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Apple chipmaker TSMC said that the earthquake that hit southern Taiwan earlier this month caused damage that will impact production, but has not yet given a clear indication of the scale of the problem. The company is one of two chip fabricators for the iPhone 6s, and is expected to be the sole manufacturer of the A10 chip for the iPhone 7. The 6.4-magnitude earthquake on February 6 killed 116 people and injured many more, with significant damage also caused to manufacturing facilities … NordVPN TSMC initially said that it expected 95% of production capacity to be restored within 2-3 days, and that the long-term impact would be a loss of around 1% of 2016 production. However, Digitimes now reports the company says that damage to one of the chip-fabrication facilities is “worse than originally assessed.” The company has, however, indicated that it is “confident” of hitting its revenue targets for the first quarter of the year, suggesting that it still expects the impact to be relatively minor. It had been speculated that Apple’s reported decision to switch from a TSMC/Samsung mix for the A9 chip to TSMC only for the A10 may have been influenced by benchmark tests showing that iPhone 6s models equipped with the TSMC chip ran cooler and offered better battery life than Samsung variants. Apple played down the differences, saying that benchtests are not typical of real-world usage, and that the difference amounted to 2-3%. About the Author Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!

Q: cp -r . I run the command cp -r <Folder Name> .<Folder Name>. It have done something, but I cannot find it. Example: cp -r Agent .Agent.old # (There is a dot symbol on the 2nd folder name) A: Prefixing the file name with a dot (.) is usually considered as hidden files. This folder copying should have done in the same way. try to list hidden items by. ls -la .Agent.old

NORTH Korea has been signalling that a third nuclear test is imminent, and speculation of a major advance has been fuelled by the assertion of its top military body, the National Defence Commission, that any test will be of a "higher level". Numerous analysts believe this could point to the first-time test of a uranium device. The North's two previous tests in 2006 and 2009 used plutonium for fissile material. The test will offer a rare chance to gauge where its nuclear program is headed, with most expert attention focused on what type of device is detonated and how. Seismic monitors and ``sniffer'' planes capable of collecting radioactive evidence of the test will provide the forensic material for analysts to try to determine the yield and nature of the underground explosion. "It's not that a uranium test would reflect any great technical achievement," said Mark Fitzpatrick, director of the non-proliferation program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. "But it would confirm what has long been suspected: that the North can produce weapons-grade uranium which doubles its pathways to building more bombs in the future,'' Fitzpatrick said. A basic uranium bomb is no more potent than a basic plutonium one, but the uranium path holds various advantages for the North, which has substantial deposits of uranium ore. "One alarm it sets off is that a uranium-enrichment program is very easy to hide," said Fitzpatrick. "It doesn't need a reactor like plutonium, and can be carried out using centrifuge cascades in relatively small buildings that give off no heat and are hard to detect,'' he added. North Korea revealed it was enriching uranium in 2010 when it allowed foreign experts to visit a centrifuge facility at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. Many observers believe the North has long been enriching weapons-grade uranium at other secret facilities. Another red flag raised by a uranium device relates to proliferation, according to Paul Carroll, program director at the Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation based in California. "Highly enriched uranium is the preferred currency of rogue states or terrorist groups," Carroll said. "It's the easiest fissile material to make a crude bomb out of and the technical know-how and machinery for enriching uranium is more readily transferred and sold," he added. Scientist and nuclear expert Siegfried Hecker, who was among those shown the Yongbyon enrichment facility in 2010, believes a uranium test is the most likely scenario given Pyongyang's stated desire to boost its nuclear arsenal. Pyongyang has a very limited plutonium stockpile - enough Hecker estimates for four to eight bombs - and it shut down its only plutonium source, a five-megawatt reactor at Yongbyon, in 2007. In an analysis published on Tuesday, in Foreign Policy magazine, Hecker held out the prospect of a multiple test in which separate plutonium and uranium devices are detonated simultaneously. Digging into its precious stockpile to conduct a third plutonium detonation - like the 2006 and 2009 tests - would suggest Pyongyang had a miniaturised design that it was confident enough to try out. A plutonium bomb requires less fissile material than a uranium version, making it easier to shrink to the size of a warhead that fits on a missile. Proof that the North had mastered miniaturisation would be an alarming game changer - especially given the North's successful rocket launch in December which marked a major step forward in ballistic prowess. "Pyongyang will almost certainly claim that the test was successful and will tout its sophistication," Hecker said. "It will be difficult to distinguish truth from propaganda, but experience shows there is often a nugget of truth in North Korea's claims." To some extent, Pyongyang has already boxed itself a corner by trumpeting the "higher level" scenario. "While this statement is usefully ambiguous, it does set a baseline of expectation," said Hugh Chalmers, a nuclear research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute. "If a new test turns out like the 2006 test, they will be very disappointed," Chalmers said. The 2006, detonation was widely judged a failure by the international community with a yield estimated at less than one kiloton.

Abnormal volitional hip torque phasing and hip impairments in gait post stroke. The purpose of this study was to quantify how volitional control of hip torque relates to walking function poststroke. Volitional phasing of hip flexion and extension torques was assessed using a load-cell-instrumented servomotor drive system in 11 chronic stroke subjects and 5 age-matched controls. Hips were oscillated from approximately 40 degrees of hip flexion to 10 degrees of hip extension at a frequency of 0.50 Hz during three movement conditions [hips in phase (IP), 180 degrees out of phase (OP), and unilateral hip movement (UN)] while the knees and ankles were held stationary. The magnitude and phasing of hip, knee, and ankle torques were measured during each movement condition. Surface electromyography was measured throughout the legs. Over ground gait analysis was done for all stroke subjects. During robotic-assisted movement conditions, the paretic limb produced peak hip torques when agonist hip musculature was stretched instead of midway through the movement as seen in the nonparetic and control limbs (P < 0.012). However, mean torque magnitudes of the paretic and nonparetic limbs were not significantly different. Abnormalities of paretic hip torque phasing were more pronounced during bilateral movement conditions and were associated with quadriceps overactivity. The magnitude of flexion torque produced during maximal hip extension was correlated with the Fugl Meyer Score, self-selected walking speed, and maximal hip extension during over ground walking. These results suggest that hyperexcitable stretch reflexes in the paretic limb impair coordinated hip torque phasing and likely interfere with walking function post stroke.

1. Introduction {#sec1} =============== Since 2000, the incidence of primary and secondary syphilis in the U.S. has been increasing. During 2005-2006, the number of cases reported to CDC increased 12.4% for early latent syphilis (from 8176 to 9186), 9.9% for late and late latent syphilis (from 16 049 to 17 644), and 11.0% for the total number of cases of syphilis (P&S, early latent, late, late latent, and congenital syphilis) (from 33 288 to 36 935) \[[@B3]\]. Among males, the rate of primary and secondary syphilis has risen 70% over the past five years. Among females, the rate of primary and secondary syphilis increased 11.1% from 2005-2006. Thus, with an increasing national rate, syphilis and its subsequent complications represent an important consideration in the evaluation of neuro-otologic disease. Unlike primary idiopathic hydrops, treatment of LEH with steroids and antibiotics often reverses the symptoms. In a study by Lindstrom and Cleich, treatment of otosyphilis with penicillin and steroids caused an improvement in hearing (speech reception threshold and/or speech discrimination in 25%), decrease in tinnitus (71%), and improvement in disequilibrium in 66% of their patients \[[@B4]\]. Amenta and Dayal found that the most obvious improvement in cases of treated LEH is the speech discrimination score \[[@B5]\]. However, improvement in cochlear function has not been described in the treatment of LEH. Case PresentationA 42-year-old female presented with complaints of hearing loss in her left ear for 2-3 months with occasional bilateral tinnitus. Prior to treatment, standard behavioral audiometry (250--8000 Hz) was obtained ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}), as well as distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). DPOAEs were tested using Bio-logic Systems Corp. Scout Otoacoustic Emissions Testing System, software version 3.45.00, diagnostic protocols. Pretreatment results for the patient\'s right ear indicated moderate to mild sensorineural hearing loss, and the left ear revealed profound to moderate mixed hearing loss (left bone conduction similar to right bond responses). Speech discrimination scores were good in the right ear, 84% at 50 dBHL; poor in the left ear, 60% at 85 dBHL. DPOAE testing revealed distortion product minus noise floor was \>5 dB for only 15% of measured points (750--8000 Hz) in the right ear and 32% in the left ear.Laboratory testing included collagen profile test, RPR, and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test. Results revealed the patient\'s RPR and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test to be positive. Furthermore, a history of syphilis was confirmed. Following a course of 2.4 million units of Benzathine Penicillin G and Prednisone for three weeks, the patient reported improvement in hearing. Repeat audiologic evaluation obtained one month after diagnosis revealed improved hearing ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}), and interestingly, the patient\'s DPOAEs recovered following treatment. Posttreatment results revealed improved left ear responses (mild, flat sensorineural hearing loss with moderate conductive component at 500--1000 Hz). Speech discrimination improved to 92% in the right ear and 96% in the left ear (both presented at 75 dBHL). Posttreatment DPOAEs were measured (2000--8000 Hz) and revealed right ear distortion product minus noise floor was \>5 dB for 93% of measured points (range 5.1--15.6 dB) and left ear 86% (range 6.3--15.5 dB), reflecting a recovery of cochlear function. The patient continues to show recovery of both hearing and OAEs nearly one year from treatment. 2. Discussion {#sec2} ============= Syphilis is a multisystem disease that can affect the inner ear. Patients with LEH may present with tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss with poor speech discrimination, episodic vertigo, and nystagmus \[[@B5]\]. LEH manifests during the late stages of congenital or acquired syphilis. It is known that syphilis within the temporal bone causes a round cell infiltration with endarteritis, resulting in tissue destruction involving any or all of the periosteum, periosteal bone, enchondral bone, and endosteum. With penetration of the endosteum, there is a proliferative fibrosis with obliteration of the perilymphatic space, cochlear hydrops and degeneration of the neuroepithelium of both the cochlear and vestibular end organs \[[@B7]\]. OAEs are believed to be a measurement of outer hair cell function and to be a by-product of the cochlear amplifier, a metabolic mechanism that enhances cochlear partition vibration during transmission of sound through the hearing system \[[@B8], [@B9]\]. Recovered OAEs in this patient strongly suggest that OAEs may serve as a tool to measure cochlear function and serve as a treatment outcome for LEH. In this patient, there was both an improvement in hearing loss as well as recovery of OAE following treatment. This reversal of OAE loss suggests that injury to outer hair cell function and the cochlear amplifier are reversible entities in this disease. We suggest that OAE testing can be used to monitor response to treatment of LEH. Further studies may be indicated to assess the sensitivity and specificity of OAE testing as a therapeutic measurement. {#fig1} {#fig2} [^1]: Recommended by Patrick James Bradley

Elon Musk on the future of the future - akandiah http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/02/elon-musk-on-the-future-of-the-future/ ====== cribbageisfun Elon Musk is really awesome. Coming up with 3 products in completely different industries. Especially electric cars and rockets. Amazing.

From the time the Pilgrims arrived on American soil, faith in God played an important part in shaping our nation. Images of Moses adorn the Supreme Court in recognition of the Judeo-Christian origin of our laws. But it was Taxes, loss of Liberty and oppression from a mad king that led our Founding Fathers to write The Declaration of Independence and start The American Revolution. Today, those who stand for these ideals no longer call themselves The Silent Majority because we are silent no more. Friday, February 12, 2010 THE GOOD: I anxiously awaited the opportunity to go and see James Cameron's latest sci-fi epic Avatar. I was not disappointed. This movie is a masterpiece with a complex story about humans from a future America, driven by greed and profit, who are mining a rare element needed for industrial purposes back on Earth. The planet called Pandora, that contains this rare substance is a sight to behold with all its unique natural beauty but it is populated by a race of beings, the Na'vi, that have little or no technology and are spiritually entwined with the natural forces of their planet. The planet is also extremely toxic to humans who are only able to work on the surface using genetically created avatars, virtually identical to the inhabitants. The story begins well after the mining operation has begun and the humans have already constructed immense scientific laboratories along with their gigantic excavating equipment. The mining operation is protected by a quasi-military army of mercenaries. The latest member of this force is a wheelchair-bound ex-marine named Jake who was a last minute fill-in for his deceased brother. Seems the avatars are created using DNA from their human partners and the ex-marine's DNA was a match for his brother's avatar. The blend of photo-realistic animation along with live acting is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. While sitting in the theater watching this film I easily understood why it took so long to make. I was already a big fan of James Cameron since I have several of his movies in my sci-fi movie collection so I watched this movie with a favorable bias. Cameron gave us The Abyss, Aliens and the first two Terminator films which were all some of the best sci-fi ever produced. It has been said that James Cameron started working on Avatar soon after he finished making Titanic over ten years ago. The level of technology required to complete his vision did not exist so he literally had to invent some of it. Those who enjoy sci-fi movies know that these kind of films do not get reviewed as fairly as others. Professional film critics often judge a sci-fi movie by the standards one would compare a script to Shakespeare. While dialog and plot are important it is the quality of the spectacle that counts the most and James Cameron has provided the highest quality of both by giving us a complex story that is well written along with an eye-popping visual extravaganza. THE BAD: For some weird reason Avatar has attracted dozens of critics who have condemned this film for being everything from anti-American, to anti-religious, to even pro-communist and almost any other detracting sentiment you can think of. The movie takes place almost two centuries in the future in a time no one can contemplate so because the human characters were American and they were the bad guys the movie was anti-American. If this comparison is justified then every film that depicts bad politicians or evil government assassins should also be anti-American. Because the native inhabitants communed with nature on a level of connectivity we cannot fathom does not make this an anti-religious movie. That religious angle was offered up by a preacher, by the way, who probably saw sin and corruption everywhere he looked. As far as the pro-communist complaint, that was probably the result of the way the alien inhabitants lived. These disparaging remarks haven't convinced anyone from staying away as this film has just surpassed the box office record set by Cameron's other epic, Titanic. I don't know anything about James Cameron's politics, religion or lifestyle and I don't care about them either. I am a patriotic, conservative, Christian Republican and I loved this movie in spite of what others have said. THE UGLY: There is only one part of this movie that I did not like and it was the presentation in 3-D. I have not seen a 3-D movie in over 50 years and back then it involved wearing cardboard eyeglasses with red and green lenses. This modern version of 3-D uses gray polarized lenses and while the 3-D effect works the glasses dim the vivid images on the screen. I plan on seeing this movie once more in the theater in the 2-D version and I look forward to later this year to being able to buy the 2-D version in Blu-Ray. I also hope that now that James Cameron has the time maybe he will make a Blu-Ray issue of Titanic. I discovered a sure-fire way to save at least twenty-five bucks. That’s the cost of two movie matinee tickets plus popcorn and soda in our ‘burb and it’s a bargain, except when it’s wasted on Avatar. In case you haven’t seen it yet, don’t bother. I’d give it 2 3/4 stars–mainly for the special effects. Add a star if you appreciate paying for propagandistic, anti-American swill disguised as an science fiction-adventure-romance and add another if you go see it thinking it compares with director James Cameron’s previous epic, Titanic. It doesn’t. That would give it almost six stars which is what most critics would assign Avatar out of a possible four, if they could. In actuality, it’s too long (150 minutes), too derivative of Cameron’s Alien, and entirely too predictable down to the cataclysmic denouement. If I were to spend 4 years and $300 million on a film, I’d try harder. The propaganda isn’t even subtle. Consider: . Set in 2154 A.D., the movie begins with chatter about how super-valuable some exotic mineral is and how a firm, an American firm, of course, is going to extricate it from the equally or more exotic planet of Pandora, like the box. Refugees from “a dying planet,” with depleted resources, the humans are remarkably calm in their desperation and in their willingness to decimate Pandora’s denizens. . In the process of stealing the resources from the innocent and assumed-defenseless Pandora, if they have to despoil this paradise then they have to despoil it.(Read the rest at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1460) THE BAD: I guess you missed it. I see it very clearly. It must be a difference of philosophy or something. The fact of the matter is I DON’T NEED HOLLYWOOD TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS MORAL AND WHAT IS NOT MORAL. Hollywood is meant for entertainment, Hollywood is not meant for human conditioning. Cameron’s movie is giant political statement. This is unfortunate. This movie did not have to be a political statement. In this movie:Why does America have to be evil? I live in America and I don’t think we are that evil. I think we are industrious. We are frontiersmen. We are on the cutting edge. We are humanitarians. What is wrong with Capitalism? What is wrong with trying to make a profit? Capitalism has been the economic backbone of America for over 230 years and we are one of the strongest countries economically because of it. Our government needs a lot of help, nonetheless, Americans are still some of the wealthiest people on the planet, because of capitalism and because of the theory of making a profit.What is wrong with mining for valuable minerals?Mining for valuable minerals has been a way of life for thousands of years. Without it, we would not have aluminum cans for our sodas.What is wrong with cutting down trees? Don’t trees make a durable product in which we can make our homes?We still have trees, and the “green” movement is outdated: that’s so 90’s!Why do we want to promote Communism to our children?It is okay for us to care about each other collectively, but really now, seriously does a movie need to promote the positive aspects where everything is distributed to all evenly?Why do we need to depict our American military force as being evil warmongers out for a profit?American soldiers are on the frontline dying for you and me so we can be free today in the capitalistic economy in which we live, and I am personally and amazingly grateful for those soldiers and the freedom upon which they stand. The storyline could have rolled out differently. Instead of America being depicted as evil war-mongers, the Americans could have been the industrious pioneering frontiersmen of the future on a quest to seek out new civilizations, to learn more about the new civilizations, and teach the new civilizations how to improve their lifestyles, all the while teaching the new civilizations how to establish an economy that would enable fair trade for goods and services. The bottom line is, as I stated before, Hollywood does not have a soul as far as I am concerned. Entertainers are merely entertainers and they need to stick to their craft of entertaining. If these entertainers truly feel like they need to stand up for their “beliefs” then they need to step out of the entertainment role and move to supporting their beliefs instead. I don’t need some Hollywood guru teaching me or my children his or her own version of what he or she thinks is right or wrong. For this reason Avatar is a complete waste of time. Avatar is just a movie. Period. It was made to entertain and in that light it must have succeeded. You can probably find some form of propaganda anywhere you look, if you want to. Just like different people like different kinds of music, if you don't like sci-fi don't waste your money buying a ticket. There have been scores of films of every genre that have depicted the evils of corrupt industrialists but I don't recall such an out cry of protest before. Geketa, I am not now and never have been a movie critic and have no ambitions to be one. I only wrote this because I got sick and tired of seeing the off the wall criticisms from every soap box patriot. Electronic Frontier Foundation Blogroll About Me My name is Nelson Abdullah. I am 77-years old and after 40 years of working for two major airlines, I retired 15 years ago in 2002, a few months after the 9-11 attack on America. My wife and I have been married for more than 56 years. We celebrated our Golden Anniversary in April 2010. My wife and I are both lifelong Catholics and registered Republicans. About this blog Defending the Constitution. Our country was created as a Constitutional Republic, a nation of laws, held together by the fabric of the Constitution. The Constitution limits the powers of the government while the first ten amendments, called The Bill of Rights, guarantee the rights of We The People.Defending the Republic. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” —The Declaration of Independence—July 4th, 1776. Bill of Rights Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Q: Create db user with limited privileges I have to create a sql 2008 database user that can backup and restore databases but NOT execute INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE. Is it possible or the two operations are incompatible? A: You will need to assign them the role of db_BackupOperator to the login(s) to be able to do this. They will be able to see the objects, but not the data in them or the code behind them.

Developing medical device technologies from users' perspectives: a theoretical framework for involving users in the development process. The aim of this study was to suggest an acceptable and generic theoretical framework for involving various types of users in the medical device technology (MDT) development process (MDTDP). The authors propose a theoretical framework suggesting different routes, methods and stages through which various types of medical device users can be involved in the MDTDP. The suggested framework comprises two streams of users' involvement in MDT development, that is, what might be called the end users' stream and the professional users' stream for involving these two groups respectively in the process of developing both simple and more complex and innovative medical devices from conceptualization through to the market deployment. This framework suggests various methods that can be used for users' involvement at different stages of the MDT lifecycle. To illustrate the application of the framework, several MDT development scenarios and device exemplars are presented. Development of medical devices from users' perspectives requires not only the involvement of healthcare professionals but also that of the ultimate end users, that is, patients, people with disabilities and/or special needs, and their caregivers. The evidence shows that such end users quickly discard devices that do not fulfill their personal expectations, even though both manufacturers and healthcare professionals may consider those end users' requirements met. Developers and manufacturers need to recognize this potent potential discrepancy between the parties involved, and involve end users and professional healthcare staff directly in the MDTDP. The framework, the authors contend, is a step forward in helping medical device manufacturers plan and make decisions about users' involvement at different stages of the MDTDP.

