadde Venstre gjort som KrF og trukket seg fra all tvangsbruk i reformen, etter det Dagbladet forstår.

= -4*d - 1. Is g <= 20? True Let h(v) = 3*v. Let y(n) = n. Let g(l) = 2*h(l) - 7*y(l). Let o be g(-1). Is 2/9 not equal to o? True Let q = -13 - -7. Is q smaller than -5? True Suppose 2*w + h = 2*h - 17, -5*h = 4*w + 55. Let c = -10 - w. Suppose 3*u = -5*j + 23, -4*u + 4*j - 19 = -7*u. Which is bigger: u or c? u Let r = -5.1 + 0.1. Let j = -5.2 - r. Is j >= 2/3? False Suppose 5*z + 21 = 1. Suppose -3*i - 40 = 2*i. Let w = i + 5. Is w bigger than z? True Let b(s) = -s**3 - 2*s**2 - s - 1. Let p be b(-2). Suppose 2*c - p = -2*m - 7, -3*c - 13 = 5*m. Let w = -10 + 9. Which is smaller: m or w? m Let c(l) = l**2 - 7*l - 2. Let u be (-4)/14 + (-153)/(-21). Let n be c(u). Suppose 3*i + 8 = -i. Does n = i? True Let d = 1153/5 + -232. Which is smaller: 0 or d? d Suppose -q = -u + 1, 5*u + 18 = -2*q - 12. Which is greater: -4 or q? -4 Suppose -k + 4*k = 9. Let z = 389/3 - 127. Is k < z? False Suppose -6 = -5*q - 16, 4*s = -4*q - 80. Let f be s/(-44)*2 + -1. Is f >= 0? False Let w be 0 + 5/(-3) + -2. Let n = -35/9 - w. Is n bigger than 1? False Let r be ((-12)/(-20))/(2/(-30)). Is -25/3 != r? True Suppose -2*s + 98 = 3*o, 2*o - 132 = -2*o - 3*s. Suppose 5*t + 4 - o = -f, -9 = f - 2*t. Let k = -1 - 0. Which is smaller: k or f? k Let n be 0 - ((-1)/(-1) - -1). Let o = n + 4. Suppose o = -0*q - 2*q. Is q smaller than 1/5? True Suppose -3*s - 4 = -2*s. Let k be 96/90 + s/6. Let j be (-4)/14 - 4/(-14). Which is smaller: j or k? j Let t(c) = c - 3. Let o be t(2). Is o smaller than 1/20? True Suppose o + 2 = -0*o. Let g be ((-1)/o)/(1/4). Which is smaller: 2/3 or g? 2/3 Let c = 5 - 11. Let h be ((-2)/6)/(2/c). Is -0.07 smaller than h? True Let o = 29/3 + -10. Which is smaller: 8 or o? o Let q be 5/45*12*(-3)/2. Let h = -52 - -360/7. Is h < q? False Let t = 23/30 - 1/10. Which is smaller: 2 or t? t Let v be (-3)/5 - 6/15. Let x be (-90 + (2 - 1))*-2. Let m = x + -3380/19. Does v = m? False Suppose 1 = j - 0. Let w(v) = 7*v. Let u be w(j). Suppose -u*g + 3*g = 0. Which is bigger: -3/4 or g? g Let b = 21.8 - 3.8. Let z = -18.5 + b. Is z bigger than 1? False Let f(i) be the first derivative of i**2/2 - i - 6. Let j be f(2). Let w be 3/(-14*3/4). Is j greater than w? True Let x = 20 + -5. Let u = -27 + x. Is -1 less than or equal to u? False Let h = -43/30 - -3/5. Suppose 2*b - 42 = -2*b + 2*r, -3*b - r + 39 = 0. Suppose -4*w + m - 2 = -2*m, -b = 2*w + 4*m. Which is bigger: w or h? h Let p = 9 - 4. Let b = 0.19 - 5.09. Let h = b + p. Is h greater than -0.2? True Let w = -507/5 + 101. Let t(o) be the first derivative of o**4/4 + 3*o**3 + 7*o**2/2 - 7*o - 3. Let c be t(-8). Is w greater than c? False Let s = 0.072 - 0.232. Which is bigger: 1/3 or s? 1/3 Let q = -26.047 + 0.047. Let j = q + 17. Let y = -10 - j. Is y not equal to 1/4? True Suppose -2 = -4*u + 14. Suppose -u*g + 9 = -7. Suppose -4 = j - f, -5*j = g*f - 21 + 5. Is 4/3 <= j? False Suppose 0*g = 2*g - 16. Suppose 4*z + 0 = g. Let a be (-13)/(-14) + (-1)/z. Does -1 = a? False Let q(n) = 4*n - 1. Let y be q(1). Suppose a - 12 = -3*a. Suppose a*r + 0*r - 20 = -4*g, 0 = y*r - 3*g + 15. Which is greater: r or 3/5? 3/5 Let f be (-5)/(-3)*(-9)/24. Let m be (1 - (2 + -1))*(1 + -2). Is m bigger than f? True Let c = -10 - -11. Suppose -20 = 2*u + 3*u. Let v be c - (-2 + u/(-2)). Are v and 1/5 unequal? True Suppose 2*i - 4*w = -10, -1 - 3 = -2*w. Suppose -5*k + 8 = -k, 0 = 4*t - 5*k + 22. Which is smaller: t or i? t Let u = 3 + -1. Suppose -4 = u*h + 2*h. Is h less than -2? False Let b = -119/3 - -40. Let n(f) = -f**3 - 8*f**2 + 9*f - 1. Let z be n(-9). Which is bigger: z or b? b Suppose -4*q - 12 = -a - 9*q, -10 = -a - 4*q. Let m be a + 1/(6/(-15)). Is m >= 0? False Suppose 6 = -20*k + 18*k. Which is smaller: -5 or k? -5 Let t(j) be the third derivative of -j**6/120 - j**5/6 - 5*j**4/12 - 3*j**3/2 - 5*j**2. Let h be t(-9). Let n = 0 + 0. Do h and n have the same value? True Let z = -0.8 - -1.8. Let o be (-1)/(-3) - (-8)/(-6). Let r be o/4*16/(-6). Do z and r have the same value? False Let o = -0.06 - -0.15. Let q = 0.11 + o. Which is smaller: -0.05 or q? -0.05 Let o = -49 + 49. Which is bigger: o or -2.2? o Let t = 12.28 - -0.72. Which is greater: t or 0? t Let h = 13.13 - -0.57. Let i = h - 7. Let k = i - 7. Which is smaller: -1 or k? -1 Let q(u) = u**3 + u**2 + 11. Let w be q(-3). Let o(c) be the first derivative of -c**4/4 + 2*c**3 - c**2/2 - c + 2. Let j be o(6). Is w at least as big as j? True Let u be (2/((-8)/(-10)))/((-45)/90). Are -4 and u unequal? True Suppose 3 = 5*j - 2. Which is smaller: -1/6 or j? -1/6 Let w = 4.53 + -0.59. Let x = w + 0.06. Let z be 2*-1 + (0 - -1). Is x equal to z? False Let c = -0.7 - -1.72. Let g = c + -0.02. Let x = -2 - -3. Do g and x have the same value? True Let i = 17 + -43. Is 2/7 at least as big as i? True Let m = 3093/11 - 281. Suppose 3*d - 4 = -1. Is d less than m? False Suppose 0 = 3*g - 5*c - 19, -4*g + 39 - 8 = -c. Which is smaller: 7 or g? 7 Suppose -y + 3*l - 1 = 2, 0 = 3*l. Let k(q) = q**3 + 2*q**2 - 4*q - 2. Let a be k(y). Let m be ((-21)/(-12))/a - 2. Is m at least as big as 1? False Let w = -245/3 + 81. Which is greater: 1.4 or w? 1.4 Let o = 36 - 35.8. Is -10 bigger than o? False Let x(t) = t + 21. Let g be x(-11). Is g equal to 10? True Suppose 3*f + 7 = -50. Which is smaller: f or -20? -20 Suppose -b - 2*b = -x - 13, 50 = 5*b + 4*x. Suppose -3*w + 2*g + b = 0, -3*g - 2*g = 3*w - 6. Let z = -23 + 47/2. Is w != z? True Let m = -19/33 + -1/11. Which is smaller: m or -4? -4 Let w = 671/139 + -90171/25993. Let u = -20/17 + w. Which is smaller: u or -1? -1 Suppose -2*t - 4*b + 6 = 0, -4*t = t - 4*b - 1. Let k be ((-3)/6)/(t/6). Let c = 0 + 0. Which is smaller: k or c? k Let b = 415 - 413.13. Let t = -0.13 - b. Is -4 > t? False Let o(y) = y**3 + y**2 + y - 1. Let i be o(1). Suppose 4*h - u = 13, 5*h - 4*u - 20 = -2*u. Is h smaller than i? False Let t be (2 + 0)*1/2. Suppose 2*j + 4 = -2*c, 5*j + t = -4*c - 8. Let o = -187/5 + 37. Is o greater than j? True Suppose -b = -6*s + s - 68, -s + 2*b - 10 = 0. Suppose 4*i = 7*i + 39. Which is greater: s or i? i Suppose p - 3 = -1. Is p < -0.1? False Suppose 0 = 5*b - 5*f + 4 + 1, -2*b = f - 4. Are 1/9 and b unequal? True Let f = 0.72 - 5.82. Let a = 5 + f. Let u = 1 + -2. Do u and a have different values? True Let b be ((-1)/(-10)*8)/(6/115). Is 16 bigger than b? True Let h be (-28)/(-36) + (-4)/(-18). Let p(y) be the third derivative of y**4/24 - 2*y**3/3 + y**2. Let i be p(3). Which is smaller: i or h? i Let r(d) = 2*d**2 + 28*d + 1. Let g be r(-14). Which is smaller: g or 2? g Let n = -0.01 - -3.01. Let h = n + -2. Is -0.2 bigger than h? False Let r be (46/204 + -2)/3. Let s = r + 5/34. Let i be (60/14 - 2) + -2. Is i at least as big as s? True Let v be -2 + (-179)/(-70) + -1. Let q = -2/35 + v. Are 2/7 and q equal? False Let w(d) = -d - 3. Let p be w(-7). Suppose -4 - p = -2*c. Which is bigger: c or 1? c Let l = 0.1 - -13.9. Let b = l - 10. Which is smaller: b or -2? -2 Suppose -y + 2*n = -11, 3*y - 2*n = y + 12. Let g be 1/7*(-222)/(-118). Let x = 1/59 + g. Is y greater than x? True Suppose 2*p = 5*j - 3*p, 2*j - 4*p - 6 = 0. Let x be (2/9)/(8/12)*-9. Is x >= j? True Suppose 5*w - 54 = 3*i, -w + 0*w + 12 = -i. Let y = 9 - w. Is 2 != y? True Let m be (-7)/9*6/3. Which is smaller: -1 or m? m Let l = 4 - -4. Let w = 11 - l. Let q(y) = y. Let p be q(4). Which is greater: w or p? p Let r be (-1)/3 + (-6)/9. Let j = -14.2 + 14. Is r greater than j? False Let g = -2184777347/21918734191 - 2/6444791. Let k be ((-1)/1)/((-179)/(-1)). Let v = g + k. Is -1 <= v? True Let t be 6/(-16) - 7/(52 + 4). Which is bigger: -2 or t? t Suppose q - 7 = -0. Let i = 34 - 28. Is q bigger than i? True Suppose -4*f - 5*v + 16 = -2*f, 7 = -f + 5*v. Suppose -p = i + 4, -f*i + 0*i = 0. Is -26/5 at most as big as p? True Suppose 0 = 5*o + 84 + 16. Do o and -19 have different values? True Let s be (1 - (0 - 0)) + 44. Let f be ((-16)/(-10))/(9/s). Let i = f - 5. Which is bigger: 4 or i? 4 Suppose -2*c = -2*g + 30 - 8, -3*g + 22 = -2*c. Let s = c - -12. Is s <= 1/3? False Let n(t) = 5*t**2 + t - 3. Let z(l) = l**2 + 1. Let d(h) = -n(h) - 2*z(h). Let u be d(1). Is -6 at least as big as u? True Let v be (-8)/(-44)*10/(-4). Is v at most -1? False Let b(

// c.js export const foo = {} export const yack = {} export { wolf as default } from './b'

Q: c++, object created on the heap vs. local - when returning a pointer This is a follow up question from Safe in C# not in C++, simple return of pointer / reference, Is this: person* NewPerson(void) { person p; /* ... */ return &p; //return pointer to person. } the same as? person* NewPerson(void) { person* pp = new person; return pp; //return pointer to person. } I know that the first one is a bad idea, because it will be a wild pointer. In the second case, will the object be safe on the heap - and like in c# go out of scope when the last reference is gone to it? A: Yes, the second case is safe. But the caller will need to delete the returned pointer. You could change this to use boost::shared_ptr and it will be destroyed when it is no longer in use: boost::shared_ptr<person> NewPerson() { boost::shared_ptr<person> pp = boost::make_shared<person>(); return pp; } If C++11 then you can use std::shared_ptr or std::unique_ptr. A: It's safe, the object will still be alive after the return. But don't expect the object to be automatically cleaned up for you in C++. Standard C++ does not have garbage collection. You'll need to delete the object yourself, or use some form of smart pointer.

{-# LANGUAGE TemplateHaskell #-} module Rattletrap.Type.Float32le ( Float32le(..) ) where import Rattletrap.Type.Common newtype Float32le = Float32le { float32leValue :: Float } deriving (Eq, Ord, Show) $(deriveJson ''Float32le)

Confirmed late Thursday, US software manufacturer Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC), the maker of the popular Norton Antivirus software, will be splitting the company into two publicly traded companies with specific focuses. Symantec announced that one firm would be focused on security while the other will be focused on information storage and management. Symantec had explored the possibility of spinoffs in the past, but had shelved the idea until now. The news of Symantec’s spinoffs came in lieu of other struggling technology companies, such as eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), spinning off their business divisions. The division of struggling technology firms’ core businesses seems to be a common trend and should prove to be a very economically efficient model. The splitting of the businesses would allow the new entities to become more focused on specific tasks leading to heightened efficiency and increased profitability hence making the company more appealing to investors and possible takeover offers. Currently, Symantec’s storage business accounts for 38% of Symantec’s revenues with an operating margin of 23%, but the company that is on most analysts’ radars is Symantec’s cyber security business. This division has really struggled as competition heats up with a new generation of cyber security firms such as FireEye (NASDAQ: FEYE) and Palo Alto Networks (NYSE: PANW), entering the market. According to analysts, Symantec is not as innovative as the other cyber security firms currently in existence. The newer firms are able to offer a new generation of products to businesses who are more worried than ever about the threats of cyber-attacks. Analysts also believe that Symantec’s security’s business model is not monetized as well as their competitors. As of now, Symantec has not decided on how to distribute the new shares among the two new companies. The spinoffs are expected to be finalized by December 2015.

The object of the proposed investigation is to gain additional insight into the molecular events and regulatory implications in messenger-RNA metabolism in cultured mammalian cells. Human (HeLa S3) cells infected by and rat embryo cells transformed by adenovirus will be employed in these investigations. In the lytic infection the following aspects of viral RNA metabolism will be explored. Transcription of the genome will be examined by electron microscopy following dispersal of nuclear contents. Processing of apparent large molecular weight nuclear-precursor RNA will be examined by analysis of 5'-termini and by analysis of RNA synthesized in the presence of adenosine analogues. Fate of cytoplasmic viral RNA will be determined in enucleated cells (cytoplasts). Much of the proposed study will depend upon limited RNA structure analysis, especially if viral RNA sequences which remain in the nucleus can be isolated. In addition, information bearing on the mechanism of formation of virions and restriction of host-cell RNA synthesis should also be elucidated. The feasibility of extending these investigations to adeno 2-transformed rat embryo cells, which will depend on the incorporation of sufficient radioactivity, will be constantly evaluated. These investigations should not only bear on the cell biological implications of the biogenesis of messenger-RNA but also on the infection and transformation of cultured mammalian cells. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Nuclear and cytoplasmic adenovirus RNA: Differences between 5'-termini of messenger and non-messenger transcripts. McGuire, P. M., Piatak, M. and L. D. Hodge. J. Mol. Biol. 101 379-396 (1976). Visualization of a unique adenovirus DNA-protein complex. O. L. Miller and L. D. Hodge. J. Cell Biol. 67 284a (1975).

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to gaming, and more particularly to a device and method for dispensing game tickets for playing games of chance for monetary prizes. 2. Description of the Prior Art Gaming is a widely popular form of entertainment and an economically important industry. State-run lotteries and other games of chance produce significant amounts of revenue for funding various socially beneficial activities such as education, economic development, etc. In the private sector, games of chance are often used for both fundraising and entertainment purposes. For example, various charitable, social and fraternal organizations purchase sets of game materials consisting of game cards and tickets. Game cards typically have break-open windows or scratch-off areas for concealing winning and losing symbols prior to purchase. Game tickets are typically folded and sealed for concealing winning and losing symbols prior to purchase. Players unfold them to reveal the symbols as the games are played. Winning game symbols typically entitle the players to monetary prize amounts. The games can be designed with predetermined payout percentages. The game operators are thus assured of predetermined profit amounts after all of the cards or tickets are sold and all of the prizes are awarded. The prior art includes various devices for packaging, promoting, displaying, and dispensing game cards and tickets. For example, folded-and-sealed tickets have for many years been placed in transparent glass and plastic jars, thus acquiring the designation "jar ticket". However, jars are not well suited for packaging with modern, high-speed packaging equipment. Moreover, jars can be impractical to ship due to their size, shape, weight, and susceptibility to breakage. Cardboard boxes are therefore preferred for packaging and shipping game cards and tickets. However, a disadvantage with many of the cardboard boxes currently used for packaging and shipping game cards and tickets is that they are not particularly convenient for dispensing tickets. Game operators must therefore transfer the cards and tickets to other containers, such as jars, for display and sale. Although this distribution system is in widespread use, the labor and inconvenience associated with handling and transferring large volumes of cards and tickets are significant disadvantages. The present invention addresses the disadvantages of previous devices and methods of packaging, shipping, displaying, and distributing cards and tickets for playing games of chance. Heretofore there has not been available a game ticket dispenser and dispensing method with the advantages and features of the present invention.

Q: Arrray of objects store same attributes in key I'm creating a javascript array of objects. Inside the objects i want one key with all the attributes associated with that key in the same bucket. For example food[{fruits: 'apples', 'bananas'}, {spices: 'chili', 'cajun'}] If the key is unique then add to the array otherwise just place in the same bucket. Code below $('.options li').each(function() { $name = $(this).parent().attr('id'); $attr = $(this).attr('data-attr'); food[$name] = $attr; }); Here is what i have code wise https://jsfiddle.net/fqyt18y7/ A: Working Fiddle To achieve this, you need to store each keyword with an array of its elements. Something like this should do the trick: $('.options li').each(function() { $name = $(this).parent().attr('id'); $attr = $(this).attr('data-attr'); // Check to see if this keyword has been used before // because if not, we need to store an empty array there if(typeof food[$name] === 'undefined'){ food[$name] = []; } // Add our element to that array food[$name].push($attr); });

Upper Macdonald, New South Wales Upper Macdonald is a small village 108 km north of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the City of Hawkesbury on the Macdonald River (a tributary of the Hawkesbury River) north of St Albans. The village used to be known as Howick. Upper Macdonald was counted as part of St Albans at the , which had a population of 305. References Category:Suburbs of Sydney Category:City of Hawkesbury Category:Hawkesbury River

