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Saturday, April 15, 2017 Mosul Campaign Day 180, Apr 14, 2017 Map comparing WMosul April 4 (top) to April 14, 2017 (bottom). The police have made no movement for a month in the Old City (grey area) to the right. The Golden Division on the other hand has moved up into the center of the city. The 9th Division and Hashd also just took the towns leading to the entrance to Mosul from the northwest. Green = liberated, white = IS controlled, blue = Tigris river (Ninewa Media Center) ISF using jamming devices against IS UAVs Mosul (Baghdad Post) Despite news that the police have returned to the fight in the Old City district of west Mosul, they appear to still be taking only baby steps. According to the head of the Federal Police General Raed Jawadat his forces destroyed an Islamic State command center in the district, and made a thrust towards the Grand Mosque. The militants on the other hand counterattacked in the same area. When the police reached the Old City they were immediately held up by the tough IS defenses and the dense layout. They then shifted to a holding force to occupy the insurgents, while the Golden Division moved up the flank of the district. The police recently announced they had returned to the offensive, but there has yet to be any real difference in the pace of operations not any advances announced. Michael Knights and Alex Mello wrote an excellent piece analyzing the tactics the Islamic State has employed in Mosul. The insurgents have changed their fighting style from previous urban battles such as Fallujah. There IS set up extensive IED fields, hard points, and deployed snipers and car bombs on the perimeter. Once those lines were broken the group’s defenses quickly collapsed. In Ninewa, the militants reversed that strategy. Some outlying towns to the city were fortified to slow the advance of the Iraqi joint forces, but IS was saving most of its men and material for Mosul itself. It successfully predicted the main routes the Iraqi forces (ISF) would take into the city and set up two defensive lines, one on the east and one in the southwest to counter them. Instead of the IED fields that it had used previously, IS deployed small teams of men with machine guns and RPGs that would fire and maneuver, and constantly move from position to position, and re-infiltrate areas under government control. These were supported by car bombs, which were constantly adapted to the changing environment and ISF responses. For instance, the vehicle bombs were at one point painted like the surrounding buildings to blend in with the environment. They were then made to look like regular vehicle even though they were armored to try to prevent their destruction by small arms fire. Finally, the group has constantly threatened liberated areas with raids, car bombs, drones, and mortar fire. Despite IS’s evolution, it is still losing to the ISF. Attrition is reducing its fighters and elite units such as the Golden Division have proven effective fighting them. Agence France Presse ran a story on football returning to Mosul. Under IS rule people could still play the game, but under strict rules. Now the provincial Sports Department is trying to repair fields so players can enjoy the sport freely. This is another sign of the determination of the residents of Mosul to rebuild their lives. The government is still barely present within the city, but even little acts like these are important to get things back to normal. Speaking of rebuilding, ten families returned to Qaraqosh to the east of Mosul. Shops are re-opening and people are trying to clean up the churches, which were destroyed by the Islamic State. Some of the returnees were worried about the Shiite slogans spray painted in the town, and the Shiite flags that have been put up. They were afraid that could lead to sectarian tensions. Most of Qaraqosh was Christian, and that community was devastated by the Islamic State. They are now weary of anything that could lead to future violence. Displacement patterns are changing in Ninewa. Many displaced (IDPs) rather than going to camps have chosen to relocate to east Mosul. There they are renting, staying with relatives or squatting in abandoned buildings there. There is a constant flow of people back into the city as well with approximately 11,000 returns during the second week of April. There are three motivations for the change. One is people do not want to submit to the restrictions within the displacement camps such as the inability to leave. Second, almost all the camps are full or just at capacity. Finally, IDPs want to be near their homes so they can go back to them as soon as possible. IRAQ HISTORY TIMELINE TWITTER About Me Musings On Iraq was started in 2008 to explain the political, economic, security and cultural situation in Iraq via original articles and interviews. I have written for the Jamestown Foundation, Tom Ricks’ Best Defense at Foreign Policy and the Daily Beast, and was responsible for a chapter in the book Volatile Landscape: Iraq And Its Insurgent Movements. My work has been published in Iraq via NRT, AK News, Al-Mada, Sotaliraq, All Iraq News, and Ur News all in Iraq. I was interviewed on BBC Radio 5, Radio Sputnik, CCTV and TRT World News TV, and have appeared in CNN, the Christian Science Monitor, The National, Columbia Journalism Review, Mother Jones, PBS’ Frontline, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Institute for the Study of War, Radio Free Iraq, Rudaw, and others. I have also been cited in Iraq From war To A New Authoritarianism by Toby Dodge, Imagining the Nation Nationalism, Sectarianism and Socio-Political Conflict in Iraq by Harith al-Qarawee, ISIS Inside the Army of Terror by Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassahn, The Rise of the Islamic State by Patrick Cocburn, and others. If you wish to contact me personally my email is: [email protected]

Q: Why can I replace one word in a text file but not another? I'm reading through the following text file word for word a replacing the words "@name@" and "@festival@". My program works perfectly for @name@ but only changes the first @festival@, but not the second. I have no idea why. John Doe Room 213-A Generic Old Building School of Information Technology Programming State University New York NY 12345-0987 USA To: @name@ Subject: Season's greetings: @festival@ Dear @name@, A very @festival@ to you and your family! Your sincerely, John void Main::readFile() { while (v.size() != 0) { string name; name = v.at(v.size()-1); v.pop_back(); std::ofstream out(name + ".txt"); ifstream file; file.open("letter.txt"); string word; string comma; char x; word.clear(); while (!file.eof()) { x = file.get(); while (x != ' ' && x != std::ifstream::traits_type::eof()) { if (word == "@name@") { word = name; } if (word == "@festival@") { word = "THISISATEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"; } word = word + x; x = file.get(); } out << word + " "; word.clear(); } } A: First of all, see Why is iostream::eof inside a loop condition considered wrong? This isn't an elegant solution... but a better improvement to your original code. (I'll leave you to think of a more efficient solution): void Main::readFile() { while (v.size() != 0) { string name; name = v.at(v.size()-1); v.pop_back(); std::ofstream out(name + ".txt"); ifstream file; file.open("letter.txt"); string festival = "THISISATEST!!!"; string line, nameHolder = "@name@", festivalHolder = "@festival@"; while (std::getline(file, line)) { std::size_t n_i = line.find(nameHolder); if(n_i != std::string::npos) line.replace(n_i, nameHolder.size(), name); std::size_t f_i = line.find(festivalHolder); if(f_i != std::string::npos) line.replace(f_i, festivalHolder.size(), festival); out << line << '\n'; } }

Comparison of Diagnostic Performance of Quantitative Flow Ratio in Patients With Versus Without Diabetes Mellitus. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a novel technique to calculate fractional flow reserve (FFR), without hyperemia induction or a pressure wire, and has not yet been validated in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), who are at increased risk of coronary microvascular dysfunction. The purpose of our study was to compare the diagnostic performance of QFR in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Patients who underwent invasive coronary angiography and subsequent invasive FFR measurement within 6 months were included. QFR was determined in all coronary arteries in which invasive FFR was performed, using a dedicated software package. Diagnostic accuracy and the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) were determined for QFR, using an invasive FFR cut-off value of ≤0.80 as the reference standard. In total, 320 coronary arteries from 66 (25%) diabetic and 193 (75%) nondiabetic patients were analyzed. On a vessel-based analysis, diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity showed no significant difference between diabetic and nondiabetic patients: 88% versus 85% (p = 0.47), 71% versus 69% (p = 0.72), and 95% versus 91% (p = 0.24). Moreover, the AUC was not significantly different between patients with and without DM, 0.91 versus 0.93 (p = 0.74). The per-vessel AUC was significantly higher for QFR compared with percent diameter stenosis in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients, 0.91 versus 0.76 (p <0.05) and 0.93 versus 0.77 (p <0.001), respectively. In conclusion, we showed a good diagnostic performance of QFR which was independent of the presence of DM.

The Gallery and Gift shop will close for the season on Saturday September the 30th. Artists may pick up their art starting on Sunday October 1st from noon until 4 pm and on Monday October 2nd from 4pm until 6pm.

Buffalo Bills Tickets Don't miss your chance to see the Buffalo Bills take on the NFL's finest from the best seats in the house at Ralph Wilson Stadium! Join the herd and buy your Buffalo Bills tickets now! Buffalo Bills individual game and season tickets may be of limited availability or sold-out. The NFL offers three ways for you to obtain your football tickets: via one of the league ticket offices, via Ticketmaster.com, or from other fans here on the official NFL Ticket Exchange. Each official ticketing channel holds a solution to your ticket needs. Get your NFL tickets now! Locations listed that are in rows 39W, are ADA accessible seating. If you do not require accessible seating, do not purchase seats in this section as you will not be moved to a new location. Sections 224, 225, 226, and 227 of the stadium are designated as the Family Corner. Alcohol and profanity are prohibited in these areas. These policies will be enforced and violations could result in loss of ticket privileges. Patrons who appear intoxicated will be denied entry into these sections. Note: Resale prices often exceed face value. Currently, there are no tickets available. The Buffalo Bills began their professional football adventure in 1960. In the former American Football League (AFL), the Bills won titles in 1964 and 1965. The team joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1970, following the merger of the NFL and the AFL. The Bills hold several distinctive records that are not to be claimed by any other NFL team. The Bills won four AFC championships, played in four consecutive Super Bowl games and lost all four consecutively. The Bills frequently square-off against their divisional rivals: the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. The team struggled for a couple years after entering the NFL, but the Bills went to the playoffs in 1974. In this era the Bills were referred to as the “Electric Company,” boasting a tough offensive line and a league record in rushing yards led by running back O.J. Simpson. He is the only player to rush over 2,000 yards in a season before seasons were expanded to 16 games. The Bills fluctuated for the remainder of the decade, but went on to win their first AFC East title in 1980. In 1988, the Bills went to their first of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. In 1998 and 1999 quarterback Doug Flutie helped take the Bills to two consecutive playoff appearances. Other notable former Bills players include Jack Kemp, Jim Kelly and Andre Reed. Members of the AFC East Division, the team plays all of their games at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The tremendous arena, formerly known as Rich Stadium, seats over 70,000 fans. Ralph Wilson is an open air stadium perfect for enjoying a Bills game outdoors. See some of the finest professional football when you purchase your Buffalo Bills tickets today!

10 Things That Should Be In Your Disneyland Parks Bag #3: Water Bottles A cup of water at Disneyland is free. That said, those cups can’t be taken on the rides. Therefore, you will want a place to keep your water while enjoying a rollercoaster or dark ride. Reusable water bottles are perfect for this, and by choosing an insulated bottle you can also keep your water nice and cool throughout the day. BONUS TIP: Consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best Disney travel deal, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius!

Specifications TableSubjectBiologySpecific subject areaBehavioral NeuroscienceType of dataFigureHow data were acquiredData were collected using a circular arena, Barnes maze, Octagonal maze (Insight Ltda, Brazil), qPCR using an Applied Biosystem Step one 48 wells, Elisa (Biotek Elx808), GraphPad Prism 8.3.1.Data formatRaw and AnalyzedParameters for data collectionAdults animals subjected to early life status epilepticus were submitted to behavioral tests: Social recognition paradigm to evaluate social memory and social motivation. Octagonal and Barnes maze were used to evaluate cognitive function. Brain tissue was processed to gene and protein expression of molecules involved in social behavior, reward system and synapse function.Description of data collectionThe behavioral data were always collected in the same room after 1 h of habituation to the environment. After the behavioral test animals were anesthetized with urethane (1.2 g/kg) and killed by decapitation. The brain structures were dissected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. The tissues were processed according to standard protocols provided by manufacturers.Data source locationSão Paulo, SP BrazilData accessibilityMendeley Data Doi: 10.17632/jk926nfcdr.4 Direct URL to data: <http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/jk926nfcdr.4> **Value of the Data**•The datasets are useful to further research investigating causative association between early life seizures and chronic socialization abnormalities.•The data provide information that social decision-making network is vulnerable to seizures•The data provide information that early life pilocarpine-induced seizures reduce the time of social interaction and improve working memory and cognitive flexibility.•The data provide information that early life pilocarpine-induced seizures increase the oxytocin in hypothalamus and decrease the expression of its receptor in hippocampus. 1. Data description {#sec0001} =================== In social memory paradigm, the investigation toward the same social stimulus (S1) decreased across the trials 1 to 3 (F (2, 62) = 7.811, *p* = 0.0009, [Fig. 1](#fig0001){ref-type="fig"}A) only for control group, and it increased from trial 3 to 4 (*t* = 5.874, *p* = 0.0003), as the familiar was replaced by a novel stimulus (S2). In contrast, the experimental group, since the first encounter, spent less time investigating the conspecific, (F (1, 31) = 6.973, *p* = 0.0128). The significant effect of interaction between group versus sessions (F (2, 62) = 4.497, *p* = 0.015), suggests that the experimental group spent lower time in social activity as compared to control. In order to analyze the motivation for social encounter, the time of investigation was expressed as cumulative frequency curve, [Fig. 1](#fig0001){ref-type="fig"}B. Indeed, experimental group exhibited lower investigation than control group since the first exposition to social stimulus (*t* = 8.01 df=29, *p* = 0.0007), reaching the maximum total time of 45.57 ± 29.94 s against 74.02 ± 38.56 s of control (*t* = 3.32 df=31, *p* = 0.0023).Fig. 1Time spent investigating social stimuli is shown as mean ± SD. In graph A, EXP animals spent lower time investigating S1 compared to the control group and no increase in time was noticed as S1 was replaced by S2. In the cumulative frequency curve (B), exp animals spent lower time investigating social stimuli since the first exposition. A, \*, *p* = 0.0116, \*\*\*\*, *p* \< 0.0001, \#\#\#, *p* = 0.0003; \#\#, *p* = 0.0043. B, \*, *p* = 0.0023; \*\*, *p* = 0.0012; \*\*\*, *p* = 0.0007.Fig. 1 In training phase of the Barnes Maze task, the latency to enter into the escape cage decreased across sessions (F (11,165)= 5.25, *p* \< 0.0001) for both groups but did not differ between them (F(1165)= 0.11, *p* = 0.73), [Fig. 2](#fig0002){ref-type="fig"}B. In the test phase, when the escape cage was removed, the time to find the escape hole did not differ between groups (*t* = 1.087, df=7, *p* = 0.31), [Fig. 2](#fig0002){ref-type="fig"}C. In this phase, as animals were trying to reach an escape route ([Fig. 2](#fig0002){ref-type="fig"}D), it was noted an effect of interaction between group and zones F (6, 105) = 2.362, *p* = 0.0352), enlightening that experimental group distributed more evenly the time spent among the zones and control animals stayed next to the target hole.Fig. 2Barnes maze task. Fig A illustrates the maze and its division in zones. The dark circle represents the escape cage location. The data are represented as mean ± SD. Both groups spent a similar time to get into the escape cage (B) or to find the escape hole (C). In D, the control group spent higher time around the target zone and the experimental group distributed its time more evenly among the zones. \*\*, *p* = 0.0012; \*, *p* = 0.0424.Fig. 2 In the octagonal maze task, time spent to complete the task did not differ between groups in training (TRP (*U* = 33, *p* = 0.81) nor in test phases (TP) (*t* = 1.160, *p* = 0.26). Experimental group exhibited less working memory errors during TP (*U* = 16.50, *p* = 0.045), with no difference in reference memory errors in TRP (*U* = 24.50, *p* = 0.2353) nor in TP (*t* = 1.62, *p* = 0.12), [Fig. 3](#fig0003){ref-type="fig"}.Fig. 3Octagonal maze task. The data are expressed as median ± range, except D, expressed as mean ± SD. During the test phase the experimental group exhibited a lesser number of WM errors than control. \*, *p* = *p* = 0.045. WM= working memory, RM= reference memory.Fig. 3 The relative gene expression for Oxytocin (OT) in hypothalamus did not differ between groups, [Fig. 4](#fig0004){ref-type="fig"}A, as well as for Oxytocin receptor (OTR) in hippocampus nor in amygdala, [Fig. 4](#fig0004){ref-type="fig"}B.Fig. 4Relative gene expression for Oxytocin (A) and Oxytocin receptor (B) expressed as mean ± SD. Gapdh was used as a constitutive housekeeping gene. The expression of OTR gene decreased in the experimental hippocampus. AMG= amygdala and HIP= hippocampus.Fig. 4 In the experimental hippocampus, the protein expression for OTR was significantly reduced as compared to control (*t* = 2.45, df = 10, *p* = 0.034) but no difference was noted in amygdala, [Fig. 5](#fig0005){ref-type="fig"}.Fig. 5Quantification of Oxytocin receptor (OTR) in amygdala (AMG) and hippocampus (HIP) expressed as mean + SD. The amount of OTR was significantly reduced in hippocampus of experimental group (\*, *p* = 0.034). AMG= amygdala; HIP= hippocampus.Fig. 5 In the experimental group, the oxytocin levels accumulated in hypothalamus were 3.1 times higher as compared to control, with no difference in hippocampus nor in amygdala, [Fig. 6](#fig0006){ref-type="fig"}. 9Fig. 6Levels of Oxytocin (OT) in hypothalamus (HYP), hippocampus (HIP) and amygdala (AMG) expressed as mean ± SD. The OT level was significantly higher in experimental hypothalamus. \*\*, *p* = 0.009.Fig. 6 In addition, genes related to the reward system and to synapse function were also probed. In striatum, the relative gene expression for DRD1 and DRD2 receptors did not differ between groups (1.01 ± 0.17 × 1.23 ± 0.9, *t* = 0.4844, df = 6, NS and 1.06 ± 0.43 × 1.28 ± 0.73, *t* = 0.5140, df = 6, NS), respectively, as well in hippocampus for NT3 (1.07 ± 0.49 × 0.55 ± 0.16, *t* = 1.998, df = 6, NS) nor for synapsin (1.03 ± 0.32 × 0.71 ± 0.19, *t* = 1.653, df = 6, NS). 2. Experimental design, materials, and methods {#sec0002} ============================================== All procedures were approved by Mackenzie Presbyterian University Ethical Committee (CEUA, 126/05/2015 and 150/12/2016). Newly born Wistar male rats were maintained under controlled conditions (07:00--19:00 h, light/dark cycle; 22--24 °C) with their mothers. Pups' ages were determined from the day of birth (P0). Animals from 8 litters per group were randomly assigned to sociability test (CTR: 16 animals and EXP: 17 animals) and for cognitive function tasks (CTR: 8 animals and EXP: 9 animals). The brain tissue from those assigned to sociability were used for molecular procedures related to oxytocin (OT) and oxytocin receptor and those assigned to cognitive task were used for molecular procedures related to reward system and synapse function. 2.1. *Status Epilepticus* induction {#sec0003} ----------------------------------- The experimental group received pilocarpine 3.8% (380 mg/kg, i.p) dissolved in saline on P9, which corresponds to a full-term neonate [@bib0013], and the control group received saline 0.9% (0.1 mL/10 g). *Status Epilepticus* (SE) started within 3--4 min after pilocarpine injection being characterized by continuous intense body tremor, scratching, clonic movements of forelimbs and head bobbing. Following cessation of SE (ca 4 h) animals returned to their mothers. At 21 days postnatal, 3--4 male animals of each litter were randomly chosen, group housed (4--5 animals per cage). 2.2. Social recognition test {#sec0004} ---------------------------- The social recognition test was adapted from Guan e Dluzen, 1994. Initially, the animals were habituated for 3 consecutive days lasting 10 min to the apparatus (circular arena, 60 cm diameter x 50 cm height, Insight Ltda., Brazil) concomitantly with an acrylic box (23.5 cm x 21 cm x 32 cm) which walls had holes of 1 cm of diameter an each 0.5 cm. After that, an unfamiliar conspecific with 30 days of age (social stimulus) was introduced into the acrylic box for 3 min. The procedure was repeated 3 times (trial 1 to trial 3) at intervals of 6 min. In the subsequent sessions (trials 4 and 5), a novel social stimulus of the same age as the previous one was used. It was measured the time of exploration toward a social stimulus. At intervals, the animal test was removed from the arena and the apparatus was cleaned with 5% ethanol. 2.3. Barnes maze test {#sec0005} --------------------- The apparatus, elevated 100 cm above the floor, was a circular platform (100 cm in diameter) with 18 circular holes (9.0 cm in diameter) evenly spaced around the periphery. The apparatus was divided in 6 zones: 0--60°, 60--120°, 120--180°, 180--240° and 240--360° and the escape cage was located at the 0--60° during the training phase and removed during the test phase, [Fig. 2](#fig0002){ref-type="fig"}A. Visual cues of different geometric shapes were placed around the maze to assist in spatial orientation. The procedure was divided into four phases: habituation (1day), training (12 days) and test (1day). At the end of each trial, the arena was cleaned with 5% ethanol and rotated clockwise to prevent other cues from the environment, in addition to geometric shapes, serving as spatial orientation. In the habituation phase, the animal was placed in the center of the maze under a dark box for 30 s and subsequently, the box was removed, and the animal could explore the arena for 3 min. If the animal finds the escape cage the timer was interrupted, and the animal remained in the cage for 1 min. If the animal did not find it within 3 min, the animal was gently guided to the cage and remained there for 1 min. In the training phase, the procedure was similar to the previous one, and the animals had up to 2 min to complete the task. In the test phase, performed 24 h after training session, the escape cage was removed, and it was measured the time to locate the escape hole and the time spent in all zones of the apparatus. 3. Octagonal maze test {#sec0006} ====================== Testing was carried out in an eight-arm radial maze (Insight LTDA, Brazil) and started 2 days after the habituation period. The habituation occurred for 2 consecutive days. In the first day, animals food deprived, in pairs, explored the maze for 10 min or until the food pellets spread out in the apparatus have been collect. Next day, animals, one at a time, under food restriction were subjected of the same procedure. Visual cues of different geometric shapes were placed around the maze to assist in spatial orientation. The protocol allowed the dissociation between working and reference memories and was divided in training and test phases. In the training phase, all arms were opened, but only four arms were baited with a pellet of cereal covered with dark chocolate. The training phase lasts 10 min or until the animals have collected the food. The test phase was carried out 30 min after training. The following parameters were analyzed: number of entries into baited arms (hits), number of entries into no baited arms (error), number of re-entries into baited arms (error), total number of errors and the time to finalize the task. Entries into no baited arms were considered reference memory errors and re-entered into baited arms was considered working memory errors. 4. Brain-Tissue collection {#sec0007} ========================== Rats anesthetized with urethane (1.2 g/kg) were decapitated, the brain was quickly dissected and the brain structures (hippocampus, striatum, amygdala and hypothalamus) were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80 °C until analysis. 5. Oxytocin (OT) quantification {#sec0008} =============================== OT concentrations were measured in hypothalamus, hippocampus and amygdala. The brain structures were homogenized in RIPA buffer (Millipore, 1:3, w/v), centrifuged (10,000 × *g* at 4 °C for 10 min) and the supernatant was transferred to a polypropylene tube. The quantification was carried out in the supernatant using the Milliplex Rat Magnetic Bead assays (Millipore) with the MagPix instrument (Luminex, Millipore) according to the manufacturer\'s protocol. 6. Oxytocin receptor (OTR) quantification {#sec0009} ========================================= OTR quantification in hippocampus and amygdala was assayed using a competitive enzyme immunoassay kit (ELISA) from Elabscience (E-EL-R1446). The procedures were performed following the protocol provided by the kit. Briefly, the brain tissue, free of blood, was sonicated with an ultrasonic cell disrupter till, homogenized in lysis buffer (w:*v* = 1: 5), centrifuged for 5 min at 10,000 x g and the supernatant assayed immediately. Samples, standards and blank (100 μL) were loaded in duplicate into each well. The plate was sealed and incubated for 1 h at 37 °C. After incubation, the liquid was removed and then 100 μl of Biotinylated OTR´s Detector Antibody was added. The plate was incubated for 1 h at 37 °C. After incubation, the wells were washed three times, the Avidin-HRP Conjugate (100 μl) was added into each well and the plate was kept for 30 min at 37 °C. After that, the wells were washed 5 times, the TMB substrate (90 μl) was added and the plate was kept at 37 °C for 20 min. The reaction was stopped by addition of 50 μl of stop solution. Immediately, the plate was reading on the spectrometer at 450 nm. The concentration of OTR was determined from the standard curve, multiplied by the dilution factor and normalized by total protein concentration. 7. RNA extraction/CDNA synthesis {#sec0010} ================================ Frozen tissues were directly homogenized in Trizol reagent (Life Technologies) at a ratio of 1 ml Trizol/100 mg tissue. Briefly, total tissue RNA was extracted using the RNeasy^Ⓡ^ Lipid tissue Mini Kit (Qiagen), following the manufacturer\'s instructions. RNA was quantified with a NanoDrop 2000 spectrophotometer (Thermo) d 0.5--1.0 μg total RNA was used to produce cDNA using the Transcriptor First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (Roche). 8. Real-Time PCR {#sec0011} ================ Gene expression analysis of OT, OTR and the house-keeping gene (Gapdh) was performed using TaqMan Gene Expression Assays (assay ID: OT, Rn00564446_g1; OTr, Rn00563503_m1; Gapdh, Rn01775763_g1) following standard procedure: 2 min at 50 °C, 10 min at 95 °C, 40 cycles of 15 s at 95 °C and 1 min at 60 °C. All reactions were performed in triplicate and the average was used. The mRNA expression of D1R, D2R, NT3, Synapsin I and house-keeping gene (B-actin) were measured (Step-one Applied Biosystem) using PerfeCTa SYBR Green Fastmix Rox (Quantas). The melting curve protocol was performed to verify the specificity of the amplicon generation. Standard curves consisted of 4--5 points of serially diluted mixed experimental and control group cDNA. The primers used for of D1R (Forward:5´-CGGGCTGCAGCGGAGAG-3´, Reverse:5´- TGCCCAGGAGAGTGGACAGG-3´), D2R (Forward: 5´-AGACGATGAGCCGCAGAAAGNT3-3, Reverse: 5´-GCAGCCAGCAGATGATGAAC-3´), Synapsin I (Forward: 5´-TTGTGGGTAGACACGTGCTC-3´, Reverse:5´-TTCCACGATGAGCTGCTTGT-3´, NT3 (Forward:5´-GGGGATTCCACGGACCAAAT-3´, Reverse: 5´-GAGTCGAAGTAGTAGGGCGC-3´) and B-actin (Forward:5´-TTGCTGACAGGATGCAGA-3´, Reverse:5´-ACCAATCCACACAGAGTACTT-3´) were obtained from Exxtend Biotecnologia, Brazil. PCR amplifications followed standard conditions: 5 min at 95 °C, 40 cycles of 10 s at 95 °C and 30 s at 60 °C. The coefficient of correlation was greater than 0.99 for all curves, and the amplification efficiency ranged between 80% and 100%. All reactions were performed in duplicate and the average of the duplicate was used. Relative gene expression was calculated using the 2-ΔΔCT method [@bib0014]. 9. Statistical analysis {#sec0012} ======================= The sociability test and Barnes Maze tasks was analyzed by Mixed ANOVA using sessions as within-subjects factor and groups (EXP versus CTR) as between-subjects factor. Significant effects were probed with post-hoc testing (Bonferroni). Octagonal Maze´s parameters were analyzed by Mann-Whitney for independent sample. Data from q-PCR and Elisa were compared using *t*-test for independent sample. *p* values of 0.05 or less were considered as significant. Declaration of Competing Interest ================================= The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships which have, or could be perceived to have, influenced the work reported in this article. Appendix. Supplementary materials {#sec0014} ================================= Image, application 1Image, application 2Image, application 3 This work was sponsored by grants from 10.13039/501100003593CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, 31125/2017-0 and 424592/2016-9. 10.13039/501100001807FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) 2016/01154-0, Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, (CAPES) -- Funding Code 001. Ana Miriã Pacífico, Fernanda Teixeira Ribeiro, Samuel P Batista, Bruna Pascarelli Pedrico do Nascimento were fellows from CAPES and Pedro Bastos and Gabriel Bruno Silveira were fellow from PIBIC-Mackenzie. The authors are grateful to Hélio Rodrigues (Department of Psychobiology, Federal University of São Paulo) for his technical assistance with qPCR procedures. Supplementary material associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at [doi:10.1016/j.dib.2020.105819](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105819){#interref0002}.

// Copyright 2020, Google Inc. All rights reserved. // // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. // You may obtain a copy of the License at // // http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 // // Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software // distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, // WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and // limitations under the License. using System; namespace FirebaseAdmin.Auth { /// <summary> /// Options for the /// <see cref="FirebaseAuth.CreateSessionCookieAsync(string, SessionCookieOptions)"/> /// API. /// </summary> public sealed class SessionCookieOptions { /// <summary> /// Gets or sets the duration until the cookie is expired. Must be between 5 minutes /// and 14 days. The backend service uses seconds precision for this parameter. /// </summary> public TimeSpan ExpiresIn { get; set; } internal SessionCookieOptions CopyAndValidate() { var copy = new SessionCookieOptions() { ExpiresIn = this.ExpiresIn, }; if (copy.ExpiresIn < TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5)) { throw new ArgumentException("ExpiresIn must be at least 5 minutes"); } else if (copy.ExpiresIn > TimeSpan.FromDays(14)) { throw new ArgumentException("ExpiresIn must be at most 14 days"); } return copy; } } }