Bona (singer) Kim Ji-yeon (Hangul: , Hanja: 金知姸; born August 19, 1995), better known by her stage name Bona, is a South Korean singer and a member of the South Korean girl group Cosmic Girls. She made her acting debut in the KBS2 drama Hit the Top (2017), and was cast as the female lead in the teen drama Girls' Generation 1979 (2018). Early life and education Bona was born on August 19, 1995 in Dalseo District, Daegu, South Korea. She graduated from Dongguk Girls' High School. Career Pre-debut Before joining Starship Entertainment, Bona was a trainee under Cube Entertainment and trained with them for six years before joining Starship Entertainment in 2015. 2016–present: Debut with Cosmic Girls and solo activities She was revealed to be a member of Cosmic Girls and its Wonder Unit on December 15, 2015 and proceeded to debut with them on February 25, 2016 with their debut mini-album Would You Like? and the single "MoMoMo". In 2017, she made her acting debut in the KBS2 drama Hit the Top, and was cast as the female lead in the teen drama Girls' Generation 1979. She made a cameo in Radio Romance in 2018, before her second lead role in Your House Helper. Bona was revealed to join the cast of Law of the Jungle in Northern Mariana Islands. Discography Filmography Television series Television shows Awards and nominations References External links Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:People from Daegu Category:South Korean female pop singers Category:South Korean television actresses Category:21st-century South Korean actresses Category:21st-century South Korean singers Category:Mandarin-language singers of South Korea Category:Cosmic Girls members Category:South Korean female idols Category:21st-century women singers

By Victoria Gill Science and nature reporter, BBC News Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Advertisement Old World monkeys have better numerical skills than previously thought, researchers have discovered. In a basic numeracy test, long-tailed macaques were able to work out which of two plates contained more raisins. Strangely, they only excelled in this test if they were not allowed to eat the raisins they were shown. The scientists report in the journal Nature Communications that the animals have the ability to understand the concept of relative quantities. The team of researchers from the German Primate Center in Goettingen initially tested the macaques by showing them two plates containing different numbers of raisins. When the animals spontaneously pointed to one of the plates, they were fed the raisins. But in this test, the monkeys often got it wrong - choosing the smaller amount. Lead researcher Vanessa Schmitt said that this was because, rather than thinking about quantities, the animals were thinking about how much they wanted to eat the raisins. THINKING MONKEYS Read the paper on monkey numeracy in Nature Communications More on Old World monkeys from BBC Wildlife Finder "This impulsiveness impaired their judgement," Ms Schmitt told BBC News. "But when we repeated the test, this time showing them two plates of inedible objects - pebbles - they did much better." To find out if the monkeys really could judge quantities, the researchers tried another experiment. "We wanted to know if they could simultaneously maintain two mental representations of the food items, first as choice, and second as food reward," said Ms Schmitt. In this third slightly more confusing experiment, the monkeys were shown plates of raisins, but their reward for pointing to a plate was to be fed other raisins that were hidden underneath. "They perform as well in this task as they do when choosing the pebbles," said Ms Schmitt. "This seems to show that they see the raisins as signifiers - representations of the food rewards they're going to receive." Youthful impulse Ms Schmitt's co-researcher, Professor Julia Fischer, explained that very young children had the same difficulty in suppressing their impulses. "There's a well-known experiment called the reverse reward paradigm," said Professor Fischer. "You have two heaps of candies - one big, and one small. The child obviously points at the big heap - which is then given to another child, while the [first] child itself gets the small heap. "Young children have trouble comprehending that they should point at the small heap to get the big one, but if you replace the candies with numerals or other symbols, they can do it." Ms Schmitt says that previous studies of other primates, that have used food items to test their numeracy, may have been troubled by this effect, and therefore underestimated the animals' abilities. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version

Woman creates custom dolls for children with disabilities Wonderfully, people are diverse and not everyone looks like Barbie and Ken - that would be boring and totally devoid of inclusivity. Noticing a lack of diversity in children's toys, one woman from Wisconsin in the United States began making custom-made dolls for children who need representation. Amy Jandrisevits, formerly a social worker in a paediatric oncology unit, once practised play therapy with dolls to assist children during their medical stays. It was her time spent in the unit that led to the realisation that the dolls she was using represented the picture of health and the generalised idea of perfection - they didn't represent or reflect what most children actually look like. So, she decided to do something to change the way children think. The clever and compassionate doll maker is doing her part to change children’s’ lives by ensuring everyone is represented inclusively. Source: Facebook/A Doll Like Me. “It is my heartfelt belief that dolls should look like their owners AND dolls should be available in all colours, genders, and body types." Source: Facebook/A Doll Like Me. "The bigger picture is that we, as adults, do such a disservice to children with regard to representation," Ms Jandrisevits said. "It is my heartfelt belief that dolls should look like their owners AND dolls should be available in all colours, genders, and body types." Those with limb differences, clef pallets, albinism, birthmarks and all kinds of unique abnormalities can now have a doll that makes them feel included and accepted thanks to her passion project. Ms Jandrisevits has shared her belief that children are incredibly impressionable with her social media fans and explains teaching children that "normal" comes in all shapes and sizes is important. "Dolls are validating for the little people they reflect," she said. “Don't we want these sweet little people to know that they're perfect just the way they are?” Source: Facebook/A Doll Like Me. Wonderfully, people are diverse and not everyone looks like Barbie and Ken. Source: Facebook/A Doll Like Me. Amy's page A Doll Like Me is growing in size and garnering positive attention from people all over the world. With 7600 thousand likes on Facebook and just over 1000 follows on Instagram, it's fantastic to see her gaining support and traction for a cause truly wholesome. Every doll is close to $100 however, Ms Jandrisevits isn't the kind of woman to deny a child a lookalike doll on the basis of their parents being unable to afford one. Almost four years ago she created a GoFundMe page to provide dolls to children in need and was recently awarded the GoFundMe Hero award for her work. "I am humbled and grateful and excited to keep sewing - so that kids can look into the sweet face of a doll and see their own!" Ms Jandrisevits said.

1. Introduction {#sec1-cells-09-01447} =============== Genome editing is a type of genetic engineering, in which genetic information, DNA, is modified within an organism's genome \[[@B1-cells-09-01447]\]. Recently, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system has emerged as a powerful and precise method for gene inactivation via the formation of small insertions/deletions (InDels) and for specific genome editing via homology-directed recombination \[[@B2-cells-09-01447],[@B3-cells-09-01447],[@B4-cells-09-01447],[@B5-cells-09-01447],[@B6-cells-09-01447]\]. The CRISPR/Cas9 system consists of a Cas9 nuclease protein and single-guide RNA (sgRNA), which directs the Cas9 nuclease to the target genomic locus. In particular, its fast and easy application make CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing an ideal technique for generating various transgenic organisms \[[@B7-cells-09-01447],[@B8-cells-09-01447]\]. Based on this concept, several studies have demonstrated that the CRISPR/Cas9 system can drive gene disruption, activation, repression, and genome targeting in various organisms \[[@B9-cells-09-01447],[@B10-cells-09-01447],[@B11-cells-09-01447]\]. For example, CRISPR/Cas9-induced precise genome editing has been commonly performed in mice and includes zygote-based microinjection or embryonic stem cell (ESC)-based transfection approaches \[[@B12-cells-09-01447],[@B13-cells-09-01447],[@B14-cells-09-01447],[@B15-cells-09-01447],[@B16-cells-09-01447]\]. However, although CRISPR/Cas9 is a promising tool for gene targeting in various biological systems, it is still relatively inefficient in inducing genome editing in several systems \[[@B17-cells-09-01447],[@B18-cells-09-01447],[@B19-cells-09-01447]\]. Additionally, the low efficiency of homology-directed repair (HDR)-mediated genetic recombination hinders the application of this technology in transgenesis \[[@B20-cells-09-01447],[@B21-cells-09-01447]\]. Small molecules can be used to control fundamental biological processes, such as survival, self-renewal, and differentiation \[[@B22-cells-09-01447],[@B23-cells-09-01447]\]. Accordingly, small-molecule--based chemical approaches may also facilitate transgenic systems. Particularly, such approaches offer distinct advantages in the gene-editing field, since they can be temporally regulated to rapidly inhibit or activate specific targeting processes, and these effects are often reversible. Additionally, the effects of small molecules on the gene editing can be finely tuned by varying the treatment dosage or period. However, to date, few studies have shown the enhancement of small molecule-induced gene editing, especially in embryos \[[@B24-cells-09-01447],[@B25-cells-09-01447],[@B26-cells-09-01447],[@B27-cells-09-01447]\]. In this regard, reinforcement of the CRISPR/Cas9 system with small molecules can be an ideal strategy for therapeutic gene editing. In this study, we sought to identify small molecules that enhance CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting. We found that valproic acid (VPA) could increase the efficiency of Cas9-mediated gene editing in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and embryos. VPA is a small molecule that has been shown to affect several pathways \[[@B28-cells-09-01447],[@B29-cells-09-01447],[@B30-cells-09-01447]\]. For example, as an epigenetic modifier, it has a profound impact on the chromatin structure through inhibiting histone deacetylases (HDACs), and this effect significantly improves cellular reprogramming efficiency \[[@B31-cells-09-01447]\]. VPA has also been reported to affect several signaling pathways and regulate the differentiation and proliferation of various cells \[[@B32-cells-09-01447],[@B33-cells-09-01447]\]. Since histone acetylation is one of the key epigenetic modifications affecting chromatin packaging, and often associated with an open chromatin configuration, inhibition of histone deacetylases by VPA alters the chromatin structure and makes the DNA more accessible for gene editing. Thus, this study indicates the importance of the chromatin structure for efficient and precise gene editing and suggests that VPA-augmented Cas9 gene editing can be an effective approach for generating transgenic applications. 2. Materials and Methods {#sec2-cells-09-01447} ======================== 2.1. Preparation of the RNP Complexes and Donor Vector {#sec2dot1-cells-09-01447} ------------------------------------------------------ Recombinant Cas9 protein (M0386) was purchased from New England Biolabs, Inc. sgRNA were designed by the protocol recommended in Ran et al. \[[@B34-cells-09-01447]\] Cap1-sgRNA sequence; GCTTGCCGTACAAGCTTGATGG, Lphn2-sgRNA sequence, TACCAGTATATTGCTGCAGTGG. sgRNA was synthesized through in vitro transcription using the MEGAshortscript Transcription Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific), as described in the manufacturer's protocols. To assemble the RNP complexes, 300 nM sgRNA was incubated with 300 nM Cas9 nuclease at room temperature for 10 min. Targeting donor vector constructs are purchased from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC). For zygote injection, 100 ng/uL of linearized donor vector was mixed with RNP and injected to the cytoplasm of mouse zygotes. 2.2. Cell Culture {#sec2dot2-cells-09-01447} ----------------- B6/129 F1 hybrid ES (V6.5) cells were cultured in DMEM (Welgene) medium, supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum (Gibco™, Grand Island, NY), 0.1 mM non-essential amino acids, 4 mM L-glutamine, 0.1 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 1000 U/mL LIF (Chemicon, Temecula, CA, USA), and 1% penicillin-streptomycin (Gibco™) at 37 °C and with 5% CO~2~, in a humidified incubator. The cells were passaged every 3--4 d with Trypsin-EDTA (Gibco™). The cell lines were quantified with short tandem repeat analysis by KogeneBiotech and tested for mycoplasma contamination every three months, by using the MycoSensor PCR Assay Kit (Agilent). To deliver Cas9 to cells in vitro, cells gat \~80% confluence were treated with an all-in-one vector containing Cas9 and sgRNA or assembled Cas9/sgRNA RNPs, with or without the small molecules (5 μM 5-azacytidine (Sigma), 5 mM VPA (Sigma), 500 nM CTPB (MedChem Express, New Jersey, USA), 25 nM Romidepsin (Selleckchem, Houston, TX, USA), 10 uM SB431542 (R&D Systems), 3 μM CHIR99021 (Peprotech, London, UK), 200 nM Trichostatin A (TSA) (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA), or 500 nM Scriptaid (Sigma). The experimenter was not blinded to the treatment. None of the cell cultures were excluded from our analyses. 2.3. Mouse Embryo Culture and Microinjection of One-Cell Stage Embryos {#sec2dot3-cells-09-01447} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- All the animal experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Dongguk University (IACUC-2016-010), and performed in accordance with the institutional guidelines. Mouse embryos were collected from 8-week-old mice with a B6D2F1 (C57BL/6 XDBA2; Jung Ang Lab.Animal Inc., Seoul, Korea) genetic background. Super-ovulated B6D2F1 mice were mated with B6D2F1, and the zygotes were collected from the oviducts. Collected zygotes were cultured with M2 media (\#M2101; CytoSpring LLC, Mountain View, CA, USA)), with or without 2 mM of VPA for 1 h. Afterward, one-cell stage mouse embryos were microinjected with pre-assembled RNPs made of Cas9 protein and sgRNA (50 ng/uL) and/or linearized plasmid donor vector (100 ng/μL). The injected one-cell stage embryos were cultured with KSOM (\#K0101; CytoSpring LLC), with or without the small molecules at 37 °C and with 5% CO~2~ in a humidified incubator until the blastula stage. Thereafter, mouse blastocysts were analyzed. 2.4. Surveyor Assay {#sec2dot4-cells-09-01447} ------------------- We performed the Surveyor nuclease assay using the Surveyor Mutation Detection Kit (Transgenomic, Omaha, NE, USA). Amplified DNA (400 ng) was denatured according to the manufacturer's instructions. For embryo analysis, we mixed non-microinjected control mouse embryo DNA with the injected samples. Then, the denatured DNA samples were treated with 1 µL of the nuclease and incubated for 30 min at 42 °C. Afterward, the samples were resolved on a 2% TBE agarose gel. Bands were visualized using ImageLab (Bio-Rad Laboratories) and quantitated with the ImageJ (NIH) software. 2.5. Western Blot {#sec2dot5-cells-09-01447} ----------------- The cells were detached and homogenized in RIPA buffer (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO, USA), containing a proteinase inhibitor cocktail (Cell signaling). After homogenization, the samples were mixed with 5X loading buffer (250 mM Tris-HCl, 10% SDS, 30% Glycerol, 500 mM DTT, and 0.05% bromophenol blue) and boiled for 10 min at 100 °C. Proteins were separated with 12% SDS--PAGE and blotted onto a membrane. Blotted membranes were incubated overnight at 4 °C, with an anti-tyrosine hydroxylase antibody (1:1000; P60101-150, Pel-Freez Biologicals). Antibody-reactive bands were then visualized using an enhanced chemiluminscence (ECL) kit (DG-WF200; Dogen). The experimenter was not blinded to the treatment. None of the cell cultures were excluded from analysis. 2.6. Sanger Sequencing and PCR Analysis {#sec2dot6-cells-09-01447} --------------------------------------- Amplified PCR products were cloned into a pTOP TA V2 vector with TOPcloner™ TA core Kit (Enzynomics, Seoul, Korea). PCR products in a TA vector were sequenced with M13 sequencing primer (5′-GCG GAT AAC AAT TTC ACA CAG-3′). To detect the HDR-mediated modification, PCR analysis was performed in 20 μL volume containing each specific Cap1 knock-in primer (Forward, CCCCCTGACTCCTTTTCTTC; Reverse, GCAGGGGCTAAATGTGAAAG). Amplified DNA amplicons were separated on 1.5% agarose gel by electrophoresis. 2.7. Immunohistochemical Analysis {#sec2dot7-cells-09-01447} --------------------------------- Embryo samples were collected and fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde. Samples were washed three times with PBS for 5 min each and blocked with 3% BSA blocking solution for 20 min. Then, the samples were incubated with a primary anti-histone H3 (acetyl K27) rabbit antibody (1:250; ab4729, Abcam) overnight at 4 °C. Afterward, the samples were washed three times with PBS for 5 min each. Next, they were incubated with goat anti-rabbit AF-488 (A32731, Invitrogen) secondary antibody for 2 h at room temperature with gentle shaking. Subsequently, the samples were washed three times with PBS for 5 min each and then counterstained with 1 μg/mL 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (1:1000; Invitrogen), at room temperature for 5 min. The samples were examined using a Zeiss LSM 700 confocal microscope (ZEISS). The experimenter was not blinded to the treatment. None of the cell cultures were excluded from analysis. 2.8. Bioinformatics Analysis {#sec2dot8-cells-09-01447} ---------------------------- For chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-Seq) analysis, we accessed published H3K9ac ChIP data produced by high-throughput sequencing from mouse embryonic stem cells before (control) and after 16 h of VPA treatment \[[@B35-cells-09-01447],[@B36-cells-09-01447]\]. We aligned raw sequencing data to the mouse genome using Bowtie2 with two groups of embryonic stem cells, with and without VPA treatment of 16 h. Then, using the HOMER and Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) tools, the peaks of H3K9 acetylation and the distribution of fragment depth were shown. All sequencing data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data store by accession number GSM595515, GSM595517, GSM595518. Off-target sites of Cas9 RNA-guided endonucleases were detected by Cas-OFFinder software, which is a highly versatile off-target searching tool (<http://www.rgenome.net/cas-offinder/>). Predicted off-target sites identified being confirmed by Surveyor assay. 2.9. Statistical Analysis {#sec2dot9-cells-09-01447} ------------------------- All data are presented as mean ± standard deviation of three independent experiments. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 18.0 (IBM Corporation). Group differences were considered statistically significant in \* *p* \< 0.05 and \*\* *p* \< 0.01. Significant differences between groups were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Data were normally distributed and analyzed by two-tailed Student's *t*-test, and statistical significance was determined at *p* \< 0.05. The image analysis of samples were blinded and performed by independent investigators. Data collection and analyses were performed blinded and were randomized. 3. Results {#sec3-cells-09-01447} ========== 3.1. Effect of Valproic Acid (VPA) on CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Targeting In Vitro {#sec3dot1-cells-09-01447} ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous studies have shown that HDAC inhibitors significantly enhance the efficiency of cell fate conversions by affecting the chromatin structure \[[@B37-cells-09-01447],[@B38-cells-09-01447]\]. Likewise, we speculated that the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing may be increased when the chromatin structure is opened by the treatment of HDAC inhibitors. Accordingly, we tested whether chromatin-modifying small molecules had any effect on CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting. For proof of concept, we selected different genes, such as tyrosine hydroxylase (Th), cyclase-associated actin cytoskeleton regulatory protein 1 (Cap1), or SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains protein 3 (Shank3) that are expressed in various cell types, to see their effects on various cells. We found that CRISPR/Cas9 targeting of these genes induced approximately 10--20% of InDels in mouse ESCs (mESCs) by day 4 of CRISPR/Cas9 treatment. Previously, since it was known that these small molecules influenced the structure of chromatin or gene expression \[[@B39-cells-09-01447],[@B40-cells-09-01447],[@B41-cells-09-01447],[@B42-cells-09-01447],[@B43-cells-09-01447],[@B44-cells-09-01447]\], we selected molecules and tested the gene targeting efficiency. Treatment of the cells with 5-azacytidine (DNA demethylation inhibitor), CHIR99021 (GSK-3 Inhibitor), SB431542 (TGF-beta receptor inhibitor), or CTBP (transcriptional repressor) had no significant effects on the efficiency of gene targeting ([Figure 1](#cells-09-01447-f001){ref-type="fig"}A). However, Romidepsin as HDAC inhibitor treatment increased the gene targeting efficiency by approximately two-fold to \~45%. Strikingly, we found that treating CRISPR/Cas9-transduced mESCs with 5 mM VPA for 4 d induced 60--70% of gene targeting, amounting to a \>6-fold improvement over the control ([Figure 1](#cells-09-01447-f001){ref-type="fig"}A). Additionally, we tested several other HDAC inhibitors, such as Scriptaid and TSA, in comparison to VPA. Consistent with the previous result, VPA had the most potent enhancer activity in CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting ([Figure 1](#cells-09-01447-f001){ref-type="fig"}B--G). Next, the surveyor assay was performed to evaluate the targeting efficiency. The results showed that VPA treatment of mESCs yielded the highest InDels percentage ([Figure 1](#cells-09-01447-f001){ref-type="fig"}B,C, [Figure S1A,B](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}). Moreover, Sanger sequencing of the targeted *Th* locus confirmed the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ)-induced InDels in the cells treated with VPA ([Figure 1](#cells-09-01447-f001){ref-type="fig"}D,E). We also confirmed that the CRISPR/Cas9 targeting of Th significantly downregulated Th expression in ESC-derived dopaminergic neurons ([Figure 1](#cells-09-01447-f001){ref-type="fig"}F,G). Taken together, these data show that efficient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting can be achieved with VPA treatment in mESCs. 3.2. Effect of VPA on CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated NHEJ in Mouse Embryos {#sec3dot2-cells-09-01447} ---------------------------------------------------------------- Next, we evaluated the efficacy of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in one-cell stage mouse embryos. Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) targeting Cap1 or Lphn2 were injected into the embryos and the targeting efficiencies were assessed during the blastocyst stage, and were evaluated according to the presence or absence of VPA treatment ([Figure 2](#cells-09-01447-f002){ref-type="fig"}A). We found that the number of mature blastocysts indicated that VPA treatment improves the development of embryos into the blastocysts stage, a pattern similar to the results of VPA treatment previously reported \[[@B45-cells-09-01447],[@B46-cells-09-01447],[@B47-cells-09-01447]\]. ([Figure 2](#cells-09-01447-f002){ref-type="fig"}B,C, [Figure S2A,B](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}, and [Table S1](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}). However, the blastomere number in cleavage-stage embryos was not associated with VPA treatment ([Figure S2C,D](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}). Moreover, the Surveyor assay on day 3.5 post-injection of the sgRNA/Cas9 RNPs revealed efficient targeting of the Cap1 locus in mouse embryos ([Figure 2](#cells-09-01447-f002){ref-type="fig"}D--F), which comprised a significant number of InDels of Cap1 and Lphn2 alleles ([Figure 2](#cells-09-01447-f002){ref-type="fig"}G, and [Table 1](#cells-09-01447-t001){ref-type="table"}). Sanger sequencing of the targeted region also identified the InDels caused by NHEJ in the Cap1 coding sequence and their frequency ([Figure 2](#cells-09-01447-f002){ref-type="fig"}H,I). Finally, we confirmed the off-target effects in the VPA mediated efficient gene targeting. The Cap1 off-targets were selected from the 'Cas OFFinder' software and examined the off-targets by Surveyor assay. We found that Cap1sgRNA-induced off-target mutations captured by 'Cas-OFFinder' were not detected in the control or VPA-treatment groups ([Figure S3A,B](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}), suggesting the VPA effect on CRISPR/Cas9-mediated on-target gene targeting in mouse embryos. 3.3. Effect of VPA on CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated HDR in Mouse Embryos {#sec3dot3-cells-09-01447} --------------------------------------------------------------- Next, we examined whether efficient homology-mediated recombination of a transgene into an endogenous locus can be mediated by VPA-augmented CRISPR/Cas9 targeting. PCR analysis of the donor DNA showed that VPA treatment significantly improved the knock-in efficiency in mESCs ([Figure S1B](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}); moreover, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in mouse blastocysts treated with VPA showed up to approximately 100%, whereas sgRNA/Cas9 proteins without VPA showed a knock-in efficiency of 60% ([Figure 3](#cells-09-01447-f003){ref-type="fig"}A--D, and [Table 2](#cells-09-01447-t002){ref-type="table"}). Furthermore, we confirmed the integration of the donor DNA at the mouse Cap1 locus by Sanger sequencing ([Figure 3](#cells-09-01447-f003){ref-type="fig"}E). These results demonstrate the efficient CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in mouse blastocysts treated with VPA. 3.4. Mechanism of VPA in the CRISPR/Cas9-Based Efficient Gene Editing {#sec3dot4-cells-09-01447} --------------------------------------------------------------------- To better understand the effect of VPA on the enhancement of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, we compared the level of histone acetylation (H3K27ac) in CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mESCs, in the presence and absence of VPA. Consistent with these results and drawing on publicly available, previously published data \[[@B35-cells-09-01447],[@B36-cells-09-01447]\], we found that the average intensity of histone acetylation (H3K27ac) was significantly higher in the VPA-treated group than in the control group, whereas the *H3K27me3* signal decreased ([Figure 4](#cells-09-01447-f004){ref-type="fig"}A,B, [Figure S4A,B](#app1-cells-09-01447){ref-type="app"}). Consistent with these results, we found that the H3K9 acetylation at the promoter regions was highly increased in the VPA-treated mESCs ([Figure 4](#cells-09-01447-f004){ref-type="fig"}C). Additionally, gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that the genes with H3K9ac increases were related to chromatin remodeling, chromatin assembly, regulation of gene expression, histone acetylation, and regulation of transcription ([Figure 4](#cells-09-01447-f004){ref-type="fig"}D). Moreover, H3K27ac displayed strong enrichment around the TSS region in the VPA-treated mESCs ([Figure 4](#cells-09-01447-f004){ref-type="fig"}E). The individual gene tracks confirmed the increased occupancy of transcription activator and chromatin remodeling complexes on pluripotency genes, such as Eny2, Nkx2.1, Hdac3, and Smarce1 ([Figure 4](#cells-09-01447-f004){ref-type="fig"}F), suggesting globally enhanced chromatin accessibility by VPA treatment. 4. Discussion {#sec4-cells-09-01447} ============= CRISPR/Cas9-mediated precise gene targeting has great promise in the gene therapy of many diseases and transgenic applications. However, the low efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing still hinders the application of this technology in various biomedical applications. This study demonstrated that the highly efficient Cas9-mediated gene editing of mESCs and mouse embryos can be achieved by co-treatment with the HDAC inhibitor VPA. Furthermore, we reasoned that this effect is produced through the open chromatin structure in mouse ESC and embryos. Thus, our data vindicate the biochemical approach involving a chromatin modifier VPA for highly efficient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated transgenic applications. We selected six small molecules based on previous studies and found that HDAC inhibitors enabled efficient gene editing in mESCs. To further identify the small molecules that led to the most efficient gene editing, several HDAC inhibitors were individually examined in mESCs. We found that co-treatment of the cells with the HDAC inhibitor VPA resulted in the most efficient gene editing. VPA is used for the treatment of various psychiatric diseases, such as epilepsy and bipolar mania \[[@B30-cells-09-01447],[@B48-cells-09-01447],[@B49-cells-09-01447],[@B50-cells-09-01447]\]. It is also widely used in cellular reprogramming studies to eliminate the original epigenetic memory of differentiated cells, thereby promoting the pluripotent activity \[[@B31-cells-09-01447]\] in human and mouse cells \[[@B51-cells-09-01447]\]. Several lines of evidence suggest that VPA enhances reprogramming efficiency through several mechanisms, including open chromatin structure \[[@B31-cells-09-01447],[@B52-cells-09-01447]\]. Consistent with these studies, we observed that VPA significantly improved CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing efficiency, possibly mediated through modified chromatin structure. In addition to the enhanced gene editing efficiency, the advantage of using VPA is that modulating the treatment dosage and period may enable temporal control of gene editing. Thus, this chemical-augmented approach may provide a safer and more precise gene editing in therapeutic and transgenic applications. Furthermore, since VPA can stimulate the differentiation and development of mouse embryos, it is expected to have a more positive effect on the generation of transgenic animals. However, it is currently unclear whether all genes acetylated upon VPA treatment can efficiently be targeted by CRISPR/Cas9, and we aim to elaborate on this in future studies. Finally, our studies provide evidence of the principle that chemical-augmented approaches in the CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene editing which may be useful for on the generation of transgenic animals, in addition to the established potential benefit of VPA treatment for safer and more accurate gene editing in therapeutic applications. The following are available online at <https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/9/6/1447/s1>, Figure S1: VPA enhances CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeting efficiency; Figure S2: Effect of VPA on embryonic development; Figure S3: Surveyor assay for potential Cap1 off-target sites; Figure S4: Distribution of tri-methylated H3K27 in VPA-treated or untreated mouse embryo; Figure S5: Full scans of the western blotand DNA gel presented in this study. Rectangles delimit cropped area used in the figure; Table S1: Effects of VPA on the development of CRISPR/Cas9 injected embryo under different concentration. ###### Click here for additional data file. H.P.: conception and design of the study, experimentation, data analysis, data interpretation, and manuscript writing. H.C. and J.S.: experimentation. B.C.: data analysis. J.K.: conception and design of the study, data interpretation, and manuscript writing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. NRF-2017M3A9C6029306). The authors declare no competing financial interest. {ref-type="fig"}F. Data are expressed as mean ± SD, *n* = 3. \* *p* \< 0.05, one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc test. The images in B and F are each representatives of ≥3 similar experiments.](cells-09-01447-g001){#cells-09-01447-f001} {#cells-09-01447-f002} {#cells-09-01447-f003} {#cells-09-01447-f004} cells-09-01447-t001_Table 1 ###### Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting in mouse embryos. Cas9 protein and sgRNA targeting Cap1 or Lphn2 were injected into the cytoplasm of mouse embryos. The zygotes were cultured with or without VPA in M2 media 1 h before the microinjection, and cultured in KSOM medium with or without VPA until the blastocysts stage (3.5 days of culture) and analyzed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treatment Targeting System Blastocysts\ Targeted Blastocysts/Total InDel Mutation Efficiency (%) /Injected Zygotes ----------- ---------------------------- ------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------------------- Control Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA 34/60 21/34 61.8 VPA Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA 43/50 32/43 74.4 VPA Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA 45/50 36/45 80 Control Cas9 protein + Lphn2 sgRNA 35/60 20/35 57.1 VPA Cas9 protein + Lphn2 sgRNA 53/60 49/53 92.5 VPA Cas9 protein + Lphn2 sgRNA 55/60 48/55 87.3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- cells-09-01447-t002_Table 2 ###### CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in efficiencies in mouse embryos. Cas9 protein, Cap1 sgRNA, and the linearized Cap1 donor vector were injected into the cytoplasm of the mouse embryos. The zygotes were cultured with or without VPA in M2 media 1 h before the microinjection and cultured in KSOM medium, with or without VPA until the blastocysts stage (3.5 days of culture) and analyzed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treatment Targeting System Blastocysts\ Targeted Blastocysts/Total Knock-In Efficiency (%) /Injected Zygotes ----------- ---------------------------------------- ------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------------- Control Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA + Cap1 Donor 29/55 18/29 62.1 Control Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA + Cap1 Donor 25/50 25/39 64.1 VPA Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA + Cap1 Donor 32/40 32/34 94.1 VPA Cas9 protein + Cap1 sgRNA + Cap1 Donor 45/55 45/50 90 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FMS (song) "FMS" (stylized as "FM$", Freak My Shit) is the sixth and final single by American hip hop duo New Boyz. It was released as a single on April 13, 2012, and was included on the mixtape, Foolie Tape (2012). The track was produced by Legacy. Music video A music video for the song was released on May 7, 2012. Track listing Digital download (Explicit version) "Fm$" – 3:01 Digital download (Clean version) "Fm$" – 3:01 Charts References External links Category:2012 songs Category:2012 singles Category:New Boyz songs Category:Warner Records singles

