Genetics.

Costello syndrome is caused by any of at least five different mutations in the "HRAS" gene on chromosome 11. This gene provides instructions for making a protein, H-Ras, that helps control cell growth and division. Mutations that cause Costello syndrome lead to the production of an H-Ras protein that is permanently active. Instead of triggering cell growth in response to particular signals from outside the cell, the overactive protein directs cells to grow and divide constantly. This unchecked cell division may predispose sufferers to the development of benign and malignant tumors. It remains unclear how mutations in "HRAS" cause other features of Costello syndrome, but many of the signs and symptoms may result from cell overgrowth and abnormal cell division.  "HRAS" is a proto-oncogene in which somatic mutations in healthy people can contribute to cancer. Whereas children with Costello syndrome typically have a mutation in "HRAS" in every cell of their bodies, an otherwise healthy person with a tumor caused in part by "HRAS" mutation will only have mutant "HRAS" within the tumor. The test for the mutation in cancer tumors can also be used to test children for Costello syndrome.  Costello syndrome is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, which means one copy of the altered gene is sufficient to cause the disorder. Almost all cases have resulted from new mutations, and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. This condition is rare; as of 20 April 2007, 200 to 300 cases have been reported worldwide.

Diagnosis.

Costello Syndrome can be difficult for doctors to immediately clinically diagnose, as there are similar conditions that resemble this syndrome. A physician will start by assessing the child's height, the size of the head, and birth weight.  Full genome and Exome next generation DNA testing is the primary diagnostic tool for Costello Syndrome.

Treatments.

At the 2005 American Society of Human Genetics meeting, Francis Collins gave a presentation about a treatment he devised for children affected by Progeria. He discussed how farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) affects H-Ras. After his presentation, members of the Costello Syndrome Family Network discussed the possibility of FTIs helping children with Costello syndrome. Mark Kieran, who presented at the 1st International Costello Syndrome Research Symposium in 2007, agreed that FTIs might help children with Costello syndrome. He discussed with Costello advocates what he had learned in establishing and running the Progeria clinical trial with an FTI, to help them consider next steps.  Another medication that affects H-Ras is Lovastatin, which is planned as a treatment for neurofibromatosis type I. When this was reported in mainstream news, the Costello Syndrome Professional Advisory Board was asked about its use in Costello Syndrome. Research into the effects of Lovastatin was linked with Alcino Silva, who presented his findings at the 2007 symposium. Silva also believed that the medication he was studying could help children with Costello syndrome with cognition.  A third medication that might help children with Costello syndrome is a MEK inhibitor that helps inhibit the pathway closer to the cell nucleus.

Research.

Spanish researchers reported the development of a Costello mouse, with the G12V mutation, in early 2008. Although the G12V mutation is rare among children with Costello syndrome, and the G12V mouse does not appear to develop tumors as expected, information about the mouse model's heart may be transferable to humans.  Italian and Japanese researchers published their development of a Costello zebrafish in late 2008, also with the G12V mutation. The advent of animal models may accelerate identification of treatment options.

Historical.

That genetic mutations in "HRAS" cause Costello syndrome was first reported in 2005. These mutations, along with mutations that cause cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, found soon after, surprised geneticists and changed how genetic syndromes can be grouped. Before this, geneticists looked for new mutations in genes with mutations that caused syndromes similar to the unknown syndrome. For example, researchers looked at and around the most common Noonan syndrome mutation, PTPN11, but did not find anything related to Costello syndrome or cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome. The first mutation that is now identified as one of the Costello syndrome alleles was found unexpectedly when Japanese researchers used the DNA of children with Costello syndrome as a control, looking for another Noonan gene Geneticists realized that the syndromes they were grouping together clinically according to their signs and symptoms were related in a way they had never realized: the mutations that cause Costello syndrome, Noonan syndrome and cardiofaciocutaneous syndromes are linked by their cellular function, not by being on or close to a gene with a known mutation. The cellular function that links them is a common signalling pathway that brings information from outside the cell to the nucleus. This pathway is called the Ras-MAP-kinase signal transduction pathway (Ras-MAPK Pathway).

References.

"Some text in this article was originally taken from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=costellosyndrome, a public domain source"

Costello syndrome, also called faciocutaneoskeletal syndrome or FCS syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body. It is characterized by delayed development and intellectual disabilities, distinctive facial features, unusually flexible joints, and loose folds of extra skin, especially on the hands and feet. Heart abnormalities are common, including a very fast heartbeat (tachycardia), structural heart defects, and overgrowth of the heart muscle (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). Infants with Costello syndrome may be large at birth, but grow more slowly than other children and have difficulty feeding. Later in life, people with this condition have relatively short stature and many have reduced levels of growth hormones. It is a RASopathy.

先天性水痘症候群(),又名小黑人症、克斯提洛氏弹性蛋白缺陷症、科斯特洛综合症、面肌肉骨骼综合症()或FCS综合症等各种名称,是一种罕见的遗传疾病,会影响身体的许多部位。「小黑人症」这个名称源于患者的皮肤常因色素沉着而黝黑。


History.

Gravesend & Northfleet F.C. was formed in 1946, following the Second World War, after a merger between Gravesend United (originally formed in 1893) and Northfleet United (originally formed in 1890) with the new club retaining the red & white home colours (and the Stonebridge Road stadium) of Northfleet United. From 1969 and 1971, Roy Hodgson, who later became manager of the national teams of Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Finland and England, was a player at the club, making 59 appearances. In 1979, the team was one of the founder members of the Alliance Premier League, but were relegated back into the Southern League Premier Division three seasons later.  For the 1997–98 season, Gravesend & Northfleet left the Southern League and joined the Isthmian League. They played in the Premier Division of the league until the 2001–02 season, when they finished as champions and earned promotion back into the Football Conference, where they remained until being relegated to the Conference South at the end of the 2009–10 season.

MyFootballClub takeover.

On 13 November 2007, it was announced that the website MyFootballClub had entered a deal in principle to take over the club. Approximately 27,000 MyFootballClub members each paid £35 to provide an approximate £700,000 takeover fund and all owned an equal share in the club but made no profit nor received a dividend. Members had a vote on transfers as well as player selection and all major decisions. Because of the nature of MyFootballClub, it was announced that manager Daish would become instead the first team head coach. His backroom staff would remain at the club.  Between 16 and 23 January 2008, MyFootballClub members were given the choice to vote on whether to proceed with the takeover and whether to allow Liam Daish to continue with his plans for the January transfer window. Both resulted in overwhelming "Yes" votes: 95.89% voted to proceed with the takeover while 95.86% voted to allow Daish to continue his transfer plans. The deal was ratified at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club's board on 19 February.  On 10 May 2008, Ebbsfleet United won the FA Trophy, defeating Torquay United 1–0 in the final on the club's first trip to Wembley, becoming the first Kentish team to win this trophy. Ebbsfleet United went on to win the Kent Senior Cup in the same season, with a 4–0 victory over Cray Wanderers on 26 July 2008.  After one year of ownership a majority of MyFC members failed to renew, with membership numbers dropping from a peak of 32,000 at the time of the takeover to just over 9,000 on deadline day 2009. The club had previously stated that 15,000 was the minimum required. As of September 2010, two and a half years after the takeover, there were around 3,500 members.  In an October 2010 vote among MyFC members, the earlier decision to allow the team manager autonomy in transfer dealings was rescinded by a majority of 35 on a total vote of 132, meaning that the membership would have 48 hours to endorse a proposed signing or sale before it can be finalised. Both the manager and the club secretary opposed the change.  On 15 May 2011, Ebbsfleet United won the Conference South play-off final 4–2 against Farnborough and were thus promoted back to the Conference Premier at the first time of asking,  On 23 December 2011, it was announced that the club needed to raise £50,000 by the end of the 2011–12 season or risk going out of business.  On 23 April 2013 it was announced that MyFC's members had voted in favour of handing two thirds of MyFC's shares to the Fleet Trust, a supporters' trust for the club, and the final one third to one of the club's major shareholders (believed to be former club chairman Phil Sonsara). Ebbsfleet United were relegated to the Conference South at the end of that season.

Kuwaiti ownership.