DUmmie FUnnies A FUnnie look at the loony residents of the Democratic Underground aka DUmmies in particular and the Leftwing Blogosphere in general. Tuesday, May 31, 2011 DUmmies Embrace Lawyered Up Weiner Clueless DUmmies are an absolute hoot! Virtually all RATIONAL people following the breaking Weinergate scandal understand that the reason why Anthony Weiner got himself lawyered up by "seeking the advice of counsel" on how to proceed understand that the real purpose is to only appear to be doing something about the supposed hacking of his Twitter account while avoiding having to report the "crime" to authorities which actually would be a crime. Notice that caveat about "rational" people. That definitely doesn't include the DUmmies who are so clueless as to believe that Weiner got himself lawyered up for the purpose of hunting down the supposed hacker as you can see in their THREAD, "Rep. Anthony Weiner Exploring Legal Action Over ‘Weinergate’ Fiasco." So let us now watch the utterly clueless DUmmies who believe that Weiner, like OJ, is really searching for the culprit in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent, wondering if the porno actress that Weiner Twitted with ever had scenes with the Hedgehog, is in the [brackets]: Rep. Anthony Weiner Exploring Legal Action Over ‘Weinergate’ Fiasco [Meanwhile OJ continues searching for the killer.] Source: Raw Story [Serving up Raw Weiner.] Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner is consulting with his lawyers after it was reported that the New York congressman sent a racy photo to a female college student from Seattle via Twitter. [Ben Burch is jealous.] “We’ve retained counsel to explore the proper next steps and to advise us on what civil or criminal actions should be taken,” Weiner spokesman Dave Arnold told The Daily Caller in an email. “This was a prank. We are loath to treat it as more, but we are relying on professional advice." [Did Sarah Palin need to retain counsel to tell her to report to authorities that her email account was hacked?] Weiner has claimed that his Facebook account was hacked and that, while the photo did appear on his Twitter feed, he did not send it. The photo shows a man’s erect penis outlined in a pair of tight boxer briefs. The photo was first published by Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment. [I say it was erection fraud because a sock was stuffed down those boxer briefs.] An analysis of a screenshot of the congressman’s yFrog account, which was published by BigGovernment, shows the image was manipulated, according to the progressive blog DailyKos. The screenshot was allegedly altered to make it appear that the racy photo was associated with Rep. Weiner’s account. Another DailyKos blogger has suggested that nearly the entire incident was fabricated by a conservative Twitter user. [So the next obvious step is to contact the authorities for an investigation. Right, Weiner? Hello? Are you there Weiner? So far no such call from his lawyers. Just a lot of smoke and mirrors that the DUmmies completely buy into but that's why they are called "DUmmies." Speaking of which, let us now watch the clueless DUmmies hilariously buy into the supposed resolve by Weiner & his lawyers to bring the "culprit" to justice...] YES!YES!YES!YES!YES! [When the TRUTH is finally revealed, DUmmie no_hypocrisy will be posting NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!] Bring the FBI in and find out who and how the account was hacked.Then prosecute to the fullest extent. Anything less is just letting them get away with it. [Why do I get the feeling that DUmmie ChrisBorg is a LOUSY FREEPER TROLL!!!] GOOD ! These phonies need to fear the LAW! [A certain phony Weiner fears contacting the LAW!] Go Anthony Go! ...do it, do it, do it... Track down this scum and launch everything you can against them. [Launch those boomerangs!!!] Good. It wasn't a joke and it wasn't funny. It was a deliberate attempt to destroy the career of an articulate Democrat. [It wasn't a joke but it is most definitely FUnnie. And the FUnniest part will be watching the DUmmies hit by a strong dose of Freudenschade when the truth finally comes out.] Perhaps it is time for Breitbart to go to jail [Breitbart will be indicted in just 24 business hours.] Agreed. And, just this once, I wouldn't yell if the arresting officers roughed him up a bit. [How about if they rough up the person filing a FALSE report?] Sue the Hell Out of Them!!! [But under no condition file an actual complaint with authorities. Just lawyer up and blow a lot of meaningless smoke which fools ONLY the DUmmies.] THIS WAS NOT A PRANK. IT WAS FRAUD DESIGNED TO TAKE THE CONGRESSMAN DOWN. Sorry for yelling, but I am sick and tired and tired and sick of people treating these goons as pranksters. [DUmmie Deminks is definitely a candidate for a mental meltdown when the truth outs.] ABSO-F*CKING-LUTELY! And yeah, deminks, I join you in SHOUTING at the top of my lungs!!!!!!! We ALL should be shouting!!! This was NO prank. This was deliberate because evidently somebody in the bad-guy contigent regards him as a pretty effective threat. He does speak out a lot and make a tremendous amount of sense. He's one of our leading lights now. And they would LOVE to discredit him and make his life miserable. So he's doing the exactly-correct thing: turning the tables and discrediting THEM and making THEIR lives miserable. That's the only way to fight these bastards. Because up til now they've been able to do this with no consequences whatsoever. [DUmmie calimary is going to go down hard. BUT WAIT! Her primal scream isn't quite over yet.] And if you don't fight, either because you think you don't want to give the scandal any oxygen (yeah, sure, with THIS adversarial "media" nowadays - look what "rising above it" and "not dignifying it with a response" did for John Kerry after he was swiftboated!), or you just don't want to get into the mud or you just don't have the stomach for it, it WILL be perceived in many quarters as being true. "Well, he's not saying anything about it. He isn't denying it. His camp is being awfully quiet about it these days. Hmmm. Must be something to it, then." NO. You get your ass out there in public and make as big a noise about it as possible, and fight it as hard as you can, and speak out as hard as you can, and DEFEND YOURSELF!!!! Shirley Sherrod took far too long. Her FIRST and IMMEDIATE reflect should have been to call in the lawyers - as many of them as she could afford. Before anyone felt they had to take time and look at it fully and otherwise jerk off and waste precious days. The FIRST thing she should have done was to lawyer up. People in this country like fighters. Whether for good or bad. They have more respect for people who yell and scream and make a stink, regardless whether there's any justification. I mean, look what it did for the teabaggers! Even to this very day. Maybe 20 of 'em show up at some lame-ass "rally" and yet they get coverage up the ying-yang! Too many Americans just like and approve of the sound and fury. So our side needs to start making some! ESPECIALLY when we have PLENTY of justification! If you take the so-called high road, you're regarded these days as a wuss, a wimp, spineless, and probably also guilty of whatever shit the bad guys are trying to throw at you. You HAVE TO respond, and the sooner the better!!! I hope he goes all the way with this, and doesn't decide after looking at it that there's nothing worth doing except issuing one of those fabulous :eyes: "strongly-worded letters." Which the bad guys will just take to the bathroom to use for toilet paper. [Trust me, DUmmie calimary, that is the WHOLE purpose of Weiner lawyering up...to avoid reporting this "crime" to authorities. Oh, and to what address may we send you a DUFU butterfly net when the TRUTH finally outs? And for those of you who have not had enough of DUmmie calimary's hilarious primal scream, here is an encore...] We need to fight a LOT harder, a LOT meaner, and yes, even a lot dirtier. Nobody EVER said politics was a clean business. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just being naive in this day and age. And unfortunately, as much as we would wish it to be otherwise, naivete doesn't win elections. [Um, I think we better include a leather strap for her to bite down upon along with that butterfly net.] The person who hacked Palin's emails was prosecuted and got a sentence, so whoever did this should have to obey the rules. [Are you noticing Weiner in the wings signalling you to SHUT UP?] You cannot make "jokes" like this in today's political climate. He should absolutely pursue this. [Including filing a criminal complaint with the authorities. Why won't I be a bit surprised if he neglects to do so "on advice of counsel."] we're for Weiner! Go, Anthony, we're behind you [And Weiner is behind you.] Exploring Legal Action" That won't take more than a few years [A Kewpie Doll to that skeptical DUmmie.] If Weiner is not in anyway guilty Then he is doing exactly what someone has needed to do to Brietbart for a long time - hoist him on his own petard. [That's a massive "IF" there.] What I don't understand is... why they are only considering legal action? This hack was a serious breach of a sitting member of congress. The FBI/Secret Service should have been contacted immediately and any evidence retained. I would have thought it would be automatic, that when a member of congress reports being hacked that there are protocols in place that just happen whether someone wants to pursue things or not. Twitter should have been notified immediately as well so that they could assist (which didn't happen since he never lost his "verified" status as occurs in the case of hacks). This should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. [You have just witnessed an act of DUmmieland suicide by a LOUSY FREEPER TROLL!!!] Monday, May 30, 2011 KOmmies Perform MicroAnalysis of Weiner Bulge I won't be posting the KOmmie rants from their THREAD, "Breitbart's Weiner hoax: New photos surface! Analysis, and Surprise!" because the hilarity isn't so much in what they said but in how they presented it. You have to actually see their thread to fully appreciate the unintentional humor in the highly detailed closeup analysis of several Weiner bulge photos plus the accompanying charts. They are so desperate to pin Weinergate on Andrew Breitbart that I won't be a bit surprised if they present spectral analysis graphs of the Weiner bulge as well as subject the pics to a CAT scan. So if you want a great bellylaugh, head over to this KOmmie THREAD to watch hilarious obsession in action. Of course, the FUnniest times will come when the TRUTH about Weinergate is finally revealed. It will be very hard on the KOmmies. The TRUTH most likely will be delayed in the near term as we await the advise of Weiner's counsel. Yeah, he actually is seeking advice of a counsel to tell him what to do. Most likely the counsel will tell him to just write it off as a prank. God forbid the authorities investigate this. That is the last thing the Weiner wants to have happen. HUffies Skeptically Stare at Weiner Because the leftwing requirements for posting at the HUffington Post are much less stringent than at DUmmieland, the HUffies are much more skeptical of Anthony Weiner's weiner story than the DUmmies who have SWALLOWED it whole. You can see HUffie skepticism about Weiner in this THREAD, "Anthony Weiner Says He Was #Hacked, After Briefs Shot Tweeted From His Account." So let us now watch most of the HUffies who have kept their hands off Weiner comment skeptically on the story in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent, posting yet another story on this topic because he knows Ben Burch can't get enough of Weiner, is in the [brackets]: Anthony Weiner Says He Was #Hacked, After Briefs Shot Tweeted From His Account [Wasn't Lorena Bobbitt also involved in a hacked Weiner story?] Yesterday, Anthony Weiner's 45,000 Twitter followers were treated to this surprising photo of someone's weiner (professionally required to say that) in briefs, which Weiner's rep today said was the work of a hacker. The tweet was directed, publicly, from Weiner's Twitter account, to a female in the Pacific Northwest, who quickly deleted her Twitter and Facebook accounts after the incident. The woman is believed to be a journalism student in Seattle who once referred to Weiner as "her boyfriend" over Twitter. The tweet was immediately deleted, along with every photo in Weiner's yfrog account. [Wow! The Hacker also hacked Weiner's yfrog account. I BEEEEELEEEEEVE!!! However the HUffies, in stark contrast to the gullible DUmmies about to experience a massive dose of Freudenschade, do not quite believe.] Why did he delete ALL the photos in his account immediatel­y? Shouldn't everything have been preserved as evidence for investigat­ors? That seems odd. [Yes. Something very odd about Weiner...and his behavior.] OK, so why delete ALL images in your account? Still trying to understand why an investigat­ion has not been asked for. Wouldn't you want the authoritie­s to find and prosecute someone hacking into your personal accounts? I sure would. [Hmmm... I seem to recall that Sarah Palin encouraged a big investigation when her account was hacked. And from Weiner on this subject...silence.] Just simply amazing that he would not ask for an investigat­ion. This is serious stuff. Somebody is supposedly hacking into the private accounts of US Congressma­n. They could catch the hacker in a couple days if he just reports the "crime". [Silence of the Obams.] Impersonat­ing a Federal officer is a crime. Hacking is also illegal. It seems from Weiner's spokespers­on, it is already out if their hands and into the hands of the Federal authoritie­s. The chips will fall where they may. [So just whose hands is the Weiner in?] It is going to be a slow process since Rep Weiner deleted the one (hacked) tweet and all of his yFrog pictures. Seems odd that he would need to delete all his pictures. [Deleting evidence from a CSI. Odd.] Facebook notified the Congressma­n a week ago that his assword my have been tampered with and it appears he did nothing which is an unusual move from a prolific user of social network sites. [Confess Ben Burch. Was that you tampering with the Weiner assword?] Funny how the account was never shut down by Twitter while they investigat­ed, or for that matter Rep. Weiner seems to be protecting the hacker by not calling for an investigat­ion into this serious crime he himself alleged. Perhaps he should have went with, "Sorry, I was drunk." [He accidentally hit the wrong Twitter button while choking on a pretzel.] This hacker has caused significan­t harm to Rep. Wiener and the poor young woman who seems to have been the second target. We must ensure the proper authoritie­s find the hacker and bring him to justice. As a bonus, it may finally make Breitbart insignific­ant. Rep. Wiener should demand an investigat­ion just for that. Gee, I wonder why Huff Po has made the editorial decision to place this article in such an obscure location? [They wanted to hide Weiner in a bun.] ya, quite unlike the entry for the GOP congressma­n who was SHIRTLESS!­!! [In the Land of HUffPo it is a much greater crime for a Republican congressman to bare his chest than for a Democrat congressman to expose his Weiner.] Anthony Weiner holds a number of very high level security clearances and is no doubt privy to a great deal of classifies material. I am sure he is is urging the authoritie­s t find out who it is that hacked his account, right. [Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.] First his name is Wiener. Please learn how to spell his name right. Second, why would he go jail when his account was being hacked? [I'm wif stooopid. His name is spelled W-E-I-N-E-R you weiner.] This story is not going away. Someone has filed an official notificati­on to some "hacking" reporting service about this "Hacking" and it will be followed up. The FBI may be interested in a Congressma­n's accounts being hacked, if they were. He will not be able to stuff this crap back into the goose. Tuesday will be a very interestin­g day in Mr. Weiner's carreer. [The day the Weiner gets grilled.] I want the FBI to investigat­e this so-called "hack" of Weiners account. [I know that is NOT you, Anthony Weiner.] Anthony Weiner wrested his twitter/fa­cebook/yfr­og account back from a hacker in four minutes! Amazing! The tweet magically got deleted, as did the young woman's facebook and twitter accounts. She really didn't want them, I'm sure. She writes for a college newspaper, and her name was scrubbed from the online version of the paper, too. It sure seems she's going to a lot of trouble just for a silly 'ole joke picture from a hacker. Sheesh. You'd think a real hacker would, you know, do a little better than a picture of gray undies? Oh, and of Mr. Weiner's 92 people he followed on Twitter, it just so happened that this lovely college student in Seattle was one of them. Hmm. Sunday, May 29, 2011 DUmmies Swallow Anthony's Weiner Excuse If there is one thing the DUmmies are good at it is swallowing Weiner. Yes, they just can't get enough Weiner because Congressman Anthony Weiner is one of the most liberal members of Congress. So when Weiner gets stuck in a scandal, the DUmmies have no choice but to swallow the lame Weiner excuse that he really didn't send out a photo of his Weiner encased in underwear via Twitter to a Co-ed in Washington State because his account was supposedly hacked. The strange thing here is that Weiner has yet to complain to authorities about his hacked account but the DUmmie's continue to swallow the Weiner excuse as you can see in this THREAD, "Anthony Weiner: Hackers posted lewd photos on Twitter" as well as this THREAD, "Breitbart publishes risqué photo, claims it’s Anthony Weiner’s wiener." It's a real hoot to read both these DUmmie threads because we know where it is all leading. It is called FREUDENSCHADE, baby! BTW, will the Weiner resign? A Republican Congressman from NY has already resigned because he posted a shirtless photo of himself but will a Weiner count? So let us now watch the DUmmies swallowing the Weiner excuse in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent noting that any story involving Weiner gets the immediate attention of Ben Burch, is in the [brackets]: Anthony Weiner: Hackers posted lewd photos on Twitter [Which is why Weiner immediately notified authorities so they could investigate...NOT!] Rep. Anthony Weiner says social networking identity hacking is to blame for the lewd material that a conservative news website reported was sent from his Twitter and yfrog handles to an unidentified woman from Seattle, Washington. [Not so unidentified. We already know she attends WHATCOM Community College in the Seattle area. These jokes keep writing themselves.] The New York Democrat told POLITICO he thought it “obvious” that his account had been taken over, and he tweeted that his Facebook account had been hacked with the abbreviation “FB hacked.” [If Weiner were really hacked then WHY hasn't he notified the authorities?] A photo of a man’s bulging gray boxer-brief underwear was posted to Weiner’s account with yfrog — an online image-sharing site — on Saturday night, according to biggovernment.com, which is run by Andrew Breitbart. The photograph is from the waist down, and shows no face. [If it was bulging then it probably wasn't Anthony's Weiner but it was still sent from his account.] “The weiner gags never get old, I guess, ” the veteran lawmaker emailed a POLITICO reporter in response on Saturday. [Weiner has always been a joke and now let us watch the DUmmies swallowing Anthony's lame Weiner excuse...] I certainly hope he turns this over to the proper law enforcmentthe kid who hacked Palin's Yahoo email got a year of Federal time for this type of thing. [And of course, Weiner IMMEDIATELY notified the authorities about this hack job, right? Ironically if some kid got a year of Federal time then he would get a lot more Weiner than he counted on...except we already KNOW who the culprit is...and it isn't some anonymous kid.] I knew those monsters would go after Weiner. They always attack the best of us. Psychopaths always attack your strengths. Grrrrr [Don't they also go after Weiner in Greenwich Village?] Hacking is a crime, and these repuke thugs may not realize it, but they are in deep shit [And now Weiner can stick it to them...unless he already knows who did the hack job.] They messed with the wrong person this time. Anthony Weiner is not going to be silent while they go after him. This could actually be a good thing.What I wanted to really say was Weiner will not take this laying down.... sorry Anthony - you're the best! [Weiner will take it standing up. However the "strange" thing here is that Weiner is completely silent after sputtering the lame hacked excuse. And now for more DUmmies swallowing the Weiner excuse on this THREAD.] Breitbart publishes risqué photo, claims it’s Anthony Weiner’s wiener [Weiner's weiner is in hot water.] Andrew Breitbart's "Big Government" website has published a racy photo that it claims was Tweeted by New York Representative Anthony Weiner to an unnamed recipient. [The biggest surprise was that it was sent to a WOMAN.] Weiner has claimed that his Facebook account was hacked and that, while the photo did appear on his Twitter feed, he did not send it. The photo shows a man's erect penis outlined in a pair of tight boxer briefs. Today, Breitbart has been taunting Weiner via Twitter, claiming that he has "much more" scandalous material to reveal. [Would that material be a Weiner smothered in mayo? And now to read yet more DUmmies swallowing the Weiner excuse...] Wiener? Is that the male equivalent to a woman's hooha? What's wrong with naming things what they are? [Should we call it by its scientific name? "Tallywhacker?"] Breitbart is not very bright to mess with Anthony Weiner. He will get his ass kicked. [Don't mess with Anthony's Weiner. Take note TSA agents.] 99% of New Yorkers don't give a shit either way. Weiner is engaged to Hillary's personal assistant. She may care, if it's true... which I doubt. But that's between them. [Actually Weiner is married to Hillary's beard, Huma, but Weiner has never come between them.] Is it circumcised? [Ben Burch is already circumcising it up.] Anthony seems like a tighty whitey kind of guy. [Boxers or Briefs? Sometimes that question is actually relevant in politics.] Friday, May 27, 2011 DUmmie whines: "I hate where our country is right now." WAAAAAAAAAHH!!! The Daze of Whine and Poses never end at DUmmieland. Today's contribution? This THREAD by DUmmie kentuck, "I hate where our country is right now." So let us go to the land where we cannot question their patriotism, i.e., DUmmieland, where the comments are in Read-Whine Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, Charles Henrickson--who finally found some Flor de Caña rum here in St. Louis, PJ-Comix, and I put some on my vanilla ice cream--is in the [brackets]: I hate where our country is right now. [But, but, I thought Obamassiah was going to usher in the Age of Rainbows and Sparkles? Wha' hoppen?] I used to believe we were a free country. [I used to BELIEEEEEEEEEEEEVE!!!!!!!!!] I used to believe that we were better than those countries that would torture other people. [Don't worry, the torture's over. Oprah has retired.] I used to believe that we could trust our elected officials and our President to protect our freedoms. [Blah, blah, blah. . . .] I used to believe we were a brave country, not a country of cowards. [I am used to seeing the DUmmies do these "hyper-parallel constructionism" OPs time after time after time. . .] I used to believe that someone would always come forward and speak the truth . . . [TO POWER!] and lead us to the light. [Hey, what about the Lightworker? I thought he was going to fix everything. Unicorns farting rainbows and sparkles, you know.] [Then you became a liberal and forgot about that whole "limited government" business.] Now, sadly, I see a country that I am ashamed to call my own. [Canada beckons.] Call me un-American or whatever you wish. ["Un-American" will do.] I apologize if this might offend you. [Is that you, Ed Schultz?] [Now we go to the other DUmmies, responding to kentuck's "I hate where our country is right now." . . .] Last I checked, it was in the same spot it was a few years ago, but Japan has shifted by a few feet. [The better to send their radiation into our cows' milk!] The only citizens I know that defend big banks of corporations are the tea baggers. . . . The great majority of the country would love to see bankers in chains. . . . [benburch qualifies on both scores--teabagger, and loves to see guys in chains.] I know a lot of people who consider themselves on the left who defend corporations all the time. Of course, most of them work for corporations. [I don't believe it! The part about lefties working, I mean.] Want to see this country's position flipped by 180 degrees?...wait 12 hours. what's going to happen in 12 hours? The earth will have rotated....180 degrees! [Rimshot!] I didn't have time to read beyond the thread title, but I would like to encourage you to be patient. . . . [Irony much?] When you watched the moon landing You saw the apex of American achievement. It's all been downhill from then. [One small stop for apex. One giant slip for moonbats.] I feel like I live in a bubble. [I feel like you live in a basement.] Ohio is turning into a right-wing nightmare state. [Cue the Crying DUmmie!] it's only gonna get worse too. Guaranteed. its the second law of thermodynamics at work: the universe is spiraling into chaos. . . . [You are a fluke of the universe. You have no right to be here. . . .] Reagan was the worst President we ever had by a mile. Even worse than Richard Nixon or James Buchanan. [What about Chimpy McBushitler? . . . How soon they forget. . . .] I am what I call a "Frank Capra" American. . . . [You are what I call a "Fulla Crapola" American.] We the people of these United States are no more...at least not yet. [Make up your mind.] Its up to us..not the media not our elected officials.....not the police....only us as a PEOPLE TO DEMAND THAT WE GET RID OF THE COWARDS AND ALL THE CROOKS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS DRIVEN THIS COUNTRY INTO HELLS LAP. [WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!! AAAARRRRGGHHH!!!!] And "only us as a PEOPLE TO DEMAND THAT" cannot be done by sitting in front of a computer screen day in, day out. . . . [Oh, why not? I sent a Letter To The Editor last week! DUAC! DUAC!] if not to plan, organize, and coordinate a movement that would involve some 50 million people in street protests (or more than 50 million, if 50 million won't be enough...) We are run by a set of vultures and there does not seem to be any way to stop them. . . . Vultures? More like cannibals. [Most of you like cannabis.] I am MUCH more concerned about republicans than mere terrorists. [Beware the Palinstinians!] Something else about Pat Sajak. He is ultra-sensitive about his height. They have elevated platforms behind the podiums where the contestants stand for Pat to stand on so he will never appear to be too short. You will seldom (never?) see a tall Wheel of Fortune contestant and some are really short. I guarantee Wheel of Fortune has a question on their entrance form like, "How tall are you?" If you are over 5'4" you are eliminated. [Before the show, they put contestants ON the Wheel and run it in reverse, to make them shorter.] Thursday, May 26, 2011 Sexist DUmmies defend Schultz's slut slur You see, the fairer sex is fair game for the crudest of misogynist insults, IF the women are conservative: Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann . . . the list goes on and on. DUmmieland is abuzz with Slutgate right now, many threads. We'll start with this THREAD, "Ed Schultz calls Laura Ingraham a ‘right-wing slut,’" and take it from there. So let us see the DUmmie DUbble Standard on display, as they defend Schlutz's slut slur--yes, let's now spell Ed's name "Schlutz." The misogynist moonbat mutterings are in Bolshevik Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, Charles Henrickson, is in the [brackets]: Whoa! That's a bit much Ed. She may be many things, but a slut is not one of them. [LOUSY FREEPER TROLL!!!] Yeah, "skank" would have fit much better. . . . [Skank you very much.] there are probably more scathing descriptions which would work. [Can you top this? Anyone for the "c" word?] how to succeed in media BY BEING A CLUELESS RIGHT-WING BABE IN A LEOPARDSKIN MINISKIRT [benburch, I think you're just jealous because she looks better in *her* leopardskin miniskirt.] GO ED GO [HO LAURA HO] These blowhards on the Right are SCUM, and I refuse to play ping pong with them. . . . [Out Before The Ping . . . Pong] I've said for awhile that I think Ed Schulz too rock-stupid to be a reliable Dem spokeman. [I think that would make him a PERFECT Dem spokesman.] If he was in private conversation, that's fine, but he said this on the air. Was he drunk? [Schlutz was into his Schlitz.] he is a dick. and i like the dude, but if we are really reducing ourselves to sophmoric insult. . . . [The irony is strong with this one.] repeat after me. SLUT SLUT SLUT. Ah I feel better now. [The dis that refreshes.] Can't wait to see his show tonight to see what he says. [Special Ed is consluting his thesaurus as we speak.] C word is a better descripition for her. ["Conservative"? Yeah, that would be the worst.] WTF, I give up. If anything, we need more of it. More UNAPOLOGETIC vitriol. . . . Backing down? What the f***? . . . Guess I am glad I have dual citizenship so what the f*** ever, people. What the f*** ever. This type of sh*t just really, really ticks me off. F***in' A. [Nice.] Ed Schultz Suspended for ‘Slut’ Comment directed at Laura Ingraham [Wha-- WHAA???] MSNBC has suspended Ed Schultz for one week. . . . [If a tree falls in a forest, and there's no one around to hear it. . . .] Schultz will address the remarks on his show tonight, and then take a week off. [C'mon, Ed! Ramp it up! Go for the "c" word! Throw in a "b," too! Speak truth to power!] Sunday, May 22, 2011 William Rivers Pitt Mocks Apocalypse Prediction Who should be the LAST person in DUmmieland to mock the apocalypse prediction? Try the perpetrator of the Karl Rove indictment hoax aka WILLIAM RIVERS PITT. Perhaps the guy who made the apocalypse prediction should claim that it will happen within the next 24 business hours because that is how the Pitt prediction still stands. Supposedly the indictment is still in an sealed envelope and merely needs to be opened and revealed to the public. Remember, Pitt has NEVER owned up to confessing to the error of his prediction so the irony of his mocking of the apocalypse prediction completely escapes him in his THREAD, "Yup, Still Here." So let us now watch the man who placed complete blind faith in a thieving, lying, drug addict known as Jason Leopold mock the apocalypse prediction in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent, noting the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the DUmmies tossed away on the blind faith that Bev Harris could conjure up an overthrow of the 2004 election, in in the [brackets]: Yup, Still Here [The sealed Karl Rove indictment?] A few weeks ago, my wife and I took a drive to visit friends and family in her small hometown out in western Pennsylvania. It was what you'd expect from a region that has been dealing with economic recession since the steel and rail industries dried up and blew away forty years ago - sweet and beautiful in places, blighted and depressing in others, but with the first faint bloom of spring on the trees whispering of better days to come - except for one strange, glaring thing. [Karl Rove remains free.] It was one of those digital billboards, looming and gaudy amid the neglected sprawl of Altoona, and displayed on it was something I'd only heard about in passing. According to that blinking monstrosity, Jesus was going to ride back to Earth on the wave of a planet-annihilating earthquake that would summon The Faithful to Heaven and consign the remaining mass of sinful humanity to the yawning doom of the damned. This was to happen on May 21st, roundabout six in the evening (Eastern Standard Time), and the last dregs of the un-chosen would be completely scourged from the Earth by October. [And what was supposed to happen on May 12 roundabout 24 business hours, Will?] By the time we left for home, I had spotted three more billboards of varying sizes and technologies espousing the same apocalyptic message, and upon our return, I did some digging. As it turned out, these things had been popping up all over the country; even here in liberal Boston, I discovered the existence of one of these billboards not three miles from where I now sit. Something called Family Radio Worldwide, in the guise of a fellow named Harold Camping, laid out the scratch to buy all that billboard space across the continent, because ol' Harold had consulted his trusty Bible, done some wildly questionable math, and pulled the exact moment of the End Times out of his cash-filled hat. [And Bev Harris pulled a new election result out of her cash-filled BBV. Perhaps Camping could claim that he heard about the apocalypse from Jason Leopold.] Oh yeah, the money has by-God been rolling in ever since Mr. Camping sprayed his end-times predictions into a Family Radio microphone. But I'm quite sure that has nothing to do with anything. Those billboards were not an investment seeking future profits, and the incredible sum of money Mr. Camping has raked in as The Day loomed closer was just simple people trying to get in good with God before the elevator took them to the top floor. [Camping should have claimed that he got his prediction from the Hopi Wise Men and then he would be rolling in DUmmie cash.] Somewhere, P.T. Barnum is slapping his knee and giggling like a titmouse. Well, guess what? It was already Sunday in Australia when the alleged Biggest Saturday Ever dawned across Eastern Standard Time, and that whole continent remained obstinately Down Under instead of rapturously Up Above. Maybe every single living person there is a blasphemous sinner, but the sun has been crawling across the northern hemisphere for long enough to convince even the most fervently devout that, mmmmmm, maybe they've had their pockets picked once again by yet another wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. [Or by yet another Will dressed in Jason's clothing.] Forgive this leap to judgment, but I have a sneaking suspicion I know just exactly what type of person goes in for this breed of apocalyptic nonsense. Let me guess: you're a Christian of the evangelical stripe, white, and your ears are forever attuned to the dog-whistles of social conservativism. You voted for George W. Bush twice, and would have happily done it a third time if given the chance. It's almost certain your whole life is caving in around your ears, and you are utterly unable to cope. You can't make the mortgage payments, your job got outsourced to somewhere, and you seethe at the presence of non-English-speaking brown people around you, even when they mow your lawn and empty your trash and serve your food. You think Rush and Beck sit at the right hand of God, and you've been voting Republican ever since Ronald Reagan invited Jerry Falwell to the White House. You are a follower, an adorer of authority in all its permutations. You smell like fear. [And Pitt smells like deer. Frightened deer when caught in the headlights after the exposure of his Karl Rove indictment fraud. When will you ever truly own up to it, Will? Your whining partial birth NON-APOLOGY chock full of self-pity doesn't count.] Your life is caving in around your ears, to an incredibly large degree, because you have supported - with your time, your money, and your badly-spelled signs at Tea Party rallies - the very politicians, corporations and power-brokers who have savaged your future. You believe in the demigod of free-market capitalism (because Rush and Beck tell you so) even as that system steals from you, your children and their children to come. You see the writing on the wall and perceive it as runes carved there by devils and socialists and Muslim fellow-travelers, because you have been well-trained to do so. You would not know the truth of your life if it voided its bladder in your face, because you are inculcated with a world-view that is sustained by hatred, distrust, fear, and the clannish bonding of the cult-bound who think as you do, and so are "saved." ["Know the truth?" When will you finally ADMIT the truth about your fraud, Pitt? Or do we have to wait another 24 business hours to hear it?] Yours is the church of cognitive dissonance - the more truth is presented to you, the more vigorously you reject it in favor of the pain-cave of your dilapidated ideals. This day of doom is your best option, and your greatest hope, because the spiraling dissolution of your stunted follower's faith leaves you no other options save the blessed simplicity of oblivion. You are thoroughly suicidal, at bottom, and when that end does not come for you (and, psssst, it's not coming), you will be forced to cope with the truth of Sunday's rising dawn, and the sad fact of your continuing existence. [Could their existence be any sadder than being confined for all eternity to pacing a small piece of sidewalk as a pretend bouncer in front of Bukowski's while living in constant fear that one of the Newton girls breaks her cash-enforced silence to rat out the Temporary SockPuppet?] I think you might live your whole life and die without taking responsibility for the pernicious nature of your influence on our culture, but I hold out hope for you. Jesus did not ring your bell today, and maybe that means it's time to re-evaluate your role in things. [So when will YOU take responsibility for your part in perpetrating the Karl Rove indictment fraud? Come to think of it, have you ever even taken responsibility for threatening violence on a homeless woman living in a car on a Colorado street? And how much of mommy's dough did it take to checkbook your way back into DUmmieland after that episode?] I am a baptized Christian, and I have faith, insofar as I very much believe that within the first four books of the New Testament can be found a superior blueprint for living a good, moral life. I am educated, insofar as I know the Book of Revelation is coded language to the faithful under the shadow of ancient Roman repression, and not a literal roadmap charting the end of the world. I am not afraid of the dark. I am still here. So are you. [As you claimed, Will, you are a KENNEDY CATHOLIC who only proclaims false faith and phony public prayers when it is politically convenient to do so.] So I guess we still have to deal with the world as we find it. [And we have to deal with the Karl Rove indictment...IF Will can ever find it. And now to hear from the DUmmie Peanut Gallery...] Technically, the fallacy is the bad stuff, not the pointing out of it... [So any comment on the FALLACY of the Karl Rove indictment?] I don't know, Will. The clock has not run out yet. We have until6 pm any time zone. I wouldn't worry though. This is the second time this goober has sent up flares. [An oatmeal cookie to the first DUmmie (or LFT) who points out to Will that there are still 24 business hours left to run on the clock for the apocalypse prediction to come true.] Just wanted to know what YOU meant when you said "superior moral blueprint." Superior to what? [DUmmie trotsky challenging Pitt's claim to believe in part of the Bible. Don't worry your atheist soul about this, DUmmie trotsky. Pitt only PRETENDS to believe.] I can always count on you, trotter, to be predictable. [Replies the predictable Pitt to DUmmie trotsky.] If you're waiting for me to apologize for being a Christian, I invite you to hold your breath. [Added Pitt later. BTW, when are you going to apologize for being a grandstanding Kennedy "Catholic" who shows absolutely NO public professions of faith until it is politically convenient to do so?] This should be on every front page in America. and on every TV set. [NEWSFLASH!!! Karl Rove has been indicted on May 12, 2006!!!] My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it! We're still here, too, and welcome you back to NC whenever! [Why? Is there a homeless woman living in a car in NC for Will to beat up?] You are absolutely right about the nature of mystery cults. Their doctrine was usually veiled in language only the faithful could understand. Thursday, May 19, 2011 Enlightened DUmmies decry "Ignorance, hatred, and meanness of spirit" Ignorance, hatred, and meanness of spirit. DUmmie Family Values? No, this is what DUmmie Cyrano says America is like under our fascist overlords with their ready supply of mindless drones. It is only the superior advanced state of enlightened progressives that keeps our country from being a complete hellhole. But it is hanging by a thread. As we see in *this* THREAD, "Ignorance, hatred, and meanness of spirit." So let us see what Cyrano du Brainiac and the rest of the highly evolved DUmmies have to say, in Bolshevik Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, Charles Henrickson--privileged to gaze upon the brilliance, tolerance, and sweetness of spirit that is DUmmieland--is in the [brackets]: Ignorance, hatred, and meanness of spirit [Filed under "DUmmie Projection"] Right now, America sucks a lot. ["Right now"? You DUmmies were saying this back in '01, '02, '03, '04. . . . Well, there *were* those few weeks in late '08 and early '09 when you were as giddy as a schoolgirl (or benburch pretending to be a schoolgirl). But that quickly faded.] There’s a meanness of spirit across the land in today’s America. It is dangerous, destructive, ugly and disgusting. And it’s being bought into by far too many fools. These fools are people who don’t have a clue. . . . [Yeah, that meanness of spirit, boy! Good thing we libs don't have any.] It doesn’t get more discouraging than this. [Just wait. I can see 2012 from my house.] The ignorant acting against their own self interests. . . . [The all-purpose excuse for liberal losses.] Ignorance, hatred, meanness of spirit--these are difficult things to battle. Yet, those of us who still think for ourselves must fight them. The world that would exist if we lose would be an unthinkable nightmare. [It's up to YOU, DUmmie Cyrano, you and your enlightened colleagues! Save us from the nightmare! . . . Now let's hear from your fellow cognoscenti . . .] This is scary f***ing stuff, and I wouldn't be so pessimistic if I hadn't been face-to-face with it too many times to count. We're in deep sh*t here. [Pull the covers over your head and pretend it isn't happening!] Truth and justice will prevail, ultimately. I have to believe that, and I DO believe that. [I DO believe, I DO believe, I DO I DO I DO!!!] If the corporate forces get their way, the US will go hard-fascist, the wingnuts will sign up to be storm-troopers, and all signs of democracy will disappear under the fog of fear and hatred these idiots live in. [If I sign up to be a stormtrooper, will I get to wear one of those cool uniforms?] People will continue to evolve. We've already seen how brain anatomy has improved over the last several thousand years. [The brain terrain stays on an upward plane. So how to explain conservatives? They must have said, "Start the evolution without me!"] But try they will, and, one day, they will be destroyed simultaneously from both without and within. Hopefully, that will herald the new age of human evolution . . . [Improve the gene pool: Destroy conservatives.] and we will become responsible for our habitats and perhaps even get off this world. Hatred, meanness and ignorance are just some of the weapons the ruling class uses to hold onto their power and to keep the suckers trying to win that big bear at the carnival. [WHERE'S THE BEAR?] Carnival Barkers are out to make a few bucks from us. [Barking Moonbats are out to take *lots* of bucks from us.] You see it on our side of the aisle as well, and you see it every day in DU/GD. Hatred and meanness of spirit, absolutely. Ignorance, not so much. [Oh, you sell yourselves short! I think you guys have PLENTY of ignorance!] They can never get enough. And we can never stop fighting them. But, damn it, they really have our backs against the wall this time around. So do we fight, grovel, hope, pray, try a non-violent approach, or do everything possible to bury the b*st*rds? [Probably just type on our keyboards while we sit munching Doritos. DUAC! DUAC!] I recently found out that there was a large population here in the states that sided with the British during the war of 1812. After the war, many of them went up to Canada. [There you go, Beth Ferrari! There's your answer! British Columbia is only a hop, skip, and a jump up the coast. Go for it!] Monday, May 16, 2011 Speaking trite to power: DUmmies discuss their buzzwords and cliches "I have a meme!" And a "moran." And a "Murkin." Yes, it's DUmmiespeak for DUmmies! In today's DUFU, we drop in on the DUmmies as they discuss their own buzzwords and cliches, here in this THREAD, "What's your LEAST favorite buzzword or cliche often seen on DU?" So you longtime DUFUists: Do the DUmmies recognize all their hackneyed expressions, or are they missing some? Let's find out, as we hear them speak trite to power, in Retread Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, Charles Henrickson, able to spot prog postings in a single noun, is in the [brackets]: What's your LEAST favorite buzzword or cliche often seen on DU? [I'm a DUmmie--ask me anything!] For example, someone brought up the term "straw man" the other day, which IS ubiquitous and overused. . . . [It's the straw that broke the example's back.] I think my least favorite is sheeple. [People . . . people who write "sheeple" . . . are the f***iest people in the world. . . .] It's a pretentious, arrogant expression--I can never imagine anyone saying it without a sneer on their face--that implies the poster is an enlightened figure trapped within a crowd of dullards. [That's "DUllards."] it gives strength to the ugly conservative stereotype that liberals are elitist know-it-alls who look down on the majority of their fellow Americans. [That's "Murkins."] "repuke" [Too long. Just shorten it to "puke."] I hate the whole practice of twisting someone's name into a childish insult--that's what the Freepers like to do. . . . Of course, occasionally, someone will come along with a name that's just begging for ridicule--John Boehner, for example. Then I guess it's OK. [I hate it except for when I think it's OK.] Same with "banksters"...if you want to be taken seriously, just call them what they are, "blood-sucking maggot bankers" [THERE it is! The old standby. I wondered how long it would take to get there.] UnReKKK [ReKKKless abandon.] Really... you want to compare an organization that lynches people with someone (often accidentally) clicking a button to vote down your (circle all that apply: poorly written/poorly researched/fearmongering/irrelevant/flame-baiting/sophomoric/pretentious/cryptoconservative/boring/misleadingly titled/duplicate/navel gazing/attention seeking/time-wasting) thread? [/ much?] "Tax the Rich." No specifics on what they consider rich, how much should be taxed, what should be taxed (wealth or income), or what the money should be used for (deficit reduction or increased spending). Sunday, May 15, 2011 DUmmie whines: "I Want To Smack Every Teabagger I See." It's the Daze of Whine and Poses at DUmmieland. But then, I repeat myself. For DUmmies are nothing if not a bunch of whiney liberals. Case in point: DUmmie ChoppinBroccoli, who is upset because he might have to do something on his own to take care of his parental responsibiliities, rather than have the government do it for him. You see, the taxpayers in his district chose not to pass an additional levy, so now ChoppinBroccoli, poor baby, might actually have to transport his own kid to all-day kindergarten, rather than having a school bus do it for him. WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! ChoppinBroccoli blames the EEEE-vil rich for this, of course, those greedy misers who won't pay an extra $15 so his kid can take a bus. ChoppinBroccoli is so mad, he posted this THREAD, "I Want To Smack Every Teabagger I See." Now the kicker is, ChoppinBroccoli is a LAWYER, and he lives in a nice SUBURB, so it's not like he's some poor shlub like bobbolink, living in the back of a Buick. If he doesn't have any friends or family willing to help, he could well afford to take care of some other arrangement for his child's transportation. But he's a Democrat, so he expects other people to pay his bills and do everything for him. So let us hop on the short bus and get dropped off at DUmmieland, where the comments are in Read-Whine Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, Charles Henrickson, who somehow manages to get his daughter to school without a bus, is in the [brackets]: I Want To Smack Every Teabagger I See [That's some violent rhetoric there, ChoppinBroccoli. Are you a Broccoli stalker?] Just a little background information first. My oldest son turned 5 this month and is going to be starting Kindergarten in the fall. In the school district where we live, there are several elementary schools, but only one of them has all day, every day Kindergarten. . . . [Choppin looked, but he couldn't find a 24/7 kindergarten.] Well, last week, we found out that our son got into the all day Kindergarten program, so we were pretty excited about that. [WHEEEEEE!!!] Between my wife and I, our work schedules would have taken a serious hit trying to accommodate pick-ups and drop-offs for just a half-day Kindergarten program, and we were stressing out over how we would get that to work. . . . [WAAAAAAH!!!] because the recent school levy (voted on last week) was defeated, the school district was cutting out all transportation services (aka busing). Translation: I'm going to have to drive my child to school every day in the Fall. [NO! SHOCKING!! UNHEARD OF!!! How could they be so CRUEL????] but the doors to the elementary school don't open until 9:05 a.m. [UN-BE-LIEEEEEEEEEEV-ABLE!!] Guess what time I normally need to be in Court on the days I have Court. [Mm, 9:05 a.m.?] And since EVERY PARENT with a child in that school will ALSO be driving his/her child to school that day, what do you think the chances are that I'll be able to drive up to the door, drop him off, give him a quick good-bye, and then get immediately back on the road, given the line of cars trying to do the same thing? [WOW! The prisoners on the Gulag Archipelago didn't have it this hard!] Here's what irks me about this whole thing. We live in a fairly well-to-do suburb of Columbus. . . . In the run-up to the vote on the school levy issue, there was a very visible and well-funded "Vote No on Issue 7" campaign waged. . . . And nothing would upset me more than to drive home through the "rich neighborhood" and see these HUGE houses with "Vote No on 7" signs in their front yards. [D*mn democracy! Who do those voters think they are??] Yeah, I'm sure that extra fifteen bucks you're going to have to pay in taxes to support your local schools is going to REALLY break your bank, @ssholes. [Mr. Lawyer ChoppinBroccoli, who lives in this well-to-do suburb, fails to see the irony in his not wanting to spend $15 of his own to pitch in on carpooling.] So I said . . . only HALF-facetiously, that every time I have a scheduling conflict that makes it difficult to drop my son off at school at 9:05 in the morning, I'm going to drive him up to the door of one of these houses with the "Vote No on 7" signs in the yard and tell them, "Here. YOU drive him to school today. Hope you choke on your 15 bucks, @sshole." [ChoppinBroccoli is only $15 away from having No Child Left Behind.] I'm getting so d*mn sick of living in "all taxes are evil" land. [You tell, 'em, Choppin! DOWN with democracy! DOWN with voting! UP with taxes! Get a BUS, for Gaia's sake, and come get this kid off my hands!] [Now to the other DUmmies . . .] End corporate fascism in this country. It is dangerous! [Whatever the problem--no money for school buses, jobs being outsourced, lint--the cause is always the same: corporatist facist pigs.] An ounce of money for good schools is worth a pound of money for prisons. [If somebody doesn't come up with that 15 bucks to get Choppin's boy on a bus, HE'LL END UP DOING HARD TIME! Come ON, people!!] We really need all adults in this country to go through a remedial educational program to understand the whole point of taxes and of collective action. [Load 'em on a bus and send 'em off to Reeducation Camp!] As it is now, the Stupid is phenomenal. [The Stupid is strong with this one.] when you have so much and you don't want to share a simple $15 bucks more in taxes to help our future - our children - do better so they can compete with children around the world, that's taking greed to a whole new low. And, sadly, this new phenomenon is very much exclusively an American affliction. [MOVE THAT BUS!] I think we have a sociopathic country, perhaps a term is sociopathic capitalism. [I thought the term was corporate fascism.] Just ask them if they would prefer educated tax paying people or criminals breaking into their houses. [Save JuniorBroccoli from a life of crime! Only $15! My G*D, people!] That's a pretty healthy whine you typed up. It's called life. Deal with it. [LOUSY FREEPER TROLL!!!] you have a practical issue to deal with and i suggest trying to find a parent in your neighborhood who needs a few extra bucks and would be willing to care for your child during those hours when you must be at work. [Wow, what a concept! Coming up with a non-government solution!] Do you want your child in "all day every day Kindergarten" so he will advance educationally? Or, is it more beneficial as a sort of "all day every day" day care....so you and your wife can pursue your professional interests? My oldest son is very advanced for his age, and he's been in a daycare that has given him an education (as opposed to just watching him and playing with him while we work) for the last 5 years. [Translation: We dumped him off as soon as he was born.] Can't say I blame the voters for shooting down the levy if a significant portion of it was to pay for transportation of children to a magnet school because parents want the luxury of more school hours to accommodate their work schedules. Sounds like you'll have to do what about 99% of all other working parents do - either hire someone to watch your children before and after school or put them in private kindergarten. [OK, ChoppinBroccoli won the Whiney Liberal Award, but YOU, DUmmie lynne, you win today's Kewpie Doll for your Brief Moment of Mental Clarity®! Go to the head of the class! . . . Back to Choppin for summing up . . .] All 3 of my kids have been in daycare since they were born. The younger 2 still are, and will continue to be. Our oldest is going to school NOT to have somebody to watch him while we work, but because we actually want our kids to go to school. I thought every parent wanted education for their child, but apparently I was wrong. [Some parents actually want to form a bond with their children, instead of shipping them off to strangers, but hey, that's me.] Wednesday, May 11, 2011 Pied Piper Pitt Day Fifth Anniversary I’ve gone 6 months without smoking! My sacred lungs have been untarnished by toxic nicotine fumes that whole time. Not once did I ever relapse and suck down hard on a cigarette. Okay. Whom am I kidding here? Of course I relapsed. I mean why do you think no more triumphalist postings from me on this topic since I BRAGGED about hitting the 50 day no smoking mark? So why this confession? Because it is sooooo much better for you to rag on me for having absolutely no willpower than for you to remember this date. What date? Let me give you a hint: it was the date that Patrick Fitzgerald indicted Karl Rove. MERRY FITZMAS! Unfortunately for me, May 12, 2006 turned out to be not so merry. It marked my final downfall from which I could not recover even after the span of 24 business hours. And now we have hit the fifth anniversary of that memorable day which shall forever tarnish the Magic Man. Yes, I wish you would forget all about that day just like I wish I could forget that I ever knew that degenerate thieving drug addict, Jason Leopold. Oh how I wish I could go back in a time machine five years and tell Leopold, "Geez Jason. How about if you take your sealed/unsealed indictment and shove it!" Instead I eagerly grasped at Leopold's indictment fantasy and enthusiastically ran with it. At the time it seemed like the smart thing to do. I mean David Shuster (who was getting his info from Jason as well) practically guaranteed an indictment was imminent. But it was not to be. Oh Dear God in heaven, in whom I do not believe, why hast thou forsaken your Willie Boy? All I needed was that indictment and the world would have been my oyster. Instead of pacing a tiny square of pavement in front of Bukowki's late at night as a phony bouncer, I would have been the toast of Boston and beyond. Big shot politicos would have made their way to my table at fine steak restaurants to shmooze the guy who scooped the Rove indictment story. I would have been a regular guest on MSNBC or, perhaps, had my own show. Instead I have turned myself into the object of derision and mockery, with my lips forever joined for all eternity to Jason Leopold's butt. Leopold and Lib. And Lib can NEVER escape that unfortunate connection. Yeah, Jason, I wish I never heard of you. Unfortunately, I have to continue to stick to the fantasy that there is still a possibility of a Karl Rove indictment yet to be made known to the public in the form of a sealed indictment. I have no choice. However, I dearly wish I could just throw Leopold under the bus. In the meantime have you noticed the words "Jason Leopold" have never left my lips? Just like you NEVER hear me say the words "Scott Ritter." If I ever have to refer my non-person co-author of a New York Times vanity press "bestseller" that never went above about #900,000 on Amazon, it will be as "Temporary ScottPuppet." It was the misfortune of Temporary ScottPuppet that he does not have a wealthy family member that could have checkbooked his way out of a conviction on a pervo charge. From now on let us just pretend that Temporary ScottPuppet doesn't even exist. So stay away from me Temporary ScottPuppet and while you're at it, stay away from any Newton schoolyards. I think you get an idea now of how low a noble descendent of William Pitt the Elder as well as Younger has fallen. BTW, has anybody actually looked into the genealogy of those distinguished British Pitts. It turns out that William Pitt the Younger had no children. Yes, he did have a brother but he also had no children. So maybe I was related to William Pitt the Elder by a back door. Well, the Elder did have a brother, Thomas, who would have been flying a rainbow flag over his home had any existed back then. Thomas the Rainbow, despite his proclivities, had a son also named Thomas but guess what? Son Thomas had no children. No Pitts from either the William Pitt the Elder line nor from that of his only brother but guess what? I'm just going to allow the pretense that I am descended from the distinguished British Pitts stand. At least they did not end up as pretend bar bouncers pacing the sidewalk. So enjoy your Pied Piper Pitt celebrations. It is a day that I would just as soon forget just like I would like to forget the hell that my life has become. Saturday, May 07, 2011 Communist DUmmies and SEIU March Together in May Day Parade Have you ever had liberals tell you that you are exaggerating about the extent of communist influence upon our society? Specifically on labor unions, universities, and other liberal groups. Well, here is a special photo essay of a May Day parade last Sunday in Los Angeles that clearly demonstrates the alignment of the SEIU and the communists. Note that along with the communists, you can see their SEIU pals nearby and/or mingling with them. Fortunately a photographer called RINGO performed the duty that the L.A. Times and other news organizations failed to do by providing extensive photographic evidence of the alignment of the SEIU with their communist pals. These same news organizations are the ones who micro-analyze signs at Tea Party rallies for any evidence of imaginary fascism. When we see clear evidence of flat out communism at this May Day parade which is chock full of SEIU members...complete silence on their part. Note the SEIU sign right behind the commie chick holding her "Fight For Communism Sign." "SMASH CAPITALISM." How many times have we read that sentiment in DUmmieland? Note the plethora of SEIU signs and purple shirts all around this Commie. Is that our own Troglaman on the far left above holding the Commie sign? Come on...'Fess up Troggy. An SEIU clown drops all pretenses and carries the Bolshevik Red flag above. "Mobilize The Masses For Communism!" And that is just what the SEIU is helping their Communist buddies do in this May Day Parade which was completely ignored by the MSM. Oh, and how many of the folks in this May Day crowd have DUmmie screen names. My guess is quite a few...both SEIU members and Communists and/or both. Is there a difference? Sunday, May 01, 2011 DUmmies Get Outraged About Chamber of Commerce Document Release The DUmmies are once again proving how incredibly DUmb they are. Supposedly a web clown named anonymous released "secret" Chamber of Commerce files in a huge wikileaks type download consisting of thousands of documents. Of course, the DUmmies immediately suspected these documents were damning. WRONG! It turns out that the documents were not only innocuous but were already available to everybody on the Web. Don't believe me? Well, here is an update to the original POST about this document release in KOmmieLand: Anonymous posted this to their site anonnews.org On April 29th a person using the twitter account “@septscelles” released a large file to Barrett Brown that purportedly contained secret US Chamber of Commerce documents. This file was later made available via File Dropper as a (strangely truecypted) torrent named "chambersecrets2". It is also reported to have been made available in an unencrypted form on the Pirate Bay. Despite the promise of secrets and leaks, early research has thus far shown that this information is publicly available through a simple Google search. It's very possible that “@septscelles” is just an attention seeking troll. Despite this, there is a more insidious possibility. We learned from the HB Gary emails that the Chamber of Commerce was advised to “feed the fuel between the feuding groups, [creating] disinformation." Specific mention was made of "[creating] messages around actions to sabotage or discredit the opposing organization [and to] submit fake documents and then call out the error…” The file is very large, and will therefore take some time to fully examine. Nevertheless, we would like to state that this information was provided by an unknown party and may be an attempt to discredit Anonymous through a campaign of misinformation. More information will be coming soon. OOPS! However, in the meantime and even after this revelation, the DUmmies went whole hog in attributing all sorts of nefarious misdeeds to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce based on NOTHING as you can see in their THREAD, "BREAKING: Anonymous Hits Chamber." So let us now watch the DUmmies getting outraged in Bolshevik Red over an innocuous document release they didn't even read while the commentary of your humble correspondent, noting once again where the DU in DUmb comes from, is in the [brackets]: As we speak I'm sitting on a mile high pile of, I guess, unauthorized data released about the US Chamber of Commerce. Thousands and thousands of docs released a few hours ago. Wanna help read through the docs and see what horrific secret things the Chamber is up to? There's thousands of these docs. [Translation: I haven't even read the documents but I am already convinced there is damning evidence against the Chamber of Commerce. Oh, and I'm too lazy to actually pore through this massive pile of material so, um, could you do it for me?] ******This document release contains content from the American LegislativeExchange Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Mackinac Center. [Which already existed on the Web before Anonymous "released" it. And now to the DUmmies experiencing massive urinations of happiness in their diapers without even knowing what is in the documents...] oo fun fun fun [I'm soooo HAPPY!!! I have absolutely no idea what is in those documents but I know they must make the Chamber of Commerce look bad. OH JOY!!!] Maybe someday the Chamber (R) will actually support America & Americans. That would be nice change of pace...Though I doubt the exposed documents will reveal anything they have done that was in fact helpful for America, since the Chamber (R) is so clearly anti-honor & anti-integrity, and so into deviant fellating of predatory multinational RepubliCorps (R) with allegiance only to PROFIT. [More preemptive OUTRAGE with absolutely NO knowledge of what the docs contain...which turns out to be NOTHING controversial.] I LOVE IT when LIARS get CAUGHT!!!!! [I LOVE IT when DUMMIES get EXPOSED!!!!!] Important: You'll also need a torrent client like utorrent or BitTorrent to receive the documents...and you'll need TrueCrypt to decode ithttp://www.filedropper.com /... To open the file you will also need something called TrueCrypt which you can download here. [To receive the documents you only need a connection to the Web since it is has been there all this time.] The Chamber is no fan of the working man (and woman). I hope youall find lots of crap. [Sorry. None found. Freudenschade, baby!] I hope this isn't a trap.... [A trap set by the left which ensnared themselves. That's why you are called DUmbmmies.] they are not Americans either traitors to the poor and slaves tothe rich but now we know don't we [But now we know just how DUmb the DUmmies are.] I bet that pile has lots of shit. They need a name change. U.S. Chamber of all about Richie Rich. [You bet wrong and now you have to pay up in the form of public humiliation in the DUmmie FUnnies, DUmmie lonestarnot.] insatiable greed millions isn't enough billions isn't enough.now they want trillions. it reminds me of Dickens when the rich kept squeezing the poor over and over again [Another DUmmie flapping his mouth with absolutely NO idea of what is in the documents.] how about Chamber of Whore-ers? Whoring for their corporate puppetmasters, that is [How about Chamber of DUmmies?] This makes me *so* happy. In fact, I was hoping for something like this a few weeks ago when a thread came through headed "Wisconsin, Anonymous is listening. [Anonymous is just $10 away from getting Kloppy elected in Wisconsin.] I hope there are scores of qualified dems and progressivesporing through those files right now. [Fantastic! A terrific waste of time!] I'm waiting to see some actionable intelligence that can be turned into direct action [And you'll keep waiting and waiting and waiting and...] I was just wondering yesterday why we hadn't heard from Anonymous in a while, and suspected that perhaps they were up to something entertaining.Guess they were! [Yup, they sure were! They were providing us with comedic entertainment of innocuous documents already available on the Web to illustrate just how FUnnie the DUmmies are.] the intense response to these leaks is proof they won't get away with it. [And you won't get away with evading the DUFU microscope.] that's a damn huge file. waiting for snippets of the good stuff to appear online. [NEWSFLASH! It has already been online but don't let that stop you from wasting weeks looking for nothing.] And let's hope a gameplan is revealed to explain how so many R's were "elected" as governors in order to implement ALEC's legislation. [Take a look in the Dr. Evil file that doesn't exist.] The Chamber is salting the peer network with malware-containing fake files... Peerblock is going nuts with hosts identified as "malware infested" trying to connect to people downloading this torrent. [That's what you get for not accessing the files already publicly available via Google.] Trying to download now and see if I can do anything with it. [Nothing except printing it out and using for TP.] I'm salivating...can't wait to see all the goodies. [Will you salivate when you see how DUmb you are at the DUmmie FUnnies, DUmmie KathieG?] Has there been a news or press release yet? [Only a DUFU release. And thanx for the comedy gold!] I don't think we have to hang more than thirty or forty bankers. And CEOs. If destroying the economic stability of the world isn't a capital crime, nothing is. [How about if you hang your head in shame for being so DUmb, DUmmie aquart. Good screen name because you are aquart too low in the intelligence department.] Total public funding. Nothing less. Smash the bribe machine. We need to shut down DC until they obey. [Declared DUmmie alfredo from his crib.] Man I was having trouble with it crashing. Looks like I will have it totally downloaded soon. [Congratulations on downloading absolutely nothing.] It said something about a file connected with NVidea. So I upgraded Nvidea and that might have resolved the issue. And restarting after the upgrade. I was using BitTorrent to download it. [Have you tried going to Google and using point and click?] I'm a fast reader and writer---will be wading through once you send some info. Chamber of Horrors is about to be revealed for the true whore-er it is. [Great. It will only take you a couple of weeks instead of a full month to completely waste your time.] It is nearly 1.25 gigabyte of data. [It is nearly 1.25 gigabyte of the data equivalent of reading the labels on soup cans.] This is thrilling news and the kind of transparency we need. [Yes, your utter stupidity is certainly transparent for all to see and laugh at, DUmmie AnneD.] Can't wait for the Rachel detectives to digest this [Yes, she needs to make more of a fool of herself than she already is.] It's Christmas, Yay [I thought it was Fitzmas.] Grabbing my copy now - should I pop some popcorn, brew an urn of coffee. Oh SNAP - this is gonna be juicy. [Yup! Yet more juicy entertainment in the form of unintended comedy from the DUmmies who are getting worked up over NOTHING yet again.] Why haven't Mainstream Media outlets mentioned a word about this? [Stand by as the DUmmie get slapped hard by the bitter truth from another DUmmie...] Because it's all publicly available already anyways. This is just an aggregation of material. [Oops!] WTH am I looking at. Good grief. Lots of newspaper articles, How to market charter schools this is gonna take a while to get through.. [A DUmmie starts to realize that the "revealing" material is completely innocuous but that won't stop him from continuing to waste his time.] The Asian Brochure NEW talks all about increasing trade and economic business opportunities between Asia and the U.S. but I fall to see any discussion about U.S. or Asian workers. Fair wages, real fair trade instead of the onesided Walmart mess we see so much of.... [Yawn! Could you please just start reading soup can labels? It is so much more interesting.] I can't get it. there is no seed. If they are trying to stop it -- and they may very well fight with maximum ruthlessness and the purist evil -- then we need to fight back with everything we've got. [Yeah, that evil Chamber was hiding it in plain sight all this time on Google.] I downloaded the file in a total of 72 minutes and am still seeding right now, so I don't think the file has become unavailable. Plus, even if this torrent became broken, thousands have the file now and anyone could easily create another torrent, so there is no stopping this information. Though, after looking through these files for a little while, I have mostly found documents that are already online. In other words, most of these documents aren't insider documents with scandalous information, but these documents are mostly a nice collection of bullshit from each of these organizations. [LOL! A DUmmie wastes all that time and effort downloading massive files that he is disappointed to find reveal NOTHING! Plus he now finds they were already available online.] [A DUmmie links to the Anonymous update in KOmmieland showing just how DUmb they have been about this document "release" all along.] Someone made mention before that there's really nothing malignant in the release. it does seem to be mostly propaganda brochures, itineraries (or whatever you call them) for meetings and trips, etc. real light weight stuff. I really saw nothing scandalous (could be wrong as I didn't go through all of it). [It's just now dawning on some of the DUmmies just how DUmb they were about this.] anon is now saying there is not much in the release and that it may contain misinformation [anon is now saying that the DUmmies are incredibly DUmb. After this revelation, demoralization has now infected this thread as they realize what fools they made of themselves while wasting their time over NOTHING. However, good news. It wasn't a complete waste since it served to provide the DUmmie FUnnies with some of its best comedy material ever. Thanx, DUmmies!] About Me I am a 30,000 year old reincarnated being who materializes once every 5000 years in a Las Vegas hotel suite. My greatest goal in my eternal life is to spend 6 months on a small tropical island with Mary Matalin doing nothing but pitching a DUmmie FUnnies book (with CD-ROM insert) deal with her. If you happen to be Mary Matalin, please contact me at: [email protected]. If you are anybody else, you can contact me there too. Remember, if you are a book publisher, please feel free to embarrass me with an extravagant book advance.

Clinical use of a new castable glass ceramic material. The dimensional change of a new castable ceramic material (CD-200) was measured after casting, ceramming, and surface coloring. The marginal and internal adaptations of single crowns were evaluated, as was the fracture strength of single crowns and fixed partial dentures. The material expanded 0.57% after casting, ceramming, and application of surface colorant. Marginal openings ranged between 2.8 and 11.2 microns. Single crowns exhibited fracture strengths lower than or comparable to Dicor single crowns, and fixed partial dentures made from CD-200 were weaker than those fabricated with Dicor.

Q: Syntax error in bytes(" ".format(), encoding="utf-8") When running this: import hashlib hash1 = hashlib.md5(b'admin:Pentester Academy:asdds').hexdigest() hash2 = hashlib.md5(b'GET:/lab/webapp/digest/1').hexdigest() nonce = "526f295f84bcafc67598cd8e760a9cc5" response_unhashed = (bytes("{}:{}:{}".format(hash1, nonce, hash2)), encoding='utf-8') response_md5hashed = hashlib.md5(response_unhashed).hexdigest() print(response_md5hashed) I get this... Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\Adrian\Desktop\Infosec\Notes\Programming\example.py", line 7 response_unhashed = (bytes("{}:{}:{}".format(hash1, nonce, hash2)), encoding='utf-8') ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax Where's the syntax error? Checked some of the bytes() and format() documentation but couldn't find any clues. A: There are parentheses that are in wrong order. Try bytes("{}:{}:{}".format(hash1,nonce,hash2), encoding = "utf-8") Instead of (bytes("{}:{}:{}".format(hash1, nonce, hash2)), encoding='utf-8')

Bradley Moore is having a BAD day. He gets dumped evicted and fired all before lunch. But when a stranger offers Brad a Golden Ticket allowing him act without consequence for the remainder of the day things take a turn.. A young police officer lands a cushy assignment to deliver an illegal ferret to a wildlife shelter unharmed but an incident whilst he is driving turns his mission into the most unexpected siege of his career. It’s an autumn day, Eric, in his thirties has a small problem. A jar in his hand he is desperately seeking help. After asking unsuccessfully all around Eric sets out to search for someone who can make him ‘Clean’. They are old and watch TV all day except for when it is time to do the daily 30 minutes of activity. This is the doctor’s prescription. The timer starts an each one individually embarks on a journey. Will they find love at the end of it?