1. Introduction {#sec1-nanomaterials-10-00919} =============== Biological apatite (non-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite) (BAp) is the main inorganic constituent in human bones and teeth \[[@B1-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Pure hydroxyapatite (HAp, Ca~10~(PO~4~)~6~(OH)~2~) has inorganic components of Ca and P ions; however, biological apatite is amorphous and contains several other ions, such as carbonate, Mg^2+^, SO~4~^3−^, Na^+^, CO~3~^2−^, K^+^ and Cl^−^, among others \[[@B2-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. In addition, the 2D plate-like structure is the predominant phase in biological apatite, due to its intrinsic tendency to grow in a plate-like structure under physiological conditions \[[@B2-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B3-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The fabrication of BAp with a similar chemical composition to natural bone with a controlled 2D plate-like structure is extremely difficult, especially when the mineralization occurs in a complex bioinspired condition. Designing BAp 2D nanoplates is a crucial factor for the improvement of its biological properties \[[@B2-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B5-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. It has been reported that the composition, size, shape and controlled structure of bioactive bone minerals play a crucial role in determining the physical and chemical properties enabling its biomedical applications \[[@B5-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Although there have been many attempts to synthesize BAp minerals with nanoplate morphology, the proposed methods are replete with several problems, including the use of a toxic template and an organic solvent, and creating hazardous by-products \[[@B5-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B6-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B7-nanomaterials-10-00919]\], and it is difficult to obtain a 2D plate-like structure simulating the morphology of natural bone \[[@B3-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B8-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B9-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. To drive homogeneous nucleation, a very high degree of supersaturation is required. This is dependent on the crystal-like arrangement and formation of ions meeting the thermodynamic criteria of the critical dimensions. Therefore, the synthesis of BAp nanocrystals using efficient green chemistry routes can be an alternative method of incorporating other biological minerals into precipitated bone minerals. Green synthesis has been intensively employed in recent studies because it is simple, biocompatible, eco-friendly and cost-effective \[[@B5-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B10-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Biomimetic synthesis of its outstanding properties, including the absence of toxic chemicals, high pressure, temperature and/or energy, and its ability to easily scale-up for the large-scale synthesis of nanomaterials \[[@B9-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Therefore, the ecofriendly synthesis method is employed in the present study to incorporate bone minerals and control the growth rate of crystal size. Polyphenolic provenance from plants is comprehensively employed in the synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials as stabilizing, reducing and chelating factors \[[@B11-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B12-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B13-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B14-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B15-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B16-nanomaterials-10-00919]\], and as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical and physical routes. Fenugreek (FG) is an annual plant belonging to the legume family, which has been used as one of the most promising traditional medicinal herbs. It has been widely used for medicinal purposes such as remedying pain, anti-cancer effects, anti-diabetic medication, anti-microbial effects and as an anti-oxidant reagent \[[@B17-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B18-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B19-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. This is due to the pharmacological activity of the major compounds in FG seeds, such as linoleic acid, palmitic acid, pinene, 4-Pentyl-1-(4-propylcyclohexyl)-1-cyclohexene and linoleic acid methyl ester \[[@B10-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B17-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B20-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. FG is also being studied for its cardiovascular benefits \[[@B18-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. In particular interest, previous studies including our own ([Table 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-t001){ref-type="table"}) showed that FG plants can be a good source of essential minerals, such as Mg^+2^, Zn^+2^, Ca^+2^, PO~4~^3−^, K^+^, Na^+^ and Fe^2+^ \[[@B17-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B18-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Therefore, the incorporation of such ions into the synthesized bone minerals can have a favorable impact on fast bone formation. On the other hand, it is speculated that, by increasing the concentration of the hydroxyl groups in the precursor solution, the interaction between the organic molecules existing in the FG extract and the metallic ions of the calcium phosphate is increased, which means higher interference by apatite crystals during the biosynthesis process. This phenomenon might lead to denser structures being formed by FG organic molecules of the BAp minerals. A denser structure leads to smaller interplanar spacings in the obtained bone minerals. Accordingly, the crystallite size can be reduced to its smallest size to obtain apatite with 2D fine plate-like structures. Controlling the structure of apatite crystals at the nano-level is vital for acquiring a favorable commercial product. In this work, BAp minerals with a 2D plate-like morphology mimicking the natural bones' composition and structural features, fabricated by biosynthesis of the plant extraction method, have been prepared successfully. The plant polyphenolics possess high cognation for metal ions because of the existence of the hydroxyl groups of phenolic compounds and their molecular structure. As an effort to prepare BAp 2D plate-like structures mimicking the morphology of biological apatite, a biosynthesis process was developed based on the use of natural macromolecules from FG extracts. The bioactive ceramic formed in FG extraction has been called biosynthesized BAp nanoplate, because its composition and structure are similar to those of natural bone rather than of sintered stoichiometric HAp, and it has important characteristics such as low crystallinity and nanoscale sizes that are important for the reabsorption and remodeling found in bone \[[@B21-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B22-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The BAp with the 2D nanostructures formed in this FG extract is believed to exhibit even higher bioactivity and biocompatibility than stoichiometric HAp \[[@B22-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B23-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Furthermore, BAp ultrafine 2D plate-like structures were prepared by employing FG seed extract using biosynthesis wet-chemical precipitation as a simple, efficient, economic and non-toxic route. 2. Materials and Methods {#sec2-nanomaterials-10-00919} ======================== 2.1. Biosynthesis Process {#sec2dot1-nanomaterials-10-00919} ------------------------- In total, 20 g of commonly used FG seeds were washed several times before being boiled for 15 min \[[@B24-nanomaterials-10-00919]\] in 100 mL Milli-Q water (18.2 MΩ·cm), as typically prepared in traditional medicine. The extracted solution was filtered twice through Whatman no. 1 filter paper. The extract solution was then used for the synthesis of BAp powders by the wet-chemical precipitation route, as described in our previous report \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Briefly, calcium cations (1 M Ca(NO~3~)~2~·4H~2~O) (Sigma Aldrich, South Korea) and phosphate anions (0.6 M (NH~4~)~2~HPO~4~) (Sigma Aldrich, South Korea) were separately dissolved in 100% concentration FG extract solution. The phosphate solution was added dropwise at a rate of 0.4 mL min^−1^, under vigorous mixing, into the calcium solution. Ca/P ratio was controlled to be 1.67, the stoichiometric value of HAp. The resultant precipitate slurries were dispersed in a mixing solution of pure Milli-Q water and ethanol (volume ratio = 1:1) and then left to dry in a vacuum for 24 h. The dried powder was further heat-treated at 650 °C for 4 h, with a heating rate of 20 °C/min \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The chemical element concentration of the FG seed extract and the biosynthesized powder (0.1 mg dispersed in 5 mL Milli-Q water) were analyzed at 670.783 nm wavelength using a Varian (Inc., Melbourne, Australia) Vista Pro (MPX) radial inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) instrument. Standards from 0 to 5 mg/L metallic ions were prepared from Fluka, TraceCERT 1000 mg/L stock standard. In addition, due to the limitation of ICP-OES in detecting SO~4~, Cl and CO~3~, the colorimetric analysis method was used to measure the concentration of these elements in both the FG extracts and obtained BAp powders. Electrical conductivity was measured by EC meter CM 40G Ver 1.09 (DKK TOA Co., Tokyo, Japan). The molecular structure of the FG seeds was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (Prestige-21 FTIR spectrophotometer) spectra in transmission mode. The morphology of the biosynthesized powders was examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) (SEM, JEOL JSM-6400, Tokyo, Japan) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM, CM 200, Philips, PA, USA). The phase composition, molecular structure and interactions of the obtained powders were analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD; Rigaku, Tokyo, Japan) and FTIR spectroscopy. 2.2. In Vitro Cell Culture {#sec2dot2-nanomaterials-10-00919} -------------------------- The cell culture was carried out by the indirect extraction method \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Briefly, the biosynthesized BAp powders were immersed in 70% (w/v) ethanol for 1h and air-dried for 48 h in a biosafety cabinet class II. Then, the apatite particles were dispersed in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (αMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) in a humidified incubator with 95% relative humidity and 5% CO~2~ at 37 °C, under shaking, for 4 days. Subsequently, the extraction of the previous step was centrifuged for 4 min at 1000 rpm. After incubation, the suspension extracts were used for culturing cells. 10 × 10^3^ MC3T3 cells in 20 µL culture medium were carefully pipetted into the 48 well-plate containing 1 mL extraction. After incubation for 1 and 3 days, live/dead and MTT assays were carried out. The stained scaffolds were further washed two times using Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) and observed under a confocal microscope (Nikon ECLIPSE Ti) at 10× magnification. PI stained red-colored dead cells (Exc/Em: 561 nm/570--1000 nm) and FDA stained green colored live cells (Exc/Em: 488 nm/500--550 nm) were observed at 200 µm depth. For SEM observation, at 1 and 3 days, the samples were fixed with 3% Glutaraldehyde in 0.1M Cacodylate buffer and sequentially dehydrated in ethanol (at 25%, 40%, 50%, 80%, 90% and 100%) and treated with hexamethyldisilazane for 1 h. Before SEM observation, the samples were coated to 10 nm thickness using gold sputtering. 3. Results and Discussion {#sec3-nanomaterials-10-00919} ========================= To investigate the elements' concentration, conductivity and chemical constituents at the molecule level of the FG seed extract, ICP-OES, FTIR and solution conductivity were performed. It seems that FG seed extract has an element concentration in this order: K \> Cl \> CO~3~ \> P \> Na \> SO~4~ \> Mg \> Ca, and a trace element of Fe and Zn ([Table 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-t001){ref-type="table"}). This is in a good agreement with the higher solution electrical conductivity of FG seed extract (1145 µS/m) than that of pure Milli-Q water as a control (93 µS/cm). This indicates that FG seed extract contains soluble metallic ions, resulting in an increased solution conductivity. Wave numbers of 569, 1050, 1250, 1330, 1397, 1545, 1651, 1746, 2956 and 3354 cm^−1^ of FG seeds were detected by the FTIR spectrum analysis ([Figure 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f001){ref-type="fig"}). This can be attributed to the existence of organic constituents (such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups) in FG seeds. The FTIR's characteristic peaks in the FG seeds were similar to those in the in situ plant cell wall. The distinctive band at 3354 cm^−1^ was due to the vibration of O--H. The presence of water resulted in a weak broad intensity peak in the FG seeds. The peaks located at 2956 and 1397 cm^−1^ are a signature of C--H vibration. The three peaks at 1746, 1397 and 1330 cm^−1^ indicated the presence of the carboxylic group. The existence of -O- was resolved by combining scans showing the peak located at 1050 cm^−1^ with the antisymmetric peak at 1250 cm^−1^ and the symmetric peak at 1050 cm^−1^. The band at 1651 cm^−1^ indicated the presence of the C=C in the material. The SEM images, shown in [Figure 2](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002){ref-type="fig"}A,B, show no significant difference between the biosynthesized bone mineral powder's distribution before and after heat sintering. Furthermore, it can be seen that a uniform distribution of nanoparticles was obtained ([Figure 2](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002){ref-type="fig"}A,B). To have a close look, the shape and the morphology of biosynthesized BAp powder was further investigated by TEM analysis. TEM results showed that the non-sintered (dried) and sintered (treated at 650 °C) powders had a 2D plate-like nanostructure morphology with an average width (or length) of 12.5 ± 2 and thickness of 3.8 ± 1.2 nm ([Figure 2](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002){ref-type="fig"}). However, the dried samples had a higher tendency to agglomerate ([Figure 2](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002){ref-type="fig"}A) than the sintered samples ([Figure 2](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002){ref-type="fig"}B). Although we have employed the exact chemical precipitation route which has been previously used in several reports, including ours \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B25-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B26-nanomaterials-10-00919]\], in the present study, we obtained 2D plate-like nanostructures with a smaller size. This is likely due to the contribution of FG extracts and their organic molecules, which controlled the bone mineral crystals' growth rate during the biosynthesis process. Formation of 2D plate-like nanostructures may be understood by the concept of driving force playing an important role in the structural changes of a material \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Driving force acting during the biosynthesis process of a material generally minimizes the surface area to maintain a smaller surface to volume ratio of the particle, resulting in the lower energy state of the obtained material, which means a more stable structure. Further discussion of the contribution of driving force and controlling the energy state of crystal growth of mineralized nanoparticles was detailed previously \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Notably, the morphology of apatite 2D plate-like nanostructures is similar to that of the apatite-like crystals in natural bones, though the plate size of the former is thinner than that of the latter \[[@B2-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B27-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The elemental analysis in mg/L of the obtained bonelike apatite nanoplates is summarized in [Table 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-t001){ref-type="table"}. From the obtained results, the obtained 2D nanoplates have most of the elements that are in natural bone. In addition, it is shown clearly that the Ca/P ratio is about 2.93, which is higher than that of stoichiometric HAp fabricated by a similar method. It is likely that the loading of other elements distracts the ratio of Ca/P in the fabricated BAp minerals. The EDS elemental analysis results of the obtained powders are shown in [Figure 2](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002){ref-type="fig"}C,D. From EDS analysis, the Ca, P and O elements are mainly derived from the Ca--P reagents; the C element is derived from FG extract, as verified by colorimetric analysis ([Table 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-t001){ref-type="table"}). In addition, it is obvious that the biosynthesized powders contained ion substitutions, such as Na, Mg and K. The fabricated bone mineral nanoplates showed a high content of potassium ions (822 mg/L), which were derived from FG seed extract ([Table 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-t001){ref-type="table"}). Previous epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that potassium ions have a crucial role in regulating the blood pressure of high blood pressure patients and reducing the stroke risk \[[@B28-nanomaterials-10-00919]\], reducing the demineralization of bone (osteoporosis), and reducing the formation of kidney stones \[[@B29-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The bone minerals prepared by the biosynthesis method produced a powder of a greenish-beige color \[[@B30-nanomaterials-10-00919]\] (inset of [Figure 3](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f003){ref-type="fig"}A,B). It is likely that the presence of Mg, K and Na compound content in the obtained BAp powder is responsible for producing the color, whereas the appearance of HAp powder obtained by free-FG extract is always white in color \[[@B2-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B27-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. These ions are derived from the FG extract solution used as the ion source during the reaction process ([Table 1](#nanomaterials-10-00919-t001){ref-type="table"}). FG seed extract has been reported to be generally a good source of inorganic minerals \[[@B17-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B18-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The formation of 2D plate-like morphology is therefore likely attributed to the effect of Mg^+^ ions \[[@B3-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B31-nanomaterials-10-00919]\], which are leached out of FG seeds and incorporated into the biosynthesized bone minerals. Furthermore, previous reports, including ours, have proved that these kinds of substitutions play crucial roles in the biological performance of the bone materials in comparison to pure stoichiometric Hap, and become similar to that of the natural apatite \[[@B2-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. In particular, Mg plays an important role in the early stages of osteogenesis, stimulating osteoblast growth and differentiation \[[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B32-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Sodium, available in abundance next to calcium and phosphorus, plays a significant role in bone metabolism and osteoporosis. Fe can be an interesting growth factor molecule related to selective activation of mechanosensitive ion channels using magnetic particles, as reported by Hughes et al. \[[@B33-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The final BAp biphasic powder was obtained as illustrated by XRD (JCPDS card: No. 09-0432) analysis ([Figure 4](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f004){ref-type="fig"}A). From X-ray diffractometry profiles, it is revealed that biosynthesis of BAp minerals using FG seed extract is a suitable method to produce bone mineral nanoplates before and after heat sintering. No noticeable diffraction peak appeared, other than that of the calcium phosphate phase structure; however, EDS showed doped trace elements in the fabricated bone minerals. This is likely due to the small amount of these elements that could not be detected by XRD. Thus, the calcium phosphate phase still has its crystal structure and there was no second phase to be detected after heat sintering. XRD was also used to characterize the crystal size. The Scherrer equation (Equation (1)) was applied to calculate the crystal size as follows:$$d = \frac{K\lambda}{B\ cos\theta}$$ where *d* is the average diameter, *K* is the shape factor, *B* is the FWHM of the diffraction peak measured in radios, *λ* is the wavelength of the X-rays and $\theta$ is the Bragg's diffraction angle. The diffraction peak at (0 0 2) plane was chosen for the calculation of crystallite size, since it is sharper and isolated from the others. It was found that the crystal size of biosynthesized 2D nanoplates was 5.75 and 5.53 nm before and after heat sintering, respectively. Such behavior is in good agreement with the FTIR analysis which was used to follow the evolution of the chemical compounds contained in the initial, and up to the final, BAp plate-like nanostructures. In particular, the FTIR spectrum of the non-sintered and sintered bone mineral nanoplates ([Figure 4](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f004){ref-type="fig"}B) shows peaks typical of carbonated apatite products, and the characteristic bands of carboxylic and carbonate (1400--1600 cm^−1^), phosphate (564, 603, and 900--1100 cm^−1^), amino (≈1405, 1600 and 3200 cm^−1^), hydroxide (630 and 3560 cm^−1^) and acetate (≈2810, 2307 cm^−1^) groups are distinguishable \[[@B27-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Together with the strong bands of the CO~3~^2−^ group at ≈1540 cm^−1^, this suggests that it is carbonated apatite \[[@B27-nanomaterials-10-00919]\] as expected, since the precipitation process involves organic reagents from FG extracts \[[@B25-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B26-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Therefore, the phase purity of the final biosynthesized powder in terms of chemical substitutions (HPO~4~^2−^ and CO~3~^2−^ can be present as partially substituting groups of PO~4~^3−^ and/or OH^−^ in the carbonated apatite structure) have been confirmed by the FTIR analysis. The existence of carbonate ions has remarkable advantages for bone mineral crystals in terms of excellent biocompatibility and high resorbability, which make it one of the best candidate materials as a bioresorbable bone substitute \[[@B27-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Furthermore, the addition of carbonate in the fabricated bioactive minerals affects the charge balance and crystal structure of the BAp \[[@B1-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B4-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The following mechanism of the formation of BAp 2D plate-like nanostructures can be proposed: the polyphenolic OH^−^ groups of FG extract produced a p-track conjugation effect and bound with Ca^2+^ ions to form Ca^−^ complex by the conjugation effect \[[@B17-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. During the addition of (NH~4~)~2~HPO~4~ to the Ca(NO~3~)~2~·4H~2~O) while both of them were dissolved in the FG extract solution dropwise, the negative PO~4~^3−^ of the group had an ionic interaction with positive Ca^2+^ ions for the formation of calcium phosphate--complex. Once the concentration of the Ca^2+^ and PO~4~^3−^ reached super saturation after the increase in the ion-release amount, bone mineral nucleates assembled into the nanoplates' structure with the growth in anisotropic characteristics of a, b and c- planes of apatite crystals. The greater concentration of reactants increased the saturation, resulting in the acceleration of the nucleation of nuclei formation than that of their growth. It is widely accepted that organic molecules adjust many aspects of BAp formation, including control of the phase, shape, orientation and organization of mineral deposits in mineralized tissues. The FG seed extract possesses high flavonoids and other natural bioactive products such as lignin, saponin and vitamins \[[@B11-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The reduction of chloroauric acid by using the powerful reducing agents in FG seed extract acts as a better eco-friendly surfactant \[[@B18-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B34-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B35-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. The carboxylic (COO^−^) group, CN and CC metabolites functional groups exist in the seed extract. The metabolites might act as a surfactant of the crystals and the flavonoids might stabilize the electrostatic stabilization of plate-like nanostructures \[[@B11-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B19-nanomaterials-10-00919]\]. Thus, the seed extract acts as a soft template and controls the growth formation of the BAp plate-like fine structure. The metabolites' interaction can form relatively tight coverage on the apatite plate-like surface to improve the surface's ordered structure and crystallinity. Finally, the resulting product was heat-treated at a higher temperature and the impure organics should be eliminated to get higher crystalline apatite phase structure. [Figure 5](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f005){ref-type="fig"}A--C presents the live/dead cytotoxicity assay results of the viability of the cells on the in vitro cell culture. The results indicate that the sintered BAp mineral 2D plate-like samples showed good viability over 1 and 3 days of culture, consistent with previous reports \[[@B36-nanomaterials-10-00919],[@B37-nanomaterials-10-00919]\], but with no significant difference compared to the control group (one way ANOVA, *p* \> 0.05). The quantification results of the MTT proliferation assay to investigate the metabolic activity of the osteoblast cells after 1 and 3 days of culture are shown in [Figure 6](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f006){ref-type="fig"}A. There was a statistical difference in the cell growth between the control (tissue culture plate) and sintered samples. An increase in cell growth was experienced between days 1 and 3 for sintered samples. This growth may indicate the active proliferation of the cells on the mineralized samples and the areas of the samples where calcification is denser. SEM images ([Figure 6](#nanomaterials-10-00919-f006){ref-type="fig"}B,C) of the osteoblast cells showed heather morphology and higher growth on BAp mineral 2D plate-like control samples with no significant difference, *p* \> 0.05. Based on the obtained results, BAp displayed the desirable properties for developing bioceramic bone implants. 4. Conclusions {#sec4-nanomaterials-10-00919} ============== Our goal in the present study was to synthesize carbonated bonelike apatite 2D plate-like nanostructures in the presence of fenugreek seed extract aqueous solution as a simple, eco-friendly and economic method. The method was successful in producing bone mineral 2D nanoplates very similar to the chemical composition and structure of natural biological apatite. The TEM analysis showed the presence of well-dispersed 2D plate-like structures in the size range of 12.67 nm, which aligned with the existence of FG organic molecules. Therefore, as anticipated, increases in the organic molecules' concentration can manipulate the role of hydroxyl pendant groups of FG extracts as a nucleation site for apatite crystals. Hence, more of the OH^−^ group enhances the formation of bone mineral 2D nanoplates in the reaction process, and it will hinder the absorption of Ca^2+^ on hydroxyl pendant groups located in the FG seeds extract. The formation of BAp nanoplates would be more sluggish while there is more intimate interaction between the organic molecules and ionic phases during the reaction. Thus, for the best interaction between both compartments while at the same time allowing the formation of BAp 2D nanoplates within the structure at a higher concentration of hydroxyl groups. The bone mineral 2D nanoplates synthesized by this green precipitation mediated method, with high potassium content besides other useful minerals, can be used as good biomaterials for various biomedical applications. The as-synthesized BAp nanoplates can also be used as a coating material or a nanofiller for orthopedic applications and further studies will be published later. Methodology and writing---original draft preparation, A.A.-h.; writing---review and editing, K.A.K.; project administration, H.F.; funding acquisition, B.A.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Award Number (15-BIO4042-02). The authors declare no conflict of interest. {#nanomaterials-10-00919-f001} {#nanomaterials-10-00919-f002} {#nanomaterials-10-00919-f003} {#nanomaterials-10-00919-f004} {#nanomaterials-10-00919-f005} {#nanomaterials-10-00919-f006} nanomaterials-10-00919-t001_Table 1 ###### Chemical analysis of fenugreek seed extract and biosynthesized BAp powders in mg/L. Samples Ca Fe K Mg Na P Zn SO~4~ Cl CO~3~ ------------------- ------ ------ ----- ---- ------ ------ ------ ------- ------ ------- FG seeds extracts 17 0.39 751 20 32.2 35 0.14 32 83.7 56 BAp minerals 2978 0.45 822 32 39.7 1014 0.24 38 78.5 169 Samples were analysed by ICP-OES, whereas, other results were analysed calorimetrically for SO~4~, Cl and CO~3.~

A moment of transitionUNHCR's Global report 2018 In the course of 2018, conflict, persecution and civil strife continued to uproot millions of people, in harrowing circumstances. By the end of 2018, the number of people of concern to UNHCR around the world—asylum-seekers, refugees, returnees, the internally displaced and stateless—had reached 74.8 million people, the highest figure ever. Over the year, with the support of host countries, committed donors, and other partners, UNHCR worked to provide lifesaving support, safeguard fundamental rights and build better futures for millions of refugees, returnees, internally displaced people and stateless persons. Lifesaving support Responding to emergencies Over the course of 2018, UNHCR and its partners responded to the needs of millions of displaced people affected by multiple and simultaneous emergencies worldwide. Meeting basic needs Over $34 million-worth of core relief items were dispatched from global stockpiles to 39 countries in 2018 reaching 5.2 million people. Expanding cash-based interventions UNHCR delivered $568 million in cash assistance to some of the most vulnerable people of concern, providing them with more choice in how to meet needs and prioritize expenditures, such as clothes, hygiene, communications, transport and school supplies. Shelter and settlement assistance UNHCR provided shelter to more than 3.4 million refugees in planned settlements. Water sanitation and hygiene In 2018, UNHCR supported 8.7 million people across 59 countries to access safe water and sanitation services. Safeguarding rights Identity management, registration and profiling Biometric records for 2.4 million people of concern were captured, raising the total number of individuals with biometric records in BIMS and IrisGuard (the iris scanning equipment used across operations in the Syria situation) to 7.2 million across 60 operations. Preventing and ending statelessness A reported 56,400 people who were formerly stateless or of undetermined nationality acquired nationality or had their nationality confirmed in 2018. Building better futures Access to quality education With the combined efforts of governments, UNHCR and partners succeeded in enrolling over 500,000 children in school in 2018, allowing refugees like Rihanna Siraj, a young refugee student who lives in Kakuma Refugee Camp, a chance to pursue her dreams of one day becoming a doctor. Livelihoods and economic inclusion UNHCR focused on ensuring the sustainability and efficacy of its economic inclusion and livelihoods initiatives across 75 countries, which benefited some 1.8 million people of concern and host community members. Resettlement and humanitarian admissions In 2018, 1.2 million refugees were in need of resettlement; more than 81,337 resettlement submissions were made to 29 resettlement States; but only 55,680 refugees were actually resettled to 27 countries—a 14% decrease compared to equivalent 2017 figures. Emergency Transit Mechanism UNHCR successfully evacuated over 2,200 vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers out of Libyato the Emergency Transit Mechanism in Niger for individual processing for resettlement; from there, some 1,000 people were resettled to third countries. Comprehensive solutions UNHCR facilitated voluntary repatriation—the preferred solution of many refugees—to countries including Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan. However, the number of returnees decreased from 667,400 in 2017 to 593,814 in 2018 – a 11% decrease compared with 2017. Local integration To support countries in providing options for local integration, UNHCR and partners contributed with financial and technical support to ensure that integration programming took into account the needs of both refugees and host communities. This was also a year of transformation. 2018 came to a close with the historic affirmation by the United Nations General Assembly of theGlobal Compact on Refugees, presenting a new set of opportunities to translate the principle of responsibility-sharing into concrete action. The Global Compact's four key objectives are to: (1) ease pressure on the host countries involved; (2) enhance refugee self-reliance; (3) expand access to third-country solutions; and (4) support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity. Despite the many challenges, long-standing host countries stood firm in their commitment to protection principles and humanitarian values. UNHCR is equally grateful for the generous and unyielding support of our donors. Without your trust, the urgent needs of the most vulnerable people of concern would remain unmet. By the end of 2018, UNHCR’s final budget reached $8.220 billion. All told, UNHCR received $4.184 billion in contributions, including $422.7 million from the private sector. When added to carryover and other amounts, UNHCR had funds available to it of $4.710 billion but In the face of growing needs, UNHCR was nevertheless left with a funding gap of 43%. Expenditure reached $4.226 billion with an implementation rate (expenditure over total funds available) of 90%. To maintain an effective response to refugee situations around the world, increasing the percentage of unearmarked funds is more vital than ever before. With the affirmation of the Global Compact on Refugees, we now have a framework to transform our response to major refugee situations around the world, including by broadening the base of support beyond traditional host, donor, and resettlement countries. The first Global Refugee Forum, to take place in December 2019, will offer an unprecedented opportunity to showcase, and further galvanize, innovative and tangible ways of applying the principles of solidarity and equitable burden- and responsibility-sharing in practice. "At this moment when division and intolerance have gained ground in many parts of the world, it is critical that we are able to demonstrate, in practical, meaningful ways, that international cooperation and multilateralism still work. By giving substance to the Compact, and working together to translate its promise into action, we can do just that—and help strengthen cohesion and build opportunities for millions of uprooted people and hosting communities worldwide." - Filippo Grandi, High Commissioner for Refugees Learn more about how UNHCR's work in 2018 impacted the lives of millions asylum-seekers, refugees, returnees, internally displaced and stateless persons by reading UNHCR's Global Report 2018 or visiting the Global Focus website.