Bristlecone pine and limber pine trees in the Great Basin region are like two very gnarled, old men in a slow-motion race up the mountaintop, and climate change is the starting gun, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. The study, published in the journal Global Change Biology, shows that the tree line has been steadily moving upslope over the past 50 years in the Great Basin. The region extends from California’s Sierra Nevada, across Nevada to Utah’s Uinta Mountains. Its north and south are framed by the Columbia and Colorado rivers’ watersheds. The study also found that limber pine is successfully “leapfrogging” over bristlecone pine. They are growing in soils once almost completely dominated by bristlecone pine, and they are moving upslope at a faster rate than the bristlecone pine. Charging upslope “We are seeing very little regeneration anywhere in bristlecone ranges except in the tree line and, there, limber pine is taking all the good spots,” said the study’s corresponding author Brian Smithers, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. “It’s jarring because limber pine is a species you normally see further downslope, not at tree line. So it’s very odd to see it charging upslope and not see bristlecone charging upslope ahead of limber pine, or at least with it.” Dead bristlecone pines stand among limber pine trees on the California side of the White Mountains, part of the Great Basin region. (Brian Smithers/UC Davis) The study concludes that if bristlecone pine trees are unable to advance upslope because they are blocked by limber pine, bristlecones could face a reduction of their range and possibly local extinctions. Earth’s oldest living trees Bristlecone pine trees are Earth’s oldest individual trees and can live for more than 5,000 years. No spring chicken, limber pine trees can live 2,000 years or more. Both tree species have seen many climate changes during their time on Earth — from extremely warm periods to ice ages — and have slowly advanced across the landscape. Over millennia, bristlecone pine trees have moved from the lowlands of the Great Basin up to the current tree line. But, the study notes, neither bristlecone nor limber pine have ever experienced climate change and temperature increases as rapidly as what has been occurring in recent decades. Bristlecone pine trees grow on soils and in conditions where few other species can live. But limber pines in the Great Basin region, such as California’s White Mountains, are beginning to give them some competition. (Brian Smithers/UC Davis) Legacy effects Smithers said he doesn’t expect bristlecone pine adult trees to be impacted much by current climatic shifts, as those trees are well-established. But how, if and where new bristlecone pine trees will regenerate is less certain, particularly as other species like limber pine take up valuable space for them to germinate. “The things we’re doing today have legacy effects for thousands of years in the Great Basin,” Smithers said. “When those trees do start to die, they won’t likely be replaced because it’s just too hot and dry.” The study suggests that land managers identify the specific bottlenecks for a species to live long enough to reproduce, and focus on that stage. For long-lived trees like bristlecone and limber pines, the bottleneck is at the time of their initial establishment, not hundreds and thousands of years into their adulthoods. The study’s additional authors include co-leading authors Malcolm North with UC Davis and the USDA Forest Service, and Andrew Latimer with UC Davis, and co-author Constance Millar with the USDA Forest Service. The study was financially supported by the UC Davis Graduate Group in Ecology, White Mountains Research Center, California Native Plant Society, the Henry A. Jastro Fund, Nevada Native Plant Society, and the Davis Botanical Society.

Q: How do I get the true negatives from y_true and y_pred? Is it possible to get true negative from y_true and y_pred tensors in Keras? I know we can get true positives from the following code: true_positive = K.sum(y_true*y_pred) How to do the same for the true negative? A: Here's an example of how you can extract the True Positive and the True Negative values of your confusion matrix: def confusion(y_true, y_pred): y_pred_pos = K.round(K.clip(y_pred, 0, 1)) y_pred_neg = 1 - y_pred_pos y_pos = K.round(K.clip(y_true, 0, 1)) y_neg = 1 - y_pos tp = K.sum(y_pos * y_pred_pos) / K.sum(y_pos) tn = K.sum(y_neg * y_pred_neg) / K.sum(y_neg) return {'true_pos': tp, 'true_neg': tn} In case you are facing some NaN values in your output, try adding an epsilon to the denominators which will solve your problem. Answer came from this link. Hope it helped you.

This invention relates to a lift assembly for a lift truck and, more particularly, to a hydraulic cylinder arrangement for lifting uprights of a mast and a load-carrying carriage supported by the uprights. Conventional lift trucks have on their front end a mast or lift assembly including telescoping uprights and a fork lift carriage supported by the uprights. The uprights, when extended, permit high lifting of a load while allowing the truck to have relatively low overall height when the extended uprights are lowered. In addition, in one type of lift truck, the load carriage is movable vertically without extension of the uprights. A carriage which has this kind of movement is said to have "free lift", which is desirable since it allows a load to be lifted without extension of the uprights. The carriage engages the load in a lower position and thereafter can be raised to a desired elevation without extension of the uprights. In this raised position the load may be transported to another location, and the carriage then lowered and unloaded. Thus, with a "free lift" type of carriage, the load can be lifted without increasing the overall height of the assembly, thereby permitting operation in areas of low overhead. The uprights and carriage usually are lowered and raised by hydraulic cylinder assemblies which are strategically positioned on the truck. In considering this positioning, one goal is to utilize hydraulic cylinder assemblies and their connections to the uprights and carriage which are simple in design. Another object is to use components for the cylinder assemblies which are as small as possible so that the weight of the lift assembly is kept to a minimum. Furthermore, it is also important to design a load-lifting assembly which will give the driver of the truck maximum visibility in the forward direction. Consequently, it is desirable to position the hydraulic cylinder assemblies and their connections to the uprights and carriage in such a manner as to minimize their interference with the driver's line of sight. While there are many types of lift assemblies for lift trucks, one problem is that they sacrifice one or more advantageous features to obtain another. Thus, for example, in one assembly where free lift is provided, a cylinder rod has to be raised into the line of sight of the driver to raise the carriage, thereby impairing visibility. Or, in other assemblies, hydraulic cylinders for extending the uprights are positioned directly behind the uprights to improve visibility; however, these cylinders typically are relatively long, extending almost the entire length of the mast. Consequently the mast must be located further from the truck to allow room for positioning of the long cylinders, but this positioning must be done at the sacrifice of producing additional, undesirable load moments.

cat costume I knew this was coming. I secretly prayed that it wouldn’t, but the mere fact that the evil feline exists pretty much proves that there is no God. It has become an annual torture fest beginning with Hello Kitty Halloween pumpkins landing in my email, then eventually a Hello Kitty Halloween costume ending up there as well. Although I had tried to mentally prepare myself for horror that would undoubtedly appear, I had no idea what an utterly frightening mess it would be. Judge for yourself:

Billed as "The Secret History as directed by Whit Stillman," it's near-impossible to read The Magic Circle and not think of Donna Tartt's 1992 book. (Tartt's next book, The Goldfinch, is slated to be published this October; that's one to look forward to!) Davidson's short novel, ostensibly about game designers staging a live-action role play of the Bacchae, calls on many elements of Greek tragedy, updated for the Internet age. It's a quick read, but perhaps too freighted with references; my mind wandered, and I found myself thinking of, say, the maenad season of True Blood (season two?).

Activation of purified cardiac ryanodine receptors by dihydropyridine agonists. Prior observations have raised the possibility that dihydropyridine (DHP) agonists directly affect the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) cardiac Ca(2+) release channel [i.e., ryanodine receptor (RyR)]. In single-channel recordings of purified canine cardiac RyR, both DHP agonists (-)-BAY K 8644 and (+)-SDZ202-791 increased the open probability of the RyR when added to the cytoplasmic face of the channel. Importantly, the DHP antagonists nifedipine and (-)-SDZ202-791 had no competitive blocking effects either alone or after channel activation with agonist. Thus there is a stereospecific effect of SDZ202-791, such that the agonist activates the channel, whereas the antagonist has little effect on channel activity. Further experiments showed that DHP agonists changed RyR activation by suppressing Ca(2+)-induced inactivation of the channel. We concluded that DHP agonists can also influence RyR single-channel activity directly at a unique allosteric site located on the cytoplasmic face of the channel. Similar results were obtained in human purified cardiac RyR. An implication of these data is that RyR activation by DHP agonists is likely to cause a loss of Ca(2+) from the SR and to contribute to the negative inotropic effects of these agents reported by other investigators. Our results support this notion that the negative inotropic effects of DHP agonists result in part from direct alteration in the activity of RyRs.

Ulcer-healing drugs are required after eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with gastric ulcer but not duodenal ulcer haemorrhage. To study the efficacy of a 2-week anti-Helicobacter therapy in the healing of H. pylori-associated bleeding peptic ulcers. Omeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and amoxycillin 1 g, twice daily, were given for 2 weeks to 180 patients with H. pylori-associated bleeding peptic ulcers. Endoscopy was repeated 4 weeks after the eradication therapy to assess healing of the peptic ulcers. Repeat endoscopies were performed in 168 patients (42 gastric ulcer and 126 duodenal ulcer) who followed the protocol. Thirty-eight patients with bleeding gastric ulcers and 124 patients with bleeding duodenal ulcers healed 4 weeks after treatment (per protocol analysis; gastric ulcer: 91% vs. duodenal ulcer: 98%; P=0. 035). No patients who were compliant to the study medications suffered from re-bleeding. Stepwise discriminant analysis demonstrated that small ulcers (< 15 mm) and the presence of duodenal ulcers best predicted healing of the peptic ulcers. Ulcer-healing drugs should be continued after a 2-week course of omeprazole-containing anti-Helicobacter therapy for gastric ulcers and large peptic ulcers that have bled, but can be omitted in most patients with a bleeding duodenal ulcer.

Q: unable to set proper scope for variable within a JavaScript promise I've come across a weird issue where a new variable is being created in local scope even if it is defined outside, from the below code after I call buildMeta() and check the contents of "data", it is always empty implying that it's not being modified at all, even if I've specifically targeted "that.data" where that refers to the class' object. I'd appreciate if anyone would point out what I am doing wrong. class meta { constructor(files) { if(!files) throw Error("files not specified"); this.data = {}; this.ls = files; } buildMeta() { var that = this; for(let i = 0; i < that.ls.length; i++) { mm.parseFile(that.ls[i]).then(x => { var info = x.common; that.data[info.artist] = "test"; }).catch((x) => { console.log(x); }); } } } const mm = new meta(indexer); // indexer is an array of file paths mm.buildMeta(); console.log(mm.data); A: You are logging mm.data before parseFile has finished. Your code implies that it returns a promise, so your insertion into that.data will happen after your console.log(mm.data) executes. You need to return a promise from buildMeta, so that you can do... const mm = new meta(indexer); mm.buildMeta().then(() => { console.log(mm.data); }) Here's a buildMeta that should do what you need. This returns a promise that waits for all of the parseFile invocations to do their work and update this.data... buildMeta() { return Promise.all(this.ls.map(f => mm.parseFile(f).then(x => { var info = x.common; this.data[info.artist] = "test"; }))) }

The Great Falklands Myth: The Penn is mightier than the sword By Robert Knapp As the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War arrives over the horizon like a rather fearsome storm cloud, the media hysteria in both countries is slowly building to a fever pitch. The British media, going through a periodic bout of jingoism, is awash with scaremongering over the state of the island’s defences; while the Argentine media is dominated by heated debate about the ‘militarisation’ of the islands and British imperialism. As this author has already...