KEH Sports Ltd, a group of Kuwaiti investors advised by a former chief executive of Charlton Athletic, agreed in May 2013 to take over the club, settling its debts (some at 10% of their value), promising investment in the squad and in a training facility. Liam Daish subsequently departed as manager and the new ownership appointed Dover Athletic coach and former Charlton Athletic defender Steve Brown as the new manager.  Steve Brown's first competitive game was a goalless draw at home to Havant & Waterlooville. A club record was broken just before Christmas as Brown's team achieved nine wins in succession. A 2–0 win over Sutton United, with both goals coming from Billy Bricknell, broke the long-standing record which subsequently put them amongst the title contenders but poor runs of form were to follow. Ebbsfleet eventually reached the playoffs, helped by goalkeeper Preston Edwards keeping eleven clean sheets at Stonebridge Road over the course of the season. The playoff semi-final first leg against Bromley at Stonebridge Road ended in a 4–0 win for the Fleet. Despite Bromley winning the second leg, Brown's side won 4–1 on aggregate. The playoff final was against Dover Athletic at Stonebridge Road in front of a 4,200 crowd. Dover dominated the encounter, winning 1–0 with a goal early in the second half from former Ebbsfleet striker Nathan Elder.  The 2014–15 season started with much promise, with wins against Concord Rangers & Havant & Waterlooville. However, the season failed to live up to expectations and Steve Brown was relieved of his duties the day after a 3–0 home defeat to Gosport Borough in November 2014. Jamie Day replaced Brown and, despite taking the club to the FA Trophy quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual winners North Ferriby United, he was relieved of his duties in April 2015. In the summer of 2015, former club captain Daryl McMahon was named as permanent manager. Matty Godden finished as the Fleet's top scorer for the 2014–15 season with 12 goals in all competitions.  The 2015–16 season was far more fruitful for the Fleet, as they led the league for almost the whole season, with results including a 6–0 win at home to Hemel Hempstead Town and a 5–0 win away to Hayes & Yeading United. However, title rivals Sutton United went on a 26-game unbeaten run and clinched the league title by beating the Fleet 2–0 at Gander Green Lane. In the play-off semi-finals the Fleet edged past Whitehawk via a penalty shootout after a 3–3 draw on aggregate but lost on penalties in the final to rivals Maidstone United.  In the 2016–17 season Ebbsfleet again missed out on first place, this time to National League South champions Maidenhead United. Yet gained promotion to the National League with a 2–1 win at Stonebridge Road in the play-off final over Chelmsford City. The following season the team achieved their highest ever league finish of 6th, beating Aldershot Town in the play-off qualifying round 5-4 on penalties. A heavy 4-2 defeat in the next round to league runners up Tranmere Rovers consigned Ebbsfleet to another season in the National League.  In October 2017, Stonebridge Road also became known as Kuflink Stadium as part of a five-year sponsorship deal.  The 2018-19 campaign did not reach the heights of the previous campaign with Daryl McMahon leaving the club in November following a 1-0 win over Barrow. Former Woking manager Garry Hill was appointed manager of the club, his first game in the dugout being a goalless draw against Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup. Despite an initial renaissance, the Fleet missed out on the playoffs following a winless April.  The 2019-20 season started with the Fleet losing all of their first five matches. In October 2019, Garry Hill left the club after just two wins in the opening 16 games of the season. Assistant Kevin Watson was appointed to the role on an interim basis before signing a seven-month contract to the end of the season. It was announced on 18 May 2020 that his contract would not be renewed and he would leave the club. The 2019–20 season was cancelled in March due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic with Ebbsfleet in the relegation places.  On 2 June 2020, highly rated young German manager Dennis Kutrieb was appointed manager having declined to renew his contract at Tennis Borussia Berlin despite being on top of the table when the season was cancelled. On 17 June 2020 Ebbsfleet were confirmed among the list of clubs relegated from the National League on a weighted points per game basis.

Colours.

Ebbsfleet's traditional home colours are red shirt with white detailing, white shorts and red socks. Away colours have varied, with blue and white stripes favoured in the late eighties before colour combinations such as white/black and yellow/navy or black were used. MyFC members chose white with red detailing as the away colour in 2008–09, but a clash with the home colours of Woking and other clubs was not spotted until after the kit had been supplied, so a third shirt with green body and white sleeves was used with the white shorts and socks. For the 2010–11 season, members made the unusual choice of purple for the away kit.

Club personnel.

Club officials.

!Position!Staff

Management team.

!Position!Staff

Ebbsfleet United Football Club are an English football club based in Northfleet, Kent, that compete in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. Their home ground has been Stonebridge Road since its inception in 1946. Before 2007, the club was called Gravesend & Northfleet. Between 2008 and 2013, the club was owned by the web-based venture MyFootballClub, whose members voted on player transfers, budgets and ticket prices among other things instead of those decisions being made exclusively by the club's management and staff as at most other clubs.

艾贝斯费特联足球俱乐部(英语:Ebbsfleet United Football Club)是位于英格兰东南部肯特郡格雷夫舍姆泰晤士河畔诺思弗利特的足球会,现时在英格兰足球联赛系统第六级的英格兰足球议会南部联赛参赛。球队前名「格拉维森及诺思弗利特」("Gravesend & Northfleet" ),于2007年5月1日在公众咨询会后宣布正式更名,更名获得英格兰足球总会接纳而即时生效。


History.

Origins of the project.

The Seoul-Busan axis is Korea's main traffic corridor. In 1982, it represented 65.8% of South Korea's population, a number that grew to 73.3% by 1995, along with 70% of freight traffic and 66% of passenger traffic. With both the Gyeongbu Expressway and Korail's Gyeongbu Line congested as of the late 1970s, the government saw the pressing need for another form of transportation.  The first proposals for a second Seoul-Busan railway line originated from a study prepared between 1972 and 1974 by experts from France's SNCF and the Japan Railway Technical Service on a request from the IBRD. A more detailed 1978-1981 study by KAIST, focusing on the needs of freight transport, also came to the conclusion that separating long-distance passenger traffic on a high-speed passenger railway would be advisable, and it was adopted in the following Korean Five Year Plan.  During the following years, several feasibility studies were prepared for

Creation of the system.

Start of high-speed line construction.

KHSRCA started construction of the Seoul–Busan Gyeongbu high-speed railway (Gyeongbu HSR) on June 30, 1992, on the long section from Cheonan to Daejeon, which was intended for use as test track.  Construction started before the choice of the main technology supplier, thus alignment design was set out to be compatible with all choices. Of the planned line, would be laid on bridges, and another in tunnels. However, plans were changed repeatedly, in particular those for city sections, following disputes with

Phase 1: Seoul–Daegu and conventional line upgrades.

Following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the government decided to realise the Gyeongbu HSR in two phases. In a first phase, two-thirds of the high-speed line between the southwestern suburbs of Seoul and Daegu would be finished by 2004, with trains travelling along the parallel conventional line along the rest of the Seoul–Busan route. The upgrade and electrification of these sections of the Gyeongbu Line was added to the project, and also the upgrade and electrification of the Honam Line from Daejeon to Mokpo, providing a second route for KTX services. The budget for the first phase was set at 12,737.7 billion won, that for the entire project at 18,435.8 billion won in 1998 prices. While the share of government contributions remained unchanged, the share

Phase 2: Daegu–Busan, extra stations, urban sections.

The Daegu–Busan section of the Gyeongbu HSR became a separate project with the July 1998 project revision, with a budget of 5,698.1 billion won, with funding from the government and private sources by the same ratios as for phase 1. In August 2006, the project was modified to again include the Daejeon and Daegu urban area passages, as well as additional stations along the phase 1 section. For these additions, the budget as well as the government's share of the funding was increased.  Construction started in June 2002. The line, which follows a long curve to the northeast of the existing Gyeongbu Line, includes 54 viaducts with a total length of and 38 tunnels with a total length of. The two largest structures are the Geomjeung Tunnel, under Mount Geumjeong at the Busan end of the line; and the

Further upgrades of connecting conventional lines.

The electrification and the completion of the re-alignment and double-tracking of the Jeolla Line, which branches from the Honam Line at Iksan and continues to Suncheon and Yeosu, began in December 2003, with the aim to introduce KTX services in time for the Expo 2012 in Yeosu. The upgrade will allow to raise top speed from. The section of the perpendicular Gyeongjeon Line from Samnangjin, the junction with the Gyeongbu Line near Busan, to Suncheon is upgraded in a similar way, with track doubling, alignment modifications and electrification for. The until Masan was opened on December 15, 2010. The upgrade is to be complete until Jinju by 2012 and Suncheon by 2014. The top speed of the AREX line, Seoul's airport link, is to

Further high-speed lines.

Honam HSR.

Until 2006, the first plans for a second, separate high-speed line from Seoul to Mokpo were developed into the project of a line branching from the Gyeongbu HSR and constructed in two stages, the Honam High Speed Railway (Honam HSR). The budget for the first stage, from the new Osong Station on the Gyongbu HSR to Gwangju·Songjeong Station, was set at 8,569.5 billion won. The

Suseo HSR.

First plans for the Honam HSR foresaw a terminus in Suseo Station, southeast Seoul. The branch to Suseo was re-launched as a separate project, the Suseo High Speed Railway (Suseo HSR), in June 2008. Detailed design of the line is underway since September 2010, with opening planned by

Jeju island.

In January 2009, the Korea Transport Institute also proposed a line from Mokpo to Jeju Island, putting Jeju 2 hours 26 minutes from Seoul. The line would include a bridge from Haenam to Bogil Island and a undersea tunnel from Bogil Island to Jeju Island (with a drilling station on Chuja Island), for an estimated cost of US$10 billion. As the proposal was popular with lawmakers from South Jeolla province, the government is conducting a feasibility study, but the governor of Jeju expressed skepticism. The route Seoul-Jeju has been mentioned as the world's busiest air route with 9.9 million passengers in 2011.

Rolling stock.

KTX-I.

The initial KTX-I trainsets, also known as simply KTX or as TGV-K, are based on the TGV Réseau, but with several differences. 46 trains were built - the initial twelve in France by Alstom, the remainder in South

HSR-350x.