It’s that time again and we’re back with yet another rundown of what Android devices will be or won’t be getting the latest major Android upgrade. That upgrade of course is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich which Google unveiled just a few short days ago. You can read about all of the details here but one of the main goals of this version of Android is to unify it, meaning, Google wants both tablets and phones to be running the same software. However, that doesn’t mean that this update is going to be any less tricky than Gingerbread. We do have a few details right now and we’ll definitely be sharing those but this is going to be a work in progress. After all, Motorola has announced that one of its flagship devices won’t be seeing the update until early 2012. And you know what that means right? It means that you’re likely going to want to bookmark this page because it’s going to be awhile before we find out all the details about every phone for sure. (Note: For now, we’re going to focus on the phones with “bigger” names.) HTC Amaze 4G If you just picked up an HTC Amaze 4G from T-Mobile, it came out on October 12th, you don’t have to worry about whether or not your new device will see the Android 4.0 update. The Amaze 4G is one of T-Mobile’s more powerful devices and will only get more powerful when it receives the upgrade. Of course, it’s running HTC Sense which could definitely slow things up a bit but rest assured, the Amaze 4G will get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich somewhere down the road. HTC Droid Incredible It was a long road for the HTC Droid Incredible‘s Android 2.3 update roll out. It was marred by delays and suspicions that the device, which has reached its EOL, would not be rolling out. But, HTC and Verizon managed to get it out to loyal owners back in September and so far, we haven’t heard about the device having any major problems with the software. And that bodes well for a possible upgrade to Android 4.0. Don’t hold your breath though. The Droid Incredible is going on two years old and HTC and Verizon may not see it fit to release another major software update seeing as though most owners of the original Incredible will probably be moving onto greener pastures in the coming months. Update: At this point, because HTC and Verizon have not said anything in regards to an update which isn’t a good sign. Throw in the the fact that the Droid X2 and Droid 3 are not getting Android 4.0 and we can pretty much all rule out the update for the Droid Incredible. HTC Droid Incredible 2 The Droid Incredible’s successor is currently sitting pretty. It was released this year, April 28th to be exact, and it currently has Gingerbread on board which has been working like a dream for most people. We haven’t heard anything definitive about an upgrade to to Ice Cream Sandwich but Google did say that most if not all phones with Gingerbread would see an upgrade to Android 4.0. And given the youth of this device, we’re going to say that it’s likely. Update: The Droid X2 and Droid 3 won’t be getting Android 4.0 and that doesn’t bode well for the Droid Incredible 2. HTC EVO 4G We hate to say it but Sprint’s iconic device is aging quickly. Don’t get us wrong, we still consider it a fantastic phone, but we’re not HTC or Sprint. Yes, it currently runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and yes, there are still quite a few people rocking it, but like the Droid Incredible, it’s going on two years old. It has also reached the End of Life. This is a phone that we never will count out though so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich be the EVO 4G’s last hurrah. Nothing from HTC yet and we don’t expect to hear anything for a good while. HTC EVO 3D The EVO 4G”s successor, the EVO 3D, came out to much fanfare back in June of this year boasting some incredibly powerful specifications as well as Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box. We can’t imagine that Sprint not giving the EVO 3D some Ice Cream Sandwich love so while we haven’t heard anything official quite yet, it should be OK to emit a sigh of relief as there is more than a very good chance that it will see Android 4.0. Look for it to be among the first. HTC and Sprint are usually on the ball when it comes to EVO branded devices. HTC EVO Shift 4G Lest we not forget about the third member of the current family of EVO phones, the EVO Shift 4G, a device that really is kind of a black sheep. It has never achieved the same popularity as its brethren but hey, that might not stop HTC from releasing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for its owners. After all, back in June, it got upgraded to Gingerbread which arrived with a ton of improvements on board. It’s possible that HTC and Sprint won’t want to invest the time into upgrading the EVO Shift 4G with all of the other phones they need to be working on so we’ll say that there is around a 50/50 chance that it sees ICS. HTC G2 Like the Droid Incredible’s Android 2.3 update, T-Mobile’s G2 had a bumpy road to release only it wasn’t delays that caused the headaches. It was the constant leaks that kept saying that the update would be rolling out soon. Owners begun to get fed up with the weeks and weeks of nothing only to see the update roll out at the end of July. For the most part, it seems that the update has been a smooth one for G2 owners which, again like the Droid Incredible’s update, is a sign that there could be another update in the pipeline. There are still quite a few G2 owners out there but it’s unclear if the device’s End of Life status will cause T-Mobile and HTC to take a pass. HTC Inspire 4G The HTC Inspire 4G is one of AT&T’s latest and greatest Android smartphones and it’s also one that is currently sporting Android 2.3 Gingerbread as its operating system.Will that save it from getting the axe when it comes to getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich? That’s currently a mystery. It doesn’t help that its essentially the EVO 4G operating under a different name but then again, it has only been out since February making it a distinct possibility that AT&T might grace it with the latest from Google. HTC Nexus One You would think that, like the Nexus S and the Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus One would be getting the boost up to Android 4.0. Unfortunately it’s not a sure thing according to the good folks at Google. There is currently no clear plan for the Nexus One to see anything past Gingerbread so it’s possible that the original Nexus might be left out in the cold without an Ice Cream Sandwich. It will be celebrating its two year birthday in January so it wouldn’t be shocking to see that happen. We wouldn’t count it out just yet though. Update: Bad news. Google has confirmed that the Nexus One won’t be getting an upgrade to Android 4.0. HTC Rezound HTC has confirmed the update for the HTC Rezound although it’s unclear when the update will be rolling out. HTC Sensation 4G Like the EVO 3D, it’s almost impossible to think that the HTC Sensation 4G, which T-Mobile released to compete with Sprint’s EVO, wouldn’t see the upgrade to Android 4.0. It has Gingerbread right out of the box and to be perfectly honest, it’s one of the best Android releases of 2011 and one of the best devices to ever grace T-Mobile’s network. Period. And while the Magenta carrier hasn’t confirmed anything yet, we’re fairly certain that Sensation 4G owners will be getting the update at some point in the months ahead. Just be patient. Update: HTC has confirmed Android 4.0 for the HTC Sensation. T-Mobile remains mum on the Sensation 4G but we assume that this means it will be coming. HTC ThunderBolt The HTC ThunderBolt. A nemesis of ours here at GBM and a headache for owners out there who were unfortunate enough to buy the device on a two year contract. Currently, the ThunderBolt is split into two camps. The first camp consists of those who have received the Gingerbread update, an update that was a buggy mess. The second camp of ThunderBolt owners consists of those that are still running Android 2.2 because they weren’t able to get the software before HTC and Verizon pulled the plug on it indefinitely. That being said, we should see the update roll out again at some point in the near future, HTC has said so. Can’t say the same thing for Android 4.0 though. There has been nary a peep from HTC and Verizon and you have to think that both are as tired of this phone as its owners. It’s certainly possible that the problems with Gingerbread could very well be a death knell for Ice Cream Sandwich. However, we believe that because of the shear number of HTC ThunderBolt owners out there, the companies really have no choice but to commit to the new software. For better or worse. LG G2x T-Mobile’s LG G2x has been nothing short of a debacle. In fact, for a time, it was giving the HTC ThunderBolt a run for its money as the buggiest phone on the market. It was so buggy, that LG and T-Mobile had to pull it off shelves. Of course, they blamed it on demand but that was clearly not the reason. Fortunately, the Gingerbread update arrive for the device in July and things seemed to have settled a bit. Issues aside, the G2x is a powerful phone (it has a dual-core processor and a bunch of RAM) which means it’s a prime candidate to receive the upgrade to Android Ice Cream Sandwich. We just don’t know when that will be. Update: We have some bad news, G2x owners. The Optimus 2X won’t get Android 4.0 which means that the G2x may not get it either. Update 2: LG has refuted the previous report and says that it is still testing Android 4.0 on both phones and that it doesn’t know if it will get released or not. That’s better news but certainly not good. Update 3: The Optimus 2X is confirmed to be getting Android 4.0. The G2x? Not so lucky. At least not yet. LG Revolution Like the HTC ThunderBolt, the LG Revolution was one of Verizon’s original 4G LTE launch devices. And like the ThunderBolt, the Revolution hasn’t seen any Gingerbread love from Verizon. It’s still stuck on Android 2.2 and that’s, well, that’s just not good. It’s also been out since May and still, no sign of Android 2.3. That means that if LG and Big Red are planning on getting this to Ice Cream Sandwich, it’s going to be awhile before they do so. Motorola Atrix 4G Back in July, AT&T and Motorola released the Gingerbread update for the Atrix 4G and so far, we haven’t heard any horror stories so we think it’s safe to assume that the Atrix has been able to handle Android 2.3. The only thing that might prevent the Atrix 4G from getting a bump to Android 2.3 would be if AT&T wants to sell the Atrix 2. We have a feeling that Ma Bell won’t disappoint owners of its first dual-core smartphone but until we hear it from the horse’s mouth, nothing is for certain. Motorola Atrix 2 The Motorola Atrix 2 just launched on AT&T and after going hands-on with it, we think that AT&T and Moto cooked up a fairly worthy successor. And at this point, we think that the quality of the device combined with its recent release means that Atrix 2 owners will definitely see Ice Cream Sandwich at some point down the road. But, just like most of these phones, we just have no idea when that will be. Motorola Droid 3 If the Droid 2 Global and Droid 2 were boosted up to Gingerbread, there is no doubt in our mind that Verizon will be bringing Android 4.0 to the Motorola Droid 3. It’s a powerful phone and the only reason it hasn’t garnered attention is because it doesn’t run on Big Red’s 4G LTE network. This will almost assuredly be one of the first Motorola devices that sees the Ice Cream Sandwich next year. Motorola Droid 4 Verizon will launch the Motorola Droid 4 on February 10th and when the device does arrive, it will do so with Android Gingerbread on board. However, both companies behind the device have confirmed that Android 4.0 will be coming to the device in the weeks ahead. Motorola Droid Bionic If you bought Motorola’s first dual-core 4G LTE device, you’re in luck. The manufacturer has confirmed Android 4.0 for the Droid Bionic but it didn’t reveal when the device would be getting Ice Cream Sandwich. Motorola’s other dual-core 4G LTE smartphone will be getting it in early 2012 so we figure that the Bionic will be getting the software somewhere around then too. Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX The Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX was originally announced at CES 2012 and was launched in the early part of 2012 with Android Gingerbread on board. Luckily, both Motorola and Verizon confirmed that the device will be upgraded to Android 4.0 although Motorola would only say that it would be coming in the weeks ahead. Motorola Droid X The Motorola Droid X and Gingerbread haven’t played nice from the beginning. When roll out day came, Droid X owners were ecstatic, which soon turned to misery when they found out the update was not only plagued with bugs but was also bricking phones. It took a little bit before Verizon pushed out a bug fix update but it did and things have quieted down a bit. However, horror stories still trickle in on occasion so there are definitely still people out there struggling. That being said, Moto and Verizon are going to have to take a hard look at whether or not they want to subject Droid X owners to the horrors of another major Android update, no matter how delicious it looks. We think that they might just take a pass on Android 4.0 for the Droid X but it would certainly be a pleasant surprise if they didn’t. Motorola Droid X2 Just like with the Motorola Droid 3, we don’t see any reason why Moto and Verizon wouldn’t update its other refresh, the Droid X2, with Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s still one of the best 3G phones on the market and it should be able to handle Android 4.0 no problem. Thing is, it has MotoBlur. And that means that the update could take some time to get released. Unless Motorola and Verizon want a buggy experience for this phone as well. Samsung Droid Charge Another one of Verizon’s original 4G LTE device, the Samsung Droid Charge was released amidst a ton of hype earlier this year. Sadly, like its companions, poor battery life and the release of more powerful phones has sent this thing to the bargain bin with Android 2.2 Froyo on board. That’s right, it’s not even running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Things look pretty bleak here unfortunately but without any sort of official statement from Big Red or Sammy, it’s hard to count the Droid Charge out just yet. Just assume that it won’t get Android 4.0 and that way, you’ll be delighted if it does happen to show its face. Samsung Galaxy Nexus Not much to say here other than the Galaxy Nexus will have Android 4.0 out of the box. Lucky devil. Samsung Galaxy S – (Fascinate, Captivate, Vibrant, Epic 4G) Samsung had a heck of a time getting Android 2.2 Froyo onto its original Galaxy S devices and while there are signs of a boost up to Gingerbread for every single one of these, there hasn’t been anything official yet. These are aging phones as well and the Samsung Galaxy S II taking the reigns makes it easier for Sammy to opt out of getting all four of these up to Android 4.0. Update: Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S will not be getting an Android 4.0 update. Samsung Galaxy S II – (Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch) The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the best Android phones to ever grace the earth and it has finally arrived on three carriers in the United States in AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. It’s fairly safe to assume that all three have sold well and we think that all three U.S. carriers will likely make Android 4.0 a priority for these phones. After all, they are all current flagship devices. Let’s just hope the update process goes a little smoother than it did for the Galaxy S II’s predecessors. Update: Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S II will be getting Android 4.0 in 2012. Samsung Infuse 4G The Samsung Infuse 4G, with its massive display, is definitely one of the better Android devices on AT&T. However, Gingerbread has yet to arrive in official form for the and that’s a little troubling especially since AT&T promised it would be here by now. Still, we think this device has a very good shot at getting Android 4.0 in the future it just might be awhile before it decides to show up given the obviously problems that AT&T and Samsung are having with Android 2.3. Samsung Nexus S (Nexus S 4G) Own a Nexus S? Want Android 4.0? We’ve got some good news. Google has confirmed that the Nexus S will be getting Android 4.0. Probably not a surprise to any of you but it’s just nice to hear confirmation. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play And finally, the PlayStation Phone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. It was the first device on Verizon to run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and that definitely will serve it well in its quest to get Android 4.0. Sony has been pretty unreliable when it comes to major updates for its Xperia line of phones so don’t expect the Xperia Play to have a smooth ride acquiring Ice Cream Sandwich but hey, at least there’s a good chance it will be getting it. Can’t say the same for other phones out there. Update: The Xperia Play Android 4.0 update was confirmed but it appears to have been delayed. — So there we have it. Again, these are mostly predictions with a few confirmations so expect a lot of updating to go down over the next couple of months. I don’t understand this. Why should I have to buy a new device to get ICS? At least with the iPhone, the 2g and 3g didn’t get the ios5 upgrade – but a phone I bought in November of last year may not get it? That is just wrong – and while I loved my Evo (except for the battery), I can’t see upgrading 1 year into my contract (especially with Sprint – who just took away that upgrade option). What makes a phone EOL anyway?? It’s old and slow. Ever run a benchmark on it? Slower than a nexus one or g2, both older phones. It had it’s time, it may be time to retire it. Not anyones fault that technology has moved so damn fast. Out is even harder to swallow for those of us who got an atrix. Dual core and already out dated. Well….not necessarily, since its mostly carrier bloatware that weighs those devices down….while the g2 and nexus one have a vanilla Android experience… Even so, there’s something wrong with the benchmark you’re using, or the build of the software if the atrix is scoring that low….the atrix features an NVIDIA tegra2 while the g2 features a snapdragon single core ARM 7 rev1 chip at 800 Mhz, nexus 1 is obviously blown out of the water as well, and the nexus s may be able to compete with the atrix, but the NVIDIA chip is the clear winner. The software, works amazingly well on my droid 2. The phone used to run 4-6hours, now we are talking 3-4 days without a charge. Additionally, no more reboots when the screen is off. So this is amazing, the phone works the way it should have worked from the beginning! Its now officially better than an iphone. strongly doubt Samsung will put ICS on the Galaxy S or even the Galaxy S II in the States. Hell, Gingerbread is not on any of the Galaxy S line in the United States as of October 24. And they say, these phones are to be support on an 18-month cycle according to Google. Riiight. I have an HTC Incredible and there is a manual update out. I actually made a video tutorial on how to update with links to the download and such. All you need is a sd card, a computer, and some time. What’s nice about the manual update is that it allows you to update WITHOUT being rooted. However there are a few odd things about it. It works just fine, but it says that the screen is a 4.3 inch wvga, and that there’s an 8 megapixel camera. Still, if you sick of waiting for the update and just want 2.3.4 now, hit up this link. I’m hoping Verizon and LG will honor the implied agreement when I bought this phone that it would be getting Android updates. I allowed the Froyo OTA update to kill the rooting I had (and now rooting is impossible) just so I could get Gingerbread in the future. If it never comes, I’m never buying an LG phone again. I have droid 3 and the pop up on my phone saying need a update to ics 4.0 but I am having a difficult of time to get upload into my phone. I did what I was told for sdk and avd but it is not transfering the update into my phone. Does anyone know how or can explain to me what I need to do? My Nexus Galaxy is quite amazing with ICS… I do have to warn you though that there are some bugs on even ICS 4.0.2 (disappointment). Either way I am eagerly ALREADY waiting for 4.0.3 update… Hope it comes SOON. The Cell phone makers and carriers need to seriously re-think their marketing plans. We are all hooked into their 2 year upgrade cycles. It makes little sense to lock me in to such a cycle and when an OS upgrade comes out I cannot upgrade my phone to it? That sound ridiculous.If 2 years are not up I should have the opportunity to upgrade. I got my Atrix 4G in August and I expect to get ICS or the next upgrade until August 2013. No wonder so many people root their phones. Same here. I didn’t even realize how gimped this phone was when I got it. I loved the fact that it had a REAL keyboard and wasn’t monster sized. It’s better on battery life compared to the EVO 4G. If they screw us over I’m not upgrading, I’m changing carriers and getting The New iPhone (5?). Yeah I would really want the droid x to get the upgrade. Yesterday they realesed an update. I was exited but it was just a bug fix. So let’s hope that Motorola and Verizon will come together and get this update for the droid x going “Sadly, like its companions, poor battery life and the release of more powerful phones has sent this thing to the bargain bin with Android 2.2 Froyo on board.That’s right, it’s not even running Android 2.3 Gingerbread.” WRONG… the Droid Charge DOES have 2.3.6, and it’s only 1 year old. Although I don’t expect it to get updated, I am confused as to why Verizon/Samsung would not provide a ICS update for it. Especially since they didn’t offer the GSII when it came out. Until the GSIII arrives, it is Verizon’s ONLY 4G Samsung phone that is suited for the ICS update. But whateva… I am not holding my breath for anyone or anything. What happens to the capacitive buttons on all these gingerbread phones when ICS gets installed? Do they remain functional? Also, do you lose screen real estate since the navigational buttons are on screen in the OS? So my 4.3″ phone kinda shrinks to a 4.1 phone and I have 4 useless bottons on the bottom? Not bitching, just wondering.

Q: Cherry picking git commit SHAs back into a parent branch My git repo has a master and a development branch on the origin server (GitHub). I cut a feature branch from development and made way too many commits to it, and am left with a handful of commits that I want merged/added back to development, and a whole bunch of ones that I don't want added back in. Is this possible to do? That is, if you have, say 50 commits on a feature branch, and only want to add, say, 8 of them back to a parent branch, can you cherry pick those 8 (if you know their commit SHAs) and add them in? If not, why? And if so, what's the magical git command to do so? A: There are multiple ways to do what you're asking. I can say this even though the question is ambiguous; it just happens that there are a different many ways, depending on which result you're looking for. One of those ways - the one you're baiting with the way you phrased your question - is the cherry-pick command. But I don't recommend it because there are easier ways. For example, in your case you can use git rebase. You can look at cherry-pick as a special case of rebase, or you can look at rebase as a way to (among other things) automate a series of cherry-picks. In any case, as a smaller/more easily shown example, say you start with x -- o -- x -- x <--(master) \ A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J <--(branch) and you want to keep just three commits, which correspond in some way to B, G, and J. Now I say "correspond in some way" because there are two ways to look at "only keeping certain commits". Suppose at o you have some files, including a directory foo containing the file o. And suppose that each commit A through J adds a file to foo; A adds foo/A, B adds foo/B, etc. Therefore at commit G, for example, you have a TREE that includes foo/o, foo/A, foo/B, foo/C, foo/D, foo/E, foo/F, and foo/G. (In general, of course, each commit might edit one or more files; but the difference I'm asking about is easiest to illustrate if each commit just creates a separate file. The principle is the same either way, as long as you realize that "edit a file", to git, means "add some lines, delete some lines, change some lines"). Now at a fundamental level, a commit in git is a snapshot of the entire content. So "keep commits B, G, and J could mean you want x -- o -- x -- x <--(master) \ AB -- CDEFG -- HIJ <--(branch) where AB has a tree containing foo/A and foo/B; and CDEFG has a TREE containing foo/A, foo/B, foo/C, foo/D, foo/E, foo/F, and foo/G; etc. A lot of people think of a commit as a set of changes - i.e. the patch that would convert the commit's parent's TREE into the commit's TREE. Even though git as a whole doesn't work that way, rebase does treat commits in much that way. So if you think that way, maybe you want x -- o -- x -- Z <--(master) \ B' -- G' -- J' <--(branch) where B' makes the same changes relative to o as B had made relative to A. That would mean that B' has a TREE with foo/B (but not foo/A); and G' has a TREE with foo/B and foo/G; etc. Either way, an interactive rebase will do the job. It'll create the new, fewer commits that you want, and move branch to refer to them; and you can proceed from there. If you want to keep the branch based at o, you might do something like git rebase -i `git merge-base master branch` branch It would be simpler to say git rebase -i master branch which will still operate on the correct set of commits; the difference is that the latter command will make the first "new" commit's parent Z instead of o. Whichever command you issue will bring up a text editor with a TODO list containing an entry for each commit from A through J. Each entry starts with the command pick by default. We'll change some of those commands. If you want commits like AB, CDEFG, and HIJ, then you'll use the command squash. This says to combine the patch for a commit with the patch for the one before it. So you'd change the commands for B (to combine B with A yielding AB), D, E, F, and G (to get CDEFG), and I and J. On the other hand, if you just want B', G', and J', then you would use the drop command (or just remove the unwanted commits from the TODO list). You would change the lines for A, C, D, E, F, H, and I. As I noted, this is just one of several ways. At its core git is a content storage system that's well suited (specialized even) to storing a project history. It's very flexible in how it lets you modify the content, though it does try to protect against any potentially-accidental loss of content.

Cardiac myxoma as a mimic: a diagnostic challenge. Patients with occult, undiagnosed cardiac myxomas (CM) often present with acute complications that mimic other, more common, conditions. We describe two recently encountered patients who classically demonstrate this phenomenon and report the results of an integrative review of CM cases to define the characteristics of such patients. A comprehensive 20-year review of reported cases that described patient-specific data of CM was performed. Using a standardized tool, the following elements were collected: age; gender; presenting symptoms and signs; diagnostic and management approaches; and outcomes. One hundred twenty-six cases of CM were identified. The mean patient age was 47.5 years (range, 6-90). Seventy (56%) were women. The most common mimic conditions initially being considered were cardiac complications, including acutely decompensated heart failure, myocardial infarction, dysrhythmia and sudden death (46%); systemic embolization, including cutaneous infarction and pulmonary embolism (23%); central nervous system embolization, including transient ischemic attack and acute stroke syndrome (22%); and constitutional conditions, such as fever, myalgia, arthralgia, fatigue, and myxoma infections (17%). Echocardiography proved to be a readily available and accurate diagnostic test. The majority of reported patients experienced full recoveries after surgical intervention. CM is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. Symptoms and signs relating to CM mimic other, more common conditions, resulting in diagnostic delay. Echocardiography can quickly and accurately diagnose CM and timely surgical intervention is curative. Clinician awareness of this condition, in a suggestive clinical context, will increase the likelihood of optimal patient outcome.

Loss of CD30 expression in metastatic embryonal carcinoma: the effects of chemotherapy? CD30 has been shown to be consistently strongly expressed in embryonal carcinomas. Our aim was to examine changes in CD30 expression in embryonal carcinomas before and after treatment with chemotherapy. One hundred and eighteen retroperitoneal lymph node dissections from patients with metastatic germ cell tumours were reviewed. Seventeen contained embryonal carcinoma deposits. In nine cases, the matching pre-chemotherapy orchidectomy specimens were available. The cases were immunohistochemically stained for CD30. All nine pre- chemotherapy orchidectomy specimens showed embryonal carcinoma and stained strongly positively for CD30. However, only four out of nine of the matched post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection specimens and a total of six out of 17 (35%) with embryonal carcinoma deposits stained for CD30. Ten seminomas were negative for CD30. Loss of CD30 did not appear to influence the relapse rate of the patients. Loss of CD30 expression occurs frequently in metastatic embryonal carcinomas after chemotherapy. This finding has implications in the use of CD30 in the diagnosis of metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell tumours and suggests that chemotherapy may alter the immunophenotype of embryonal carcinoma while retaining its characteristic histological appearances.

25 Speech Class Topics Stop Wasting Time Speech class topics list including twenty five of the best from art awards and air travel to fashion models and Hippie temporary community gatherings for education assignments needs and communication orals in: 10. Building and maintaining highways and roads - make it convincing as in these speaking plans. Mix in the high school speech topic you choose a sense of urgency. 11. World Records: strange, funny or amazing records in the Guinness World Records Book. E.g. Having the Longest Ears on a Living Dog :-) Really, it's in the famous book edition! Ideal for public speaking training purposes. 12. Theme Parks: review your favorite one after a nice day. 13. How to Set Up a Weblog and Earn Money and why it does not work like that for most of us. It is tragic for a lot of hardworking and typing bloggers who want to change the world with writing on the big themes ideas, but that's the way it is ... 14. Aviation pioneers and their aircrafts. Consider the first notable woman Amelia Earhart.

Q: understanding workings of cursor Trying to change some stores procedures and query's for better performance. For some part, it's rewriting cursor syntax. To do this,I must fully understand how they work. I tried this simple ETL example, but it does not give me the expected result. Basically, doing an UPSERT here with a cursor. Example code: CREATE TABLE #Destination (PersonID INT, FirstName VARCHAR(10), LastName VARCHAR (10)) INSERT INTO #Destination VALUES (101, 'M', 'Donalds') INSERT INTO #Destination VALUES (102, NULL, 'Richards') INSERT INTO #Destination VALUES (103, 'Rianna', 'Lock') INSERT INTO #Destination VALUES (104, 'Leo', 'Svensson') CREATE TABLE #SourceTable (PersonID INT, FirstName VARCHAR(10), LastName VARCHAR (10)) INSERT INTO #Destination VALUES (102, 'Diana', 'Richards') INSERT INTO #SourceTable VALUES (103, 'Rianna', 'Locks') INSERT INTO #SourceTable VALUES (106, 'Cleo', 'Davung') DECLARE @PersonID INT DECLARE @Firstname VARCHAR (10) DECLARE @Lastname VARCHAR (10) DECLARE SimpleCursor CURSOR FOR SELECT PersonID, FirstName, LastName FROM #SourceTable Open SimpleCursor FETCH NEXT FROM SimpleCursor INTO @PersonID, @Firstname, @Lastname WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0 BEGIN IF EXISTS ( SELECT PersonID FROM #Destination WHERE PersonID = @PersonID ) UPDATE #Destination SET #Destination.FirstName = #SourceTable.FirstName, #Destination.LastName = #SourceTable.LastName FROM #SourceTable WHERE #Destination.PersonID = #SourceTable.PersonID ELSE INSERT INTO #Destination SELECT PersonID, Firstname, Lastname FROM #SourceTable FETCH NEXT FROM SimpleCursor INTO @PersonID, @Firstname, @Lastname END CLOSE SimpleCursor DEALLOCATE SimpleCursor SELECT * FROM #Destination What am I missing here? I am not updating anything, while PersonID 102 and 103 do exist. Thanks a lot. A: You're not using the variables you fetched the values into in your UPDATE or INSERT statements. Try: ... IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM #Destination WHERE PersonID = @PersonID) BEGIN UPDATE #Destination SET FirstName = @FirstName, LastName = @LastName WHERE PersonID = @PersonID; END ELSE BEGIN INSERT INTO #Destination (PersonID, FirstName, LastName) VALUES (@PersonID, @FirstName, @LastName); END; ...

/** * addToFilter higher-order component. * * Site Kit by Google, Copyright 2019 Google LLC * * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. * You may obtain a copy of the License at * * https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 * * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and * limitations under the License. */ export const addToFilter = ( AddComponent, slug ) => { return function( OriginalComponent ) { const NewComponent = function( props ) { if ( props.slug !== slug ) { return <OriginalComponent { ...props } />; } return ( <AddComponent { ...props } /> ); }; return NewComponent; }; };

CVS Health Initiative: Be the First CVS Health remains the only national retail pharmacy to stop the sale of tobacco products. They are also committed to helping people lead tobacco free lives. Through their company and the CVS Health Foundation, they are investing $50 million through 2020, through an initiative they call #BeTheFirst, which aims to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation. CVS Health is working with leading anti-tobacco and youth organizations across the country to support comprehensive education, advocacy, tobacco control and healthy behavior programming. With their partners, they are working towards contributing to a 3% decline in youth smoking rate; a 10% decline in the number of new youth smokers; and doubling the number of tobacco-free colleges and universities. As part of our initiative, they have invested in tobacco-free resources for students, parents, teachers, schools and youth organizations. These tools and curricula cover topics including the dangers of tobacco, e-cigarette use, healthy behaviors, and advocacy training. Click here to access a list of key resources that are available for youth-serving organizations to leverage.

AVS Video Editor AVS Video Editor is a video editing software published by Online Media Technologies Ltd. It is a part of AVS4YOU software suite which includes video, audio, image editing and conversion, disc editing and burning, document conversion and registry cleaner programs. It offers the opportunity to create and edit videos with a vast variety of video and audio effects, text and transitions; capture video from screen, web or DV cameras and VHS tape; record voice; create menus for discs, as well as to save them to plenty of video file formats, burn to discs or publish on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, etc. Description Interface The layout consists of the timeline or storyboard view, preview pane and media library (transitions, video effects, text or disc menus) collections. The storyboard view shows the sequence of video clips with the transitions between them and used to change the order of clips or add transitions. Timeline view consists of main video, audio, effects, video overlay and text lines for editing. Once on the timeline video can be duplicated, split, muted, frozen, cropped, stabilized, its speed can be slowed down or increased, audio and color corrected Importing footage Video, audio and image files necessary for video project can be imported into the program from computer hard disk drive. User can also capture video from computer screen, web or mini DV camera, as well as from VHS tape, record voice. Output (web, device, disc, format) AVS Video Editor gives the opportunity to save video to a computer hard drive to one of the video formats: AVI, DVD, Blu-ray, MOV, MP4, M4V, MPEG, WMV, MKV, WebM, M2TS, TS, FLV, SWF, RM, 3GP, GIF, DPG, AMV, MTV; burn to DVD or Blu-ray disc with menus; create a video for mobile players, mobile phones or gaming consoles and upload it right to the device. The most popular devices such as Apple iPod, Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, Sony PSP, Samsung Galaxy, Android and BlackBerry smartphones and tablets are supported. There is also an option to create a video that can be streamed via web and save it into Flash or WebM format or for the popular web services: YouTube, Facebook, Telly (Twitvid), Dailymotion, Flickr and Dropbox. Features Single and multithread modes: if a computer supports multi-threading, video creation process is performed faster in multithread mode, especially on a multi-core system. Customization of the output file settings, such as bitrate, frame rate, frame size, video and audio codecs, etc. Transitions - help video clips smoothly go into one another, dissolve or overlap two video or image files. Fade in and fade out video and audio files - dissolve a video to and from a blank image, reduce the audio volume at the end of the video and increase at the beginning. Slideshow creation - create a presentation of a series of still images. Voice recording Projects - once a project is created and saved, the next time saving video to some other format will be fast, projects are also used if a user do not have a possibility to create, edit and save video all at once. Video overlay option - superpose video image over the video clip that is being edited. Disk menu and chapters creation - an option for DVD and Blu-ray video. Freeze frame - make a still shot from a video clip. Stabilization feature - reduce jittering or blurring caused by shaky motions of a camera. Enhanced deinterlacing method - increase video quality for interlaced input file - spots and blurred areas are compensated. Scene detection - search and separate one scene of the video from the other. Loop DVD and SWF - output SWF and DVD video are played back continuously. Caching for processing high definition files - create a duplicate video file smaller in size to use it on the preview window and accelerate processing of HD files. Chroma key option - add video overlay half transparent so that only part of it is visible and all the rest disappears to reveal the video underneath. Capture video material from DV tapes, VHS tapes, web cameras, etc. Movie closing credits - add information on movie editing, e.g. crew, cast, data, etc. Creeping line, subtitles, text - add different captions (static and animated), shapes and images to video. Speech balloons and other graphic objects - geometrical shapes to highlight an object in the video. Zoom effect - magnify or reduce the view of the image. Rotate effect - rotate video image at different degrees, e.g. 90, 180, etc. Grayscale and old movie effects - create a black and white video image. Old movie adds also scratches, noise, shake and dust to video, as if it's being played on an old projector. Blur and sharpen effects - visually smooth and soften an image, or make video image better focused. Snow and particles effects - adds snow or various objects (bubbles, flowers, leaves, butterflies etc.) that are moving, flying or falling on the video. Pan and zoom Timer, countdown effects - add a timepiece that measures or counts down a time interval to the video being edited. Snapshots - capture a particular moment of a video clip. Sound track replacement - mute audio track from video and add another one. Audio amplify, noise removal, equalizer, etc. - make video sound louder, attenuate the noise, change frequency pattern of the audio, make some other audio adjustments. Trim and multi-trim options - change video clip duration cutting out unnecessary parts or detect scenes and cut out parts in any place of the video clip. Color correction (brightness, temperature, contrast, saturation, gamma, etc.) effects - allow adjustment of tonal range, color, and sharpness of video files. Crop scale effect - get rid of mattes that appear after changing aspect ratio of a video file. Adjusting the Playback Speed Volume and balance - change sound volume in the output video. Change volume value proportion for main video and added soundtrack, completely mute main video audio and leave added soundtrack only, etc. Utilities embedded into AVS Video Editor AVS Mobile Uploader is used to transfer edited and converted media files to portable devices via Bluetooth, Infrared or USB connection. AVS Video Burner is used to burn converted video files to different disc types: CD, DVD, Blu-ray. AVS Video Recorder is used to capture video from analog video sources and supports different types of devices: capture card, web camera (webcam), DV camera, HDV camera. AVS Video Uploader is used to transfer video files to popular video-sharing websites, like Facebook, Dailymotion, YouTube, Photobucket, TwitVid, MySpace, Flickr. AVS Screen Capture is used to capture any actions on the desktop to make presentations or video tutorials more vivid and easily comprehensible. Important upgrades The initial release of AVS Video Editor was in 2003 when the program was offered inside AVS software bundles together with AVS Video Tools, AVS Audio Tools and DVD Copy software. In 2005 the program is offered as a part of multifunctional AVS4YOU software suite. AVS Video Editor is frequently updated. The main updates include adding several important features for video editing See also Windows Movie Maker Adobe Premiere Pro Sony Vegas Pro Final Cut Pro References External links Video Editor Homepage Video Editor Online Help AVS4YOU Forum AVS4YOU on Facebook AVS4YOU YouTube Channel Category:Video editing software Category:2003 software

Q: Using git diff, how can I get added and modified lines numbers? Assuming I have a text file alex bob matrix will be removed git repo and I have updated it to be alex new line here another new line bob matrix git Here, I have added lines number (2,3) and updated line number (6) How can I get these line numbers info using git diff or any other git command? A: git diff --stat will show you the output you get when committing stuff which is the one you are referring to I guess. git diff --stat For showing exactly the line numbers that has been changed you can use git blame -p <file> | grep "Not Committed Yet" And the line changed will be the last number before the ending parenthesis in the result. Not a clean solution though :( A: Here's a bash function to calculate the resulting line numbers from a diff: diff-lines() { local path= local line= while read; do esc=$'\033' if [[ $REPLY =~ ---\ (a/)?.* ]]; then continue elif [[ $REPLY =~ \+\+\+\ (b/)?([^[:blank:]$esc]+).* ]]; then path=${BASH_REMATCH[2]} elif [[ $REPLY =~ @@\ -[0-9]+(,[0-9]+)?\ \+([0-9]+)(,[0-9]+)?\ @@.* ]]; then line=${BASH_REMATCH[2]} elif [[ $REPLY =~ ^($esc\[[0-9;]+m)*([\ +-]) ]]; then echo "$path:$line:$REPLY" if [[ ${BASH_REMATCH[2]} != - ]]; then ((line++)) fi fi done } It can produce output such as: $ git diff | diff-lines http-fetch.c:1: #include "cache.h" http-fetch.c:2: #include "walker.h" http-fetch.c:3: http-fetch.c:4:-int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix) http-fetch.c:4:+int main(int argc, const char **argv) http-fetch.c:5: { http-fetch.c:6:+ const char *prefix; http-fetch.c:7: struct walker *walker; http-fetch.c:8: int commits_on_stdin = 0; http-fetch.c:9: int commits; http-fetch.c:19: int get_verbosely = 0; http-fetch.c:20: int get_recover = 0; http-fetch.c:21: http-fetch.c:22:+ prefix = setup_git_directory(); http-fetch.c:23:+ http-fetch.c:24: git_config(git_default_config, NULL); http-fetch.c:25: http-fetch.c:26: while (arg < argc && argv[arg][0] == '-') { fetch.h:1: #include "config.h" fetch.h:2: #include "http.h" fetch.h:3: fetch.h:4:-int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix); fetch.h:4:+int main(int argc, const char **argv); fetch.h:5: fetch.h:6: void start_fetch(const char* uri); fetch.h:7: bool fetch_succeeded(int status_code); from a diff like this: $ git diff diff --git a/builtin-http-fetch.c b/http-fetch.c similarity index 95% rename from builtin-http-fetch.c rename to http-fetch.c index f3e63d7..e8f44ba 100644 --- a/builtin-http-fetch.c +++ b/http-fetch.c @@ -1,8 +1,9 @@ #include "cache.h" #include "walker.h" -int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix) +int main(int argc, const char **argv) { + const char *prefix; struct walker *walker; int commits_on_stdin = 0; int commits; @@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix) int get_verbosely = 0; int get_recover = 0; + prefix = setup_git_directory(); + git_config(git_default_config, NULL); while (arg < argc && argv[arg][0] == '-') { diff --git a/fetch.h b/fetch.h index 5fd3e65..d43e0ca 100644 --- a/fetch.h +++ b/fetch.h @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ #include "config.h" #include "http.h" -int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix); +int main(int argc, const char **argv); void start_fetch(const char* uri); bool fetch_succeeded(int status_code); If you only want to show added/removed/modified lines, and not the surrounding context, you can pass -U0 to git diff: $ git diff -U0 | diff-lines http-fetch.c:4:-int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix) http-fetch.c:4:+int main(int argc, const char **argv) http-fetch.c:6:+ const char *prefix; http-fetch.c:22:+ prefix = setup_git_directory(); http-fetch.c:23:+ fetch.h:4:-int cmd_http_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix); fetch.h:4:+int main(int argc, const char **argv); It's robust against ANSI color codes, so you can pass --color=always to git diff to get the usual color coding for added/removed lines. The output can be easily grepped: $ git diff -U0 | diff-lines | grep 'main' http-fetch.c:4:+int main(int argc, const char **argv) fetch.h:4:+int main(int argc, const char **argv); In your case git diff -U0 would give: $ git diff -U0 | diff-lines test.txt:2:+new line here test.txt:3:+another new line test.txt:6:-will be removed test.txt:6:-git repo test.txt:6:+git If you just want the line numbers, change the echo "$path:$line:$REPLY" to just echo "$line" and pipe the output through uniq. A: I use the --unified=0 option of git diff. For example, git diff --unified=0 commit1 commit2 outputs the diff: Because of the --unified=0 option, the diff output shows 0 context lines; in other words, it shows exactly the changed lines. Now, you can identify the lines that start with '@@', and parse it based on the pattern: @@ -startline1,count1 +startline2,count2 @@ Back to the above example, for the file WildcardBinding.java, start from line 910, 0 lines are deleted. Start from line 911, 4 lines are added.

Seong-gyeong Seong-gyeong, also spelled Sung-kyung, is a Korean unisex given name. Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. Hanja There are 27 hanja with the reading "seong" and 54 hanja with the reading "gyeong" on the South Korean government's official list of hanja which may be registered for use in given names. Some ways of writing this name in hanja include: (성인 성 seong-in seong, 글 경 geul gyeong): "holy book". This is the given name of actress Lee Sung-kyung; her parents chose these hanja for her name to reflect their Christian religion. (정성 성 jeongseong seong, 공경 경 gong-gyeong gyeong): "sincere and respectful". These characters are also used to write the masculine Japanese given name Tomotaka. People People with this name include: Kim Sung-kyung (born 1972), South Korean female television personality Hari (singer) (born Jeong Sung-kyung, 1990), South Korean singer Lee Sung-kyung (born 1990), South Korean actress Fictional characters with this name include: Hwang Seong-gyeong, male character in the Soul series of fighting games See also List of Korean given names Seonggyeong (誠敬) is one of the epithets in the full posthumous name of Sunjong of Korea: His Imperial Majesty Emperor Sunjong Munon Muryeong Donin Seonggyeong of Korea References Category:Korean unisex given names