The present invention belongs to the fields of pharmacology and medicinal chemistry, and provides new pharmaceuticals which are useful for the treatment of diseases which are caused or affected by disorders of the serotonin-affected neurological systems, particularly those relating to the 1A receptor. Pharmaceutical researchers have discovered in recent years that the neurons of the brain which contain monoamines are of extreme importance in a great many physiological processes which very strongly affect many psychological and personality-affecting processes as well. In particular, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) has been found to be a key to a very large number of processes which affect both physiological and psychological functions. Drugs which influence the function of serotonin in the brain are accordingly of great importance and are now used for a surprisingly large number of different therapies. The early generations of serotonin-affecting drugs tended to have a variety of different physiological functions, considered from both the mechanistic and therapeutic points of view. More recently, it has become possible to study the function of drugs at individual receptors in vitro or ex vivo, and it has also been realized that therapeutic agents with a single mechanism of action are often advantageous to the patient. Accordingly, the objective of research now is to discover not only agents which affect only functions of serotonin, but agents which affect only a single function of serotonin, at a single identifiable receptor. The present invention provides compounds which have highly selective activity as antagonists of the serotonin 1A receptor. The present invention provides a series of new aryl piperazine compounds, methods of using them for pharmaceutical purposes, and pharmaceutical compositions whereby the compounds may be conveniently administered. The invention also provides methods of antagonizing, the 5HT-1A receptor, and therapeutic methods which are related to their effect on the 5HT-1A receptor. Such methods of treatment include, particularly, methods of alleviating the symptoms caused by withdrawal or partial withdrawal from the use of tobacco or of nicotine, comprising the administration to a patient in need of such treatment of a compound of Formula I wherein Arxe2x80x2 is a mono- or bi-cyclic aryl or heteroaryl radical substituted with one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkylhalo, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkenyl or halo; R1 is hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio; R2 is phenyl, naphthyl or (C3-C12)cycloalkyl substituted with one or two substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkylhalo, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkenyl or halo; R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkylhalo, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkenyl or halo; X is xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CHOHxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, racemate, optical isomer or solvate thereof. Further, such therapeutic methods include methods of treatment of anxiety, depression, hypertension, cognitive disorders, psychosis, sleep disorders, gastric motility disorders, sexual dysfunction, brain trauma, memory loss, eating disorders and obesity, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disease, panic disorder and migraine. A further treatment method provided by the present invention is a method for potentiating the action of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, comprising administering to a patient an effective amount of a compound of Formula I in combination with the serotonin reuptake inhibitor. More specifically, the present invention provides compounds of formula Ia; or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of formula Ia are enclosed within the scope of the compounds of Formula I and are therefore useful for the methods described herein for Formula I. For example, the present invention provides methods of antagonizing, the 5HT-1A receptor, and therapeutic methods which are related to their effect on the 5HT-1A receptor. Such methods of treatment include, particularly, methods of alleviating the symptoms caused by withdrawal or partial withdrawal from the use of tobacco or of nicotine, comprising the administration to a patient in need of such treatment, an effective amount of a compound of formula Ia. Further, such therapeutic methods include methods of treatment of anxiety, depression, hypertension, cognitive disorders, psychosis, sleep disorders, gastric motility disorders, sexual dysfunction, brain trauma, memory loss, eating disorders and obesity, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disease, panic disorder and migraine. In addition, the present invention provides a method for potentiating the action of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, comprising administering to a patient an effective amount of a compound of formula Ia in combination with the serotonin reuptake inhibitor. The invention further provides a method of assisting a patient in ceasing or reducing their use of tobacco or nicotine comprising administering to a patient an effective amount of a compound of the Formula I or formula Ia. This invention also encompasses novel processes for the synthesis of the compounds of formula I and formula Ia, the synthesis of novel intermediates thereof, and further encompasses novel intermediates per se. In the present document, all descriptions of concentrations, amounts, ratios and the like will be expressed in weight units unless otherwise stated. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius. The Compounds It is believed that the general description of the compounds above is sufficient to explain their nature to the skilled reader; attention to the Examples which follow is also encouraged. Some additional description will be provided to assure that no misunderstanding occurs. In the general description, the general chemical terms are all used in their normal and customary meanings. For example, the small alkyl and alkoxy groups, such as (C1-C6)alkyl and (C1-C6)alkoxy groups include, depending on the size of the groups, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, s-butyl, pentyl, 3-methylbutyl, hexyl, and branched hexyl groups, and the corresponding alkoxy groups, as may be allowed by the individually named groups. Where a number of possible substituent groups are permitted on a group, such as the one to three alkyl, alkoxy or halo groups permitted on an Ar group, it will be understood by the reader that only substitution which is electronically and sterically feasible is intended. The term xe2x80x9calkenylxe2x80x9d as used herein represents an unsaturated branched or linear group having at least one double bond. Examples of such groups include radicals such as vinyl, allyl, 2-butenyl, 3-butenyl, 2-pentenyl, 3-pentenyl, 4-pentenyl, 2-hexenyl, 3-hexenyl, 4-hexenyl, 5-hexenyl as well as dienes and trienes of straight and branched chains. The term xe2x80x9calkynylxe2x80x9d denotes such radicals as ethynyl, propynyl, butynyl, pentynyl, hexynyl as well as di- and tri-ynes. The term xe2x80x9c(C1-C6)alkylthioxe2x80x9d defines a straight or branched alkyl chain having one to six carbon atoms attached to the remainder of the molecule by a sulfur atom. Typical (C1-C6)alkylthio groups include methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio, butylthio, pentylthio, hexylthio and the like. The term xe2x80x9c(C1-C6)alkylhaloxe2x80x9d refers to alkyl substituents having one or more independently selected halo atoms attached at one or more available carbon atoms. These terms include chloromethyl, bromoethyl, trifluoroethyl, trifluoromethyl, 3-bromopropyl, 2-bromopropyl, 3-chlorobutyl, 2,3-dichlorobutyl, 3-chloro-2-bromo-butyl, trichloromethyl, dichloroethyl, 1,4-dichlorobutyl, 3-bromopentyl, 1,3-dichlorobutyl, 1,1-dichloropropyl, and the like. More preferred (C1-C6)alkylhalo groups are trichloromethyl, trichloroethyl, and trifluoromethyl. The most preferred (C1-C6)alkylhalo is trifluoromethyl. The term xe2x80x9c(C3-C8)cycloalkylxe2x80x9d includes groups such as cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl and cyclooctyl. The term xe2x80x9c(C3-C8)cycloalkylxe2x80x9d includes (C3-C6)cycloalkyl. The term xe2x80x9c(C3-C8)cycloalkenylxe2x80x9d represents an olefinically unsaturated ring having 3 to 8 carbon atoms including groups such as cyclopropenyl, cyclobutenyl, cyclopentenyl, cyclohexenyl, cycloheptenyl, cyclooctenyl, and the like. The term xe2x80x9c(C3-C8)cycloalkenylxe2x80x9d includes (C3-C6)cycloalkenyl. The term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d represents phenyl or naphthyl. The term xe2x80x9cbicyclicxe2x80x9d represents either an unsaturated or saturated stable 7- to 12-membered bridged or fused bicyclic carbon ring. The bicyclic ring may be attached at any carbon atom which affords a stable structure. The term includes, but is not limited to, naphthyl, dicyclohexyl, dicyclohexenyl, and the like. The term, xe2x80x9cmono or bicyclic heteroaryl radicalxe2x80x9d, refers to radicals derived from monocyclic or polycyclic, aromatic nuclei having 5 to 14 ring atoms and containing from 1 to 3 hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. Typical heterocyclic radicals are pyrrolyl, furanyl, thiophenyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, indolizinyl, isoquinolyl, benzothienyl, isoindolizinyl, oxazolyl, indolyl, carbazolyl, norharmanyl, azaindolyl, dibenzofuranyl, thianaphthenyl, dibenzothiophenyl, indazolyl, imidazo(1.2-A)pyridinyl, anthranilyl, purinyl, pyridinyl, phenylpyridinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, quinolinyl. The terms xe2x80x9chaloxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9chalidexe2x80x9d are used in the above formula to refer to fluoro, chloro, bromo or iodo. The term xe2x80x9caprotic solventxe2x80x9d refers to polar solvents of moderately high dielectric constant which do not contain an acidic hydrogen. Examples of common aprotic solvents are dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide, sulfolane, tetrahydrofuran, diethyl ether, methyl-t-butyl ether, or 1,2-dimethoxyethane. The term xe2x80x9cprotic solventxe2x80x9d refers to a solvent containing hydrogen that is attached to oxygen, and hence is appreciably acidic. Common protic solvents include such solvents as water, methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and 1-butanol. The term xe2x80x9cinert atmospherexe2x80x9d refers to reaction conditions in which the mixture is covered with a layer of inert gas such as nitrogen or argon. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cMexe2x80x9d refers to a xe2x80x94CH3 group, the term xe2x80x9cEtxe2x80x9d refers to a xe2x80x94CH2CH3 group and the term xe2x80x9cPrxe2x80x9d refers to a xe2x80x94CH2CH2CH3 group. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cstereoisomerxe2x80x9d refers to a compound made up of the same atoms bonded by the same bonds but having different three-dimensional structures which are not interchangeable. The three-dimensional structures are called configurations. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cenantiomerxe2x80x9d refers to two stereoisomers whose molecules are nonsuperimposable mirror images of one another. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9coptical isomerxe2x80x9d is equivalent to the term xe2x80x9cenantiomerxe2x80x9d. The terms xe2x80x9cracematexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cracemic mixturexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cracemic modificationxe2x80x9d refer to a mixture of equal parts of enantiomers. The term xe2x80x9cchiral centerxe2x80x9d refers to a carbon atom to which four different groups are attached. The term xe2x80x9cenantiomeric enrichmentxe2x80x9d as used herein refers to the increase in the amount of one enantiomer as compared to the other. A convenient method of expressing the enantiomeric enrichment achieved is the concept of enantiomeric excess, or xe2x80x9ceexe2x80x9d, which is found using the following equation: ee = E 1 - E 2 E 1 + E 2 xc3x97 100 wherein E1 is the amount of the first enantiomer and E2 is the amount of the second enantiomer. Thus, if the initial ratio of the two enantiomers is 50:50, such as is present in a racemic mixture, and an enantiomeric enrichment sufficient to produce a final ratio of 50:30 is achieved, the ee with respect to the first enantiomer is 25%. However, if the final ratio is 90:10, the ee with respect to the first enantiomer is 80%. An ee of greater than 90% is preferred, an ee of greater than 95% is most preferred and an ee of greater than 99% is most especially preferred. Enantiomeric enrichment is readily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art using standard techniques and procedures, such as gas or high performance liquid chromatography with a chiral column. Choice of the appropriate chiral column, eluent and conditions necessary to effect separation of the enantiomeric pair is well within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, the enantiomers of compounds of formulas I or Ia can be resolved by one of ordinary skill in the art using standard techniques well known in the art, such as those described by J. Jacques, et al., xe2x80x9cEnantiomers, Racemates, and Resolutionsxe2x80x9d, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1981. Examples of resolutions include recrystallization techniques or chiral chromatography. The compounds of Formula I and formula Ia, as a class are highly active, important and particularly useful in the treatment methods of the present invention, but certain classes of the compounds are preferred. The following paragraphs describe such preferred classes. It will be understood that the preferred classes are applicable both to the treatment methods and to the new compounds of the present invention. The reader will understand that the preferred classes of compounds may be combined to form additional, broader or narrower classes of preferred compounds. a) Arxe2x80x2 is phenyl or pyridyl; b) Arxe2x80x2 is naphthyl; c) Arxe2x80x2 is pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrrolyl, furyl, thienyl, indolyl, purinyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, indolizinyl, benzofuranyl, isoquinolyl, quinolyl, benzothienyl or isoindolizinyl; d) Arxe2x80x2 is optionally substituted with (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, halo, (C2-C6)alkenyl or (C2-C6)alkynyl; e) Arxe2x80x2 is optionally substituted with (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy or halo; f) R1 is hydrogen; g) R1 is (C1-C6)alkyl or (C1-C6)alkoxy; h) R1 is (C1-C2)alkyl or (C1-C2)alkoxy; i) R2 is phenyl; j) R2 is (C3-C8)cycloalkyl; k) R2 is (C3-C6)cycloalkyl; l) R2 is cyclohexyl; m) R3 is (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy or halo; n) R3 is (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy or halo; o) X is xe2x80x94Cxe2x95x90O; p) X is xe2x80x94CHOH; and q) X is xe2x80x94CH2. r) formula Ia s) the enantiomer of formula Ia wherein the [xcex1]D20 in methanol is (+). Since the compounds of this invention are basic in nature, they accordingly react with any of a number of inorganic and organic acids to form pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts. Included within the scope of the invention are the mono- and di-salts. Acids commonly employed to form such salts are inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and the like, and organic acids, such as p-toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, oxalic acid, p-bromophenylsulfonic acid, carbonic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, acetic acid and the like. Examples of such pharmaceutically acceptable salts thus are the sulfate, pyrosulfate, bisulfate, sulfite, bisulfite, phosphate, monohydrogenphosphate, dihydrogenphosphate, metaphosphate, pyrophosphate, chloride, bromide, iodide, acetate, propionate, decanoate, caprylate, acrylate, formate, isobutyrate, caproate, heptanoate, propiolate, oxalate, malonate, succinate, suberate, sebacate, fumarate, maleate, butyne-1,4-dioate, hexyne-1,6-dioate, benzoate, chlorobenzoate, methylbenzoate, dinitrobenzoate, hydroxybenzoate, methoxybenzoate, phthalate, sulfonate, xylenesulfonate, phenylacetate, phenylpropionate, phenylbutyrate, citrate, lactate, xcex2-hydroxybutyrate, glycollate, tartrate, methanesulfonate, propanesulfonate, naphthalene-1-sulfonate, naphthalene-2-sulfonate, mandelate and the like. Preferred pharmaceutically acceptable salts are the monohydrochloride, dihydrochloride, monohydrobromide, dihydrobromide, Formula I/succinate(1:1), formula Ia/succinate(1:1), Formula I/succinate 2:1, formula Ia/succinate 2:1, phosphate, d-tartrate, l-tartrate or maleate. It is understood by one of ordinary skill that hydrates of the free base or of the pharmaceutically acceptable salts are included within the scope of the present invention. Many of the compounds of Formula I, including formula Ia, are optical isomers. For example, the compounds have an asymmetric center (or chiral center) at the carbon atom to which R1 and X are attached. However, when a compound of the present invention is named without an indication of asymmetric form, any and all of the possible asymmetric forms are intended. This invention is not limited to any particular isomer but includes all possible individual isomers and racemates. The intermediates and final products may be isolated and purified by conventional techniques, such as, purification with chromatography using silica gel or recrystallization of crystalline isolates. It will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan that the starting materials which are not described are either commercially available or can be readily prepared by known techniques from commercially available starting materials. All other reactants used to prepare the compounds in the instant invention are commercially available. The compounds of the invention are generally prepared according to the following schemes. Starting material (1) is treated with a base, preferably potassium tert-butoxide, followed by alkylation with 2-bromomethyl-1,3-dioxolane. Other appropriate bases include sodium hydride, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, cesium carbonate and the like. The reaction is preferably conducted in a solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide at a temperature of 15xc2x0 C. to reflux, with a temperature of 45-55xc2x0 C. being most preferred, and is substantially complete in 1 to 24 hours to prepare intermediate (2). Treatment of (2) with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid or p-toluene-sulfonic acid in a suitable organic solvent, achieves aldehyde (3). Generally, the reaction is conducted in a protic solvent, such a mixture of aqueous acid and acetone, at temperatures of from about 5xc2x0 to 75xc2x0 C., preferably at ambient temperature. Aldehyde (3) is coupled with the desired aryl piperidine (4) by reductive amination to prepare (5). The reaction is preferably conducted at ambient temperature in a non-reactive solvent such as dichloroethane or methylene chloride in the presence of sodium triacetoxyborohydride and is substantially complete in one to 24 hours. See for example A. F. Abdel-Magid, et al., J. Org. Chem., 61, 3849 (1996). Reduction of (5) is readily accomplished using a reducing agent such as sodium borohydride or, preferably, diisobutylaluminum hydride to prepare the hydroxy compound (6). The reaction is preferably conducted in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride at temperatures of from about xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. to 0xc2x0 C. Further reduction of (6) to achieve product (7) may be achieved by treatment with a reducing agent such as triethylsilane or boron trifluoride (when R2 is phenyl or substituted phenyl) or by treatment with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid or trifluoroacetic acid, in an aprotic solvent such as tetrahydrofuran, at ambient temperature to form the double bond, followed by hydrogenation with, for example, hydrogen and palladium on carbon. Starting material (1) is either commercially available or can be prepared by coupling (8) [See Nahm and Weinreb, Tetrahedron Lett., 22, 3815, (1981)] and (9) as described in Scheme II, below. M is a metallic salt, such as lithium or magnesium halide. The reaction is preferably conducted under an inert atmosphere preferably nitrogen, in an aprotic solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran, at ambient temperatures. More specifically, the compounds of formula Ia can be prepared following the procedure described in Scheme III. All substituents, unless otherwise indicated, are previously defined. The reagents and starting materials are readily available to one of ordinary skill in the art. In Scheme III, step A, the ester of structure (10) is treated with benzylmagnesium chloride or benzylmagnesium bromide under standard conditions well known in the art to provide the ketone of structure (11). For example, about 1.05 to about 1.1 equivalents of a suitable amine, such as dimethylamine is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran (cooled to about xe2x88x925xc2x0 C.) under an inert atmosphere. The solution is warmed to room temperature and 1.0 equivalents of the ester (10) are added with stirring. Then approximately 1.0 to 1.05 equivalents of benzylmagnesium chloride is slowly added to the solution, maintaining the temperature at about 15-20xc2x0 C. with a cooling bath during the addition. After addition is complete, the reaction is stirred at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours, then cooled to less than 0xc2x0 C. and then carefully quenched with a suitable acid, such as HCl. The quenched reaction is then extracted with a suitable organic solvent, such as tert-butyl methyl ether (hereinafter referred to as MTBE), the organic layers are-combined, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated to provide ketone (11). Ketone (11) can be purified by techniques well known in the art, such as flash chromatography on silica gel with a suitable eluent, such as ethyl acetate/hexane to provide the purified material. Alternatively, the crude ketone (11) can be carried on to step B. In Scheme III, step B, ketone (11) is alkylated with bromoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal, and then iodomethane, under conditions well known in the art to provide compound of structure (12). For example, ketone (11) is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as methyl sulfoxide and treated with about 1.05 to about 1.1 equivalents of a suitable base, such as potassium tert-butoxide. The reaction is stirred for about 15 to 30 minutes and about 1.0 to about 1.05 equivalents of bromoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal is added dropwise to the reaction. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that bromoacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal, bromoacetaldehyde ethylene acetal and the like may be used in place of the corresponding diethyl acetal. The reaction mixture is then heated to about 50xc2x0 C. for about 2 to 2.5 hours. The reaction mixture is then cooled with an ice/water bath and about 2.2 equivalents of a suitable base, such as potassium tert-butoxide is added. The reaction is allowed to stir for about 15 to 30 minutes with continued cooling and then about 1.5 to about 1.8 equivalents of iodomethane is added dropwise to the reaction mixture keeping the temperature of the mixture below 41xc2x0 C, preferably below 21xc2x0 C. After addition is complete, the reaction is warmed to room temperature and stirred for about 1 to 4 hours. The reaction mixture is then partitioned between water and a suitable organic solvent, such as MTBE. The layers are separated and the organic phase is washed with water, brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to provide the compound (12). In Scheme III, step C, compound (12) is hydrolyzed under acidic conditions to provide aldehyde (13) in a manner analogous to the procedure described in Scheme I. More specifically, for example, compound (12) is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as acetone and treated with a suitable acid, such as hydrochloric acid. The reaction mixture is stirred for about 1 to 3 hours at room temperature. The reaction mixture is then extracted with a suitable organic solvent, such as ethyl acetate or methylene chloride, the organic extracts are combined, washed with brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to provide aldehyde (13). Aldehyde (13) can be purified by techniques well known in the art, such as flash chromatography on silica gel with a suitable eluent, such as ethyl acetate/hexane. Alternatively, crude aldehyde (13) can be used directly in step D. In Scheme III, step D, aldehyde (13) is reductively aminated, under conditions well known in the art, with piperazine (14) to provide the compound of formula Ia in a manner analogous to the procedure described in Scheme I. More specifically, for example, aldehyde (13) is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as methylene chloride. To this solution is added about 1.1 equivalents of piperazine (14). Acetic acid may optionally be added to aid in dissolution of the piperazine (14). Then about 1.2 to 1.3 equivalents of sodium triacetoxyborohydride is added and the reaction is stirred at room temperature for about 3 to 5 hours. The reaction is then quenched by addition of a suitable base, such as aqueous sodium hydroxide to provide a pH of about 10 to about 12. The quenched reaction is then extracted with a suitable organic solvent, such as methylene chloride. The organic extracts are combined, washed with brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to provide the compound of formula Ia. This material can then be purified by techniques well known in the art, such as flash chromatography on silica gel with a suitable eluent, such as ethyl acetate/hexane. The free base of formula Ia can be converted to the corresponding pharmaceutically acceptable salts under standard conditions well known in the art. For example, the free base of formula Ia is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as methanol, treated with one equivalent of maleic or oxalic acid for example, or two equivalents of hydrochloric acid for example, and then concentrated under vacuum to provide the corresponding pharmaceutically acceptable salt. The residue can then be purified by recrystallization from a suitable organic solvent or organic solvent mixture, such as methanol/diethyl ether. In Scheme III, step E, the (+) enantiomer of formula Ia can be separated from the (xe2x88x92) enantiomer using techniques and procedures well known in the art, such as that described by J. Jacques, et al., xe2x80x9cEnantiomers, Racemates, and Resolutionsxe2x80x9d, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1981. For example, chiral chromatography with a suitable organic solvent, such as ethanol/acetonitrile and Chiralpak AD packing, 20 micron can also be utilized to effect separation of the enantiomers. In Scheme III, step F, the (+) enantiomer of formula Ia is converted to its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, such as the monohydrochloride, dihydrochloride, monohydrobromide, dihydrobromide, formula Ia/succinate(1:1), formula Ia/succinate 2:1, phosphate, d-tartrate, l-tartrate or maleate salt, in a manner analogous to the procedure described at the end of step D above. Alternatively, compounds of structure (5) can be prepared following the procedure described in Scheme IV. All substituents, unless otherwise indicated, are previously defined. The reagents and starting materials are readily available to one of ordinary skill in the art. In Scheme IV, step A, aldehyde (15) is combined with a suitable organometallic reagent (16) under conditions well known in the art to provide alcohol (17). Examples of suitable organometallic reagents include Grignard Reagents, alkyl lithium reagents, alkyl zinc reagents, and the like. Grignard Reagents are preferred. For examples of typical Grignard Reagents and reaction conditions, see J. March, xe2x80x9cAdvanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structurexe2x80x9d, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, pages 836-841 (1977). More specifically, aldehyde (15) is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran or toluene, cooled to about xe2x88x925xc2x0 C. and treated with about 1.1 to 1.2 equivalents of a Grignard reagent of formula (16) wherein M is MgCl or MgBr. The reaction is allowed to stir for about 0.5 to 2 hours, then quenched, and alcohol (17) is isolated. For example, the reaction mixture is poured onto ice-cold 1N HCl, the quenched mixture is extracted with a suitable organic solvent, such as toluene, the organic extracts are dried either azeotropically or over a suitable drying agent, such as anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to provide alcohol (17). In Scheme IV, step B, alcohol (17) is oxidized under standard conditions well know in the art, such as those described by J. March, xe2x80x9cAdvanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structurexe2x80x9d, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, pages 1082-1084 (1977), to provide ketone (1). [Ketone (1) is the starting material used in Scheme I above.] For example, alcohol (17) is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as methylene chloride, the solution cooled with a wet ice-acetone bath, and treated with 2.5 to 3.0 equivalents of dimethyl sulfoxide. After stirring for about 30 minutes, the reaction is then treated with about 1.8 equivalents of P2O5. The reaction is allowed to stir for about 3 hours and then, preferably, treated over about 30 minutes with about 3.5 equivalents of a suitable amine, such as triethylamine. The cooling bath is then removed and the reaction is allowed to stir for about 8 to 16 hours. The ketone (1) is then isolated by standard extraction techniques well known in the art. The above oxidation is also performed using standard Swern Oxidation conditions which are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In Scheme IV, step C, ketone (1) is treated with a suitable base followed by addition of the alkene (18), wherein X is a suitable leaving group, to provide compound (19). For example, ketone (1) is combined with an excess of alkene (18) in a suitable organic solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran, and cooled with a wet ice acetone bath. Examples of suitable leaving groups are Cl, Br, I, tosylate, mesylate, and the like. Preferred leaving groups are Cl and Br. About 1.1 equivalents of a suitable base is added and the reaction is allowed to stir for about 2 hours at room temperature. Examples of suitable bases are potassium tert-butoxide, sodium hydride, NaN(Si(CH3)3)2, LDA, KN(Si(CH3)3)2, NaNH2, sodium ethoxide, sodium methoxide and the like. Potassium tert-butoxide is the preferred suitable base. The reaction is then quenched with aqueous acid and compound (19) is isolated by extraction with a suitable organic solvent, such as heptane. The heptane extracts are washed with sodium bicarbonate, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to provide compound (19). In Scheme IV, step D, compound (19) is treated with a suitable oxidizing agent to provide aldehyde (3). [Aldehyde (3) is also prepared in Scheme I.] Examples of suitable oxidizing agents are ozone, NaIO4/Osmium catalyst, and the like. Ozone is the preferred oxidizing agent. Examples of suitable oxidizing reagents and conditions are described by J. March, xe2x80x9cAdvanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structurexe2x80x9d, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, pages 1090-1096 (1977). For example, compound (19) is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as methanol, a small amount of Sudan III is added, and the solution is cooled to about xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. Ozone is bubbled into the solution for about 4 hours until the pink color turns to a pale yellow color. Then Me2S is added to the reaction mixture and the cooling bath is removed. Concentration of the reaction mixture under vacuum provides the intermediate dimethyl acetal of aldehyde (3). This dimethyl acetal is readily hydrolyzed under standard acidic conditions to provide aldehyde (3). Alternatively, direct acidic work-up of the crude reaction mixture provides aldehyde (3). Alternatively, aldehyde (3) can be obtained directly by ozonolysis of (19) in a non-acetal forming solvent, such as methylene chloride. In Scheme IV, step E, aldehyde (3) is reductively aminated under conditions analogous to those described above in Scheme III, step D, to provide compound (5). [Compound 5 is also prepared in Scheme I.] Scheme V provides an alternative synthesis for the preparation of compound (5). All substituents, unless otherwise indicated, are previously defined. The reagents and starting materials are readily available to one of ordinary skill in the art. In Scheme V, step A, aldehyde (3) is condensed with piperidine (4) under standard conditions well known in the art to provide the enamine (20). For example, about 1.05 equivalents of aldehyde (3) dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, such as isopropyl acetate or isopropanol, is added to neat piperazine (4), free base. Additional organic solvent is added to produce a slurry and the reaction is stirred for about 1 to 2 hours. The enamine (20) is then isolated by standard techniques, such as collection by filtration. In Scheme V, step B, the enamine (20) is hydrogenated under conditions well known by one of ordinary skill in the art to provide compound (5). For example, enamine (20) is combined with a suitable organic solvent, such as isopropyl alcohol and a catalytic amount of 5% palladium on carbon in a Parr bottle. The mixture is placed under 50 psi of hydrogen and shaken for about 2 days at room temperature. The slurry is then filtered to remove catalyst and the filtrate is concentrated to provide compound (5). The following examples represent typical syntheses of the compounds of Formula I and formula Ia as described generally above. These examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. The reagents and starting materials are readily available to one of ordinary skill in the art. As used herein, the following terms have the meanings indicated: xe2x80x9caqxe2x80x9d refers to aqueous; xe2x80x9ceqxe2x80x9d refers to equivalents; xe2x80x9cgxe2x80x9d refers to grams; xe2x80x9cmgxe2x80x9d refers to milligrams; xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d refers to liters; xe2x80x9cmLxe2x80x9d refers to milliliters; xe2x80x9cxcexcLxe2x80x9d refers to microliters; xe2x80x9cmolxe2x80x9d refers to moles; xe2x80x9cmmolxe2x80x9d refers to millimoles; xe2x80x9cpsixe2x80x9d refers to pounds per square inch; xe2x80x9cminxe2x80x9d refers to minutes; xe2x80x9chxe2x80x9d refers to hours; xe2x80x9cxc2x0 C.xe2x80x9d refers to degrees Celsius; xe2x80x9cTLCxe2x80x9d refers to thin layer chromatography; xe2x80x9cHPLCxe2x80x9d refers to high performance liquid chromatography; xe2x80x9cRfxe2x80x9d refers to retention factor; xe2x80x9cRtxe2x80x9d refers to retention time; xe2x80x9cxcex4xe2x80x9d refers to part per million down-field from tetramethylsilane; xe2x80x9cTHFxe2x80x9d refers to tetrahydrofuran; xe2x80x9cDMFxe2x80x9d refers to N,N-dimethylformamide; xe2x80x9cIPAxe2x80x9d refers to isopropyl alcohol; xe2x80x9ciPrOAcxe2x80x9d refers to isopropyl acetate; xe2x80x9cAcOHxe2x80x9d refers to acetic acid; xe2x80x9cHRMSxe2x80x9d refers to high resolution mass spectrometry; xe2x80x9cEt3Nxe2x80x9d refers to triethylamine; xe2x80x9cLDAxe2x80x9d refers to lithium diisopropyl amide; xe2x80x9cRTxe2x80x9d refers to room temperature; xe2x80x9cSRIxe2x80x9d refers to serotonin reuptake inhibitor; xe2x80x9caqxe2x80x9d refers to aqueous; and xe2x80x9cMTBExe2x80x9d refers to tert-butyl methyl ether.