The technology transfer agreement for the KTX-I did not provide for a complete control of manufacturing processes and some parts had to be imported. To increase the domestic added value, in 1996, an alliance of South Korean government research agencies, universities and private companies started a project named G7 to develop domestic high-speed rail technology. The main element of the G7 project was the 7-car experimental high-speed train HSR-350x, originally intended as

KTX-Sancheon.

For less frequented relations and for operational flexibility, a 2001 study proposed a train created by scaling down the planned commercial version of the HSR-350x, by shortening the train, removing powered bogies from intermediate cars, and lowering top speed. Hyundai Rotem received orders for altogether 24 such trains, called KTX-II, in three batches from July 2006 to December 2008.  Design speed is, and revenue service speed is. The power electronics uses newer technology than the HSR-350x, and the front is a new design, too. The trainsets, of which two can be coupled together, consist of two traction heads and eight articulated passenger cars, and seat 363 passengers in two classes, with enhanced comfort relative to the KTX-I. The domestic added value of the trains was increased to 87%, compared to 58% for the KTX-I. Imported parts include the pantographs, semiconductors in the power electronics, front design, couplers and final

HEMU-430X.

In 2007, an alliance of government research institutes, universities and private companies launched the project to build a second experimental high-speed train, named HEMU-400X (later renamed to HEMU-430X). With a budget of 97.4 billion won and a timetable lasting 6 years, the aim was to develop an experimental train capable of reaching in tests, as a basis

KTX-III.

KTX-III, the commercial derivative of HEMU-430X, is expected to enter service in 2015. KTX-III was intended to cut Seoul-Busan travel times to 1 hour 50 minutes

EMU-250.

EMU-250 is expected to enter the service for Gyeongjeon line with newly built section Bujeon - Masan, in 2021. The name of train displays its original targeted top speed, although later it is increased to,

Operation.

Following a phase of test operation, regular KTX service started on April 1, 2004, with a maximum speed of achieved along the finished sections of the Gyeongbu HSR. In response to frequent passenger complaints regarding speeds on the video display staying just below the advertised 300 mark, operating top speed was raised to on November 26, 2007.

Services.

KTX services are grouped according to their route, and within the groups, the stopping pattern changes from train to train. KTX trains not deviating from the Seoul–Busan corridor are operated as the Gyeongbu KTX service. In 2004, the new service cut the route length from, and the fastest trains, serving four stations only, cut the minimum Seoul–Busan travel time from the Saemaul's 4 hours 10 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes. With the extension of the Gyeongbu HSR, from November 1, 2010, the minimum Seoul–Busan travel time reduced to 2 hours 18 minutes, over a travel distance of. From December 1, 2010, Korail added a pair of non-stop trains with a travel time of 2 hours 8 minutes. Once the sections across Daejeon and Daegu are completed, cutting the Seoul–Busan travel distance to, plans foresee a further improvement of the four-stop travel time to 2 hours and 10 minutes.  Some Gyeongbu KTX services use parts of the conventional line paralleling the high-speed

Tickets and seats.

Type of seats.

KTX offers two classes: First Class and Standard Class. Tickets also specify whether a seat is forward-facing or backward-facing according to the direction of travel. There are special reserved Family

Ticket prices.

KTX fares were designed to be about halfway between those for conventional trains and airline tickets. The fare system implemented at the start of service in April 2004 deviated from prices proportional with distance, to favour long-distance trips. On April 25, 2005, fares were selectively reduced for relations under-performing most.  From November 1, 2006, due to rising energy prices, Korail applied an 8-10% fare hike for various train services, including 9.5%

Discounts.

Korail's standard discounts for children, disabled, seniors and groups apply on KTX trains, too. For frequent travellers, Korail's standard discount cards, which are categorised according to age group, apply with the double of the standard discount rates; while discount cards for business and government agency workers apply with the normal rate; both types of discounts are up to 30%. Season period tickets with discounts of up to 60% can also apply to KTX trains.  Discounts for family seats (37.5%) and backward

Passenger numbers and usage.

Forecasts.

When the project was launched, KTX was expected to become one of the world's busiest high-speed lines. The first study in 1991 forecast around 200,000 passengers a day in the first year of operation, growing to 330,000 passengers a day twelve years later. In forecasts prepared after the decision to split the project into two phases, the expected

Ridership evolution.

KTX was introduced on 1 April 2004. In the first 100 days, daily passenger numbers averaged 70,250, generating an operational revenue of about 2.11 billion won per day, 54% of what was expected. On January 14, 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan stated that "the launch of KTX was a classic policy failure" due to construction costs significantly above and passenger numbers well below forecasts. However, ridership increased by over a third on the Gyeongbu KTX and over a half on the Honam KTX in two years. Daily operating profit rose to 2.8 billion won by December 2005, when financial break-even was forecast at

Market share and effect.

The introduction of high-speed services had the strongest effect on long-distance relations with a significant portion of the journey on the high-speed line, like Seoul–Busan: KTX took both the majority of the market and the bulk of rail passengers in the first year already, increasing the total share of rail from around two-fifths to a market dominating two-thirds by 2008. On long-distance relations with significant distances along conventional lines and resulting more modest travel time gains, that is along the Honam Line, the KTX and overall rail market share gain decreases with distance. On medium-distance relations like Seoul–Daejeon, KTX gained market share mostly at the expense of normal rail express services and air traffic, and helped to increase the total share of rail. On short distance intercity relations line Seoul–Cheonan, due to the modest gains in time and the location of KTX stops outside city cores, KTX gains were

Technical and operational issues.

State of infrastructure.

Lawmakers criticised the safety of Korail's tunnels after the Ministry of Construction and Transportation submitted data to the National Assembly on June 13, 2005. The ministry added fire prevention standards to high-speed line design standards only in November 2003, thus they weren't applied to the by then finished tunnels of the first phase of KTX. Consequently, few tunnels had emergency exits, and in high-speed railway tunnels, the average walking distance in case of an

Incidents and accidents.

Operation irregularities mostly concerned the rolling stock, but also signalling, power glitches and track problems. The number of incidents decreased from 28 in the first month to 8 in the fifth. The failure rate decreased sharply by the fifth year of operation. Later, in the first eight months of regular service until October 2010, KTX-II trains broke down 12 times. Causes for breakdowns in the first years of operation involved inexperienced staff and insufficient inspection during maintenance.  Lawmakers from the Grand National Party published an investigation in October 2006 and expressed concern about the practice

Passenger comfort and convenience.

Passenger surveys in the first months found that the limited capacity of bus connections and the lack of subway connections for intermediate stations, especially the newly built stations Gwangmyeong and Cheonan-Asan, was the problem mentioned most often. A better connection to Cheonan-Asan Station was provided by an extension of Seoul Subway Line 1 along the Janghang Line, opened on December 14, 2008. Gwangmyeong Station was linked to the same subway line by a shuttle service on December 15, 2006, but it made little impact due to the longtime differences between KTX and subway train

Korea Train eXpress (KTX, 케이티엑스, Kei-ti-ek-seu) is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004.

韩国高速铁道(;英语:Korea Train eXpress,简称KTX)由韩国铁道(Korail)营运,线路总长度为420千米,总投资金额为120亿美元。车辆采用了法国的TGV技术,最高时速可达300公里以上。在2004年12月16日,一组韩制的型列车在试验中,其时速达352.4公里。跟其他高速铁路列车不同的是,列车内有乘客站位。


History.

An archaeological excavation has showed that in 15th century in the area of present Pinkas Synagogue there were wells, a mikveh and inhabited houses. By 1492 in one of those houses there was a private oratory belonging to a distinguished Prague Jewish family of Horowitz. In 1535 one of the family members, Aharon Meshulam Horowitz, decided to replace the house by a synagogue for his family. In this building we can find components in Gothic and Renaissance styles – for example the reticulated vault is made in the late Gothic style but its ornaments have Renaissance features and the portal is pure Renaissance. Between 1607 and 1625 an annex in Renaissance style was added and so the synagogue was extended with a vestibule, a women's section and a balcony. The architectural plan of the annex was designed by Juda Coref de Herz (the author of the plan to Maisel Synagogue, too).  The floor of the synagogue is below the ground level so it was repeatedly afflicted by floods and moisture. In the second half of 18th century it was necessary to restore aron-ha-kodesh and bimah damaged by flood and so they were changed to the Baroque style. About the same time (in 1793) successful businessman and communal leader Joachim von Popper donated the synagogue with a wrought-iron Rococo grille which adorns the bimah until now. The grille is decorated with an emblem of the Prague Jewish community – Magen David with a Middle-Age Jewish hat.  In 1860, a radical step was taken to solve the problem of floods – the floor level of the synagogue was raised by 1,5 m. The baroque bimah disappeared, the arrangement of the seats was modernized (seats surrounding the walls as in Old-New Synagogue were replaced by the church-like rows) and pseudo-Romanesque style dominated the space.  However, less than century later, during reconstruction in 1950–1954, the original floor-level as well as the appearance of the synagogue were restored. In following five years, the walls of the synagogue were covered with names of about 78 000 Bohemian and Moravian Jewish victims of Shoah. The names are arranged by communities where the victims came from and complemented with their birth and death date. The memorial was designed by painters Václav Boštík and Jiří John. In 1960 it was opened to public, but it was closed after less than a decade, in 1968, after the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. It was said that the reason for closing was moisture. After the fall of communistic regime in 1989 the synagogue had been reconstructed for three years and then opened to public, but it took another three years to restore the inscriptions of the names on the walls that were damaged by moisture. Moreover, in 2002, an old enemy of the synagogue – flood – proved its power and the inscriptions had to be restored again.