Shared and Subject-Specific Dictionary Learning (ShSSDL) Algorithm for Multisubject fMRI Data Analysis. Analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from multiple subjects is at the heart of many medical imaging studies, and approaches based on dictionary learning (DL) are recently noted as promising solutions to the problem. However, the DL-based methods for fMRI analysis proposed to date do not naturally extend to multisubject analysis. In this paper, we propose a DL algorithm for multisubject fMRI data analysis. The proposed algorithm [named shared and subject-specific dictionary learning (ShSSDL)] is derived based on a temporal concatenation, which is particularly attractive for the analysis of multisubject task-related fMRI datasets. It differs from existing DL algorithms in both its sparse coding and dictionary update stages and has the advantage of learning a dictionary shared by all subjects as well as a set of subject-specific dictionaries. The performance of the proposed DL algorithm is illustrated using simulated and real fMRI datasets. The results show that it can successfully extract shared as well as subject-specific latent components. In addition to offering a new DL approach, when applied on multisubject fMRI data analysis, the proposed algorithm generates a group level as well as a set of subject-specific spatial maps. The proposed algorithm has the advantage of learning simultaneously multiple dictionaries providing us with a shared as well discriminative source of information about the analyzed fMRI datasets.

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Q: How do I mutate a value in a genetic algorithm using Gaussian distribution? I've been reading 'Introduction to Evolutionary Algorithms'. This method is stated, but not described, and I can't find anything more specific online. p44/45 of 2nd Ed for reference. adding to the current gene value an amount drawn randomly from a Gaussian distribution with mean zero and user-specified standard deviation Would be great to get the step by step, from initial to mutated value, including how Gaussian distribution works (or a link to something that could fill that gap). A: A gaussian distribution is that favorite curve from math and stats also known as the bell curve or a normal distribution. An example of this can be seen with the sum of rolling 10x 10 sided dice: From AnyDice output 10d10 What this means is that the amount of mutation for a gene is most likely very little. If you roll this set of dice 30 times, you'll get some data that looks like: 53, 38, 52, 62, 51, 50, 71, 44, 52, 55, 56, 45, 48, 67, 48, 63, 33, 40, 62, 60, 54, 48, 67, 60, 44, 63, 50, 50, 64, 56 Notice that most of these numbers are fairly close to the value of 55. Thats the key to this - you want a middle value. When doing a mutation on a gene that has a possible change of -10 .. +10 you want most of the chance to be about 0. Maybe some 1s, or 2s, or -1s, or -2s... but you don't want a +10 to have an equal chance of a mutation as a +1. So? How do you do this? In Java, one would use java.util.Random#nextGaussian(). That will give you a number that has a normal distribution with a mean of 0.0. You would take the value you get from nextGaussian(), and then... well, do math to it to get it into the range you want. Just because you're getting a number with a mean of 0.0 doesn't mean that any given value will be in a certain range. The specifics of the nextGaussian() for your chosen language is just a matter of finding the right library for the language. Its there somewhere. You may wish to browse the tag: normal-distribution on Stack Overflow filtered for your language to see if any of those questions specifically help you.

The invention relates to cover sleeves for pots, including flower pots. The invention arose from continuing development efforts directed toward providing cover sleeves for flower pots which are not only aesthetically pleasing but also provide functional advantages, ease of manufacture, and accommodate varying pot sizes including variances in standard sizes. The invention also arose out of continuing development efforts relating to the subject matter of commonly owned copending U.S. application Ser. No. 29/089,316, filed Jun. 12, 1998, incorporated herein by reference.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to devices used to interconnect the structural members of a building for the purpose of transferring forces between the structural members of a building, such as the wall of a building and the floor and/or roof framing systems. 2. Description of the Prior Art Buildings can be subjected to excessive natural or abnormal forces (seismic, wind, blast, etc.) with disastrous consequences. Investigations have found that "tilt-up" buildings, especially older buildings with timber framed roof framing systems, are vulnerable to damage and/or collapse during earthquakes. Tilt-up buildings typically consist of a structure that is constructed with concrete wall panels that are precast horizontally on the ground, and after curing, tilted up into place. Numerous tilt-up buildings are constructed with timber roof framing systems. One common type of timber roof framing system is referred to as a "panelized" system, and typically consists of longspan glulam beams, timber purlins, timber joists, and roof sheathing. The roof sheathing typically consists of 4'.times.8" sheets of plywood, and spans between the joists. The joists typically consist of 2.times.4's or 2.times.6's and span between the purlins. The purlins typically consist of 4.times.12's or 4.times.14's and span between the glulam beams. The plywood sheathing is typically oriented with the long dimension parallel to the joists, or perpendicular to the purlins. The joists are typically spaced 2 feet apart. The purlins are typically spaced 8 feet apart to accommodate the length of the plywood sheathing. The glulam beams are typically spaced 20 to 24 feet apart. Sections of the panelized roof are typically fabricated on the ground and raised into place with a crane or forklift. For installation purposes the joists and purlins are typically cut short to allow for field variations in the dimension between purlins and glulam beams. In areas subject to high seismicity the connections between the concrete wall panels of many tilt-up buildings and the timber roof framing systems are commonly deficient when gauged by the currently established seismic design standards and/or recommendations for such buildings, and may present for the potential of a partial or complete collapse of the building during an earthquake. More particularly, in many older tilt-up type buildings this connection typically consists of only the nailing between the roof sheathing and the timber ledger that is bolted to the wall panel. When the wall panels try to separate from the roof diaphragm and roof framing system during an earthquake, this type of connection will typically subject the ledgers to "cross grain bending", a mechanism which is highly vulnerable to failure, and may allow for the potential of a partial or complete collapse of the building. This type of connection has been specifically disallowed since adoption of the 1973 edition of the Uniform Building Code. It is generally recommended that tilt-up buildings with such deficiencies be retrofitted with new connections per the currently established seismic design standards and/or recommendations for such buildings. For tilt-up buildings with panelized roof framing systems, a common method of installing retrofit structural elements for the purposes of connecting the wall panels of these buildings to the roof diaphragms, for those wall panels oriented perpendicular to the joists or parallel to the purlins, consists of installing a series of timber struts that extend from the wall panel into the roof diaphragm. These struts are attached to the wall panels and interconnected with each other (across interceding purlins) with a variety of steel connection devices (plates, bent plates, holdowns, bolts, etc.). These connection devices are generally attached to the struts in an eccentric manner, but may be connected to the struts in a concentric manner. In some installations these steel connection devices include rods acting in tension and extending the full length of the struts. This assemblage of timber struts and connection devices and/or rods is referred to as a "dragline". There are a number of potential problems associated with the above described retrofit installation of draglines. The steel connection devices used to interconnect the struts of a dragline are subject to improper installation, especially when a dragline is installed in a difficult location. In such situations the connection devices are prone to being improperly located, or aligned, and the bolt holes for the connection devices are prone to being oversized. Ideally, the timber struts of a dragline should each be sized on an individual basis to fit precisely and tightly between two adjacent purlins, or between a purlin and a ledger. In practice, however, these struts are generally cut short to facilitate and expedite installation, and unless adequate shimming is provided at the end bearings of the timber struts, such practices provide for a poor overall dragline installation. In general, the proper installation of timber struts is relatively labor intensive and costly, especially when the strut ends must be cut at skewed angles to match existing conditions, or installed in difficult locations. Ideally, draglines should be installed with nailing between the timber struts and the roof diaphragm (plywood sheathing). Such installations provide for a direct transfer of the seismic loads generated by a wall panel to the roof diaphragm during an earthquake. Typically, due to the costs and potential leakage problems associated with the removal and replacement of roofing, the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the timber struts is often omitted. When draglines are installed without any nailing between the roof diaphragm and the timber struts, the seismic loads generated by a wall panel during an earthquake are transferred to the roof diaphragm via mobilization of the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins connected to the draglines. In order to properly transfer these loads through the dragline, the end bearings of the timber struts must be tight. If the timber struts have been cut short and the end bearings have not been shimmed tight, then the purlins may be subjected to rotation, and the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins may be subjected to unintended forces. This condition may potentially degrade the capacity of the purlins, as well as degrade the capacity of the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins. In practice, the timber struts of a dragline are frequently cut short, the end bearings are not shimmed tight, and the timber struts are not nailed to the diaphragm, resulting in a dragline installation that may not provide for the adequate transfer of seismic forces between a wall panel and a roof diaphragm. Even if the timber struts are initially installed with tight end bearings, it is frequently the case that the timber struts are installed "green" and later shrink, leaving a gap at the end bearings, as they dry out. This can be avoided by using timber struts that have been pre-dried (kiln dried), or are non-shrink (Parallams), however the cost of these materials is significantly greater than that of green timber. Typically, draglines are only designed for tension loads, and the struts are interconnected eccentrically. Recent investigations and studies of earthquake damaged tilt-up type buildings have recommended that draglines be designed for both tension and compression forces, and interconnected concentrically. Such recommendations intend to provide for a positive means of transferring the compression loads generated by a wall panel during an earthquake to the roof diaphragm, and eliminate problems associated with eccentric interconnections. The installation of concentric interconnections, and interconnections that are capable of resisting compression loads, incurs additional costs due to added steel connection devices, added shimming of strut end bearings, and added installation time. In summary, the above described dragline installation is difficult to install, labor intensive, costly, and the installed quality is subject to significant variation. In practice, draglines are typically installed without any nailing between the roof diaphragm and the timber struts. For this condition the seismic tension loads generated by a wall panel during an earthquake are transferred to the roof diaphragm by mobilizing the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins attached to the dragline, and the roof joists adjacent to the dragline. In order to properly transfer these loads through the dragline, the end bearings between the timber struts of the dragline and the purlins must be tight, or must be shimmed tight. Generally, the end connections used to secure the timber struts to the purlins or ledgers are inadequate in resisting and transferring the seismic design forces associated with a dragline. Unless the end bearings between the timber struts of the dragline and the purlins, as well as the end bearings between the roof joists and the purlins, are tight, or have been shimmed tight, the purlins may be subjected to unintended rotation and the nailing between the roof diaphragm and purlins may be subjected to unintended forces, and thus potentially degrade the capacity of the purlins, as well as degrade the capacity of the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins.

// RUN: %clang_cc1 -triple x86_64-apple-darwin10 -fsyntax-only -verify -fblocks %s // RUN: %clang_cc1 -fsyntax-only -verify -fblocks -fobjc-arc %s // expected-no-diagnostics struct X { __unsafe_unretained id object; int (^ __unsafe_unretained block)(int, int); }; void f(struct X x) { x.object = 0; x.block = ^(int x, int y) { return x + y; }; }

Q: Actionscript 3: How do I get date from server (not client) I am working on a Christmas calendar for my school, when I noticed that, the Date-class is not what I though it was. It gets the time from the client CPU, and that won't do. So, I been looking around on the web, but there have been no good answers (at least that I could make any sense of). So here it is: How do i get the time and date (*) in UTC +1, from the server my flash-program are hosted, or some external time-server? *In UNIX-time, or somehow else actionscript 3 can understand My search for answers had suggestions for some php-scripts, but i don't understand how to use that (there where a few examples, but they where in AS2). A: A more secure way of doing this (eg not using flash vars which can be tampered with), would be to create a very simple server page (outputs plain text instead of html) that outputs the date, then load that into flash with a loader and parse it into a native Date object. The flash side would look like this: var loader:URLLoader = new URLLoader() loader.load(new URLRequest("your server page")) loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, onLoaded) function onLoaded(evt:Event){ var date:Date; try{ date = new Date(Number(loader.data)); //need to cast the loader data as a number }catch(e:Error){ } if(!date){ //your output from the server isn't formatted in a way flash can convert it date = new Date(); //use local time } } The reason for using try/catch, is because if output from the server isn't a valid date it will throw an error when trying to convert it. If an error is thrown anywhere inside of a try block, it will exit at the line of the error (skip the rest of the code) and run what is in the catch block. If there is no error in the try block, the code in the catch block will never run. With PHP (though I don't have php anywhere handy to check so this may need to be corrected by someone, and it's been about 10 years since I've programmed with it) <?php header("Content-Type: text/plain"); print time() * 1000; ?>

Oh bummer! Your club manager (your network) seems to have blocked access to the pitch, you need web sockets access to play this game in your browser.

Implicit semantic perception in object substitution masking. Decades of research on visual perception has uncovered many phenomena, such as binocular rivalry, backward masking, and the attentional blink, that reflect 'failures of consciousness'. Although stimuli do not reach awareness in these paradigms, there is evidence that they nevertheless undergo semantic processing. Object substitution masking (OSM), however, appears to be the exception to this rule. In OSM, a temporally-trailing four-dot mask interferes with target perception, even though it has different contours from and does not spatially overlap with the target. Previous research suggests that OSM has an early locus, blocking the extraction of semantic information. Here, we refute this claim, showing implicit semantic perception in OSM using a target-mask priming paradigm. We conclude that semantic information suppressed via OSM can nevertheless guide behavior.

Remote astrocytic response as demonstrated by glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry in the visual cortex of dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus lesioned rats. The reaction of astroglia was investigated after unilateral destruction of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the primary visual cortex of adult albino rats. The destruction of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus was performed by stereotaxic injections of ibotenic acid, and the location was verified in Nissl stained sections in each animal. Electron microscopic observations demonstrated the presence of degenerating axon terminals surrounded by hypertrophic astroglial processes mainly in layers III and IV of the ipsilateral primary visual cortex. The ipsilateral (impaired) and contralateral (control) sides of the primary visual cortex showed light microscopically a clearly differing appearance and distribution of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity 7 to 11 days after the unilateral injection of ibotenic acid into the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Whereas the control side of the primary visual cortex showed GFAP staining only in the subpial zone of layer I and close to the white matter, all layers of the impaired cortex showed an intense GFAP immunoreactivity. The increase in immunoreactivity was confined to the primary visual cortex. The extent of and increase in immunoreactivity was corroborated by image analysis. These findings were interpreted as a localized hypertrophy of astroglia caused by the anterograde degeneration of geniculocortical terminals. This hypertrophy is accompanied by an increase in GFAP, which may represent the stabilization of the cytoskeleton of newly formed glial processes involved in the rearrangement of the impaired neuropil.

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Looking for information about COVID-19 and how it affects Hot Springs? Most of our attractions & businesses are now open to some extent, with modifications to service. Please call ahead to any business or attraction you are interested in visiting to check on recent updates to their availability of services, or any special guidelines or accommodations they have chosen to put in place, such as mask requirements, maximum occupancy, or curbside/delivery. Business owners, please visit southernhillsdevelopment.com for a comprehensive collection of information to assist you. Thank you Southern Hills Economic Development (SHEDCO) for compiling this.

Atrial natriuretic peptide in brain preoptic areas: implications for fluid and salt homeostasis. The influence of adrenalectomy and mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid treatment on atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentration of 18 microdissected rat brain nuclei was investigated. Adrenalectomy increased ANP levels highly in those brain areas that control water intake (the subfornical organ and supraoptic nucleus) and in the drinking center (the perifornical nucleus and the lateral hypothalamus). In all of these brain regions, aldosterone elevated ANP levels in intact animals. Adrenalectomy decreased ANP levels markedly in the OVLT and preoptic periventricular nucleus, which constitute the so-called AV3V region. The ANP level of these two brain areas was nearly restored to baseline levels both after administration of sodium chloride and after replacement of aldosterone, whereas dexamethasone treatment failed to have any effect.

The NFL announced on Monday that more Johnny Manziel No. 2 Cleveland Browns jerseys were sold on NFLShop.com during the first quarter of the league's fiscal year than any other player's jersey. Manziel topped Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (No. 2), San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (No. 3) and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (No. 4). Only two jerseys of defensive players were in the top 10. The jerseys of Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam, the first openly gay man drafted, were fifth and sixth, respectively. Aside from those of Wilson and Sherman, three other Seahawks jerseys finished in the top 25, the most of any team. The "12th Fan" jersey finished 10th, running back Marshawn Lynch's was 11th and safety Earl Thomas's was 20th on the list.

Refried beans, soup, risotto, cheese and cornbread — those items may seem like innocuous vegetarian foods, but a lot of restaurants integrate animal fat or meat-based broths into them. (And, in case you didn’t know, many cheeses, including Parmesan, contain rennet, which is cultivated from calf stomach.) If you’re a vegetarian, how do you know what you’re really eating? For instance, Husk Restaurant’s cornbread is made with bacon fat — that’s why it tastes so good — but the menus at its locations in Greenville, South Carolina, and Nashville read as if it might be vegetarian (those dishes don’t contain bacon crumbles), but at its sites in Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, explicitly list bacon on the menu. grandriver via Getty Images Cracker Barrel’s corn muffins contain bacon drippings, but it isn’t mentioned on the menu. On the other hand, Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles and Dirty Bird’s cornbreads are free of animal fat. But how is a consumer really supposed to know? Recently, restaurant transparency has become more common, especially at fast-casual chains. In May 2018, the Food and Drug Administration created a rule stating that restaurants that are part of a chain with 20 or more fixed locations must disclose calories for “standard menu items listed on menus and menu boards.” Some restaurants have taken the measure further by making allergen matrices and vegetarian/vegan info available to the public through their websites. Moe’s Southwest Grill does one of the best jobs of fast-casual Mexican chains in offering a section for special diets — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nutrient-dense and keto. Its customizable vegetarian section mentions that the chain works with a nutritionist, and its cheeses and sour cream are animal rennet-free. Also, it cooks meat and veggies on separate grills. Moe’s chief marketing officer, Verchele Wiggins Roberts, told HuffPost the company introduced the special menus late last year. “We noticed through web analytics that the Nutrition Calculator was one of the most visited pages on our website, so that tipped us off that there was an opportunity to better show our guests how to use our menu to better fit their lifestyle,” she said. Like Chipotle, it offers organic tofu and more than 20 other vegetarian-friendly items. “At Moe’s, it’s really important for us to be transparent about our ingredients because we want to educate our fans on the ease of dining at Moe’s, no matter what your lifestyle.” Other Mexican chains are (mostly) doing a good job of catering to vegetarians. Chuy’s refried beans don’t contain pork fat (but some of their cheeses do contain rennet); Qdoba’s website could be more detailed with vegetarian info, but a representative told HuffPost that its cheeses contain no rennet, the tortilla soup is made with vegetable broth and the refried beans do not have pork fat. Mistakes have led to better transparency. This level of transparency hasn’t always existed, though. In 2011, Chipotle came under fire when a customer discovered the pinto beans he had been consuming for years had bacon in them; the secret ingredient wasn’t stated on in-store menus. The outrage encouraged Chipotle to transform the beans into a vegetarian dish beginning in 2013. Thunderdome Restaurant Group, based in Cincinnati, manages more than 30 restaurant locations nationwide, which includes concepts Bakersfield (tacos), The Eagle (fried chicken), Currito (fast-casual burritos) and Krueger’s Tavern. In 2015, a few months after it opened in Cincinnati, Krueger’s offered a polenta cake side (braised fennel and olives, tomato sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano) but left out the fact the sauce contained bacon. Paul Grossmann via Getty Images Many cornbreads are made with bacon fat or lard. (Even your store-bought mixes aren't safe: Jiffy contains hydrogenated lard.) “I don’t know what happened. It might have been an oversight,” Joe Lanni, Thunderdome co-founder, told HuffPost. “We’re pretty sensitive to all that kind of stuff.” (The item remains on the menu and now mentions the bacon.) Every day, Lanni fields ingredient-based questions from customers, and he and the staff consider customers’ special diets when developing recipes. “This is something we’re thinking about: How are we going to list it on the menu, and how are we going to make sure people know? ... People want to know what’s in [their food]. It’s just a reality of doing business today. People are asking for it, and you need to arm your staff with that information. Otherwise, you’re not doing a great job for your guests.” Not all restaurants fall under the legislation that requires transparency. New York City chainlet Xi’an Famous Foods believes in transparency. On its website, the restaurant elucidates dishes that are vegetarian and vegan. This is because in 2017, NYC Health passed legislation that requires chains with 15 or more locations to display nutritional info (Xi’an wavers between 14 and 15 locations). However, right now no legislation exists that would force restaurants to exhibit vegetarian info. “I think restaurant owners have the same amount of obligation to inform guests just as if my grandmother is cooking and telling us what’s in what dish she serves to family,” said Jason Wang, Xi’an’s founder and CEO. “I am not opposed to legislation that requires everyone to disclose info, but I just believe it should be fair and required for all.” Only a few of Xi’an’s dishes are vegetarian. Its spicy and sour spinach dumplings — stuffed with ground spinach and vermicelli noodles — sounds like it’s vegetarian, but Wang said the sour and spicy dumpling broth is simmered in the same water that its lamb dumplings are cooked in. Wang said adding the meat ingredient to the menu description would make it “verbose,” and he hoped Xi’an’s diners would already be familiar with what’s in the soup. He thinks one reason restaurants have become more limpid with ingredients is because of competition. “For example, if a burger has less calories and less fat and less sodium than a competitor’s and tastes just as good or better, it’s a competitive edge,” he said. If non-chains want to comply with providing nutritional info, it generates an obstacle that small businesses might not be able to afford. “Think of the ethnic food establishments,” Wang said. “Will they have enough expertise to follow all of the regulations there are now? What we will see is a decline of these establishments, and that’s a shame.” How does a diner avoid accidentally ordering an item made with an animal product? Asking the wait staff questions about the menu seems like the ideal approach, but Wang said it’s more complicated than that. “In this labor market, to have very dedicated servers that know enough about the food is an unspoken challenge that plagues most operators,” he said. “The simple answer is, have better-trained staff,” Wang added. “The realistic situation is that there’s just difficulties to that, due to qualified labor shortages. A lot of [mistakes] that make it to the news, I believe are due to lack of qualified labor in the economy. Automation helps, such as presenting ingredients’ information to people using technology.”