PuzzlePicz is a challenging but fun puzzle game! You start off with a jumbled up picture and try to put it together again. The difficulty of the puzzles can be adjusted so the game can be suitable for both children and adults. The game comes with some default puzzles and lets you load in your own pictures if you get tired of them (in GIF, JPG or BMP format).

Q: Select on empty table but still get column names I want to do a SELECT on an empty table, but i still want to get a single record back with all the column names. I know there are other ways to get the column names from a table, but i want to know if it's possible with some sort of SELECT query. I know this one works when i run it directly in MySQL: SELECT * FROM cf_pagetree_elements WHERE 1=0; But i'm using PHP + PDO (FETCH_CLASS). This just gives me an empty object back instead of an row with all the column names (with empty values). So for some reason that query doesn't work with PDO FETCH_CLASS. $stmt = $this->db->prepare ( $sql ); $stmt->execute ( $bindings ); $result = $stmt->fetchAll ( \PDO::FETCH_CLASS, $class ); print_r($result); // Empty object... I need an object with column names Anyone any idea if there's another method that i can try? A: Adding on to what w00 answered, there's a solution that doesn't even need a dummy table SELECT tbl.* FROM (SELECT 1) AS ignore_me LEFT JOIN your_table AS tbl ON 1 = 1 LIMIT 1 In MySQL you can change WHERE 1 = 1 to just WHERE 1 A: To the other answers who posted about SHOW COLUMNS and the information scheme. The OP clearly said: "I know there are other ways to get the column names from a table, but i want to know if it's possible with some sort of SELECT query." Learn to read. Anyway, to answer your question; No you can't. You cannot select a row from an empty table. Not even a row with empty values, from an empty table. There is however a trick you can apply to do this. Create an additional table called 'dummy' with just one column and one row in it: Table: dummy dummy_id: 1 That's all. Now you can do a select statement like this: SELECT * FROM dummy LEFT OUTER JOIN your_table ON 1=1 This will always return one row. It does however contain the 'dummy_id' column too. You can however just ignore that ofcourse and do with the (empty) data what ever you like. So again, this is just a trick to do it with a SELECT statement. There's no default way to get this done.

L'Ecole de design Nantes Atlantique master's students blog in China About L’ECOLE DE DESIGN NANTES ATLANTIQUE L’École de design Nantes Atlantique is a private higher education institution founded in 1988 and still managed by the Nantes Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 950 students are currently enrolled in the school. The 5-year curriculum is state-approved and its degree is certified by the Ministry of Higher Education. The school is a member of the “Conférence des Grandes Écoles” and of the Cumulus network (an international association of universities and colleges of art, design and media). Each year an average of 10 to 20 pupils win national and international design awards. Graduates work for multi-national corporations (Lego, Kenwood, Décathlon, Smoby, Seb, Maped, Aigle), as well as agencies or companies all over France. Since 2008, L’Ecole de design Nantes Atlantique has a new subsidiary in China. Based first on Qingdao University Campus, this subsidiary is currently located in Shanghai, in partnership with the University of Shanghai. The program hosts 60 students during 2 years. - 1st semester: from the beginning of September to mid-February - 2nd semester: from mid-February to the end of June - 3rd semester: from the beginning of September to mid-February - 4th semester: from mid-February to the end of June

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Belgium’s gross domestic product (GDP) to fall by 6.9% in 2020, due to the new coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. In 2021, the Belgian economy should return to growth and rebound by 4.6%, the IMF said in its latest economic outlook published on Tuesday. In 2019, Belgian growth had reached +1.4%. Related News: The IMF also forecasts a very low level of inflation in 2020 in Belgium (+0.3%), with price rises expected to accelerate slightly in 2021 (+1.1%). The unemployment rate, set at 5.4% in 2019, is expected to rise by almost 2 points this year (7.3%), before declining somewhat next year (6.8%), according to the IMF. The Brussels Times

Treasury Secretary Liz Truss has featured twice on the SKWAWKBOX in the last week or so for her abject attempts to defend the government’s Universal Credit (UC) system. Confronted by a journalists over huge waits causing claimants terrible hardship, Ms Truss claimed that the system was working well – because everything had seemed fine when she visited a Jobcentre. Asked by Daily Politics presenter Andrew Neil why impoverished people were being charged fifty-five pence a minute to call the DWP to try to sort out payment delays, she became non-responsive in a way that would have made BBC News headlines all day had she been a Labour politician instead of a Tory. But the stark reality of the impact of the government’s utterly callous disregard for the damage their vanity-project change to the benefits system is causing was made clear today when the BBC interviewed Holly Sargent – a young woman who has been kept waiting for eight months and counting to receive her UC payment. Ms Sargent has sold every possession and relies on Foodbanks and hand-outs from her mum – who is also looking after her young son – to eke out an existence. So dire is her situation that her son cannot even stay overnight with her. In a deeply-moving video, Ms Sargent and her mother spoke of her situation. Both were in tears – and Ms Sargent broke down completely as her anguish overwhelmed her: Dear @BBCNewsnight – please show all panelists this clip tomorrow and ask for their response. Cheers. pic.twitter.com/WsMfmtysJO — Sarah (@ScouseGirlMedia) October 11, 2017 This video should be compulsory watching for every aloof, detached, callous, dissembling government minister and every colluding pundit and journalist. The SKWAWKBOX needs your support. This blog is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. Thanks for your solidarity so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about. Like this: Like Loading...

Soft X-ray microscopy with a cryo scanning transmission X-ray microscope: I. Instrumentation, imaging and spectroscopy. We have developed a cryo scanning transmission X-ray microscope which uses soft X-rays from the National Synchrotron Light Source. The system is capable of imaging frozen hydrated specimens with a thickness of up to 10 microm at temperatures of around 100 K. We show images and spectra from frozen hydrated eukaryotic cells, and a demonstration that biological specimens do not suffer mass loss or morphological changes at radiation doses up to about 1010 Gray. This makes possible studies where multiple images of the same specimen area are needed, such as tomography (Wang et al. (2000) Soft X-ray microscopy with a cryo scanning transmission X-ray microscope: II. Tomography. J. Microsc. 197, 80-93) or spectroscopic analysis.

class AddNewIndexes < ActiveRecord::Migration def up add_index :communities_payment_gateways, :community_id end def down remove_index :communities_payment_gateways, :community_id end end

[Regulation of purine biosynthetic genes expression in Salmonella typhimurium. V. Nucleotide sequences evidence without purJ gene]. Previous genetic analysis showed that AICAI transformylase, IMP cyclohydrolase and GAR synthetase are encoded by purJ, purH and purD respectively, and which constitute a operon, mapped on 90 min in genetic map of Salmonella typhimurium But recent study in E. coli indicated that the genes encoding for above three enzymes only have purH and purD, without purJ gene. Report here is the DNA sequences evidence for abence of purJ gene in Salmonella typhimurium.

Everything interested Louis Agassiz, from tiny fish to gigantic glaciers, and he transmitted his enthusiasm to the students of a whole generation Along with the human assemblage, the house sheltered innumerable animal inmates. Everywhere he went, Agassiz continued to urge naturalists and laymen alike to send him specimens, live ones if possible. From Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau sent fish, turtles, and a black snake. When Agassiz informed him joyfully that among the fish was an unnamed species, Thoreau was enchanted: “How wild it makes the pond and the township,” he wrote in his journal, “to find a new fish in it!” In a corner of Agassiz’s back yard was an eagle with clipped wings, and in a tank there were alligators. In his basement lived a bear who once got loose, managed somehow to open a keg of good German beer stored there, and then lurched up the cellar stairs—into the midst of one of Agassiz’s Sunday night supper parties. Scattering students, visiting scientists, and Harvard professors right and left, the tipsy bear climbed up on the table and helped himself to dinner. In 1848, scarcely two years after Agassiz’s arrival in the United States, his wife, still in Switzerland, had died of tuberculosis. Agassiz sent for his son, but his two little girls remained for a time with relatives in Switzerland because his strange Cambridge household was not the place for them. With the thirteen-year-old Alex now added, however, Agassiz began to feel the need for some womanly assistance in managing his domestic affairs. It was Longfellow, who always took a great interest in his friends’ romances, who learned some news from the French wife of one of Agassiz’s scientist friends. “It is true,” said the lady, “that he plans to marry. He has need of a housekeeper.” Nevertheless, it was a love match and not a marriage of convenience when, at King’s Chapel in Boston on April 25, 1850, Louis Agassiz married Elizabeth Cabot Cary, daughter of one of Boston’s leading bankers. “Lizzie looked lovely,” her sister wrote in her journal, “dressed in a green silk, white camel’s hair shawl, straw bonnet trimmed with white, and leathers on each side. After the ceremony they drove directly out of town”—to Agassiz’s home in “dusty Oxford Street.” Elizabeth Agassiz received an early initiation in the sort of life that lay before her. Writing to her mother, she humorously issued a warning “to any woman who thinks of becoming the wife of a naturalist.’ One Sunday evening, she wrote, as she was dressing for church, “I ran to my shoe cupboard for my boots, and was just going to put my hands upon them when I caught sight of the tail of a good-sized snake, which was squirming about among the shoes. I screamed in horror to Agassiz, who was still sound asleep, that there was a serpent in my shoe-closet. ‘Oh, yes,’ said he sleepily, ‘I brought in several in my handkerchief last night.... I wonder where the others are.’” When all the snakes were finally rounded up, Agassiz “had the audacity” to call upon his wife to “admire their beauty.” The deep attachment that Agassiz felt for his new home was clearly demonstrated when, in 1858, the directorship of the Jardin des Plantes and a seat in the French Senate were offered him. Here was the fulfillment of Agassiz’s boyhood ambition, but he declined the offer. The Jardin des Plantes now seemed to him a trifling affair compared to the vast museum he himself planned to build and direct, with laboratories, collections, lecture halls, and public exhibition rooms. His museum was to be “a library of the works of God,” Agassiz said, and he planned to build it in Cambridge, Massachusetts. To realize such a vision, Agassiz would need money, but, always a successful solicitor of funds for scientific projects, he would not miss the patronage of a Bonaparte or a Friedrich Wilhelm. In America he found Francis Calley Gray of Boston, descendant of a pioneer maker of shoes in Lynn. Impressed by Agassiz, Gray left fifty thousand dollars in his will to establish a museum of natural history connected with Harvard. But Mr. Gray earmarked his money expressly for the purchase of collections, prohibiting its expenditure for brick and mortar. Agassiz now went to the Massachusetts legislature and, contrary to the expectations of his friends and advisers, got an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars. Over seventy thousand dollars more was raised by public subscription for construction, and the first section of what would eventually become a formidable row of tall brick buildings on Oxford Street could now be started. The name decided upon was “Museum of Comparative Zoology,” because Agassiz believed that the study of natural history transcended in importance the name of any one man. But the museum was soon familiarly known as “the Agassiz.” It still is. A later acquisition of curious examples of German glass-blowing gave the museum its present reputation as “the place where the glass flowers are.” Agassiz found another sponsor for natural history while the Civil War was still in progress. Nathaniel Thayer, partner in the firm eventually to become Kidder, Peabody, and possessor of one of the largest fortunes acquired by any New Englander, financed Agassiz᾿s Thayer Expedition to Brazil. It realized another early dream. Ever since his Munich days, when he had described in Latin the Brazilian fish brought back by two scientists, Spix and Martius, he had longed to go to Brazil himself to find more and rarer specimens. In 1865 he was on his way.

Roland Thompson Martos Gallery is pleased to present The True Organization of Things, a solo exhibition by Roland Thompson. It might come to pass that our Verse contracts at some future time. Not expanding forever until Stars disappear. The Few know that within the Verse there is no single Center. Every point is the Center. Out of each of these every thing swings. These Planes before you could be likened unto the act of scrying outward from within a vortex. Where matter is tightened and ordered at the edges. Thus these Planes are organized on the perimeter. Precise. As these Planes expand inward, anomalies cause their disorder. When you gaze closely you will see embedded material that disrupts Order. Mutations to Order as set forth by the Original Plan. Vibrationally they are more like unto geodes than other sentient material. Growing inward. Thin at the edges. Expansive in the middle. Like unto the core of our World. A chosen Few know the core to be hollow. To contain a vast network of tunnels and organisms. The Few know that Ancients live there, even now. They coexist with great beasts. They are the First and the Last. Seven hundred and Seventy Seven millennia ago they came to the surface. At this Point they were met by extraterrestrials. It was then that our Parents copulated. We were created. This ancient and True lineage explains a lot of things. If we were on the lower gravity World of Mothers, our spines would heal. The ease of Birth would be of a higher degree. There are caves and tunnels in the Highland of our World. Also in the Lowland. If you penetrate deeply into these Corridors, you will find symbols from our Ancestors that are unlike anything that has ever been conceived by a Human. These Planes before you are also likened unto the Vision. Looking downward into these Corridors. Seeing the Womb of World. Only Few know the Names of these Corridors and their precise Locations. They were dug outward from the Womb of World. When you have the privilege of gazing down into Lower World, you will see that in Middle there is perpetual growth. This principle of Middle is the only fixed constant. It cannot be moved. Although intelligent material expands inward, it also contracts outward in all directions. This is the True Organization Of Things.

[Effects of antibiotics on bacterial community in shrimp hatchery system]. With bacterial 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) as molecular marker and by using PCR-DGGE technique, the fingerprints of bacterial community were constructed to study the effects of applying streptomycin sulfate, terramycin, and penicillin on the bacterial community in shrimp hatchery system. Within the 120 h experimental period, significant difference in the diversity of the bacterial community was observed between the treatments applied with 0.5 mg x L(-1) of test antibiotics and the control. In the control, the band patterns in 0-30 h were clustered into one clade, and those in 56-120 h were clustered into another; while in the treatments applied with test antibiotics, the band patterns in 0-56 h were clustered into one clade, and those in 72-120 h were clustered into another. After the sequencing of DGGE bands, the BLAST-N searches for sequence similarity showed great diversity of bacterial species, including culturable bacteria (mainly Sulfitobacter sp., Rhodobacteraceae sp., Photobacterium damselae, Synechoccoccus sp., Actinomycetales, Flavobacteriaceae, Filamentous photosynthetic, Mucus, and Vibrio harveyi) and some uncultured marine bacteria, among which, Rhodobacteraceae sp., Photobacterium damselae, Actinomycetales, Flavobacteriaceae, Mucus, and two unculturable bacteria were less affected by the three antibiotics, while Sulfitobacter sp., Filamentous photosynthetic, and other eight unculturable marine bacteria changed in different spatiotemporal patterns with the kinds of test antibiotics.

00:00 Okay, let's get cracking. 00:01 First thing we need to do is import requests, sorry. 00:07 import requests. 00:09 Now I know you probably know how to use requests 00:12 so I'm not going over this too much. 00:14 But what I'd like you to do is 00:15 enter the URL of your feed. 00:18 Now to get that for example, 00:20 we're going to be pulling the 00:23 new releases XML feed from Steam. 00:26 Stored up, steam powered. 00:28 Okay, 00:29 all I've done to get that is just Google 00:31 "Steam Feed." 00:33 Came up here, 00:34 I just grab the first one 00:35 and there was a link on the website for 00:38 their RSS feed. 00:39 Okay, this is the news one, 00:41 but we're actually 00:42 going to use the new releases 00:43 for the video games. 00:45 So you can feel free to grab whatever you want 00:47 and once you do that, 00:49 just pop the URL into here 00:52 and assign it to URL. 00:57 So there's mine there. 00:59 Next, we're just going to use our standard 01:02 Python and dunder there. 01:05 Okay, 01:06 and then what we're going to do is 01:08 we're going to 01:10 requests.get. 01:12 So, essentially, 01:13 we're going to get that URL 01:14 and we're going to store it 01:16 or we're going to assign it to the r variable. 01:19 Okay, and then we're actually going to 01:21 write the contents of this file, 01:24 of this XML feed, this that you're pulling down, 01:28 we're going to write that down to an XML file. 01:30 Okay, so to do that, 01:32 just going to do it the old fashioned way. 01:34 We're going to open a file, let's just call it 01:37 newreleases. 01:39 Just like the actual XML. 01:42 We're just going to write binary 01:43 and we're going to open it as f. 01:46 And I'm using that with Statement as usual 01:49 just to make sure it closes 01:50 out right when it's done. 01:53 So, we're going to write 01:55 r.content. 01:58 I'm not explaining this in detail 01:59 because you would have experienced requests 02:02 by now, so that should be nice and familiar. 02:05 But this is necessary to pull down the file. 02:08 Alright, so we save that, that's all we need. 02:11 Now, head over here to your shell. 02:13 Woops, we don't actually want to launch the shell, 02:18 We want to go Python pull_xml.py. 02:22 Alright, that completed. 02:25 Now, if we bring up our folder here, 02:28 or everything that's inside, 02:30 you will have seen it's created in newreleases XML file. 02:34 Alright, 02:36 that's it there. 02:38 Now, we'll open that file 02:42 in explorer. 02:43 Where are we? 02:45 Open, let's just choose, okay, don't hate me. 02:48 Let's just choose internet explorer. 02:51 So, now that this is open, 02:53 you can have a good look at what's inside this XML file. 02:57 Pay attention, maybe while you're doing this for yours, just open this, 03:01 your XML feed 03:02 in a browser 03:04 or in your favorite editor, 03:06 just so you can have a look at these little tags here. 03:09 So pay attention to that, 03:10 we'll talk about them in the next video.

Buried near the bottom of the Wall Street Journal’s Tuesday editorial on the Ukrainian elections was this sentence: “Sunday’s vote showed that Ukrainians want to join the West while co-existing peacefully with Russia.” There are two problems with this. First, it is far from clear that this was the underlying civic sentiment expressed in the elections. Second, even if the Journal’s reading of the vote is correct, it isn’t remotely possible for Ukraine to join the West while coexisting peacefully with Russia. If Ukraine’s electoral winner, Petro Poroshenko, is going to succeed, he must correctly dissect the vote, and the stakes posed by this challenge are immense. As the Journal notes, the “chance for civil war is real,” and avoidance of such bloodshed will require a delicate balancing act and an uncommon deftness in knitting disparate political sentiments, passions and interests into a governing coalition. If he takes the Journal’s position—that the election settled with finality the question of Ukraine’s tragic dual identity—he almost inevitably will unleash that civil war. As I have emphasized in these spaces over the past several months, Ukraine is what the late Samuel Huntington called a “cleft country”, split between a European-oriented, nationalist region in the west and a Russian-oriented, largely Orthodox-influenced region in the east. Since Ukraine’s independence at the end of the Cold War, no Ukrainian politician has been able to bridge the gap between these two regions and these two cultural sensibilities. Electoral results over the years have reflected this dual identity—and also reflected the consequent inability of any population segment to impose, through politics, its cultural identity upon the nation as a whole. It isn’t clear, based on the information now readily at hand, just what the vote totals demonstrate as to what the nation is looking for in its national leadership. Certainly, though, it would seem unrealistic to assume that one election suddenly erased the political sentiment of Ukraine’s eastern regions, which has been amply demonstrated in numerous previous elections and abundant opinion polling. Surveys in eastern Ukraine indicated that, while the majority there didn’t wish to be pulled into the Russian Federation, as Crimea was, it did wish to maintain its cultural and economic ties with Russia and had no desire to antagonize the big neighbor to the east. Thus, Sunday’s vote totals more likely reflected a political fear, in both regions, that a disruptive civil war was too close for comfort and that Poroshenko was viewed as the country’s last best hope for a conciliatory solution. A billionaire candy magnate with an extensive political background and talent for political ambiguity, Poroshenko now faces the challenge of bridging the regional gap, and he appears to be as well equipped as anybody to pull it off. But he won’t succeed if he takes his cues from Western governmental bureaucrats and commentators who see the Ukrainian drama as a stark morality play in which the good guys are the nationalists of the west and the bad guys are the Russian-speaking and Russian-oriented people of the east. He will do well to steer clear of such thinking and concentrate on the key challenges and problems of his country—fixing Ukraine’s devastated economy through whatever alliances can best further that aim; combating the civic corruption that has plagued the country for years, irrespective of which side captured the presidency; establishing governmental legitimacy in the wake of a street coup that upended a duly elected government; and—most important—crafting a governing model to somehow accommodate the passions of both west and east. The latter likely will require some concept of autonomy that protects eastern peoples from cultural hegemony from the west while also protecting the west from undue Russian interference. All of this will have to be pursued with an understanding that no Ukrainian leader will be able to wrest Ukraine from Russia’s strategic sphere of influence, where the country has resided for the past 350 years. That’s because no Russian leader will allow any such turn of events to unfold. Major regional powers don’t accept severe blows to their strategic positions in their own neighborhoods without employing all means necessary to prevent them. Russia is no exception. The United States is no exception, either, as attested by its audacious resolve, from the Monroe Doctrine onward, to exercise complete control over its own broad geopolitical environment. It went to war to cement its annexation of Texas and wrest from Mexico vast territories seen as crucial to its strategic position on the North American continent. It contemplated a war with France to remove a Mexican “emperor” installed by the French during the Civil War. It entered a war with Spain in 1898 to kick that waning empire out of the Caribbean and thus, gain strategic dominance over that body of nearby water—and also the northern entrance of the coming Panama Canal. It engaged in all kinds of questionable Cold War behavior—including assassination missions—born of its irritation that a communist-aligned leader should hold sway in nearby Cuba. It braved prospects of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union in order to remove nuclear missiles from that contested island. It pushed its weight around throughout its hemisphere for decades to protect its perceived strategic and economic interests. Many of these activities have been criticized and even vilified by people both inside and outside the United States over the decades, but in fact, they are the natural actions of a nation bent on protecting its security in its near abroad. All nations do this to the extent of their capability. The question faced by America and the West is whether Russia’s resolve to do this in next-door Ukraine represents any kind of intrinsic threat to American or Western interests. The answer is no. Ukraine has served as a useful buffer territory between these two civilizational entities for centuries, with Russian influence generally holding sway, and there is no reason why the West should seek to upend this natural state of things. In fact, efforts to do so represent a level of aggressiveness that no Russian leader will tolerate. That is the fundamental reality of the situation, and irrespective of whether America and Europe come to accept it, Poroshenko can’t ignore it without putting his leadership and his country at risk. If he seeks to yank Ukraine away from the Russian sphere of influence and place the entirety of the country under the Western sphere, particularly if that enhances prospects for NATO membership, he will drive a wedge through his country and probably bring Russian intervention. That’s why, contrary to the Journal’s interpretation of unfolding events, it isn’t possible for Ukraine to join the West while coexisting peacefully with Russia. Even if Poroshenko understands and accepts this reality, his tenure will be fraught with danger and will require extremely creative and adroit leadership. If he doesn’t, the tragedy of Ukraine will become all the more ominous. Robert W. Merry is the political editor of The National Interest and the author of books on American history and foreign policy. His most recent book is Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians. Image: Wikimedia Commons/Mstyslav Chernov/Unframe​/CC by-sa 3.0