1. Introduction {#sec1} =============== Nowadays, the demand of lactulose production is increasing tremendously because of its bifidogenic (prebiotic) functionality with many applications in food, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical industries. Lactulose (4-*O*-β-[d]{.smallcaps}-galactopyranosyl-[d]{.smallcaps}-fructose) is a synthetic disaccharide composed of a galactose moiety linked to a fructose moiety by a 1--4 β-glycosidic linkage.^[@ref1],[@ref2]^ In pharmaceutical industries, lactulose is widely used as an effective drug against different diseases like acute and chronic constipation, hepatic encephalopathy, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease.^[@ref1],[@ref3]^ Furthermore, it lowers blood glucose and insulin levels (antidiabetic), increases mineral absorption, and has been reported as antiendotoxin, effective in tumor prevention, as well as in hypocholesterolemia.^[@ref4]^ In food industries, lactulose is used as a bifidus factor and has purported high stability under thermal-acidic conditions and thus can be used as an excellent ingredient for acidic foods, such as fruit juices.^[@ref4]^ Therefore, the isomerization of lactose for large-scale production of lactulose has attracted extensive research interests in recent times. Currently, the commercial lactulose is produced through the chemical synthesis from lactose by following an isomerization reaction in an alkaline medium according to the Lobry de Bruyn--Alberda van Ekenstein (LA) transformation.^[@ref1],[@ref3]^ Most of these processes are generally characterized by a huge challenge for the low yield of lactulose and subsequent byproduct formation such as epilactose, galactose, glucose, and isosaccharinic acid due to the high level of lactose degradation. However, the presence of side products is undesirable, especially for food, pharmaceutical, and medical applications.^[@ref1]^ Furthermore, a substantial amount of catalysts, such as calcium hydroxide, sodium and potassium hydroxides, sodium carbonate, magnesium oxide, tertiary amines, borates, sodium aluminates, zeolites, and eggshell powders, have been used (both in homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis) to improve the reaction yield, which led to the extensive separation and purification steps, and subsequent increment in the production cost.^[@ref5]^ Although the uses of several complexing reagents such as aluminates and borates could accelerate the reaction with a minimum of secondary reactions and result in a high yield of lactulose by eliminating lactulose from the reaction mixture in the form of a complex, however, they are considered to be unsatisfactory from the industrial viewpoint because of the toxicity and complexity of eliminating the aluminate and borate.^[@ref6]^ In addition, the lack of reaction selectivity of chemical isomerization has limited its application on a large scale.^[@ref7]^ On the other hand, the lactulose synthesis by the enzymatic process could be a suitable alternative to overcome the limitations associated with the chemical synthesis since it is usually carried out under mild conditions, which could limit the formation of side products. Thus, it would provide a high-purity final product and, consequently, could simplify the purification steps.^[@ref8]^ However, the major problems are the low yield, extended reaction time, and high production cost depending on the microbial source of enzyme catalysts.^[@ref7]^ Recently, an emerging technology called electroactivation (EA) has been introduced and attracted particular attention for the isomerization of lactose into lactulose without adding any alkalinizing chemicals.^[@ref1],[@ref5]^ EA is a science devoted to studying the physicochemical and reactive properties of aqueous solutions excited by an external electric field in a reactor that is modulated by the appropriate disposition of electrodes and ion-exchange membranes to modify the activation energy required for the targeted chemical reactions.^[@ref9]^ Fundamentally, the charged species migrate toward the electrode of opposite charge, when an aqueous solution is subjected to an external electric field.^[@ref5]^ In fact, water splitting occurs at the interfaces of electrodes with a simultaneous generation of protons (H^+^) and hydroxyl (OH^--^) ions.^[@ref10]^ Thus, the EA process is able to self-generate acid and alkaline conditions following the electrolysis of water molecules at the solution/anode and solution/cathode interfaces, respectively.^[@ref7]^ In the case of the lactose isomerization reaction, the alkaline solution (catholyte) can be employed either in pure lactose or directly in situ of whey to produce lactulose by following lactose isomerization.^[@ref11]^ Indeed, a high alkaline condition is a prerequisite to creating enough proton acceptors, required for the isomerization reaction to occur and to neutralize the acids contained in the medium that can inhibit the isomerization reaction.^[@ref2],[@ref12]^ The formed OH^--^ ions at the cathode interface of the EA reactor were capable of creating required alkaline conditions and act as proton acceptors in the isomerization of lactose into lactulose.^[@ref2],[@ref11],[@ref13],[@ref14]^ Generally, the conventional isomerization of lactose into lactulose was operated at a higher temperature and required longer reaction time. In contrast, the EA process can be performed under relatively low temperature (0--30 °C) and approximately 35--45% lactulose yield with a purity of 95% can be achieved in short reaction time.^[@ref15]^ Kareb et al.^[@ref16]^ achieved a maximum yield of 35% lactulose after 40 min of reaction at a temperature of 10 °C under a 400 mA electric current and using 100 mL of 7% sweet whey as feed solution. In a recent study, Djouab and Aïder^[@ref11]^ obtained a yield of 38.66% lactulose at a current intensity of 330 mA for 14 min in a 5% lactose solution. The optimization of several parameters such as current intensity, reaction time, electrolyte concentration, and reactor configuration resulted in an increased lactulose yield of up to 45%.^[@ref17]^ These results were quite higher than those obtained by chemical synthesis (∼16--25% lactulose yield), which were operated at a higher temperature (∼70--130 °C) and prolonged reaction time (∼60--150 min) in the presence of strong bases.^[@ref18]−[@ref20]^ Lately, the effect of several process parameters of EA on the reaction yield, product purity, and process efficiency such as current intensity, electric tension, concentration, and the volume of feed solution, temperature, and reactor configuration were studied by several researchers;^[@ref5],[@ref11],[@ref16],[@ref17]^ however, the chemical mechanisms behind this process are still not understood completely. Moreover, the effect of several physicochemical parameters such as solution alkalinity, ion migration, oxidation--reduction potential (ORP), etc. on the process performance is not studied to date. Furthermore, no study was devoted to evaluating the EA process efficiency in comparison with the conventional chemical isomerization at equivalent solution alkalinity. In this context, a detailed study of the physicochemical principles involved in the EA process to produce lactulose using the lactose aqueous solution is imperative to understand the process mechanism. In this study, several EA process parameters such as lactose concentration, electric current intensity, and EA duration were studied to understand their effect on solution pH, alkalinity, temperature, ion migration, ORP, and sugar profile. Furthermore, the conversion rate of lactose into lactulose was compared with that of the conventional chemical isomerization under equivalent solution alkalinity. 2. Results and Discussion {#sec2} ========================= 2.1. Evolution of pH {#sec2.1} -------------------- The evolution of pH in the cathodic compartment during 60 min of EA for different lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) at three different current intensities (300, 600, and 900 mA) is presented in [Figure [1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}. It can be seen that the current intensity, EA time, and lactose concentration have a significant effect on the pH of the medium in the cathodic compartment. The obtained data showed that the pH increased drastically within the first 5 min for all current intensities and concentrations. Thereafter, the pH was differently increasing during the remaining 55 min EA time and was dependent on the current intensity and lactose concentration. During this period, the pH was increasing slowly until 60 min of EA and reached a plateau for 300 and 600 mA current intensities. However, the pH evolution reached a maximum value after 30 min of treatment under a 900 mA current intensity, followed by a slight decreasing pattern after 30 min of treatment whatever the lactose concentration used. The rate of increment was observed to be higher for greater current intensities while it was slightly lower for the higher lactose concentrations. {#fig1} Two phenomena of reduction and oxidation have occurred during the electrolysis of water or any aqueous solution. A reduction reaction occurs at the negatively charged electrode (cathode),^[@ref5],[@ref9]^ and electrons (e^--^) from the cathode are donated to the positively charged ions, like hydrogen cations to form hydrogen gas (H~2~) and OH^--^ ([eqs [1](#eq1){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq1){ref-type="disp-formula"} and [2](#eq2){ref-type="disp-formula"}). The formation of OH^--^ ions was responsible for the pH increase in the cathodic compartment.^[@ref5],[@ref21]^ Indeed, pH is the most important parameter in lactose isomerization for lactulose synthesis, and it should be as high as possible (\>pH 9) for isomerization to occur.^[@ref5]^ Cathode (reduction)The rate of pH increment that was higher for greater current intensities might be due to the more intensive formation of OH^--^ ions from the water electrolysis ([eq [2](#eq2){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq2){ref-type="disp-formula"}). Consequently, an increase in the concentration of the OH^--^ ions was obtained in the cathodic compartment, which leads to an increase of the solution pH.^[@ref11]^ This phenomenon was expected because the rate of water electrolysis is directly proportional to the electric current applied,^[@ref15],[@ref16]^ because the flow of electrons migrating through the electrochemical reactor might be increased by amplifying the electric current intensity, and subsequently, a higher dissociation of water molecules has occurred at the electrode/solution interface.^[@ref11],[@ref22]^ On the other hand, an oxidation reaction has occurred at the positively charged electrode (anode), and free electrons (e^--^) migrated to the anode.^[@ref5],[@ref9]^ This migration produces oxygen gas (O~2~) by transferring electrons to the anode ([eq [3](#eq3){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq3){ref-type="disp-formula"}) and, consequently, lowering the pH of the anodic compartment by increasing the H^+^ ions ([eq [4](#eq4){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq4){ref-type="disp-formula"}). However, the inference of this acidic pH in the anodic compartment and alkaline pH in the cathodic compartment has been avoided using an anion exchange membrane (AEM) between the anodic and the central compartments, and a cation exchange membrane (CEM) between the cathodic and the central compartments ([Figure [14](#fig14){ref-type="fig"}](#fig14){ref-type="fig"}). Anode (oxidation)A drastic increase of the pH within the first 5 min of EA can be explained by the generation of a higher amount of OH^--^ ions due to the intensive water electrolysis at the beginning of the reaction to allow the electric current transfer in the cathode--solution interface. Thereafter, a lower rate of pH increase was observed because the solution became saturated with OH^--^ ions.^[@ref11],[@ref15]^ Similar observations to this study were reported by Djouab and Aïder,^[@ref11]^ and they found that the evolution of pH followed a drastic increase (0--21 min) and a slower increase (21--63 min) during the EA of whey permeate (WP) with different current intensities (110, 220, and 330 mA). They obtained a pH of 11.59 after 63 min EA at a 330 mA current intensity for a 5% lactose solution. However, the geometrical parameters in their study were different from those used in the present one, mainly the cathodic compartment volume and the distance between the cathode and the cation exchange membrane. These parameters seem to be highly significant in terms of the overall process performance. In the present study, the highest pH values of 11.64 ± 0.05 (60 min), 11.86 ± 0.07 (60 min), and 11.77 ± 0.07 (30 min) were achieved for a 5% lactose solution at 300, 600, and 900 mA current intensities, respectively. The highest pH values of 11.26 ± 0.04 (60 min), 11.48 ± 0.05 (60 min), and 11.37 ± 0.09 (30 min) were achieved for a 10% lactose solution, whereas they were 10.95 ± 0.07 (60 min), 11.10 ± 0.02 (60 min), 11.05 ± 0.03 (30 min) for a 20% lactose solution at 300, 600, and 900 mA current intensities, respectively. These results were in good agreement with those previously reported.^[@ref5],[@ref11]^ It was observed that the rate of pH increment was slightly lower for the higher lactose concentrations. Similar to this observation, Aider and de Halleux^[@ref3]^ reported that the pH of the concentrated lactose solutions was more difficult to increase. Likewise, Aider and Gimenez-Vidal^[@ref5]^ reported that the pH was instantly raised to the mean values of 11.46 ± 0.09 and 11.16 ± 0.11 during the first 10 min of EA at a 100 mA current intensity for 5 and 10% lactose solutions, respectively. The rate of pH increment was slightly lower for the solutions with higher lactose concentration because the rate of water electrolysis was lower for a higher concentration of lactose. In the present study, the phenomenon consisting of a decline of pH due to the rapid degradation of lactulose into galactose and acidic compounds, which was previously reported for chemical lactulose synthesis,^[@ref12],[@ref20]^ was not observed to have occurred for 300 and 600 mA current intensities. However, the pH was observed to be decreased after 30 min of treatment for 900 mA. The pH decrease could be attributed to the formation of reaction byproducts with an acid character during this stage^[@ref3]^ or to water splitting at the cation exchange membrane interface facing the central compartment. The latter hypothesis is more realistic because it has already been reported in a recent study by Djouab and Aïder^[@ref11]^ that only a low level of galactose can be formed as a reaction byproduct during the lactose electroisomerization in situ of whey permeate (WP). 2.2. Migration Pattern of Potassium Ions {#sec2.2} ---------------------------------------- The variation of potassium concentration in the central compartment was studied during the EA process of different lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) at different current intensities (300, 600, and 900 mA), and the obtained results are presented in [Figure [2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}. It appears that the concentrations of K^+^ were decreasing in the central compartment over the running time for all current intensities and solution concentrations. The decreasing rate was appeared to be higher at the beginning of the reaction whatever the current intensities. However, the decreasing rate was relatively higher for greater current intensities and higher solution concentrations. It was observed that the K^+^ concentrations were decreasing gradually following a quasi-linear behavior for 300 and 600 mA during the 60 min of EA process, whereas they were decreasing more drastically during the first 30 min for a 900 mA current intensity. Thereafter, it has steadily declined until the end of the EA process. This observation regarding the migration of potassium ions from the central compartment toward the cathodic one was correlated with the evolution of pH when 900 mA was applied to the EA reactor. Indeed, under this electric current intensity, the pH and solution alkalinity decreased approximately after 30 min of EA. This may be caused by water splitting at the cation exchange membrane (CEM)--solution interface to compensate for the lack of the current carriers toward the cathode. Thus, this water splitting created enough H^+^ ions, which competed for electromigration with the K^+^ ions. {#fig2} The concentration of K^+^ was decreasing in the central compartment because the cations (K^+^) of the used electrolyte (K~2~SO~4~) migrated toward the cathode through the CEM by the attraction of the negatively charged cathode,^[@ref11]^ where there were OH^--^ ions and some other ions such as K^+^ and Cl^--^ ions, which came from 0.01 M KCl added at the beginning of the process to ensure the conductivity of the lactose solution. Similarly, the anions (SO~4~^2--^) might be migrated toward the anodic compartment (where there were H^+^ ions) through the AEM by the attraction of the positively charged anode ([Figure [14](#fig14){ref-type="fig"}](#fig14){ref-type="fig"}). The rate of K^+^ ion migration was slowed down at the end of the EA process. This could be explained by the concentration polarization phenomenon, which was created by a difference between the ion transfer numbers in the solution and in the membranes, leading to a variation of the electrolyte concentration near the membrane surface and a considerable potential drop in the polarized region known as the Nernst layer, thus decreasing ion migration and solution demineralization.^[@ref23]^ However, it is obvious that the migration of K^+^ ions was more intensive during the first 30 min for a 900 mA current intensity because of higher current intensity, and thereafter, it would have been reached to a limiting current density.^[@ref23]^ As a result, the resistance of the system was significantly increased ([Figure S1](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)). At this stage, water dissociation might be occurred at the interface between the CEM and solution in the central compartment due to a continuous current regime.^[@ref23]^ Consequently, more H^+^ and OH^--^ ions would have been produced by water splitting at the interface of the CEM to avoid the ion depletion in the central compartment ([eq [5](#eq5){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq5){ref-type="disp-formula"}). The newly generated H^+^ ions might be migrated to the cathodic compartment through the CEM by the attraction of the negatively charged cathode.^[@ref11]^ The H^+^ ions might be competing with K^+^ ions to travel toward the cathodic compartment due to the higher electrical mobility of the H^+^ ions than K^+^ ions. Thus, the rate of K^+^ ion migration has been slowed down more apparently after 30 min of EA at a current intensity of 900 mA. This fact of H^+^ ion migration from the central compartment could also be correlated to the decrease in pH after 30 min of EA for that causing acidification of the solution of the cathodic compartment^[@ref11]^ 2.3. Evolution of Alkalinity {#sec2.3} ---------------------------- The variation of alkalinity in the cathodic compartment was determined for different lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) during the EA process at different current intensities of 300, 600, and 900 mA, as shown in [Figure [3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}. It appeared that the current intensity and running time have a highly significant effect (*p* \< 0.001) on solution alkalinity. It was linearly increasing during the 60 min of EA for a 300 mA current intensity and reached 28.53, 31.73, 32.27, and 34.13 mmol/L of alkalinity for 5, 10, 15, and 20% lactose solutions, respectively. For a 600 mA current intensity, it has been increased during the 60 min of EA but showed some incurving behavior that could be interpreted as a tendency to reach a plateau. A maximum alkalinity of 43.47, 43.20, 43.20, and 40.80 mmol/L was achieved at the end of the reaction for 5, 10, 15, and 20% lactose solutions, respectively. Contrary to 300 and 600 mA, the alkalinity of the catholyte (electroactivated lactose solution) reached a maximum value of 35.73, 30.13, 34.13, and 27.20 mmol/L after 30 min of treatment, and thereafter, it was decreasing gradually down to 16.27, 7.73, 10.93, and 4.53 mmol/L at the end of the EA treatment for 5, 10, 15, and 20% lactose solutions, respectively. {#fig3} Generally, the isomerization reaction requires proton acceptors (OH^--^ ions), and this can be achieved in a high alkaline medium through water electrolysis at the cathode/solution interface under the influence of an external electrical field.^[@ref15]^ As seen from [Figure [3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}, the evolution of alkalinity was significantly higher for greater current intensities, except when the conditions leading to water splitting were reached such as the case, after 30 min of EA when 900 mA was used. This is attributed to the fact that the higher current intensity resulted in faster decomposition of water.^[@ref16]^ The alkalinity was gradually increased during the 60 min of EA for 300 and 600 mA because the dissociation of water at both electrode interfaces produces H^+^ and OH^--^ ions, as discussed in [Section [2.1](#sec2.1){ref-type="other"}](#sec2.1){ref-type="other"}. The OH^--^ ions in the cathodic side might be attracted by the positively charged anode, but the ions transported by the electric current repulsed by the negatively charged CEM. Thus, the high concentration of OH^--^ ions at the cathode interface was able to create an alkaline condition and could act as proton acceptors, which is a key condition for the occurrence of the isomerization reaction of lactose into lactulose.^[@ref5],[@ref11]^ Moreover, the K^+^ ions were continuously migrating to the cathodic compartment, which reacted with the OH^--^ ions to make high alkalinity of the catholyte ([eq [6](#eq6){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq6){ref-type="disp-formula"}). However, they reached a plateau after 30 min of EA for a 900 mA current intensity, which might be attributed to the saturation of the catholyte with the OH^--^ ions. Thereafter, the alkalinity was gradually decreasing because the migrated H^+^ ions from the central compartment caused acidification of the solution, as discussed in the previous [Section [2.2](#sec2.2){ref-type="other"}](#sec2.2){ref-type="other"}. This result is in concordance with the pH decline after 30 min of EA for a 900 mA current intensity 2.4. Evolution of Oxidation--Reduction Potential (ORP) {#sec2.4} ------------------------------------------------------ The evolution of ORP in the cathodic compartment during the EA of different lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) at different current intensities (300, 600, and 900 mA) is shown in [Figure [4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}. The ORP values in the cathodic compartment were decreased drastically to a value of around −800 mV within the first 5 min of EA for all current intensities and concentrations used and then reached a quasi-steady state. Thereafter, it remained almost constant during the 60 min of treatment for 300 and 600 mA. However, a minor increasing tendency was observed after 30 min for 900 mA. No significant changes were observed for the solution concentrations. {#fig4} The ORP is one of the most important parameters of water or any aqueous solution that can be modified by means of EA. In fact, EA is the process of transferring any solution into a nonequilibrium thermodynamic state, which is accompanied by a change in the internal energy of the system.^[@ref24]^ The observed reducing ORP of the EA solution in the cathodic compartment is also due, to a high extent, to its saturation by hydrogen gas that is formed following water electrolysis at the cathode--solution interface. Indeed, it is well known that hydrogen gas is a reducing agent when it reacts with nonmetals. The results obtained in the present study were in good agreement with those previously reported by Nabok and Plutahin.^[@ref25]^ They obtained the ORP values of −767 and +905 mV by means of the electroactivation of aqueous solutions in the cathodic and anodic chambers, respectively, while the control aqueous solution exhibited an ORP of +220 mV. This phenomenon can be explained by the formation of unstable complexes, such as (OO), (OO)^+^, and (HH)^+^ due to the dissociation of water molecules and their vibrational modes.^[@ref9],[@ref26]^ Shironosov and Shironosov^[@ref27]^ also explained the anomalies in the pH and ORP of EA water by the stable, high-energy resonant water microclusters due to covibrating dipoles of water molecules and charged species near-electrode interfaces. In another study by Hricova et al.,^[@ref28]^ an acidic electrolyzed water (pH: 2--3, ORP \> 1100 mV) and a basic electrolyzed water (pH: 10--13, ORP: −800 to −900 mV) were obtained by the electrolysis of dilute NaCl solution. The electroactivated solutions in the cathodic chamber were characterized by a negative ORP, which probably related to a training effect of excess electrons (e^--^) formed after electrochemical activation.^[@ref29]^ Moreover, EA is an electrochemical process that can cause the formation of different ionic species and radicals, e.g., the formation of highly active reducers such as OH^--^, H^--^, ^•^H, ^•^HO, ^•^O^--^, ^•^O~2~^--^, ^•^HO~2~^--^, H~2~O~2~^--^, and H~3~O^2--^, which may lead to a high reduction potential.^[@ref5]^ In the present study, the ORP values in the cathodic compartment were decreased sharply to a value of around −800 mV within the first 5 min of the EA process. The drastic change in ORP within the first 5 min was attributed to the generation of excessive electrons and the formation of other highly active reducers because of the rigorous electrolysis of the solution. Besides the formation of diverse compounds, the EA induced dynamic water electrolysis in the cathodic compartment, resulting in an enhancement of the negative charge concentration through the accumulation of the hydroxyl groups.^[@ref30]^ Thereafter, it reached a quasi-steady state when the system became saturated with the charged species. The slight increase in ORP (i.e., reactivity decreased) after 30 min of EA for 900 mA might be due to the migration of H^+^ H~3~O^+^ H~3~SO~4~^+^ toward the cathodic compartment from the central compartment because the newly migrated ions might reduce the number of electrons (e.g., 2H^+^ + 2e^--^ → H~2~(g)) in the cathodic compartment. 2.5. Evolution of Temperature {#sec2.5} ----------------------------- The changes in temperature in the cathodic compartment were observed during the EA process of different lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) at different current intensities (300, 600, and 900 mA), as presented in [Figure [5](#fig5){ref-type="fig"}](#fig5){ref-type="fig"}. The temperature was gradually increased during the 60 min of the EA process for all current intensities and solution concentrations. The rate of increment was significantly higher for the greater current intensities. As can be seen for a 5% lactose solution ([Figure [5](#fig5){ref-type="fig"}](#fig5){ref-type="fig"}a), the temperature was significantly increased to 29.30, 37.97, and 48.70 °C for 300, 600, and 900 mA current intensities, respectively. Some increase in temperature was also observed for the higher concentrations of lactose solutions; however, the difference was not too significant even if some tendency was noticed. For instance, the temperature was slightly increased to 37.97, 38.80, 38.99, and 40.87 °C when a 600 mA current intensity was used for 5, 10, 15, and 20% lactose solution concentrations, respectively. {#fig5} The observed temperature rise is mainly the result of the Joule effect in the electrodes, and the generated heat was dissipated in the solution. It was not due to the system electrical resistance because the solutions used in the EA reactor were conductive enough and allowed easy current transfer through the system, which led to a greater water dissociation to create high alkalinity in the cathodic side of the reactor. Some initial resistance of the ion-exchange membranes used could also at some extent contribute to the temperature rise. Indeed, Cifuentes-Araya et al.^[@ref23]^ reported that the initial system global resistance in a membrane process can be due to the intrinsic resistance of the membranes and the resistance of the feed solutions, whereas the system global resistance during and at the end of the process was correlated with an evolutionary demineralization and the presence of fouling. Nevertheless, Djouab and Aïder^[@ref11]^ did not reveal any fouling of membrane in the EA of pure lactose and WP. Therefore, the global electrical resistance ([Figure S1](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)) occurred in the present study, which might be due to the intrinsic resistance of the membranes and the resistance of the feed solutions. The demineralization due to the ion migration could be another possible reason for decreasing conductivity in the central compartment, as discussed in [Section [2.2](#sec2.2){ref-type="other"}](#sec2.2){ref-type="other"}. As a result, the resistance of the system was increased significantly. Thus, the variation of temperature during the isomerization time might be a consequence of the decreased conductivity of the lactose solution during the passage of the electric current.^[@ref15]^ The rate of temperature increment was significantly higher for the greater current intensities because the heated energy dissipation (i.e., the increase in temperature) is proportional to the increase in the electric current and electric tension, as described by Joule's law.^[@ref15]^ An increase in temperature was also observed for the higher lactose concentrations, which might be due to the higher resistance for greater concentrations of the feed solution. 2.6. Evolution of Lactulose Formation {#sec2.6} ------------------------------------- The isomerization yield of lactose into lactulose during the EA process at different current intensities (300, 600, and 900 mA) was studied over time (60 min) for different lactose concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 20%), as presented in [Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}. As can be observed, the current intensity, running time, and solution concentration had a significant effect (*p* \< 0.001) on the conversion rate of lactose into lactulose. {#fig6} From [Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}a for a 5% feed solution, it can be seen that the lactulose was gradually increased until 50 min for 600 mA and thereafter reached a plateau (∼37% lactulose); however, it reached the plateau at 30 min for 900 mA (∼37% lactulose) and then slightly decreased at the end of the EA process (∼36% lactulose). Whereas, the formation of lactulose was sharply increased to ∼30% until 35 min for 300 mA, and no significant enhancement was observed afterward (∼33% at 60 min). For 10% lactose ([Figures [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}b and [7](#fig7){ref-type="fig"}), the lactulose yield was increased until the end for 600 mA and thereafter reached a plateau (∼36% lactulose), but it reached the plateau at 40 min for 900 mA (∼38% lactulose) and later slightly decreased (∼36% lactulose). However, the formation of lactulose was started at 15 min for 300 mA (∼12% lactulose) and then gradually increased until the end (∼29% lactulose). As can be seen from [Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}c (for a 15% lactose solution), the lactulose began to form at different times for different current intensities such as 25, 35, and 60 min for 900, 600, and 300 mA, respectively. It can be observed that ∼36% lactulose was produced for 900 mA at 60 min, while it was only ∼13% for 300 mA and ∼25% for 600 mA. On the other hand, no lactulose was formed for 300 mA during the 60 min EA process when a 20% lactose solution was used ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}d). However, ∼31% lactulose was produced at 60 min for 900 mA, while it was only ∼21% for 600 mA. {#fig7} ### 2.6.1. Effect of Solution pH {#sec2.6.1} The pH of the lactose solution had a significant (*p* \< 0.001) influence on lactulose formation. However, different phenomena were observed depending on the lactose solution concentration. For a 5% lactose solution, lactulose was started to form while the pH was above 10 (pH \> 10.00). It can be seen from [Figure [1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}a that the pH reached 10 within 5 min of EA for all three current intensities, and lactulose was started to form at the same time ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}a). Whereas, for 10% lactose, the lactulose was found to be created while the pH achieved a value higher than 10.30 (pH \> 10.30). Although the pH reached 10.30 within 5 min of EA for 600 mA and 900 mA current intensities ([Figure [1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}b), however, it reached beyond 10.30 at 15 min for 300 mA and the lactulose began to produce at the same time ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}b). On the other hand, no lactulose was found until the pH reached above 11 (pH ≈ 11.10) for 15 and 20% lactose solutions. Consequently, the formation of lactulose was observed to begin at different EA times ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}c), and even no lactulose was found for 300 mA in a 20% lactose solution ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}d) because the pH never reached 11. It can be seen ([Figure [1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}) that the pH was observed to be decreased after 30 min of EA at 900 mA for all lactose concentrations. It is interesting to mention that the formation of lactulose was almost stable at that condition (after 30 min of EA at 900 mA) in 5 and 10% lactose solutions even though the pH decreased slightly. In contrast, the formation of lactulose was found to increase in the same condition (after 30 min of EA at 900 mA) for 15 and 20% lactose solutions. It is worth noting that the rate of lactulose formation was always higher for greater current intensities, and this phenomenon was correlated to the pH evolution. Furthermore, the formation of galactose increased linearly with lactulose until the end of the EA process ([Figure [8](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}). The yield of galactose was increased with isomerization time because the lactulose formed by the isomerization reaction was later hydrolyzed into galactose ([Figure S2](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)).^[@ref15]^ Nevertheless, the results showed that only galactose was generated as a side product; no other impurities (such as tagatose, epilactose, etc.) were found in the reaction medium ([Figure [7](#fig7){ref-type="fig"}](#fig7){ref-type="fig"}). However, trace amounts of glucose and fructose were found in some cases depending on the experimental conditions ([Figure [7](#fig7){ref-type="fig"}](#fig7){ref-type="fig"} and [Table S1](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)). Here, it can be mentioned that the glucose and fructose could be isomerized into galactose during the EA process of lactose, whey, or WP ([Figure S2](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)).^[@ref11],[@ref16]^ {#fig8} As can be seen from [Figure [8](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}, the formation of galactose followed a similar trend for all concentrations. However, the greater current intensity and running time led to the increased formation of galactose ([Figure [9](#fig9){ref-type="fig"}](#fig9){ref-type="fig"}). For instance, the formation of galactose was higher at a 900 mA current intensity, particularly, it increased drastically after 30 min of EA ([Figures [8](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}](#fig8){ref-type="fig"} and [9](#fig9){ref-type="fig"}), while the pH was slightly decreased ([Figure [1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}). In this case, the longer treatment time was immaterial but energy consuming, since no significant increase in lactulose formation was observed after 30 min but increased the galactose formation to an unacceptable level. This finding of the present study was in good agreement with those previously reported for lactose and WP.^[@ref11],[@ref17]^ Here, it can be noted that the commercial lactulose (as syrup) must not contain more than 12% lactose, 16% galactose, 8% epilactose, and 1% fructose according to United States Pharmacopeia.^[@ref31]^ {#fig9} ### 2.6.2. Effect of Lactose Solution Alkalinity {#sec2.6.2} The isomerization of lactose into lactulose is feasible only under a high alkaline condition because the high alkalinity of the reaction medium is a sine qua non condition for the successful conversion of lactose into lactulose.^[@ref5]^ Indeed, the molecular rearrangement of lactose into lactulose requires proton acceptors, which was ensured by achieving a high alkaline medium in the cathodic compartment of the EA reactor.^[@ref5],[@ref16]^ However, different amounts of alkalinity were observed to be required for producing lactulose in different lactose solutions. Lactulose began to form while the alkalinity obtained a value of ∼3 and ∼5 mmol/L for 5 and 10% lactose solutions, respectively; thereafter, it was increasing with time. It is worth noting that the rate of lactulose formation was hindered but not reduced while the alkalinity was decreasing after 30 min at 900 mA ([Figure [3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}a,b); rather, it reached a plateau and remained stable ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}a,b). On the other hand, no lactulose was found to be produced before the alkalinity reached beyond ∼30 mmol/L for 15 and 20% lactose solutions. Consequently, the formation of lactulose was noticed to start at different times of EA ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}c,d), and even no lactulose was found for 300 mA in a 20% lactose solution ([Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}d). Unlike 5 and 10% lactose solutions, a different scenario was observed for 15 and 20% lactose solutions at 900 mA, where the lactulose formation was not impeded, even though the alkalinity was decreasing after 30 min ([Figure [3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}c,d). However, the formation of galactose was seen to be drastically increased at this stage (i.e., after 30 min at 900 mA) of EA for all lactose concentrations ([Figure [8](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}](#fig8){ref-type="fig"}). ### 2.6.3. Effect of Temperature {#sec2.6.3} The temperature is one of the most important parameters in the isomerization of lactose into lactulose. During the EA process, the temperature increased throughout the isomerization time, which has already been explained in the previous [Section [2.5](#sec2.5){ref-type="other"}](#sec2.5){ref-type="other"}. As can be seen from [Figure [6](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}](#fig6){ref-type="fig"}, the formation of lactulose was proportional to the temperature increment, i.e., increasing the temperature increases the production of lactulose. However, the formation of byproduct, i.e., galactose, was also increased with increasing the temperature. Similar findings to the present study have been reported in several studies.^[@ref15],[@ref32]^ This might be due to the increased conductivity of lactose with the increase of temperature because the ions that were present in the solution (i.e., K^+^, SO~4~^2--^) moved quickly at the high temperature and at the crossing of the electrical current.^[@ref7]^ The amount of galactose increased with the elevated temperature because greater activation energy formed and which pushed the reaction on the other side pathways.^[@ref16],[@ref20]^ It seems to be important to point out that the synthesis of lactulose without heat is possibly contrary to that already been reported in the literature. The alkaline isomerization of lactose to lactulose via the LA rearrangement was usually carried out at a high temperature in the range of 50--130 °C combined with different reaction times.^[@ref18]−[@ref20],[@ref33],[@ref34]^ Contrary to these studies, the temperature has never been exceeded 50 °C in the present study using EA. Similar to this study, Aissa and Aïder^[@ref7]^ demonstrated that lactulose could be obtained at a low temperature such as 0, 5, and 10 °C in the EA reactor. They achieved a lactulose yield of 25 ± 1.34% (with a purity of 95 ± 1.34%) at a temperature of 0 °C and a pH of 10--10.50 at a short duration of 2 min using the EA process.^[@ref7]^ 2.7. Conventional Chemical Lactose Isomerization {#sec2.7} ------------------------------------------------ The conventional isomerization reactions were carried out at ambient temperature using similar lactose concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and generating equivalent alkalinity as those generated using 300, 600, and 900 mA in the EA treatment. The alkalinity-equivalent tests were conducted to observe the lactulose yield compared to the results obtained by EA under similar solution alkalinity. The obtained results are presented in [Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}. As can be observed, the pH, running time, and solution concentration had a significant effect on the conversion rate of lactose into lactulose. For 5 and 10% lactose ([Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}a,b), the lactulose was gradually increased until the end of the reactions, although they started to form at a different reaction time. On the other hand, no lactulose was found to be formed for 15 and 20% lactose solutions during the isomerization process, except for the alkalinity equivalent to 900 mA in a 15% lactose feed solution ([Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}c,d). {#fig10} It can be seen for 5% lactose that approximately ∼12, ∼23, and ∼20% lactulose were formed at the end of the reactions for the alkalinity of equivalent to that of the EA treatments at 300, 600, and 900 mA, respectively ([Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}a). These results were correlated to the pH rise of 11.31, 11.65, and 11.58 for the equivalent alkalinity to the EA treatments at 300, 600, and 900 mA, respectively ([Figure [11](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}a). Although the increment of pH in a 10% lactose solution ([Figure [11](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}b) was less than that of a 5% lactose solution, however, the lactulose formation was comparatively higher for a 10% lactose solution ([Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}b). The yields of lactulose for a 10% lactose solution were ∼13, ∼27, and ∼26% for the alkalinity of equivalent to 300, 600, and 900 mA, respectively ([Figures [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}b and [12](#fig12){ref-type="fig"}), and the pH values were 11.06, 11.33, and 11.08 for the alkalinity of equivalent to 300, 600, and 900 mA, respectively ([Figure [11](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}b). As can be seen from [Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}c (for a 15% lactose solution), ∼25% lactulose was produced only for equivalent to 900 mA at a pH of 10.93, but no lactulose was found for equivalent to 300 and 600 mA, even though the pH reached 10.87 and 11.11 at the end of the reaction, respectively ([Figure [11](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}c). On the other hand, no lactulose was formed when a 20% lactose solution was used ([Figure [10](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}](#fig10){ref-type="fig"}d), which might be due to the inadequate pH values of 10.72, 10.85, and 10.57 for an equivalent to 300, 600, and 900 mA, respectively ([Figure [11](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}](#fig11){ref-type="fig"}d). {#fig11} {#fig12} It has been previously reported that the highest isomerization yield in an alkaline medium could be achieved with a pH of 11^[@ref20],[@ref34]^ and at temperatures higher than 70 °C.^[@ref17],[@ref35],[@ref36]^ In a recent study, Seo et al.^[@ref37]^ observed that the lactulose yield could be increased from 4 to 29.6% in a 20 min reaction time by increasing the temperature from 60 to 90 °C using cheese whey as lactose source and sodium carbonate as catalyst. Hashemi and Ashtiani^[@ref20]^ achieved an optimum conversion of 25.40%% (with 5.58% galactose as byproduct) at 70 °C and a pH of 11 for 60 min using 10% lactose in the feed solution. In our study, the same amount of lactulose (i.e., 25.85%) was obtained at ambient temperature and pH 11.08 (alkalinity equivalent to EA at 900 mA in 10% lactose) in 30 min. Moreover, only 0.84% galactose was produced as the byproduct at this condition due to the reduced temperature. It is worth noting from this finding that the lactulose can be produced at ambient temperature using adequate solution alkalinity. This new finding from the present work is fundamentally essential because it highlighted the fact that not only the solution pH but also its alkalinity are very important to achieve the isomerization reaction of lactose into lactulose. Besides, it has been reported that the conversion of lactose into lactulose was typically followed by a rapid degradation of lactulose into galactose, tagatose, epilactose, and many other byproducts with an acidic character such as isosaccharinic acids and formic acids in the chemical-based processes,^[@ref11],[@ref20],[@ref38]−[@ref40]^ causing the lowering of pH in a medium.^[@ref12],[@ref20]^ Basically, heating lactose in an alkaline solution causes isomerization and degradation of lactose and lactulose; epilactose and galactose were produced.^[@ref20],[@ref32]^ However, this phenomenon did not occur in the present study, and consequently, only glucose was found as the reaction byproduct other than that of galactose ([Tables S2 and S3](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)). Not only the pH and temperature, but the solution alkalinity was also a key factor in lactulose production. For example, lactulose began to form at an alkalinity of 9.07 mmol/L (pH = 10.43, 10 min, alkalinity equivalent to 600 mA) in 5% lactose, whereas it was 18.67 mmol/L (pH 10.71, 20 min, alkalinity equivalent to 600 mA) in 10% lactose. Nevertheless, the pH was also varied for the same amount of alkalinity/catalyst depending on the solution concentrations and consequently influenced the lactulose yield. For instance, although the same amount of alkalinity (∼43 mmol/L at alkalinity equivalent to 600 mA for 5, 10, and 15% lactose concentrations) was produced at the end of the reactions (60 min), however, the pH values were 11.65, 11.33, and 11.11 and lactulose was 22.73, 27.13, and 0% for 5, 10, and 15% lactose concentrations, respectively. It is also important to note that the concentration of the catalyst and the rate of pH or alkalinity generation, i.e., the dosing pattern of the catalyst, might play a pivotal role in the lactulose yield. For example, the alkalinity (concentration of the catalyst) and the pH were almost the same at the end of the reaction for alkalinity equivalent to 300 mA (at 60 min) and 900 mA (at 30 min) in a 10% lactose solution. However, the formation of lactulose (i.e., 28.85%) for alkalinity equivalent to 900 mA at 30 min was higher than for the lactulose (i.e., 13.41%) of alkalinity equivalent to 300 mA at 60 min. A similar phenomenon was also found for alkalinity equivalent to 300 mA and 900 mA in a 15% lactose solution. Thus, from the obtained results of the chemical lactose isomerization into lactulose at alkalinity-equivalent conditions as those formed during EA, it can be observed that the EA technique was far more effective than the chemical method. It is also worth noting that the ORPs in the chemical isomerization of different lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) were reduced only to a value of around +50 to +100 mV within the first 5 min depending on the concentration and alkalinity (equivalent to different current intensities), as shown in [Figure [13](#fig13){ref-type="fig"}](#fig13){ref-type="fig"}. Thereafter, it gradually decreased till the end of the reaction and then reached a value of around 0 mV. In contrast, the ORP values in EA were decreased drastically to a value of around −800 mV within the first 5 min for all current intensities and concentrations and remained almost steady during the EA process ([Figure [4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}). The electric field triggers the feed solution to be transformed into a metastable state and made the solution highly activated. Therefore, the reduced ORP of the EA lactose solutions in a metastable state rendered the solutions highly reactive because the reactivity of the electroactivated solutions was significantly increased under this state than a normal state.^[@ref9]^ Thus, the excessive internal potential energy of the activated solution possibly intensified the isomerization reaction of lactose into lactulose. Consequently, a higher yield of lactulose was achieved in the EA process compared to that of the chemical isomerization. Therefore, the modified ORP and critical pH of the EA lactose solutions in a metastable state could make the solutions highly reactive and convenient for nonconventional chemical reactions and different applications in the food industry and biotechnology, including food safety.^[@ref9],[@ref41]^ Indeed, the ORP of the drinking water/aqueous solutions should be negative to be highly efficient for physiological activities in humans.^[@ref9],[@ref42]^ {#fig13} 3. Conclusions {#sec3} ============== In this study, the electroisomerization of lactose into lactulose was successfully carried out using the EA technology. Moreover, lactose isomerization into lactulose by EA was compared with the chemical method using KOH at equivalent solution alkalinity as in the EA method. The obtained results demonstrated that in contrast to the chemical method, the EA process was found to give a higher yield of lactulose in a reduced reaction time for all conditions. The highest lactulose yield was obtained during the electroisomerization process of lactose and was ∼38% at 40 min using a 900 mA current intensity in a 10% lactose solution with a solution pH of 11.27 and the alkalinity of 21.07 mmol/L. The highest lactulose yield obtained during the conventional chemical isomerization process was ∼27% at 60 min in a 10% lactose solution, while the pH was 11.33 for the alkalinity of 43.20 mmol/L (equivalent to 600 mA in EA). The correlated lactulose yield with the process parameters suggested that the lactulose can be produced at ambient temperature without additional heating if the required alkaline condition is achieved, although a higher temperature was positively correlated to the lactulose formation but leading to a higher byproduct formation. A highly alkaline condition was required for the formation of lactulose; however, the lactulose produced in the medium did not reduce during the EA process while the alkalinity has been declined. Furthermore, EA triggers the feed solution to transfer into a metastable state characterized by unusual values of the chemical and physical parameters such as the ORP, pH, and alkalinity. Thus, it can be concluded on the basis of the compared approaches (EA vs chemical) that EA significantly reduced the activation energy required for the isomerization reaction of lactose into lactulose, and consequently, a higher yield of lactulose was achieved within a shorter duration at ambient temperature compared to that of the chemical isomerization using KOH as catalyst. In addition, the electroisomerization process was carried out under complete autocatalytic conditions, i.e., no alkali was added to the reaction medium. Finally, the findings of this study provide an insight into the feasibility of the electroisomerization of lactose into lactulose and its process mechanism of action. In contrast to the chemical method, the EA process was found to offer a higher potential for an economic and environmentally friendly approach to produce lactulose by the isomerization of lactose. However, further research is still required to understand the thermodynamics behind the EA phenomena of aqueous solutions, mainly regarding its action on the reaction activation energy. 4. Materials and Methods {#sec4} ======================== 4.1. Chemicals and Reagents {#sec4.1} --------------------------- The high-purity chemicals and reagents (purity ≥ 95%) of analytical or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) grade were obtained from different suppliers. Lactose, lactulose, fructose, glucose, and galactose (HPLC grade) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). Phenolphthalein (C~20~H~14~O~4~) was procured from MAT Laboratory Inc. (Laboratoire Mat Inc., Quebec, Canada). Potassium chloride (KCl) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) were procured from Fisher Chemical (Geel, Belgium). Potassium sulfate (K~2~SO~4~) and lactose (C~12~H~22~O~11~·H~2~O) powder used in this study were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Co. (St. Louis, MO). All solutions were prepared in deionized (DI) water. The cation exchange membrane (CEM) and anion exchange membrane (AEM) were purchased from Membrane International Inc. (Ringwood, NJ) and were used directly in the reactor without any pretreatment. 4.2. Electroactivation Protocol {#sec4.2} ------------------------------- An EA reactor made of Plexiglas, comprising of three compartments (anodic, central, and cathodic compartments), was used in this study ([Figure [14](#fig14){ref-type="fig"}](#fig14){ref-type="fig"}). In brief, the anodic compartment was linked to the positive side of a DC-regulated power generator (model: CSI12001X, CircuitSpecialists.com) through a titanium electrode coated with ruthenium--iridium (RuO~2~--IrO~2~--TiO~2~), and the cathodic compartment was connected to the negative side using a food-grade stainless steel electrode. The anodic and cathodic compartments were separated by the central compartment, and it was communicating with the anodic and cathodic compartments through an anion (AMI 7001S) and a cation (CMI 7000S) exchange membrane, respectively. The freshly prepared lactose solution (350 mL) of different concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 20%; w/v) in 0.01 M KCl was placed in the cathodic compartment, whereas the central and anodic compartments were filled with the 0.1 M K~2~SO~4~ solution. The experiments were carried out under different current intensities set at 300, 600, and 900 mA for 60 min. The samples were collected from the cathodic and central compartments in a regular interval of 5 min and were kept at 4 °C until further analysis. All experiments were conducted at ambient temperature (22 ± 2 °C). Prior to each batch, the EA reactor was properly cleaned with DI water and filled with DI water after each use to maintain high membrane hydration. {#fig14} 4.3. Evaluation of pH, Alkalinity, Oxidation--Reduction Potential (ORP), and Temperature {#sec4.3} ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The temperature, ORP, pH, and alkalinity of the lactose solution in the cathodic compartment were measured in 5 min intervals during the 60 min of the EA process. The pH was determined using an Oakton pH 700 digital pH meter equipped with a pH probe (Oakton, Vernon Hills, IL). The temperature and ORP were measured using an ORP meter (Ultrapen, Myron L Company, Carlsbad, CA). Titratable alkalinity (catholyte) of the electroactivated lactose solutions was determined using a titration method. In brief, 5 mL of the corresponding solution was collected from the cathodic compartment in a beaker. Thereafter, two drops of phenolphthalein were added to form a pink color, and the sample was titrated from the burette filled with 0.1 M HCl. The catholyte was titrated until the pink color disappeared. The final volume of 0.1 M HCl in the burette was recorded when the end point reached. Finally, the total alkalinity was calculated using [eq [7](#eq7){ref-type="disp-formula"}](#eq7){ref-type="disp-formula"} and expressed in mmol/L*V*~titrant~: the total volume of the titrant (0.1 M HCl) used for titration in mL; *C*~titrant~: the titrant concentration in mol/L; *V*~sample~: the volume of the sample that was taken for titration in mL; total alkalinity~eq~: equivalent NaOH/KOH concentration in the electroactivated solutions in mmol/L(equiv). 4.4. Determination of Potassium Concentration {#sec4.4} --------------------------------------------- The concentration of potassium (K^+^) ions in the central compartment was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples (that were collected from the central compartment in a regular interval of 5 min during the 60 min of EA process) were analyzed according to a standard protocol for the atomic absorption spectrometer (PerkinElmer Instruments, model: AAnalyst 200). 4.5. Conventional Chemical Isomerization of Lactose {#sec4.5} --------------------------------------------------- Conventional chemical isomerization was carried out using similar lactose concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 20%) in the feed solutions and adding the equivalent (to the total alkalinity in EA) amounts of potassium hydroxide (KOH) to the feed. In brief, the total alkalinity (mmol/L) of the EA lactose solutions was expressed to the equivalent amounts of KOH (mg/L). The equivalent amount of KOH was added to the feed in a regular interval of 10 min, and the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature (22 ± 2 °C). The pH and ORP were monitored in 5 min intervals during the 60 min of reaction. The samples were collected from the feed solution at a regular interval of 5 min and were kept at 4 °C until further analysis. 4.6. Determination of Sugar Composition {#sec4.6} --------------------------------------- The sugar contents of all samples (i.e., EA lactose solutions and chemically isomerized lactose solutions) were determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system (Waters, Millipore Corp., Milford, MA). The system was equipped with a refractive index detector (Hitachi, model: L-7490) and a carbohydrate analysis column (Waters Sugar Pak-I, 300 × 6.5 mm^2^, Waters Co.). The column temperature was maintained at 90 °C. The isocratic mobile phase consisting of a solution of 50 mg/L ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The injection volume was 50 μL, and the running time was set at 30 min per sample. The identification and quantification of sugars were accomplished by comparing their retention times with the standard solutions of lactose, lactulose, glucose, galactose, and fructose. 4.7. Statistical Analysis {#sec4.7} ------------------------- Statistical analysis was performed using a complete randomized factorial design with repeated measurements. The factors were current intensity, lactose concentration, and reaction time. The dependent variables were the pH of the catholyte, alkalinity, K^+^ ion migration, temperature, ORP, lactulose yield, as well as the yield of byproducts (galactose, glucose, and fructose). Each experiment was carried out in triplicate, and mean values ± standard deviation was used. Differences at *p* \< 0.05 were considered to be significant. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the data was performed using SAS software (V9.3, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). The Supporting Information is available free of charge at [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705?goto=supporting-info).Global electric resistance of EA reactor as a function of time at different current intensities (Figure S1); the possible mechanism pathway of the electroisomerization of lactose into lactulose and subsequent galactose formation as a reaction byproduct using the electroactivation process (Figure S2); the formation of glucose and fructose for different lactose solutions at different current intensities of EA (Table S1); the formation of galactose and glucose for 5 and 10% lactose solutions in chemical isomerization (Table S2); the formation of galactose and glucose for 15 and 20% lactose solutions in chemical isomerization (Table S3); residual lactose (%) in different electroactivated lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) (Table S4); and residual lactose (%) in different chemically isomerized lactose solutions (5, 10, 15, and 20%) (Table S5) ([PDF](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acsomega.9b03705/suppl_file/ao9b03705_si_001.pdf)) Supplementary Material ====================== ###### ao9b03705_si_001.pdf The authors declare no competing financial interest. The project was supported by Fonds de recherche du Québec, Nature et Technologie (FRQNT), Grant \# 2019-PR-256871, and the authors would like to acknowledge the financial support.

define([ "../core", "../core/init", "../deferred" ], function( jQuery ) { // The deferred used on DOM ready var readyList; jQuery.fn.ready = function( fn ) { // Add the callback jQuery.ready.promise().done( fn ); return this; }; jQuery.extend({ // Is the DOM ready to be used? Set to true once it occurs. isReady: false, // A counter to track how many items to wait for before // the ready event fires. See #6781 readyWait: 1, // Hold (or release) the ready event holdReady: function( hold ) { if ( hold ) { jQuery.readyWait++; } else { jQuery.ready( true ); } }, // Handle when the DOM is ready ready: function( wait ) { // Abort if there are pending holds or we're already ready if ( wait === true ? --jQuery.readyWait : jQuery.isReady ) { return; } // Remember that the DOM is ready jQuery.isReady = true; // If a normal DOM Ready event fired, decrement, and wait if need be if ( wait !== true && --jQuery.readyWait > 0 ) { return; } // If there are functions bound, to execute readyList.resolveWith( document, [ jQuery ] ); // Trigger any bound ready events if ( jQuery.fn.trigger ) { jQuery( document ).trigger("ready").off("ready"); } } }); /** * The ready event handler and self cleanup method */ function completed() { document.removeEventListener( "DOMContentLoaded", completed, false ); window.removeEventListener( "load", completed, false ); jQuery.ready(); } jQuery.ready.promise = function( obj ) { if ( !readyList ) { readyList = jQuery.Deferred(); // Catch cases where $(document).ready() is called after the browser event has already occurred. // we once tried to use readyState "interactive" here, but it caused issues like the one // discovered by ChrisS here: http://bugs.jquery.com/ticket/12282#comment:15 if ( document.readyState === "complete" ) { // Handle it asynchronously to allow scripts the opportunity to delay ready setTimeout( jQuery.ready ); } else { // Use the handy event callback document.addEventListener( "DOMContentLoaded", completed, false ); // A fallback to window.onload, that will always work window.addEventListener( "load", completed, false ); } } return readyList.promise( obj ); }; // Kick off the DOM ready check even if the user does not jQuery.ready.promise(); });

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to dryers and, more specifically, to systems and methods for determining a status of a drying cycle and for controlling a dryer. Appliances for drying articles, such as laundry dryers or other machines for removing moisture (or other substances) from articles, typically comprises a cabinet containing a rotating container for tumbling the articles therein. A blower provides a stream of air for circulating through the articles in the container. One or more heating elements increases the temperature of the incoming air prior to its introduction to the container, causing the incoming air to carry a relatively low level of humidity. The warm, relatively dry air is circulated through the container as it tumbles the articles, decreasing the water content therein while increasing the relative humidity of the circulating air. The humidified air is then exhausted from the container and replaced with more heated, relatively dry air, whereby moisture is effectively removed from the articles in the container. At least one known laundry dryer utilizes an open loop control system to determine an appropriate amount of time for drying a load of laundry. In this common system, an operator selects a desired drying time using a manual control, such as a time selector knob. For the duration of the selected drying time, the container is rotated, a blower removes air from the container, and heating elements add heat to produce a stream of warm, dry air entering the container. As long as moisture remains in the articles in the container, moisture is available for uptake by the circulating air, and the exhaust air will carry more humidity than the incoming air. When the articles in the container have released most or all of their available moisture, the circulation of warm, dry air inside the container will remain warm and dry, and the exhaust air will also be warm and dry. Absent means for detecting the completion of the goal of drying the articles, the open loop control system will continue to operate the laundry dryer until the prescribed period of time has elapsed. In some cases, this period of time is insufficient to remove all of the excess moisture from the articles. In other situations, the period of time may be too long and the articles dried more than the user desires. Moreover, these drawbacks are not limited to laundry dryers; they also occur in systems for removing moisture from articles other than laundry articles. Still further, they occur in systems for removing substances other than water (e.g., alcohol, naphthalene, turpentine, dry-cleaning fluid, solvents, or other substances) from articles to be “dried”. Based on the foregoing, those skilled in the art seek improved systems and methods for determining a status of a drying cycle and for controlling a dryer.

Q: the different between join condition and where condition Somebody tell me what's the difference between two queries: Version A select p.LastName, o.OrderNo from Persons p, Orders o where p.P_Id = o.P_Id ...and... Version B select p.LastName, o.OrderNo from Persons p join Orders o on p.P_Id = o.P_Id A: Both use an INNER JOIN to combine records between the PERSONS and ORDERS tables. Version A is ANSI-89 syntax, and Version B is ANSI-92 syntax. There's no performance difference between them, but the ANSI-92 syntax supports OUTER JOINs (LEFT, RIGHT, and FULL depending on the database) while the ANSI-89 does not.

21st Century Oncology location / Riverhead, NY size / 20,000 GSF The existing 20,000 GSF single-story building was designed as a state-of-the-art facility for radiation oncology. The design of the new building reflects the progressive services provided by 21st Century Oncology, using a large expanse of glass to greet patients with natural light, and a warm blend of natural colors and landscaping. The program includes a 7,000 SF radiation suite, concrete encased Linear Accelerator and Vault, 5,000 SF of medical offices and 8,000 SF of future medical expansion.

May 8 (Reuters) - Southern California Gas Co raised the estimated cost of the massive leak at its Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in Los Angeles between October 2015 and February 2016 to $1.071 billion as of March 31. That is up about 1.5 percent from SoCalGas’ $1.055 billion estimate at the end of its fourth quarter, the company said on Tuesday in report on first-quarter results. SoCalGas, a unit of California energy company Sempra Energy , warned the “estimate may rise significantly” because of pending lawsuits, possible fines and other costs. SoCalGas said the company still faces 394 lawsuits, including 48,500 plaintiffs. It said costs not covered by insurance or delays in receiving insurance payments “could have a material adverse effect” on SoCalGas and Sempra. The utility said the estimate included $1.043 billion of costs already recovered or likely to be recovered from insurance. About 53 percent of the total was for temporary relocation of thousands of residents living near the facility. Aliso, with a capacity of 86 billion cubic feet (bcf), is SoCalGas’ biggest storage facility. State regulators estimated 4.62 bcf of gas leaked. One billion cubic feet is enough gas to supply about 5 million U.S. homes for a day. The facility represents 63 percent of the utility’s storage capacity, making it a key part of its ability to deliver fuel to customers, especially when demand for heating and air conditioning is at its highest. State regulators have limited the amount of gas SoCalGas can inject into Aliso to 34 bcf and said the utility can only withdraw gas from the facility when other options are not available to meet demand. Many residents and government officials want SoCalGas to shut Aliso. State regulators are evaluating what impact reducing or closing Aliso will have on the reliability of gas and power systems. SoCalGas said its system will likely be in a “better position” this summer than last year as the result of an increase in capacity after pipeline repairs. The company said it expects to be able to meet a peak demand of between 3.6 billion to 4.3 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) with the use of Aliso or just 3.1 to 3.6 bcfd without. Last summer, SoCalGas projected it could meet a peak of 3.4 to 3.6 bcfd.