Spectroscopic study on the enzymatic degradation of a biodegradable composite periodontal membrane. The enzymatic in vitro degradation of a commercial biodegradable hydroxyapatite (HA)-polymer (poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-poly(oxyethylene)(POE)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) block copolymer) composite membrane was investigated by Raman and IR spectroscopies in two enzymatic solutions at 37 degrees C: esterase and alpha-chymotrypsin in saline phosphate buffer (SPB, pH 7.4). The degradation was found to be faster in the enzymatic medium than in SPB and alkaline solutions. The fastest degradation rate was observed in esterase solution. The trend of properly chosen Raman and IR intensity ratios was evaluated to go deeper inside the degradation mechanism: both polymeric and apatitic components were found to be involved in degradation. The former underwent preferential degradation of POE blocks, while HA is removed by the degradation medium faster than the polymer. Vibrational spectroscopy proved a valid tool for investigating the degradation of the membrane.

Cordwood Point Cordwood Point is a promontory of Cheboygan County that extends out into Lake Huron. Located 6.5 miles (10.5 km) east of Cheboygan, it marks the east end of the South Channel, the southernmost navigational channel of the Straits of Mackinac. The point has been subdivided into real estate for cabins and summer residences. U.S. Route 23 serves the point and its small settlement. The point's name reflects the need of pioneer steamboats to be fueled with cordwood. Small steamboats would stop here at now-long-vanished wharves and fuel up. Later technology moved the primary fuel supply of Lake Huron steamboats from wood to coal, and the cordwood trade dwindled and died. When the county was organized into townships, Cordwood Point became part of Benton Township. Poe Reef Light, the midchannel lighthouse in the South Channel, stands 2.6 miles northwest of Cordwood Point. References Category:Landforms of Cheboygan County, Michigan Category:Peninsulas of Michigan

Jon Hand, and Victoria E. Freile Democrat and Chronicle A drunk University of Rochester student took an ambulance for a brief joy ride early Thursday morning before crashing into a flower bed and getting arrested by Rochester police, officials said. Robert C. Cordaro Jr., 22, a senior from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, pleaded not guilty in City Court Thursday morning to charges of third-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal mischief, both felonies, according to City Court records. He's also accused of driving while intoxicated and driving with a blood alcohol content greater than .08 percent, both misdemeanors, and is facing numerous vehicle and traffic violations, including speeding. Rochester Police Capt. Gary Moxley said a Rural/Metro ambulance crew responded to 740 Library Road on the UR River Campus shortly after 2:15 a.m. to treat an intoxicated male. While the ambulance crew was assisting that person, a 22-year-old man jumped inside the ambulance and drove away, making it about a quarter-mile before "leaving the roadway and getting stuck in a flower bed on Trustee Road," Moxley said. The ambulance, which is worth about $100,000, was damaged in the crash and had to be towed. Cordaro was uninjured when he was found behind the ambulance wheels by UR safety officers. According to court records, Cordaro told officers he had been drinking and that taking the ambulance was "stupid." Court documents show his BAC was more than twice the legal threshold for DWI more than an hour after the crash. According to UR athletics' website, Cordaro was a member of the Yellowjackets' football team. He was remanded to the Monroe County Jail in lieu of $1,500 cash bail or bond and is scheduled to return to City Court on Monday morning. This isn't the first time in recent months that a university student was accused of stealing an ambulance while intoxicated. Colin A. Dahlberg, 23, of Pittsford, a student at the State University College at Geneseo, allegedly stole an ambulance and drove it around Geneseo while using the ambulance radio. He's facing four felonies and two misdemeanors, including two driving while intoxicated charges, and is due to appear in Livingston County Court next week. JHAND@Gannett.com VFREILE@Gannett.com

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Introduction {#section1-0963689719854363} ============ Urethral strictures represent a pathologic narrowing of the urethral lumen. This pathology affects mainly men and is manifested by lower urinary tract symptoms: poor stream, hesitancy, terminal dribbling, incomplete voiding, etc^[@bibr1-0963689719854363]^. Female urethral strictures are rare. Urinary tract infections, overactive bladder, and stress incontinence are common conditions affecting women´s urinary tracts^[@bibr2-0963689719854363]^. Management of the female urethral strictures involves urethral dilatation and urethral reconstruction using vaginal flaps, vaginal grafts, and oral mucosal grafts^[@bibr3-0963689719854363]^. In men, iatrogenic injury is the most common cause of urethral stricture followed by idiopathy, trauma, and inflammation. Systemic diseases (e.g., lichen sclerosus) can also lead to urethral strictures. Scarring of the urethral tissue is the causative process leading to the replacement of the vascular tissue of the corpus spongiosum, which leads to ischemic spongiofibrosis of the urethra. Urethral stricture is often manifested by other complications that can be presented as recurrent or chronic infection, the formation of bladder calculi, fistulas, development of sepsis, or renal failure. Therefore, urethral strictures present a serious health condition that significantly impairs quality of life and may lead to the failure of vital organs if left untreated^[@bibr4-0963689719854363]^. It is estimated that the incidence of the urethral strictures is approximately 1% in males over the age of 55. However, the real incidence of male urethral stricture disease is unknown and strongly depends on certain populations, geography, and income^[@bibr5-0963689719854363]^. The choice of surgical technique depends on the location and length of the stricture. Approximately 50% of urethral strictures are located in the bulbar urethra, 30% in the penile urethra, with the rest in a combination of both. There is a significant interest in optimizing surgical techniques to avoid further interventions and obtain a satisfactory high long-term success rate. Urethral dilatation and direct visualization internal urethrotomy are the preferred techniques for urethral stricture management. However, the management of long urethral strictures remains challenging, as outcomes seem to be poor^[@bibr6-0963689719854363],[@bibr7-0963689719854363]^. The success rate of urethroplasty techniques is between 80--90%. The outcomes of anastomotic and graft substitution urethroplasties showed a satisfactory long-term success rate. In pioneering works, different tissues such as the buccal mucosa and free-skin grafts have been applied to treat these pathological conditions. However, both are accessible in limited quantities and their utilization is accompanied by donor site morbidity and various post-surgery complications, so alternative treatment procedures are needed to improve long-term outcomes^[@bibr8-0963689719854363],[@bibr9-0963689719854363]^. Tissue engineering (TE) offers several promising approaches that may help to overcome these problems. TE, in the context of the urethral repair, uses different cell types alone or in combination with different functional biomaterials and specific growth factors to engineer functional urethral tissue suitable for transplantation purposes. Choosing the right cell type together with a supporting matrix (scaffold) is a crucial step in urethral TE^[@bibr10-0963689719854363][@bibr11-0963689719854363]--[@bibr12-0963689719854363]^. So far, there have been only a few clinical studies describing the use of cell-seeded templates in urethral reconstruction. Cells isolated from the buccal mucosa and bladder tissue were applied^[@bibr13-0963689719854363]^. According to our search criteria, only one article describing clinical application on in vitro cultivated cells was suitable for review. The main goal of this article is to focus on the various types of cells involved in urethral reconstruction using approach of TE. Materials and Methods {#section2-0963689719854363} ===================== Literature search methodology {#section3-0963689719854363} ----------------------------- A search was performed (3 January 2019) of the PubMed/Medline databases. Keywords related to TE were combined with synonyms for the urethra, urethral tissue, urothelium, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), stem cells, and urethral TE. The search was restricted to the last 10 years, the English language, and studies performed on humans or animals. A Prisma Flow Diagram represents the outline of the literature search ([Figure 1](#fig1-0963689719854363){ref-type="fig"}). {#fig1-0963689719854363} Results {#section4-0963689719854363} ======= Urine-derived stem sells {#section5-0963689719854363} ------------------------ Urine-derived stem cells (UDSCs) were the point of interest in the following studies. Either human or animal urine samples were the source of these cells. Urethral catheterization, spontaneously voided urine, bladder irrigation, and bladder washing were the methods used for urine harvesting. To collect the cells, urine samples were centrifuged. Cells were cultured in initiation media, which mainly consisted of a mixture of embryonic fibroblast (EFM) and keratinocyte serum free medium ([Figure 2](#fig2-0963689719854363){ref-type="fig"}). {#fig2-0963689719854363} Tayhan et al. used six fresh urine samples harvested from healthy patients via urethral catheterization. Human UDSCs and urine-derived urothelial cells were studied. Immunocytochemical analysis was performed to characterize isolated cells. Antibodies against cytokeratin 7 were used as urothelial cell markers. Antibodies against CD45 and CD90 were used to determine the presence of the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Results showed that epithelial cell colonies were observed up to 2 days after initial seeding. Overall, 80--90% confluency of human UDSCs was reached within 12 days. Some of these cells were also positive for cytokeratin 7. Those that were positive for CD90 were negative for CD45. This study demonstrated the presence of both cell types in fresh urine samples^[@bibr14-0963689719854363]^. Yang et al. also focused on the characterization of UDSCs, but in this study cells were of the animal origin (rabbit). A total of 12 urine and 13 bladder wash samples were used for cell isolation. For the characterization, cell proliferation assay, flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry were used. A differentiation experiment was also performed and stem cells were successfully differentiated into smooth muscle, urothelial, and osteogenic cell lines^[@bibr15-0963689719854363]^. UDSCs seeded on small intestinal submucosa (SIS) were examined in two studies^[@bibr16-0963689719854363],[@bibr17-0963689719854363]^. The aim was to engineer a cell-seeded construct that could be applicable for urethral repair. In one study, modified three-dimensional (3D) porous SIS was colonized with human UDSCs, which were differentiated into urothelial and smooth muscle cell lines. The cell source was 12 voided urine samples. The culture medium for smooth muscle differentiation consisted of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium, EFM, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). Cells were analyzed after 7 and 14 days. Cell-seeded constructs were cultured under static and dynamic conditions and also applied in vivo. To confirm urothelial and myogenic differentiation, immunohistochemical tests were performed. The results showed the multilayered mucosal structure was formed under dynamic conditions with similar features to the native urothelial tissue^[@bibr16-0963689719854363]^. In another study, autologous rabbit UDSCs were obtained from bladder irrigation solution samples. The media for urothelial and smooth muscle differentiation were the same as in the study above. Seeded UDSCs were labeled with PKH67 to establish cell differentiation. Labeled cell-seeded constructs were transplanted into rabbits to repair the ventral urethral defect. Histological analyses and retrograde urethrograms were performed at various time points. The results revealed that transplanted UDSCs could differentiate into required cell lineages and, when seeded on SIS, the urethral defect could be regenerated^[@bibr17-0963689719854363]^. Using human UDSCs to optimize their differentiation into a functional urothelium together with the emphasis on proper urothelial barrier function was the main aim in the study Wan et al. carried out^[@bibr18-0963689719854363]^. The harvested stem cells were cultured both under static and dynamic conditions for 1, 2, or 3 weeks. The following media were used for induction of the UDSCs: conditioned medium obtained from urothelial cells, induced medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor (EGF), and conditioned medium from SMCs supplemented with EGF. An orbital shaker was used for culturing under dynamic conditions. Stem cells were also seeded on a scaffold generated from SIS as well as on the Transwell system to form a multilayered uroepithelium in vitro. Successful differentiation was confirmed via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunofluorescent staining. Permeability assays and transmission electron microscopy were used to assess the properties of the urothelial barrier function. Required phenotypical and functional features were observed in induced UDSCs. When seeded on SIS, induced UDSCs were able to form a multilayered urothelium within 14 days. The role of the bioreactors and mechanical stimuli in TE {#section6-0963689719854363} -------------------------------------------------------- Use of the bioreactor and the influence of in vitro mechanical stimuli was tested in the following studies. Cattan et al. observed terminal urothelium differentiation in engineered tubular grafts that were subjected to dynamic culture conditions. The graft was composed of human dermal fibroblasts and human urothelial cells. No exogenous scaffolding was used. Fibroblasts were cultured for 1 month until they formed tissue sheets. These sheets were subsequently placed on a tubular support and left to mature for another 3 weeks. After this, intraluminal seeding with human urothelial cells was performed. This construct was placed in the bioreactor in which dynamic flow and hydrostatic pressure acted on the graft for 14 days. Histology, immunofluorescence, and RT-PCR were performed as well as electron microscopy and permeation studies. Terminal urothelium differentiation was determined in the results of this study^[@bibr19-0963689719854363]^. In another study, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and sorted primary epithelial cells were seeded onto a biodegradable poly-glycolic acid (PGA) scaffold and constructs were placed in the bioreactor. The PGA scaffold had a fibrous tubular structure and layered seeding technology was used to load both types of the cell onto the scaffold. Constructs in a bioreactor were subjected to a mechanical extension. Engineered grafts were applied in vivo (beagle dogs) to repair a 1 cm-long urethral defect. Results showed a positive effect of the mechanical extension on viability and differentiation capability of ADSCs. The use of mechanical stimuli together with cell sorting of primary epithelial cells resulted in the successful engineering of the two-layered epithelial-muscular urethra^[@bibr20-0963689719854363]^. The bioreactor was also used in another study in which ADSCs were seeded on a PGA mesh. The goal was to engineer a muscular tube suitable for potential urethral repair. Adipose tissue was harvested from the inguinal regions of adult dogs and the first passage of the isolated stem cells was used for seeding. When induced by 5-azacytidine, ADSCs acquired a myoblast phenotype. The cell-scaffold construct was statically cultured for 7 days and subsequently placed into the bioreactor to be subjected to the mechanical extension for another 5 weeks. The muscular tubes of the urethra were successfully engineered and the importance of the mechanical stimuli on the tissue maturation was highlighted^[@bibr21-0963689719854363]^. Seifarth et al. applied a bioreactor-based technique of mechanotransduction to achieve the bi-directional orientation of porcine bladder SMCs within a structure of the tubular biohybrids. SMCs were isolated from porcine bladders and seeded onto tubular fibrin-poly(vinylidene fluoride) scaffolds. The engineered biohybrid was mechanically stimulated using a balloon kyphoplasty catheter. The bursting pressure together with the permeability of urea and creatinine was also evaluated. The results showed the bidirectional orientation of the primary porcine SMCs in both a circumferential and axial direction^[@bibr22-0963689719854363]^. The ventral penile subcutaneous cavity was used as a bioreactor in a study carried out by Sun et al. Hypoxia-activated human umbilical cord MSCs (hUCMSCs) and pedicled rabbit muscles served as cell sources. hUCMSCs were isolated from fresh human placentas. These cells were cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Pieces of skeletal muscles were harvested from the rabbits. To prepare a construct suitable for urethral repair, hUCMSCs were mixed with muscle fragments and injected into the ventral penile subcutaneous cavity. Pre-incubation in a bioreactor lasted for 3 weeks. Afterwards, the generated urethral patch was used around the ventral urethral defect. Cells and tissues were tested using histological, immunohistochemical, microscopic, and molecular-genetic analyses. Results showed that hypoxia-activated hUCMSCs continually secreted angiogenic cytokines. The muscle-derived construct was successfully engineered as a living graft and used for urethral reconstruction^[@bibr23-0963689719854363]^. Modulation of the inflammatory response and stricture formation {#section7-0963689719854363} --------------------------------------------------------------- MSCs combined with CD34^+^ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were used in a study carried out by Liu et al. The aim was to determine whether a graft composed of these cells, which were seeded on poly(1,8-octanediol-co-citrate) (POC), could influence the inflammatory response and enhance wound regeneration when applied in vivo. In this rat-model study, polymerized scaffolds were cut into the desired parameters (2 x 8 x 0.15 mm) and subsequently seeded with bone marrow-derived MSCs and CD14^+^ hematopoietic stem/ progenitor cells. These grafts were implanted into nude athymic male rats and an unseeded POC scaffold was used in a control group. Histological, immunohistochemical, and microscopic analyses were performed. Postoperatively, the proliferation of MSCs and CD34^+^ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the area of the substitution was demonstrated by using human-specific γ-tubulin antibodies. A statistically significant decrease in pro-inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), neutrophil, and macrophage markers myeloperoxidase and CD68 was detected. Results showed that implanted grafts could modulate the inflammatory response, scar formation and promote angiogenesis^[@bibr24-0963689719854363]^. The formation of a stricture after urethral surgery is a common complication that often requires re-operation. Overcoming the scarring and contraction of the urethral tissue was the main interest in the following studies. Li et al. studied whether TGF-β1 small interfering RNA (siRNA)-transfected fibroblasts could inhibit the secretion of collagen type I and thus reduce stricture formation. Both rabbit oral keratinocytes (isolated from the buccal mucosa) and fibroblasts (harvested from dermal tissue) were used in this experiment. Bladders from male rabbits were decellularized and prepared as bladder acellular matrix grafts (BAMGs). Rabbit fibroblasts were transfected with TGF-β1 siRNA and cell culture medium was collected for 1 week. The concentration of collagen type I was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The second passage of oral keratinocytes was seeded on to BAMG and another side was covered with transfected fibroblasts. Compound grafts were left to mature for 1 week and subsequently implanted into rabbits. The control groups used the following grafts: BAMGs seeded with autologous oral keratinocytes and cell-free BAMGs. Urethral calibers were assessed using retrograde urethrography. Histological, immunohistochemical testing, and scanning electron microscopy evaluated the neo-urethra features. The results showed that transfected fibroblasts could inhibit the secretion of collagen type I. In the experimental group, defected mucosa was successfully repaired without the presence of the strictures^[@bibr25-0963689719854363]^. Epithelial cell-conditioned medium (ECCM) was used to demonstrate the proliferation and migration of the stricture fibroblasts in a study carried out by Nath et al. Patients undergoing urethroplasty were the donors of the urethral mucosa, urethral stricture samples, buccal mucosa, and penile skin. The control group was represented by normal urethras. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson trichrome staining were used for the histological analysis of normal urethral and stricture tissue histology. Fibroblasts were obtained from human urethral stricture samples. Human penile skin, buccal, and urethral mucosa served as a source for the epithelial cells. ECCM was collected from confluent cell cultures of the penile skin, buccal, and urethral mucosa and this medium was added to the fibroblast culture. In vitro scratch assay was chosen as the preferred test and the behavior of the fibroblasts was observed for 3 days. Images were taken using a phase contrast inverted microscope. The results revealed that all three different types of ECCM had an inhibitory potential on stricture fibroblast proliferation and migration in the scratch area. An explanation of this effect could be that specific soluble molecules might have been present in the ECCM^[@bibr26-0963689719854363]^. Vascularization of the engineered tissues {#section8-0963689719854363} ----------------------------------------- Sufficient vascularization of the engineered tissue is another challenge in regenerative medicine. A cell-based genetic strategy was developed to improve the vascularization of the urethral grafts in a study carried out by Guan et al. The goal was to modify urothelial cells with human vascular EGF (VEGF) via retrovirus transduction. In a control group, urothelial cells were modified with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Eight whole bladders from New Zealand rabbits were used to isolate epithelial cells. Cells from the third passage were used for viral transduction. Transduction efficiency was evaluated 4 days after the procedure. Transgene expression was examined by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. Western blot and ELISA analyses were also performed. Cells were seeded onto rabbit carotid arteries. Grafts were analyzed by H&E staining or Weigert's elastic staining. The porosity of the material was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Modified cells were statically seeded onto scaffolds and left to culture for 1 week. Then 1 cm-long grafts were subsequently implanted subcutaneously into nude mice. Implants were left in vivo for 1 month and analyzed. Results showed that VEGF-modified cells enhanced the neovascularization of the urethral wall and the formation of the urothelium. Moreover, secretion of VEGF appeared to be in a time-dependent manner^[@bibr27-0963689719854363]^. Native collagen and cross-linked collagen membranes were seeded with a tri-culture of primary buccal epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and microvascular endothelial cells to engineer a pre-vascularized buccal mucosa equivalent. Human gingiva served as a source for epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Microvascular endothelial cells were harvested from the human juvenile foreskin. At first, endothelial cells were seeded on to the rough site of the scaffold and left to incubate for 24 hours. Subsequently, fibroblasts were added and cells cultured for 3 days. After this, the scaffold was carefully turned upside-down and epithelial cells were seeded. Cell-seeded scaffolds were cultured for 21 days, implanted in vivo (a murine model) and then analyzed. Results demonstrated that tri-culture of human epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells together with a collagen membrane could form a pre-vascularized buccal mucosa equivalent. Capillary-like structures were better formed on native collagen membrane^[@bibr28-0963689719854363]^. Other approaches used in the urethral TE {#section9-0963689719854363} ---------------------------------------- In a study carried out by Jiang et al., a natural autologous tubular graft was used for long-segmental urethral reconstruction. At first, silastic tubes were implanted subcutaneously into male New Zealand white rabbits. Tubes were totally covered with granulation tissue 14 days post-implantation. Mesenchymal cells were obtained from omentum biopsies. Pancytokeratin AE1/AE3 and vimentin were used as staining antibodies to prove cells' phenotypic features. At the third passage, mesenchymal cells were used for seeding onto the outer surface of the tubular tissue (grafts were everted prior to the urethral surgery). Prepared compound grafts, with a length of 2 cm, were incubated for 1 week prior to implantation in animals. Grafts were also analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. Unseeded tubular grafts were used in the control group. Urethral calibers were assessed by retrograde urethrography. Results showed compound grafts consisted of the inner lining of mesothelium, myofibroblasts, and collagen. The urethral lumen in the control group was severely contracted, whereas in the experimental group wide urethral calibers were observed. Moreover, the newly formed urothelium replaced the mesothelium 4 weeks post-implantation^[@bibr29-0963689719854363]^. The transdifferentiation potential of epidermal keratinocytes was investigated in a study in which living skin equivalent (LSE) was considered an alternative graft source for urethral replacement. In total, 20 male chinchilla rabbits were involved. Briefly, the skin biopsy was performed and epidermal rabbit keratinocytes subsequently isolated from the samples. After the destratification and trypsinization of the cell cultures, cells were plated on LSE. A Spongostan sponge and prepared collagen gel containing postnatal human or animal (rabbit) fibroblasts were put into a Petri dish. After 24 hours of incubation, this construct formed a connective tissue equivalent. Autologous keratinocytes used for in vivo testing were labeled with a DiI membrane tracer and transfected with enhanced GFP as well. Cells were subsequently seeded onto the LSE surface. The LSE graft was implanted into the de-epithelialized urethra. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. The results revealed that keratinocytes acquired phenotypic features characteristic for the urothelium. LSE together with autologous epidermal keratinocytes could fully restore damaged urothelium^[@bibr30-0963689719854363]^. A study carried out by Li et al. investigated the feasibility of epithelial-differentiated rabbit ADSCs (Epith-rASCs) to be the proper cell source for the substitution urethroplasty. Adipose tissue donors were New Zealand rabbits. Passage three of the ADSCs was used for the experiments. Epithelial differentiation was performed in a specific microenvironment established using a 3D culture system. Epith-rASCs were used for in vivo implantation 12 days after initial induction. Epithelial and smooth muscle phenotypes were detected by proteinic and genetic analyses. To establish Epith-rASC differentiation and proliferation capacity, cells were labeled with BrdU. Rabbit BAMGs were used as scaffolds. Matrices were characterized using histological staining and scanning electron microscopy. In the experimental group, BAMGs seeded with Epith-rASCs were incubated for 1 week and subsequently implanted into rabbits. Cell-free BAMGs and BAMGs seeded with undifferentiated rADSCs formed the control groups. A ventral urethral defect with a mean length of 2 cm was repaired using mentioned grafts. Cell proliferation assay, transmission electron microscopy, retrograde urethrography, Western blot and multicolor immunofluorescence analyses were performed. Results showed that Epith-rASCs differentiated into the urothelium and prevented the contraction of the urethral lumen^[@bibr31-0963689719854363]^. Cell sheet technology was used to fabricate the bionic urethra in a study carried out by Zhou et al. The following cell types were used: ADSCs, oral mucosal epithelial cells, and oral mucosal fibroblasts. Cell sheets were prepared from mentioned cell types. For myoblast induction of adipose-derived cell sheets, 5-azacytidine was used. Cell sheets were subsequently tabularized to create a hierarchical structure. Ultra-small super-magnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles were synthesized and used for labeling the tissue-engineered urethras. Constructed neo-urethras were subcutaneously implanted in vivo (canine model) for 3 weeks to support the neo-vascularization and mechanical strength of the construct. Afterward, a 2 cm-long urethral defect was created and prepared tissue-engineered urethras were used for the surgical repair. USPIO nanoparticles could be detected by magnetic resonance imaging at the transplant site. Engineered urethras formed a functional three-layer structure and promoted urethral regeneration^[@bibr32-0963689719854363]^. In vitro cultured cells applied in a clinical study {#section10-0963689719854363} --------------------------------------------------- Autologous in vitro cultured urothelial cells were used for hypospadias repair in a clinical study carried out by Fossum et al. Cells were harvested from bladder washings of patients with scrotal or perineal hypospadias and pronounced chordee. The second passage of the urothelial cells was used and seeded on the allogenic acellular dermis. The prepared transplant was subsequently applied in vivo (six patients). Patients were evaluated 6--8 years post-operatively: results revealed the neourethras had a satisfactory function and the cosmetic appearance was good^[@bibr33-0963689719854363]^. Challenges and future directions in urethral TE {#section11-0963689719854363} ----------------------------------------------- As MSCs represent a promising cell source for TE applications, proper culture conditions for sufficient proliferation are crucial. To maintain a typical MSC phenotype not only during the early stages of culture but also after numerous passages, new synthetic culture media together with the optimized combination of the growth and differentiation factors might be a point of interest. Focusing on stem cell reprogramming might also broaden their application. An engineered functional urothelium should fulfill several requirements that also seem to be major challenges -- the cells are interconnected by tight junctions, providing sufficient vascularization and innervation of the new tissue^[@bibr34-0963689719854363]^. Discussion {#section12-0963689719854363} ========== Urethral strictures are a common pathology of the urethra and management of long-segment strictures presents a challenging surgical problem primarily because of stricture recurrence^[@bibr3-0963689719854363]^. So far, the treatment of urethral strictures depends on the length, location, and severity of the urethral strictures. The aim of TE is to reduce recurrence of strictures, morbidity, and the use of invasive methods. TE uses several approaches, scaffolds, cells, cell sources, and techniques mainly in an experimental setting^[@bibr5-0963689719854363]^. In this article, we performed a search within PubMed/Medline to select papers focused on cells used in urethral TE. Based on results, various cell types such as hUDSCs, UDSCs, MSCs, and ADSCs and several techniques for urine cell harvesting (urethral catheterization, spontaneously voided urine, bladder irrigation, and bladder washing) have been utilized in this context ([Table 1](#table1-0963689719854363){ref-type="table"}). ###### Overview of Cells Used in Urethral Tissue Engineering.  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cell type Use of scaffold Aim of the study Reference ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- hUDSCs and urothelial cells No To harvest cells using a non-invasive method and culture them Tayhan et al.^[@bibr14-0963689719854363]^ Rabbit UDSCs No Cell characterization, differentiation into urothelial, myogenic, and osteogenic cell lines Yang H et al.^[@bibr15-0963689719854363]^ hUDSCs 3D porous small intestinal submucosa To engineer urethras using scaffold and differentiated hUDSCs Wu et al.^[@bibr16-0963689719854363]^ Autologous rabbit UDSCs Porcine small intestinal submucosa To evaluate the feasibility of the urethral repair using UDSCs Liu Y et al.^[@bibr17-0963689719854363]^ hUDSCs Porcine small intestinal submucosa To optimize differentiation methods to engineer functional urothelium with proper barrier function Wan Q et al.^[@bibr18-0963689719854363]^ Human dermal fibroblasts and urothelial cells No To evaluate the influence of mechanical stimuli on engineered tissue Cattan et al.^[@bibr19-0963689719854363]^ ADSCs, sorted primary epithelial cells Polyglycolic acid To evaluate the effect of mechanical extension stimulation and primary cell sorting on the engineered muscular urethras Fu et al.^[@bibr20-0963689719854363]^ ADSCs Polyglycolic acid mesh To engineer a muscular tube for urethroplasty Wang et al.^[@bibr21-0963689719854363]^ Primary porcine SMCs Fibrin gel with stabilizing poly(vinylidene fluoride) mesh To apply mechanical stimulation to engineer tubular structure with the bidirectional orientation of cells Seifarth et al.^[@bibr22-0963689719854363]^ Hypoxia-activated human umbilical cord MSCs, rabbit muscle cells No To engineer a pre-vascularized urethral patch Sun et al.^[@bibr23-0963689719854363]^ MSCs, CD34^+^ hematopoietic stem/progenitor stem cells POC To assess the effect on inflammatory response and wound regeneration Liu JS et al.^[@bibr24-0963689719854363]^ Autologous rabbit oral keratinocytes, TGF-β1 siRNA transfected fibroblasts Rabbit bladder acellular matrix To repair the ventral urethral defect and minimize scar formation Li C et al.^[@bibr25-0963689719854363]^ Human fibroblasts, epithelial cells No To reduce stricture formation by modulation of scar fibroblasts with cell-conditioned media Nath et al.^[@bibr26-0963689719854363]^ Modified urothelial cells with human VEGF (virus transduction) Decellularized artery matrix To improve urethral vascularization via a cell-based genetic strategy Guan et al.^[@bibr27-0963689719854363]^ Human epithelial cells, fibroblasts and microvascular endothelial cells Native and cross-linked collagen membrane To engineer pre-vascularized human buccal mucosa equivalent Heller et al.^[@bibr28-0963689719854363]^ MSCs Autologous granulation tissue tube To reconstruct urethra using MSCs seeded on autologous granulation tissue tube Jiang et al.^[@bibr29-0963689719854363]^ Rabbit epidermal keratinocytes Living skin equivalent To reconstruct urothelium using skin keratinocytes in a rabbit model Rogovaya et al.^[@bibr30-0963689719854363]^ Epithelial differentiated rabbit ADSCs Rabbit acellular bladder matrix To reconstruct damaged urethra using cell-seeded grafts Li H et al.^[@bibr31-0963689719854363]^ ADSCs, oral mucosal epithelial cells, oral mucosal fibroblasts No To engineer three-layered cell sheet labeled with USPIO for full thickness urethral repair Zhou et al.^[@bibr32-0963689719854363]^ Human autologous urothelial cells Allogenic acellular dermis To engineer neourethra for hypospadias repair -- clinical model\ Fossum et al.^[@bibr33-0963689719854363]^ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- hUDSCs: human urine-derived stem cells; UDSCs: urine-derived stem cells; POC: poly(1,8-octanediol-co-citrate); MSCs: mesenchymal stem cells; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor; TGF-β1: transforming growth factor beta 1; ADSCs: adipose-derived stem cells; USPIO: ultra-small super-magnetic iron oxide; SMCs: smooth muscle cells. Based on a comparison of different tissue sources and because spontaneously voided urine, which is considered biological waste, is a non-invasive and low-cost technique, urine should be considered a reliable source of cells. These cells display characteristics comparable to MS (stromal) cells^[@bibr35-0963689719854363]^. However, articles describing the use of this source are still scarce^[@bibr7-0963689719854363],[@bibr33-0963689719854363]^. Previously mentioned studies in this review prove that urine is a suitable cell source for urethral TE and that using proper scaffolds and bioreactors can create biologically and biomechanically functional tissue that can be used for urethral TE. Because of telomerase activity, the proliferation capacity of these cells is high. Moreover, they attach well on various surfaces, which highlights their MSC origin. When differentiated into smooth muscle or urothelial cell lines, typical markers can be detected (e.g., α- smooth muscle actin, desmin, myosin, cytokeratins, and uroplakins). Within this context, one study compared the differentiation capability of UDSCs with bone marrow-derived stem cells. Results showed that for both cell types, differentiation into smooth muscle cell line was successful. However, generating urothelial cells was much more efficient in UDSCs (70:5% success rate). This phenomenon might be due to their uroepithelial origin^[@bibr36-0963689719854363],[@bibr37-0963689719854363]^. Until now, the kind of cultivation method and type of cell that should be used for urethral TE has been a matter of debate. The results from experimental studies demonstrate the importance of dynamic conditions during in vitro cultivation, which are provided by bioreactors. They positively influenced the proliferation of cells, their growth into the scaffolds, and the maturation of engineered tissues^[@bibr17-0963689719854363],[@bibr19-0963689719854363],[@bibr20-0963689719854363][@bibr21-0963689719854363][@bibr22-0963689719854363]--[@bibr23-0963689719854363]^. Moreover, several interesting techniques were introduced to reduce scarring and scar formation (TGF-β1 siRNA-transfected fibroblasts, modulation of scar fibroblasts with cell-conditioned media), which could be used alone or in combination with other techniques (e.g., using modified urothelial cells with human VEGF by virus transduction) ^[@bibr25-0963689719854363][@bibr26-0963689719854363][@bibr27-0963689719854363]--[@bibr28-0963689719854363]^. For clinical use and implantation in vivo, tubular multilayered tissue engineered grafts show much promise, but the lack of clinical trials limits their broader use in a clinical setting. Conclusions {#section13-0963689719854363} =========== This systematic review summarizes recent articles on cells used in urethral TE. Cell culture techniques and ADSC (human and rabbit), UDSC, human urothelial, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes cell types were studied using different types of scaffold or a scaffold-free approach. Studies show that proliferation and differentiation of cultured cells are affected both by the culture conditions and type of scaffold. After choosing the cell source and cell culture technique, the choice of a scaffold (biological, synthetic, composite) is another determinant of the clinical outcome. Currently used scaffolds show varied results. However, there is no standardized or optimal scaffold that could be recommended for use in a clinical setting. In the near future, development can be expected in the construction of new bioreactors providing dynamic cultivation conditions that may improve the process of cell proliferation and differentiation. To reduce invasivity, autologous urinary stem cells and autologous ADSCs show much promise, as they can be expanded in vitro and used for TE and 3D bioprinting. Further development of urethral TE may be associated mainly with introducing new composite biomaterial and 3D bioprinting technology in combination with various cells including urinary stem cells to mimic the native urethral architecture. Current trends of experimental studies in the context of urethral TE might be summarized as follows. The focus is on the use of UDSCs, as their harvesting is non-invasive and economic, and efficient stem cell differentiation with proper culture media supplemented with regulatory factors (growth, differentiation) is highlighted, as the application of an inadequately engineered construct in vivo might lead to urine leakage or insufficient vascular supply with resultant stricture formation. A detailed understanding of immunomodulatory processes under in vitro conditions provides the necessary insight on how urethral strictures are formed. As contraction and expansion are the physiological features of the urethra that might be mimicked in vitro under dynamic conditions, bioreactors play a key role in the process of tissue maturation. Another crucial point is to develop a technique to provide sufficient nutrient supply for the engineered construct, which could also enhance long-urethral segment reconstruction using TE approaches. This type of reconstruction requires an adequate tubular cell-seeded graft with the inner lining of the urothelium and outer lining composed of SMCs. Therefore tubularization of TE constructs is also a point of interest. Cell labeling with specific particles allows better visualization of the reconstructed tissue site. This review shows that many studies have been done on animal experiments. However, the transformation of these results is still lacking in the field of clinical medicine. **Ethical Approval:** This study was approved by our institutional review board. **Statement of Human and Animal Rights:** This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects. **Statement of Informed Consent:** There are no human subjects in this article and informed consent is not applicable. **Declaration of Conflicting Interests:** The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. **Funding:** The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Presented work was supported by the grants APVV-15-0111 and UK/240/2018. **ORCID iD:** Lubos Danisovic  <https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5074-9621>