Permanent Exhibition.

On the first floor of the synagogue there is an exhibition of pictures drawn by children in the Theresienstadt Ghetto. Children drew them during lessons led by Friedl Dicker-Brandeis (1898–1944), a painter, who studied at Bauhaus, Weimar. Dicker-Brandeis's experience from Bauhaus influenced the conception of her drawing lessons in Theresienstadt. She encouraged children to express themselves in drawing, to grapple with their grim experiences from the ghetto, as well as to capture their memories from home and dreams about the future. Their pictures therefore offer wide-ranged testimony about the daily reality of the ghetto and about individual children. Most of the children, as well as Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, died in Auschwitz. The only witnesses of their lives, their drawings, "survived" because Dicker-Brandeis hid them in Theresienstadt before her deportation to Auschwitz. After the war about 4,500 pictures were handed over to the Jewish Museum in Prague.  Beside activities of the Museum, Pinkas Synagogue serves also the religious community.

The Pinkas Synagogue () is the second oldest surviving synagogue in Prague. Its origins are connected with the Horowitz family, a renowned Jewish family in Prague. Today, the synagogue is administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague and commemorates about 78,000 Czech Jewish victims of the Shoah.

平卡斯会堂(捷克语:"Pinkasova synagoga")是一座前犹太会堂,位于布拉格的约瑟夫城区,毗邻老犹太公墓。


Description.

It was erected on March 14, 1853, with Johannes van Hooydonk being made its first bishop. The current bishop is Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Liesen. The current cathedral is Saint Anthony of Padua (in Dutch: H. Antonius van Padua) located in the center of Breda.  Its canonical territory consists of the province of Zeeland and part of the province of North Brabant and is subdivided into 112 parishes.  Former Bishops of the Diocese are:  The Diocese numbers 136 secular and 159 religious priests and comprises 356 male and 1080 female religious. The number of church goers is nearly 25,000 or 2.2% of the population.  During the sixties of the twentieth century, the relatively strong demarcation between the Catholic south on one side and the Calvinist west and north on the other side of the Netherlands started to diminish. In the second half of the twentieth century a rapid secularization and strong loss of religious affiliation have taken place in North Brabant.  In western North Brabant (Diocese of Breda) is the number of people associating themselves with Catholicism strongly decreased, only 52 percent of the West Brabantians identify as Roman Catholic in 2006. Church attendance is low with only 1 percent of the West Brabantian population visiting churches. North Brabant is mostly Roman Catholic by tradition and still uses the term and certain traditions as a base for its cultural identity, though the vast majority of the population is now largely irreligious in practice. Research among Dutch Catholics in 2006 shows that only 27% of the Dutch Catholics can be regarded as a theist, 55% as an ietsist / agnostic theist and 17% as agnostic.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Breda is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands.

天主教布雷达教区(、)是罗马天主教在荷兰的一个教区,属乌特勒支总教区。


Roll-out and response.

.asia founded the first Pioneer Domains Program on July 20, 2007, more than two months prior to the opening of its Sunrise launch. It offered businesses and individuals an opportunity to own and build on any.Asia domain before the TLD opened its doors to mass public registration. Applicants were asked to submit a brief business plan for the domain of choice and make a marketing deposit of US$10,000. The full deposit was returned to successful applicants against proof of marketing attributed to the promotion of the built out.Asia website.  The Pioneer Domains Program marks the first time ever a domain registry is opening its doors for domains based on the quality of proposals received for any domain name of choice. Similar programs (often referred to as "Founders Program" or "RFP process") were implemented by other domain launches since.

Pioneer Domains Program.

.asia founded the first Pioneer Domains Program on July 20, 2007, more than two months prior to the opening of its Sunrise launch. It offered businesses and individuals an opportunity to own and build on any.asia domain before the TLD opened its doors to mass public registration. Applicants were asked to submit a brief business plan for the domain of choice and make a marketing deposit of US$10,000. The full deposit was returned to successful applicants against proof of marketing attributed to the promotion of the built out.asia website.  The Pioneer Domains Program marks the first time ever a domain registry is opening its doors for domains based on the quality of proposals received for any domain name of choice. Similar programs (often referred to as "Founders Program" or "RFP process") were implemented by other domain launches since.

Community and eligibility.

The DotAsia Organisation, operator of the.Asia TLD, is governed by a community of country-code-Top \-Level-Domains within the region including.CN (China),.IR (Iran),.JP (Japan),.KR, (South Korea),.PH (Philippines),.SG (Singapore) and pan-Asia Internet / Information Technology related groups such as APTLD and APNIC.  The.Asia TLD aims to serve Asian communities worldwide as avowed on their website:.asia is open to any individual, business and organization around the world, and is fast becoming the web address of choice by Asian personalities, international brands and local initiatives across the Asia-Pacific markets. Beyond the region itself,.asia appeals to Asian communities globally, including Asian Americans, Chinatowns, Korean Towns, Little Indias, etc. around the world.  The registry has adopted the boundaries as defined by ICANN for the Asia / Australia / Pacific (AP) region as a basis for its scope of eligibility. Every.Asia domain must be associated with a Charter Eligibility Contact to be eligible and to help demonstrate that the.ASIA domain is associated with the Asia Pacific region. Since registration criteria is not based on address, this means that one does not necessary have to reside within Asia to own a.Asia domain (as long as the registrant satisfies the Charter Eligibility requirement), and indeed many individuals / entities outside the region have been able to register.Asia domains by selecting a proxy agent (sometimes provided by a registrar or agent).

Controversy.

Allegations of insider trading and conflict of interest have been levelled at Pool.com, exclusive auction service provider for the.Asia Sunrise and Landrush. The 'DotAsia.com Plot' describes that the CEO of Pool.com, Richard Schreier, is accused of securing with unfair advantage several premium.Asia domain names via a number of corporations he apparently has links with.  Mr Schreier specifies that he does ""not have any ownership interest"" in the corporations involved. As of 15 May 2008, it is unclear whether Mr Schreier has control over the domains in question, nor whether this would breach the DotAsia contract or any laws for countries that the TLD applies to.  The 'DotAsia.com Plot' website that makes the allegations, claims to have received correspondence from CEO of DotAsia, Mr Chung, stating that ""Being a party related to a bidding party, in my understanding, does not automatically create any issue."" If there is such an affiliation, it would almost certainly be illegal under Australian competition law (where one of the companies involved, Throne Ventures Pty Ltd, is registered.) .Asia responded by releasing a Special Advisory clarifying the rules already in place for addressing conflicts of interest and bid rigging issues and that there is no evidence suggesting that bidders have been advantaged or disadvantaged due to their relationship or non-relationship with Pool.com.  Some of the domains in question: porn.asia; dating.asia; insurance.asia; lotto.asia; stocks.asia; auction.asia; beer.asia; fitness.asia; girls.asia; wine.asia  However, all of these domains according to the.ASIA whois service, were awarded during the Sunrise period which means their applications were made with a claim of prior right (registered trademark identical to the domain name). These claims would have been validated by the.ASIA validation partner (there were two, including Deloitte Touche) and where multiple applications were received, the domains would go to auction. The actual auction schedule shows these domains did not go to auction from which it can be concluded there was only a single verified application for the domains in question.

Internationalized domain names.

.Asia launched registrations for Chinese, Japanese and Korean Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) registrations (e.g. "交易.asia", "ビデオ.asia", "게임.asia") from May 11 – October 11, 2011. Over 10,000 domains were applied during the Sunrise and Landrush launch. Chinese, Japanese and Korean.Asia IDN domains started selling on a first-come-first-served basis on June 21, 2012..Asia plans to launch other Asian language IDN.Asia domains at a later date.

DotAsia Organisation.

The DotAsia Organisation, registry operator of the.Asia domain, is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization with a mandate to promote Internet development and adoption in Asia. DotAsia is headquartered in Hong Kong and formed as an open membership consortium of national / official top-level domain authorities around the region (e.g. ".cn" in China, ".jp" in Japan, ".in" in India, ".sg" in Singapore", etc.) and regional Internet organizations (e.g. APNIC, APTLD, APIA, etc.).  Since the launch of the ".Asia" DotAsia has contributed funds and support to different socio-technological advancement community projects around Asia. These projects include but are not limited to OLPC (One-Laptop-Per-Child Asia Pacific), Information Society Innovations Fund, youth volunteer program & Network: the NetMission Ambassador Program, the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF), Digital Review of Asia Pacific.  Together with HN Group in Macau, DotAsia Organisation is also providing its expertise and knowledge to support the Macau government in the operation of the.MO country-code-top-level-domain.

The top-level domain asia is the officially designated regional domain in the Internet for Asia and the Pacific. It is a sponsored generic top-level-domain (gTLD) operated by the DotAsia Organisation Ltd. The domain is open to companies, individuals and organisations that have a connection to the region. Asia domains can be seen and used by international and Asian businesses; regional conferences and symposiums; as well as Asian artists and celebrities.