LECHEROUS LIBRA... The Awful Ambiguities of April 2006 Salutations, tiny silly persons! How are your posteriors? Are they shapely and stylishly clad? Well, as we left you last time in a somnambulist state and entirely unwell at the moment of the trial of your professional integrity, instituted by your sullen and uncaring pater, you'd hardly know about the state of your posterior, your posterior's current apparel or indeed anything at all. You were left bereft and in the siege parlous by the depredations of manic March. How will you be in awful April? As it's well underway, you'll probably have a somnambulistic inkling or two. Nonetheless, I shall attempt to enlighten you in the accustomed manner, with a dose of prognostications, vile and bitter. In fact, you've hardly missed anything, as the beginning of the month was dominated by grim Saturn's grudging move out of perverse reverse in loathsome Leo and your solar eleventh house. That's the place where all of your perverted and eccentric friends hang about and have those inane conversations whilst wearing absurd clothing, by the way! As Saturn is ensconced there, you find you have no friends at all except for certain elderly persons with whom you visit on occasion, persons that lack the mobility to throw you out of their homes on your shapely bottom for wittering on like the ninny you are. Enough pleasantries! We must get on with the business at hand before I fall asleep and miss the month entirely. Vamping Venus slithers into insipid Pisces and an array of sensitive health practitioners wince winsomely over your parlous condition, pronouncing, tearfully, that nothing can be done for you, a conclusion the rest of us reached at a somewhat earlier date. Marauding Mars assails the naughty bits of dark Pluto, the underworld god, and you're left standing in the street, friendless and alone, yet surrounded by an uncaring mass of passersby. Though you have no will of your own to move, you're swept along by the mass of mindless pedestrians! In the halls of justice, your hearing sweeps inevitably along towards your professional doom, as you're not there to defend yourself and no one else cares to do so or even actually cares. The Full Moon comes in your ghastly sign yet you don't awaken, though you're swept across intersections against the lights, coming dangerously close to a nasty upset. Marauding Mars barrels into slimy Cancer and an overweight officer of the law bids you halt. In your somnambulistic state, you do not hear or respond. Mischievous Mercury barrels into addlepate Aries, an angry but agile stranger passes a rude remark at you but ends in an altercation with this more substantial example of the city's finest. The altercation turns to a riot, due to the bad temper of the times. But your unseeing eyes see not and on you walk! Eek! How unnerving and disturbingly strange! As ghastly planets fart in a frolic of fantastical fornication in the gutters of Heaven, the riot turns to a nasty affray through which you continue heedlessly. By my sainted aunt, the world erupts into chaos because of you and you seem to care not a jot! The great Sol Invicti clatters into cloddish Taurus, making an indecent proposal in the ear of grim Saturn and something stirs deep within the pit of your subconscious. Egad! Eek! Gadzooks! And other quaint expressions to indicate surprise and alarm. There's something taking place in your solar eighth house! This, as we know, is a ghastly realm of shadows, occult power, black magicians, brothels and taxation consultants. Ye gods, tiny twits! What neurotic eruption from those nasty depths is set to surface on the frozen landscape of your somnambulist face? You shake, tremble and shiver in a most alarming fashion. And then, by all the daft and giggling gods, the great Sol Invicti inserts his flaming member into the private parts of loony lunar light and a New Moon comes in the dread sign of the bovine! And, in case you thought things could not get worse, vamping Venus exposes herself to dark Pluto as the great Sol Invicti thrashes cranky Chiron. What dread and horror-filled occurrence is set to occur? Great Caesar's ghost, I can hardly bear to look, largely from creeping ennui, I confess. Ennui of the 'reach for the little brown bottle' variety. Thus, I close proceedings for the nonce and enter the titillating embrace of Morphia, the only deity in whom we may trust, except that she chucks us out of bed each morning, the heartless sod! Oh well! How sad! Never mind! If you wish to read more of this aimless piffle, click here next month! For the nonce, ave!

Mysterious Haunted Places And Where To Find Them by erin on June 19, 2011 People have always been attracted by the mystery and fear that is associated with haunted places. You can see such things all over our popular culture, in books, video games, movies, and more. However, there’s nothing like searching for real ghosts. Our planet is full of places where paranormal things happen. However, traveling to other countries means you will need a passport. With fast passport delivery, you can be on your way in no time. Online Services If you need a passport – or already have one and need to get it renewed – going online makes it much easier. Whatever sort of passport help you could ever need is available from these sites, such as emergency passport renewal. Plus, with their expedited shipping, you can get your passport much quicker. Tower Of London Probably one of the most well-known haunted places in the world, the Tower of London has a seemingly endless number of ghost stories surrounding it. Even just looking at the building is ominous, with its huge gray stone walls. A history of violent death and gruesome torture is attributed to the Tower of London. Famous people like Jane Grey, Anne Boleyn, and more met their end here, as well as two small boy princes who were kept here under the guise of protection, and then killed and stashed in the castle. Leap Castle Ireland’s Leap Castle has a violent history as well. Leap Castle was erected in the late 15th century. A family named the O’Carrolls owned it. Following the death of their father and head of the castle, the two sons started a very violent dispute over who should own it next. While one brother, who was a priest, was doing a Mass service for the family, the other brother broke into the church and stabbed his brother. Bleeding over the altar, the brother died in front of his whole family. The area came to be known as the Bloody Chapel, and it is said his ghost still haunts it. Another ghost is said to roam the grounds, but this one is called an elemental. It is characterized by it’s smell – sulfur and decomposing flesh – and its appearance – small, grey, and rotting with black emptiness for eyes. It’s known as “It.” Gibraltar Point Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in Ontario is another haunted spot with a story. The first caretaker of the lighthouse, a man named J.P. Radan Muller, made his own bootleg beer. When some soldiers from the local fort came asking for it, Muller refused and was murdered. The soldiers cut him into pieces. Afterwards, they buried the pieces around the property. The ghost of Muller is said to walk the grounds, seeking the pieces of his body. Bhangarh Bhangarh in India is an entire haunted town. There are a couple scary legends surrounding Bhangarh, including one where the entire city was cursed by a Guru named Balu Nath. He swore that if the shadows of the palace ever touched his home, he would destroy the city. Unfortunately, a leader broke the rule and the city was ruined. Another speaks of Bhangarh Ratnavati, a beautiful princess and the magician that tried to put a spell on her. The spell ended up killing the magician, who cursed the entire town to death with no rebirth. Haunted Places If you are thinking of taking a vacation anytime soon, look and see if there are some haunted places nearby where you can maybe go explore. If you are going outside the US, don’t forget your passport, and don’t forget about fast passport service online.Emergency passport renewal and more can help make the process quicker and much easier.

Q: Send List to Controller using interface? I have my Product class, which is pretty straight forward, Then I want to use an Interface to send a List of Product objects over the to Controller. I think Im good to go with my Product class and IProduct interface ? my problems: In MYcontext class, I am trying to make the list, but IM not really sure how to proceed. and MyRepository class should send the List to the Controller eventually. My purpose of using the interface is just really for practice.. and I will do some Testing later too. using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Web; namespace Uppgift_1.Models { public class Product { public int ProductId { get; set; } public string ProductName { get; set; } public double PriceBuy { get; set; } public double PriceSell { get; set; } public double Moms { get; set; } public Product() { } public Product(int productId, string productName, double priceBuy, double priceSell, double moms) { ProductId = productId; ProductName = productName; PriceBuy = priceBuy; PriceSell = priceSell; Moms = moms; } // TODO: add calculation method } } using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Text; namespace Uppgift_1.Models { public interface IProduct { IQueryable<Product> Products { get; } } } using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Web; namespace Uppgift_1.Models { public class MYcontext : Product { IQueryable<Product> Products = new List<Product>(); Product p1 = new Product(21, "RollerSkates", 82.5, 164, 1.25); Product p2 = new Product(22, "Fridge", 88, 844, 1.25); Product p3 = new Product(23, "TV", 182.5, 364, 1.25); Product p4 = new Product(24, "Boat", 325, 64, 1.25); Product p5 = new Product(25, "Car", 22.5, 74, 1.25); Product p6 = new Product(26, "Magasine", 84.3, 44, 1.25); Product p7 = new Product(27, "Garage", 182.7, 843, 1.25); Product p8 = new Product(28, "House", 182.8, 542, 1.25); Product p9 = new Product(29, "Beach", 814.9, 62, 1.25); Product p10 = new Product(30, "Ball", 69.3, 16, 1.25); } } using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Web; namespace Uppgift_1.Models { public class MyRepository : IProduct { public IQueryable<Product> Products { get { return MYcontext.pList; } } } } A: You need to add getData logic to your repository like this(check Context Products, im not sure about it) : public class MyRepository : IProduct { public IQueryable<Product> Products { get { return MYcontext.pList; } } public IQueryable<Product> GetProducts() { return (from obj in Products select obj).FirstOrDefault(); } } And your interface namespace Uppgift_1.Models { public interface IProduct { IQueryable<Product> GetProducts(); } } And in Controller you could use it like this: public MyController:Controller { IProduct<Product> service = new MyRepository(); public ActionResult Index() { var prods = service.GetProducts(); return View(prods) ; } }

During fuel injector assembly, it is known to locate a valve seat subassembly on a machined shoulder in the nose of the fuel injector valve body. The axial shoulder dimension is used to locate the valve seat subassembly and therefore determines armature position. During assembly of the valve seat subassembly into the nose of the valve body, the seat subassembly, including a valve seat, swirl disk and lower needle guide, is located or stacked up against the machined shoulder of the valve body. The nose of the valve body is crimped to hold the seat subassembly. An alignment pin on a fixture is used to align the seat subassembly components and valve body. Resistance welding is used to weld the seat subassembly and valve body together. In this arrangement, the stack up height of the lower needle guide, swirl disk and valve seat, together with the depth of the pocket adjacent the machined shoulder in the nose of the injector valve body is critical. Crimping the valve body nose can cause misalignment of the valve seat components relative to each other and relative to the valve body. Also, the use of resistance welding close to the center holes in the lower needle guide, swirl disk and valve seat distorts the valve seat subassembly.

Preparation of Supercapacitors on Flexible Substrates with Electrodeposited PEDOT/Graphene Composites. Composite films consisting of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and graphene oxide (GO) were electrochemically polymerized by electrooxidation of EDOT in ionic liquid (BMIMBF4) onto flexible electrode substrates. Two polymerization approaches were compared, and the cyclic voltammetry (CV) method was found to be superior to potentiostatic polymerization for the growth of PEDOT/GO films. After deposition, incorporated GO was reduced to rGO by a rapid electrochemical method of repetitive cathodic potential cycling, without using any reducing reagents. The films were characterized in 3-electrode configuration in BMIMBF4. Symmetric supercapacitors with aqueous electrolyte were assembled from the composite films and characterized through cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic discharge tests. It was shown that PEDOT/rGO composites have better capacitive properties than pure PEDOT or the unreduced composite film. The cycling stability of the supercapacitors was also tested, and the results indicate that the specific capacitance still retains well over 90% of the initial value after 2000 consecutive charging/discharging cycles. The supercapacitors were demonstrated as energy storages in a room light energy harvester with a printed organic solar cell and printed electrochromic display. The results are promising for the development of energy-autonomous, low-power, and disposable electronics.

Q: Change IVT of 8086 / 88 as you know when interrupt happened ,8086 get code type of interrupt and multiple it in 4,then Check it in IVT. know I wanna change IVT in 8086,I'm using emu8086. What should I do for it? A: You probably already know this: IVT is in address: 0000:0000 As you say, offset of each vector is calculated by multilying interrupt number by 4. If you want to change a value of single vector, then: disable interrupts (cli) Store old value of the vector if needed. write offset and segment of your interrupt handler to the vector. enable interrupts (sti)

Mark Anthony Sammut Mark Anthony Sammut (born 26 February 1986, Malta), is a Maltese politician and an electrical engineer. He is currently serving as the President of the Nationalist Party (Malta)'s Executive Committee. Sammut is also a Local Councillor in Gudja. Personal life Mark Anthony Sammut is the eldest of three brothers, and he was raised in the quaint village of Gudja. From a young age, Sammut showed interest in various voluntary organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations. In fact, he was a member, treasurer and group leader of the Grupp Żgħażagħ Gudja. He is currently a member of the organisation ĊAMYouths. Mark Anthony Sammut is also a Gold Award Holder of the International Award for Young People (also known as the Duke of Edinburgh Award). He is married to Diane Sammut, née Mifsud, and they currently reside in Għaxaq. Education and Work Mark Anthony Sammut's Primary Education was received at St. Francis' school in Cospicua. He later attended St. Paul's Missionary College in Rabat to complete his Secondary Education. Post-Secondary, Sammut attended G. F. Abela Junior College in Msida, and he later moved on to the University of Malta, where he read for a degree in Electrical Engineering. During his studies, Sammut also benefited from an Erasmus exchange with the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Further to that, he also read for an MSc. in Wireless Networks with the Queen Mary University of London. He is currently employed as an IT Infrastructure Engineer with an online gaming company. Political career Mark Anthony Sammut entered politics for the first time during the Local Council elections in 2006, at the age of 20, where he got elected on the Nationalist Party (Malta) ticket with 205 first-preference votes. He was re-elected in 2009 with 443 first-preference votes, and again in 2013 with 544 first-preference votes. Sammut was a member of the PN Sectional Committee in Gudja from 2006 to 2013. He also served as Vice-Secretary of said committee between 2009 and 2013, when he then resigned from his post due to his nomination to contest the General Election. In 2013, Sammut contested the General Election for the first time on the 4th and 5th districts. He earned 557 and 582 first-preference votes respectively. He re-contested the General Election in 2017 on the 4th district, where he received 1,379 first-preference votes. In 2013, he was appointed as the Opposition's representative in the national Vote 16 Committee, until it was dissolved in September 2016. From 2013 to 2016, Sammut was an elected member of the executive committee of Moviment Żgħażagħ Partit Nazzjonalista (MŻPN), and a representative of the organisation in the Nationalist Party (Malta)'s Executive Committee. In 2015, he was elected in the Nationalist Party (Malta)'s Executive Committee as a representative of the Party's General Council. He was re-elected in November 2017, where he was also nominated and approved as the Executive Committee President. References Category:Living people Category:1986 births Category:Maltese politicians Category:Maltese engineers

Q: Is it possible to write the same permutation as a collection of disjoint cycles in two different ways? The answer is apparently no. I just don't get it. $(1, 2, 3)(4, 5)$ and $(2, 3, 1)(5, 4)$ are the same permutation. Aren't those $2$ different ways of writing the same permutation? A: You are right that they are the same permutation. This is not a contradiction; you simply wrote the same cycles in two different ways. $(231)=(123)$ and $(54)=(45)$. This is because $231$ is a cyclic permutation of 123 and 45 is a cyclic permutation of 54. You get 231 from 123 by shifting everything to the left by one place (then the 1 ends up at the end). "Rearrangement" here refers to rearranging the order of the cycles themselves, not the elements within the cycles.

When Edward Norton briefly became the center of industry gossip after Marvel replaced him as the Incredible Hulk in The Avengers, it put him in an awkward place. Not only because he was forced to publicly contend with the studio’s implications that he wasn’t a team player, but also because he’s a quiet, methodical actor who generally stays away from everything that doesn’t have to do with the actual business of acting. That’s made him one of Hollywood’s most frustratingly elusive celebrities, but also one of its most reliable: Norton chooses his parts carefully—and these days, infrequently—and he invests himself so thoroughly in them that there’s rarely any impression that he’s a movie star at work. That’s particularly true of his latest film, Stone, which reunites him with The Painted Veil director John Curran. As in their last collaboration, Curran brings a determined realism that required Norton to fully inhabit the role of a prisoner whose psychological games with his parole officer (Robert De Niro) involve his wife (Milla Jovovich). Norton gamely disappeared behind tattoos, cracked Southern slang, and tightly rolled cornrows—and while the notion of a Yale-educated thespian rocking braids and speaking Ebonics sounds laughable, Norton’s commitment makes his character’s eventual spiritual conversion both believable and sympathetic. The A.V. Club spoke to Norton at Fantastic Fest about how he and Curran avoided caricature, the running themes in their work together, and what he plans to do now that The Avengers is out of the picture. Advertisement The A.V. Club: The last time we spoke, you mentioned how you enjoyed working with John Curran again because “there’s a shorthand” there. Could you elaborate on that? Edward Norton: When you’re working on a creative thing, everyone has an idea, and they’re pushing it. The first time you work with anybody, you have to get comfortable with the way another person pushes hard for what they want. Familiarity breeds contempt, people say. But I’ve found, for creative things, familiarity breeds peace of mind, because you realize you know someone better. You trust each other. You know not to take things a certain way, or a wrong way. You get to where you don’t have to waste quite so much time with diplomacy. Things are a little more efficient. AVC: Both The Painted Veil and Stone, in their own ways, seem to be about people who can’t express their feelings, and the damage that does to them and the other people in their lives. Was that already in the script, or did you and Curran layer it in? Advertisement EN: I think you’re right, and I think if you look at John’s movie, um… AVC: We Don’t Live Here Anymore? EN: Yeah. [Laughs.] It’s the same thing. And I’m not being facetious. When I look at the directors that I really love, who really develop their films over time, they’re almost always the ones who go back again and again and again at the same investigations. I think Milos Forman was that way. I think Milos Forman made movies about individualist, anarchic spirits pushing back against the establishment. I think Spike Lee has made films about race and money and New York. I think [David] Fincher looks a lot at the same stuff over and over again. I think people like the Coen brothers—they’re obsessed with genre. That’s emerging for me about John: I think he’s after just what you said. I think he has a great ear for the way denial and the failure to confront yourself builds into toxins and causes damage. Maybe not We Don’t Live Here Anymore, but in these two I’ve worked on with him, I think he’s really rugged. I think he’s pretty unvarnished, but I don’t think he’s ultimately bleak. It’s tough, but I don’t feel in these things that he denies the possibility of people opening up a little bit, or sorting that out. But I like it. I think that when somebody has a theme they go after, it’s fun to service that. It’s like, “I know you now. I know what you go at.” It helps you locate yourself a little bit quicker in their world. Advertisement AVC: Is that a theme that also resonates with you? EN: Yeah, but it’s not like I go digging around to find it in myself. I guess it’s more just that I find myself feeling there’s wisdom in what he’s aiming at. I think he’s right. There’s a lot of this in our culture, maybe, is a way of putting it. When John started talking about the film and why he wanted to take it out of the South and put it in Detroit, and why he wanted to look at the idea of the disconnect between the way you present yourself and your morality, and what the authentic heart of that is, and what happens when there’s a disconnect between the two, and then the kind of decay that goes on, I felt… [Pauses.] Like, he wanted to make this when the economy tanked. John was really like, “We’ve really got to do this now. If we’re gonna do it, we’ve got to do it now.” And I saw his point. I think it’s fun to take cracks at what you feel is going on in the world around you. Whether you hit it or you come up short, at least you’re trying to engage whatever is going on. AVC: You took some of your character’s traits from actual prisoners you met. Who were some of the guys you spoke with? Advertisement EN: They were just inmates in this prison—it was in Jackson, Michigan. It’s a really big facility, and they have a part that’s been shut down and a part that’s active. It was a perfect scenario for us, because we could shoot unencumbered in this closed-down part, but also be very close to the administrators and the prisoners, and we could flow back and forth and talk to people. AVC: Where did the voice come from? Was there anyone specific you were trying to emulate? EN: Yeah, there was a guy who I feel like I didn’t get a very good bead on. John really wanted it to have a Detroit vibe. I was sort of scouring the prison for white guys from Southwest Detroit or East Detroit, and there were plenty of those. There was a common pattern to the way they talked, but then I met this one guy. We were shooting on a Monday, and I met him the Wednesday before. As soon as he came in the room, as soon as he opened his mouth, I went [Mimes writing and passing a note.], “Let’s just do that. That’s great.” He had a very strange voice. It was very crack-y and broken. Very odd. I don’t actually even remember if he was a smoker. I don’t know what it was a product of, actually. I actually never asked him, because I didn’t want to make him self-conscious about it. I just recorded it. Advertisement AVC: When you’re playing a part like that, are you conscious of not making it a caricature—especially when you’re all done up in cornrows? EN: John and I talked about it. It’s one of the things that’s tough. We’re in there, and six out of 10 people we met probably had [cornrows]—white, black, Latino. It was everywhere. I mean, it was everywhere, to the point where you just go, “Oh, this is the shaved head of the moment.” There’s a lot of this, and especially from a certain sector—like, white guys from the sticks were not like that, and they were really contemptuous of it. They would call those guys “Malibu”—you know, like Malibu’s Most Wanted? [Laughs.] They’d be like, “Oh, fucking Malibu.” They meant it toward the white guys who were from the urban black culture in Detroit, but that is those guys’ vibe, and it was full-on. It was the kind of thing where you sort of have to go, “We’re in it, and this is what it is. This film’s not Elmore Leonard. We’re not making fun of it.” When we talked about it, John said something to me like, “The first scene, when he’s in the chair, I think you should seem like the most unlikely candidate for a spiritual transformation.” So in some ways, the loopier the better, because it gave me somewhere to go. AVC: This is your second time working with Robert De Niro. What have you learned about the way he approaches a performance? Advertisement EN: I think one of the interesting things about him to me—and I relate to this a little bit, but I’ve never quite seen it with the same intensity as with him—is the disconnect between what the people project onto him and what he’s like as a person and as an actor. It’s so intense. [Laughs.] People project all kinds of heavy-duty shit on him, and he’s really actually a very quiet, very clinical technician. He’s incredibly clinical. There’s no sturm und drang to it. There’s not a lot talk—just a lot of research, research, research, research, and then he just sort of pushes it through that membrane of himself and it comes out. People use all kinds of words to describe him, but I find him to be very thoughtful, very quiet, very collaborative. And it’s very nice. I have enormous respect for him and, I hope, for the actuality of the way he works, as opposed to his image. He’s, in some ways, to me, actually more impressive as a reality. The reality of the way he works is more impressive than that aura people put around him. AVC: Can you elaborate on what you termed the “business decisions” that led to you parting ways with The Avengers? To put it bluntly, does that mean it was about money? EN: I did kind of say what I wanted to say. I think it was pretty well hashed-out. I don’t have much to add to it. It’s really just not that big a deal to me. I couldn’t be more appreciative of other people’s investment in it and enthusiasm for me doing it again. But you’ve got to keep these things in perspective. It was super fun to do, but… [Pauses.] It’s not something I really think about that much at this point. I think you have to keep perspective on these things. I don’t have much to add about the particulars of the situation, because I don’t feel—even at the moment of [the announcement] I thought that… [Pauses.] I think that kind of negativity is unseemly, and I don’t think it’s necessary. And I don’t think it’s honest, even. And I don’t feel that negativity. So I don’t feel like indulging in a whole lot of BS over it. It’s not that weighty. Advertisement AVC: So now that your calendar is free, what’s next? EN: I wish I was free. I’m looking to get more free. There’s sort of this trail of getting [Stone] out, and then we’re trying to make this big—HBO is doing all these historical miniseries, which I think they’ve done an amazing job with a couple of them. We’re trying to produce one for them about Lewis and Clark. There’s that Stephen Ambrose book, Undaunted Courage, about the Lewis and Clark expedition. We’re trying to assemble that, and it’s very big. It’s so out of scale with anything my partners and I have produced. It’s a very interesting set of equations to get something like that made. We’re pretty thick in that right now. AVC: So you’re mostly concentrating on that production and your Crowdrise charity? Advertisement EN: Yeah. This year, it’s been a little more of that kind of work. It’s a little bit of a weird time in the business. I kind of think there’s been a healthy compression. There were probably too many companies putting out too much stuff. But right now, I feel there’s a little bit of Chicken Little going on in the world, with everybody crying about DVD revenues dropping. Everybody’s scared to make anything. You know, it’ll pass. But I’ve been perfectly happy to use a different part of my brain for a little bit. I’ve had a lot of fun with the Crowdrise thing. And if we can get something like this Lewis and Clark thing made, it will be really interesting for us. It’s like making Lonesome Dove or something. It’s something you don’t really expect to do more than once. And if we get it together, John Curran is going to direct it, which will be really fun. AVC: Then you’ll have to figure how to work the theme of emotional damage into Lewis and Clark.

Q: In Chrome Native messaging: how long is the native app instance object lifetime? Does a native application that talks to a Chrome extension is alive for ever? I mean should it be present e.g. before a postback happens? I could not find any configuration for that to add in the manifest file. I have a page, there are some objects on the page. After clicking an object and sending/receving one message with the Native app, then it no longer works for the rest of objects. My exact question: How long is the native app instance object lifetime? Should that object response e.g. forever? Or do I need a loop e.g. to read messages from stdin if this is a continuous communication? Here is my background script: var host_name = "files.mffta.java.nativeapp"; var port = null; initPort(); function initPort() { console.log( 'Connecting to native host: ' + host_name ); port = chrome.runtime.connectNative( host_name ); port.onMessage.addListener( onNativeMessage ); port.onDisconnect.addListener( onDisconnected ); } // Listen for messages that come from the content script. chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener( function( messageData, sender, sendResponse ) { if( messageData ) { sendNativeMessage(messageData); sendResponse( { res: 'done!' } ); } } ); // Sending a message to the port. function sendNativeMessage(messageData) { if( port == null ) initPort(); console.log( 'Sending message to native app: ' + JSON.stringify( messageData ) ); port.postMessage( messageData ); console.log( 'Sent message to native app.' ); } // Receiving a message back from the Native Client API. function onNativeMessage( message ) { console.log( 'recieved message from native app: ' + JSON.stringify( message ) ); alert( "messaged received from Native: " + JSON.stringify( message ) ); //sending a message to Content Script to call a function if( message.methodName && message.methodName != "" ) { chrome.tabs.query( { active: true, currentWindow: true }, function( tabs ) { chrome.tabs.sendMessage( tabs[0].id, message, function( response ) { // Call native again to return JavaScript callback function results alert ("calc res received by extension : " + response); sendNativeMessage({ type: "JSCallbackRes", callbackRes: response }); } ); } ); } } // Disconnecting the port. function onDisconnected() { console.log( "ERROR: " + JSON.stringify( chrome.runtime.lastError ) ); console.log( 'disconnected from native app.' ); port = null; } My extension manifest: { "name": "Files.ChromeExt.Operarations", "version": "1.0", "manifest_version": 2, "description": "This extension calls a Native API which that API calls some x-Files related operations.", "icons": { "128": "x-files_icon.png" }, "permissions": [ "nativeMessaging", "activeTab" ], "background": { "persistent": true, "scripts": ["main.js"] }, "content_scripts" : [{"matches": ["http://localhost/*","https://localhost/*"], "js": ["contentscripts/page.js"]}] } Java program: [as has been asked in the comments] import java.io.IOException; import javax.swing.JOptionPane; public class Applet { public Applet(){} public static void main(String[] args) { try { readMessage(); sendMessage("{\"msg\" : \"hello\"}"); } catch (Exception ex) { JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, ex.getMessage()); } } public static String readMessage() { String msg = ""; try { int c, t = 0; for (int i = 0; i <= 3; i++) { t += Math.pow(256.0f, i) * System.in.read(); } for (int i = 0; i < t; i++) { c = System.in.read(); msg += (char) c; } } catch (Exception e) { JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "error in reading message from JS"); } return msg; } public static void sendMessage(String msgdata) { try { int dataLength = msgdata.length(); System.out.write((byte) (dataLength & 0xFF)); System.out.write((byte) ((dataLength >> 8) & 0xFF)); System.out.write((byte) ((dataLength >> 16) & 0xFF)); System.out.write((byte) ((dataLength >> 24) & 0xFF)); // Writing the message itself System.out.write(msgdata.getBytes()); System.out.flush(); } catch (IOException e) { JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "error in sending message to JS"); } } } By inspecting the chrome log I can see these messages: Native Messaging host tried sending a message that is 1936028240 bytes long. {"message":"Error when communicating with the native messaging host."}", source: chrome-extension://XXX I am testing these on a Win 8.0 machine 64 bit. Update: I am now convinced that the host is alive forever if connectNative is called and the port is not stopped by an error. So, the root cause of the error messages above must be something else than port lifetime. I mean some error in my communication is forcibly stopping the port. I highly appreciate any comments you can give. A: If using chrome.runtime.sendNativeMessage, the native app will be around right after receiving and before sending the message. Since reception of the message is asynchronous, you cannot assume that the app is still alive when the callback of sendNativeMessage is called. If you want to ensure that the native app stays around longer, use chrome.runtime.connectNative. This creates a port, and the native app will be alive until it exits or until the extension calls disconnect() on the port. If your app unexpectedly terminates early, then you have most likely made an error in the implementation of the native messaging protocol. For the exact format of the native messaging protocol, take a look at the documentation: https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/nativeMessaging#native-messaging-host-protocol As for your edit, the error message is quite clear: The length is invalid. The length is supposed to be in the system's native byte order (which could be little endian or big endian). When you get the following arror message with an excessive offset difference, then there are two possibilities: The byte order of the integer is incorrect, or Your output contains some unexpected characters, which causes the bytes to be shifted and resulted in bytes being at the incorrect location. To know which case you're in, view the number as a hexadecimal number. If there are many trailing zeroes, then that shows that the byte order is incorrect. For example, if your message has a length of 59, then the hexadecimal value is 3b. If the endianness is incorrect, then the following message is displayed: Native Messaging host tried sending a message that is 989855744 bytes long. 1493172224 is 3b 00 00 00 in hexadecimal notation, and you can observe that the 3b is there, but at the wrong end (in other words, the byte order is reversed). The solution to this problem for your system is to edit your code to print the bytes in the reverse order. If the hexadecimal view of the number does not look remotely close to your number, then odds are that the message length is incorrect. Recall that stdio is used for communication, so if you output anything else (e.g. errors) to stdout (System.out) instead of stderr (System.err), then the protocol is violated and your app will be terminated. System.err.println(ex.getStackTrace()); // <-- OK System.out.println("[ error -> " + ex.getMessage() + " ]"); // <-- BAD On Windows, also check whether you've set the mode for stdout (and stdin) to O_BINARY. Otherwise Windows will insert an extra byte before 0A (0D 0A), which causes all bytes to shift and the number to be incorrect. The Java Runtime already enables binary mode, so for your case it's not relevant.

[Revealing the essence of powders: from the base to the application]. My main research fields are powder technology, especially solid dosage form, from basic ones to applied ones. Basic ones are physical properties of powder and its packing, compression and computer simulation. Applied ones are preparation and evaluation of granulation, tableting, improvement of solubility of water poor-soluble drug, controlled release tablet and fast disintegrating tablet in the oral cavity. As the chair man of the Standard Formulation Research Council, I have obtained many variable and excellent results. Several results are shown as follow.

Friday, September 16, 2011 For a cosmopolitan man, the recently concluded VHIMW 2011 was a sneak into the global runaway. It was a spring/ summer 2012 preview. Till recently, cropped/folded ankle length bottoms, seen only on the streets of London and Berlin, has finally found its way on the Indian men’s fashion runaway….much of a global headway now. And going forward, bottoms were visible in velveteen (velvet like), plaids, stripes and not to miss the florals. If you were to pick trends from the VHIMW, not all, but some could definitely find a way in your wardrobe. Here are some main highlights of the fashion week that can be incorporated into your wardrobe. Churidaars were quite prominent but finishing just above the ankle….do flaunt it, if you can. Neat tailoring with clean silhouettes was the key. Though we saw lots of jodhpuris, a cut, which not many would dare to carry. But yes, if you are blessed by the Greek gods, then team it up with a Nehru jackets in riots of colors. Jackets were showcased by almost all the designers, cuts and surface ornamentation being the focal spot. Interesting collar cuts, some quite asymmetric, yet wearable by an average Indian guy. Self printed outerwear and heavy embroidered ones stood out. Neutral colored bandhgalas with contrasting shirt or a tee peeping from inside, can be interestingly played. Some really interesting and unheard cuts (in the Indian context) were visible – cowl in light weight jersey. For the western counterparts, this is a regular on the runaway, trickling down to the street fashion. If you are a Rampal brother, go ahead and flaunt, or else just watch. Saw some good jerseys in self prints with vibrant color base. A must have in your wardrobe. Organic and handspun feel made it very global Indian. Shibori and traditional ikat weave techniques (also in print form) were few of the favored picks. Layering came as a strong form of dressing. crushed jackets, textured trousers, scarves and colored socks interestingly put together. Be careful with the color play…very important for balanced layered look. The look for the season was clean muted classic tones(earthy tones), mix in with bright pinks, oranges, lilacs, blues and reds.

The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to an electrical connector assembly and/or printed circuit board that electrically couples to signal conductors of a communication cable. In some electrical connector assemblies, signal conductors from communication cables are terminated to an electrical connector by directly joining exposed wire-terminating ends of the signal conductors to corresponding conductive elements. For example, a wire-terminating end can be soldered directly to a corresponding conductive pad along a surface of a circuit board. To solder the two elements together, a solder paste is applied to the wire-terminating end and/or the conductive pad. The solder paste is then melted and cooled to directly join the wire-terminating end and the conductive pad. An electrical connection is established through this termination. However, using a soldering process to join two elements at a termination can be undesirable. First, it can be difficult to control the different variables of the soldering process so that the wire-terminating ends and the conductive pads are consistently joined and so that a desired electrical performance is achieved. For instance, the soldering process typically uses large amounts of heat to melt the solder paste. Heating (directly or indirectly) the circuit board and/or the wire-terminating ends increases the likelihood of damage to the circuit board and/or the wire-terminating ends. Second, if several terminations are desired, the conductive pads are typically spaced apart so that the solder paste at one termination does not inadvertently join the solder paste at another termination. Yet increasing the space between the conductive pads may limit the number of possible terminations. Lastly, a soldered joint is generally permanent and is not readily fixable without desoldering and then re-soldering the two elements. Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical connector assembly having a printed circuit board that is capable of electrically coupling to a communication cable without using a soldering process.

define( [ "../core" ], function( jQuery ) { "use strict"; jQuery.readyException = function( error ) { window.setTimeout( function() { throw error; } ); }; } );

Q: Does one have to know Razor Pages to use scaffolded identity? I'm developing an ASP.NET Core MVC application. I am using Razor Views and MVC as my preferred approach. I am also using individual user accounts. I have run scaffolding to create code connected with Identity management (Login, Register pages, etc.). That scaffolding results with creating Razor Pages, which seems to be a MVVM approach. Is there a way I could scaffold those features using Razor Views, what in turn would support MVC pattern? I feel like I am mixing approaches due to that scaffolding. Now, when I want to add some feature connected with user profile, I have to write MVVM code, and I would like to use one approach instead. A: Yes indeed, Microsoft changed the Identity stuff when creating a new project a while ago, from classic Razor views to new Razor Pages. But luckily, you can grab all this old stuff from Github, for example here.

The two most important fight weekends for a Mexican boxing star are Cinco de Mayo in early May and Mexican Independence Day in mid-September. Alvarez is anxious to claim them as his own pay-per-view dates. But recently he has been blocked by pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., who has been fighting on those prime dates. It happened in 2013 when Mayweather fought Robert Guerrero in May, and it has happened again this year. Mayweather faced Argentina’s Marcos Maidana on May 3 and is scheduled to fight again on Sept. 13, probably a rematch with Maidana. Other than when Mayweather faced Alvarez in September 2013 -- in the highest-grossing fight in boxing history and second-best-selling pay-per-view ever -- Alvarez has had to play second fiddle and fight elsewhere on the calendar for the past two years. Alvarez wound up facing Austin Trout in a junior middleweight unification fight in April 2013 rather than in May because of Mayweather. And Alvarez didn’t fight in May this year and won't be fighting in September. Alvarez said he is tired of ceding the important Mexican dates to Mayweather, who is not even fighting Mexican opponents. “I want to retake those dates and bring them back,” Alvarez said. “Those dates are Mexican dates. They're Mexican independence dates, and yes, for next year I will be fighting, I want to be fighting on those dates.” Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya, Alvarez’s promoter, said he plans to secure those dates for his company’s most important fighter. “Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has given me strict orders,” De La Hoya said. “Obviously, he wants to follow in the footsteps of the great champions hailing from Mexico like Julio Cesar Chavez, fighters that have started the tradition of fighting [on] Cinco de Mayo, started the tradition of fighting in September. Canelo now being a star of his own and a big draw and a person who the fans adore, me -- as his promoter -- it is my obligation to do what's best for the fighter. “So we're obviously focusing 100 percent on Erislandy Lara, and then we will be sitting down with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and plan out his future.”

Udaiyadi Udaiyadi is a small town in Sri Lanka. It is located within Northern Province. See also List of towns in Northern Province, Sri Lanka External links Department of Census and Statistics -Sri Lanka Category:Populated places in Northern Province, Sri Lanka

Stories for All Project™ Through theStories for All Project, First Book strives to provide all kids with diverse books that act as mirrors and windows. Kids feel valued and validated when they see their own experiences reflected on the pages of books, and they develop curiosity and empathy when they read about experiences different from their own. To help your kids grow as both readers and global citizens, shop our ever-expanding selection of diverse books using the category filters on the left. Books and resources purchased from the First Book Marketplace may not be resold for any purpose whatsoever. Any violation of this policy may result in legal action. The First Book Marketplace is only available to programs and schools serving children in need as defined by First Book's eligibility requirements.

Mechanical properties of the femur after injection of calcium phosphate cement containing arbekacin sulfate and polylactic acid in a rat model of experimental osteoporosis. We developed a calcium phosphate cement containing arbekacin sulfate and polylactic acid (CPC95AP) and examined its effects on bone strength by injecting the CPC95AP into the femoral medullary cavity in model rats with osteoporosis. Favorable cortical bone strength was maintained for more than 6 months when CPC95AP was injected into the femoral cavities. This phenomenon was more significant in the weakened femur of osteoporotic rats. The reasons for the increased bone strength are thought to be that the CPC95AP filling increased the geometric moment of inertia and that the binding of CPC95AP with the bones increased Young's modulus. The most important factor is believed to be the increased Young's modulus. The binding of CPC95AP with the bones after filling the femur cavities compensates for the weak extensional strength of CPC95AP, and provides an opportunity to utilize the compressive strength, which is the advantage of CPC95. CPC95AP has antibiotic properties and biocompatibility, and it increases the mechanical strength of the weakened bone; therefore, it is considered useful in bone filling and stiffening.

Q: Не получается спарсить сайт dns-shop.ru Хотел попытаться получить последнюю страницу сайта и название товара, но получаю в ответ пустоту. Не могу понять, что я не так делаю. import requests from bs4 import BeautifulSoup page_num = 1 url = 'https://www.dns-shop.ru/catalog/17a8a01d16404e77/smartfony/?p=%s&i=1&mode=list&brand=brand-apple' % page_num page = requests.get(url).text soup = BeautifulSoup(page , 'html.parser') max_page = soup.find('span' ," item edge mobile end").get_text() print(max_page) for txt in soup.findAll('h3').text: print (txt) A: Администраторы www.dns-shop.ru решили защититься от "парсеров" и сделали сайт динамическим. 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модулем Selenium, который откроет окно настоящего браузера для парсинга страницы: from selenium import webdriver from lxml import html page_num = 1 url = 'https://www.dns-shop.ru/catalog/17a8a01d16404e77/smartfony/?p={}&i=1&mode=list&brand=brand-apple'.format(page_num) driver = webdriver.Firefox() driver.get(url) content = driver.page_source tree = html.fromstring(content) print(tree.xpath('//span[@class=" item edge"]')[0].attrib) last_page = tree.xpath('//span[@class=" item edge"]')[0].attrib.get('data-page-number') print(last_page) результат: {'class': ' item edge', 'data-role': 'page-handler', 'data-page-number': '6'} 6

Palate Press Palate Press The Online Wine Magazine is an online wine magazine launched September 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana by Palate Press, LLC, by publisher David Honig and editor-in-chief W.R. Tish. Columnists include Evan Dawson, Erika Szymanski, Elisabetta Tosi, Dorothy Gaiter, W. Blake Gray, Meg Houston Maker, and Michelle Locke. Editors are Rémy Charest, Tom Mansell, Becky Sue Epstein, Ryan Reichert, and Gary Thomas. Regular Contributors include Joe Roberts, Caroline Henry, Lenn Thompson, and many others. Wine science columnist Erika Szymanski was awarded the "Emerging Wine Writer of the Year" award at the 2012 Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards, with Evan Dawson a final nominee for the Emerging Wine Writer of the Year award and Palate Press itself a finalist for the International Wine Website of the Year award.. References External links Palate Press official site Category:American blogs Category:American online magazines Category:Magazines established in 2009 Category:Magazines published in Indiana Category:Wine magazines Category:Media in Indianapolis

Random thoughts, musings, observations, & commentary on life 2017 Pigskin Picks of Profundity…Week 1 We’re baaaaaaccccckkkk. I sincerely hope The Manoverse considers that a good thing, although I know there are those that don’t particularly enjoy sports related topics. Be patient. Y’all know that The Manofesto is a cornucopia where we discuss all kinds of stuff, and I will do my best to not focus solely on football for the next five months. This will be my 6th season making these picks, while my nephew Zach joins me for the fifth time. I finished 2016 with a record of 54-49 (a 52% winning percentage), while Zach struggled a bit and finished at 38-65 (37%). As always Week 1 is all about college football since the NFL hasn’t began its season just yet. Fortunately, because of the College Football Playoff, teams are bulking up their schedules with better early season non-conference games, and we fans are the beneficiaries. There are a couple of monster matchups on the opening weekend, so it wasn’t difficult to choose which games to pick. Let me remind you that Zach & I do not have any money riding on these games and I do not encourage gambling, but if that is an activity that frosts your cupcake and you have the disposable income while still paying your bills & feeding your family then go right ahead and do what you enjoy. Just don’t put too much stock in what you read here…we’re not very good at this. BYU vs. LSU (-12.5) Hurricane Harvey has forced this “neutral site” game, originally to be played in Houston, TX, to the New Orleans Superdome, meaning that it’s not so neutral anymore. I don’t think it makes much of a difference though. The Cougars are coming off of a solid 8-4 season and have already played a game last weekend, beating 1-AA Portland St. in unimpressive fashion. Equaling 2016’s record might be the best BYU can aspire to. The Bayou Bengals also finished last year at 8-4 in a season in which they fired their longtime head coach. RB Leonard Fournette has moved on to the NFL, which isn’t necessarily disastrous for LSU because honestly, he rarely lived up to the hype in my opinion. They probably aren’t winning their conference or even their division, but the boys from Baton Rouge shouldn’t have any problems winning this game. Zach thinks it’ll be a blowout. My Pick: LSU Z’s Pick: LSU California at North Carolina (-12.5) I’d have to do research to know for sure (and that ain’t happening), but it seems like a rare occurrence that the Pac 12 and ACC meet up during the regular season. The Golden Bears were an atrocious 5-7 last year, while the Tar Heels were 8-5. QB Mitch Trubisky & WR Ryan Switzer have both left Chapel Hill behind for the NFL, and that concerns me a little, especially for the first game of the season. I’m not bold enough to predict an outright upset, but the points feel like a bit much to me. Zach doesn’t foresee a blowout, but believes Carolina will win by a comfortable enough margin. My Pick: California Z’s Pick: UNC Texas A&M at UCLA (-3) After losing starting QB Josh Rosen to a shoulder injury in 2016 the Bruins nosedived to a 4-8 record, but Rosen is back and I expect him to be a first round NFL Draft pick next spring. The Aggies started off strong last season but struggled in the second half, limping to an 8-5 finish. They are without the services of defensive end Myles Garrett, who was chosen #1 overall by the Cleveland Browns. UCLA gets just a slight home field bump from the oddsmakers, but I don’t believe it’ll be that close. Zach likes A&M well enough but can’t overlook the home field advantage. My Pick: UCLA Z’s Pick: UCLA Michigan (-5) vs. Florida Michigan might be getting more love and national title hype if a) they didn’t have to replace ¾ of last season’s starters, and b) they didn’t play in the same conference as Ohio St. & Penn St. I expect a slight dropoff for the Wolverines from last year’s 10-3 record, though I still consider them a Top 25 team. Florida plays in the SEC, which might not be as good as in year’s past, but it’s still a pretty tough road. The Gators were 9-4 in 2016 and would probably be more than satisfied to equal that mark this season. This is a neutral site game being played at The Palace in Dallas, which atleast will make it fun to watch on TV. I think the oddsmakers have nailed this one. It’ll be competitive, but Michigan will win by a touchdown. Zach is a huge Michigan fan, but is shocking the world by predicting an upset. My Pick: Michigan Z’s Pick: Florida Florida State vs. Alabama (-7.5) Wow, what a huge game on the opening weekend!! Kudos to both teams. Alabama has won four national championships since 2010 and lost last season’s title game to Clemson on a touchdown pass in the final seconds. The Seminoles haven’t won a national title since 2013 but are always in the conversation. The winner of this game will emerge as the undisputed #1 team in the land, although the loser will still have a decent chance to make the playoff. It’s another neutral site game, this time emanating from the brand spankin’ new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This is a battle of wits between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher. I am expecting a low scoring, smashmouth defensive struggle, with a couple of big plays making the difference. I’m not brave enough to predict the outright upset, but I do think the game will be decided by less than a touchdown. Zach loves Saban and thinks the Tide will roll by two TDs.

The influence of age and chronic restricted feeding on protein synthesis in the small intestine of the rat. Rates of protein synthesis (measured in vivo) and growth of the small intestine were studied as a function of age in ad libitum fed (control) and chronic dietary-restricted rats. At weaning, the fractional rates of synthesis in the mucosal and muscularis externa and serosal layers of the small intestine of control animals were similarly high (90-100% per day). Although these rates subsequently declined with age in the muscularis externa and serosa, they remained constant in the mucosa. Restricted feeding (50% reduced intake), when imposed from weaning onwards, significantly extends the maximum life span of rodents. However, the change in nutritional status slows the accumulation of protein, RNA, and DNA in both layers of the small intestine. Although underfeeding did not prevent the age-related fall in muscularis externa and serosal protein synthesis, significantly higher rates (both fractional and per ribosome) were found when compared age for age with controls. Mucosal fractional synthetic rates were similarly increased by the reduced food intake. These changes in protein turnover in the small intestine are consistent with the higher rates of whole body turnover previously observed in chronically underfed rats.

Quantitative ultrasound bone measurements in pre-pubertal children with type 1 diabetes. This case-control study aimed to assess bone status in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Fifty-seven pre-pubertal patients (37 boys, aged 7.9 ± 2.5 years, T1DM duration 3.1 ± 1.6 years) and 171 age-matched healthy controls (111 boys) were studied. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) was used to measure amplitude dependent speed of sound (Ad-SoS) at hand phalanges (expressed as standard deviation score [SDS]). Anthropometric and disease-related data (including mean HbA(1c) from whole T1DM duration [T], last year [Y], examination day [D]) were collected. Mean Ad-SoS SDS in patients -0.13 ± 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.48, 0.22) was similar to that of controls. Subgroups discriminated according to HbA(1c) D, Y and T (cut-off 7.0%) did not differ regarding analyzed parameters. In patients, Ad-SoS SDS was comparable for both genders. Multivariable stepwise regression analysis showed significant negative influence of diabetes duration on Ad-SoS SDS. QUS findings in pre-pubertal children with T1DM do not differ from those in healthy children. Disease duration seems to affect negatively Ad-SoS SDS. However, independent prospective studies are needed to elucidate the true associations.

Variable persistence of the contagious equine metritis organism in the genital tract of CBA/J, CBA/N, LAF1/J, BALB/c and congenitally thymus-deficient (nude) mice. Five inbred strains of mice, CBA/J, CBA/N, LAF1, BALB/c and congenitally thymus-deficient nude mice of BALB/c background, varied considerably in their susceptibility to the contagious equine metritis organism (CEMO). Whereas all the strains were virtually refractive to vaginal challenge, LAF1 and CBA/N mice were readily infected by intra-uterine inoculation. Based on infection rate and nature of the bacteriological response, CBA/N mice appeared the more susceptible of the 2 strains. Attempts to transmit CEMO to thymus-deficient nude mice were unsuccessful by both of these routes of challenge and by intraperitoneal inoculation, indicating that host resistance to the causal agent is independent of thymus-mediated immune phenomena. No clinical evidence of infection was observed in any of the experimentally infected mice. Although persistence of CEMO in the female reproductive tract varied widely, it could be isolated from some of the CBA/N mice for as long as 19 weeks after challenge by the intra-uterine route. The organism was cultured from the ovaries and/or oviducts of a high percentage of one group of CBA/N mice after 50 days, when it could no longer be recovered from the remainder of the genital tract. Limited attempts to achieve venereal transmission of CEMO between culture-positive female and companion male CBA/N mice were unsuccessful. The relative susceptibility of the CBA/N strain of mice to CEMO would suggest that host resistance to this infection is at least partly dependent on the presence of a fully functional B lymphocyte system. Further studies in this experimental model may elucidate some of the immunological mechanisms underlying development of resistance in the horse, more specifically as they relate to the occurrence of the carrier state in this disease.

Alexander Gale Alexander Gale (17 December 1892 – 31 March 1965) was a New Zealand cricketer. He played one first-class match for Otago in 1929/30. See also List of Otago representative cricketers References External links Category:1892 births Category:1965 deaths Category:New Zealand cricketers Category:Otago cricketers Category:Sportspeople from Glasgow

Life Events and Personality Trait Change. Theory and research have emphasized the impact of life events on personality trait change. In this article, we review prospective research on personality trait change in response to nine major life events in the broader domains of love and work. We expected to find that life events lead to personality trait change to the extent that they have a lasting influence on individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Moreover, we predicted that love-related life events such as marriage or parenthood would be more strongly related to changes in traits that emphasize affective content, whereas work-related life events would be more likely to lead to change in traits that reflect behavioral or cognitive content. The current state of research provided some evidence that life events can lead to changes in personality traits and that different life events may be differently related to specific trait domains. A more general conclusion emerging from this review is that the evidence for the nature, shape, and timing of personality trait change in response to life events is still preliminary. We discuss the implications of the results for theory and research and provide directions for future studies on life events and personality trait change.