Q: how to check if a day of hour is filled by the user? I have 2 dialogs datepicker and time picker that turn one after another , so i am trying to make case to check if a timepicker is set or it's pressed cancel and only the date picker is set because i need it for later to set an alarm...i will use the same to check if the date is picked also... //so here is what i have in mind public void funk2() { if(mCalendar.isSet(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY)) { Toast.makeText(dodadi.this,"Успешно е внесено2z! ",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } } A: if(mData.getText().toString().equals("SetAlarm")){} else{ mData.setText(mData.getText()+" "+timeForButton); if(timeForButton!=null){n=timeForButton;}} int m=mCalendar.get(Calendar.MONTH); if(n!=null) { if(m!=0) { Toast.makeText(dodadi.this,"Успешно е внесено2z! ",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); try like this to check a string not an integer, so first check if the time is null that u want to put in the calendar than set it as n variable

Stringent requirements are imposed on portland cement clinker. It should exhibit a complex of certain physical and mechanical properties. Improvement of quality of portland cement clinker mainly depends on the improvement of manufacturing process of its production, intensification of production processes, development of radically new, more efficient and economical methods for the production of portland cement clinker. In the production of portland cement clinker, the composition of raw materials, methods of preparing raw materials, processes of decarbonization and roasting of raw mixes are of a predominant importance. Known in the art are various processes for the preparation of portland cement clinker which differ by the composition of raw mix, method of batching and homogeneization, binder material used for pelletizing, gasodynamic and temperature conditions, various production steps used in carrying out the process, and a number of other features. Known in the art is a process for the preparation of portland cement clinker, wherein the process of manufacture is intensified by modifying the steps of the process grinding and homogeneization of raw mix are performed in the decarbonization zone of a rotary kiln. In another process for the preparation of portland cement-clinker, in order to intensify the clinker formation process and accelerate the decarbonization processes, additional steps are used: thus fuel is additionally burnt in the layer of material in the decarbonization zone, and the decarbonized mix is abruptly heated to 1400.degree.-1500.degree. C. However, these processes are associated with a low degree of decarbonization and high-temperature roasting conditions. Known in the art is also a process for the preparation of portland cement clinker by grinding limey, clayey and iron-containing components to obtain a mix which is homogeneized and pelletized to produce pellets of 8 to 12 mm size with a moisture content from 12 to 15%. The material is then decarbonized on a calcination grate at 800.degree. to 1000.degree. C. The material is subsequently fed to a roasting kiln. The roasting is effected at 1450.degree. to 1500.degree. C. This process is characterized by high thermal efficiency, however, in conducting the process, the resultant clinker exhibits inadequate strength because the process cannot ensure the production of high-strength pellets, and rather low degree of decarbonization is achieved. Besides, the process features high roasting temperature and specific fuel consumption.

Q: How to do looping in SQL? I've never attempted to loop in SQL, I have done in PHP but mainly through copying examples (although I do understand the concept). My Question is.... I have a report where I generate headings depending on the contents of three fields: Division, Department and Branch. I create the headings manually by doing... sum(case when Division = 'Property' and Department = 'High Value' and Branch = 'London' then Net end) as 'Prop|HighValue|Lon', and I have to do this for every combination of the three fields, which is a: Time consuming in itself and b: means that if a category is added, I need to then add a line of code to my view. Is there a way of looping through the fields to dynamically create 'every Branch in the 1st record in Department for the 1st record in Division etc etc? plus - is there a way to exclude a specific combination (given that not every combination exists in reality)? Additional info.... 'Division' is a column that contains 'Property', 'Litigation','Private Client' 'Department' is a column that contains 'High Value', 'Low Value' 'Branch' is a column that contains 'London', 'Manchester', 'Peterborough' these are grouped columns that show summarised billing information (in the 'Net' column' This is fine for grouping the categories downwards, what I want is a column for each combination of the three fields (eg the case statement above creates a column for 'Property|High Value|London' - I'm wondering if I can create that dynamically with a loop? A: What you are asking is known as crosstab, pivot or xtab. It is backend dependant how you do it. What you are trying to do currently is the oldest style way of doing that and would be cumbersome (poor man's pivot). ie: For postgreSQL you could simply use tableFunc: tablefunc

After reading yesterday's heartbreaking New York Times exposé about the exploitation of nail salon workers, some of my colleagues and readers alike had the same question: is there some way I can get a manicure and know for sure that I'm not exploiting an immigrant worker? Related How US immigration policy helps bad employers exploit workers If you don't live in New York, your local nail salons might not pay workers as miserably as the ones the Times investigated. But worker exploitation and even labor trafficking certainly happen — in nail salons and in other service industries — and the best thing that you can do is to be aware of what it looks like. The good news is there are possible solutions out there — both ways to identify businesses that are engaging in fair labor practices, and ways for individual customers to check up on workers. And while some of these suggestions are specific to the nail-care industry, it might be a good guide for customers who might be concerned about worker exploitation in other services like landscaping or maintenance. Here's how you can get a manicure without turning into a human rights abuser. 1) Understand the difference between trafficking and exploitation According to Rebecca Pfeffer, a professor at the University of Houston who studies labor exploitation and trafficking in America, the best thing a customer can do is be aware of worker exploitation and know where to look for it. But to do this, it's extremely important to understand the difference between a worker who's being exploited through low or illegal pay, and one who's being trafficked — who's being forced or coerced into staying at her job. The two often go together. Some behaviors can indicate that something bad is going on, Pfeffer says: "whether the worker displays any fear of their employer; whether they're free to talk to anyone they want at work. Another thing you might look at is whether people seem to be in charge of their own finances. So if you're giving tips, and someone is collecting those tips, or if all of the money is collected communally, you have no guarantee that someone is actually going to be paid a fair wage from that." But not all underpaid workers are being trafficked, and if you're confident that a salon is sketchy, you'll want to know which agency to call to investigate them. Pfeffer says the thing to look out for in potential trafficking cases is whether the worker has control over her own movement: "During the day, are they allowed to take a break and leave? At the end of the workday, is everybody in a place, leaving together in a group, and being taken somewhere? And does that happen on their own accord, or is it facilitated by a third party?" 2) Call the damn hotline If you have some confidence that a business is exploiting its workers, call your state's department of labor. If you think a business is trafficking its workers, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you're uncomfortable enough at a salon or other business that you don't want to go back, ask yourself why. Seriously consider the possibility that anything you saw that could be evidence of exploitation or trafficking is something an investigator would want to know about. You shouldn't file a report based on zero evidence, and you certainly shouldn't exaggerate what you saw. But if what you've seen and the questions you've asked make you wary enough that you want to stop going somewhere, you shouldn't assume that someone else will notify the authorities about it. 3) Ask owners for more transparency about where their money is going In a blog post yesterday, Times reporter Sarah Maslin Nir recommended that customers go to more expensive salons. Pfeffer agrees, to a point: "With [manicures] and with a lot of other things, we have to know that if you're paying very little for something that involves human work, that person is not making very much money." In her experience, higher-end businesses are generally less likely to exploit their workers. But the only way to know for sure is if a business says explicitly that it charges customers more so that it can pay workers a good wage. "In some other businesses," Pfeffer points out, "they are very transparent about their wages, and about the steps that they take to avoid exploitation in their supply chain. I think a call for more of that would certainly make a difference." If you're going to a higher-end nail salon, it couldn't hurt to ask. An owner might not always tell you the truth — but if the salon is legit, they've just learned they can use that to appeal to customers. 4) Trust your instincts, but ask questions In my conversations with colleagues, I quickly discovered that people can often sense something's not right about the salon they're visiting. "We've all had that experience," says Pfeffer. "I know I have. I've gone into one nail salon, and the atmosphere feels so different from another. 'Okay, I feel like something is weird.'" "So what do you do?" she continues. "And the answer is that you can ask questions. And I always do now. 'How much do you get paid?' 'Do you get to keep your tips?' 'How long have you been here?' Sometimes I'll just say, like, 'Where do you live?' Just getting a sense of whether they have the freedom to come and go as they want." In other industries, it's not very easy to interview workers — you can't interview the farmworker who picked your grapes. But Pfeffer points out, "In a nail salon, where you're sitting face to face with someone for 30 minutes, you have a lot of opportunities to ask a few questions" in a gentle way that doesn't necessarily set off any alarms. 5) Be aware of language barriers One of the reasons immigrant workers can be exploited to begin with is that they don't speak English fluently, or at all. And even if nothing is wrong, a manicurist might be reticent to carry on a conversation in a language she barely speaks. Conversely, an exploited manicurist might not want to talk about her exploitation in a language her exploiter speaks better than she does. A couple of my colleagues had had good experiences when they spoke their manicurists' native language — they would hear about the manicurists' homes and families, and come away convinced that the salon treated its workers well. In another case, though, a colleague's manicurist described her life using the Chinese word for "bitter" or "hardship." "And I never went back," the colleague says. Most of the workers in the New York Times story are Korean or Latina, but most manicurists in the rest of the United States are Vietnamese; you can also find salons with Chinese or Latina technicians. If you have a friend who speaks the salon worker's language, consider taking him or her along. (Treat him or her to a manicure or a foot scrub. It's the least you can do.) If not — and if you can do it unobtrusively — consider getting a translation app like iTranslate that has voice recognition. 6) Don't just feel guilty. Try to resolve the dilemma. Many of my colleagues have already tied themselves up in ethical knots over whether to stop getting cheap manicures. On the one hand, they say, they don't want to participate in exploitation. But on the other hand, if they don't go to a cheap salon, an exploited worker might make even less. The point of seeking out businesses that treat their workers well is that you want them to get more customers and hire more people. If there are more job opportunities at good salons, that's good news for poorly paid workers at other salons. But this is where the difference between trafficking and exploitation really becomes important. As long as a worker is genuinely free to leave a bad job, no matter how terrible, then you should not feel guilty about going to a business where workers are better paid. If you're worried that a worker isn't free to leave, you're not just dealing with a pay problem — you're dealing with a human trafficking problem. And you should call that in. 7) Find a way to label good businesses There actually is a model for a local group to identify and certify nail salons that are doing the right thing. The bad news is that it's not exactly focused on workers' pay — it's focused on health concerns. But it's a demonstration of one way a customer can know with confidence she's getting her nails done at an ethical salon. The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative started in the Bay Area and now operates in several of California's biggest counties. Julia Liou, a co-founder, works at a community health clinic for Asian Americans; she told Vox that she noticed a lot of nail salon workers were coming in with health concerns "from breathing difficulties to dermatitis — and even up to a lot of stories of workers who had had breast cancer, reproductive impacts such as miscarriages, wondering if their children had developmental delays." Workers didn't know there was any connection between their health complaints and the salon products they were being exposed to every day. But Liou says many common products in nail salons have been linked to reproductive and neurological health dangers — a topic the Times actually covered in another part of its investigation. These products aren't regulated at the federal or state level, but Liou and her colleagues didn't think the political climate was right for them to succeed with a big regulation campaign. Instead, they started working with county governments to set up a Healthy Nail Salons standard, which the county could inspect and certify. (Some similar campaigns in other industries operate without government involvement — a new campaign called the Equitable Food Initiative, for example, certifies farmers directly if they meet certain standards for treating their workers.) The Healthy Nail Salons standard is, Liou stresses, primarily about the health and safety of workers and customers — not about whether workers are being paid legal wages. But she does say that in order to get certified, a salon has to engage in training that includes telling owners and workers alike about wage and hour regulations. And the collaborative meets often with both owners and workers. "In many ways, I think, the owners we've seen have actually welcomed" getting information about labor law, Liou says. "[With] a lot of nail salons, it's easy to open, it's often a family business, they don't know all of the different regulations involved in setting up a business." Liou says it was initially awkward to discuss labor issues with both workers and owners in the same room, but the collaborative has figured out a way to do it that both educates owners and gives workers "a safe space to talk about the issues." And in one case, when workers were being exploited, the collaborative was able to refer them to a law clinic — which successfully sued the salon for $750,000 and forced the owner to change labor practices. Liou and her colleagues are trying to make it as easy as possible for groups in other areas to set up Healthy Nail Salons certification programs. (There's already a campaign in Boston, for example.) But Liou acknowledges that a lot of the interest in the campaign has come from customers who are trying to protect their own health, or the health of their families. Could customers really care enough to make a Healthy Nail Salons–style model work for labor rights? Pfeffer isn't sure. She talks about a local TV segment she shows in one of her classes, where a station uncovered "pretty gross labor trafficking" at a Chinese restaurant. The anchor interviewed one of the restaurant's customers, "and they were like, 'So what are you going to do? Are you going to change the way you visit restaurants, or what you learn about the places you go?' And the customer said, 'No, I'm not going to stop coming here, the food is really good!'" "We can't just expect people to be conscious consumers just because they have goodwill, I think," Pfeffer continues. "There are a lot of competing demands for people's decision making." Still, she says, doing something like the Healthy Nail Salons campaign for labor "is an excellent model, and I think it's good to try. The worst thing we can do is what we've been doing all this time, which is nothing."

Thank You for Sharing It's getting easier to share health records in real time, but progress is slow Ryan Walsh, M.D., is chief medical officer at UTHealth. By Ryan Holeywell |June 6, 2018 During a trip last summer, Sanjay Mishra, M.D., collapsed in Philadelphia International Airport. The child psychiatrist recovered after a weeklong hospital stay for undiagnosed severe coronary disease. A 95 percent blockage in his main artery was cleared by cardiac catheterization. On his way home, his wife, Seema Verma, MPH, who oversees Medicare and Medicaid for the federal government, asked physicians for Mishra’s medical records. She wanted to take them to his health care providers back home in Indiana. “The doctors looked a little uncomfortable and they said they would get back to me,” Verma said during a speech to health infor-mation professionals in Las Vegas earlier this year. Eventually, she received five pieces of paper and a CD-ROM. After finding a computer that could read a CD—no easy task in 2018—Verma discovered the disc was missing several test results, including her husband’s MRI. The experience left Verma, one of the most powerful health care administrators in the nation, deeply concerned about the challenges of sharing patient records.“I couldn’t help but contemplate the disconnect between the genius of the medical system that used the latest technology and science to save my husband’s life, but didn’t have the tools available to just give me his medical records—which I thought would have been the simplest task out of all they had performed,” she said at the conference of more than 40,000 health IT professionals. * * * * * In the greater Houston area, health leaders say we’re on the verge of a major development for elec-tronic health records accessibility. Greater Houston Healthconnect, which launched in 2010, has created the infrastructure and policies to allow the region’s health care providers to share patient data in real-time—even when doctors and hospitals use different systems to manage patient records. “To do that is easier said than done,” said Nick Bonvino, the non-profit’s CEO. Health care institu-tions, he explained, “were not built to do this.” So far, Greater Houston Healthconnect includes most Texas Medical Center hospitals and their suburban affiliates, as well as clinics, locally-based insurance plans, health districts and large physicians’ practices in two dozen counties in southeast Texas. But until recently, the network had one serious shortcoming: It lacked two major regional health care providers, Memorial Hermann and HCA Gulf Coast Division Family of Hospitals, which, together, include more than 24 area hospitals. However, in recent months, both have joined the network. Though neither is fully live quite yet (integrating records requires more than just flipping a switch, Bonvino noted), both should come online imminently, he said. The stakes, federal officials and other experts say, are tremendous. For starters, an inability to share patient data in real time can jeopardize safety and lead to suboptimal care. Longer term, a prolonged period without shared electronic medical information could prevent providers and patients from fully benefiting from the growing power of “big data” and artificial intelligence—twin technological powers beginning to unlock the secrets of diagnoses and treatments. * * * * * Nearly 15 years ago, President George W. Bush announced a 10-year plan to create a network that would allow health care providers to share medical records, but that vision still hasn’t fully come to fruition. The aim was for physicians to be able to share patient data easily to prevent medical errors, reduce costs, provide information during emergencies and improve care. The plan, announced in 2004, also envisioned giving patients the option to carry all their health information on a key chain—the modern smartphone hadn’t been invented yet. So far, regional health care information-sharing networks are making progress across the country, including here in Houston. Still, there are gaps in coverage: Records aren’t connected nationally and patients often lack full access to their own information. Even today, instances in which patients or physicians have to track down hard copies of records “are unbelievably the norm,” said Hardeep Singh, M.D., a patient safety researcher at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, based at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine. Health care providers often order duplicate tests and imaging for data simply because electronic records are not available, several experts say. “It’s getting better, but I think it’s going to take longer than we thought, and I think we aren’t moving fast enough,” Singh said. Other experts who place more urgency on the current situation argue that a lack of communication and connectivity leaves patients and providers in a state of ignorance. “A lot of patients believe we’ve been sharing this information all along,” said Pritchard, a former board member of Greater Houston Healthconnect. “But when you speak to an ER doctor, and they’re treating someone for a car accident in League City—and the patient lives in The Woodlands—the doctor will tell you they’re practicing in the dark.” * * * * * So why, exactly, has data sharing been such a challenge? Singh said the problem is more political than technical. In many instances, the culture of competition provides little incentive to share information. In other cases, the firms that maintain patient records for providers have been accused of resisting an integrated system. Second, Walsh said, there are fewer accountable care organizations, or ACOs, in southeast Texas compared with other areas of the nation. In ACOs, providers share medical and financial responsibility for providing patient care with the goal of limiting wasteful or unnecessary spending. Data sharing can reduce the cost of health care by eliminating redundant tests and procedures as well as helping pro-viders get the information they need to diagnose and treat patients more effectively. In those cases, there can be a big payoff when providers invest in data-sharing infrastructure. Still, the economic factors that encourage sharing aren’t as strong in Houston, he said. “A lot of times, it takes financial motivation to do what’s right, and doing what’s right can be expen-sive,” Walsh explained. “That financial motivation hasn’t hit Houston as hard as it’s hit the coasts.” Some have suggested more patient-centric solutions. If systems struggle to share the data, can patients serve as gatekeepers of their own records on smartphones or other portable data devices? Most experts agree that this isn’t the optimal solution. For starters, patients have not shown enthusi-asm about accessing their medical information electronically. Health care providers report success if half of their patients sign up for access to data portals, Singh said. Most critically, doctors don’t want to rely on patients during an emergency. In addition, health care providers must access information independently and in real time to provide the most informed care for individuals and groups. Storing health records with individuals would prevent doctors from benefiting from the broader insights that population data can provide. For example, software could theoretically analyze all patients who meet a certain profile nationwide and determine which treatments have the best outcomes. So, what’s the fix for electronic patient medical data accessibility? Experts agree that health care providers will only make seamless record-sharing a priority when patients and their employers—specifically, those employers who ultimately pay for health care—demand connectivity. Eventually, providers that don’t share data will be viewed as dated, unsophisticated and ineffective. “Would you use a bank that didn’t have an app?” Walsh asked. “It’s going to be that way with health care. Eventually, the market will demand that you offer interoperability, or you’re going to go outof business.” Social Posts UTHealth Veterans Affairs VA’s nursing home program has been the subject of much media scrutiny recently. At VA, we welcome oversight because it makes us better, but this issue has been clouded by false statements, misinformation and hyperbole. We set the record straight https://t.co/hrd5DxtvKL https://t.co/i7YhxHS4Sm BCMHouston Memorial Hermann Nathan doesn’t remember anything about the day he died, but his sister, Miliaris, does. “My mother heard him gasping and saw him struggling for air,” Miliaris remembers.“I called 911 and started doing CPR." Nathan went into cardiac arrest for 45 minutes. https://t.co/vvyhkjbC1I. 2 hours ago MD Anderson Cancer Center @Andispice Hi Andi, we aren't able to provide medical advice via Twitter. We suggest to speak to your doctor about your concerns. If you'd like to request an appointment at MD Anderson, please call 1-877-632-6789.

bike culture blogged After a week of meetings and rides with product managers, so much to share from PressCamp 14 and for a Sunday afternoon, I’ll start with the Synapse Alum. At launches from big brands, you’ll occasionally find a personal project that made it into production like this and it’s lovely with metallic paint, color-matched fenders, and Rival Hydro at $2k. Rack mounts too. That’d make a very Pacific-Northwest style fender bike and if you’re into this, I’d start asking your dealer for it now. When I tweeted a photo of the Synapse last week, cropped it tight because the Rival 22 was under embargo. With the embargo lifted, here’s what that group is about too, value-priced and a hydraulic disc brake road bike at $2K.