当德兰-格拉夫方法(英语:Graeffe’s method;)是求多项式根的数值方法之一,由几位18世纪数学家Karl Heinrich Gräffe、Germinal Pierre Dandelin和罗巴切夫斯基分别独立提出。


History.

Establishment.

In 1960, the British Columbia Vocational School (BCVS) was established in Burnaby, opening at Willingdon and Canada Way. It was the first permanent trades school of its kind in British Columbia; its programs included carpentry, welding and aircraft maintenance. A year later, plans were announced to establish the British Columbia Institute of Technology on adjacent land. It was the first provincial institution dedicated to advanced technical education in BC, and its principal was named in 1962. It offered education in the areas of engineering, business and health, enrolling 498 students in 1964. In 1966, it celebrated its first graduates.

Expansion and growth.

By 1975, enrolment grew to 3,200 students. BCIT's first Board of Governors was formed in 1974, and in 1977, the school established a campus on Sea Island in Richmond. In 1979, the BCIT Alumni Association was formed. A year later, the BCVS and the Haney Educational Centre amalgamated to form the Pacific Vocational Institute (PVI).  In 1986, PVI merged with BCIT, incorporating PVI's satellite facilities such as the Aircraft Maintenance Centre at Vancouver International Airport. Legislative changes came in 1989 when BCIT's mandate was broadened to include applied research, and the Technology Centre, a facility for multi-disciplinary research and development, was established. BCIT would be the province's focal point for applied technology transfer.

Recent history.

In 1994, the Pacific Marine Training Institute amalgamated with BCIT, along with its nautical engineering programs. The first Bachelor of Technology degree in Environmental Engineering was awarded in 1996. 1997 marked the opening of the Downtown Vancouver campus to accommodate expansion of BCIT's part-time programs.  BCIT's Arms, Supporters, Flag and Badge were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on February 29, 1996.  BCIT, UBC, SFU, and ECUAD jointly opened the Great Northern Way Campus in 2002. In 2004, the number of students grew to more than 48,000, and the polytechnic status of the institution was enshrined in provincial legislation. A year later, a Research Services Office was opened to further support applied research.  BCIT opened a new Aerospace Technology Campus in 2007, at the gateway to Vancouver International Airport for its aerospace programs.

Campus.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology has six campuses across the Metro Vancouver area. BCIT's main campus is located in the City of Burnaby. It operates an aerospace technology campus in the City of Richmond, a marine campus is located in the City of North Vancouver, and a heavy-duty trades campus on Annacis Island, in City of Delta. BCIT also runs two campuses, the Downtown Vancouver campus, and the Great Northern Way campus, in East Vancouver. Furthermore, there are students who attend or conduct studies virtually; 8,310 students are distance education learners.

Burnaby Campus.

The main BCIT Campus is located on Willingdon Avenue in the City of Burnaby. It includes a library, gym and sports field, lecture rooms, computer labs as well as student services and administration offices. The Centre for Applied Research and Innovation is a notable recent campus addition. It's known to have most of its full-time programs for Construction & Trade, School of Business and School of Engineering.

Aerospace Technology Campus.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Aerospace Technology Campus (ATC), located near Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Richmond. It offers aircraft maintenance engineering programs in avionics, maintenance, structures, aircraft gas turbine (jet engine) overhaul training and repair and aircraft mechanical component training programs.  BCIT also offers commercial pilot training, as well as airport operations training program for those pursuing a career in airport management. Training is conducted at the Aerospace Technology Campus, opened in September 2007.  The RBC Foundation Aviation Library at the Aerospace Technology Campus holds one of the largest collections of aviation resources in Western Canada, and has become a centre of learning and study for aviation students, staff and the broader aerospace industry in the region.

Marine Campus.

Known previously as PMTI (the Pacific Marine Training Institute) it is now sometimes referred to as BMC (BCIT Marine Campus). The institute offers a variety of training in the marine field including cadet programs such as the four-year diploma in Nautical Sciences and the Marine Engineer training program. The campus is located in North Vancouver on the water a short distance from Lonsdale Quay. The school is open all year round except for major holidays.

Downtown Vancouver Campus.

The predominant areas of study at the downtown campus are business and media, computing and information, and international student entry programs. It was opened to allow for a greater number of students in part-time studies.

Great Northern Way Campus.

The Great Northern Way Campus (GNWC) Heavy Equipment programs have been moved to Annacis Island, and BCIT's interests in the shared campus have been sold to allow a new Emily Carr University to be built on the site.

Annacis Island Campus.

Located on Annacis Island in the City of Delta, this 142,000-square-foot facility is home to motive power programs offered by BCIT and Vancouver Community College. Programs at Annacis Island Campus train heavy-duty mechanics, transport trailer mechanics, diesel mechanics, commercial transportation mechanics, railway conductors and forklift operators.

Academics.

Profile.

BCIT has six Schools providing full-time and part-time studies in a variety of subjects.  BCIT also has a Technology Centre which undertakes and coordinates applied research, and provides technology transfer and commercialization assistance.

Education philosophy.

BCIT has a unique education philosophy which sets it apart from typical post-secondary institutions. BCIT focuses on the practical aspects of studies, as opposed to theoretical. Thus, the students get an exceptional amount of hands-on experience while in school. For example, the school has:

Awards and recognition.

In June 2010, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) granted national accreditation to BCIT's Civil Engineering Bachelor of Engineering program. This represented a milestone as the first accreditation of a non-university Civil Engineering program in Canada.  In 2011, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board granted national accreditation to BCIT's Bachelor of Electrical Engineering program, and the school's Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering program was accredited in 2014.

Student association.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology Student Association (BCITSA) is a student-led society that exists to serve the school's student body. It is dedicated to the social and academic support and advocacy of all students attending BCIT. The BCITSA is active on all five campuses, but operates primarily out of the Burnaby campus  The student newspaper at BCIT is monthly and called "The Link."

People.

To date, BCIT has more than 170,000 alumni and over 4,000 new graduates each year. Some notable attendees include Canadian MP Chuck Cadman, Georgian Cabinet member Vera Kobalia, Gemini Award-winning journalist Gloria Macarenko, Internet entrepreneur, Esports professional Harish Anantharajah, field hockey player Rob Short, and actress Teejay Sidhu.  Notable faculty members include Henry C. Gunning, Hassan Farhangi, and Mark Angelo.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (also referred to as BCIT), is a public polytechnic institute in Burnaby, British Columbia. The technical institute has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with its main campus in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. There is also the Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond, the Marine Campus in the City of North Vancouver, Downtown campus in Vancouver, and Annacis Island Campus in Delta. It is provincially chartered through legislation in the "College and Institute Act." The school operates as a vocational and technical school, offering apprenticeships for the skilled trades and diplomas and degrees in vocational education for skilled technicians and workers in professions such as engineering, accountancy, business administration, broadcast/media communications, digital arts, nursing, medicine, architecture, and law.

不列颠哥伦比亚理工学院(英语:British Columbia Institute of Technology,,简称BCIT、卑诗理工学院)是一所位于加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省本那比市的公立理工学院。该校在1964年录取第一届学生,至今校友已过160,000名,是省内第三大的高等教育机构。卑诗理工学院现有六大校区,也有散布于省内大温哥华和中奥肯拿根地区的十所卫星校园。


Plot.

After drifting apart emotionally over the years, two single siblings — Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Wendy (Laura Linney), the younger of the two — band together to care for their estranged, elderly father, Lenny (Philip Bosco), who is rapidly slipping into dementia. Wendy and Jon first travel to Sun City, Arizona to attend the funeral of their father's girlfriend of 20 years. When they arrive, they are told that their father signed a non-marriage agreement and will not have rights to any of her property. They then move him to a nursing home in Buffalo, where Jon is a theater professor working on a book about Bertolt Brecht. Wendy, who is an aspiring, but unsuccessful, playwright, moves from New York City to help establish their father in Buffalo.  Neither of the siblings are close with Lenny. It is implied that he was a physically and emotionally abusive father when Jon and Wendy were growing up and they cut him out of their lives. They were also abandoned by their mother at a young age. Their dysfunctional family life appears to have left Wendy and Jon emotionally crippled and unable to sustain a relationship. She is sleeping with an unattainable married man 13 years her senior and Jon cannot commit to a Polish woman who must return to Kraków after her visa expires.  Their visits to the nursing home and their father's eventual death allow them to reevaluate their lives and to grow emotionally. In the end, Wendy has broken up with her married lover, but has adopted his dog, which he had planned to put down. She is also seen working on the production of her play about their terrible childhood, while Jon is leaving for a conference in Poland where it is suggested he may reconnect with the woman he had let go. The film closes with Wendy running with her lover's dog alive, running with the aid of a wheeled hip cast, suggesting a mode of flawed yet persevering life for both siblings.

Reception.

Critical reception.

The film received very favorable reviews from critics. As of October 14, 2012, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 89% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 113 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Thanks to a tender, funny script from director Tamara Jenkins, and fine performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, this film delivers a nuanced, beautifully three-dimensional look at the struggles and comforts of family bonds." Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 85 out of 100, based on 35 reviews.  "Time" magazine's Richard Schickel named the film #7 of his Top 10 Movies of 2007, and praises both the cast and writer-director:  The film appeared on many critics' top 10 lists of the best films of 2007.