Depletion of plasma vitamin C but not of vitamin E in response to cardiac operations. The whole-body inflammatory response produced by cardiopulmonary bypass is an important cause of perioperative morbidity after cardiac operations. This inflammatory response produces reactive oxygen species and other cytotoxic substances, such as the cytokines. The generation of reactive oxygen species might deplete principal antioxidant micronutrients, that is, vitamins C and E and the carotenoids. Therefore, we have investigated the time course of the plasma concentrations of vitamins C and E and the carotenoids in 18 patients undergoing coronary bypass operations after randomization for previous vitamin E supplementation (300 mg dl-alpha-acetyl-tocopherol 3 times daily for 4 weeks) or placebo. Supplementation with alpha-tocopherol doubled the lipid-standardized plasma vitamin E concentration to 63.7 +/- 14.5 mumol/L when compared with that of the control subjects (31.2 +/- 9.0 mumol/L) before the operation. The plasma concentrations of vitamin C (36.0 +/- 19.0 mumol/L and 44.0 +/- 21.7 mumol/L, respectively) and of the carotenoids were not statistically different between the two groups at baseline. The absolute plasma concentrations of both vitamin E and the carotenoids decreased during and after cardiopulmonary bypass, but after correction for hemodilution the plasma concentrations of vitamin E and the carotenoids showed no decrease. The vitamin E concentrations in the erythrocytes did not change either. In contrast, the plasma concentration of vitamin C decreased in all subjects within 24 hours after the operation by roughly 70%. Correction for hemodilution still revealed a significant decrease in plasma vitamin C that persisted in most patients up to 2 weeks. In conclusion, the vitamin E and the carotenoid plasma concentrations are of no major concern during and after cardiac operations. In contrast, the serious depletion of vitamin C may deteriorate the defense against reactive oxygen species-induced injury during cardiac operations.

Canada and Mexico on Monday lifted tariffs on a slew of U.S. goods, including steel, aluminum, whiskey and beef as the three countries push for ratification of an updated trade agreement. The moves by Canada and Mexico come three days after President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE struck a deal to exempt both trading partners from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Trump imposed tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum in March 2018 and ended an exemption for Canada, Mexico and several others two months later. ADVERTISEMENT Canada and Mexico were among several countries to impose tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum last June in retaliation, also targeting American orange juice, whiskey and beef. Trump imposed the tariffs in part to create leverage over Canada and Mexico as the three nations renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Both countries insisted that the steel and aluminum tariffs be lifted before ratifying the new version of NAFTA that was finalized in October. The new deal, called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), requires the approval of legislatures in all three countries before it can go into effect. "With these developments, Canadian and American businesses can now get back to what they do best: working together constructively and supporting good, well-paying middle class jobs on both sides of the border,” said Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau in a statement. “The removal of tariffs and countermeasures is a true win-win for everyone involved, and great news for Canadian and American workers, for our communities, and our economies." Trump’s deals with Mexico and Canada help eliminate one obstacle to getting the USMCA approved by Congress. Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Top GOP senators say Hunter Biden's work 'cast a shadow' over Obama Ukraine policy Read: Senate GOP's controversial Biden report MORE (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, pledged to block a vote to ratify the USMCA unless Trump lifted tariffs on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum. But the president still faces long odds in getting the USMCA through the House, where Democrats are largely opposed to the deal. Top Democratic lawmakers, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (Calif.), say the USMCA must include tighter labor and environmental standards to win support from the party.

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Q: Uso de CONCAT, CONCAT_WS e GROUP_CONCAT Estou construindo uma query em que procuro resultados dentro da concatenação e apanhei o bastante para pedir ajuda. Utilizo atualmente o MySQL com a aplicação em PHP. No exemplo abaixo, busco as palavras "F1000" e "GRID" numa concatenação de colunas de ambas as tabelas. O produto pode, ou não, ter uma grade. SELECT p.id, p.id_maker, p.name, p.description, p.specifications FROM product AS p WHERE CONCAT( CONCAT_WS( ' ', p.name, p.description, p.specifications ), ', ', GROUP_CONCAT( ( SELECT CONCAT_WS( ' ', g.description, g.original_cod_maker ) FROM product_grid AS g WHERE g.fk_son = p.id ) SEPARATOR ', ') ) REGEXP '(.*)GRID(.*)F1000(.*)' Esta query apresenta erro 1111 (invalid use of group function) referente ao uso dos métodos de concatenação. Agradeço desde já por sua ajuda. A: O comando GROUP_CONCAT serve para concatenar grupos quando se utiliza funções de agregação como SUM, MAX, AVG, etc. Para a sua consulta, você pode apenas pesquisar dentro dos campos diretamente. Uma sugestão de query: SELECT p.id, p.id_maker, p.name, p.description, p.specifications FROM product AS p LEFT JOIN product_grid AS g ON (p.id = g.fk_son) WHERE ( p.name LIKE '%GRID%' OR p.name LIKE '%F1000%' OR p.description LIKE '%GRID%' OR p.description LIKE '%F1000%' OR p.specifications LIKE '%GRID%' OR p.specifications LIKE '%F1000%' OR g.description LIKE '%GRID%' OR g.description LIKE '%F1000%' OR g.original_cod_maker LIKE '%GRID%' OR g.original_cod_maker LIKE '%F1000%' )

Rinehart Rinehart may refer to: People Buck Rinehart (1946–2015), American politician Cowboy Slim Rinehart (1911–1948), American singer Frank Rinehart (1861–1928), American artist Gina Rinehart (born 1954), Australian businesswoman James Rinehart (Harvard class of 1900), original subject of the "Rinehart!" call Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876–1958), American novelist Ron Rinehart (born 1965), American singer William Henry Rinehart (1825–1874), American sculptor William V. Rinehart (1835–1918), U.S. military officer, government official, and businessman Publishing companies Holt, Rinehart and Winston, American publishing company Farrar & Rinehart, American publishing company Rinehart & Company, American publishing company Places Rinehart, Missouri, a community in the United States Rinehart, West Virginia, a community in the United States Others "Rinehart" (Harvard), a Harvard call Rinehart, a character in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man See also Reinhart Reinhardt (disambiguation) Reinhard

The Mynde The Mynde is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Much Dewchurch, Herefordshire, England which dates from the 15th century. Originally constructed in the 15th and 16th century it was remodelled in the 18th century and recast in the 19th century by William Atkinson. Built of sandstone rubble and brick, it is stuccoed on three sides. It has a rectangular floor plan with rear projecting wings to the west and an east facing frontage and is built in 3 storeys with a hipped Welsh slate roof. The main front elevation has 9 bays, with the central five bays slightly projecting, with a porch flanked by Doric columns supporting an entablature. It stands in a 1,180-acre estate and is approached along a mile-long private 'carriage drive' with views of the gardens, lake and the surrounding Herefordshire countryside. History The estate had descended in the Pye family since the Norman conquest and was their family seat in Tudor times. Amongst the Pye owners of the property were the lawyer Walter Pye I and the Royalist courtier Walter Pye II. In 1709 the Duke of Chandos acquired the house and added the striking Kings Hall with plasterwork by Bugatti and Attari. In 1740 it was purchased by Richard Symons of London. He was succeeded by his only surviving child, Anna Sophia Symons, who married Richard Peers. On inheriting the estate, their son, also Richard Peers, M.P., adopted the name Symons, and was created a baronet in 1774, but died unmarried in 1796, after which the estate passed to his sister's grandson Thomas Raymond, who likewise adopted the Symons name and arms. The estate then descended in the direct male line of the Symons family to Thomas Edward Raymond Symons (d. 1928), on whose death it was sold to a fellow army officer, Henry Ambrose Clive, younger son of General Edward Henry Clive of Perrystone Court, Herefordshire. In 1959 the estate was bought by William Anthony Twiston-Davies (d. 1989); his son, Audley, completed a restoration of the main house between 1997 and 2001, and put the property on the market in 2013. In 2016 the property was sold for £15m. References Category:Grade I listed buildings in Herefordshire Category:Country houses in Herefordshire Category:Grade I listed houses

The safe disposal of sewer effluents and water treatment requires measurements of suspended solid concentration in treatment pipes, culverts and other conduits. A sewer effluent containing a low value of suspended solids may be subject to a reduced treatment or no treatment at all. A plant treating sewer effluents from several municipalities may bill those municipalities in accordance with the volume flow and the total suspended solids concentration measured on the intake conduits from each municipality. In the past, intrusive periodical samplings of solids-carrying water were taken and analyzed in laboratories to provide needed information about the solids content of the water. Various methods have been proposed to electronically measure total solids concentration in a volume of liquid, but no instrumentation has been provided for concurrently measuring suspended solids concentration as well as flow on a continuous, real time base. This invention results from an attempt to provide a more practical instrumentation for use in sewer and water collection systems, distribution systems and treatment plants.

COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew SC today announced its 2017 television broadcast schedule, which includes a renewal of its simulcast television partnership for the 2017 Major League Soccer season. The 2017 television package once again features each of the 32 regionally televised Crew SC matches on a broadcast station in Columbus as well as Spectrum Sports throughout its regional subscription base in Ohio. The two additional regular-season matches will be televised nationally with one on ESPN and one on UniMas. Crew SC’s regionally televised matches will also be simulcast on BCSN2 for Buckeye Broadband subscribers in the Toledo and Sandusky, Ohio areas. As part of the arrangement, there will once again be no territory restrictions and continues to guarantee that Black & Gold supporters, regardless of location within North America, will have the ability to watch all of Crew SC's regionally televised matches this year. Viewers will have the option to catch all regionally televised Crew SC matches in multiple ways. Regionally televised matches will be available on one of the following local broadcast stations: The CW Columbus, ABC-6, FOX-28, or MyTVColumbus. In addition, all regionally televised matches will be simulcast on Spectrum Sports on channel 1311HD and channel 311 in Ohio as well as channel 510 in Columbus and Northern Kentucky. The CW Columbus (WWHO-53) will serve as the flagship over-the-air station for Crew SC regionally televised matches and is expected to air 25 matches in 2017. Spectrum Sports is the cable television home of Crew SC in Columbus and across the entire Spectrum Sports footprint in Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Western Pennsylvania. Subscribers to MLS Direct Kick via cable or satellite provider or MLS Live on digital platforms will have access to all regionally televised Crew SC matches with no local territory restrictions. BCSN and BCSN2 are available on HD on channels 608 and 609 as well as on channel 109 in the Greater Toledo area. All 927,040 television viewing households in Ohio’s capital city have the option to watch regionally televised Crew SC matches on a Columbus broadcast station, Spectrum Sports, MLS Direct Kick or MLS Live. Outside Columbus, supporters within the Spectrum Sports footprint can access the action via Spectrum Sports, MLS Direct Kick or MLS Live in addition to BCSN2 for Buckeye Broadband subscribers in the Toledo and Sandusky, Ohio areas. Columbus viewers will have access to all 32 regionally televised 2017 Crew SC matches via simulcast on local broadcast stations, with 25 contests airing live and in HD on The CW Columbus. Crew SC is scheduled to make two appearances on the Columbus ABC affiliate (WSYX ABC-6), one appearance on the Columbus FOX affiliate (WTTE FOX-28) and four scheduled appearances on MyTVColumbus (WSYX-6.2). Some Columbus area viewers may require an antenna to view the four scheduled MyTVColumbus broadcasts. Spectrum Sports is set to provide the most comprehensive Crew SC coverage on television. Additional and exclusive Crew SC shoulder programming, including 30-minute pre-match and post-match shows, as well as the weekly 30-minute "Access Crew SC" magazine program, is set to air on Spectrum Sports. Crew SC opens the 2017 campaign at home on Saturday, March 4 at 2 p.m. ET. Crew SC Matchday – the special pre-match show – begins exclusively on Spectrum Sports at 1:30 p.m. ET, with the match airing at 2:00 p.m. ET, simulcast on ABC-6 in Columbus and Spectrum Sports throughout Ohio. Post-match coverage of the MAPFRE Stadium Opening Match, presented by MAPFRE Insurance, is set to follow exclusively on Spectrum Sports in Ohio. The partnership also sees the return of Neil Sika and Dwight Burgess to the Crew SC broadcast booth, with Sika on play-by-play and Burgess providing analysis. Sika is set to begin his 11th complete season with Crew SC after joining the club's radio coverage full-time in 2007. Burgess, now the Head Soccer Coach at Wittenberg University, returns for his 22nd season on the microphone, bringing more than three decades of soccer-specific broadcast experience. The duo served as co-hosts during last season's Crew SC television coverage on Spectrum Sports. Spectrum Sports’ Marisa Contipelli will join ABC-6/FOX-28’s Clay Hall and ColumbusCrewSC.com’s Alex Stec on the talent team. Hall, who will once again provide sideline coverage for select matches, is the Sports Director of ABC-6 and FOX-28. He has covered Central Ohio sports for 17 years and helped ABC-6 and FOX-28 to be named Best Sports Operation in Ohio by the Associated Press on two occasions (2001, 2010). He and the sports team also won a regional Emmy Award for Ohio State pre-game coverage in 2003. Contipelli is set to return to the broadcast and has worked as a Video Journalist, Associate Producer and Sideline Reporter for Spectrum Sports since 2014 and also serves as the in-arena host for Ohio State University men’s basketball. Prior to coming to Columbus, she worked for SportsTime Ohio in Cleveland and also was the Cleveland Indians’ In-Game Host. Stec once again is set to provide sideline coverage for select home matches in addition to continuing to provide content for ColumbusCrewSC.com. She joined Crew SC as the club’s Brand Journalist in 2015 from Fox Sports SportsTime Ohio and Fox Sports Ohio, where she worked as a Production Assistant and a Freelance Video Editor, respectively. She has reported on multiple sports for live broadcasts, including high-profile events such as the 2015 OHSAA Girls’ Basketball State Championships, high school football games, SportsTime Ohio updates and interview packages for the Cleveland Indians. The club will also have all 34 matches broadcast via English and Spanish radio calls, with further details on 2017 partnerships to be announced in the near future. Crew SC will next face tournament-host Charleston Battery on Wednesday (5 p.m. ET) before closing the Carolina Challenge Cup against the defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET). The 2017 Major League Soccer opens on March 4 against the Chicago Fire at MAPFRE Stadium, presented by MAPFRE Insurance. The full Crew SC preseason and regular schedule can be downloaded and synced on iOS and Android devices.

Mucocutaneous manifestations in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Mucocutaneous manifestations are one of the first clinical signs in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To the best of our knowledge, there has been no previous study describing dermatologic manifestations in Mauritanians infected with HIV. The aim of the present study was to determine the profiles of mucocutaneous manifestations in relation to CD4 T cell count in HIV-positive Mauritanian patients. A total of 86 adult patients aged > 18 years old attending the Ambulatory Treatment Center of the National Hospital of Nouakchott, Mauritania, with newly diagnosed HIV and who were not under antiretroviral treatment were included in the study in 2015. Dermatologic manifestations were documented before initiating antiretroviral treatment. Most of the included patients were in clinical stage 3 of the World Health Organization classification at initial diagnosis, with the mean CD4 T cell count (± SD) of 514 ± 319 cells/mm3 (range, 2-1328 cells/mm3 ), and 19 of 86 (22.1%) patients had CD4 T cell counts below 200 cells/mm3 . More than half (64%) of newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients had dermatoses, including the following: pruritic papular eruption (44.2%), seborrheic dermatitis (4.7%), Kaposi's sarcoma (3.5%), extensive xerosis cutis (2.3%), drug-induced skin reactions (1.2%), and various infectious dermatoses (dermatophyte infections [16.3%], oral candidiasis [11.6%], herpes zoster [8.1%], and scabies [2.3%]). A low CD4 T cell count (< 200 cells/mm3 ) was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with the presence of following dermatoses: dermatophytosis, oral candidiasis, Kaposi's sarcoma, seborrheic dermatitis, and extensive xerosis cutis. Mucocutaneous lesions occur throughout the course of HIV infection, and dermatologic findings in Mauritanian HIV-positive patients are similar to those of patients in other countries. Early detection of skin disorders in some patients may help establish the diagnosis of HIV and management of HIV-associated diseases, limiting the cost of care in low-resource countries.

1. Technical Field Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure relate to the sport of fishing and, more particularly, to a line reeling apparatus for providing users with an easy and convenient means of assisting the relining of a reel with a damaged line of a fishing pole. 2. Prior Art One of the most beloved and well known sports enjoyed by Americans is fishing. In fact, the estimated number of U.S. recreational anglers is well over 50 million, with more participants than golfing and tennis combined. An enduring American tradition, fishing is enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life. Recent data released by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reveals that the sports fishing brings $116 billion worth of benefits to the local, state and national economies. Because sport fishing is extremely enjoyable, many participants find it suitable to fish whenever the time permits and the opportunity presents itself. Every child, boy or girl, remembers the first time their father or grandfather took them fishing. In addition to reveling in the quality time spent in the beautiful outdoors with a respected adult, kids are very excited to try to lure an unsuspecting fish with their pole and bait. Nothing quite equates the sense of accomplishment felt by a child when he successfully catches a fish. The sudden jerks that signify a nibble on a line, the tense downward pull that ensures a hook has found its mark, and the frenzied reel-in of the line to find the prize swaying from the other end, all combine to foster feelings of glee and wonder for children who fish. With all the positive benefits of exposing youngsters to this thrilling sport, the first few attempts at teaching children the art are fishing can be a bit challenging. Particularly, properly lining a reel onto a pole can be a bit daunting to young anglers. Trying to manipulate the thin material of the line and carefully wind it over the reel can be a frustrating endeavor, especially if the line jumps or becomes twisted and thus one must start the entire process over from the beginning. In addition, adults who experience hand ailments such as arthritis may find it painful, or even impossible, to manually reline. Often requiring the fisherman to seek assistance from a friend, relining a fishing pole can be a challenging endeavor that takes away much of the fun associated with this exciting sport. Accordingly, a need remains for a reeling apparatus in order to overcome prior art shortcomings. The exemplary embodiment(s) satisfy such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for assisting the relining of a reel with a damaged line of a fishing pole.

Four-D Ultrasounds Show Videos of Unborn Children Ultrasounds have long been a thorn in the side of abortion sellers.This is because the images of hearts beating inside the womb, and of children sucking their thumbs or reacting to outside stimuli, have gone a long way in undercutting the "mass of cells" or "bundle of DNA" theories abortionists pawn to ease the consciences of prospective clients. And this is why pro-abortion forces demonize the 24 states that require an ultrasound before an abortion -- they know that mothers who look upon their children's faces will have a harder time looking the other way while an abortionist stops a beating heart. With this understood, abortionists have to be more than a little concerned with the growing number of next-generation ultrasounds, which are taking images and video from inside the womb to unimagined levels. Four-D ultrasound scans, the latest variants of which were released last year, can be found at hospitals throughout the country and are being used by researchers to watch the development of children in real time. One group of researchers is currently using 4D to record 24-week-old babies yawning in the womb. These scans are so advanced that they not only detect and record the yawns, but actually record how long the yawns last and the frequency at which they are occurring. According to 4D researcher Nadja Reissland, "4D ultra-sound scans are to 3D scans as video footage is to still photos: they are in 3D but also have a time dimension, allowing doctors and researchers to measure how long the behavior they are observing lasts." As Reissland and other researchers watched the yawns in their testing, they were able to establish habits and patterns that could "serve as an index of health in unborn babies." If seeing 3D images of babies discouraged mothers from aborting their children, what will 4D videos do? If seeing the face of her child had a positive impact on the mother, how much more will watching the child yawn and move? The old storylines of a "mass of cells" or a "bundle of DNA" keep becoming a harder sell for doctors of death. They, together with some courts and activist groups, may move slowly in admitting that children in the womb are children nonetheless, but ultrasound technology has not proven to be so lethargic. Steven H. Aden is senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org), a legal alliance employing a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty and the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family. Aden heads Alliance Defending Freedom's work to defend the sanctity of life in court from its Washington, D.C., regional service center. Ultrasounds have long been a thorn in the side of abortion sellers. This is because the images of hearts beating inside the womb, and of children sucking their thumbs or reacting to outside stimuli, have gone a long way in undercutting the "mass of cells" or "bundle of DNA" theories abortionists pawn to ease the consciences of prospective clients. And this is why pro-abortion forces demonize the 24 states that require an ultrasound before an abortion -- they know that mothers who look upon their children's faces will have a harder time looking the other way while an abortionist stops a beating heart. With this understood, abortionists have to be more than a little concerned with the growing number of next-generation ultrasounds, which are taking images and video from inside the womb to unimagined levels. Four-D ultrasound scans, the latest variants of which were released last year, can be found at hospitals throughout the country and are being used by researchers to watch the development of children in real time. One group of researchers is currently using 4D to record 24-week-old babies yawning in the womb. These scans are so advanced that they not only detect and record the yawns, but actually record how long the yawns last and the frequency at which they are occurring. According to 4D researcher Nadja Reissland, "4D ultra-sound scans are to 3D scans as video footage is to still photos: they are in 3D but also have a time dimension, allowing doctors and researchers to measure how long the behavior they are observing lasts." As Reissland and other researchers watched the yawns in their testing, they were able to establish habits and patterns that could "serve as an index of health in unborn babies." If seeing 3D images of babies discouraged mothers from aborting their children, what will 4D videos do? If seeing the face of her child had a positive impact on the mother, how much more will watching the child yawn and move? The old storylines of a "mass of cells" or a "bundle of DNA" keep becoming a harder sell for doctors of death. They, together with some courts and activist groups, may move slowly in admitting that children in the womb are children nonetheless, but ultrasound technology has not proven to be so lethargic. Steven H. Aden is senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org), a legal alliance employing a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty and the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family. Aden heads Alliance Defending Freedom's work to defend the sanctity of life in court from its Washington, D.C., regional service center.