Meaningful Quotes (Part 8) “Tt is always important to ask fundamental questions, but when we do ask a fundamental question, most of us are seeking an answer, and then the answer is invariably superficial because there is no yes or no answer to life.” – J. Krishnamurti “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” – Leo Tolstoy “The constant assertion of belief is an indication of fear.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy. “Progress doesn’t come from early risers – progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things.” – Robert A. Heinlein “It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or useless word; and do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in a few.” – Pythagoras (582 BC – 507 BC) “I can’t help it if I know what I like. And I know what I like.” – Harriet the Spy “You know what? You’re an individual, and that makes people nervous. And it’s gonna keep making people nervous for the rest of your life.” – Golly (Harriet the Spy) “I thought I knew who I was when I woke up this morning but I have changed many times since then.” – Alice from Lewis Carrol’s Through the Looking Glass “You can safely assume that you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” – Anne Lamott “Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon.” – Rorschach “The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping the old ones, which ramify, for those brought up as most of us have been, into every corner of our minds.” – John Maynard Keynes “One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.” – Chinua Achebe “Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable than risk being happy.” – Robert Anthony “Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we’re looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn’t test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.” – P. J. O’Rourke “We are all born brave, trusting and greedy, and most of us remain greedy.” – Mignon McLaughlin “Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion.” – Charlotte Bronte “The trouble with Communism is the Communists, just as the trouble with Christianity is the Christians.” – Mencken “Sunday: A day given over by Americans to wishing that they themselves were dead and in Heaven, and that their neighbors were dead and in Hell.” – Mencken “Sunday School: A prison in which children do penance for the evil conscience of their parents.” – Mencken “Congress consists of one third, more or less, scoundrels; two thirds, more or less, idiots; and three thirds, more or less, poltroons.” – Mencken “Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good.” – Menken “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it and then misapplying the wrong remedies.” — Groucho Marx “Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule – and both commonly succeed, and are right.” – Mencken “Strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and formal education positively fortifies it.” – Stephen Vizinczey “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” – Mencken “Look down at me and you see a fool; look up at me and you see a god; look straight at me and you see yourself.” – Charles Manson “Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster.” – Nietzsche “I don’t think there’s anything dumber than thinking it is dumb to criticize how the government treats its people.” – Amir Dailami The irony is that the people who think the government is doing such a fine job are more than willing to tell you “you don’t like it, leave”. If you ever encountered one these nut jobs, tell them, “it’s a democracy, and that’s what I’m meant to do in a democracy. You don’t like it, leave. Go live in a dictatorship”. – Amir Dailami “I would like it if men had to partake in the same hormonal cycles to which women are subjected monthly. Maybe that’s why men declare war – because they have a need to bleed on a regular basis.” – Brett Butler “Sometimes the thoughts in my head get bored and go for a stroll out through my mouth. This is rarely a good thing.” – Amanda Brandt “What makes people weak? Their need for validation and recognition, their need to feel important. Don’t get caught in this trap.” – Paulo Coelo “For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. you can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” – Benjamin Button Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you will help them become what they are capable of becoming. “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” – Mahatma Gandhi “The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy.” – Friedrich Nietzsche “Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” – David Lloyd George “What most mental health professionals, teachers, social workers and doctors label as mental illness, behavioral problems or learning problems in children are simply children reacting in a NATURAL manner to UNNATURAL, intolerable or traumatic circumstances.” – Laurie A Couture “If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?” – Shantideva “To the soul, there is hardly anything more healing than friendship.” – Thomas Moore “The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.” – Aung San Suu Kyi “…if you have to take just one thing from schools to emulate, don’t take their schedule, or methodologies, or teacher-student relationships, or curricula, or textbooks. Take their brochures.” – Clark Aldrich I’m not sure I want popular opinion on my side — I’ve noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts. – Bethania McKenstry “Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead.” – C.S. Lewis It’s not procrastinating if you never intend to do it. “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” – Nelson Mandela You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. – Dave Barry Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can’t be taken on its own merits. – Dan Barker “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” ~ Elbert Hubbard Noah Garrett you can walk into a pitch black room full of evil full of darkness and light a candle and instantly that darkness flees but you can’t do the opposite you can’t go into a well lit room full of truth and wisdom and righteousness and joy and health and harmony with the universal power you can’t take up any amount of darkness and go into that well lit room and have any effect whatsoever Make crime pay. Become a Lawyer “We may go to the moon, but that’s not very far. The greatest distance we have to cover still lies within us.” I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. ~ Elwyn Brooks White

Q: Overridden Controller in Magento, One Function not working Im attempting to get my contact form to redirect to the homepage after form submission. I setup my module and can confirm it is working. In the code below, I get the 'Pre-dispatched' and 'Index Action' log messages but do not get the 'Post Action' and as you can expect, it also does not redirect me to the homepage when it is complete. I do receive the contact e-mail properly. Can anyone tell me why the first two functions are working correctly and postAction() is not? I copied all of the code from the original controller into my controller for troubleshooting purposes. Everything is default except the addition of log messages and the redirects at the bottom. class MyCompany_Contacts_IndexController extends Mage_Contacts_IndexController { const XML_PATH_EMAIL_RECIPIENT = 'contacts/email/recipient_email'; const XML_PATH_EMAIL_SENDER = 'contacts/email/sender_email_identity'; const XML_PATH_EMAIL_TEMPLATE = 'contacts/email/email_template'; const XML_PATH_ENABLED = 'contacts/contacts/enabled'; public function preDispatch() { parent::preDispatch(); Mage::log('Pre-dispatched'); if( !Mage::getStoreConfigFlag(self::XML_PATH_ENABLED) ) { $this->norouteAction(); } } public function indexAction() { Mage::log('Index Action.'); $this->loadLayout(); $this->getLayout()->getBlock('contactForm') ->setFormAction( Mage::getUrl('*/*/post') ); $this->_initLayoutMessages('customer/session'); $this->_initLayoutMessages('catalog/session'); $this->renderLayout(); } public function postAction() { parent::postAction(); Mage::log('Post Action.'); $post = $this->getRequest()->getPost(); if ( $post ) { $translate = Mage::getSingleton('core/translate'); /* @var $translate Mage_Core_Model_Translate */ $translate->setTranslateInline(false); try { $postObject = new Varien_Object(); $postObject->setData($post); $error = false; if (!Zend_Validate::is(trim($post['name']) , 'NotEmpty')) { $error = true; } if (!Zend_Validate::is(trim($post['comment']) , 'NotEmpty')) { $error = true; } if (!Zend_Validate::is(trim($post['email']), 'EmailAddress')) { $error = true; } if (Zend_Validate::is(trim($post['hideit']), 'NotEmpty')) { $error = true; } if ($error) { throw new Exception(); } $mailTemplate = Mage::getModel('core/email_template'); /* @var $mailTemplate Mage_Core_Model_Email_Template */ $mailTemplate->setDesignConfig(array('area' => 'frontend')) ->setReplyTo($post['email']) ->sendTransactional( Mage::getStoreConfig(self::XML_PATH_EMAIL_TEMPLATE), Mage::getStoreConfig(self::XML_PATH_EMAIL_SENDER), Mage::getStoreConfig(self::XML_PATH_EMAIL_RECIPIENT), null, array('data' => $postObject) ); if (!$mailTemplate->getSentSuccess()) { throw new Exception(); } $translate->setTranslateInline(true); // Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->addSuccess(Mage::helper('contacts')->__('Your inquiry was submitted and will be responded to as soon as possible. Thank you for contacting us.')); $this->_redirect(''); return; } catch (Exception $e) { $translate->setTranslateInline(true); // Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->addError(Mage::helper('contacts')->__('Unable to submit your request. Please, try again later')); $this->_redirect(''); return; } } else { $this->_redirect(''); } } } config.xml <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <config> <modules> <MyCompany_Contacts> <version>0.0.1</version> </MyCompany_Contacts> </modules> <frontend> <routers> <contacts> <args> <modules> <MyCompany_Contacts before="Mage_Contacts">MyCompany_Contacts</MyCompany_Contacts> </modules> </args> </contacts> </routers> </frontend> </config> A: I think I figured this out. I remmebered that the post data gets analyzed by Akismet before it gets sent so its entirely possible the default Mage_Contacts is already getting extended and is going trough that module first. Added the logging to postAction() in the Akismet controller and that verified it. Thanks for setting me on the right track.

The Duchess of Sussex and husband Prince Harry visited a cooking school in Rabat on Monday, their third day in the North African country, People reported. The pair watched children learn traditional recipes from Moha Fedal, one of Morocco's top chefs. Meghan and Harry tasted some of the treats, including pancakes. They were also seen sipping out of ornate bowls. Meghan is no stranger to food. She helped the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, encouraging members of the community kitchen to publish a book of recipes — Meghan wrote the forward to the book, which initially sold more than 40,000 copies, according to People. The duchess gave a copy of "Together: Our Community Cookbook" to Fedal with a handwritten message inside: "Chef Moha. Wishing you continued success and congratulating you on your incredible work in engaging the community in cooking. All the best, Meghan.” Meghan gave Chef Moha a copy of her #Together cookbook.She wrote: “Chef Mohar. Wishing you continued success and congratulating you on your incredible work in engaging the community in cooking. All the best. Meghan”He gave her his book ‘Le Vrai Goût du Maroc’#royalvisitmoroccopic.twitter.com/BYPq1W9GVx Kensington Palace said the couple also visited Andalusian Gardens in Rabat to meet local artisans Monday. That evening, they met with King Mohammed VI and gave him a letter from Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. The royal couple began their tour of Morocco on Saturday. Meghan arrived in Casablanca in a flowing red gown and cape, and on Sunday, the duchess participated in a henna ceremony, a tradition for pregnant women in Morocco. After staying in the country privately for an extra day, the pair will return to London on Tuesday, People reported.

Lesbian Herstory Archives The Lesbian Herstory Archives (LHA) is a New York City-based archive, community center, and museum dedicated to preserving lesbian history, located in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The Archives contain the world's largest collection of materials by and about lesbians. The Archives were founded in 1974 by lesbian members of the Gay Academic Union who had organized a group to discuss sexism within that organization. Co-founders Joan Nestle, Deborah Edel, Sahli Cavallo, Pamela Oline, and Julia Penelope Stanley wanted to ensure that the stories of the lesbian community were protected for future generations. Until the 1990s, the Archives were housed in Nestle's Upper West Side, Manhattan apartment. The collection eventually outgrew the space and was moved to a brownstone that the group had purchased in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood. The Archives hold all manner of historical artifacts relating to lesbians and lesbian organizations and have grown to include some 11,000 books and 1,300 periodical titles, as well as an unknown number of photographs. History Foundation and early years Following the Stonewall riots of 1969, many groups devoted to gay liberation were formed. Joan Nestle credits the creation of the Lesbian Herstory Archives to the Stonewall riots "and the courage that found its voice in the streets." The Gay Academic Union was founded in 1973 by gay and lesbian academics interested in contributing to the movement. Lesbian members of the union started a consciousness raising group to discuss sexism within the GAU. The women were concerned with how easily lesbian herstory had been lost and didn't want their story to be told by patriarchal historians. Joan Nestle later elaborated on the impetus for the Archives, writing "The roots of the Archives lie in the silent voices, the love letters destroyed, the pronouns changed, the diaries carefully edited, the pictures never taken, the euphemized distortions that patriarchy would let pass." The motto of the Lesbian Herstory Archives is "In memory of the voices we have lost." The original statement of purpose for the organization provided that the collection must never be bartered or sold, that it should be housed in a lesbian community space staffed by lesbians, and that all women should have access to it. The founding members of the Lesbian Herstory Archives had backgrounds in lesbian feminism and political lesbianism and included Joan Nestle, Deborah Edel, Sahli Cavallo, Pamela Oline, and Julia Penelope Stanley. Lesbian activist Mabel Hampton, who had worked as a housecleaner for Nestle's family when Nestle was growing up, was also an early collaborator. The founders started gathering and preserving documents and artifacts related to lesbian history. They were interested in the social history of the community and collected all manner of materials related to lesbian history, regardless of whether the lesbian was famous or part of a marginalized group. Edel later related how they would joke that if an object was touched by a lesbian, they would collect it. The Archives debuted in 1974 and were housed in the pantry of an Upper West Side apartment belonging to Nestle. The location of the original archives was recognized as a Women's Rights Historic Site by the borough of Manhattan in 2008. LHA began producing a newsletter, the Lesbian Herstory Archives News, in June 1975 and opened their archives to the community in 1976. In 1979 LHA became one of the earliest queer non-profits in New York when they incorporated as the Lesbian Herstory Educational Foundation. Move to Park Slope The Archives eventually took over much of Nestle's apartment and it was necessary to find a new home for materials. After years of fundraising that began in 1985, LHA purchased a four-story brownstone at 484 14th Street in Park Slope in 1990. The Archives were relocated to their new home in 1992 and an official opening took place in June 1993. The 16th issue of the Lesbian Herstory Archives Newsletter from December 1996 announced that the mortgage for the building had been paid off. Today its holdings include some 11,000 books and 1,300 periodical titles, as well as an unknown number of photographs. Organization and exhibitions The Lesbian Herstory Archives are run by a coordinating committee who determine which items are accepted into the archives. The Archives are entirely staffed by volunteers and interns. LHA hosts events in its space, including courses, speakers, marathon poetry readings, and an annual Valentine's Day event. Archivists from LHA regularly march in the New York City Dyke March and until 2014 in the LGBT Pride March. In the early years of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, samples of materials from the Archives were brought to speaking engagements. In order to preserve them, a traveling slide show was developed. LHA also sponsors traveling exhibits organized around various themes. Its "Keepin' On" exhibit features African American lesbians. Collections The Lesbian Herstory Archives began with personal materials donated by the founders. It includes everything written by founder Joan Nestle. The founders also put out a call for donations of materials and gradually increased their collection over the years. Today the collection holds all manner of historical artifacts, including papers, diaries, journals, photographs, tapes, posters, buttons, periodicals, zines, T-shirts, and videos. Copies of films are available for viewing at the Archives and originals are stored off-site in a climate-controlled storage facility. LHA has accepted donations of materials for the Archives throughout its history. Mabel Hampton donated her extensive lesbian pulp fiction collection to the Archives in 1976. Files from both the New York Lesbian and Gay Historical Society and the Lesbian History Project were donated to the Archives upon the dissolution of those organizations. The Archives hosts the Red Dot Collection, which consists of the library of the New York City chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national lesbian organization in the United States. Writer and activist Audre Lorde donated some of her manuscripts and personal papers to the Archives. The Marge MacDonald Special Collection consists of the books, papers, and journals of Marge MacDonald, who left the materials to LHA in her will over the objection of her family, who wanted to destroy them. The L Word production donated their press materials in 2010. The LHA website, which debuted in 1997, has evolved to include a digital collection featuring a virtual tour of the Archives. The digital collection is hosted by the Pratt Institute School of Information. LHA is in the process of digitizing its audio and newsprint collections and the video oral histories of the Daughters of Bilitis. LHA maintains over 1500 subject files on various topics that they microfilmed with the help of Primary Source Microfilm into a set of 175 reels. See also Bay Area Lesbian Archives GLBT Historical Society Herstory June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives Lesbian American history LGBT culture in New York City ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives References Notes Further reading Edel, Deb. "The Lesbian Herstory Archives: A Statement of Cultural Self-Determination." Hodges, Beth. "An Interview with Joan [Nestle] and Deb [Edel] of the Lesbian Herstory Archives. (Part 1)." Sinister Wisdom. 11 (Fall 1979): 3-13 Hodges, Beth. "Preserving Our Words and Pictures. Part Two of Interview with Joan Nestle and Deb Edel." Sinister Wisdom. 13 (Summer 1980): 101-5 External links Lesbian Herstory Archives: A Brief Herstory (2017) at Vimeo Category:Archives in the United States Category:Feminism in New York City Category:Lesbian culture in New York (state) Category:LGBT culture in New York City Category:Lesbian feminism Category:Lesbian history in the United States Category:LGBT museums and archives Category:Museums established in 1974 Category:Museums in Brooklyn Category:Park Slope

Q: Email campaigns using Firebase Dynamic Links Use case: send email to users that currently don’t have the app installed. The email shall contain two links for Google (Android devices) and Apple (for iPhone). When the user taps on the link, launch Google play or Apple store app on the phone pointing to the app so that the user can download. Is this functionality be implemented by Firebase Dynamic Links? We support Android KitKat and above. What is the minimum OS the user will need? A: Sai, the use-case you describing is the reason why Firebase Dynamic Links exists. It does not matter how you get your link to the hands of the customers/users. You can use FDL in emails, SMS, iMessage, Facebook, Twiter etc. You do not need to specify two links. One Firebase Dynamic Link will work on both Android and iOS. If App is not installed, the link will navigate to AppStore or PlayStore. If App is installed, the link will open the App with deep link. If opened on desktop, the link will navigate to deep link itself. Also check out "dfl" Desktop fallback link parameter for desktop behavior. Firebase Dynamic Links on Android supported Ice Cream Sandwich and newer. KitKat is supported by FDL.

Jahir Ocampo Jahir Ocampo Marroquín (born 12 January 1990) is a Mexican diver who won the bronze medal at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona in the synchronized 3 metre springboard event with his partner Rommel Pacheco. References Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Mexican male divers Category:Sportspeople from the State of Mexico Category:Divers at the 2015 Pan American Games Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Mexico Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Mexico Category:Divers at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic divers of Mexico Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists Category:Pan American Games medalists in diving

/* * Copyright 2011 Sonian Inc. * * 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. */ package com.sonian.elasticsearch.http.jetty; import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchException; import org.elasticsearch.common.io.Streams; import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.InetSocketTransportAddress; import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.TransportAddress; import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper; import sun.misc.BASE64Encoder; import java.io.*; import java.net.HttpURLConnection; import java.net.InetSocketAddress; import java.net.MalformedURLException; import java.net.URL; import java.util.Map; import static org.elasticsearch.common.collect.Maps.newHashMap; /** * @author imotov */ public class HttpClient { private final URL baseUrl; private final String encodedAuthorization; public HttpClient(TransportAddress transportAddress) { this(transportAddress, null, null); } public HttpClient(TransportAddress transportAddress, String username, String password) { InetSocketAddress address = ((InetSocketTransportAddress) transportAddress).address(); try { baseUrl = new URL("http", address.getHostName(), address.getPort(), "/"); } catch (MalformedURLException e) { throw new ElasticsearchException("", e); } if (username != null) { BASE64Encoder enc = new BASE64Encoder(); String userPassword = username + ":" + password; encodedAuthorization = enc.encode(userPassword.getBytes()); } else { encodedAuthorization = null; } } public HttpClientResponse request(String path) { return request("GET", path, (byte[]) null); } public HttpClientResponse request(String method, String path) { return request(method, path, (byte[]) null); } public HttpClientResponse request(String method, String path, byte[] data) { ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper(); URL url; try { url = new URL(baseUrl, path); } catch (MalformedURLException e) { throw new ElasticsearchException("Cannot parse " + path, e); } HttpURLConnection urlConnection; try { urlConnection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection(); urlConnection.setRequestMethod(method); if (data != null) { urlConnection.setDoOutput(true); } if (encodedAuthorization != null) { urlConnection.setRequestProperty("Authorization", "Basic " + encodedAuthorization); } urlConnection.connect(); } catch (IOException e) { throw new ElasticsearchException("", e); } if (data != null) { OutputStream outputStream = null; try { outputStream = urlConnection.getOutputStream(); outputStream.write(data); } catch (IOException e) { throw new ElasticsearchException("", e); } finally { if (outputStream != null) { try { outputStream.close(); } catch (IOException e) { throw new ElasticsearchException("", e); } } } } int errorCode = -1; try { errorCode = urlConnection.getResponseCode(); InputStream inputStream = urlConnection.getInputStream(); return new HttpClientResponse(mapper.readValue(inputStream, Map.class), errorCode, null); } catch (IOException e) { InputStream errStream = urlConnection.getErrorStream(); String body = null; try { body = Streams.copyToString(new InputStreamReader(errStream)); } catch (IOException e1) { throw new ElasticsearchException("problem reading error stream", e1); } Map m = newHashMap(); m.put("body", body); return new HttpClientResponse(m, errorCode, e); } finally { urlConnection.disconnect(); } } @SuppressWarnings({"unchecked"}) public HttpClientResponse request(String method, String path, Map<String, Object> data) { ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper(); ByteArrayOutputStream out = new ByteArrayOutputStream(); try { mapper.writeValue(out, data); } catch (IOException e) { throw new ElasticsearchException("", e); } return request(method, path, out.toByteArray()); } }

New religious currents and cults in modern Ukraine Authors DOI: Abstract In the context of modern world religious processes, in recent years Ukraine has become a field of active attention from various non-traditional and up-to-date religious movements. According to the State Committee of Ukraine for Religious Affairs, as of January 1, 1995, there were registered 147 non-Christian communities, 52 communities of Orientalist orientation, 23 communities of the Russian Federation, etc., registered in Ukraine. And although in the confessional environment of Ukraine, the fate of such currents is negligible (3%), but their activities can not be ignored in state-church policy in solving the tasks of building a democratic society.

DESCRIPTION This is an application from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) that requests funding for four years to conduct a series of seminars and workshops involving 2 cohorts of 25 minority junior medical school faculty members. Each cohort would participate in a program lasting two years ( a total of 50 participants over 4 years). The program is designed to develop the participants' health services research (HSR) skills. It is focused on helping the participants develop a concept paper that would eventually grow into an R01-type grant application, over an 18-month period. This goal will be accomplished by demanding a commitment from the participant's department to free 20% of his/her time; by pairing each participant with a mentor; and by all participants attending four especially convened seminars (one being a mock study section to critique the applications), as well as two AHSR annual meetings. The investigators also state that the program will be evaluated using both process and outcome measures. The application models the project closely on predecessor projects which were funded by AHCPR in 1991 and 1993 which have taken 2 previous cohorts of 25 and 27 participants respectively through a similar process. The first cohort completed the program in 1994, and the second cohort will complete the program in 1996.

According to our database, Kenneth E Ashley CRNA NPI is 1083695654, taxonomy code is 367500000X and license number is RN077546, license state is located at Louisiana. Kenneth E Ashley CRNA physically located at 8001 Youree Dr, Shreveport LA, 71115-2302. NPI Number Kenneth E Ashley CRNA has the Individual type. Sponsored links 1083695654 NPI number is provided on an as is basis without warranty of any kind. 1083695654 is maintained by the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System. The contents of Kenneth E Ashley CRNA are for informational purposes only.

Q: Creation of 1.3 GB file takes only 1 second. How? I have folder which contains over 200 files and has size of over 1.3 GB: I use Gizmo Drive software to create an .iso file from that folder. The interesting thing is it takes only 1 or 2 seconds! I have tried that several times. I even tried to create the .iso file on another volume. Again it takes only 1 or 2 seconds. I tried to mount the .iso file, everything works fine. I thought that it might be an .iso file referencing the source folder then I moved the source folder to another place but no luck. Even copying the produced .iso file takes minutes! So how come creating the .iso file takes only 1 second! Do you have any explanation for that? Notes All tests conducted on a regular HDD, no SSD. Using Windows 7 x64, have 16 Gig memory, Core i5 CPU. I have used sync.exe to flush all file system data to disk just after the .iso file is created and sync.exe took 14 seconds to flush the data. That means it actually takes 14 seconds to create the .iso file. A quick benchmark on my D: drive shows that it can write the same .iso file from an SSD to my D: drive in 14 seconds and that confirms the source folder is in RAM and it takes 14 seconds to flush the data.** A: With 16GB of RAM, you probably have a lot of it free for disk caching. The ISO has most likely just been buffered entirely in RAM by the operating system; it'll be written to disk later, but applications don't have to wait for that.