The Savages is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tamara Jenkins. It stars Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Philip Bosco.

《-{zh:萨维奇一家;zh-hans:萨维奇一家;zh-hant:萨维奇一家;zh-hk:沙煲兄妹日记;zh-tw:亲情触我心;zh-mo:沙煲兄妹日记;}-》(英语:The Savages)是一部2007年的美国喜剧剧情片,塔玛拉·詹金斯自编自导奥斯卡影帝菲利浦·西摩·霍夫曼和演技派女星劳拉·琳妮联合主演。影片在2007年的圣丹斯电影节首映。劳拉·琳妮以此片入围第80届奥斯卡金像奖最佳女主角。


谢尔盖·格奥尔基耶维奇·戈尔什科夫

Early life and prewar service.

Born in Kamianets-Podilskyi to a Russian family, Gorshkov grew up in Kolomna. After joining the Soviet Navy in 1927, he entered the M.V. Frunze Naval School in Leningrad during October of that year. Gorshkov began his service with the Black Sea Fleet (then known as the Black Sea Naval Forces) upon graduation in November 1931 as a watch officer aboard the destroyer. He quickly became its navigator a month later and in March 1932 transferred to the Pacific Fleet to serve in the same position aboard the minelayer. Promoted to become flagship navigator of the minelaying and minesweeping brigade of the fleet in January 1934, Gorshkov was given command of the "Uragan"-class guard ship "Buran" in November of that year. He studied at courses for destroyer commanders between December 1936 and March 1937, becoming commander of the destroyer following completion. After becoming chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet Destroyer Brigade in October, Gorshkov was appointed its commander in May 1938. During this period he participated in the Battle of Lake Khasan before being transferred west to command the Black Sea Fleet Cruiser Brigade in June 1940.

World War II.

From the first days after the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the brigade participated in the operations of the Black Sea Fleet. Gorshkov was promoted to counter admiral on 16 September. During the Siege of Odessa Gorshkov led a landing in the area of Grigorievka before taking command of the Azov Flotilla in October. In late December and early January 1942 he commanded the landings on the north coast of the Kerch Peninsula. During August Gorshkov commanded 150 warships of the flotilla in a breakout from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea after the withdraw of Soviet troops to Novorossiysk. After the resulting disbandment of the flotilla, he became deputy commander of naval forces and a member of the military council of the Novorossiysk Defense District. Gorshkov temporarily commanded the troops of the 47th Army defending the region in November during the Battle of the Caucasus.  After taking command of the reformed Azov Flotilla in February 1943, he led it during landings at Taganrog, Mariupol, and Osipenko, before supporting the troops of the North Caucasian Front in the capture of the Taman Peninsula. During the November 1943 Kerch–Eltigen Operation, Gorshkov personally supervised the preparations and the landing of troops for the main attack. For his leadership of amphibious operations, he was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 1st class, while receiving the Order of Ushakov, 2nd class, for his command of the flotilla during the recapture of Crimea.  After being made commander of the Danube Flotilla in April 1944, Gorshkov led it during the August Jassy–Kishinev Offensive, supporting the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the crossing of the Dniester and the entry into the Danube Delta. Between September and November the flotilla went on to support the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts during the Belgrade and Budapest Offensives. In December Gorshkov, promoted to vice admiral on 25 September, was transferred to command the Black Sea Fleet squadron, ending the war in that position. He was mentioned seven times in the orders of Joseph Stalin in the latter's capacity of Supreme Commander of the Soviet Armed Forces.

Cold War.

Following the end of the war, Gorshkov continued to command the squadron until becoming Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet in November 1948. He became the commander of the fleet in August 1951 and was promoted to admiral on 3 August 1953. Following his July 1955 appointment as First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Navy, Nikita Khrushchev made him Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Navy in January 1956. As Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Navy, Gorshkov simultaneously served as a Deputy Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union, receiving the rank of admiral of the fleet on 24 April 1962. Under Leonid Brezhnev Gorshkov oversaw a massive naval build-up of surface and submarine forces, creating a force capable of challenging Western naval power by the late 1970s. This included the adoption of nuclear weapons, which were carried by ballistic missile submarines and aircraft, as well as the development of nuclear submarines and shipboard helicopters. In order to project Soviet military power, Gorshkov sent ships on lengthy cruises and formed operational squadrons in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, building a blue-water navy. He received the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 7 May 1965 and was promoted to admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union – the highest Soviet naval rank – on 22 October 1967.  Gorshkov was again awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 21 December 1982. Transferred to the Group of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defense in December 1985, a retirement post for elderly senior officers, Gorshkov died in Moscow on 13 May 1988. He was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery.  Gorshkov is often associated with the phrase "'Better' is the enemy of 'Good Enough'" ("Лучшее - враг хорошего") which is reputed to have hung on the wall of his office as a motto. Similar sentiments have been attributed to Clausewitz and Voltaire. The motto appears in the Tom Clancy novel, "The Hunt for Red October". The phrase is also attributed to Admiral Gorshkov in Norman Polmar's "Guide to the Soviet Navy" (1983, 3rd edition). That is one year prior to Clancy's first published date for "Hunt" by the Naval Institute Press.

Awards, honours and decorations.

Gorshkov has been commemorated by various monuments and namesakes:

Sergey Georgyevich Gorshkov (; 26 February 1910 – 13 May 1988) was an admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union. Twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, he oversaw the expansion of the Soviet Navy into a global force during the Cold War.

谢尔盖·格奥尔基耶维奇·戈尔什科夫(,1910年-2月6日-1988年-5月13日),苏联军事家,苏联海军元帅,苏联英雄。


Description.

"Goyocephale" is known from a partial skull, including both mandibles, the skull roof, part of the occiput, part of the braincase region, the posterior skull, the premaxilla, and the maxilla. The posterior edge of the skull roof, at the edge of the squamosal bones, has many small bony bumps, which would have been the base of small horns in life. A feature shared with pachycephalosaurids, "Goyocephale" had a heterodont dentition, with large caniniform premaxilla teeth, followed by a diastema between the premaxilla and the maxilla, and the regular sub-triangular teeth in the maxilla. Teeth in the premaxilla become larger farther posterior, with the last being the largest. The mandible teeth are similar, with the first tooth being caniniform, and the remainder low and sub-triangular.  Of the vertebrae, only the atlas bone (the first cervical vertebra) and the sacrum and tail vertebrae are preserved. The sacrum includes four vertebrae, which are not strongly fused and incomplete. On the ventral surface of the second sacral centrum is a length-wise ridge, with a groove along its midline. The first and second tail vertebrae were found articulated with the sacrum, although they are much weakly fused than the sacral vertebrae. In addition, they can be distinguished from the sacrum because they possess zygapophyses that are not fused together, although they also preserve a ventral groove.  The limb and girdle bones are well-preserved, and show many features. The humerus is strongly bowed, with a nearly equal expansion on the distal and proximal ends. It also shows a thick but weak deltopectoral crest (anterior projection on the humerus), and weakly separated condyles on the distal end. The ilium bone shows a morphology typical for pachycephalosaurs, with a thin and horizontally elongate preacetabular process (front extension of the ilium), and a wide ridge extending outwards from the top edge of the postacetabular process (hind ilium extension). Also, the two preacetabular processes are strongly diverged in dorsal view, and in lateral view the ilium is almost straight and the postacetabular process is sub-rectangular. The tibia shows a pachycephalosaur design, and no tarsal bones appear to be articulated. The foot of "Goyocephale" is partially preserved, and at least three digits (digits II, III and IV) were present. On each toe, the unguals are triangular but not recurved, with the ungulate of the third toe being the largest.

Classification.

"Goyocephale" is a primitive pachycephalosaurian, and was originally included in the family Homalocephalidae, which united the genus with "Homalocephale", which also has a flat skull roof. "Goyocephale" is distinguished from "Homalocephale" by its overall proportions, the shape of its supratemporal fenestra, and heterodont dentition, although the two share multiple features. However, many more recent phylogenetic analyses tend to find Homalocephalidae to be a paraphyletic family, with the genera included simply being consecutive branches sister to Pachycephalosauridae, or as consecutive branches primitive to "Prenocephale" but within Pachycephalosauridae. A cladogram illustrating the latter hypothesis is shown below.  However, one phylogenetic analysis did support a monophyletic Homalocephalidae, with "Goyocephale", "Homalocephale" and "Wannanosaurus" being the most derived pachycephalosaurians, and their sister taxa being "Prenocephale" and "Tylocephale". This positioning of all the taxa from Asia as most derived would support that pachycephalosaurians evolved in North America, where they retained their greatest diversity, before migrating to Asia. In addition, the oldest genera that belong in the group are North American, which provides further support for this position.

Goyocephale is an extinct genus of pachycephalosaurian ornithischian that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous about 76 million years ago. It was first described in 1982 by Perle, Teresa Maryańska and Osmólska for a disarticulated skeleton with most of a skull, part of the forelimb and hindlimb, some of the pelvic girdle, and some vertebrae. Perle "et al." named the remains Goyocephale lattimorei, from the Mongolian "goyo", meaning "decorated", and the Ancient Greek "kephale", for head. The species name honours Owen Lattimore.