406 F.Supp. 305 (1976) MOBIL OIL CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION et al., Defendants. No. 74 Civ. 311. United States District Court, S. D. New York. January 12, 1976. *306 *307 *308 Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine, New York City, for plaintiff; Andrew J. Kilcarr, Washington, D. C., Charles F. Rice, New York City, Mobil Oil Corp., of counsel. Thomas J. Cahill, U. S. Atty., S. D. N. Y., New York City, for defendants; Gregory J. Potter, Asst. U. S. Atty., Calvin J. Collier, Gen. Counsel, Gerald Harwood, Asst. Gen. Counsel, Robert E. Duncan, Mary L. Azcuenaga, Attys., F. T. C., of counsel. LASKER, District Judge. By letter dated August 22, 1973, Mobil Oil Corporation requested, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) the opportunity to inspect and copy all communications pertaining to various aspects of petroleum use[1] from January 1, 1970 to August 22, 1973 between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC—Commission) and (1) Congress, (2) any federal agency, and (3) any state government or agency. On December 12, 1973, the FTC granted the request in part and denied it in part. Specifically, the FTC granted access to correspondence between the Commission and Congress, and between the Commission and state governments and agencies, except for the portions of the documents which contained identifying details and names of the persons who communicated with government officials. The FTC also refused to disclose staff opinions or theory, and communications between the Commission and other federal agencies. Mobil then filed this suit under the FOIA to compel disclosure of all withheld information. Subsequently, on March 6, 1974, the FTC informed Mobil that certain of the communications between the FTC and the states are part of active investigatory files or contained privileged or confidential material, and, as such, were exempt from disclosure.[2] I. Deletion of Names and Identifying Details in Communications Between the FTC and Congress and the FTC and State Agencies The first category of materials in dispute are letters and other documents *309 which constitute communications between the FTC and Congress, and the FTC and state agencies. Although the Commission released these documents to Mobil, it did so only after blacking out virtually all identifying details including the names of the correspondents. Charles A. Tobin, Secretary of the FTC, justified these deletions by stating that: "The Commission will not release such identifying information because it believes . . . that Citizens have a right to communicate with their government without fear of unwarranted public disclosure." (Letter of December 12, 1975 to Andrew Kilcarr, Ex. E to complaint) The FTC has adhered to this position, which it defends on the basis of what it terms an "informer's privilege" that it asserts is implicit in Exemptions 3, 4 and 7 of the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3), (4) and (7). At the outset we reject the agency's argument that the purposes of these three specific provisions of the FOIA may be fused to create by implication an exemption not explicitly stated in the statutory language. As recently as April of this year, the Supreme Court in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 421 U.S. 132, 136, 95 S.Ct. 1504, 1509, 44 L.Ed.2d 29 (1975) reconfirmed the principal objective of the FOIA which is: "`to establish a general philosophy of full agency disclosure unless information is exempted under clearly delineated statutory language.' S.Rep.No. 813, 89th Cong., 1st Sess., 3 (1965); Environmental Protection Agency v. Mink [410 U.S. 73], supra,, at 80, 93 S.Ct. [827], at 832 [35 L.Ed.2d 119] (1973)." According to the language of the FOIA as construed by the Supreme Court, all "identifiable records" must be made available to a member of the public on demand (5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(3)) unless the requested documents fall within one of the Act's nine exemptions. (5 U.S.C. § 552(b)). NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., supra, 421 U.S. at 136-137, 95 S.Ct. 1504. Although the validity of the theory of an "implicit" exemption advanced by the FTC has not been squarely presented to any court, the general philosophy of the FIOA as stated by the court in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., supra, the accepted principle that the specific exemptions are to be construed narrowly,[3] and the language of the Act itself make clear that the FTC's justification for deleting identifying details can be sustained, if at all, only on the independent applicability of any of the Act's exemptions to the deletions in question. Each exemption upon which the FTC relies must therefore be individually analyzed to determine whether, as defendants argue, it warrants the erasures made. A. Exemption 3 The Commission relies first upon the argument that Section 6(f) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 46(f) (FTCA), as well as certain of the FTC's rules and regulations, authorize the deletion of confidential matter and that these statutes and rules bring the material within Exemption 3 of the FOIA which protects matters that are "specifically exempted from disclosure by statute." 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3) The Commission bases its authority to withhold identifying details in part on the strength of Rules 2.2(d) and 4.10(b) of the FTC's Rules of Practice. 16 C.F.R. §§ 2.2(d), 4.10(b). Section 2.2(d) states that the Commission's "general . . . policy" is not to divulge names of complainants "except as required by law." Section 4.10(a) recites the exemptions to the FOIA with the FTC's analysis of those exemptions, adding, at § 4.10(b), that the Commission may delete identifying details from material it *310 makes public if necessary "to prevent clearly unwarranted invasions of privacy." Rather than creating additional criteria for withholding information, these regulations restate—and in § 4.10(a) actually recite—the exemptions contained in the FOIA itself. Even if this were not so, however, neither regulations nor guidelines promulgated by a federal agency, can override the language and purpose of a statutory enactment. Exemption 3 permits a refusal to disclose material only where another statute authorizes such action. Thus, the only possible basis for the applicability of Exemption 3 in the circumstances is Section 6(f) of the FTCA (15 U.S.C. § 46(f)) which provides in language the Commission argues to be relevant: "§ 46 Additional powers of Commission The Commission shall also have power— (f) Publication of information; reports To make public from time to time such portions of the information obtained by it hereunder, except trade secrets and names of customers, as it shall deem expedient in the public interest; and to make annual and special reports to the Congress and to submit therewith recommendations for additional legislation; and to provide for the publication of its reports and decisions in such form and manner as may be best adapted for public information and use." The Commission argues that this language authorizes it to determine whether the release of information in its possession would further the public interest. If, as here, the FTC concludes that disclosure of particular documents would not achieve that goal, the agency contends that Section 6(f) prohibits the release of that material, and that it consequently falls within the ambit of Exemption 3 of the FOIA. We disagree. Section 6(f) confers upon the FTC the right to disclose and publish, with few limitations, information it possesses. By its terms, the statute authorizes disclosure—not, as the FTC argues, the refusal to disclose. The sole items that the statute does not authorize the FTC to reveal are trade secrets and names of customers. Those limitations in no way make the statute one which explicitly forbids disclosure of all identifying details and all names of correspondence in communications received by the FTC. The legislative history and judicial construction of Section 6(f) support this interpretation. The Senate debate on the bill which became § 6(f) demonstrates that although the statute embodies guidelines to limit release of certain types of information at the FTC's disposal, the major thrust of the bill was to set forth what material the Commission on its own initiative could make public, not what it could refuse to disclose. In fact, some concern was voiced on the Senate floor that the FTC under this statute would release too much information. See 51 Cong.Rec. 12929 (1914).[4] Similarly, the analysis of § 6(f) by the court in FTC v. Cinderella Career and Finishing Schools, 131 U.S.App.D.C. 331, 404 F.2d 1308 (1968) establishes that the section was aimed at allowing publication and *311 that the limitations on public release set forth in the section were intended to: "require adequate consideration and suitable weighing of any damage to private property which widespread publicity of unadjudicated charges may be calculated to produce." Id. at 1320-1321 (Robinson, III, J., concurring) Accord, Bristol-Myers Co. v. FTC, 138 U.S.App.D.C. 22, 424 F.2d 935, 940 cert. denied, 400 U.S. 824, 91 S.Ct. 46, 27 L.Ed.2d 52 (1970). Section 6(f) of the FTCA is thus distinguishable from other statutes which have been held to fall within the meaning of Exemption 3 of the FOIA. In Evans v. Department of Transportation, 446 F.2d 821 (5th Cir. 1971), cert. denied, 405 U.S. 918, 92 S.Ct. 944, 30 L.Ed.2d 788 (1972), the statute at issue provided in part: "Any person may make written objection to the public disclosure of information . . .. Whenever such objection is made, the Board or Administration shall order such information withheld from public disclosure when, in their judgment, a disclosure of such information would adversely affect the interests of such person and is not required in the interest of the public." 49 U.S.C. § 1504 It is clear, and the government concedes, that 49 U.S.C. § 1504, unlike § 6(f) of the FTCA, contains an affirmative provision for exemption from disclosure. Similarly, the court in California v. Richardson, 351 F.Supp. 733 (N.D.Cal.1972), held that the withholding of records was protected by Exemption 3 of the FOIA on the basis of a statute which prohibits: ". . . disclosure . . . of any record . . . obtained . . by the Secretary . . . or by any officer or employee of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare . . . except as the Secretary . . . may by regulations prescribe . . ." 42 U.S.C. § 1306(a). The unequivocal language of the statute at issue in California v. Richardson, supra, forbids disclosure of documents and is in general the converse of § 6(f) of the FTCA which authorizes release of material. In short, the statutes which have been held to fall within the exemption are the obverse of § 6(f) of the FTCA in language and intent; the cases interpreting them are not authority for the defendants' position. The Supreme Court's recent analysis of Exemption 3 in FAA Administrator v. Robertson, 422 U.S. 255, 95 S.Ct. 2140, 45 L.Ed.2d 164 (1975) did not specifically address the issue in this case and in no way undermines the result reached here. The Robertson court merely held that the term "specific" in Exemption 3's requirement that material be "specifically exempted . . . by statute" did not mean that: "the exemption applies only to documents specified, i. e., by naming them precisely or by describing the category in which they fall." Id. at 265, 95 S.Ct. at 2147. However, the inapplicability of Section 6(f) of the FTCA to Exemption 3 is not predicated on its lack of specificity, but rather on the fact that it simply is not a statute which purports to prohibit disclosure. As indicated above, the sole area in which § 6(f) of the FTCA limits the authority of the Commission relates to disclosure of facts which consist of "trade secrets and names of customers." Thus, although § 6(f) cannot justify wholesale deletions of all names and identifying details, it does specifically exempt from disclosure those two items. Accordingly, deletions of trade secrets and names of customers, but only such deletions, are protected from disclosure by Exemption 3 of the FOIA. B. Exemption 4 The FTC next asserts that the informant's privilege is inherent in Exemption 4 of the FOIA which protects from disclosure: "trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a *312 person and privileged or confidential." 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(4) An examination in camera of a sizeable sample of the documents in question confirms that in many instances they pertain to "trade secrets and commercial or financial information." However, it is impossible to determine on the record before us whether they are privileged or confidential. As the court in Bristol-Myers Co. v. FTC, noted, "This provision serves the important function of protecting the privacy and the competitive position of the citizen who offers information to assist government policy makers." 424 F.2d at 938. More recently, the same court has stated: "The established tests for determining whether documents are `confidential' . . . within the meaning of Exemption 4 are that the [material] must be of the sort not customarily disclosed to the public and that disclosure . . must not be likely to either impair the government's ability to obtain necessary information in the future or cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the person from whom the information is obtained." Pacific Architects & Eng. Inc. v. Renegotiation Board, 164 U.S.App.D.C. 276, 505 F.2d 383, 384 (1974) (citations omitted) The agency refusing to disclose requested documents has the burden of demonstrating the applicability of a particular FOIA exemption; the Act "does not permit a bare claim of confidentiality to immunize agency files from scrutiny." Id. The material withheld must be shown to be "independently confidential" based on its contents, and entitled to a "reasonable expectation of privacy." Ditlow v. Volpe, 362 F.Supp. 1321, 1324 (D.D.C.1973), citing Fisher v. Renegotiation Board, 153 U.S.App.D.C. 398, 473 F.2d 109, 113 (1972); Getman v. NLRB, 146 U.S.App.D.C. 209, 450 F.2d 670, 675 (1971); Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. v. Renegotiation Board, 138 U.S. App.D.C. 147, 425 F.2d 578, 580 (1970); M. A. Schapiro & Co. v. SEC, 339 F.Supp. 467, 470-471 (D.D.C.1972). Defendants have not remotely sustained their burden. They have failed to present a single affidavit by a member of the FTC or its staff which states the basis for concluding the documents in question are confidential or privileged. Nor has the government made any attempt to scrutinize the documents individually before blocking out identifying details. The FTC excuses its lack of proof with the bold statement that "Because these documents number in the hundreds, it would be wholly impractical to make . . . factual determinations [as to confidentiality] with regard to each." (Defendants' Reply Memorandum, May 21, 1974 at p. 9)[5] Although we recognize that a request for documents of the magnitude here saddles an agency with a substantial, time-consuming task, adherence to the FOIA's scheme requires that the job be done. The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia analyzed the problems of proof and procedure under the Freedom of Information Act with great detail in Vaughn v. Rosen, 157 U.S.App.D.C. 340, 484 F.2d 820 (1973), cert. denied, 415 U.S. 977, 94 S.Ct. 1564, 39 L.Ed.2d 873 (1974) and Cuneo v. Schlesinger, 157 U.S. App.D.C. 368, 484 F.2d 1086 (1973), cert. denied, 415 U.S. 977, 94 S.Ct. 1564, 39 L.Ed.2d 873 (1974). As the court in Vaughn and Cuneo noted, the earlier failure of courts to require the government to justify its refusal to disclose documents in any detail encourages it to argue for the widest possible exemption from disclosure for the greatest bulk of material. Moreover, since the government—the *313 party opposing disclosure—is the only side capable of confidently categorizing the type of information at issue, the "traditional adversary nature of our legal system" is seriously distorted, if not altogether hamstrung. To correct these deficiencies, the court required a particularized and specific factual justification from the government for exempting information, and a system of indexing and itemizing the contested documents that would correlate statements made in the government's justification with actual portions of the material. Given the reams of documents produced for in camera inspection in this case it is clear that, without the detailed justification and specificity of indexing required by Vaughn and Cuneo, a trial court, although provided with so little guidance, is nevertheless left with "the burden of actually determining whether the information is as the Government describes it." Cuneo v. Schlesinger, supra, 484 F.2d at 1091. See, in general, Vaughn v. Rosen, supra, 484 at 823-28; Cuneo v. Schlesinger, supra, 484 F.2d at 1091-92. A glance at a few of the FTC's deletions immediately show that many of the documents cannot reasonably be deemed confidential. For example, in a letter to Senator Moss requesting information about legislation requiring the listing of octane content, the author's name and address are blocked out. (Ex. F to Plaintiff's Supplemental Memorandum of June 4, 1974) The author's name and address in a letter to Senator Talmadge requesting a copy of an FTC staff study for use in research for a college debate topic is similarly withheld. (Ex. K to Plaintiff's Supplemental Memorandum) As one court understandably commented, "The only thing more puzzling than why Plaintiffs would want these [facts] is why Defendants refuse to disclose them." Ditlow v. Volpe, supra, 362 F. Supp. at 1321. Nevertheless, Mobil is entitled to these facts and any others not protected by the FOIA's exemptions. Summary judgment is therefore deferred on this issue until such time as the defendants have submitted proper documentation of their claim. The defendants are directed to classify the documents in which identifying details have been deleted to indicate which documents they assert were received in confidentiality and those which are not. The Commission is further directed to submit affidavits by knowledgeable members of the FTC or its staff which provide "particularized and specific justification" for the deletions. Cuneo v. Schlesinger, supra, 484 F.2d at 1092. Because of the vast numbers of documents involved, this data need not refer separately to each document. However, any categorization of documents in groups must be clearly stated and justified. See Pacific Architects & Eng. Inc. v. Renegotiation Board, supra, 505 F.2d at 385 for examples of the information which the defendants are required to produce. C. Exemption 7 The FTC further asserts that the deletions made are justified on the ground that the documents at issue are part of the file compiled and utilized by the FTC for an on-going investigation into the activities of the petroleum industry for possible violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act and that the identifying details in the documents are accordingly protected from disclosure by Exemption 7 of the FOIA. It is undisputed that the FTC in fact conducted an investigation into the practices of the petroleum industry which resulted in the filing of a complaint against Mobil and other oil corporations. In the Matter of Exxon Corporation, et al., FTC Docket No. 8934 (Ex. F to Complaint) The complaint is currently pending before the Commission. However, the pendency of law enforcement proceedings in and of itself does not establish the applicability of Exemption 7 to the contested deletions. At the time the present motions were filed, Exemption 7 protected: "investigatory files compiled for law enforcement purposes . . ." 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7) *314 Since then Congress has amended Exemption 7 to provide in pertinent part: "Investigatory records compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that the production of such records would (A) interfere with enforcement proceedings, (B) deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication, (C) constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, (D) disclose the identity of a confidential source . . ." Pub.L. 93-502, 88 (Stat.1563) Although the amendment was not enacted until November 20, 1974 to become effective ninety days later, the Supreme Court held in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co. that any decision on the applicability of Exemption 7, even on a motion filed prior to the enactment of the revised version "would have to be under the Act, as amended." Supra, 421 U.S. at 165, 95 S.Ct. at 1523. Absent any supporting affidavits, it is clear that the FTC cannot sustain its burden of demonstrating that the revelation of the identifying details "would interfere with enforcement proceedings, . . . constitute [an] . . . unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, disclose the identity of an informer, or disclose investigative techniques and procedures." S.Conf.Rep.No.93-1200 at 12, U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News, pp. 6285, 6291 (1974), quoted in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., id. To the extent that the Commission means to argue that Exemption 7(D) as amended, ("disclose the identity of a confidential source") is applicable, it must establish that any claim of confidentiality meets the standard of Exemption 7 as explained in the Conference Report accompanying the bill: "The substitution of the term `confidential source' in section 552(b)(7)(D) is to make clear that the identity of a person other than a paid informer may be protected if the person provided information under an express assurance of confidentiality or in circumstances from which such an assurance could be reasonably inferred." Yet it taxes credulity to infer for example, that all or perhaps even most unsolicited letters of constituents to their Congressman are sent with an express or implicit belief that such communications are to remain confidential.[6] For the reasons stated, as in the case of the Exemption 4 and issue 1B discussed above, summary judgment on the validity of the deletions of identifying details is deferred pending submission by defendants of affidavits consistent with the requirements of Vaughn v. Rosen, supra; Cuneo v. Schlesinger, supra, and Pacific Architects & Eng. Inc. v. Renegotiation Board, supra, setting forth facts which establish the applicability of Exemption 7. II. Certain Communications Between the Commission and State Agencies On the ground that they are exempt from disclosure as intra-agency memoranda (Exemption 5) and part of active investigatory files (Exemption 7) the FTC entirely withheld two memoranda which are communications with state agencies. A. Exemption 5 Before the Supreme Court's recent decisions in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck, supra, and Renegotiation Board v. Grumman Aircraft, 421 U.S. 168, 95 S.Ct. 1491, 44 L.Ed.2d 57 (1975), Exemption 5, which protects intra-agency memoranda *315 from disclosure, was consistently interpreted to protect only materials reflecting "deliberative or policy-making process" and to require the release of: "compiled factual material or purely factual material contained in deliberative memoranda and severable from its context . . ." Environmental Protection Agency v. Mink, 410 U.S. 73, 87-88, 93 S.Ct. 827, 836, 35 L.Ed.2d 119 (1973). In NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., the Supreme Court noting that the purpose of Exemption 5 was to "prevent injury to the quality of agency decisions," stated: "The quality of a particular agency decision will clearly be affected by the communications received by the decision-maker on the subject of the decisions prior to the time the decision is made. However, it is difficult to see how the quality of a decision will be affected by communications with respect to the decision occurring after the decision is finally reached; and therefore equally difficult to see how the quality of the decision will be affected by forced disclosure of such communications, as long as prior communications and the ingredients of the decisionmaking process are not disclosed." Supra, 421 U.S. at 151, 95 S.Ct. at 1517. On the basis of this analysis, the Supreme Court distinguished between intra-agency memoranda written prior to and in connection with formulation of an agency decision—which fall within Exemption 5—and communications made after a decision is reached and designed to explain it—which are not. Id. at 151, n. 19, and 152, 95 S.Ct. 1504. Accord, Renegotiation Board v. Grumman Aircraft, supra. After carefully examining the memoranda in camera, we find that they are the communications which Exemption 5, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, does protect. The first consists of a discussion of the relationship between separate investigations by the FTC and a State Attorney General into pricing policies of major brand oil suppliers and fits the definition of a pre-decisional communication set forth in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck. The second is a summary of an interview between a staff member of the Commission and officials of a State agency written to instruct the FTC as to the jurisdiction and decision-making process of the state agency. Much of the memorandum presents matters of opinion and policy. Parts of the memorandum merely summarize facts about the state agency, and may well be a matter of public record already. However, as the court in Montrose Chemical Corp. v. Train stated: "Exemption 5 was intended to protect not simply deliberative material, but also the deliberative process of agencies. When a summary of factual material on the public record is prepared by the staff of an agency administrator, for his use in making a complex decision, such a summary is part of the deliberative process and is exempt from disclosure under exemption 5 of FOIA." 160 U.S.App.D.C. 270, 491 F.2d 63, 70-71 (1971) The facts in the memorandum are presented in the context of analyzing considerations of pricing crude oil and meet the Montrose test. That this document summarizes the deliberative processes of a state agency as distinct from the FTC itself, does not render the exemption inapplicable. As the Supreme Court explained: "By including inter-agency memoranda in Exemption 5, Congress plainly intended to permit one agency possessing decisional authority to obtain written recommendations and advice from a separate agency . . ." Renegotiation Board v. Grumman Aircraft, supra, 421 U.S. at 188, 95 S.Ct. at 1502. The rationale applies with equal force to advice received from state as well as federal agencies. Because we have determined that the two documents are protected by Exemption 5, we do not consider the applicability of Exemption 7. *316 III. Communications Between the FTC and Other Federal Agencies From the group of documents which contained communications between the FTC and other federal agencies, defendants withheld in whole or in part three categories of materials. A. Staff Memoranda The first set of documents contains three letters written by FTC officials to staff members of other federal agencies and a FTC staff report on the petroleum industry. Having examined the three letters in camera, we find that they contain matters of policy and opinion and present no facts which are severable from policy statements. Accordingly, they are exempt from disclosure under Exemption 5 of the FOIA. EPA v. Mink, supra. The FTC justifies its refusal to disclose the staff report on the ground that it is protected by Exemptions 5 and 7 of the Act. Although in this instance defendants here again failed to submit affidavits to support their claim as to this report, they assert in their memorandum that the report was prepared "as part of an on-going investigation into the activities of the petroleum industry for possible violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act." (Defendants' Memorandum filed November 11, 1974, pp. 14-15) After examining the report in camera, we find that because it contains a close analysis of a currently pending investigation by the FTC, it is protected from disclosure under Exemption 5 as interpreted by NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., supra and Renegotiation Board v. Grumman Aircraft, supra. (See discussion at Pt. IIA, supra) Accord, Exxon Corp. v. FTC, No. 1928-73 (D.D.C. August 14, 1974). B. Other Communications The next set of documents consists of 84 items which defendants also contend are protected by Exemptions 5 and 7. The documents have been examined in camera and are accurately described by defendants as containing: "1) Memoranda reflecting the information received in oral communications between staff members of the Commission and other agencies; 2) Communications reflecting the liason between the Department of Justice and the Commission in their investigating efforts including communications requesting permission to review confidential files; and 3) Communications between the commission and other agencies exchanging information or seeking information." (Defendants' Memorandum filed April 1, 1974, p. 27) Most of the communications in this category contain policy discussions and opinions and accordingly fall within Exemption 5 as interpreted by EPA v. Mink, supra. However, as the FTC concedes, not every one of these documents contains legal analysis or policy recommendations. (Defendants' Memorandum filed April 1, 1974, pp. 28-29). Nevertheless, the defendants argue that these communications are exempt because they are "an integral part of the Commission's procedure in evaluating and taking action on matters within its jurisdiction" and, as such "are entwined in the chain of the Commission's deliberative functions which take place prior to any agency action." Id. at p. 29. We disagree. As noted earlier, although in the context of Exemption 4, the applicability of an exemption must be determined on the basis of the contents of the communication itself rather than the chain of events which prompted its transmittal. Ditlow v. Volpe, supra, 362 F.Supp. at 1324 and cases cited therein. It is true that the Supreme Court recognized in NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck that "an understanding of the function of the documents in issue in the context of the administrative process which generated them" was crucial to a determination of the applicability of Exemption *317 5. Supra, 421 U.S. at 138, 95 S.Ct. at 1510. However, that statement was made with regard to whether documents which on their face contained opinion and policy deliberation were nevertheless subject to disclosure. In contrast, the documents requested in the category presently under discussion are devoid of opinion. As such, they do not fall within the parameters of Exemption 5. There remains the question whether the exemption for investigatory files applies. As noted earlier, a recent amendment to the FOIA confines that exemption to limited circumstances. While it appears fairly certain that the documents in question do not pass most of the alternative tests allowed by Exemption 7 as amended, the FTC could conceivably demonstrate that disclosure of the requests for information which has been transmitted between federal agencies would, in and of itself, "interfere with enforcement proceedings" and thereby meet the standard of § 552(b) (7)(A). We therefore defer decision on this issue in order to allow defendants to compile the documents which are requests for information into one indexed category and to submit affidavits in conformance with the standards set forth in Section IC of this memorandum to demonstrate the applicability of Exemption 7 to these documents. C. Referrals of Complaints The FTC has blacked out the names and addresses of complainants from 61 letters which referred citizen complaints to the Department of Justice. It claims the deletions are justified under Exemptions 3, 4 and 5 of the FOIA. The Commission has also withheld names and addresses contained in letters it received from the Department of Justice and, in a limited number of cases, has refused to disclose any of the contents of some such referrals. Defendants contend that the decision to withhold these referrals is warranted by Exemptions 3, 4, 5 and 7 of the Act. Turning first to the documents that have been entirely withheld, an in camera inspection of this material establishes that it is protected from disclosure by Exemption 5 as interpreted by NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., supra, (see discussion at point IIA of this memorandum) because they relate to opinion and decisions involving pending investigations of oil companies and petroleum issues. As to the deletion of names and identifying details, to the extent that the complainants are customers of oil companies or related business concerns, the deletions are mandated by section 6(f) of the FTCA and consequently fall within the ambit of Exemption 3. However, a number of deletions consist of the names of Congressmen or other federal officials and are not similarly protected. Exemption 3 does not apply to such erasures. (See discussion at point IA of this memorandum) Nor can they be viewed as falling within Exemption 5 of the FOIA, since they are neither policy nor opinion. A determination as to the applicability of Exemption 4 must be deferred pending submission by defendants of affidavits which establish the basis for the FTC's conclusion that the names of people who are not "customers" and other deleted material is confidential or privileged. The motions are disposed of as indicated above. It is so ordered. NOTES [1] Mobil specifically requested: [F]or the period January 1, 1970 to [August 22, 1973], all communications including letters, reports or memoranda, and notes, transcripts or other memorialization of oral communications pertaining to petroleum (in liquid or gaseous form) supplies, shortages, allocations, imbalances, availabilities, competitive or noncompetitive activities, and any reason therefor or causes thereof, between the Federal Trade Commission (including any member or employee thereof) and A. any member of the Congress, including any employee of the Congress or any member thereof; B. any agency of the United States Government; or employee thereof; C. any State government or any agency or employee thereof. [2] By memorandum dated June 27, 1974, the government's original motion to dismiss or for summary judgment was denied and the FTC was directed to (1) search for the existence of any relevant tape recordings and (2) file affidavits sworn on personal knowledge of the several department heads who actually supervised the search for the documents requested by Mobil. On September 9, 1974, the office of the U. S. Attorney advised counsel for plaintiff that the search for the documents was complete and that those documents which were not claimed to be exempt from disclosure were available for inspection. On September 26, 1974, the FTC filed the documents with the court for in camera review and 98 affidavits concerning the thoroughness of the search for relevant documents and tape recordings. On the basis of these documents, we are convinced, and there is no dispute, that the FTC has conducted a comprehensive search for the requested material and that there are no electronic recordings which concern the subject matter of Mobil's request. See National Cable Television Association, Inc. v. FCC, 156 U.S. App.D.C. 91, 479 F.2d 183, 190-193 (1973); Bristol-Myers v. FTC, 138 U.S.App.D.C. 22, 424 F.2d 935 (1970). [3] See, e. g., Rose v. Department of Air Force, 495 F.2d 261 (1974); Fisher v. Renegotiation Board, 153 U.S.App.D.C. 398, 473 F.2d 109, 112 (1972); Bristol-Myers Co. v. FTC, 138 U.S. App.D.C. 22, 424 F.2d 935, 938, cert. denied, 400 U.S. 824, 91 S.Ct. 46, 27 L.Ed.2d 52 (1970). [4] The Senate debate included the following interchange: Mr. SUTHERLAND. Again let me see if I understand the Senator. One of the powers given to this commission is to make public the facts that they may learn. Does the Senator think the commission may require the production of all books and papers, and so on, in order that what it discovers may be made public? Mr. LEWIS. No; I answer the Senator. He misapprehends the purport of the bill completely if that is his idea. The matters made public in the bill relate only to those things that have been brought before the commission for one of two purposes, or aid to legislation, which would not be a matter which anyone could complain of, or to demonstrate a violation complained of as touching unfair competition. It does not allow, as I apprehend the bill, that matters may be made public without any regard to any object whatever except publicity. 51 Cong. Rec. 12929 (1914). [5] Defendants added: "It would be wholly impracticable for the Commission to determine, with regard to each person, information such as the following: whether the person provided information in confidence . . . whether the person waived any privilege of confidentiality; whether the Congressmen had reason to protect the names of such persons or any other information that might have been relevant." Defendants' Reply Memorandum, p. 15 [6] The Conference Report explained the meaning of the term "confidential source" in the context of exemption 7(D), as amended. However, exemption 4 also limits protection from disclosure to "trade secrets and commercial or financial information" which are "privileged or confidential." 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(4). In submitting affidavits to the court to support their assertion of protection under exemption 4, in accordance with our instruction in the text above, the FTC should apply the Conference Report definition of confidentiality as to exemption 7 since the same term used twice in one statute should, absent evidence to the contrary, be consistently interpreted. See Davies Warehouse Co. v. Bowles, 321 U.S. 144, 149-59, 64 S.Ct. 474, 88 L.Ed. 635 (1944).