New York Fashion Week Bryant Park Known simply as "Fashion Week," the New York shows are one of the biggest insider trade events in America. Buyers, editors, and fashion industry players gather at the Bryant Park Tents twice each year in February and September to view the new seasonal fashion designer collections. Top fashion names such as Michael Kors and Diane Von Furstenberg headline.

Camp Half Blood Join us as we read and discuss Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, starting with "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief". This book club will meet every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5-6pm.

Q: numpy covariance between each column of a matrix and a vector Based on this post, I can get covariance between two vectors using np.cov((x,y), rowvar=0). I have a matrix MxN and a vector Mx1. I want to find the covariance between each column of the matrix and the given vector. I know that I can use for loop to write. I was wondering if I can somehow use np.cov() to get the result directly. A: As Warren Weckesser said, the numpy.cov(X, Y) is a poor fit for the job because it will simply join the arrays in one M by (N+1) array and find the huge (N+1) by (N+1) covariance matrix. But we'll always have the definition of covariance and it's easy to use: A = np.sqrt(np.arange(12).reshape(3, 4)) # some 3 by 4 array b = np.array([[2], [4], [5]]) # some 3 by 1 vector cov = np.dot(b.T - b.mean(), A - A.mean(axis=0)) / (b.shape[0]-1) This returns the covariances of each column of A with b. array([[ 2.21895142, 1.53934466, 1.3379221 , 1.20866607]]) The formula I used is for sample covariance (which is what numpy.cov computes, too), hence the division by (b.shape[0] - 1). If you divide by b.shape[0] you get the unadjusted population covariance. For comparison, the same computation using np.cov: import numpy as np A = np.sqrt(np.arange(12).reshape(3, 4)) b = np.array([[2], [4], [5]]) np.cov(A, b, rowvar=False)[-1, :-1] Same output, but it takes about twice this long (and for large matrices, the difference will be much larger). The slicing at the end is because np.cov computes a 5 by 5 matrix, in which only the first 4 entries of the last row are what you wanted. The rest is covariance of A with itself, or of b with itself. Correlation coefficient The correlation coefficientis obtained by dividing by square roots of variances. Watch out for that -1 adjustment mentioned earlier: numpy.var does not make it by default, to make it happen you need ddof=1 parameter. corr = cov / np.sqrt(np.var(b, ddof=1) * np.var(A, axis=0, ddof=1)) Check that the output is the same as the less efficient version np.corrcoef(A, b, rowvar=False)[-1, :-1]

Imaging the electrical activity of the brain: ELECTRA. The construction of a tomography of neuronal sources is limited by a lack of information. A possible way around this problem is to change the biophysical model that underlies the statement of the inverse problem, i.e., searching for magnitudes that can be better determined from the available data. In this report, we describe a mathematical characterization of the type of currents that are actually able to produce the scalp-recorded EEG. Considering this characterization, we reformulate the bioelectric inverse problem. This approach, called ELECTRA, yields some advantages over the classical formulation in terms of the current density vector: (1) the number of unknowns can be reduced, which is equivalent to increasing the number of independent measurements, (2) the constraints used to reformulate the problem are undeniable since they do not imply any hypothesis about brain function but are instead based on the character of the measurements, and (3) existing experimental evidence suggests that the proposed source model characterizes the type of currents that arise in excitable tissues. We conclude that if the latter fact proves to be true for brain tissues, then no additional information is added to the inverse problem by using a more general source model than the one proposed here. Images obtained using this method for synthetic data, as well as early and middle components of human visual evoked responses to checkerboard stimuli, are presented to illustrate the characteristics of the reconstructed maps and their interpretation.

170 F.3d 183 U.S.v.Cozzens* NO. 98-40953 United States Court of Appeals,Fifth Circuit. January 20, 1999 1 Appeal From: E.D.Tex. 2 Dismissed. * Fed.R.App.P. 34(a); 5th Cir.R. 34-2

Q: ExecuteScript ProcessLog What is the best way to utlize the ProcessorLog within an ExecuteScript processor? I was planning on adding some logging to my groovy ExecuteScript, if an error is encountered in the processing. However, trying to add the log has been unsuccessful. Probably overlooking something obvious. Code Snippet: import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils import java.nio.charset.* import com.google.gson.JsonObject import com.google.gson.JsonParser import java.time.Instant import java.time.LocalDateTime import java.time.ZoneId import org.apache.nifi.logging.ProcessorLog; def flowFile = session.get() if(!flowFile) return def logger = getLogger(); Error 016-04-07 17:13:51,146 ERROR [Timer-Driven Process Thread-6] o.a.nifi.processors.script.ExecuteScript org.apache.nifi.processor.exception.ProcessException: javax.script.ScriptException: javax.script.ScriptException: groovy.lang.MissingMethodException: No signature of method: org.codehaus.groovy.jsr223.GroovyScriptEngineImpl.getLogger() is applicable for argument types: () values: [] Possible solutions: getContext() at org.apache.nifi.processors.script.ExecuteScript.onTrigger(ExecuteScript.java:205) ~[nifi-scripting-processors-0.5.1.jar:0.5.1] at org.apache.nifi.controller.StandardProcessorNode.onTrigger(StandardProcessorNode.java:1139) [nifi-framework-core-0.5.1.jar:0.5.1] at org.apache.nifi.controller.tasks.ContinuallyRunProcessorTask.call(ContinuallyRunProcessorTask.java:139) [nifi-framework-core-0.5.1.jar:0.5.1] at org.apache.nifi.controller.tasks.ContinuallyRunProcessorTask.call(ContinuallyRunProcessorTask.java:49) [nifi-framework-core-0.5.1.jar:0.5.1] at org.apache.nifi.controller.scheduling.TimerDrivenSchedulingAgent$1.run(TimerDrivenSchedulingAgent.java:124) [nifi-framework-core-0.5.1.jar:0.5.1] at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:511) [na:1.8.0_05] at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.runAndReset(FutureTask.java:308) [na:1.8.0_05] at java.util.concurrent.ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor$ScheduledFutureTask.access$301(ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.java:180) [na:1.8.0_05] at java.util.concurrent.ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor$ScheduledFutureTask.run(ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.java:294) [na:1.8.0_05] at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142) [na:1.8.0_05] at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617) [na:1.8.0_05] at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745) [na:1.8.0_05] Caused by: javax.script.ScriptException: javax.script.ScriptException: groovy.lang.MissingMethodException: No signature of method: org.codehaus.groovy.jsr223.GroovyScriptEngineImpl.getLogger() is applicable for argument types: () values: [] A: I believe ExecuteScript makes three objects available: session context log So I think you should be able to just do: log.error("my message")

Q: Difficulty simulating events for unit testing in Jest/Enzyme/ReactTS with third party controls I am using BlueprintJS controls in my React controls, and one of them is a Blueprint Select control. What I need to be able to do is simulate changing the value in the dropdown, just like I would be able to with a standard html select, however because this is a separate 3rd party control, I do not know how to simulate this event. I've pasted the output template for the blueprint control below, but if I try and simulate itemselected or changed, it says cannot simulate these events. Any idea how I can simulate this using Enzyme/Jest? <Blueprint2.Select disabled={false} filterable={false} itemRenderer={[Function]} items={ Array [ "JK", "User1", "User2", ] } onItemSelect={[MockFunction]} > <Blueprint2.QueryList disabled={false} itemRenderer={[Function]} items={ Array [ "JK", "User1", "User2", ] } onActiveItemChange={[Function]} onItemSelect={[Function]} query="" renderer={[Function]} > <Blueprint2.Popover autoFocus={false} className="" defaultIsOpen={false} disabled={false} enforceFocus={false} hasBackdrop={false} hoverCloseDelay={300} hoverOpenDelay={150} inheritDarkTheme={true} interactionKind="click" isOpen={false} minimal={false} modifiers={Object {}} onInteraction={[Function]} openOnTargetFocus={true} popoverClassName="pt-select-popover" popoverDidOpen={[Function]} popoverWillClose={[Function]} popoverWillOpen={[Function]} position="bottom-left" rootElementTag="span" targetElementTag="div" transitionDuration={300} usePortal={true} > <Manager className="pt-popover-wrapper" tag="span" > <span className="pt-popover-wrapper" > <Target className="pt-popover-target" component="div" innerRef={[Function]} onClick={[Function]} > <div className="pt-popover-target" onClick={[Function]} > <div className="" key=".0" onKeyDown={[Function]} > JK </div> </div> </Target> <Blueprint2.Overlay autoFocus={false} backdropClassName="pt-popover-backdrop" backdropProps={Object {}} canEscapeKeyClose={true} canOutsideClickClose={true} didOpen={[Function]} enforceFocus={false} hasBackdrop={false} isOpen={false} lazy={true} onClose={[Function]} transitionDuration={300} transitionName="pt-popover" usePortal={true} /> </span> </Manager> </Blueprint2.Popover> </Blueprint2.QueryList> </Blueprint2.Select> A: For anyone trying to do something similar In the end I used the props on the blueprint Select component to access the onItemSelect() function. Code below const pb = wrapper.find("Select").first(); expect(pb.exists()).toBeTruthy(); const props = pb.props() as any; props.onItemSelect("User2");

Multi-zone HVAC systems (hereinafter ‘HVAC zoned systems’) include one or more components to condition air that enters the system and drive the conditioned air through supply ducts to multiple zones within a building. Each supply duct includes zone dampers that may be adjusted to control a flow of the conditioned air into each zone to achieve a desired temperature and airflow within the zone. When a zone reaches a desired conditioned state, typically, the zone dampers associated with the zone are closed. Since a fixed amount of air is delivered by the air handler of the HVAC system under most operational conditions, when the zone dampers of one zone are closed, additional air is driven through the remaining zones that have open zone dampers which causes static pressure to build up in the remaining zones and affect a balance of airflow and pressure across the HVAC system. The increased amount of air that is driven through any one zone may cause the zone to be over-conditioned and increase a noise level in the zone to undesirable levels. The term ‘static pressure’ as used herein refers to an external static pressure of the HVAC system. One conventional solution to relieve the static pressure and reduce the airflow noise includes providing a bypass system which includes a bypass damper that allows the excess or additional air to be returned to the return duct and back to the temperature changing elements (heating or cooling coils) of the HVAC system via a bypass duct. However, conventional bypass dampers that are used in the bypass system do not provide any means for precisely controlling the amount of conditioned air that is returned to the return duct and the temperature changing elements of the HVAC system. The inability of the conventional bypass dampers to provide a precise control of the amount of conditioned air that is returned to the return duct may negatively affect the efficiency of the HVAC system and cause additional problems. For example, in a cooling cycle, cold air that is returned to the return duct via the bypass damper of the bypass system may reduce the temperature of the air that reaches the evaporator coil, thereby making the evaporator coil colder and reducing its efficiency. Further in said example, since the conventional bypass dampers do not provide precise control of the conditioned air that is returned to the return duct, sometimes a large amount of cold air may be returned to the return duct which may reduce to the temperature of the air that reaches the evaporator coil to an extent that it could freeze the evaporator coil. One conventional bypass damper is a mechanical bypass damper that utilizes a weighted arm with a spring and typically includes two damper positions, i.e., a fully open position and a fully closed position. Other conventional bypass dampers, such as modulating bypass dampers that can be incrementally closed to provide control over the amount of conditioned air that is returned to the return duct do exist. However, a flow of conditioned air with a change in damper positions of said modulating bypass dampers exhibit a nonlinear behavior, thereby affecting an ability to accurately determine the amount of air that flows through the bypass damper at each damper position of the bypass damper. Other solutions to relieve the static pressure and reduce the airflow noise without using bypass systems do exist. One such solution includes smart HVAC zoned systems, such as a multi-stage or modulating HVAC system that does not include a bypass. Instead, the smart HVAC systems use alternate techniques to relieve the static pressure and reduce the airflow noise in the zones where additional air is delivered. Such alternate techniques may include reducing the airflow using a variable speed blower, reducing equipment capacity, dumping into set back zones, etc. However, once the attempts to reduce the airflow noise using the alternate techniques have been exhausted and the airflow noise is still above an undesirable level, then, the smart HVAC system shuts down which in turn may leave one or more zones under-conditioned. For systems that are prone to noise issues, e.g., systems with many zones, or small ductwork, etc., one or more zones may remain under-conditioned regularly. Therefore, improvements to HVAC systems with zones are described herein. It is noted that this background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure.

UKPSF on a page: updated November 14th Some time ago, Sally and I collected together the main gist of the UKPSF on a colour-coded single sheet, best printed A3. I’ve now revised and updated this, to reflect the current specifications and guidance as found on the HEA website, and hope this will be useful to those working towards Associate Fellowship, Fellowship, Senior Fellowship or Principal Fellowship. grid-2017-w.docx (285 downloads)

Post navigation Adding spaCy Demo and API into TextAnalysisOnline I have added spaCy demo and api into TextAnalysisOnline, you can test spaCy by our scaCy demo and use spaCy in other languages such as Java/JVM/Android, Node.js, PHP, Objective-C/i-OS, Ruby, .Net and etc by Mashape api platform. If you want use sapCy API, you can use the Text Analysis API on Mashape. Text Analysis API provides a basic plan for free using this api with 1000 request per day. For commercial purposes, it receive little money for our VPS and service.

1. Field of the Invention Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for providing network information. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for providing network information, which determine the network state of nodes existing in a network and provide the state information to a new node when the new node connects to the distributed network. 2. Description of the Related Art Along with the introduction of wireless networks such as a mobile phone network, wireless LANs, WiBro, WiFi, and Bluetooth networks, services using peer-to-peer communication between mobile devices (hereinafter, called “nodes”) have become widespread. That is, nodes exist in a network and communicate with each other to share information, namely transmit and receive data. In the case where a new node tries to connect to a network in such a distributed network environment, the new node may not be able to easily establish a network connection depending upon the network state of the nodes already existing in the network. FIG. 1 illustrates the conventional distributed wireless network, and shows the case where a new node 10 is connected to a pre-existing network. In the case where the new node 10 tries to connect to a network consisting of a plurality of nodes, the new node 10 tries to enter the network using network information 15 of another node, which the new node 10 has. For example, in the case where the new node 10 has network information 15 of node 1 11 and node 2 12, the new node 10 first tries to connect to node 1 11, and, if the try fails, it tries to connect to node 2 12. However, as illustrated in FIG. 1, because node 1 11 is connected to the other nodes, when the new node 10 is connected to node 1, it is possible that node 1 11 is unable to appropriately operate because of the lack of memory resources or network resources. Further, at the moment when the new node 10 tries to connect to node 2 12, if node 2 12 leaves the network, the network connection of the new node 10 fails. Hence, it is preferable for the new node 10 to try to connect to a node whose network state is good; for example, a node to which only a few other nodes are connected, or a node that is expected to maintain the connection to the network. For this, the methods described below can be used. First, the new node 10 tries to connect to node 1 11 and node 2 12 at the same time. Here, the method of connecting to a plurality of nodes at the same time can form a loop with the connected nodes; however, in such case overhead can be created and can decrease efficient use of system resources of the nodes connected to the loop. Second, nodes existing in the network periodically transmit and receive their network states. As such, the method of periodically transmitting and receiving the network state between nodes can increase the load on the network. Third, a separate device collects the network state of nodes and provides the collected information to the new node 10. However, there should be a separate device, and because the band for the whole network needs to be used for collecting the network state of the nodes, the network can become overloaded. Hence, there is a need for a method in which a new node 10 can try to and connect to valid nodes without a separate device, minimizing the increase of the network load.

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BS News, keeping it real NC State Senator Wants To Ban Male HS Students From Wearing Pink North Carolina is gaining a reputation as one of the most intolerant states in the nation. A state senator has sponsored legislation that would bar male high school students from wearing pink. “I want to ensure that young men stay on the straight and narrow and don’t start dabbling with that faggy stuff at an early age,” said State Sen. Cletus Roberts. “Boys need to stick to solid manly colors like black, brown and blue.” North Carolina is currently facing a civil rights lawsuit from the Department of Justice over a law that would force transgender people to use bathrooms corresponding with their birth gender.

Mimi's Protein Balls My 14 year old daughter has a penchant for the protein balls on offer at cafe's and juice bars these days, and she adores the Bliss Balls from the health food store. I often make her my Raw Chocolate Truffles I posted in the forum a while back, but sometimes she doesn't feel chocolate-y. So I came up with these. They are more of a caramel flavoured variation. I did a lot of research on the difference between whey protein powder and normal milk powder. Whey is a byproduct of cheese or yoghurt making, and is the liquid that we all see in our yoghurt that we stir back in, or drain to make the yoghurt thicker. So in theory, you could replace the liquid in these protein balls, with that liquid for a better quality protein content. Other than that, as best as I can determine, there is no real benefit in using whey protein over milk powder, unless you are casein or lactose intolerant. Someone out there is making a lotta money out of that little bit of ignorance. I guess it's different if you're an athlete or body builder perhaps, but for we mere mortals, I'd use the milk powder. Skimmed if you prefer. Rice Malt Syrup is available in the health food aisle at the supermarket and is a great low GI alternative to honey or golden syrup. These are a great no bake treat if you're short on time too. Mimi's Protein Balls Makes 14 1 cup peanut butter 3 tablespoons Rice Malt Syrup (or honey or golden syrup) 1/2 cup powdered milk powder 1/2 cup dessicated coconut 1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut essence Water to form a thick paste, maybe 1-2 tablespoons Stir all ingredients together with a spoon until crumbly, adding the liquid to form a thick paste, similar in texture to cookie dough. Roll into large teaspoon sized balls and roll in coconut or almond meal before chilling. Today I rolled hers in almond meal and she particularly loves this. These are very yummy and healthy and you can also use coconut oil, macadamia butter, tahini or almond butter instead of peanut butter, and for an evil half-healthy treat, dip them in melted chocolate.

Thermal regeneration has been proposed for increasing the thermal efficiency of an internal combustion engine. Thermal regeneration consists of the introduction of a heat exchanger within the cylinder which has a core made from a material capable of withstanding nigh temperatures while exhibiting low thermal conductivity. During the exhaust cycle of the engine, the core absorbs the exhaust gas heat. The exhaust gas heat is then transferred from the core to the working fluid following the compression cycle, but prior to or during the combustion of fuel, in order to reduce the required quantity of fuel to be burned. A regenerative internal combustion engine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,284 issued to Allan J. Ferrenberg et. al. on Dec. 13, 1988 wherein a regenerator captures the unutilized heat normally expelled with the exhaust products of an engine and transfers it to the fresh working fluid at the appropriate time in the next engine operating cycle to reduce the quantity of fuel which must be burned such as that described above. This is accomplished through the use of a permeable, movable heat exchanger located between the piston and the cylinder head. However, the quantity of heat which can be recirculated in this way corresponds to the cooling from the temperature of the exhaust gas after expansion to the temperature of the compressed gas late in the compression process. Therefore, when the gas is compressed isentropically, its end-of-compression temperature is high which limits the efficacy of the regenerator in the disclosed patent. The present invention is directed at overcoming the problems as set forth above.

Pwllheli and Llanbedrog Tramway The Pwllheli and Llanbedrog Tramway was a narrow gauge horse tramway on the coast of the Llŷn Peninsula. It was originally constructed to convey stone for building from Carreg-y-Defaid to Pwllheli's West End , with a second element to run between Pwllheli town centre and the West End resort on the sea front. The two were later linked, and extended to Llanbedrog in July 1897 . The tramway was one of many developed by Solomon Andrews. History The tramway was constructed shortly after Solomon Andrews purchased his land holdings in Pwllheli in 1893. It comprised a 2.5-mile stretch from the Carreg-y-defaid quarry, south-west of Pwllheli to West End, for the purposes of carrying stone for the construction of the sea wall and The Parade. Construction was underway in May 1894, and the tramway was open to the quarry by the summer of 1894. The tramway timetable of 1 August 1896 shows the service from West End starting at 9:00 am, running at 40-minute intervals until 8:20 pm. The fare was 2d () and toast-rack and covered single-deck cars were in service. A horse bus provided a connection between West End and the town. In the 12 months ending June 1895, 1332 wagon loads of stone were transported from the quarry. Unfortunately a storm in 1896 destroyed much of the line which had been laid along the beach. It was reconstructed further inland and opened shortly afterwards. In September 1896, Andrews purchased an estate at Llanbedrog, including the large house of Glyn-y-weddw. The tramway was extended to Llanbedrog from July 1897 . Glyn-y-weddw was opened as an art gallery and this attracted holiday makers from the West End resort to use the tramway. By 1909 the service had been reduced considerably, with further reductions in 1911. During the National Eisteddfod held in Pwllheli in 1925, the tramway was packed to capacity. On 28 October 1927 a storm over the north Wales area drove the sea inland over half a mile along the Embankment Road, and a long section of the tramway between Carreg-y-Defaid and Tyddyn-Caled was swept away. The Andrews' Estate announced that the main section of the tramway would not reopen, although the Cardiff Road section within Pwllheli (between the West End and Ala Road) did run in summer 1928 . The tramway was offered to the local Corporation, but they declined the offer; as funds were not forthcoming for its reconstruction, it never reopened. Although Kidner gave the gauge as 3ft 6in all other sources agree that it was 3ft (914mm). One car is preserved on a piece of track at Glyn-y-weddw, Llanbedrog. References Sources External links The line on an Edwardian 6" OS map, via National Library of Scotland Restored tramcar Category:3 ft gauge railways in Wales Category:Closed railway lines in Wales Category:Pwllheli Category:1894 establishments in Wales Category:1927 disestablishments in Wales

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2018 • INNOVATION AT THE INTERSECTION Angela Belcher ANGELA BELCHER of MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research uses materials science and nanotechnology to create cancer imaging agents that could one day help surgeons find and remove small tumors that they currently can’t see during surgery. Belcher and her lab have shown that surgeons using their nanoparticle-based technology could find tumors less than one millimeter in size in mice, and that lab animals whose tumors were removed with the help of the imaging technique lived 40 percent longer. Her lab is moving towards non-invasive imaging and screening for the early detection of ovarian cancer.

Liberty Science Center, #LSCAfterDark, Jersey City, NJ Liberty Science Center threw the BBQ of the summer earlier this week for their latest LSC After Dark 21+ event: “Electric BBQ!” They teamed up with Midnight Market Jersey City, and I had the opportunity to try the popular nightlife sensation that’s perfect for a night out. The venue was filled with food vendors serving everything from tapas-style plates to delicious meatballs from Hanna’s Meatball to tiny desserts. There were also different cocktails available at the bar, such as frosé, but my personal favorite was the sangria with dry ice! You couldn’t have enjoyed a more beautiful summer night with the gorgeous NYC skyline as your view while munching on these snacks. To top off the night, we even got to enjoy a truly electrifying light show at the The IMAX Dome. On the third Thursday of every month, enjoy an after-hours adventure at Liberty Science Center. Guests 21 and over where you can enjoy cocktails, food, music, dancing, laser shows and more. Don’t miss the fun!

In a normal Yahoo league, if I have a player in a roster spot...say C. If his team is scheduled for an early game and he ends up riding pine for that game. Why should the roster spot be locked? Why shouldn't I be able to go in and replace him with my backup C who plays tonight, provided that the original C hasn't become active in the early game yet? I guess I can see it both ways, but I can't find a compelling argument why it would not be better to allow you to bench a player even if his game has started if he is himself benched in that game... You can't predict that he won't come into the game at some point, just because he doesn't start doesn't mean he won't play. By having him in the lineup at the time of the game you are making a decision to play him for whatever he does in that game. byfrcp wrote:You can't predict that he won't come into the game at some point, just because he doesn't start doesn't mean he won't play. By having him in the lineup at the time of the game you are making a decision to play him for whatever he does in that game. I understand that with the current rules, that I'm committing to him when the game starts. I just don't know if it really makes much sense to have such a rule. Why would you need to predict anything? If he starts playing at some point in the game, the spot is locked because he is active. If he never plays in the game, why lock the slot? Maybe this is to allow people to have lives outside of FBB and not be at a disadvantage to league mates who spend every minute checking their rosters and activating/deactivating their players based on whether they get starts or not? Much of this comes back to the same reasoning behind locking down players whose game is rained out. Our actual scoring is based upon official, overnight statistics. Completely independent of this, we get real-time stats during the days. However, this feed of data is subject to completely different constraints and guarantees, and is not official. If we get incorrect overnight statistics, we can correct them after the fact. However, if we get incorrect real-time data, and you change your roster based upon that, we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube and correct it; there is no room for, "I wouldn't have put that guy in my lineup if I'd realized that my other catcher actually played.", or whatever similar situation might arise. Now imagine the situation where one owner in a league gets caught by an inaccuracy in the unofficial real-time stats and another doesn't; that is an angry owner. In situations like this, one of our guiding principles is to try to make sure that we can apply the same, consistent rules to all owners. If we ended up effectively basing the official scoring on your league on unofficial real-time data, we couldn't reliably guarantee that fairness. So even if the current state of things will sometime lead to arguably sub-optimal consequences, it is the same for all managers. I agree with the consensus here that a roster spot should be locked in this situation. However, I had another situation come up today with regards to locked roster spots that I'd be curious to hear thoughts on. I checked my team around 6:45 to see if any of my players weren't starting in the 7 p.m. games, and saw that Ellsbury was not going to be in the lineup (game hadn't started yet). On my bench I had Melvin Mora, who was going to be playing (game hadn't started yet). Of course, Mora is not an OF... but in my IF spot I had the ever-versatile Chris Duncan, who had already played. I was hoping I could move Duncan from IF to OF (in no way gaining an advantage by knowledge of what happened in his game) and then slide Mora in at IF. Alas, no can do. I'm not mad about this in the slightest, but it did get me thinking that it would be cool if we could move players who had already played to different positions in our lineups as long as we don't remove them. You really don't get any knowledge advantage here, it just gives you some added flexibility. Anyone agree? Disagree? Fantasy Sports Genie wrote:Much of this comes back to the same reasoning behind locking down players whose game is rained out. Our actual scoring is based upon official, overnight statistics. Completely independent of this, we get real-time stats during the days. However, this feed of data is subject to completely different constraints and guarantees, and is not official. If we get incorrect overnight statistics, we can correct them after the fact. However, if we get incorrect real-time data, and you change your roster based upon that, we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube and correct it; there is no room for, "I wouldn't have put that guy in my lineup if I'd realized that my other catcher actually played.", or whatever similar situation might arise. Now imagine the situation where one owner in a league gets caught by an inaccuracy in the unofficial real-time stats and another doesn't; that is an angry owner. In situations like this, one of our guiding principles is to try to make sure that we can apply the same, consistent rules to all owners. If we ended up effectively basing the official scoring on your league on unofficial real-time data, we couldn't reliably guarantee that fairness. So even if the current state of things will sometime lead to arguably sub-optimal consequences, it is the same for all managers. Hope that helps clear it up. Thanks for the explanation. I can appreciate that you have broader concerns than my specific preferences. Spartans Rule wrote:I agree with the consensus here that a roster spot should be locked in this situation. However, I had another situation come up today with regards to locked roster spots that I'd be curious to hear thoughts on. I checked my team around 6:45 to see if any of my players weren't starting in the 7 p.m. games, and saw that Ellsbury was not going to be in the lineup (game hadn't started yet). On my bench I had Melvin Mora, who was going to be playing (game hadn't started yet). Of course, Mora is not an OF... but in my IF spot I had the ever-versatile Chris Duncan, who had already played. I was hoping I could move Duncan from IF to OF (in no way gaining an advantage by knowledge of what happened in his game) and then slide Mora in at IF. Alas, no can do. I'm not mad about this in the slightest, but it did get me thinking that it would be cool if we could move players who had already played to different positions in our lineups as long as we don't remove them. You really don't get any knowledge advantage here, it just gives you some added flexibility. Anyone agree? Disagree? i don't really agree with you here. to me once a player's game has started he should be locked. where you have him set in your lineup up to that point is up to you. on another note, ESPN still has the upper hand over Yahoo in allowing add/drop up until the first game of the current day. with Yahoo you still have to make those transactions before midnight. IMO Yahoo keeps falling behind more and more as ESPN adds better features and a better (and now more reliable) interface.

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player. Dear uncle shine, I am in class four and I don't get nice grades in science how can I improve my self? Problem About Studies City Riyadh School/College Pakistan International School Total Views 367 Published Feb 22nd 2011 Answer Science is an interesting subject if you can understand it. You'll always find plenty of cool and interesting things in science. Find simple science experiments and perform them. Experiments are an awesome part of science that allow students of all ages to engage in fun and exciting hands on learning experiences that they are sure to enjoy. However for a solemn study you should follow these things. Write it down. Writing down what is being taught helps a lot more than you would imagine. You'll also be able catch things your teacher might say that won't be in your textbooks and handouts. Practice. Science, like math, is a matter of practice. The best way to drive the facts into your brain is to repeatedly work on them. Do your homework. Teachers give homework for many reasons, and giving you the opportunity to practice is one of them. Read. Of course, the foundation of whatever you take up in your science class is the textbook. No matter what, the lesson will always take you back to that thick stack of bound paper.