饰头龙属(学名:"Goyocephale")是厚头龙科下的一属恐龙,生活于上白垩纪的蒙古。如同其他的厚头龙科,牠有着厚的头颅骨。饰头龙被估计可能有10-40公斤重。


Host selection.

Three bids for the 1994 Commonwealth Games were submitted. Victoria, New Delhi, and Cardiff were the bidding cities. On 15 September 1988, the Commonwealth Games Federation voted to award Victoria the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

"Lightweight Games".

Victoria 1994 was considered by many in the Commonwealth movement to be a minimalistic version of the games. After the high memories of Auckland's games four years previously, many considered Victoria to be a mild let-down. Some facilities were old and decrepit such as Victoria Memorial Arena. Other venues were temporary; none more so than the large scaffolding-built stands that totally transformed the University of Victoria's Centennial Stadium.  Overall the games were successful, proving that smaller cities could manage hosting large events such as the Commonwealth Games.

Final "Original Games".

The 1994 games was the last time team sports were excluded. In 1991, the Commonwealth Games Federation deemed the original setup of ten sports to be obsolete. Beginning with the 1998 games, team sports such as Rugby sevens, Basketball, and Field hockey were added. The decision was taken to encourage more revenue streams from television by making the games more attractive to viewing audiences.

Opening ceremony.

A simple friendly atmosphere was the theme to the Opening Ceremonies. In the presence of Prince Edward, the Athletes had a long march past to their seated area (an idea created four years previously and emulated since at the 2014 Games in Glasgow). Welcome speeches and flag raisings were followed by a precision horse riding display by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. A visual and theatrical display by the Four Nations Tribes culminated in a massive Thunderbird symbol covering the entire inner field. This was followed by a flypast by the "Snowbirds" Canadian Forces aerobatic display team.

Games.

Participating teams.

There were 63 participating nations at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Sports.

There were events in 14 disciplines across 10 sports for the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Calendar.

The following table shows a summary of the competition schedule.

Medal table.

This is a full table of the medal count of the 1994 Commonwealth Games. These rankings sort by the number of gold medals earned by a country. The number of silvers is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze. If, after the above, countries are still tied, equal ranking is given and they are listed alphabetically. This follows the system used by the IOC, IAAF and BBC.  This was the first time since the commencement of the British Empire Games (in 1930) that England did not achieve a medal ranking in the top two.

Boxing committee.

In preparation for 1994 Commonwealth Games, a boxing committee was formed in 1989. The chairperson of the boxing committee was Hassan Sunderani, and the initial members were Brian Zelley, Glyn Jones and Mike Sartori.  In the initial stages, of the committee one of the immediate tasks was to prepare a guide as to what was expected at the Games, and to document some history of amateur boxing in the Greater Victoria area. The primary work was done by chairperson Sunderani while the local boxing history was assigned to committee member Zelley, a previous news editor for the British Columbia Amateur Boxing Association in the mid-1980s and a contributor of boxing news to various news outlets in the 1970s and 80s.  The next order of business was to start the process of organising volunteers. The first formal public meeting to begin this process took place in Victoria in the boardroom of the Victoria Commonwealth Games Society on 21 April 1990. The meeting included three of the committee members, a VCHS official, and seven potential volunteers including two former Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing commissioners – Bert Wilkinson and Rick Brough.  The primary decision was to arrange a bigger meeting and consider reviving the Greater Victoria Amateur Boxing Association on a formal or informal basis, and to have former experienced people with some background in the sport of amateur boxing. That meeting took place on 13 May 1990 with 23 persons in attendance and was listed as the "Greater Victoria Amateur Boxing Association Founding Meeting". This would become an important meeting to begin the real work in preparation of volunteers, have a representative attend the 1990 Seattle Goodwill Games to observe, and plan and prepare for a test event in 1993. Preliminary coverage of the 13 May meeting included a piece titled "Approaching Games to lift amateur boxing's profile". The reporter Jeff Rud interviewed Games official John Stothart and boxing committee members Mike Sartori and Brian Zelley.  The 1993 test event was held in August and included some top Canadian boxers such as Dale Brown of Calgary. Brown was highlighted in the local paper with the headlines "Brown building impressive ring career"; at the end of the tournament the local "Times-Colonist" newspaper reported "Tournament was a perfect dry run".

Interim boxing chairman.

During 1991 Hassan Sunderani resigned as the chairman and committee member Brian Zelley stepped-in for a one-year period as the acting chairman of the committee. During this period, the primary role was to attend Sports Committee meetings while the local boxing community started to organise for potential boxing club activity. In 1992, Sunderani resumed his position and steps were taken to prepare for the pre-Commonwealth Games event in 1993. Also, some new members were appointed to the boxing committee such as Tom Black.

The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held in Victoria, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 18 to 28 August 1994.

1994年英联邦运动会于1994年8月18日至28日在加拿大卑诗省首府维多利亚举行。该运动会的主办城市于1988年9月15日由英联邦运动会联合会公布,共有63个国家和地区派出运动员参赛。


History.

"Itako" are always blind, or have very poor vision. In pre-modern Japanese society, blindness was widely associated with spiritual capabilities; after the introduction of Buddhism, it was considered evidence of a karmic debt. These beliefs lent an aura of "ambiguous sacred status" to the blind. During the Edo era, women were expected to contribute to family wages. However, blind women of the era had limited opportunities to support themselves or their families. The reputation of blindness and spiritual abilities led many families to seek training for young girls, typically aged 11 to 13, in a folk religious tradition in which the young girl was wed to a deity, and there on able to communicate with spirits. Despite this power, blind women who became "itako" were still considered to occupy one of the lowest social strata within the community, especially those who relied on community support for financing their training.  "Itako" are thought to have risen from an ascetic cult of the Edo era, the "yamabushi", male monks who were encountered during popular pilgrimages to the Kumano mountains in the 9th–10th centuries. These monks had wives who traveled with them, selling amulets and channeling the dead through trances. Meanwhile, women in the north performed the dances and rituals of shrine "miko". Over time, the two groups merged, creating the modern concept of "itako".  In 1873, the Meiji era government attempted to ban "itako" and their associated "kuchiyose" rituals as a means of encouraging the adoption of modernized medicine. An estimated 200 "itako" were practicing at the time. The law led to the arrest of mediums across Japan; by 1875, "itako" and their healing rituals were specifically targeted and could be arrested on sight. Arrests of "itako" were based on charges such as spreading superstition, to obstruction of medical practices. Newspaper accounts of these arrests indicate that "itako" were commonly attributing illnesses to possession of the ill by cats or foxes. Newspaper reports at the time tended to refer to "itako" in negative terms, and often associated the arrest of "itako" and the arrest of prostitutes. One editorial wrote, "These miko disgorge reckless and empty gossip, squeezing the pockets of the common people, and prostitutes tempt loose men and rob them of their money. While the professions are different, they are the same in disrupting public morals and deceiving people of their possessions."  Public support, however, continued. Shortly before, and after, the surrender of Japan in 1945, many families sought out "itako" to communicate with the war dead, particularly those who were lost in combat abroad. Just before the end of the war, "itako" were also called upon to conduct "living seances" ("ikiguchi") with soldiers overseas. An editorial by intellectual Orikuchi Shinobu at the time note that the "itako" in Aomori prefecture had "not been subject to prohibition", in contrast to "itako" and shaman in other prefectures, and that "persecution would be counterproductive". News stories reported locals occasionally interfering with the police attempts to arrest prominent "itako".  Today, the small number of living "itako" gather annually during the Obon holiday at Mt. Osore in Aomori, known locally as "Mount Dread". The gathering has received televised news coverage since the 1960s.

Description.

"Itako" typically carry several artifacts. These include the, a box which contains secret items representative of a protective spirit, or "kami". Blacker describes an old folk tale tying the box, and its contents, to an "inugami" ritual. In this ritual, a dog is buried up to its neck, and starved, while staring at food too far for it to reach. The "itako" place the animal's skull into a box and offer its spirit a daily offering of food. In return, the spirit enters homes of her patrons and provides detailed information about the dead.  "Itako" also carry a black cylinder, often bamboo, containing another protective charm and their certificate of "itako" training. The cylinders are said to be used to trap the spirits of animals that attempt to possess a human being. Finally, the women carry, which are used in ceremonies and made up of beads and animal bones. The bones are typically jaw bones of deer or foxes, but have also included bear teeth, eagle claws, or shells.

Definition.

The term "itako" has associations with beggars, and some mediums reject the use of the term. One theory suggests the term derived from "eta no ko", or "child of the "eta"", referring to the Japanese burakumin social class who were once associated with death. Other possible derivations include the use of wood pieces, "ita", for the ceremonial writing of the name of the deceased.  The "itako" (then "ita") are first referenced in poem #1773 of the ancient Nara period poem collection, the "Man'yōshū". Anthropologist Wilhem Schiffer describes a local legend about the practice of recruiting blind women into shamanism. According to this legend, the practice began in an undetermined era when blind children were killed every 5 years. A local official, impressed with a blind woman's ability to describe her environment despite her lack of vision, determined that the blind must have special powers. Rather than being killed, he pressed for the blind to study necromancy.  "Itako" is the common term for these women in Aomori, Iwate and Akita prefectures, but the term can vary by location. They are also commonly called "ogamisama" in southern Iwate and Miyagi prefectures; "miko, mogodo, onakama" or "waka" in Yamagata prefecture; and "waka" in Fukushima, Tochigi and Ibaraki.