Q: Get DateTime object given local time as string, date as UTC DateTime and a timezone-locale string? I'm working with data from several sources, and I need to put together an accurate DateTime. I have: A) a string representing a time of day, e.g.: "4:00 pm" B) a DateTime object intended to represent a pure date, by having been created as midnight, zulu time (offset of 00:00) for a particular date. C) a string representing a timezone locale, e.g.: "America/Los_Angeles" How do I get a precise DateTime object, with correct number of ticks, representing the time (A) experienced in that locale (C), on that date (B)?? A: Here you have an example using NodaTime, which is more reliable of any of the framework classes when dealing with calendars, time zones, dates and times: var timeString = "4:00 pm"; var pureDate = new DateTime(2017, 5, 22, 0, 0, 0, DateTimeKind.Utc); var timezoneString = "America/Los_Angeles"; var localTime = ParseTimeString(timeString); var localDate = LocalDate.FromDateTime(pureDate); var localDateTime = localDate.At(localTime); var zone = DateTimeZoneProviders.Tzdb[timezoneString]; var zonedDateTime = localDateTime.InZoneStrictly(zone); Inside zonedDateTime you will find your full date: "2017-05-22T16:00:00 America/Los_Angeles (-07)" You may than use zonedDateTime.ToDateTimeUtc() to get a System.DateTime instance in UTC. ParseTimeString parses your time string using your format specifier: public static LocalTime ParseTimeString(string timeString) { var pattern = LocalTimePattern.CreateWithInvariantCulture("h:mm tt"); return pattern.Parse(timeString).Value; } Considerations if you use DateTime, DateTimeOffset and TimeZoneInfo If you do not want to use NodaTime be aware of the possible pitfalls of the built-in classes: TimeZoneInfo in Windows uses a different specifier that is not compatible with IANA/TZDB. Your America/Los_Angeles time zone string will not work if you do not convert it before use (see https://stackoverflow.com/tags/timezone/info) DateTimeOffset (which is more reliable then DateTime) still loses information when created. The time zone data cannot be persisted and you will have just a date with an offset from UTC. You'll need to manually parse your custom time string (maybe using regexes).

Q: Can py.test support multiple -k options? Can py.test supports multiple -k options? Each testcase belongs to a particular group such as _eventnotification or _interface, etc. Is it possible to run test cases that belong to either one or both at the same time? ie, run testcases that has _eventnotification or _interface in the name at the same time. I tried the following and only the testcases with _interface were executed. If that is not supported, is there another way to do this? py.test -k "_eventnotification" -k "_interface" A: The bad news: pytest-2.3.3 does not support it. The good news: i took your question as an opportunity to finally enhance "-k" behaviour, so that you can use "not", "or", "end" etc, see the [extended -k example][1]. It works now like "-m" except that it matches on (substrings of) test names, not markers. You can use this in-development pytest version with "pip install -i http://pypi.testrun.org -U pytest".

Intrahepatic cholestasis due to systemic mastocytosis: a case report and review of literature. A 35-yr-old female presented with symptoms of obstructive jaundice. Liver biopsy, bone marrow aspiration, and biopsy revealed systemic mastocytosis and acute myeloid leukemia. The liver biopsy specimen showed infiltration of mast cells within portal tracts with periductal and portal edema, irregularity of interlobular duct epithelium, and centrizonal cholestasis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography was normal. Following chemotherapy treatment with idarubicin and cytarabine for seven days for AML, the bilirubin levels continued to increase for two weeks and then decreased, reaching normal levels in two months. Infiltration of mast cells in the liver leads to hepatomegaly, liver function abnormality and rarely portal hypertension. Intrahepatic cholestasis due to systemic mastocytosis has never been reported. We report a rare case of systemic mastocytosis causing intrahepatic cholestasis that resolved with remission of AML following chemotherapy.

Well, I always thought Jacob would make a good Eli. I don't know why.I like the name Esme but her personality always reminded me of a Charlotte. I don't know why these sort of things pop into my head. But it comes in handy to make up code names for the characters. When my friends and I talk TW around "non-believers" we don't look so weird because they don't recognize the names. So when I first read Twilight I couldn't really see Bella as a Bella. But after a while I got used to it, and now I can't imagine her having another name. Though I wish Jasper's name would be different still, because Jasper is one of the dog catchers on 101 Dalmations. He should be William or something. Team Edward&Esme~SBS Assistant 2 the Cobosses~APPCSt Cullens Head of Neurology~TetrarchNeed something to read? Tryhttp://www.jennacooper.com I would think that they would always keep the same first names and just change their last names as needed. I remember Edward saying that he was glad that his name fell out of favor with parents.Like others, I can't imagine them with any other names. To think of Rosalie as Carol just doesn't fit, I am glad that SM decided to change it. "But you see, just because we've been...dealt a certain hand...it doesn't mean that we can't choose to rise above -- to conquer the boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted." I think Renesmee is the silliest name ever. I mean noone can pronounce it, it doesnt roll off the tongue...in fact people call her nessie because its easier to pronounce instead. Its like if you named me JackDavid (as first name). SO I think that a good first name for her would be...anything normal! Here are a few hints:

OK. -----Original Message----- From: Prentice Sellers [mailto:psellers49@yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 5:25 PM To: jdasovic@enron.com Subject: Stuff I think I left my email open at home which means I can't download it on Omnisky or Yahoo. So you can email me at this address if you need to. Will you get stuff for breakfast at Rainbow? Eggs Butter Bread for toast Jarly or cheddar Porties or other mushrooms Green onions Don't buy any yellow onions - I will bring some from home. I love you.

Artist and teacher Paul Heussenstamm’s vibrant sacred art incorporates principles of many religious traditions, among them Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. His signature motif is the mandala, a mystic symbol many see as a doorway to the soul. Heussenstamm (American, b. 1949) believes that soul patterns are manifested in mandalas, which have played a role in Eastern spiritual development for centuries and are widely favored as meditational focal points. In his own words, the Mandala Tree of Life “represents each individual’s divine place in the universe. The roots connect you with your ancestors, and the tree reaches up to connect heaven and earth. Every place and every person that the tree connects you with is in a meditative harmony.” Heussenstamm, whose artist parents “met at the easel,” grew up in a highly creative, spiritual environment that helped form the pattern of his life and work. So that others may discover their own spiritual paths through art, he teaches mandala-painting workshops around the world. Contains five each of the four color variations on Mandala Tree of Life

// Copyright 2011 The Snappy-Go Authors. All rights reserved. // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style // license that can be found in the LICENSE file. package snappy import ( "encoding/binary" "errors" "io" ) // Encode returns the encoded form of src. The returned slice may be a sub- // slice of dst if dst was large enough to hold the entire encoded block. // Otherwise, a newly allocated slice will be returned. // // The dst and src must not overlap. It is valid to pass a nil dst. func Encode(dst, src []byte) []byte { if n := MaxEncodedLen(len(src)); n < 0 { panic(ErrTooLarge) } else if len(dst) < n { dst = make([]byte, n) } // The block starts with the varint-encoded length of the decompressed bytes. d := binary.PutUvarint(dst, uint64(len(src))) for len(src) > 0 { p := src src = nil if len(p) > maxBlockSize { p, src = p[:maxBlockSize], p[maxBlockSize:] } if len(p) < minNonLiteralBlockSize { d += emitLiteral(dst[d:], p) } else { d += encodeBlock(dst[d:], p) } } return dst[:d] } // inputMargin is the minimum number of extra input bytes to keep, inside // encodeBlock's inner loop. On some architectures, this margin lets us // implement a fast path for emitLiteral, where the copy of short (<= 16 byte) // literals can be implemented as a single load to and store from a 16-byte // register. That literal's actual length can be as short as 1 byte, so this // can copy up to 15 bytes too much, but that's OK as subsequent iterations of // the encoding loop will fix up the copy overrun, and this inputMargin ensures // that we don't overrun the dst and src buffers. const inputMargin = 16 - 1 // minNonLiteralBlockSize is the minimum size of the input to encodeBlock that // could be encoded with a copy tag. This is the minimum with respect to the // algorithm used by encodeBlock, not a minimum enforced by the file format. // // The encoded output must start with at least a 1 byte literal, as there are // no previous bytes to copy. A minimal (1 byte) copy after that, generated // from an emitCopy call in encodeBlock's main loop, would require at least // another inputMargin bytes, for the reason above: we want any emitLiteral // calls inside encodeBlock's main loop to use the fast path if possible, which // requires being able to overrun by inputMargin bytes. Thus, // minNonLiteralBlockSize equals 1 + 1 + inputMargin. // // The C++ code doesn't use this exact threshold, but it could, as discussed at // https://groups.google.com/d/topic/snappy-compression/oGbhsdIJSJ8/discussion // The difference between Go (2+inputMargin) and C++ (inputMargin) is purely an // optimization. It should not affect the encoded form. This is tested by // TestSameEncodingAsCppShortCopies. const minNonLiteralBlockSize = 1 + 1 + inputMargin // MaxEncodedLen returns the maximum length of a snappy block, given its // uncompressed length. // // It will return a negative value if srcLen is too large to encode. func MaxEncodedLen(srcLen int) int { n := uint64(srcLen) if n > 0xffffffff { return -1 } // Compressed data can be defined as: // compressed := item* literal* // item := literal* copy // // The trailing literal sequence has a space blowup of at most 62/60 // since a literal of length 60 needs one tag byte + one extra byte // for length information. // // Item blowup is trickier to measure. Suppose the "copy" op copies // 4 bytes of data. Because of a special check in the encoding code, // we produce a 4-byte copy only if the offset is < 65536. Therefore // the copy op takes 3 bytes to encode, and this type of item leads // to at most the 62/60 blowup for representing literals. // // Suppose the "copy" op copies 5 bytes of data. If the offset is big // enough, it will take 5 bytes to encode the copy op. Therefore the // worst case here is a one-byte literal followed by a five-byte copy. // That is, 6 bytes of input turn into 7 bytes of "compressed" data. // // This last factor dominates the blowup, so the final estimate is: n = 32 + n + n/6 if n > 0xffffffff { return -1 } return int(n) } var errClosed = errors.New("snappy: Writer is closed") // NewWriter returns a new Writer that compresses to w. // // The Writer returned does not buffer writes. There is no need to Flush or // Close such a Writer. // // Deprecated: the Writer returned is not suitable for many small writes, only // for few large writes. Use NewBufferedWriter instead, which is efficient // regardless of the frequency and shape of the writes, and remember to Close // that Writer when done. func NewWriter(w io.Writer) *Writer { return &Writer{ w: w, obuf: make([]byte, obufLen), } } // NewBufferedWriter returns a new Writer that compresses to w, using the // framing format described at // https://github.com/google/snappy/blob/master/framing_format.txt // // The Writer returned buffers writes. Users must call Close to guarantee all // data has been forwarded to the underlying io.Writer. They may also call // Flush zero or more times before calling Close. func NewBufferedWriter(w io.Writer) *Writer { return &Writer{ w: w, ibuf: make([]byte, 0, maxBlockSize), obuf: make([]byte, obufLen), } } // Writer is an io.Writer that can write Snappy-compressed bytes. type Writer struct { w io.Writer err error // ibuf is a buffer for the incoming (uncompressed) bytes. // // Its use is optional. For backwards compatibility, Writers created by the // NewWriter function have ibuf == nil, do not buffer incoming bytes, and // therefore do not need to be Flush'ed or Close'd. ibuf []byte // obuf is a buffer for the outgoing (compressed) bytes. obuf []byte // wroteStreamHeader is whether we have written the stream header. wroteStreamHeader bool } // Reset discards the writer's state and switches the Snappy writer to write to // w. This permits reusing a Writer rather than allocating a new one. func (w *Writer) Reset(writer io.Writer) { w.w = writer w.err = nil if w.ibuf != nil { w.ibuf = w.ibuf[:0] } w.wroteStreamHeader = false } // Write satisfies the io.Writer interface. func (w *Writer) Write(p []byte) (nRet int, errRet error) { if w.ibuf == nil { // Do not buffer incoming bytes. This does not perform or compress well // if the caller of Writer.Write writes many small slices. This // behavior is therefore deprecated, but still supported for backwards // compatibility with code that doesn't explicitly Flush or Close. return w.write(p) } // The remainder of this method is based on bufio.Writer.Write from the // standard library. for len(p) > (cap(w.ibuf)-len(w.ibuf)) && w.err == nil { var n int if len(w.ibuf) == 0 { // Large write, empty buffer. // Write directly from p to avoid copy. n, _ = w.write(p) } else { n = copy(w.ibuf[len(w.ibuf):cap(w.ibuf)], p) w.ibuf = w.ibuf[:len(w.ibuf)+n] w.Flush() } nRet += n p = p[n:] } if w.err != nil { return nRet, w.err } n := copy(w.ibuf[len(w.ibuf):cap(w.ibuf)], p) w.ibuf = w.ibuf[:len(w.ibuf)+n] nRet += n return nRet, nil } func (w *Writer) write(p []byte) (nRet int, errRet error) { if w.err != nil { return 0, w.err } for len(p) > 0 { obufStart := len(magicChunk) if !w.wroteStreamHeader { w.wroteStreamHeader = true copy(w.obuf, magicChunk) obufStart = 0 } var uncompressed []byte if len(p) > maxBlockSize { uncompressed, p = p[:maxBlockSize], p[maxBlockSize:] } else { uncompressed, p = p, nil } checksum := crc(uncompressed) // Compress the buffer, discarding the result if the improvement // isn't at least 12.5%. compressed := Encode(w.obuf[obufHeaderLen:], uncompressed) chunkType := uint8(chunkTypeCompressedData) chunkLen := 4 + len(compressed) obufEnd := obufHeaderLen + len(compressed) if len(compressed) >= len(uncompressed)-len(uncompressed)/8 { chunkType = chunkTypeUncompressedData chunkLen = 4 + len(uncompressed) obufEnd = obufHeaderLen } // Fill in the per-chunk header that comes before the body. w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+0] = chunkType w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+1] = uint8(chunkLen >> 0) w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+2] = uint8(chunkLen >> 8) w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+3] = uint8(chunkLen >> 16) w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+4] = uint8(checksum >> 0) w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+5] = uint8(checksum >> 8) w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+6] = uint8(checksum >> 16) w.obuf[len(magicChunk)+7] = uint8(checksum >> 24) if _, err := w.w.Write(w.obuf[obufStart:obufEnd]); err != nil { w.err = err return nRet, err } if chunkType == chunkTypeUncompressedData { if _, err := w.w.Write(uncompressed); err != nil { w.err = err return nRet, err } } nRet += len(uncompressed) } return nRet, nil } // Flush flushes the Writer to its underlying io.Writer. func (w *Writer) Flush() error { if w.err != nil { return w.err } if len(w.ibuf) == 0 { return nil } w.write(w.ibuf) w.ibuf = w.ibuf[:0] return w.err } // Close calls Flush and then closes the Writer. func (w *Writer) Close() error { w.Flush() ret := w.err if w.err == nil { w.err = errClosed } return ret }

The plane of our Galaxy as seen in infrared light from the WISE satellite. The bulge is a distinct component and most of its mass resides in a boxy/peanut bulge, which is in cylindrical rotation. An ancient population, estimated to be 1% of the mass of the bulge, has been detected kinematically detected in the inner Milky Way and does not cylindrically. Instead, this population is likely to have been one of the first parts of the Milky Way to form. Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF/AIP/A. Kunder An international team of astronomers led by Dr. Andrea Kunder of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) in Germany has discovered that the central 2000 light years within the Milky Way Galaxy hosts an ancient population of stars. These stars are more than 10 billion years old and their orbits in space preserve the early history of the formation of the Milky Way. For the first time the team kinematically disentangled this ancient component from the stellar population that currently dominates the mass of the central Galaxy. The astronomers used the AAOmega spectrograph on the Anglo Australian Telescope near Siding Spring, Australia, and focused on a well-known and ancient class of stars, called RR Lyrae variables. These stars pulsate in brightness roughly once a day, which make them more challenging to study than their static counterparts, but they have the advantage of being "standard candles". RR Lyrae stars allow exact distance estimations and are found only in stellar populations more than 10 billion years old, for example, in ancient halo globular clusters. The velocities of hundreds of stars were simultaneously recorded toward the constellation of Sagittarius over an area of the sky larger than the full moon. The team therefore was able to use the age stamp on the stars to explore the conditions in the central part of our Milky Way when it was formed. Just as London and Paris are built on more ancient Roman or even older remains, our Milky Way galaxy also has multiple generations of stars that span the time from its formation to the present. Since heavy elements, referred to by astronomers as "metals", are brewed in stars, subsequent stellar generations become more and more metal-rich. Therefore, the most ancient components of our Milky Way are expected to be metal-poor stars. Most of our Galaxy's central regions are dominated by metal-rich stars, meaning that they have approximately the same metal content as our Sun, and are arrayed in a football-shaped structure called the "bar". These stars in the bar were found to orbit in roughly the same direction around the Galactic Centre. Hydrogen gas in the Milky Way also follows this rotation. Hence it was widely believed that all stars in the centre would rotate in this way. But to the astronomers' astonishment, the RR Lyrae stars do not follow football-shaped orbits, but have large random motions more consistent with their having formed at a great distance from the centre of the Milky Way. "We expected to find that these stars rotate just like the rest of the bar" states lead investigator Kunder. Coauthor Juntai Shen of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory adds, "They account for only one percent of the total mass of the bar, but this even more ancient population of stars appears to have a completely different origin than other stars there, consistent with having been one of the first parts of the Milky Way to form." The RR Lyrae stars are moving targets - their pulsations result in changes in their apparent velocity over the course of a day. The team accounted for this, and was able to show that the velocity dispersion or random motion of the RR Lyrae star population was very high relative to the other stars in the Milky Way's center. The next steps will be to measure the exact metal content of the RR Lyrae population, which gives additional clues to the history of the stars, and enhance by three or four times the number of stars studied, that presently stands at almost 1000. Explore further Starry surprise in the bulge: encounter of a halo passerby More information: Before the Bar: Kinematic Detection of A Spheroidal Metal-Poor Bulge Component. Volume 821, Number 2. arxiv.org/abs/1603.06578 Before the Bar: Kinematic Detection of A Spheroidal Metal-Poor Bulge Component. Volume 821, Number 2. iopscience.iop.org/article/10. … -8205/821/2/L25/meta Provided by Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam

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(7:30 p.m. EST) -- Part of the U.S. Navy's core mission is to deliver humanitarian aid for those in need -- be that a capsized boat off the coast of Africa or a cruise ship carrying 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew. Passengers on the ill-fated Carnival Splendor Mexican Riviera cruise learned that firsthand on Tuesday, when the U.S. Navy undertook a mission to deliver 60,000 pounds of food and supplies -- including bottled water, Pop-Tarts and the much-publicized Spam -- to the stranded cruise ship. The mission kicked off Monday after the 113,000-ton, 952-foot-long Carnival Splendor was crippled by an engine room fire and set adrift west of Baja California. The Coast Guard responded first to Splendor's distress call, dispatching the Cutter Edisto and a C130 to survey the scene. A larger ship, the 378-foot Cutter Morgenthau, then arrived alongside the cruise ship Tuesday at 2 a.m., tasked with the job of escorting Carnival Splendor safely into port. With the ship running on auxiliary power and the reality of losing a large amount of perishable food setting in, Carnival Cruise Lines asked the Coast Guard to help deliver provisions. However, "given the size and logistical challenge of this mission, the Navy stepped in [on Monday afternoon] to help and expedite the process," says Petty Officer Pamela Manns. The most obvious candidate for the mission was the 1,092-foot-long USS Ronald Reagan, a Pacific-based aircraft carrier engaged in "comp training exercises," naval jargon for pre-deployment training for combat missions. Bringing aid to the stranded ship now took precedence, and the aircraft carrier and its roughly 5,000 crew chartered a course just south of Carnival Splendor, motoring some 80 nautical miles to reach a workable position. But before the Navy could deliver a single Pop-Tart to hungry passengers, Carnival had to secure the provisions, then rent out the semis to deliver them to appropriate naval bases. From there, C-2A Greyhound logistics aircraft were loaded and directed for the USS Ronald Reagan. The menu -- and the bill -- was Carnival's responsibility. Provisions included bread, canned milk, disposable cups and utensils, croissants, sandwich meats, Pop-Tarts, canned crab and plenty of bottled water. "Anything in a box or a can that be easily moved, doesn't have to be refrigerated, and can be served cold," said Hicks. Carnival was unavailable for comment. Once onboard the USS Reagan, supplies were again offloaded, then tethered to HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopters, which would carry goods from aircraft carrier to cruise ship. The first shipment arrived at around 7 a.m., said Hicks, with teams from the Coast Guard and Navy assuring safe delivery zones (the ship's running track, for instance) so choppers could hover over and slowly lower the pallets onto Splendor. The operation, which remains unnamed, continued until sundown, when the last Sea Hawk headed back to its floating base. Mission now accomplished, the Ronald Reagan has since returned to its original position, where combat training will recommence. The Navy will be keeping an eye on the situation. "We're standing off, but ready to respond," notes Hicks.

Andrei Pridyuk Andrei Anatolyevich Pridyuk (; born 25 February 1994) is a Russian professional football player. He plays for FC Zvezda Perm. Club career He made his debut in the Russian Premier League on 23 November 2013 for FC Amkar Perm in a game against FC Kuban Krasnodar. External links Profile by the Russian Premier League References Category:1994 births Category:People from Krasnokamsk Category:Living people Category:Russian footballers Category:Russia youth international footballers Category:Russia under-21 international footballers Category:Association football defenders Category:Russian Premier League players Category:FC Amkar Perm players Category:FC Tambov players

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