--- abstract: 'This research work presents a new class of non-blind information hiding algorithms that are stego-secure and robust. They are based on some finite domains iterations having the Devaney’s topological chaos property. Thanks to a complete formalization of the approach we prove security against watermark-only attacks of a large class of steganographic algorithms. Finally a complete study of robustness is given in frequency DWT and DCT domains.' author: - | Jacques M. Bahi, Jean-François Couchot, and Christophe Guyeux[^1]\ University of Franche-Comté, Computer Science Laboratory, Belfort, France\ {jacques.bahi, jean-francois.couchot, christophe.guyeux}@univ-fcomte.fr bibliography: - 'abbrev2.bib' - 'mabase.bib' - 'biblioand2.bib' title: 'Steganography: a class of secure and robust algorithms' --- Introduction {#sec:intro} ============ This work focus on non-blind binary information hiding chaotic schemes: the original host is required to extract the binary hidden information. This context is indeed not as restrictive as it could primarily appear. Firstly, it allows to prove the authenticity of a document sent through the Internet (the original document is stored whereas the stego content is sent). Secondly, Alice and Bob can establish an hidden channel into a streaming video (Alice and Bob both have the same movie, and Alice hide information into the frame number $k$ iff the binary digit number $k$ of its hidden message is 1). Thirdly, based on a similar idea, a same given image can be marked several times by using various secret parameters owned both by Alice and Bob. Thus more than one bit can be embedded into a given image by using this work. Lastly, non-blind watermarking is useful in network’s anonymity and intrusion detection [@Houmansadr09], and to protect digital data sending through the Internet [@P1150442004]. Furthermore, enlarging the given payload of a data hiding scheme leads clearly to a degradation of its security: the smallest the number of embedded bits is, the better the security is. Chaos-based approaches are frequently proposed to improve the quality of schemes in information hiding [@Wu2007; @Liu07; @CongJQZ06; @Zhu06]. In these works, the understanding of chaotic systems is almost intuitive: a kind of noise-like spread system with sensitive dependence on initial condition. Practically, some well-known chaotic maps are used either in the data encryption stage [@Liu07; @CongJQZ06], in the embedding into the carrier medium, or in both [@Wu2007; @Wu2007bis]. Methods referenced above are almost based on two fundamental chaotic maps, namely the Chebychev and logistic maps, which range in $\mathbb{R}$. To avoid justifying that functions which are chaotic in $\mathbb{R}$ still remain chaotic in the computing representation (*i.e.*, floating numbers) we argue that functions should be iterated on finite domains. Boolean discrete-time dynamical systems (BS) are thus iterated. Furthermore, previously referenced works often focus on discretion and/or robustness properties, but they do not consider security. As far as we know, stego-security [@Cayre2008] and chaos-security have only been proven on the spread spectrum watermarking [@Cox97securespread], and on the dhCI algorithm [@gfb10:ip], which is notably based on iterating the negation function. We argue that other functions can provide algorithms as secure as the dhCI one. This work generalizes thus this latter algorithm and formalizes all its stages. Due to this formalization, we address the proofs of the two security properties for a large class of steganography approaches. This research work is organized as follows. It firstly introduces the new class of algorithms (Sec. \[sec:formalization\]), which is the first contribution. Next, the Section \[sec:security\] presents a State-of-the-art in information hiding security and shows how secure is our approach. The proof is the second contribution. The chaos-security property is studied in Sec. \[sec:chaossecurity\] and instances of algorithms guaranteeing that desired property are presented. This is the fourth contribution. Applications in frequency domains (namely DWT and DCT embedding) are formalized and corresponding experiments are given in Sec. \[sec:applications\]. This shows the applicability of the whole approach. Finally, conclusive remarks and perspectives are given in Sec. \[sec:concl\]. Information hiding algorithm: formalization {#sec:formalization} =========================================== As far as we know, no result rules that the chaotic behavior of a function that has been established on $\mathbb{R}$ remains on the floating numbers. As stated before, this work presents the alternative to iterate a Boolean map: results that are theoretically obtained in that domain are preserved during implementations. In this section, we first give some recalls on Boolean discrete dynamical Systems (BS). With this material, next sections formalize the information hiding algorithms based on these Boolean iterations. Boolean discrete dynamical systems {#sub:bdds} ---------------------------------- Let us denote by $\llbracket a ; b \rrbracket$ the interval of integers: $\{a, a+1, \hdots, b\}$, where $a \leqslant b$. Let $n$ be a positive integer. A Boolean discrete-time network is a discrete dynamical system defined from a [*Boolean map*]{} $f:{\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n\to{\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$ s.t. $$x=(x_1,\dots,x_n)\mapsto f(x)=(f_1(x),\dots,f_n(x)),$$ [*and an iteration scheme*]{}: parallel, serial, asynchronous… With the parallel iteration scheme, the dynamics of the system are described by $x^{t+1}=f(x^t)$ where $x^0 \in {\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$. Let thus $F_f: \llbracket1;n\rrbracket\times {\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{n}$ to ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$ be defined by $$F_f(i,x)=(x_1,\dots,x_{i-1},f_i(x),x_{i+1},\dots,x_n),$$ with the *asynchronous* scheme, the dynamics of the system are described by $x^{t+1}=F_f(s^t,x^t)$ where $x^0\in{\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$ and $s$ is a [*strategy*]{}, *i.e.*, a sequence in $\llbracket1;n\rrbracket^{\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}$. Notice that this scheme only modifies one element at each iteration. Let $G_f$ be the map from $\mathcal{X}= \llbracket1;n\rrbracket^{\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}\times{\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$ to itself s.t. $$G_f(s,x)=(\sigma(s),F_f(s^0,x)),$$ where $\sigma(s)^t=s^{t+1}$ for all $t$ in ${\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}$. Notice that parallel iteration of $G_f$ from an initial point $X^0=(s,x^0)$ describes the “same dynamics” as the asynchronous iteration of $f$ induced by the initial point $x^0$ and the strategy $s$. Finally, let $f$ be a map from ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$ to itself. The [*asynchronous iteration graph*]{} associated with $f$ is the directed graph $\Gamma(f)$ defined by: the set of vertices is ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$; for all $x\in{\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^n$ and $i\in \llbracket1;n\rrbracket$, $\Gamma(f)$ contains an arc from $x$ to $F_f(i,x)$. We have already established [@GuyeuxThese10] that we can define a distance $d$ on $\mathcal{X}$ such that $G_f$ is a continuous and chaotic function according to Devaney [@Devaney]. The next section focus on the coding step of the steganographic algorithm based on $G_f$ iterations. Coding {#sub:wmcoding} ------ In what follows, $y$ always stands for a digital content we wish to hide into a digital host $x$. The data hiding scheme presented here does not constrain media to have a constant size. It is indeed sufficient to provide a function and a strategy that may be parametrized with the size of the elements to modify. The *mode* and the *strategy-adapter* defined below achieve this goal. \[def:mode\] A map $f$, which associates to any $n \in \mathds{N}$ an application $f_n : \mathds{B}^n \rightarrow \mathds{B}^n$, is called a *mode*. For instance, the *negation mode* is defined by the map that assigns to every integer $n \in \mathds{N}^*$ the function $${\neg}_n:\mathds{B}^n \to \mathds{B}^n, (x_1, \hdots, x_n) \mapsto (\overline{x_1}, \hdots, \overline{x_n}).$$ \[def:strategy-adapter\] A *strategy-adapter* is a function $\mathcal{S}$ from ${\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}$ to the set of integer sequences, which associates to $n$ a sequence $S \in \llbracket 1, n\rrbracket^\mathds{N}$. Intuitively, a strategy-adapter aims at generating a strategy $(S^t)^{t \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$ where each term $S^t$ belongs to $\llbracket 1, n \rrbracket$. Moreover it may be parametrized in order to depend on digital media to embed. For instance, let us define the *Chaotic Iterations with Independent Strategy* (*CIIS*) strategy-adapter. The CIIS strategy-adapter with parameters $(K,y,\alpha,l) \in [0,1]\times [0,1] \times ]0, 0.5[ \times \mathds{N}$ is the function that associates to any $n \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}$ the sequence $(S^t)^{t \in \mathds{N}}$ defined by: - $K^0 = \textit{bin}(y) \oplus \textit{bin}(K)$: $K^0$ is the real number whose binary decomposition is equal to the bitwise exclusive or (xor) between the binary decompositions of $y$ and of $K$; - $\forall t \leqslant l, K^{t+1} = F(K^t,\alpha)$; - $\forall t \leqslant l, S^t = \left \lfloor n \times K^t \right \rfloor + 1$; - $\forall t > l, S^t = 0$. where $F$ is the piecewise linear chaotic map [@Shujun1], recalled in what follows: \[def:fonction chaotique linéaire par morceaux\] Let $\alpha \in ]0; 0.5[$ be a control parameter. The *piecewise linear chaotic map* is the map $F$ defined by: $$F(t,\alpha) = \left\{ \begin{array}{cl} \dfrac{t}{\alpha} & t \in [0; \alpha],\\ \dfrac{t-\alpha}{\frac{1}{2}-\alpha} & t \in [\alpha;\frac{1}{2}],\\ F(1-t,\alpha) & t \in [\frac{1}{2}; 1].\\ \end{array} \right.$$ Contrary to the logistic map, the use of this piecewise linear chaotic map is relevant in cryptographic usages [@Arroyo08]. Parameters of CIIS strategy-adapter will be instantiate as follows: $K$ is the secret embedding key, $y$ is the secret message, $\alpha$ is the threshold of the piecewise linear chaotic map, which can be set as $K$ or can act as a second secret key. Lastly, $l$ is for the iteration number bound: enlarging its value improve the chaotic behavior of the scheme, but the time required to achieve the embedding grows too. Another strategy-adapter is the *Chaotic Iterations with Dependent Strategy* (CIDS) with parameters $(l,X) \in \mathds{N}\times \mathds{B}^\mathds{N}$, which is the function that maps any $ n \in \mathds{N}$ to the sequence $\left(S^t\right)^{t \in \mathds{N}}$ defined by: - $\forall t \leqslant l$, if $t \leqslant l$ and $X^t = 1$, then $S^t=t$, else $S^t=1$; - $\forall t > l, S^t = 0$. Let us notice that the terms of $x$ that may be replaced by terms taken from $y$ are less important than other: they could be changed without be perceived as such. More generally, a *signification function* attaches a weight to each term defining a digital media, w.r.t. its position $t$: A *signification function* is a real sequence $(u^k)^{k \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$. For instance, let us consider a set of grayscale images stored into portable graymap format (P3-PGM): each pixel ranges between 256 gray levels, *i.e.*, is memorized with eight bits. In that context, we consider $u^k = 8 - (k \mod 8)$ to be the $k$-th term of a signification function $(u^k)^{k \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$. Intuitively, in each group of eight bits (*i.e.*, for each pixel) the first bit has an importance equal to 8, whereas the last bit has an importance equal to 1. This is compliant with the idea that changing the first bit affects more the image than changing the last one. \[def:msc,lsc\] Let $(u^k)^{k \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$ be a signification function, $m$ and $M$ be two reals s.t. $m < M$. Then the *most significant coefficients (MSCs)* of $x$ is the finite vector $u_M$, the *least significant coefficients (LSCs)* of $x$ is the finite vector $u_m$, and the *passive coefficients* of $x$ is the finite vector $u_p$ such that: $$\begin{aligned} u_M &=& \left( k ~ \big|~ k \in \mathds{N} \textrm{ and } u^k \geqslant M \textrm{ and } k \le \mid x \mid \right) \\ u_m &=& \left( k ~ \big|~ k \in \mathds{N} \textrm{ and } u^k \le m \textrm{ and } k \le \mid x \mid \right) \\ u_p &=& \left( k ~ \big|~ k \in \mathds{N} \textrm{ and } u^k \in ]m;M[ \textrm{ and } k \le \mid x \mid \right)\end{aligned}$$ For a given host content $x$, MSCs are then ranks of $x$ that describe the relevant part of the image, whereas LSCs translate its less significant parts. We are then ready to decompose an host $x$ into its coefficients and then to recompose it. Next definitions formalize these two steps. Let $(u^k)^{k \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$ be a signification function, $\mathfrak{B}$ the set of finite binary sequences, $\mathfrak{N}$ the set of finite integer sequences, $m$ and $M$ be two reals s.t. $m < M$. Any host $x$ can be decomposed into $$(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\phi_{m},\phi_{p}) \in \mathfrak{N} \times \mathfrak{N} \times \mathfrak{N} \times \mathfrak{B} \times \mathfrak{B} \times \mathfrak{B}$$ where - $u_M$, $u_m$, and $u_p$ are coefficients defined in Definition \[def:msc,lsc\]; - $\phi_{M} = \left( x^{u^1_M}, x^{u^2_M}, \ldots,x^{u^{|u_M|}_M}\right)$; - $\phi_{m} = \left( x^{u^1_m}, x^{u^2_m}, \ldots,x^{u^{|u_m|}_m} \right)$; - $\phi_{p} =\left( x^{u^1_p}, x^{u^2_p}, \ldots,x^{u^{|u_p|}_p}\right) $. The function that associates the decomposed host to any digital host is the *decomposition function*. It is further referred as $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$ since it is parametrized by $u$, $m$, and $M$. Notice that $u$ is a shortcut for $(u^k)^{k \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$. Let $(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\phi_{m},\phi_{p}) \in \mathfrak{N} \times \mathfrak{N} \times \mathfrak{N} \times \mathfrak{B} \times \mathfrak{B} \times \mathfrak{B} $ s.t. - the sets of elements in $u_M$, elements in $u_m$, and elements in $u_p$ are a partition of $\llbracket 1, n\rrbracket$; - $|u_M| = |\varphi_M|$, $|u_m| = |\varphi_m|$, and $|u_p| = |\varphi_p|$. One can associate the vector $$x = \sum_{i=1}^{|u_M|} \varphi^i_M . e_{{u^i_M}} + \sum_{i=1}^{|u_m|} \varphi^i_m .e_{{u^i_m}} + \sum_{i=1}^{|u_p|} \varphi^i_p. e_{{u^i_p}}$$ where $(e_i)_{i \in \mathds{N}}$ is the usual basis of the $\mathds{R}-$vectorial space $\left(\mathds{R}^\mathds{N}, +, .\right)$ (that is to say, $e_i^j = \delta_{ij}$, where $\delta_{ij}$ is the Kronecker symbol). The function that associates $x$ to any $(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\phi_{m},\phi_{p})$ following the above constraints is called the *recomposition function*. The embedding consists in the replacement of the values of $\phi_{m}$ of $x$’s LSCs by $y$. It then composes the two decomposition and recomposition functions seen previously. More formally: Let $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$ be a decomposition function, $x$ be a host content, $(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\phi_{m},\phi_{p})$ be its image by $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$, and $y$ be a digital media of size $|u_m|$. The digital media $z$ resulting on the embedding of $y$ into $x$ is the image of $(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},y,\phi_{p})$ by the recomposition function $\textit{rec}$. Let us then define the dhCI information hiding scheme presented in [@gfb10:ip]: \[def:dhCI\] Let $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$ be a decomposition function, $f$ be a mode, $\mathcal{S}$ be a strategy adapter, $x$ be an host content,$(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\phi_{m},\phi_{p})$ be its image by $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$, $q$ be a positive natural number, and $y$ be a digital media of size $l=|u_m|$. The dhCI dissimulation maps any $(x,y)$ to the digital media $z$ resulting on the embedding of $\hat{y}$ into $x$, s.t. - we instantiate the mode $f$ with parameter $l=|u_m|$, leading to the function $f_{l}:{\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{l} \rightarrow {\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{l}$; - we instantiate the strategy adapter $\mathcal{S}$ with parameter $y$ (and possibly some other ones); this instantiation leads to the strategy $S_y \in \llbracket 1;l\rrbracket ^{{\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}}$. - we iterate $G_{f_l}$ with initial configuration $(S_y,\phi_{m})$; - $\hat{y}$ is finally the $q$-th term of these iterations. To summarize, iterations are realized on the LSCs of the host content (the mode gives the iterate function, the strategy-adapter gives its strategy), and the last computed configuration is re-injected into the host content, in place of the former LSCs. Notice that in order to preserve the unpredictable behavior of the system, the size of the digital medias is not fixed. This approach is thus self adapted to any media, and more particularly to any size of LSCs. However this flexibility enlarges the complexity of the presentation: we had to give Definitions \[def:mode\] and \[def:strategy-adapter\] respectively of mode and strategy adapter. ![The dhCI dissimulation scheme[]{data-label="fig:organigramme"}](organigramme2.eps){width="8.5cm"} Next section shows how to check whether a media contains a watermark. Decoding {#sub:wmdecoding} -------- Let us firstly show how to formally check whether a given digital media $z$ results from the dissimulation of $y$ into the digital media $x$. Let $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$ be a decomposition function, $f$ be a mode, $\mathcal{S}$ be a strategy adapter, $q$ be a positive natural number, $y$ be a digital media, and $(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\phi_{m},\phi_{p})$ be the image by $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$ of a digital media $x$. Then $z$ is *watermarked* with $y$ if the image by $\textit{dec}(u,m,M)$ of $z$ is $(u_M,u_m,u_p,\phi_{M},\hat{y},\phi_{p})$, where $\hat{y}$ is the right member of $G_{f_l}^q(S_y,\phi_{m})$. Various decision strategies are obviously possible to determine whether a given image $z$ is watermarked or not, depending on the eventuality that the considered image may have been attacked. For example, a similarity percentage between $x$ and $z$ can be computed and compared to a given threshold. Other possibilities are the use of ROC curves or the definition of a null hypothesis problem. The next section recalls some security properties and shows how the *dhCI dissimulation* algorithm verifies them. Security analysis {#sec:security} ================= State-of-the-art in information hiding security {#sub:art} ----------------------------------------------- As far as we know, Cachin [@Cachin2004] produces the first fundamental work in information hiding security: in the context of steganography, the attempt of an attacker to distinguish between an innocent image and a stego-content is viewed as an hypothesis testing problem. Mittelholzer [@Mittelholzer99] next proposed the first theoretical framework for analyzing the security of a watermarking scheme. Clarification between robustness and security and classifications of watermarking attacks have been firstly presented by Kalker [@Kalker2001]. This work has been deepened by Furon *et al.* [@Furon2002], who have translated Kerckhoffs’ principle (Alice and Bob shall only rely on some previously shared secret for privacy), from cryptography to data hiding. More recently [@Cayre2005; @Perez06] classified the information hiding attacks into categories, according to the type of information the attacker (Eve) has access to: - in Watermarked Only Attack (WOA) she only knows embedded contents $z$; - in Known Message Attack (KMA) she knows pairs $(z,y)$ of embedded contents and corresponding messages; - in Known Original Attack (KOA) she knows several pairs $(z,x)$ of embedded contents and their corresponding original versions; - in Constant-Message Attack (CMA) she observes several embedded contents $z^1$,…,$z^k$ and only knows that the unknown hidden message $y$ is the same in all contents. To the best of our knowledge, KMA, KOA, and CMA have not already been studied due to the lack of theoretical framework. In the opposite, security of data hiding against WOA can be evaluated, by using a probabilistic approach recalled below. Stego-security {#sub:stegosecurity} -------------- In the Simmons’ prisoner problem [@Simmons83], Alice and Bob are in jail and they want to, possibly, devise an escape plan by exchanging hidden messages in innocent-looking cover contents. These messages are to be conveyed to one another by a common warden named Eve, who eavesdrops all contents and can choose to interrupt the communication if they appear to be stego-contents. Stego-security, defined in this well-known context, is the highest security class in Watermark-Only Attack setup, which occurs when Eve has only access to several marked contents [@Cayre2008]. Let $\mathds{K}$ be the set of embedding keys, $p(X)$ the probabilistic model of $N_0$ initial host contents, and $p(Y|K)$ the probabilistic model of $N_0$ marked contents s.t. each host content has been marked with the same key $K$ and the same embedding function. \[Def:Stego-security\] The embedding function is *stego-secure* if $\forall K \in \mathds{K}, p(Y|K)=p(X)$ is established. Stego-security states that the knowledge of $K$ does not help to make the difference between $p(X)$ and $p(Y)$. This definition implies the following property: $$p(Y|K_1)= \cdots = p(Y|K_{N_k})=p(Y)=p(X)$$ This property is equivalent to a zero Kullback-Leibler divergence, which is the accepted definition of the “perfect secrecy” in steganography [@Cachin2004]. The negation mode is stego-secure --------------------------------- To make this article self-contained, this section recalls theorems and proofs of stego-security for negation mode published in [@gfb10:ip]. *dhCI dissimulation* of Definition \[def:dhCI\] with negation mode and CIIS strategy-adapter is stego-secure, whereas it is not the case when using CIDS strategy-adapter. On the one hand, let us suppose that $X \sim \mathbf{U}\left(\mathbb{B}^n\right)$ when using CIIS$(K,\_,\_,l)$. We prove by a mathematical induction that $\forall t \in \mathds{N}, X^t \sim \mathbf{U}\left(\mathbb{B}^n\right)$. The base case is immediate, as $X^0 = X \sim \mathbf{U}\left(\mathbb{B}^n\right)$. Let us now suppose that the statement $X^t \sim \mathbf{U}\left(\mathbb{B}^n\right)$ holds until for some $t$. Let $e \in \mathbb{B}^n$ and $\mathbf{B}_k=(0,\cdots,0,1,0,\cdots,0) \in \mathbb{B}^n$ (the digit $1$ is in position $k$). So $P\left(X^{t+1}=e\right)=\sum_{k=1}^n P\left(X^t=e\oplus\mathbf{B}_k,S^t=k\right)$ where $\oplus$ is again the bitwise exclusive or. These two events are independent when using CIIS strategy-adapter (contrary to CIDS, CIIS is not built by using $X$), thus: $$P\left(X^{t+1}=e\right)=\sum_{k=1}^n P\left(X^t=e\oplus\mathbf{B}_k\right) \times P\left(S^t=k\right).$$ According to the inductive hypothesis: $P\left(X^{n+1}=e\right)=\frac{1}{2^n} \sum_{k=1}^n P\left(S^t=k\right)$. The set of events $\left \{ S^t=k \right \}$ for $k \in \llbracket 1;n \rrbracket$ is a partition of the universe of possible, so $\sum_{k=1}^n P\left(S^t=k\right)=1$. Finally, $P\left(X^{t+1}=e\right)=\frac{1}{2^n}$, which leads to $X^{t+1} \sim \mathbf{U}\left(\mathbb{B}^n\right)$. This result is true for all $t \in \mathds{N}$ and then for $t=l$. Since $P(Y|K)$ is $P(X^l)$ that is proven to be equal to $P(X)$, we thus have established that, $$\forall K \in [0;1], P(Y|K)=P(X^{l})=P(X).$$ So dhCI dissimulation with CIIS strategy-adapter is stego-secure. On the other hand, due to the definition of CIDS, we have $P(Y=(1,1,\cdots,1)|K)=0$. So there is no uniform repartition for the stego-contents $Y|K$. To sum up, Alice and Bob can counteract Eve’s attacks in WOA setup, when using dhCI dissimulation with CIIS strategy-adapter. To our best knowledge, this is the second time an information hiding scheme has been proven to be stego-secure: the former was the spread-spectrum technique in natural marking configuration with $\eta$ parameter equal to 1 [@Cayre2008]. A new class of $\varepsilon$-stego-secure schemes ------------------------------------------------- Let us prove that, \[th:stego\] Let $\epsilon$ be positive, $l$ be any size of LSCs, $X \sim \mathbf{U}\left(\mathbb{B}^l\right)$, $f_l$ be an image mode s.t. $\Gamma(f_l)$ is strongly connected and the Markov matrix associated to $f_l$ is doubly stochastic. In the instantiated *dhCI dissimulation* algorithm with any uniformly distributed (u.d.) strategy-adapter that is independent from $X$, there exists some positive natural number $q$ s.t. $|p(X^q)- p(X)| < \epsilon$. Let $\textit{deci}$ be the bijection between ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{l}$ and $\llbracket 0, 2^l-1 \rrbracket$ that associates the decimal value of any binary number in ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{l}$. The probability $p(X^t) = (p(X^t= e_0),\dots,p(X^t= e_{2^l-1}))$ for $e_j \in {\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{l}$ is thus equal to $(p(\textit{deci}(X^t)= 0,\dots,p(\textit{deci}(X^t)= 2^l-1))$ further denoted by $\pi^t$. Let $i \in \llbracket 0, 2^l -1 \rrbracket$, the probability $p(\textit{deci}(X^{t+1})= i)$ is $$\sum\limits^{2^l-1}_{j=0} \sum\limits^{l}_{k=1} p(\textit{deci}(X^{t}) = j , S^t = k , i =_k j , f_k(j) = i_k )$$ where $ i =_k j $ is true iff the binary representations of $i$ and $j$ may only differ for the $k$-th element, and where $i_k$ abusively denotes, in this proof, the $k$-th element of the binary representation of $i$. Next, due to the proposition’s hypotheses on the strategy, $p(\textit{deci}(X^t) = j , S^t = k , i =_k j, f_k(j) = i_k )$ is equal to $\frac{1}{l}.p(\textit{deci}(X^t) = j , i =_k j, f_k(j) = i_k)$. Finally, since $i =_k j$ and $f_k(j) = i_k$ are constant during the iterative process and thus does not depend on $X^t$, we have $$\pi^{t+1}_i = \sum\limits^{2^l-1}_{j=0} \pi^t_j.\frac{1}{l} \sum\limits^{l}_{k=1} p(i =_k j, f_k(j) = i_k ).$$ Since $\frac{1}{l} \sum\limits^{l}_{k=1} p(i =_k j, f_k(j) = i_k ) $ is equal to $M_{ji}$ where $M$ is the Markov matrix associated to $f_l$ we thus have $$\pi^{t+1}_i = \sum\limits^{2^l-1}_{j=0} \pi^t_j. M_{ji} \textrm{ and thus } \pi^{t+1} = \pi^{t} M.$$ First of all, since the graph $\Gamma(f)$ is strongly connected, then for all vertices $i$ and $j$, a path can be found to reach $j$ from $i$ in at most $2^l$ steps. There exists thus $k_{ij} \in \llbracket 1, 2^l \rrbracket$ s.t. ${M}_{ij}^{k_{ij}}>0$. As all the multiples $l \times k_{ij}$ of $k_{ij}$ are such that ${M}_{ij}^{l\times k_{ij}}>0$, we can conclude that, if $k$ is the least common multiple of $\{k_{ij} \big/ i,j \in \llbracket 1, 2^l \rrbracket \}$ thus $\forall i,j \in \llbracket 1, 2^l \rrbracket, {M}_{ij}^{k}>0$ and thus $M$ is a regular stochastic matrix. Let us now recall the following stochastic matrix theorem: If $M$ is a regular stochastic matrix, then $M$ has an unique stationary probability vector $\pi$. Moreover, if $\pi^0$ is any initial probability vector and $\pi^{t+1} = \pi^t.M $ for $t = 0, 1,\dots$ then the Markov chain $\pi^t$ converges to $\pi$ as $t$ tends to infinity. Thanks to this theorem, $M$ has an unique stationary probability vector $\pi$. By hypothesis, since $M$ is doubly stochastic we have $(\frac{1}{2^l},\dots,\frac{1}{2^l}) = (\frac{1}{2^l},\dots,\frac{1}{2^l})M$ and thus $\pi = (\frac{1}{2^l},\dots,\frac{1}{2^l})$. Due to the matrix theorem, there exists some $q$ s.t. $|\pi^q- \pi| < \epsilon$ and the proof is established. Since $p(Y| K)$ is $p(X^q)$ the method is then $\epsilon$-stego-secure provided the strategy-adapter is uniformly distributed. This section has focused on security with regards to probabilistic behaviors. Next section studies it in the perspective of topological ones. Chaos-security {#sec:chaossecurity} ============== To check whether an existing data hiding scheme is chaotic or not, we propose firstly to write it as an iterate process $x^{n+1}=f(x^n)$. It is possible to prove that this formulation can always be done, as follows. Let us consider a given data hiding algorithm. Because it must be computed one day, it is always possible to translate it as a Turing machine, and this last machine can be written as $x^{n+1} = f(x^n)$ in the following way. Let $(w,i,q)$ be the current configuration of the Turing machine (Fig. \[Turing\]), where $w=\sharp^{-\omega} w(0) \hdots w(k)\sharp^{\omega}$ is the paper tape, $i$ is the position of the tape head, $q$ is used for the state of the machine, and $\delta$ is its transition function (the notations used here are well-known and widely used). We define $f$ by: - $f(w(0) \hdots w(k),i,q) = ( w(0) \hdots w(i-1)aw(i+1)w(k),i+1,q')$, if $\delta(q,w(i)) = (q',a,\rightarrow)$; - $f( w(0) \hdots w(k),i,q) = (w(0) \hdots w(i-1)aw(i+1)w(k),i-1,q')$, if $\delta(q,w(i)) = (q',a,\leftarrow)$. Thus the Turing machine can be written as an iterate function $x^{n+1}=f(x^n)$ on a well-defined set $\mathcal{X}$, with $x^0$ as the initial configuration of the machine. We denote by $\mathcal{T}(S)$ the iterative process of a data hiding scheme $S$. ![Turing Machine[]{data-label="Turing"}](Turing.eps){width="8.5cm"} Let us now define the notion of chaos-security. Let $\tau$ be a topology on $\mathcal{X}$. So the behavior of this dynamical system can be studied to know whether or not the data hiding scheme is $\tau-$unpredictable. This leads to the following definition. \[DefinitionChaosSecure\] An information hiding scheme $S$ is said to be chaos-secure on $(\mathcal{X},\tau)$ if its iterative process $\mathcal{T}(S)$ has a chaotic behavior, as defined by Devaney, on this topological space. Theoretically speaking, chaos-security can always be studied, as it only requires that the two following points are satisfied. - Firstly, the data hiding scheme must be written as an iterate function on a set $\mathcal{X}$; As illustrated by the use of the Turing machine, it is always possible to satisfy this requirement; It is established here since we iterate $G_f$ as defined in Sect. (\[sub:bdds\]); - Secondly, a metric or a topology must be defined on $\mathcal{X}$; This is always possible, for example, by taking for instance the most relevant one, that is the order topology. Guyeux has recently shown in [@GuyeuxThese10] that chaotic iterations of $G_f$ with the vectorial negation as iterate function have a chaotic behavior. As a corollary, we deduce that the dhCI dissimulation algorithm with negation mode and CIIS strategy-adapter is chaos-secure. However, all these results suffer from only relying on the vectorial negation function. This problem has been theoretically tackled in [@GuyeuxThese10] which provides the following theorem. \[Th:Caracterisation des IC chaotiques\] Functions $f : \mathds{B}^{n} \to \mathds{B}^{n}$ such that $G_f$ is chaotic according to Devaney, are functions such that the graph $\Gamma(f)$ is strongly connected. We deduce from this theorem that functions whose graph is strongly connected are sufficient to provide new instances of dhCI dissimulation that are chaos-secure. Computing a mode $f$ such that the image of $n$ (*i.e.*, $f_n$) is a function with a strongly connected graph of iterations $\Gamma(f_n)$ has been previously studied (see [@bcgr11:ip] for instance). The next section presents a use of them in our steganography context. Applications to frequential domains {#sec:applications} =================================== We are then left to provide an u.d. strategy-adapter that is independent from the cover, an image mode $f_l$ whose iteration graph $\Gamma(f_l)$ is strongly connected and whose Markov matrix is doubly stochastic. First, the $\textit{CIIS}(K,y,\alpha,l)$ strategy adapter (see Section \[sub:wmcoding\]) has the required properties: it does not depend on the cover and the proof that its outputs are u.d. on $\llbracket 1; l \rrbracket$ is left as an exercise for the reader. In all the experiments parameters $K$ and $\alpha$ are randomly chosen in $\rrbracket 0, 1\llbracket$ and $\rrbracket 0, 0.5\llbracket$ respectively. The number of iteration is set to $4*lm$, where $lm$ is the number of LSCs that depends on the domain. Next, [@bcgr11:ip] has presented an iterative approach to generate image modes $f_l$ such that $\Gamma(f_l)$ is strongly connected. Among these maps, it is obvious to check which verifies or not the doubly stochastic constrain. For instance, in what follows we consider the mode $f_l: {\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^l \rightarrow {\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^l$ s.t. its $i$th component is defined by $$\label{eq:fqq} {f_l}(x)_i = \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \overline{x_i} \textrm{ if $i$ is odd} \\ x_i \oplus x_{i-1} \textrm{ if $i$ is even} \end{array} \right.$$ Thanks to [@bcgr11:ip Theorem 2] we deduce that its iteration graph $\Gamma(f_l)$ is strongly connected. Next, the Markov chain is stochastic by construction. Let us prove that its Markov chain is doubly stochastic by induction on the length $l$. For $l=1$ and $l=2$ the proof is obvious. Let us consider that the result is established until $l=2k$ for some $k \in {\ensuremath{\mathbb{N}}}$. Let us then firstly prove the doubly stochasticity for $l=2k+1$. Following notations introduced in [@bcgr11:ip], let $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})^0$ and $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})^1$ denote the subgraphs of $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$ induced by the subset ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{2k} \times\{0\}$ and ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{2k} \times\{1\}$ of ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{2k+1}$ respectively. $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})^0$ and $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})^1$ are isomorphic to $\Gamma(f_{2k})$. Furthermore, these two graphs are linked together only with arcs of the form $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0) \to (x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1)$ and $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1) \to (x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0)$. In $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$ the number of arcs whose extremity is $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0)$ is the same than the number of arcs whose extremity is $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k})$ augmented with 1, and similarly for $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1)$. By induction hypothesis, the Markov chain associated to $\Gamma(f_{2k})$ is doubly stochastic. All the vertices $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k})$ have thus the same number of ingoing arcs and the proof is established for $l$ is $2k+1$. Let us then prove the doubly stochasticity for $l=2k+2$. The map $f_l$ is defined by $f_l(x)= (\overline{x_1},x_2 \oplus x_{1},\dots,\overline{x_{2k+1}},x_{2k+2} \oplus x_{2k+1})$. With previously defined notations, let us focus on $\Gamma(f_{2k+2})^0$ and $\Gamma(f_{2k+2})^1$ which are isomorphic to $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$. Among configurations of ${\ensuremath{\mathds{B}}}^{2k+2}$, only four suffixes of length 2 can be obviously observed, namely, $00$, $10$, $11$ and $01$. Since $f_{2k+2}(\dots,0,0)_{2k+2}=0$, $f_{2k+2}(\dots,1,0)_{2k+2}=1$, $f_{2k+2}(\dots,1,1)_{2k+2}=0$, and $f_{2k+2}(\dots,0,1)_{2k+2}=1$, the number of arcs whose extremity is - $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0,0)$ is the same than the one whose extremity is $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0)$ in $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$ augmented with 1 (loop over configurations $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0,0)$); - $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1,0)$ is the same than the one whose extremity is $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0)$ in $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$ augmented with 1 (arc from configurations $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1,1)$ to configurations $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1,0)$); - $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0,1)$ is the same than the one whose extremity is $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0)$ in $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$ augmented with 1 (loop over configurations $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},0,1)$); - $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1,1)$ is the same than the one whose extremity is $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1)$ in $\Gamma(f_{2k+1})$ augmented with 1 (arc from configurations $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1,0)$ to configurations $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k},1,1)$). Thus all the vertices $(x_1,\dots,x_{2k})$ have the same number of ingoing arcs and the proof is established for $l=2k+2$. DWT embedding ------------- Let us now explain how the dhCI dissimulation can be applied in the discrete wavelets domain (DWT). In this paper, the Daubechies family of wavelets is chosen: each DWT decomposition depends on a decomposition level and a coefficient matrix (Figure \[fig:DWTs\]): $\textit{LL}$ means approximation coefficient, when $\textit{HH},\textit{LH},\textit{HL}$ denote respectively diagonal, vertical, and horizontal detail coefficients. For example, the DWT coefficient *HH*2 is the matrix equal to the diagonal detail coefficient of the second level of decomposition of the image. ![Wavelets coefficients.[]{data-label="fig:DWTs"}](DWTs.eps){width="7cm"} The choice of the detail level is motivated by finding a good compromise between robustness and invisibility. Choosing low or high frequencies in DWT domain leads either to a very fragile watermarking without robustness (especially when facing a JPEG2000 compression attack) or to a large degradation of the host content. In order to have a robust but discrete DWT embedding, the second detail level (*i.e.*, $\textit{LH}2,\textit{HL}2,\textit{HH}2$) that corresponds to the middle frequencies, has been retained. Let us consider the Daubechies wavelet coefficients of a third level decomposition as represented in Figure \[fig:DWTs\]. We then translate these float coefficients into their 32-bits values. Let us define the significance function $u$ that associates to any index $k$ in this sequence of bits the following numbers: - $u^k = -1$ if $k$ is one of the three last bits of any index of coefficients in $\textit{LH}2$, $\textit{HL}2$, or in $\textit{HH}2$; - $u^k = 0$ if $k$ is an index of a coefficient in $\textit{LH}1$, $\textit{HL}1$, or in $\textit{HH}1$; - $u^k = 1$ otherwise. According to the definition of significance of coefficients (Def. \[def:msc,lsc\]), if $(m,M)$ is $(-0.5,0.5)$, LSCs are the last three bits of coefficients in $\textit{HL}2$,$\textit{HH}2$, and $\textit{LH}2$. Thus, decomposition and recomposition functions are fully defined and dhCI dissimulation scheme can now be applied. Figure \[fig:DWT\] shows the result of a dhCI dissimulation embedding into DWT domain. The original is the image 5007 of the BOSS contest [@Boss10]. Watermark $y$ is given in Fig. \[(b) Watermark\]. From a random selection of 50 images into the database from the BOSS contest [@Boss10], we have applied the previous algorithm with mode $f_l$ defined in Equation (\[eq:fqq\]) and with the negation mode. DCT embedding ------------- Let us denote by $x$ the original image of size $H \times L$, and by $y$ the hidden message, supposed here to be a binary image of size $H' \times L'$. The image $x$ is transformed from the spatial domain to DCT domain frequency bands, in order to embed $y$ inside it. To do so, the host image is firstly divided into $8 \times 8$ image blocks as given below: $$x = \bigcup_{k=1}^{H/8} \bigcup_{k'=1}^{L/8} x(k,k').$$ Thus, for each image block, a DCT is performed and the coefficients in the frequency bands are obtained as follows: $x_{DCT}(m;n) = DCT(x(m;n))$. To define a discrete but robust scheme, only the four following coefficients of each $8 \times 8$ block in position $(m,n)$ will be possibly modified: $x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(3,1)},$ $x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(2,2)},$ or $x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(1,3)}$. This choice can be reformulated as follows. Coefficients of each DCT matrix are re-indexed by using a southwest/northeast diagonal, such that $i_{DCT}(m,n)_1 = x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(1,1)}$,$i_{DCT}(m,n)_2 = x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(2,1)}$, $i_{DCT}(m,n)_3 = x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(1,2)}$, $i_{DCT}(m,n)_4 = x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(3,1)}$, ..., and $i_{DCT}(m,n)_{64} =$ $ x_{DCT}(m;n)_{(8,8)}$. So the signification function can be defined in this context by: - if $k$ mod $64 \in \{1,2,3\}$ and $k\leqslant H\times L$, then $u^k=1$; - else if $k$ mod $64 \in \{4, 5, 6\}$ and $k\leqslant H\times L$, then $u^k=-1$; - else $u^k = 0$. The significance of coefficients are obtained for instance with $(m,M)=(-0.5,0.5)$ leading to the definitions of MSCs, LSCs, and passive coefficients. Thus, decomposition and recomposition functions are fully defined and dhCI dissimulation scheme can now be applied. Image quality ------------- This section focuses on measuring visual quality of our steganographic method. Traditionally, this is achieved by quantifying the similarity between the modified image and its reference image. The Mean Squared Error (MSE) and the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) are the most widely known tools that provide such a metric. However, both of them do not take into account Human Visual System (HVS) properties. Recent works [@EAPLBC06; @SheikhB06; @PSECAL07; @MB10] have tackled this problem by creating new metrics. Among them, what follows focuses on PSNR-HVS-M [@PSECAL07] and BIQI [@MB10], considered as advanced visual quality metrics. The former efficiently combines PSNR and visual between-coefficient contrast masking of DCT basis functions based on HVS. This metric has been computed here by using the implementation given at [@psnrhvsm11]. The latter allows to get a blind image quality assessment measure, *i.e.*, without any knowledge of the source distortion. Its implementation is available at [@biqi11]. Embedding ------------ ------- ------- ------- ------- Mode $f_l$ neg. $f_l$ neg. PSNR 42.74 42.76 52.68 52.41 PSNR-HVS-M 44.28 43.97 45.30 44.93 BIQI 35.35 32.78 41.59 47.47 : Quality measeures of our steganography approach\[table:quality\] Results of the image quality metrics are summarized into the Table \[table:quality\]. In wavelet domain, the PSNR values obtained here are comparable to other approaches (for instance, PSNR are 44.2 in [@TCL05] and 46.5 in [@DA10]), but a real improvement for the discrete cosine embeddings is obtained (PSNR is 45.17 for [@CFS08], it is always lower than 48 for [@Mohanty:2008:IWB:1413862.1413865], and always lower than 39 for [@MK08]). Among steganography approaches that evaluate PSNR-HVS-M, results of our approach are convincing. Firstly, optimized method developed along [@Randall11] has a PSNR-HVS-M equal to 44.5 whereas our approach, with a similar PSNR-HVS-M, should be easily improved by considering optimized mode. Next, another approach [@Muzzarelli:2010] have higher PSNR-HVS-M, certainly, but this work does not address robustness evaluation whereas our approach is complete. Finally, as far as we know, this work is the first one that evaluates the BIQI metric in the steganography context. With all this material, we are then left to evaluate the robustness of this approach. Robustness ---------- Previous sections have formalized frequential domains embeddings and has focused on the negation mode and $f_l$ defined in Equ. (\[eq:fqq\]). In the robustness given in this continuation, [dwt]{}(neg), [dwt]{}(fl), [dct]{}(neg), [dct]{}(fl) respectively stand for the DWT and DCT embedding with the negation mode and with this instantiated mode. For each experiment, a set of 50 images is randomly extracted from the database taken from the BOSS contest [@Boss10]. Each cover is a $512\times 512$ grayscale digital image and the watermark $y$ is given in Fig \[(b) Watermark\]. Testing the robustness of the approach is achieved by successively applying on watermarked images attacks like cropping, compression, and geometric transformations. Differences between $\hat{y}$ and $\varphi_m(z)$ are computed. Behind a given threshold rate, the image is said to be watermarked. Finally, discussion on metric quality of the approach is given in Sect. \[sub:roc\]. Robustness of the approach is evaluated by applying different percentage of cropping: from 1% to 81%. Results are presented in Fig. \[Fig:atck:dec\]. Fig. \[Fig:atq:dec:img\] gives the cropped image where 36% of the image is removed. Fig. \[Fig:atq:dec:curves\] presents effects of such an attack. From this experiment, one can conclude that all embeddings have similar behaviors. All the percentage differences are so far less than 50% (which is the mean random error) and thus robustness is established. ### Robustness against compression Robustness against compression is addressed by studying both JPEG and JPEG 2000 image compressions. Results are respectively presented in Fig. \[Fig:atq:jpg:curves\] and Fig. \[Fig:atq:jp2:curves\]. Without surprise, DCT embedding which is based on DCT (as JPEG compression algorithm is) is more adapted to JPEG compression than DWT embedding. Furthermore, we have a similar behavior for the JPEG 2000 compression algorithm, which is based on wavelet encoding: DWT embedding naturally outperforms DCT one in that case. ### Robustness against Contrast and Sharpness Attack Contrast and Sharpness adjustment belong to the the classical set of filtering image attacks. Results of such attacks are presented in Fig. \[Fig:atq:fil\] where Fig. \[Fig:atq:cont:curve\] and Fig. \[Fig:atq:sh:curve\] summarize effects of contrast and sharpness adjustment respectively. ### Robustness against Geometric Transformation Among geometric transformations, we focus on rotations, *i.e.*, when two opposite rotations of angle $\theta$ are successively applied around the center of the image. In these geometric transformations, angles range from 2 to 20 degrees. Results are presented in Fig. \[Fig:atq:rot\]: Fig. \[Fig:atq:rot:img\] gives the image of a rotation of 20 degrees whereas Fig. \[Fig:atq:rot:curve\] presents effects of such an attack. It is not a surprise that results are better for DCT embeddings: this approach is based on cosine as rotation is. Evaluation of the Embeddings {#sub:roc} ---------------------------- We are then left to set a convenient threshold that is accurate to determine whether an image is watermarked or not. Starting from a set of 100 images selected among the Boss image Panel, we compute the following three sets: the one with all the watermarked images $W$, the one with all successively watermarked and attacked images $\textit{WA}$, and the one with only the attacked images $A$. Notice that the 100 attacks for each images are selected among these detailed previously. For each threshold $t \in \llbracket 0,55 \rrbracket$ and a given image $x \in \textit{WA} \cup A$, differences on DCT are computed. The image is said to be watermarked if these differences are less than the threshold. In the positive case and if $x$ really belongs to $\textit{WA}$ it is a True Positive (TP) case. In the negative case but if $x$ belongs to $\textit{WA}$ it is a False Negative (FN) case. In the positive case but if $x$ belongs to $\textit{A}$, it is a False Positive (FP) case. Finally, in the negative case and if $x$ belongs to $\textit{A}$, it is a True Negative (TN). The True (resp. False) Positive Rate (TPR) (resp. FPR) is thus computed by dividing the number of TP (resp. FP) by 100. ![ROC Curves for DWT or DCT Embeddings[]{data-label="fig:roc:dwt"}](ROC.eps){width="7cm"} The Figure \[fig:roc:dwt\] is the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. For the DWT, it shows that best results are obtained when the threshold is 45% for the dedicated function (corresponding to the point (0.01, 0.88)) and 46% for the negation function (corresponding to the point (0.04, 0.85)). It allows to conclude that each time LSCs differences between a watermarked image and another given image $i'$ are less than 45%, we can claim that $i'$ is an attacked version of the original watermarked content. For the two DCT embeddings, best results are obtained when the threshold is 44% (corresponding to the points (0.05, 0.18) and (0.05, 0.28)). Let us then give some confidence intervals for all the evaluated attacks. The approach is resistant to: - all the croppings where percentage is less than 85; - compressions where quality ratio is greater than 82 with DWT embedding and where quality ratio is greater than 67 with DCT one; - contrast when strengthening belongs to $[0.76,1.2]$ (resp. $[0.96,1.05]$) in DWT (resp. in DCT) embedding; - all the rotation attacks with DCT embedding and a rotation where angle is less than 13 degrees with DWT one. Conclusion {#sec:concl} ========== This paper has proposed a new class of secure and robust information hiding algorithms. It has been entirely formalized, thus allowing both its theoretical security analysis, and the computation of numerous variants encompassing spatial and frequency domain embedding. After having presented the general algorithm with detail, we have given conditions for choosing mode and strategy-adapter making the whole class stego-secure or $\epsilon$-stego-secure. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a result has been established. Applications in frequency domains (namely DWT and DCT domains) have finally be formalized. Complete experiments have allowed us first to evaluate how invisible is the steganographic method (thanks to the PSNR computation) and next to verify the robustness property against attacks. Furthermore, the use of ROC curves for DWT embedding have revealed very high rates between True positive and False positive results. In future work, our intention is to find the best image mode with respect to the combination between DCT and DWT based steganography algorithm. Such a combination topic has already been addressed (*e.g.*, in [@al2007combined]), but never with objectives we have set. Additionally, we will try to discover new topological properties for the dhCI dissimulation schemes. Consequences of these chaos properties will be drawn in the context of information hiding security. We will especially focus on the links between topological properties and classes of attacks, such as KOA, KMA, EOA, or CMA. Moreover, these algorithms will be compared to other existing ones, among other things by testing whether these algorithms are chaotic or not. Finally we plan to verify the robustness of our approach against statistical steganalysis methods [@GFH06; @ChenS08; @DongT08; @FridrichKHG11a]. [^1]: Authors in alphabetic order

[Adipocyte signals in energy balance and digestive diseases]. For the regulation of energy balance in various internal organs including gut, pancreas and liver, visceral adipose tissue and brain perform important sensing and signaling roles via neural and endocrine pathway. Among these, adipose tissue has been known as a simple energy-storing organ, which stores excess energy in triglyceride. However, it became apparent that adipocytes have various receptors related to energy homeostasis, and secrete adipocytokines by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. In this review, basic roles of adipocytes in energy homeostasis and the correlation between adipocyte signals and digestive diseases are discussed.

255 U.S. 102 (1921) KINNANE, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN, v. DETROIT CREAMERY COMPANY ET AL. UNITED STATES v. SWARTZ. UNITED STATES v. SMITH. Nos. 376-378. Supreme Court of United States. Argued October 19, 20, 1920. Decided February 28, 1921. APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN. ERROR TO THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN. The Solicitor General for appellant in No. 376 and for the United States in Nos. 377 and 378. Mr. Charles E. Hughes, with whom Mr. William L. Carpenter was on the briefs, for appellees in No. 376 and defendants in error in Nos. 377 and 378. MR. CHIEF JUSTICE WHITE delivered the opinion of the court. In the first of the above cases the Creamery Company and others, appellees, filed their bill in the court below *103 against the United States Attorney and the members of the "Federal Fair Price Committee" for an injunction to restrain prosecutions against them for selling milk at alleged unjust and unreasonable rates or charges, in violation of the fourth section of the Lever Act, as reenacted in 1919, on the ground, among others, that the section was repugnant to the Constitution because of its vagueness and because it failed to provide a standard of criminality. The United States Attorney, after challenging in his answer the right to restrain the performance by him of his official duties, admitted that in its advisory capacity the said price committee had fixed what it had deemed to be a fair price for the sale of milk and that he intended, in the discharge of his official duty, to act upon such advice as the basis for prosecutions where such price was exceeded, and, asserting the constitutionality of the section and the want of merit in the grounds upon which it was assailed, prayed the dismissal of the bill. A temporary injunction issued and, the case having been submitted on the pleadings without proof, the court, stating that the sole question involved was whether the provision in question of § 4 of the Lever Act was constitutional, decided that it was not, because of its vagueness and uncertainty and of the consequent absence from it of all standard of criminality. The enforcement of said provision was therefore permanently enjoined, and upon this appeal, the sole issue raised by the Government is whether the court erred in holding the provision of the statute in question to be void for repugnancy to the Constitution. That it did not so err, is fully established by the opinion this day announced in the Cohen Grocery Co. Case, No. 324, ante, 81, and therefore it is our duty to affirm. The two other cases, Nos. 377 and 378, are likewise so controlled. Both were indictments for selling potatoes *104 at prices which were alleged to be unjust and unreasonable in violation of the reenacted fourth section of the Lever Act, and in both cases the indictments were quashed because of the unconstitutionality of the section, upon the grounds stated by the court in the Creamery Case, No. 376, and they are both here at the instance of the Government because of alleged reversible error committed in so doing. It follows, for the reasons just stated and those expounded in the Cohen Grocery Co. Case, that the action below in all three cases must be and the same is hereby Affirmed. MR. JUSTICE PITNEY and MR. JUSTICE BRANDEIS concur in the result. MR. JUSTICE DAY took no part in the consideration or decision of these cases.

Controllers play a vital role in allocating computer resources. Thus, controllers often are in a central location, and affect the operation of many program strands. Particularly in larger storage controllers, a failure by the controller can lead to large problems in debugging to prevent further problems. In a CPU-centric world, applications run in LPARs (z/OS) or hosts (Open). These applications can create either single or multiple jobs which are then used to process I/O to and from storage controllers. There are instances where a job can create an error condition on the storage controller which can then affect all jobs and CPUs accessing that controller. In these cases, it would be advantageous if the particular job could be analyzed to see how it contributed to the creation of the error condition on the storage controller (e.g. malformed command syntax, out of sequence commands, etc). However, in the case where a host or LPAR is running multiple jobs simultaneously, it is not always possible for the “offending” job to be identified from data either on the CPU or the storage controller. While current art allows for the creation and logging of job logs on the CPU, unless the error on the storage controller causes a specific job to fail, it is not possible to identify, from the complete list of jobs, which one created the error condition on the storage controller. It is quite common that even when the storage controller data can point to a particular CPU channel path, IT personnel can not say what jobs are running on that path. Without such ability, debugging and determining the source of the problem can be quite time consuming and expensive, as well as frustrating. It is therefore a challenge to develop strategies for advancing the art to overcome these, and other, disadvantages.

A rhabdovirus isolated from carps in Hungary. Experimental infection of carps and resistance of the virus. From carps showing the symptoms of acute infectious dropsy, a virus was isolated for the first time in Hungary. On the basis of physicochemical and serological tests and electron microscopy, the virus was identified as spring viraemia carp virus and assumed to have a primary role in the acute form of infectious dropsy known so far as a bacterial disease.

A comparative study of IVF (in vetro fertilization) - Essay Example This topic of study is very interesting and a new technological study which aims to solve one of the greatest problems that exists in the world which is infertility in population. IVF is a process which stimulates the infertile couples to conceive their own child. According to… Download file to see previous pages Therefore, due to the high scientific relevance for human beings, this topic of study has been chosen. It has been a fact in the US and other countries that there has been an increase in the infertility rates. Especially, there are almost zero chances of women getting pregnant in their late 30s and 40s. IVF acts as a problem solver to almost around 90% of such cases. The procedures that are incorporated in the IVF treatment, the benefits associated with such a treatment which eventually results in a healthy mother and baby. The minimum specification of this treatment is getting a healthy baby. Kiplinger’s Personal finance March 1989 issue, “Changing times: The American dream” discussing about the IVF technique says “IVF is most effective in surmounting tubal problems, endometriosis or sperm scarcity” The American Dream. Changing Times: Kiplinger’s Guide. 1989. Web. 31 January 2012. In this issue the author talks about the IVF technology and in which cases this should be used. The author also states that IVF should be the last option that should be tested and all other options should be tried and used before going for IVF. “IVF is the process of combining an egg and sperm not in the body, but in a laboratory dish. When the IVF procedure is successful, the process is continued with a procedure known as embryo transfer, which physically places embryo in the uterus” Barbados Fertility Center. Healthy Travel Media. 2010. Web. 31 January 2012. In this book the author talks about the procedures involved in the IVF technology and how an IVF process could be assumed to be successful or not. This book also discusses the costs and expenses associated ...Download file to see next pagesRead More Moreover, this is well-illustrated by the plight of parents seeking to use such methods so as to give birth to a child that will help save the life of an existing, ill sibling.' July 25, 1978 marks an important turning point in the field of medical science and ushers in new hope for scores of married couples and would-be parents having difficulties conceiving. In the same vein, I believe that the decision of the Authority is unethical because it is against the basic ethical principles of medicine, that of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The beneficence principle is based on the act of doing what is best and what would benefit the patient (Dane and Finkbeiner, 2007). In the United States, the incidence of higher-order multiple pregnancies (triplets or greater) has increased 100-fold whereas births of single individuals (singletons) rose only six percent in that same time period. The novel is one which is a non – fiction and has been able to rightly portray the character of men. All characters have been fleshed out well in this novel. The Plough and the Stars by Sean O’Casey is a play which has been set out in Dublin This implies that a woman who takes part in active sexual intercourse (with a fertile man) without using protection is expected to become pregnant within one-year failure to which she are deemed to be infertile (Mayo Clinic par. 2). Infertility is real and affects many people all over the world. (Baun et al, 1995) A common believe is that there are two paths to the development of a sort of political culture agreeable to the constitutional state, the internal formation of a single, consensual political culture, or the imposition and maintenance of constitutional principles by force. Primary infertility refers to a situation where a couple has not been in a position to conceive even after having a long period of unprotected sex (Vorvick). Secondary infertility on the other hand refers to a

Note: Update Lightroom from the Creative Cloud Desktop Application by clicking "Install" next to the Lightroom 5 application listing (it won't show as "update". "Install" is the update process), or choose Help > Check for Updates. Expiring the announcement will not delete it but will remove it from the public announcement list. Are you sure you want to expire this announcement? We have received a number of reports where some members of this community are posing as Adobe Employees by offering to help troubleshoot issues personally using technologies such as Skype as a means to gain access to your computer and potentially your personal information. All Adobe employees are required to have an orange ‘STAFF’ badge next to their user profile which can be seen if you mouse-over their profile picture. Expiring the announcement will not delete it but will remove it from the public announcement list. Are you sure you want to expire this announcement?

Saturday, 19 May 2012 Its pretty quiet in our home at the moment - everyones loving it !!! I've lost my voice ! I seem to have inspiration block at the moment - havent done anything. My big 50 is looming (14th June) - wondering if i totally refuse point blank to grow up and age, and not only will i stop getting old, but may even go in reverse ! This ageing thing is a mean old thing, I mean, i still think like i did when i was '20', so how dare my body disagree with me. I think me and my body are going to have a huge falling out if it doesnt start to behave - due 4-5 operations this year - I feel like a washing machine, under extended guarantee, so can just about still be repaired. Our 20th wedding anniversary is on 9th June - i think my hubby needs a medal to have put up with me that long - i think its cos he knows i think hes gorgeous! So on the 16th June, i think a party at mine is in order - family and friends to help me commiserate that dreaded number (50) - instead of hiding from it, i am going to look it straight in the eye and laugh Saturday, 5 May 2012 I am thinking of attempting some of the card challenges, but not sure if i have enough confidence to do it yet, dont even know how to join the challenge, so that will be a challenge in itself ! What a lovely day today, sun is shining, so i have talked my hubby in to doing a bit of gardening for me! I am trying to sort this blog thing out, havent a clue what to do on here, dont even know how to add other peoples buttons on here - i am sure i will learn. My biggest passion making my cards is using Lili of the Valley stamps and Wild Orchid Crafts flowers. I have been very lucky with my little craft room, my hubby re arranged our study and converted an area of it and put shelves and ribbon holders etc to make it all organised for me. My friend is making wooden reels to put some of my other ribbons on. Last week i bought a sewing machine - now this should be fun, as i am petrified of sewing machines !!! About Me Hi all, welcome to my very first Blog. I started this blog so i could put my cards on here. I am a complete technophobe. Card making is also quite a new hobby to me. I totally love making my cards and it keeps me quiet for hours on end !!! I am married with 4 children, 1 foster daughter, 1 granddaughter, 1 dog and 2 cats. So in amongst all that i needed something just for me, which is where my card making came in - all my adult life i had been searching for a hobby, this last year i have been learning to make cards and know this is the hobby i have been searching all this time for.

264 Pa. Superior Ct. 274 (1979) 399 A.2d 773 COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania v. David X. WARREN, Appellant. Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Submitted June 12, 1978. Decided March 16, 1979. Petition for Allowance of Appeal Denied May 22, 1979. *276 J. Wesley Oler, Jr., Carlisle, for appellant. George E. Hoffer, Assistant District Attorney, Carlisle, for Commonwealth, appellee. Before JACOBS, President Judge and HOFFMAN, CERCONE, PRICE, VAN der VOORT, SPAETH and HESTER, JJ. SPAETH, Judge: This is an appeal from an order denying a petition filed under the Post Conviction Hearing Act.[1] On November 23, 1976, appellant was charged with possession of an instrument of escape — an ice pick — while incarcerated at Camp Hill on other charges.[2] On January 1, 1977, the lower court appointed C. Roy Weidner, Jr., to represent appellant. On February 1 appellant entered a plea of guilty before the Honorable Sylvia H. RAMBO, and was sentenced to nine to eighteen months in prison to be served after completion of the sentence he was serving at Camp Hill. On July 12, 1977, appellant filed a pro se petition under the Post Conviction Hearing Act. On the same day the lower court appointed counsel to assist appellant with his petition. On August 19 appellant filed an amended pro se petition. On August 25 a hearing was held before Judge RAMBO. At the beginning of the hearing counsel for appellant and the district attorney stipulated that the petition should be treated as if it were a petition to withdraw the guilty plea. On October 13 Judge RAMBO filed an *277 order denying the petition; in the opinion accompanying the order the judge found that "[appellant] did in fact voluntarily, knowingly and freely enter his plea of guilty." Slip opinion at 4.[3] Where the record shows that a proper colloquy was conducted before the defendant entered his guilty plea, see Commonwealth v. Ingram, 455 Pa. 198, 316 A.2d 77 (1974), the burden is on the defendant to show that the plea was not intelligent and voluntary, Commonwealth ex rel. West v. Rundle, 428 Pa. 102, 237 A.2d 196 (1968). Appellant alleges in his petition that his guilty plea was invalid because: he did not receive a six to twelve month *278 sentence as his counsel indicated he would; the plea was partly the product of fear of physical abuse by other prison inmates; and after-discovered evidence showed he had been "set-up". At the PCHA hearing appellant offered the following testimony in support of his claims. The ice pick was planted in his cell; he was unaware of it until it was found by the guards.[4] Weidner, his trial counsel, met with him for only ten minutes before the day his case was heard. During this conference he told Weidner that he was not guilty but had been "set-up" by other prison inmates because he had agreed to testify regarding a prison fight during which three persons were stabbed, and he gave Weidner the name of one person who had information regarding this "set-up". Also, he indicated to Weidner his desire to have a concurrent sentence, and Wiedner said that a concurrent sentence of six to twelve months was possible. At the end of this conference he agreed to plead guilty. On the day he pleaded guilty Weidner talked with him for only ten minutes, and neither his plea nor the possible sentence was discussed. When he was sentenced to nine to eighteen months he was surprised and asked Weidner to explain what had happened. Weidner told him that the sentence would be corrected within thirty to ninety days. Appellant presented no other evidence.[5] *279 Weidner testified for the Commonwealth. His testimony contradicted appellant's in many respects. He testified that the conference with appellant lasted approximately one hour. He acknowledged that during the conference appellant mentioned the difficulties with other prison inmates because of his forthcoming testimony regarding the prison fight and gave him the name of one Peter Paul who might have information regarding a "set-up", but he also testified that appellant did not ask him to pursue these matters but instead was concerned that the case be handled as quickly as possible and to this end wished to plead guilty. Weidner also testified that appellant indicated that he hoped to get a concurrent sentence because of the possibility of a furlough during the upcoming Christmas season, but that he told appellant that a concurrent sentence would not be possible and that no plea bargain would be made. Finally, Weidner denied that he told appellant his sentence would be corrected, and testified that after the sentencing he only spoke with appellant regarding his right of appeal. The Commonwealth also introduced a letter appellant wrote Weidner after their conference. Record Document 24, N.T. PCHA Hearing, Commonwealth Exhibit # 1.[6] The letter corroborated Weidner's testimony that the most important factor to appellant was expediting sentencing.[7] *280 Judge RAMBO accepted Weidner's testimony, and concluded that appellant had not met his burden of proving that his plea was not intelligent and voluntary. Commonwealth ex rel. West v. Rundle, supra. In her opinion the judge stated: The testimony presented, the letter from [appellant] to Mr. Weidner, and the colloquy satisfy this court that [appellant] did in fact voluntarily, knowingly and freely enter his plea of guilty. The court is also satisfied that any fear which [appellant] had of his fellow inmates precipitated his having possession of the weapon involved in the charge against him rather than in precipitating his plea. Slip opinion at 4. Generally questions of credibility are for the trier of fact, Commonwealth v. Hornberger, 441 Pa. 57, 270 A.2d 195 (1970), and absent an abuse of discretion will not be reversed on appeal. Here the lower court's determination of credibility is well supported by the record and shows no abuse of discretion. Affirmed. CERCONE, President Judge, concurs in result. JACOBS, former President Judge, and HOFFMAN, J., did not participate in the consideration or decision in this case. NOTES [1] Act of Jan. 25, 1966, P.L. (1965) 1580, 19 P.S. § 1180 et seq. (Supp. 1977-78). [2] The Crimes Code, Act of Dec. 6, 1972, P.L. 1482, No. 334, § 1, et seq., eff. June 6, 1973, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 5122. [3] We might hold that appellant has waived his right to challenge this order on appeal. Normally a petition to withdraw a guilty plea must be filed in the lower court, if the validity of the plea is to be considered on appeal. Commonwealth v. Roberts, 237 Pa.Super. 336, 379 A.2d 319 (1977). See Commonwealth v. Lee, 460 Pa. 324, 333 A.2d 749; Pa.R.Crim.P. 321. The fact that counsel for appellant and the district attorney stipulated that the petition should be treated as if it were a petition to withdraw does not preclude a determination that the issue has been waived. A PCHA petition alleging that a guilty plea was not intelligent and voluntary will be treated as the equivalent of a petition to withdraw, if the record shows that the filing of the petition was an attempt to comply with Roberts. Commonwealth v. Beatty, 474 Pa. 104, 376 A.2d 994 (1977); Commonwealth v. Schwartz, 251 Pa.Super. 36, 379 A.2d 319 (1977). In Beatty and Schwartz a PCHA petition was filed within the normal appeal time and a direct appeal raising the issue of the validity of the plea was withdrawn on advice of counsel in an effort to have the lower court review the validity of the plea prior to seeking appellate review. However, in Commonwealth v. Porter, 256 Pa.Super. 163, 389 A.2d 651 (1978), we affirmed the dismissal of a PCHA petition filed almost four years after entry of the plea, where during this period no direct appeal or any other attempt was made to obtain review and the petition did not allege extraordinary circumstances to justify the failure to raise the issue previously. See Commonwealth v. McKelvey, 257 Pa.Super. 409, 390 A.2d 1302 (1978). Here appellant has made the same errors as the appellant in Porter. However, since the same judge who accepted appellant's guilty plea considered his PCHA petition, the purpose of the Roberts rule — to give the lower court the opportunity to rectify its errors before an appeal — has been satisfied. Also, a review of the record (as the discussion below indicates) reveals that appellant's claims are without merit. Therefore, it is in the interest of judicial economy to dispose of this appeal on the merits. Cf. Commonwealth v. Lee, 460 Pa. 324, 327, 333 A.2d 749, 750 (1975); Commonwealth v. Zakrzewski, 460 Pa. 528, 333 A.2d 898 (1975). [4] But see n. 7 infra. [5] Appellant did request leave to present testimony by other prison inmates that the threats against him were real and to introduce newly discovered exculpatory evidence. The former request was denied because the lower court found that the threats against appellant did not influence his decision to plead guilty but only "precipitated his having possession of the weapon," and also because the offered testimony would concern rumors and therefore be inadmissible hearsay. Slip Opinion at 4-5. The latter request was denied because the newly discovered evidence would only raise "the mere possibility" of compelling a different result. See Commonwealth v. Arthur, 257 Pa.Super. 504, 390 A.2d 1350 (1978). We find no reason to hold these rulings error. See n. 7, infra. [6] The lower court properly overruled appellant's objection to introduction of this letter on the basis that it violated the attorney-client privilege. Where an attorney's conduct has been challenged, admission of such a communication is proper for the purpose of defense. Doll v. Loesel, 288 Pa. 527, 136 A.2d 796 (1927). [7] In this letter appellant admitted that he possessed the ice pick but stated that in light of the fact that the prison officials could not protect him and could not transfer him to another facility he had no other recourse but to "protect my own self' against possible physical abuse by other inmates. Evidently appellant thought that the "necessity" of self-protection might influence the sentence imposed because he went on in the letter to ask Weidner whether "explaining all of this to the judge, do you think there's a possibility of receiving a concurrent sentence so I can join my new small family this year as opposed to the four and half years I would have to complete as a result of a consecutive sentence, no matter how minute." It should be noted that appellant's asking about the likelihood of a concurrent sentence after his conference with Weidner is inconsistent with his testimony at the PCHA hearing that Weidner told him during the conference that a six to twelve month concurrent sentence was possible.