"Kamisama".

There are similarities to another group of shaman women, the "kamisama". Both "kamisama" and "itako" believe in a marriage to a spirit, and both follow the Buddhist deity Fudo Myoo. However, kamisama are sighted, typically claiming prophetic powers in the aftermath of a traumatic disease. Unlike "itako", they are associated with small Shinto shrines, which they may operate themselves. Kamisama tend to view "itako" with suspicion, though ethnographers have found that kamisama often associate themselves with "itako" and "itako" traditions.

Rituals.

"Itako" are said to have the ability to communicate with both kami and the dead. An "itako"'s role varies depending on the spirit she is connected to. Ceremonies vary by prefecture, but typically "itako" are called upon to communicate with kami spirits to garner favor or advisement on harvests, or to communicate with the spirits of the dead, particularly the recently deceased. The rituals typically take place on Mount Osore, which locally associated with this "traditional" ritual, though evidence suggests "itako" withdrew to the mountain to escape pressure from the Meiji state. The ceremony had traditionally taken place in the ancestral home of the dead.  Ceremonies draw on a series of Shinto practices, but most often call upon Buddhist gods. Some chants of the itako are similar to secret practices of Yoshida Shinto, and may be tied to practices at Ise shrine.  Itako perform the ceremony using Tsugaru dialect, and a series of "taboo words" that are not understood by all native Japanese speakers. Locals, who understand the Tsugaru dialect, are therefore often employed as translators for the "itako". Folklorists suggest that this allows the "itako" to avoid any need to personalize the communication from the departed spirit.

"Kuchiyose".

The ritual of contact with the dead,, has been named an intangible cultural heritage asset of Japan. The ritual has been documented as early as 1024 AD in the.  The ritual is held during a funeral or anniversary of a death, though some "itako" claim the dead cannot be contacted until 100 days have passed. Once the spirit communicates its own status in the afterlife, patrons receive advice and predictions for the future.  Visitors to the "itako" typically bring fruit, candy or other gifts, and offer the age, relationship, and gender of the deceased, but not the name.  During the ceremony, purifying rice and salt are scattered, and a spirit is said to enter the body of the "itako". Gods are called forward and asked to compel the desired spirit or ghost to come forward. Calling the dead usually involves calling upon a hierarchy of spirits in reverse order, beginning with kami and rising to the level of ghosts. Then, the local kami is called forward to protect those attending the ceremony. During the summoning of the deceased ("hotoke oroshi"), the itako sings songs, called "kudoki", said to be relayed by the contacted spirit. The spirit of the dead arrives and shares memories of its life and the afterlife, answering questions for patrons. Then, the spirits are sent away, and songs are sung about "hell, insects, and birds." A final spell is repeated three times: “The old fox in the Shinoda woods, when he cries during the day, then he does not cry in the night”. The interaction lasts about 15 minutes.  As recently as 1962, ethnographers observing "itako" rituals noted a shaking of hands and use of special voices when channeling the dead. More recent observers note that "itako" sang in their own voices, without any visual performance of entering a trance-state. The ritual songs are typically repeated to many patrons, suggesting that the "itako" are understood, even by their patrons, to be theatrical performers. Nonetheless, a survey of 670 people with chronic illnesses in the area around Osorezan Mountain, home of many "itako", showed that 35% of those patients had visited "itako" to take part in a "kuchiyose" ritual.

"Mizuko kuyō".

is a ceremony performed for mothers who have lost their children in childbirth or through abortions. The ritual, Buddhist in nature, gives the unborn or stillborn child a name, and then calls upon the protection of the spirit Jizo. The ceremony is considered by many to be a scam preying on grieving mothers, owing to its relatively recent origins in the 1960s. Others, however, see the practice as addressing a spiritual need created by Japan's legalization of abortion in 1948.

New Year Ebisu.

"Itako" must learn a chant known as the, a celebration of the New Year delivered in travels at the start of Spring. The chant mixes Buddhist references (such as peacocks) and aspects of the Japanese national anthem. Scholars suggest the language reveals the chant is derived from songs associated with the "hinin".

"Kamioroshi".

The ritual is a musical performance dedicated to Oshirasama, a god of family. This ritual includes the performance of a song describing a horse who falls in love with a young human girl and is flayed alive; the girl falls ill, but is cured when the horse descends from heaven and flies her to India. The story is told through a dance including sticks with the heads of a horse and human girl on each side. This dance is known as the Ebisu Mai, or the "God of wealth dance," and it is said that the dolls become possessed by kami spirits during the performance.

Musical performance.

"Itako" are associated with the, a plucked instrument with ties to summoning the dead. The necromantic ritual of plucked instruments is found in the earliest document of Japan's history, the "Kojiki", which describes a koto's sound in conjunction with the possession of a medium and the channeling of the dead. Another poem describes the sound of the instrument as a reflection of his wife's spirit possessing the instrument. The "biwa hoshi", itinerant blind priests, have a similar history with the instrument.  The chant which opens the "kamioroshi" ceremony makes several references to the plucked bow. The chant announces that the first pluck of the string calls down the gods of the village, the second calls down the gods of the prefecture, and the third calls the gods of all prefectures in Japan. Additional notes summon more powerful gods, responsible for ever-increasing spans of land and spiritual realms. These gods are sent away in reverse order at the end of the ceremony.

Training.

Women usually enter "itako" training at a young age, prior to menstruation, at the encouragement of her parents. Before the introduction of special education programs in Japan, this was a choice made by the family to assure that a blind daughter could contribute to the household. Adopting the role of a medium was seen as an acceptable means for blind women to contribute to their local village and household, and avoid becoming a financial burden to their families.  Training for "itako" was often paid for with contributions from villagers, rather than the family. Common aspects of initiation practices for these women were seen among those training in Yamagata, Aomori, and Miyagi prefectures in the 1920s and 1930s. They are trained in various practices, including memorization of Shinto and Buddhist prayers and sutras. Training typically involved cold-water, which in its most extreme form can involve complete, sustained drenching by ice-cold water for a period of several days. These rituals are observed by the community, which prays for a fast resolution through the early arrival of a marrying deity.  Apprenticeship typically lasts three years, and involves heavy rote memorization and feats of physical purification. During this time, the "itako"-in-training is essentially adopted by a practicing shaman, and performs household work for the family.

Initiation ceremony.

Ahead of the initiation ceremony, "itako" dress in a white kimono for several days, similar to a burial gown. She is not permitted to consume grain, salt, or meat, and must avoid artificial heat for three weeks before the ceremony. The lead-up to the ceremony had been described as incorporating "sleeplessness, semi-starvation and intense cold."  This process usually leads to a loss of consciousness, which is described as the moment in which Fudo Myoo, or Nittensama, or some other deity, has taken possession of the "itako"'s body. In some cases, the "itako" must collapse while naming the spirit. In other cases, the names of various deities are written and scattered, while the "itako" sweeps over them with a brush until one of them is caught, which denotes the name of the possessing spirit.  At this point, a wedding ceremony, "kamizukeshiki", is performed as an initiation. The "itako" trainee is dressed in a red wedding dress, and red rice and fish are consumed to celebrate her marriage to the spirit. It is suggested that the ceremony signals the death of the "itako"'s life as a burden and her rebirth as a contributing member of the community.

Contemporary "itako".

In contemporary Japan, "itako" are on the decline. In 2009, less than 20 remained, all over the age of 40. "Itako" are increasingly viewed with skepticism and disdain, and contemporary education standards have all but eradicated the need for specialized training for the blind.  An annual festival is held on Mt. Osore beside the Entsuji Buddhist temple, which hangs signs disavowing any connection to the "itako". The festival is held July 20–24, coinciding with the Obon holiday, which is the traditional day on which spirits of the dead return. They also attend the summer festival at Kawakura Sainokawara. Despite the disavowal of many religious organizations and temples in Japan, both events have become tourist attractions that attract crowds of hundreds. The local government includes the image of an "itako" in its tourist brochures, and attempted to fund a permanent "itako" position in the nearby temple to encourage sustained tourism throughout the year.  "Itako", though few in number, have formed an association, the "itako-ko" and do occasionally work with Buddhist temples, usually providing support for funerals.

, also known as or, are blind women who train to become spiritual mediums in Japan. Training involves severe ascetic practices, after which the woman is said to be able to communicate with Japanese Shinto spirits, "kami", and the spirits of the dead. "Itako" perform rituals tied to communication with the dead and divination. The practice has been on the decline, with only 20 living "itako" in Japan, all more than 40 years old.

潮来(),是日本东北地区恐山的一种巫女。潮来能够呼唤死者,让死者附身在自己身上。平时也从事占卜农作物收成状况,预测他人的运气及健康,或给予负责地区的居民各类建议。潮来在通灵时可能会使用乐器,通常是使用、倭琴或太鼓。因此潮来是的正统继承人。亦会咏唱咒文,并舞弄御白样的人偶,以祈祷神明能够守护家庭。