le of u and 3. 3 Let s = 1191640879/35858088 - -4/640323. Let o = s - 216/7. Calculate the common denominator of (-4)/(96/(-219)) + 0 and o. 8 What is the common denominator of (-1 + (-220)/12 - -4) + 0 and -61/4? 12 Let k(s) = 13*s**2 - s. Let a = -1 - 0. Calculate the lowest common multiple of k(a) and 2. 14 Let x be (-21102)/(-31392) + (-1)/4. Let q = 5/327 + x. Calculate the common denominator of q and 5/12. 48 Suppose -z + 3*m + 32 - 5 = 0, 0 = -3*z - 5*m + 95. Calculate the smallest common multiple of 18 and z. 90 Let c(h) = -21*h + 1. Let z be c(-3). Suppose 5*g + 9 - z = 0. Suppose -6*v + 4*v = -22. Calculate the smallest common multiple of v and g. 11 Let i = -11579 - -6287389/543. Let p = -3596/1629 + i. Calculate the common denominator of 17/11 and p. 99 Suppose 19 = 5*o + 3*g - 6, 0 = 5*o - 5*g - 25. Suppose -5*q = o + 10. What is the lowest common multiple of 2/q*(-15 - -3) and 7? 56 Let p = -638059/165740 - 2/8287. Let b(q) = -20*q**2. Let m be b(-1). What is the common denominator of p and (0 - 2) + 57/m? 20 Let x(m) = m**2 - 12*m - 7. Let v be x(7). Suppose 7 = 3*l + 1. Calculate the lowest common multiple of ((-36)/14)/(9/v) and l. 12 Let q = -3 + 7. Suppose q*r - 5*o - 2 = 2, -2*o = 4*r - 32. What is the least common multiple of 8 and r? 24 Let j(l) = 2*l**2 - 3*l - 5. What is the smallest common multiple of 2 and j(-2)? 18 Let l be ((-132)/(-200))/(2/12). Let f = l + -2657/450. What is the common denominator of 61/16 and f? 144 What is the smallest common multiple of 16 and (-26)/(-247) - (-984)/38? 208 Let x be (18/(-5))/((-20643)/(-70)). Let l = x - 89213/19660. Calculate the common denominator of -45/8 and l. 40 Let y = 76219/30 - 5087/2. Find the common denominator of y and 121/6. 30 Suppose -3*a + 0*a = 30. What is the common denominator of (3/(-9))/(3/(834/4)) and 1065/(-200) + (-2)/a? 24 Let p be (-5 - -4)*(-7 - 1). Suppose -3*v - v = -p. Calculate the least common multiple of 20 and v. 20 Let a = -14 - -23. What is the least common multiple of 24 and a? 72 Let t be 51872164/(-6148296) + (-2)/(-9). Let r = t - -4/12199. Calculate the common denominator of -81/4 and r. 28 Let y(z) = -z**3 + 7*z**2 + 9*z + 2. Calculate the least common multiple of y(8) and 8. 40 Suppose 0 = m - 4*h + 10 - 4, -4*m + 2*h = -46. Suppose 31 + 59 = 5*q. Calculate the smallest common multiple of (-4)/((-40)/q - -2) and m. 126 Suppose 2*j - 8 = -4*a, -1 = -4*j - a + 1. Find the common denominator of j + 2 - (-183)/18 and -19/22. 66 Suppose -2*h + 116 = 2*o, -2*h - 98 = -2*o + 2*h. Calculate the lowest common multiple of o and 15. 165 Let g = 344627/37870 - 1/3787. What is the common denominator of g and (-2)/(-14)*(-20 + 30)? 70 Let j(d) = d + 2. What is the smallest common multiple of j(6) and 8? 8 Let c(f) = -f + 2. Let n(d) = 1. Let k(h) = c(h) + 2*n(h). Let a be k(4). Suppose -g + 4 = -a. Calculate the smallest common multiple of g and 2. 4 Suppose -2*r - 1 = -3. Calculate the smallest common multiple of 16 and 32/(4 - 0)*r. 16 Suppose n + 8 = 5*n. Let y(h) = -h**3 - 2*h**2 + 3*h. Let d be y(-3). Suppose -n*u = -d - 6. What is the least common multiple of 10 and u? 30 Let o(l) = 3*l + 1. Let g(k) = -k + 2. Let w be g(0). Let p = w + -1. Calculate the smallest common multiple of 6 and o(p). 12 Let v be (-3)/((-9)/(-2))*58. Let k be 3 + (-2 - (-1166)/(-30)). Let x = v - k. What is the common denominator of 16/7 and x? 35 Suppose -4*r - r - 30 = 0. Calculate the common denominator of 61/10 and (-2)/((-8)/(-13))*r. 10 Suppose s - 4*n + 8 = -0*s, 4*n = 5*s - 8. What is the least common multiple of 6 and s? 12 Let s = -5855 + 93777/16. Find the common denominator of s and -17/58. 464 Let s(w) = -w**3 + 5*w**2 + 2*w - 12. Let o be s(6). Let h = 52 + o. Suppose 4*l = -0*l + 8, -b + 5*l + 10 = 0. What is the least common multiple of h and b? 80 Let r = -29235/8 + 3667. Calculate the common denominator of r and -52/9. 72 Suppose -4*u + 4*c + 8 = 0, u - 5*c + 2 = -0. Suppose 6 + 8 = 5*y - 2*n, -2*n - 10 = -u*y. What is the least common multiple of y and 6? 6 Let n be (3*1)/((-12)/84). Let t = 139627/37455 + -2/3405. Find the common denominator of t and -3 + ((-372)/n)/2. 77 What is the common denominator of 31/16 and (1/(-21)*1)/((-16)/(-141))? 112 Let h = 13 + -9. Let r be (-101)/(-11) + h/(-22). Let u = r - -7. Calculate the smallest common multiple of u and 6. 48 Let b(l) = -2*l - 10. Suppose 2*v + 42 = -v. Calculate the lowest common multiple of b(v) and 2. 18 Suppose 0 = -3*i - i + 20. Suppose 3*y - i*y = -2. Calculate the lowest common multiple of y and 1. 1 Suppose 4*f = 40 + 4. Let o = f + -4. Suppose 0 = 2*x - 0 - 8. Calculate the smallest common multiple of x and o. 28 Let o be 15096/180*813/6128. Let m = -3/1915 + o. Find the common denominator of -109/6 and m. 24 Let n be (-2)/7 + 48/21. Suppose -n*j = j - 6. What is the smallest common multiple of 18 and j? 18 Suppose -5*o = 2*x - 1, -4*x - 3*o = -2*x - 7. Let s = 6 + 2. Calculate the least common multiple of s and x. 8 Calculate the common denominator of 3/2*30/(-11) and 100/(-14) - (-15)/(-35). 77 Let z = 9 + -9. Suppose 3*i - 4*a + 0*a + 2 = z, 2*i + 4 = 4*a. Calculate the least common multiple of i and 2. 2 What is the common denominator of -17/4 and (258/32)/(9/4)? 12 Let j(u) = -u - 6. Let a be j(-8). What is the smallest common multiple of a/(-8) + 51/12 and 2? 4 Suppose -318 = -3*f + 2*k, 0 = -5*f + f + 2*k + 422. Suppose 56 = -2*o - 2*j, 5*o = 2*o + j - f. What is the common denominator of o and -18/19? 19 Let t = 2/803 - 40967/5621. Find the common denominator of t and (3/6)/(18/28). 63 Calculate the least common multiple of 18 and (119/(-21))/((-2)/24). 612 Suppose -8*c - 88 = -12*c. Suppose 5*j + 3*w - 107 = 0, 3*j - 2*j - w - 23 = 0. Calculate the smallest common multiple of c and j. 22 Find the common denominator of 106/42 - (-10)/(-30) and -83/48. 336 What is the common denominator of ((-2)/(-72))/((-8)/(-1552)) and -59/34? 306 Suppose -5*h + s = 3*s, 2*h + s + 1 = 0. Find the common denominator of 11/20 and 935/(-121)*h/4. 220 Let z be (-14)/(-1) + (-2)/2. Calculate the smallest common multiple of z - 2 - 4/2 and 9. 9 Suppose 4*a = 3*a - 13. Let o = a - -17. What is the smallest common multiple of 20 and o? 20 Calculate the common denominator of 1378/(-117)*2/4 and -29/10. 90 Suppose a + 2*a = 24. Let v(c) = -7*c - 1. Let m(f) = -15*f - 1. Let y(o) = 6*m(o) - 13*v(o). What is the lowest common multiple of y(-5) and a? 8 Let c(j) = -2*j + 4. Let i be c(-9). Suppose 2*v = i - 2. Calculate the least common multiple of 2 and v. 10 Let p be -480 - 3 - (1 - 3). Let q = 220/343 - -517270/1029. Let i = q + p. Find the common denominator of 18/7 and i. 21 Calculate the common denominator of 0/2 + (-258)/(-24) and 169/126. 252 Suppose -2*i + 10 = 3*i. Calculate the smallest common multiple of i and 3. 6 Let s = 97 - 90. Calculate the smallest common multiple of 39 and s. 273 Let m = 145220678 + -336476322342/2317. Let s = -4966 - -3287491/662. Let q = s + m. Calculate the common denominator of q and -5/8. 56 Calculate the common denominator of 111/20 and (-13)/(-13) - (-202)/12. 60 Let v(z) = 3*z**3 + 2*z**2 + z + 2. Let k(t) = -16*t**3 - 9*t**2 - 4*t - 9. Let b(d) = -2*k(d) - 11*v(d). What is the smallest common multiple of b(-4) and 6? 24 Let k = -239/168 - -190/21. What is the common denominator of k and -55/28? 56 Let t(x) = -x**3 - 3*x**2 - 2*x - 1. Let s be t(-2). Calculate the common denominator of s/(-3) + (-37)/18 and 28/100*20/(-16) + -4. 180 Let v be -1 - 3/(9/(-192)). Let u(s) = s**3 - 11*s**2 - 5*s + 10. Let j be u(11). Let i = v + j. What is the smallest common multiple of i and 22? 198 Find the common denominator of (-508)/48 + 0/(-2) and (1/12)/((-3)/(-273)). 12 Suppose -3*h - 106 + 160 = 0. Let d = 44 + -22. What is the least common multiple of h and d? 198 Suppose 0 = -4*t - t - 20. Find the common denominator of (-1048)/80 + (-2)/t and 51/2. 10 Let t be 1*(-2)/(5 + -3). Calculate the common denominator of -35/2 and -10*t/(4/(-5)). 2 Let r = 63 - 90. Let a = r - -38. What is the smallest common multiple of 4 and a? 44 Suppose -20 = -4*z + 12. What is the lowest common multiple of z and 6? 24 Suppose 5*l - 20 = 2*f + f, -3*l = -12. Let a(h) = h + 12116. Let d

Q: why do I get "index is not defined" error using easy:search I'm just trying to set up a basic search tool in Meteor to find articles in my MongoDB collection, but I'm struggling to get off the ground (if anyone has a good tutorial for an alternative search tool I'm open to suggestions). I've settled on easy:search because it seemed like a simple search tool to get running, however one paragraph into their getting started instructions and I'm already getting an error: ReferenceError: Index is not defined although correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what the import { Index, MinimongoEngine } from 'meteor/easy:search' line is for? EDIT: I have tried using the import line on both the client and the server side and I get the same error either way A: this problem was fixed when I included the "import" line in the "lib" folder along with the other code (specified here) to be run on both server and client disclaimer: I uninstalled and reinstalled meteor and may have changed something else along the way which may have been the true solution, but this appears to be the triggering change

Q: Looking for Simple Python Formula to Combine Two Text Files Beginner Python user here. I'm trying to write a formula that will merge two text files. As in, the first file should have the text of the second simply added to it, not replacing anything in either file. Here's what I have so far: def merge(file1,file2): infile = open(file2,'r') infile.readline() with open('file1','a') as myfile: myfile.write('infile') myfile.close() Any help would be greatly appreciated. A: You seem to have the right idea, a way it could be simplified and easier to read would be the following code I found on google, fit to your method. def merge(file1,file2): fin = open(file2, "r") data2 = fin.read() fin.close() fout = open(file1., "a") fout.write(data2) fout.close()

Antonín Kříž Antonín Kříž can refer to: Antonín Kříž (biathlete) (born 1953), Czech Olympic biathlete Antonín Kříž (cyclist) (born 1943), Czech Olympic cyclist

A case of multiple brain metastases of uterine leiomyosarcoma with a literature review. Brain metastasis from uterine leiomyosarcoma is extremely rare, and prognostically alarming despite various treatments. The authors report a case of multiple brain metastases from uterine leiomyosarcoma who took a favorable course after tumor resection and γ-knife treatment. A 50-year-old woman with a history of hysterectomy for uterine leiomyosarcoma two years earlier, presented with a recent onset of headaches and vomiting. Multiple cerebral lesions were found by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) was 40 with left hemiparesis and cerebellar ataxia. She was treated by resection of the left occipital and cerebellar tumors, followed by γ-knife irradiation of the residual tumors. KPS was 70 at her discharge from the hospital. MRI failed to show recurrence of the intracranial lesions 6 months after irradiation. She remained at home until she died from massive intra-abdominal bleeding. This is the first case with multiple brain metastases from uterine leiomyosarcoma, who survived with remarkable neurological improvement for 12 months. No comparable survival has been reported in the literature. It is evident that surgical resection and additional γ-knife irradiation contributed to early neurological recovery.

Q: How to find all rows with a NULL value in any column using PostgreSQL There are many slightly similar questions, but none solve precisely this problem. "Find All Rows With Null Value(s) in Any Column" is the closest one I could find and offers an answer for SQL Server, but I'm looking for a way to do this in PostgreSQL. How can I select only the rows that have NULL values in any column? I can get all the column names easily enough: select column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name = 'A'; but it's unclear how to check multiple column names for NULL values. Obviously this won't work: select* from A where ( select column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name = 'A'; ) IS NULL; And searching has not turned up anything useful. A: You can use NOT(<table> IS NOT NULL). From the documentation : If the expression is row-valued, then IS NULL is true when the row expression itself is null or when all the row's fields are null, while IS NOT NULL is true when the row expression itself is non-null and all the row's fields are non-null. So : SELECT * FROM t; ┌────────┬────────┐ │ f1 │ f2 │ ├────────┼────────┤ │ (null) │ 1 │ │ 2 │ (null) │ │ (null) │ (null) │ │ 3 │ 4 │ └────────┴────────┘ (4 rows) SELECT * FROM t WHERE NOT (t IS NOT NULL); ┌────────┬────────┐ │ f1 │ f2 │ ├────────┼────────┤ │ (null) │ 1 │ │ 2 │ (null) │ │ (null) │ (null) │ └────────┴────────┘ (3 rows)

Effects of fentanyl on adrenergic function in canine coronary arteries. The effects of fentanyl on sympathetic nerve endings in canine coronary arteries have been examined. Measurements were made of change in endogenous norepinephrine in isolated coronary artery in the presence of fentanyl, and of the effects of fentanyl on norepinephrine release and metabolism using superfused strips of coronary arteries in which transmitter stores had been prelabeled with [3H]norepinephrine. [3H]Norepinephrine and its 3H metabolites were separated from samples of superfusate (physiologic salt solution flowing continuously over the prelabeled coronary artery) by column chromatography and measured by scintillation spectrometry. The addition of fentanyl (2 x 10(-6) and 8 x 10(-6) M) caused the overflow of total radioactivity (radiolabeled norepinephrine and radiolabeled metabolites of norepinephrine entering the superfusate) to increase significantly above basal levels in both unstimulated and electrically stimulated arteries. The increased overflow could be accounted for by a small increase in norepinephrine and a sizeable increase in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol, the metabolite arising from the intraneuronal metabolism of norepinephrine. Because this metabolite is without agonist activity and the increases in norepinephrine were small, fentanyl in the concentrations studied had minimal effects on adrenergic neurotransmission in this vascular bed.

Q: Can anyone tell what kind or even which airplane this is? As stated in this post on the Dutch Police website (Google Translate English version) this morning (12th june 2018), they are looking for all available information concerning the image below. All help is appreciated! [Update] Additional information: the picture was presumably made on the 16th of January 2018 at 20:57 local time. They are looking for any information about airplane type, carrier or maybe even flight number. A: It may be an A318 with cabine plan like this one for Avianca: My guesses are: the emergency light line stops around row 6, with the (red?) curtains around row 4. the seats arrangement is approximately 3 rows of business class then economy class. best guess would be 2x3 seats per row, with central screen every three row. cockpit door is slightly not centered to the left So it can fit with this type of plane. Sorry, I can't guess the company. The curtains seems red, but the cabine does not fit with AirFrance (and Hop) neither British Airways. EDIT According to the video posted by @Florian in comments, Avianca is a good guess for the company. Following the comment of @jean, and considering the shadows on the seats, it may be taken during daylight (in flight or on the ground) but for sure not during night.

Q: Second derivative of an inverse function By the inverse function theorem, we know that $G'(x)=1/F'(G(x))$, where $G=F^{-1}$. I want to obtain $G''(x)$, but I don't know how to get the derivative of $F'(G(x))$. Any hints? A: Just apply the chain rule: $$ \frac{d}{dx} (F'\circ G)(x) = F''(G(x))G'(x), $$ and insert the value for $G'$ that you have obtained before.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a thermoelectric semiconductor compound and a method of making the thermoelectric semiconductor compound. 2. Description of Related Art It is well known that thermoelectric semiconductor compounds exhibit the Seebeck effect, where heat is converted to electricity, and the Peltier effect, where application of an electric current causes cooling or heating. The thermoelectric performance of a thermelectric semiconductor compound is indicated by a performance index Z (=.alpha..sup.2.sigma./.kappa., where .alpha. is the Seebeck coefficient, .sigma. is the electrical conductivity, and .kappa. is the thermal conductivity). A higher performance index Z results in higher thermoelectric performance. For example, a higher performance index Z results in a higher voltage being developed if a temperature difference is provided across a thermoelectric semiconductor. A higher performance index Z also results in a larger temperature difference being developed across a thermoelectric semiconductor upon application of an electric current. Thus, much research and development effort has focused on increasing the performance index Z to as high a value as possible. One improved thermoelectric semiconductor compound is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei. 10-242535, which was published, without examination, on Sep. 11, 1998. The performance index Z was increased by adding BN to a thermoelectric semiconductor with a molecular formula of (Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3).sub.70 (Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3).sub.5 or (Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3).sub.70 (Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3).sub.30, even though the addition of BN led to a reduction in thermal conductivity. Another improved thermoelectric semiconductor compound is disclosed in Proc. XII Int. Conf. On Thermoelectric, IEEJ, Tokyo, Yokohama (Japan), pp.121-125, 1994. The performance index Z was increased by a factor of 1.2 by the addition of 2 volume % MgO, in the form of powders having an average diameter of 0.01 .mu.m, to a thermoelectric semiconductor having a molecular formula of (Bi.sub.0.25 Sb.sub.0.75).sub.2 Te.sub.3. In both cases, the performance index Z of a thermoelectric semiconductor compound was increased by the addition of a dielectric material that also decreased the electrical conductivity. Thus, the increases in the performance index Z resulted from an improvement in one or more of .alpha. and 1/.kappa., while .sigma. was sacrificed. As long as improvements in the performance index Z require a trade-off of one or more of the factors of Z, improvements in Z will be limited. Accordingly, a need exists for a thermoelectric semiconductor compound with a remarkably improved performance index Z that is not the result of sacrificing one of the factors of Z.

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Probing a hidden world of molecular self-assembly: concentration-dependent, three-dimensional supramolecular interconversions. A terpyridine-based, concentration-dependent, facile self-assembly process is reported, resulting in two three-dimensional metallosupramolecular architectures, a bis-rhombus and a tetrahedron, which are formed using a two-dimensional, planar, tris-terpyridine ligand. The interconversion between these two structures is concentration-dependent: at a concentration higher than 12 mg mL(-1), only a bis-rhombus, composed of eight ligands and 12 Cd(2+) ions, is formed; whereas a self-assembled tetrahedron, composed of four ligands and six Cd(2+) ions, appears upon sufficient dilution of the tris-terpyridine-metal solution. At concentrations less than 0.5 mg mL(-1), only the tetrahedron possessing an S4 symmetry axis is detected; upon attempted isolation, it quantitatively reverts to the bis-rhombus. This observation opens an unexpected door to unusual chemical pathways under high dilution conditions.

/* * Typelib for wbemdisp * * Copyright 2013 Hans Leidekker for CodeWeavers * * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. * * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU * Lesser General Public License for more details. * * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA */ #pragma makedep regtypelib #include "wbemdisp.idl"

Rome: Santa Maria Maggiore I have procrastinated the gargantuan task of writing a post about the Santa Maria Maggiore for far too long. I have mentioned this major basilica several times now in other posts, and have visited it at least half a dozen times. The church is one of four major basilicas in Rome, the others being the San Giovanni in Laterano, the San Pietro in Vaticano and the San Paolo fuori le Mura. It is also a papal basilica, which means that – save special dispensation – only the Pope himself can celebrate mass here from the high altar. The Santa Maria Maggiore is furthermore the largest and most important church in Rome dedicated to the veneration of the Virgin Mary. A great many artistic treasures have been deposited here throughout the centuries and the church is an interesting mix of many different styles. This post will be quite picture-heavy, as there is much that I would like to show my readers. The Liberian Basilica The Santa Maria Maggiore is also known as the Liberian Basilica and the Santa Maria della Neve (Our Lady of the Snow). The first name refers to Pope Liberius (352-366), during whose pontificate a first church was founded. The second name is connected to a pious foundation legend involving a Roman nobleman named John. John was a wealthy landowner who held the title of patricius. The Virgin Mary appeared to him in a dream and told him to build a church dedicated to her at a site in Rome where snow would fall the next day. Since it was actually August, this was a weird dream indeed. John told Pope Liberius about it and was informed that the Holy Father had had a similar dream. And lo and behold, there was indeed a miraculous case of snowfall on the Esquiline Hill. The Pope needed no more proof that this was the spot where he would build his new church. The whole story of Pope Liberius, John the Patrician and the miraculous fall of snow in high summer seems to have come into existence hundreds of years later and can be considered apocryphal. It is told in a large mosaic on the old facade of the church, which I will discuss in more detail below. John the Patrician tells his dream to Pope Liberius (facade mosaic). Unfortunately, Pope Liberius’ basilica no longer exists. Furthermore, it must have been built somewhere else on the Esquiline Hill, as no remains of it have been found underneath the present church. A fair case has been made that the Liberian Basilica was abandoned relatively quickly after Pope Liberius’ death in 366. His death led to the simultaneous election of two new popes, which in turn triggered a violent struggle between their supporters. One party was led by Pope Damasus, the other by his rival, who – for the simple reason that he lost – went down in history as Antipope Ursicinus (or Ursinus). Several sources describe the clashes between the two opponents and their attendants, such as the non-Christian writer Ammianus Marcellinus and the so-called Collectio Avellana. This last source is clearly hostile to Damasus. It is very interesting, because it mentions several churches which existed in Rome at that time. The Collectio claims that Ursicinus was elected in the ‘Basilica of Julius across the Tiber’, which must refer to the Santa Maria in Trastevere, presumably founded by Pope Julius I (337-352). Damasus and his supporters met at the ‘Church in Lucinis’, definitely a reference to the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina. There seem to have been various clashes between the two parties, but Damasus quickly gained the upper hand. The Collectio at one point claims that Damasus besieged the Liberian Basilica with a gang of “gladiators, charioteers, gravediggers, and all the clergy”, and after breaking into it killed 160 people inside and wounded many more. The building was set on fire and looted. If this is all true, it might easily explain why the Liberian Basilica was abandoned: it was damaged and desecrated. Interestingly, Ammianus Marcellinus mentions an attack on the on the ‘basilica of Sicininus’, in which 137 people were killed. This basilica has sometimes been identified as the Liberian Basilica, but this interpretation is not very convincing as there is no reason to equate Liberius and Sicininus. Sicininus (or Sicininum) is completely unknown. Ammianus Marcellinus was perhaps referring to a separate clash in which many people were killed as well. Founding the church The church we see today was founded by Pope Sixtus III (432-440). Sixtus – his name was actually Xystus – was a busy little bee, who was also responsible for an extensive remodelling of the Lateran Baptistery. His decision to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary was influenced by the decision of the 431 Council of Ephesus to declare Mary the Mother of God or – in Greek – the theotokos. This decision kick-started the veneration of the Virgin in all parts of the Roman Empire, and the Santa Maria Maggiore was in all likelihood the first church in Rome dedicated to her (a case has been made to see the Santa Maria in Trastevere as the oldest Marian church in the city, but it seems more likely that this church was only re-dedicated to the Virgin in the eighth century). Pope Sixtus III’s proper name – Xystus – on the triumphal arch. Melchizedek offering bread to Abraham. Sixtus’ church was a classical Roman basilica: a nave, two aisles, a semicircular apse and no transept. And although almost sixteen centuries have passed since Sixtus’ pontificate, parts of the original decorations of his great church are still there. The Santa Maria Maggiore is in fact one of only two churches in Italy of which the original wall mosaics have been preserved over the centuries. The other is the Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. That is not to say that all of them have survived. Originally, there were 42 panels. Nine were lost and replaced with mediocre frescoes in 1593. Six more were then destroyed in the early seventeenth century, when entrance arches were made for the two most important chapels of the church, the Cappella Sistina on the right and the Cappella Paolina on the left (more on these chapels below). This leaves us with 27 panels, some damaged, which tell stories from the Old Testament. The first twelve panels, on the left nave wall, feature stories from the Book of Genesis. We see Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Esau and many others. The fifteen panels on the opposite wall are about the Journey to the Promised Land. They are mostly based on the Books of Exodus and Joshua. In the first scenes, Moses plays a prominent part. After his death, Joshua takes over and crosses the river Jordan. Although perhaps difficult to see because of the distance and no doubt heavily restored, the mosaics are very impressive. Most of them tell two or even three stories in one panel. Since these are pre-Byzantine mosaics, the people are more or less depicted realistically and the mosaics give us a fair clue as to what for instance clothing and weaponry looked like in the mid-fifth century. The daughter of the pharaoh is depicted as a Roman empress, for example. The siege of Jericho (left) and the Sun stands still at Gibeon (right). The fifth century mosaics of the triumphal arch have also stood the test of time. These are likewise well worth our attention. There are four registers. The top register features Pope Sixtus’ proper name: XYSTVS EPISCOPVS PLEBI DEI, or ‘Bishop Xystus (built this) for the People of God’. His name is mentioned beneath an empty throne with a cross on it, the so-called hetoimasia. The throne is flanked by Saints Peter and Paul and the symbols of the four evangelists (see the image above). To the left of Saint Peter, we see a scene of the Annunciation, and then we need to go down one register to admire an Adoration of the Magi. The register beneath that has the Massacre of the Innocents by King Herod and the lowest register features the city of Jerusalem. Then we need to look up again and continue to the right of Saint Paul, where we see a scene of the Presentation at the Temple. The scene below that shows the Holy Family seeking refuge in Egypt. Down one more register there is a scene of the Magi reporting to Herod and finally we arrive in Bethlehem in the lowest register. Triumphal arch mosaic. Annunciation and Adoration of the Magi. The Middle Ages Pope Sixtus’ basilica had no side chapels, but there was an initially freestanding external oratory next to the church in which the relics of Christ’s manger – the feeding trough which was used as a cradle – were kept and venerated. We do not know when this so-called Oratory of Bethlehem was built, but we do know that it is no longer extant. It was first converted into a chapel, the Cappella del Presepe, during the pontificate of Pope Innocentius III (1198-1216) and then accidentally destroyed when the architect Domenico Fontana (1543-1607) tried to move it to the centre of the new Cappella Sistina, a chapel he was constructing on the orders of Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590). During the process to move it, the chapel collapsed and many of its precious decorations were destroyed. Some survive, such as the beautiful crib figures sculpted by Arnolfo di Cambio (ca. 1240-1300/10) and his workshop. These can now be found in the museum of the Santa Maria Maggiore, at least that is where I found them when I last visited the church (they have reportedly been found in other places as well). Arnolfo di Cambio’s crib figures. The Madonna and Child were added later, and were made by Giovanni Antonio Paracca (1546-1599). Cosmatesque floor. Several popes made changes to the church during the Middle Ages. One of them was Pope Paschalis I (817-824), who was very active during his relatively brief pontificate; his image can be found in the apse mosaics of three Roman churches, including that of the Santa Prassede close to the Santa Maria Maggiore.[1] A strange incident occurred in 1075, when Pope Gregorius VII (1073-1085) was kidnapped on Christmas Eve while celebrating mass in the adjacent Oratory of Bethlehem. He was liberated by the Roman people the next day and brought back on a white mule. Gregorius claimed that his rival, the Holy Roman emperor Henry IV, was behind the kidnapping. The two would soon be at each other’s throats in the so-called Investiture Controversy, which ultimately led to the famous Walk to Canossa in 1077. Pope Eugenius III (1145-1153) was responsible for a restoration which provided the church with a beautiful Cosmatesque floor. Parts of this floor have been preserved. Eugenius also had an entrance loggia built, which was demolished in the eighteenth century. Pope Nicholas IV By far the most important renovation project was executed under Pope Nicholas IV (1288-1292). Nicholas had been born Girolamo Masci and became the first Franciscan pope in history. He provided the Santa Maria Maggiore with a transept and had the original apse of the church demolished and subsequently rebuilt further back. The old fifth century apse mosaic was unfortunately lost in this process, but Nicholas had the sense to replace it with a new and very spectacular one. This mosaic of the Coronation of the Virgin was executed by the thirteenth century painter and mosaicist Jacopo Torriti. There can be no doubt about his authorship, because he actually signed the mosaic, which was completed some years after Pope Nicholas’ death, in about 1295. Coronation of the Virgin. We may speculate that Torriti and his team were inspired by the apse mosaic of the Santa Maria in Trastevere, which was executed at least a century earlier and has a similar theme. Although the latter mosaic strictly speaking does not depict a coronation, it does show the Virgin and Christ sharing a throne, and even the text in Latin in Jesus’ book is the same: VENI ELECTA MEA ET PONAM IN TE THRONUM MEUM, “come, my chosen one, and I will put you on my throne”. The Santa Maria Maggiore apse mosaic shows Christ and the Virgin in the centre, in a tondo held by groups of angels. To the left of the tondo are – from right to left – Saints Peter, Paul and Franciscus (ca. 1181-1226). The choice for Franciscus is obvious, as Nicholas was the first Franciscan pope ever. Nicholas himself is depicted as well. He can be seen kneeling to the left of a group of angels and has the label NICOLAVS PP IIII next to him. On the other side of the tondo are more saints: from left to right we see John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and Antonius of Padova (1195-1231), the second most important Franciscan saint. On this side of the mosaic, we also find another kneeling figure, in this case Jacopo Colonna (ca. 1250-1318), who was cardinal-archpriest of the church at the time. We do not know what the original fifth century apse mosaic looked like. Perhaps it depicted a similar theme, perhaps not. There is no way to know, as apparently no descriptions of it have survived. It is possible that Torriti copied the vine-scrolls and animals of the current mosaic from the fifth century original, as similar examples from this century are known in Rome (see for instance the Lateran Baptistery). However, we simply cannot be certain and can only speculate. Between the Gothic apse windows are more mosaics, showing five scenes from the life of the Virgin. They are the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Dormition (in the centre), the Adoration of the Magi and the Presentation at the Temple. Again, it is interesting to compare these mosaics to those about the Virgin by Pietro Cavallini in the Santa Maria in Trastevere, which were executed in 1290-1291, so in this case almost simultaneously. The arch surrounding the conch of the apse features the twenty-four elders from the Book of Revelation, as well as the symbols of the four evangelists. Saints John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and Antonius of Padova, with a kneeling cardinal Colonna. Dream of John the Patrician. Pope Nicholas IV also commissioned artists to provide the exterior facade of the church with splendid mosaics (the counter-facade inside had a fifth century mosaic, but this has not been preserved). These exterior mosaics are still there, and you can see some of them from the Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore in front of the church. However, the light must be just right. And more importantly: the view is obstructed by the current facade of the church, which was added in the eighteenth century. It is best to join a guided tour of the Loggia of Blessings and the Sala dei Papi. From the loggia, you can get an up-close look at the colourful mosaics. As was already mentioned above, these tell the story of the founding of the Liberian Basilica in the fourth century, during the pontificate of Pope Liberius (352-366). To be more specific, there are two registers of mosaics, of which the lower register tells the story of the Pope, John the Patrician and the miraculous snowfall in August in four separate scenes. The upper register centres on Christ the Pantokrator, who is depicted seated on a throne and inside a tondo held by angels. On either side of Christ, we see the symbols of the evangelists again, as well as several saints. These are, from left to right: Jerome, James the Great, Paul, the Virgin Mary, then Christ himself, John the Baptist, Peter, Andrew and Matthew. Unfortunately, the arches of the eighteenth century loggia still block parts of the mosaics. Saint Jerome is invisible for instance, and so is Saint Matthew. Christ the Pantokrator. A coat of arms with a white column against a red background features heavily in the mosaic. It is depicted four times around the central window. This is the family emblem of the powerful Colonna family. Cardinal Jacopo Colonna is depicted again, and so is his kinsman, cardinal Pietro Colonna (ca. 1260-1326). Both are apparently shown kneeling, although I have not been able to spot them and they are probably covered by the arcades of the loggia as well. The top register was certainly executed by Filippo Rusuti (ca. 1255-1325), a contemporary of Cavallini and Torriti. We know that Rusuti made the mosaic because he actually signed it: PHILIPP[VS] RVSVTI FECIT HOC OPVS. The signature is below Christ’s feet (see the image above). There is some doubt about whether Rusuti was also responsible for the lower register. His signature is absent there and some experts note a difference in style. Since I do not consider myself an expert, I will not speculate about authorship here. Facade mosaic in the Loggia of Blessings. Although the exterior of the Santa Maria Maggiore has been modernised and has completely lost its medieval appearance (save the mosaics by Rusuti of course), the church has kept its Romanesque bell tower, which dates from the twelfth or thirteenth century. It was restored by Pope Gregorius XI (1370-1378), the pope who brought the papacy back to Rome from Avignon in 1377. There used to be a second campanile on the left side of the church, but this was demolished in the eighteenth century. The Renaissance The Santa Maria Maggiore is famous for its heavily gilded and coffered ceiling, which was installed in the fifteenth century. Two popes from the Borgia family – De Borja in Spanish – played a prominent role in the process. Pope Callixtus III (1455-1458) commissioned the ceiling and it was gilded during the pontificate of Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503). The Borgia bull is therefore featured in some of the rosettes of the ceiling. Interior of the church, with the famous gilded ceiling clearly visible. Ceiling and dome of the Cappella Sistina. There is a story that the first shipment of gold captured by the Spanish conquistadores in the New World was used for gilding the ceiling. Apparently this was a gift from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to the Pope, but whether there is any truth in the story is up for debate. Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) is sometimes credited with designing the ceiling, but it was probably finished by Giuliano da Sangallo (ca. 1445-1516). The ceiling is no doubt splendid and among the oldest remaining wooden ceilings in Rome. The fact that it has been preserved must be attributed to restorations in the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century. Important changes were made to the basilica in the sixteenth century when, in 1584, Domenico Fontana (1543-1607) began construction of the Cappella Sistina off the right aisle. Fontana had been commissioned by cardinal Felice Peretti di Montalto, who one year later became Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590). As was already discussed above, construction of the Cappella Sistina led to the unintentional destruction of the famed Cappella del Presepe. This was a sad loss, but the new Cappella Sistina is a worthy replacement. It is huge, and basically a church in its own right. The chapel was completed by 1587, but the process of providing it with decorations continued until 1590. Unfortunately, the chapel is usually kept closed for visitors, but you can still see a lot by peeking through the bars of the iron gates. Pope Sixtus V was interred here, and his tomb can be found on the right side. Also in this chapel is the tomb of one of his predecessors, Pope Pius V (1566-1572), the man who had made Sixtus a cardinal in 1570. Pius was initially buried in Saint Peter’s Basilica, but later transferred to the Santa Maria Maggiore. He was ultimately beatified and canonised. Sixtus, on the other hand, was not. Interior of the Cappella Paolina. The Baroque period In the early seventeenth century, the Santa Maria Maggiore was provided with a chapel off the left aisle, matching the Cappella Sistina on the other side. This chapel is known as the Cappella Paolina. It was commissioned by Pope Paulus V (1605-1621) and is named after him. The architect involved was Flaminio Ponzio (1560-1613). Work started in 1605 and was completed in 1611. Decoration of the chapel took another five years of work, so the chapel was only finished when its designer was already in his grave. And speaking of graves, the chapel has the tombs of two popes, the aforementioned Pope Paulus V and that of his predecessor, Pope Clemens VIII (1592-1605; strictly speaking Clemens was not his immediate predecessor, but Clemens’ successor Pope Leo XI died on 27 April 1605 after less than a month on the Throne of Saint Peter). Pope Paulus’ tomb has some wonderful sculptures. His statue was executed by Silla Giacomo Longhi (1569-1622) and a Frenchman named Nicolas Cordier (ca. 1567-1612). Cordier was also responsible for the statues of King David on the right and Saint Bernardus of Clairvaux on the left. The large reliefs on either side of the Pope’s statue show Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, fighting the Turks, and the Pope himself engaged in the fortification of Ferrara, which had been part of the Papal States since 1598. Rudolf, emperor from 1576 until 1612, led a coalition of nations in a war against the Ottoman Empire which would later become known as the Long Turkish War (1593-1606). Although the relief may suggest otherwise, the war resulted in a stalemate, with neither side managing to gain the upper hand. This relief was sculpted by Stefano Maderno (1576-1636), the one about Ferrara by Ambrogio Buonvicino (1552-1622). The smaller reliefs above the statue feature episodes from the Pope’s life, such as his coronation in the centre, attributed to Ippolito Buzio (1562-1634). Tomb of Pope Paulus V. Salus Populi Romani. The chapel is very similar to the Cappella Sistina, the main difference being that it can usually be visited, although not during masses: in most cases the Cappella Paolina rather than the whole Santa Maria Maggiore is used for religious services. In this chapel one of the most important icons in all of Rome is kept, the Salus Populi Romani, the ‘Salvation of the Roman People’. As with so many other icons in Rome (example, example, example), there is a tradition that it was painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist, who – given his purported production – must have had a whole studio working for him. The tradition is nonsense of course, but the icon is certainly very old and there has been a lot of retouching. Another tradition claims that Pope Gregorius the Great carried the icon through the city in a solemn procession when Rome was struck by a plague in 590 (see Rome: Castel Sant’Angelo). While not completely impossible, this is still highly implausible. The icon was probably painted no earlier than the eighth century, with much overpainting in later centuries. More research is needed to get a more secure dating. Although perhaps not as important as the addition of the Cappella Paolina, Flaminio Ponzio was also responsible for the construction of a set of rooms and apartments on the right side of the church. If we stand in front of the Santa Maria Maggiore, we notice two massive “blocks” on either side of the church facade. The right wing was designed by Ponzio and construction started in 1605. The wing comprises the baptistery (from the nineteenth century, see below), the sacristy and several other rooms, including the papal apartments or Sala dei Papi. This can be visited as part of a guided tour. The tour gives visitors a chance to admire some statues, paintings, liturgical vestments and a staircase designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). Also on display here is an ancient Bible text. Unfortunately – shame on me – I do not recall the exact nature of the text, but it may have been a direct copy of one of the original Epistles that are part of the New Testament. Bernini family tomb. The aforementioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini lies buried in this church. For such a famous and prolific architect and sculptor, one would expect a grand tomb, kind of like Michelangelo’s tomb in Florence, designed by Giorgio Vasari. But Bernini was simply buried in the Bernini family tomb. An extremely modest monument – a mere step with an inscription near the high altar – was added to this tomb to commemorate the great artist. It is not entirely clear whether this was in conformity with Bernini’s own wishes. Certainly, the artist was a humble and devout Catholic, especially towards the end of his life, but there are other traditions that claim that he did want a grand monument, but simply did not get it. In 1669, Bernini had been commissioned to make a new design for the apse of the Santa Maria Maggiore, which was considered old-fashioned by that time. However, Pope Clemens X (1670-1676) then hired the architect Carlo Rainaldi (1611-1691) to execute the project on a much smaller scale (Bernini apparently liked to think big). Rainaldi started work in 1673 and the apse of the Santa Maria Maggiore became one of his best known works. Make sure you walk around the church to admire it from the Piazza dell’Esquilino. The most impressive part of it is actually not the apse itself, but the marvellous set of stairs. These are now closed off with crush barriers. Apparently people liked to sit down here and this was not appreciated by the papal authorities. Very important changes were made to the church exterior and interior in a project started in 1741. Pope Benedictus XIV (1740-1758) had commissioned the architect Ferdinando Fuga (1699-1782) for an extensive remodelling of the ancient basilica. Work started in 1741. The church must have looked out of balance by that time, with Ponzio’s early seventeenth century wing on the right lacking a worthy counterpart on the left. It was Fuga who restored the balance by constructing a wing on the other side as well. This was in all respects a reasonable intervention. However, Fuga then also added a new Late Baroque facade to the church, which involved destruction of Pope Eugenius III’s twelfth century entrance loggia. The new facade, completed in 1743, has two storeys, and the second storey is the Loggia of Blessings that was already mentioned above. It connects the two wings, but it also obstructs the view of the late thirteenth century mosaics. Not even the Pope seems to have liked the result. However, Fuga at least had the sense to preserve the mosaics, so we can luckily still admire most of them, provided that we join a guided tour. Baldachin and crypt. In about 1749, Fuga started working inside the church. One of the things he did was replace the old fifteenth century baldachin with a new one. The original baldachin had been commissioned by a French cardinal named Guillaume d’Estouteville (died 1483), who was cardinal-archpriest of the Santa Maria Maggiore from 1443 until his death forty years later. Some of the reliefs from the old baldachin have been preserved and can now be found in the apse below the windows. They are attributed to either Mino da Fiesole (ca. 1429-1484) or Mino da Reame, or to both if they are in fact the same person. Fuga’s new baldachin is impressive, but it must be added that it was truncated in 1932 to improve the view of the apse mosaic behind it. Some of the stucco angels were moved to the Loggia of Blessings, where they are clearly out of place. Fuga can also be credited with restoring the Cosmatesque floor of the church, with saving the wooden ceiling and with rearranging the columns in the nave. Work was completed before 1750, which happened to be a Jubilee. Recent history The nineteenth century baptistery in Ponzio’s seventeenth century right wing is a creation of Giuseppe Valadier (1762-1839). The baptismal font is slightly sunken and surrounded by a balustrade. It therefore somewhat resembles an ancient baptismal pool. The early Christians practiced baptism by full immersion, which was gradually phased out in favour of baptism by affusion. Valadier’s arrangement is a reminder of the ancient tradition. A similar arrangement can be found at the Lateran Bapistery. The baptismal font of the Santa Maria Maggiore is composed of an ancient basin with a modern bronze cover. The statue of Saint John the Baptist is by Giuseppe Spagna. Of greater interest is the large marble relief behind the font which serves as an altarpiece. It depicts the Assumption of the Virgin and is the work of Pietro Bernini (1562-1629), Gian Lorenzo’s father. Baptistery. The crypt or confessio is also basically a nineteenth century creation. Guillaume d’Estouteville’s fifteenth century crypt was remodelled in 1864 by Virginio Vespignani (1808-1882). The project had been initiated by Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) – Pio Nono – which explains the presence of a large statue of this pope down here. The statue is the work of Ignazio Jacometti (1819-1883). Note that Pope Pius IX, the longest-reigning pope in history, was not buried here. Those wanting to visit his tomb should go to the San Lorenzo fuori le Mura; visit the crypt if you want to see the relics of the Manger, which are kept there. The Santa Maria Maggiore seems to be in excellent condition today, and for this we may credit Dilwyn Lewis (1924-2000). Lewis was a colourful figure. An orphan, he sold clothes before becoming a man of the cloth. Ordained as a priest in 1974, he became a canon of the Santa Maria Maggiore in 1984 and was subsequently appointed as Vicar Capitular by Pope John Paul II and charged with restoration of the basilica, which was in a serious state of disrepair at the time. The restoration project continued until well into the twenty-first century, but during my most recent visits all the scaffolds seemed to have been removed. Miscellaneous tombs Tomb of cardinal Gonzalo. The Santa Maria Maggiore has a great many funerary monuments. Among the most interesting medieval monuments is the tomb of a Spanish cardinal from early fourteenth century. The name of this cardinal was either Gonzalo García Gudiel or Gonzalo Rodríguez Hinojosa; different sources mention different names, and the tomb only has his Latin name GONSALVVS. Cardinal Gonzalo was archbishop of Toledo in Spain and Pope Bonifatius VIII (1294-1303) had appointed him cardinal-bishop of Albano in 1298. The cardinal died in Rome the next year. He was given a lavishly decorated tomb in the Santa Maria Maggiore, although his body seems to have been repatriated to Spain some years later. The tomb can be found near the Cappella Sistina; Ferdinando Fuga moved it from the high altar to its current position. The monument is attributed to the school of Arnolfo di Cambio. The Cosmatesque decorations and the large mosaic are, however, the work of Giovanni di Cosma (died ca. 1305). His signature can be found near the bottom of the tomb, where he refers to himself as: We have seen Giovanni’s funerary monuments in Rome before: here and here. The mosaic of Cardinal Gonzalo’s tomb features a Madonna and Child in the centre, with Saints Matthias and Jerome on either side. Matthias was the apostle elected after Judas’ death or suicide. He is holding a scroll which claims – in Latin – that his remains are beneath the high altar. Jerome’s scroll claims that his relics are kept near the Cappella del Presepe. The basilica indeed asserts to have relics of both saints. Cardinal Gonzalo himself can be seen kneeling at the Virgin’s feet. Tomb of Agostino Favoriti. One of my favourite monuments in the church is that of a man appropriately named Agostino Favoriti (1624-1682). The monument was designed by a painter, Ludovico Gimignani (1643-1697), and executed by one Filippo Carcani, who had previously worked for Bernini. Monsignore Favoriti’s friend Ferdinand of Fürstenberg (1626-1683), Prince Bishop of Paderborn, wrote the epigraph. Since Favoriti was considered a man of culture and a scholar, he was portrayed sitting behind his desk, with a huge pyramid-shaped slab of dark yellow marble from Siena behind him. The large statues on the left and right represent Religion (the woman with the crucifix) and Fortitude (the woman with the lion). Near the entrance of the church, we find the tombs of two popes, that of Pope Clemens IX (1667-1669) and that of Pope Nicholas IV (1288-1292), already mentioned above. Pope Clemens used the Latin motto “Aliis non sibi Clemens” – “clement to others, not to himself” – which was a pun on his name. He died in December 1669 after receiving the terrible news that the Turks had taken the city of Candia (now Heraklion) on Crete after a 21-year siege. The Pope’s tomb was commissioned by his successor, Pope Clemens X, and designed by Carlo Rainaldi (see above). The statues were sculpted by Domenico Guidi (1625-1701), Cosimo Fancelli (1618-1688) and Ercole Ferrata (1610-1686). Tomb of Pope Nicholas IV. Pope Nicholas IV’s tomb is not a contemporary tomb, but a sixteenth century monument for a pope who was buried in the church almost three centuries previously. Nicholas made important changes to the church structure in the thirteenth century, adding a transept and moving the apse further back, as well as commissioning Jacopo Torriti and Filippo Rusuti to lay splendid mosaics. This has all been discussed above. The monument for Nicholas was made by Domenico Fontana in 1574. The sculptor Leonardo Sormani (died ca. 1590) provided the statues of Religion and Justice. The Pope himself would probably have disapproved of this monument. As a humble Franciscan, he had asked to be buried in an antique urn which was to be placed under a floor slab, so that churchgoers could walk over him. His wish was initially granted, but ignored when the urn was rediscovered centuries later. Although I have seen the Santa Maria Maggiore several times now, the church continues to amaze. I recently read about an interesting bust that I seem to have missed on all of my previous visits. It can be found near the baptistery and represents an African man. He has been identified as Antonio Emanuele Ne Vunda or Antonio Nigrita, ambassador of the Kingdom of Kongo to the Pope. He died in Rome in 1608. The bust is attributed to Francesco Caporale, although some like to see it as a work by Stefano Maderno. I will no doubt return to the Santa Maria Maggiore some day and will keep an eye out for the bust.