Nov. 22 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Co. agreed to purchase Ally Financial Inc.’s international auto-finance businesses in a $4.2 billion deal that will give the carmaker an opportunity to expand outside North America. The sale includes operations in Europe and Latin America as well as Ally’s 40 percent stake in an auto-lending joint venture in China, the Detroit-based companies said yesterday in separate statements. The China business wasn’t among non-U.S. assets that Ally said in May it was seeking to divest. GM, which counts the U.S. government as its biggest shareholder, is seeking to reverse losses in Europe and a turnaround for its South American results after a $122 million operating loss in that region last year. The automaker, led by Chief Executive Officer Dan Akerson, relies on North America for most of its earnings and is looking to diversify revenue sources. The deal also bolsters GM’s in-house financing arm. The acquisition is “great” for GM, Matthew Stover, an analyst at Guggenheim Securities LLC, said before the agreement was announced. “Regardless of what auto companies say when they sell their captive finance arms, having a captive finance arm allows you to be much more flexible, responsive, profitable and competitive when you play in the market.” Narrowing Focus Ally CEO Michael Carpenter, 65, is selling assets as he seeks to repay taxpayers for a $17.2 billion rescue during the credit crisis. He’s narrowing the focus of his firm, formerly known as GMAC Inc., to auto lending and U.S. banking. GM owned GMAC until 2006, when the automaker sold 51 percent of it to Cerberus Capital Management LP. Ally sold its international businesses, including two earlier deals, at a 21 percent premium to their tangible book value, the company said in yesterday’s statement. Divesting the units may help Ally repay two-thirds of the government rescue, Carpenter said in a May interview. In October, he agreed to sell a Canadian unit to Royal Bank of Canada in a cash deal providing $4.1 billion in proceeds. Ally also agreed to sell a Mexican insurance business to Ace Ltd. for $865 million. “We are focused on completing each of these transactions and evaluating options to return capital to the U.S. Treasury,” Carpenter said in the statement. “Going forward, we remain squarely focused on further strengthening and growing our leading U.S. automotive services and direct-banking franchises.” The transaction price includes a $550 million premium to the units’ roughly $3.7 billion tangible book value as measured at the end of September, Ally said. Tangible Book The sales raised a total of $9.2 billion, or $1.6 billion more than tangible book, a measure of what investors are willing to pay for a firm’s equity after removing intangible items such as goodwill and brand names that would have little value if the company went out of business, according to the statement. Acquiring some of Ally’s assets would help GM offer competitive loans in South America, where about 50 percent of car sales are financed, Jaime Ardila, president of that region for GM, said last month in an interview in Sao Paulo. The automaker, the biggest in the U.S., said acquisition of Ally’s units helps expand on the success of GM Financial, its growing credit-arm. “In many markets our financing penetration rates are lower than those of our competitors that have captive finance companies,” Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann said yesterday in a conference call with reporters. “By having this business back in-house we will be able to drive significant profitable growth for the company around the world.” Global Sales Adding Ally’s operations will allow GM Financial to cover customers and dealers in markets that comprise 80 percent of the company’s total global sales, the automaker said in a statement on its website. In addition to China, the purchase includes operations in 13 countries: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. GM is introducing products around the world, including 23 new vehicles in Europe, Ammann said. The automaker seeks a balanced approached between its in-house lending and outside bank partners, Ammann told analysts on Oct. 31. GM Financial’s assets will double to about $33 billion and liabilities, including consolidated debt, will increase to $27 billion from about $12 billion, the company said yesterday. The Ally acquisition should add $300 million to $400 million to GM Financial’s annual earnings before taxes, GM said. European Losses Third-quarter profit at GM dropped 13 percent to $1.83 billion as losses in Europe pressured results. The firm has posted losses in Europe totaling $17.3 billion since 1999 and said it wants to break even on the Continent by mid-decade. GM climbed 21 percent this year to $24.60, outpacing the 11 percent advance of the Russell 1000 Index. The stock has declined 25 percent since its November 2010 initial public offering. The U.S. government owns a 32 percent stake in GM, a legacy of the company’s 2009 federal bailout and bankruptcy. The transaction is expected to close next year in stages and must be approved by regulators, Ally said in the statement. Evercore Partners Inc. and Citigroup Inc. advised Ally.

As we begin this video, here is a reminder to watch Eyes on the Prize: AWAKENINGS 1954 – 1956 to complete your reaction paper. Chapter 6 covers African Americans, beginning with the period of Slavery, the Emancipation to Reconstruction Eras and the Restoration of White Supremacy as well as Migration and Urbanization, the Civil Rights Movement to Segregation and some victories in the courts. In previous chapters we read that the first Africans that arrived in Jamestown were purchased as bonded or indentured servants, there were Whites servants as well, however there was a shift. Blacks became the main source of cheap labor. Africans vigorously resisted enslavement. Many committed suicide. Blacks did not migrate of your own free will. In contrasts to the American Indian and the Mexican Americans, African Americans were not here when the pilgrims arrived in this country. During the period of 1650 to 1700, tobacco cultivation in the colonies led to the acceptance of Black Slavery as a way out of labor problems. Slavery left a BIG impact on it’s victims. Elkins in 1968, argued that were was not great resistance on the part of the Black slaves because the slave system, was oppressive and reduced human beings to a subhuman condition which generated extreme submissiveness and obedience from the slaves. Fogel countered that argument in 1989 with a book titled Without Consent or Contract and stated that the system of slavery did have devastating effects on the lives of slaves. “Fogel argued that although slaves were able to retain certain African customs, to modify the European religions they practiced, and to produce songs and folklore, the U.S. slave system resulted in virtually unrestrained domination of the slaves’ personal lives.” Most people agree that slavery turn out to be the biggest factor controlling the relationships between Whites and Blacks. When we look at the African Americans, Blacks were both an immigrant minority as well as a colonized minority up to the time of the Civil War. There were very unusual cases were some Blacks became highly assimilated culturally during the slave period. Most were deliberately kept from learning the White man’s ways. Free blacks were also highly discriminated against. As the Civil War drew near abolishing slavery was not a popular option. President Lincoln would have rather deported the Black slaves as one of the solutions to the problem of slavery. The main problem was to save what was becoming the united states. It was not to affect slavery at all. As a matter of fact, many Northern officers were unwilling to serve with Black soldiers and many turn over slaves to plantation owners. These circumstances changed when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This ordered the slaves to be freed and authorized the armed forces to the U.S. to sign up freedmen. Around 180,000 Blacks fought against the Confederacy. The inclusion of Blacks did not mean that Blacks were going to be treated equally. They did not get paid the same as White troops and the Black regiments did the heavy labor. At the end of the Civil War, A Freedmen’s Bureau had been set up to help former slaves to take on and learn how to be free. There were almost 4 million “freedmen” and they had no way to earn a living. In 1865, after Lincoln was assassinated, President Andrew Johnson approved a Reconstruction plan and the 13th Amendment eliminating slavery was approved. Then in 1866, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 because in the south, they had laws called “Black Codes” which restricted the rights of Blacks. The 14th Amendment was also approved. It reaffirmed state and federal citizenship for persons born or naturalized in the U. S. and forbade any state to reduce the privileges and immunities of citizens. It also declared that states could not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without “due process of law” or deny any person “the equal protection of the laws.” With that, it enraged the old planter class and the hostility grew. Whites used secret methods to threaten and scare Black from using their new rights. In 1866, the most notorious organization that was formed was the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan quickly created a culture that endorsed White racial privilege. This helped in the restoration of White Supremacy. A system of “sharecropping” was established. Sharecropping worked like this, Banks and other lenders gave credit or provided loans to the planters for shares of the planter’s crop. Both were usually a large amount. It created a brutal cycle of borrowing and indebtedness. Blacks were at the greatest disadvantage because they could not read. As part of the Black codes regulating the movements and privileges of the freed slaves, Mississippi, Florida and Texas each passed rules limiting the use of 1st class railroad cars by Blacks. These laws came to be known as the Jim Crow laws and they required a separation of every type of public facility from schools to cemeteries. Eventually it included housing, jobs, school, etc…. You see some of that segregation in cemeteries today even here in the valley. It is especially noticeable in the southern cemeteries. During this period, there was a noticeable increase in violence against Blacks. The rate at which Blacks were being lynched by Whites rose dramatically. Blacks were prevented from voting, Whites developed schemes to get around the 15th amendment. Mississippi changed the voting requirements and the “old Confederate” states followed Mississippi’s lead. Voters had to pass literacy test, pay poll taxes in advance of an election, nominating people to office was restricted to Whites because they were “private” matters, there was even a “grandfather” clause that only people whose ancestors had been eligible to vote in 1860 could vote. Well, you guessed it, most Blacks were removed or eliminated from voting. The other main focus in 1896, of the restoration of White Supremacy was the “Separate but Equal” rail-car facilities. It was challenged in the Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Ferguson. Under the law, Whites and Black were not allowed to sit together in a coach or section of a coach. Criminal charges could be filed for a violation of the law. Justice Harlan challenged the court majority. He believed that the law was unconstitutional. By 1920, Jim Crow system of segregation had “normal” practice. This system made many forms of friendly contacts pretty much impossible. Blacks were pushed into the slums, many forms of racial discrimination occurred. For example: hotels were “filled” when Black guests tried to register, theatres were “sold out” when Blacks tried to purchase tickets. After the Civil War, African Americans began to move around, at first it was around the South, however the movement favored the North because of the industrial jobs and high earnings. World War I changed conditions suddenly. Northern employers favored Blacks because they were found to be competent and easier to work with than immigrant workers from foreign countries. That was deterred by prejudice and discrimination of Whites. Whites struggled to prevent Blacks from gaining union membership and the better training. The decision of Plessy v. Ferguson marks the moment at which Black people in the South officially lost the struggle to retain the advantages won in the Civil War. Some African American leaders concluded that it was wisest course of action was to accept the fact that Whites were not going to allow Blacks to be equal, this was expressed by Black leader Booker T. Washington. In his speech the “Atlanta Compromise” he stated that Blacks should focus “upon the everyday practical things in life”. His argument was that Blacks were too removed from slavery to take their place next to Whites as equals. White people loved that point of view. Washington’s opinion on racial relations was accepted among Blacks as well as Whites. In 1905, under the leadership of W.E.B. Du Bois the Niagara Movement was formed. They disagreed with Booker T. Washington on many major issues. In 1909, the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed when most members of the Niagara Movement came together with a group of White liberals. This association opposed the systematic persecution of Blacks and demanded that everyone, including Blacks be given free public schooling that would focus on professional education for the most gifted – what Du Bois called “the talented tenth” – as well as industrial training for all who wished it. There was racial violence that continued during this time. The actual number of lynchings that were recorded were under counted. We know for sure that many lynchings were conducted in sadistic ways and whites would use a carnival atmosphere when lynching Blacks. Many victims were burned and tortured. The newspapers would actually invite Whites to come and be witnesses. Between the emancipation and the Great Depression there were over 3000 Blacks that were lyunched. The other form of violence included mob attacks by Whites on Black people themselves as well as on their property. Since World War I had been fought “to make the world safe for democracy” Blacks were given a sense of racial identity by the writers and artists located in Harlem. The “Black Renaissance” writers generated poetry, novels and newspaper columns that paid tribute to Black pride, and blacks exclusively. It seemed to promote separatism. Since conditions for Blacks were not improving, people felt that Blacks in America would never get an opportunity to advance. A new leader emerged, Marcus Garvey. He organized the Universal Negro Improvement Association and started the “Back to Africa” movement, however in 1927 he was deported back to Jamaica as an undesirable alien. You will read about him on page 165-66. After his deportation, the UNIA declined and some of it’s followers eventually joined The Lost Nation of Islam. Non-violence became the appeal when dealing with social conflicts. The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was formed in 1942. They started with patient negotiations, if that was unsuccessful then stir up public opinion against the opponent’s discriminatory practices. If none of these actions worked then CORE encouraged the use of boycotts, picket lines and strikes. In 1942, this tactic was used when a group of 25 people entered the restaurant and took seats. The White people were promptly served however the Blacks among the group were not. The manager refused, the Whites did not eat and continued to occupy the seats. The other customers began to leave so eventually the manager had all the protesters served. These were the first “sit-ins” that became popular for the next 20 years. The NAACP continued to battle. There was a ruling in 1938 by the Supreme Court that the State University of Missouri must admit a Black applicant to its law school and other similar rulings that set up the 1954 ruling of Brown vs Topeka Board of Education. This ruling was important because it questioned the 1896 Plessy decision of “separate but equal doctrine”. Justice Warren’s argument that race generated a feeling of inferiority affected the mind and hearts was unlikely to ever be undone. “Separate but equal” had NO place in public schools and that it violated the 14th Amendment. The Brown decision ushered new hope for Blacks, however for White citizens they formed citizen councils to combat integration. There was the well documented episode in Little Rock, Arkansas where they declared the Brown decision unconstitutional. Nine Black school children were selected to attend Central High in 1957. President Eisenhower had to send in Federal troops to escort the Little Rock Nine into Central High School. As we come to the end of Chapter 6… I have 2 questions for you to contemplate: Should White children be forced to integrate school in neighborhoods that are predominantly Black?? Should Black children be bussed out of their neighborhoods to integrate schools in predominantly white neighborhoods??

Q: Having problems with a model provided placeholder for dropdown So I have two cases that work independantly. If I know I have model data in the dropdown, I use this code. @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.CarID, (SelectList)ViewBag.Cars, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" }) HOWEVER, the problem with this, if CarID is null the first item on the list will be the pre selected in the dropdown. And in another form, I use this one: @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.CarID, "--Select a Car--", (SelectList)ViewBag.Cars, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" }) My Controller has this to provide the view data: ViewBag.Cars = new SelectList(db.Units, "CarID", "Name", model.CarID); Is there ONE of these that I can use where it will have a placeholder ONLY if model data is not present to fill the spot? A: In your second approach, you are using the helper method incorrectly, It should be @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.CarID,(SelectList)ViewBag.Cars, "Select one", new { @class = "form-control" }) This will render the dropdown with a "Select one" option as the first (and default item), if nothing is pre selected (model.CarID is null). If Model.CarID has a valid value, It will select the corresponding option. If you absolutely want to remove the "Select one" when Model.CarID is not null, you can write some javascript which executes on the document load (jQuery document ready :) ) to check the selected option and remove it as needed.

PMP Certification Training in Kolkata Invite friends About The Event Widely accepted as a global benchmark to recognize proficiency and skills in Project Management, the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification will certify an individual’s ability to successfully drive and manage a project. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential is recognized worldwide as the definitive industry-recognized certification for project managers. Our blended learning program equips you with the right information required to ace the PMP and CAPM exams, and is based on the principles that are outlined in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge — Fifth Edition(PMBOK® Guide). Now you can enhance your competence and knowledge in Project management techniques, and establish your ability to handle complex project challenges with confidence. The PMP® certification is very relevant in today’s IT industry, and gives you the edge by showing your employers that you have the skills and training to get a project done from start to finish. If time and place constraints prevent you from attending a classroom course, then you could consider our Online Guided PMP Exam Prep course to prepare for the PMP or CAPM exams at your own convenience. Course Agenda: Introduction to PMP Certification Course What are PMI & PMBOK Guide? Evolution of PMI Certifications offered by PMI PMI Contact Resources What is PMP? Prerequisite for the PMP Exam PMP Exam Syllabus The Structure of the PMP Exam Introduction to Project Management Project management Framework Definition of a Project What is Project Management? What is Operations Management? What is Program Management? What is Portfolio Management? Project Management Office (PMO) Constraints Role of a Project Manager Organizational Structure Enterprise Environmental Factors Organizational Process Assets Project lifecycle Vs. Product Life cycle Project Management Processes Project LifeCycle Overview Project Lifecycle Vs. Project Management Process Stakeholders Key Stakeholders Process Groups, Knowledge Areas Input/Output of 47 Project Management Process Groups Organizational influences on Project Management Project Integration Management What is Project Integration Management Role of Project Team Role of Project Sponsor Project Selection Methods Core Processes of the Project Integration Management Knowledge area Project Scope Management What is Project Scope Management Product Scope vs. Project Scope Core Processes of the Project Scope Management Knowledge area Project Time Management What is Project Time Management What is Project Schedule Gantt Charts Network Diagram Estimation Schedule Network Analysis Techniques PERT, PERT Analysis, Critical Path Method and Schedule Compression Core Processes of the Project Time Management Knowledge area Project Cost Management What is Project Cost Management Differentiate between Cost Estimating and Cost Budgeting Key Terminology in Project Cost Management Core Processes of Project Cost Management Knowledge area Earned Value Technique Project Quality Management What is Quality? What is Quality Management? Cost of Quality Core PM processes of Project Quality Management Knowledge area Seven Basic Tools of Quality Project Human Resource Management What is Human Resource Management Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Sponsor Functional Manager vs. Project Manager Core processes of Human Resource Management Knowledge area Conflict Management Motivation Theory Project Communication Management What is Communication? Communication Methods, Technology and Channels Basic Communication Model Key Terminology in Project Communication Management Core processes of Communication Management knowledge area Project Risk Management What is Risk? Project Management Risks How are Risk & EMV calculated? Risk Classification Decision Tree Analysis Risk Reserve & Contingency Reserve Key Terminology in Project Risk Management Core processes of Risk Management Knowledge area Project Procurement Management What is a Contract? Different Types of Contract Advantages and Disadvantages of contract Types Key Terminology in Project Procurement Management Core Processes of Project Procurement Management Knowledge area Project Stakeholder Management Who is a Stakeholder? Stakeholder Register Various Analytical Techniques for Stakeholder Analysis Various Management and Interpersonal Skills Key Terminology in Project Stakeholder Management Core processes of Project Stakeholder Management Knowledge area PMI Professional & Social Responsibility How to Ensure Individual Integrity How to Contribute to Project Management Knowledge Base Ethnocentrism Code of Ethics Professional Responsibility Balance stakeholder's interest PMP Exam Tips & Tricks PMP type exam questions Tricky test questions Exam key terms Benefits: From the Course : Learn to define and describe common terminology, manage projects faster while using fewer resources Avoid common mistakes in managing projects and learn the many tricks of the trade Apply International Project Management Standards from PMI (the PMBOK® Guide) to real-world situations Study PMBOK® Guide's Five Process Groups, Ten Knowledge Areas, And The Area Of Professional and Social Responsibility Eligibility: Possess a Secondary Degree (High School Diploma, Associate's Degree, or Global equivalent) with minimum of five (5) years / 60 months of unique (non-overlapping) Project Management experience, with 7,500 hours in leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of Project Management Education OR Possess a four (4) year degree (Bachelor's Degree or the Global equivalent) and a minimum 3 years of Project Management experience, with 4,500 hours in leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of Project Management Education

Saturday, October 22, 2005 Green Tea in the House of Spirits Some time ago I posted a brief piece about Charbay Green Tea Vodka, which is manufactured by the Napa Valley-based Domaine Charbay Winery and Distillery. That got me to thinking that there surely must be other alcoholic beverages out there that are made using tea. And what do you know? There are other tea-based spirits and beers on the market. If you head over to the BevMo Web site you can pick up some Bison Jasmine Green Hard Tea, which contains jasmine tea, ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and guarana. Also at BevMo - and probably some other specialty beverage sites - is Zen Green Tea liqueur, which gets a bonus point for it's aesthetically pleasing green bottle. If you like a little tea with your beer, then try some iKi Bier, which is apparently a product of the Netherlands. And if you'd like the essence of the hard stuff, but still want to respect yourself in the morning, get thee to Culinary Teas and try out their Liquor Tea Sampler. This one consists of five samplers of black tea with liquor flavorings and is guaranteed not to cause your inner teetotaler any undue distress.

I have been absolutely drowning in immigration issues at Smurf Village for the last several months as we try to wrangle out a policy that both the lawyers and Papa Smurf here can live with. Hasn’t quite happened yet. Anyway, I ran across these videos today and haven’t stopped laughing yet. They are a parody on the Mac vs PC commercials. Enjoy. Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a single cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington ? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow. The Constitution They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don’t we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we’re not using it anymore. Ten Commandments The real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this: You cannot post “Thou Shalt Not Steal,” “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery”, and “Thou Shall Not Lie” in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment. Just a word to the less than business wise here. When you want me to choose you to spend my hard earned money on (okay, so maybe it’s not so “hard earned” really) for supplemental insurance, maybe…just maybe…you should put in a few extra minutes at the creative juices bar to come up with an appropriate e-mail address for your business communications. Come now, Scooter. Do you really think I’m gonna buy insurance, or anything else for that matter, from a guy who has the lack of good sense to use “batmanhead” for his business e-mail? I kid you not. Batmanhead wants us all to buy insurance from him so badly that he has somehow conned someone in the city into attaching his little fluorescent pink flyer to our paychecks offering us his “duckly” services…if you get my “quack”. All we have to do is drop him an e-mail at his most prestigious address…you know…batmanhead@whatever domain…pick one. I’m sure someone will reply and will probably be willing to sell you something. How ducky!

Modern wood-type golf club heads are now almost exclusively made of metal rather than the persimmon wood that gave the clubs their name. These club heads are generally constructed as a hollow metal shell with a relatively thick face to withstand the ball impact, and the club heads typically include a relatively thick sole to withstand grazing impact with the ground and to lower the center of gravity of the club head. Sole weights are typically used in the soles of wood-type club heads to adjust the position of the center of gravity. The positioning of the club head's center of gravity can alter the gear effect produced upon striking a golf ball. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements. The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus. The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the apparatus, methods, and/or articles of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The terms “couple,” “coupled,” “couples,” “coupling,” and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements mechanically and/or otherwise. Two or more mechanical elements may be mechanically coupled together, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled together. Coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanent or semi-permanent or only for an instant. “Mechanical coupling” and the like should be broadly understood and include mechanical coupling of all types. The absence of the word “removably,” “removable,” and the like near the word “coupled,” and the like does not mean that the coupling, etc. in question is or is not removable. As defined herein, two or more elements are “integral” if they are comprised of the same piece of material. As defined herein, two or more elements are “non-integral” if each is comprised of a different piece of material. As defined herein, “approximately” can, in some embodiments, mean within plus or minus ten percent of the stated value. In other embodiments, “approximately” can mean within plus or minus five percent of the stated value. In further embodiments, “approximately” can mean within plus or minus three percent of the stated value. In yet other embodiments, “approximately” can mean within plus or minus one percent of the stated value.

Q: How to set a column alias as the result of a SQL query? I need to use result of a SQL query to set column aliases. Please see below script and the result of the script I need to use it as column aliases. select convert(varchar,DATEADD(month, -12, dateadd(d,-day(convert(date,dateadd(d,-(day(getdate())),getdate()))),convert(date,dateadd(d,+1-(day(getdate())),getdate())))),107), convert(varchar,convert(date,dateadd(d,-day(convert(date,dateadd(d,-(day(getdate())),getdate()))),convert(date,dateadd(d,+1-(day(getdate())),getdate())))),107) I need the answer for my question as soon as possible. A: Two solutions are described in the following link: Column alias based on variable First solution: Set the alias in a variable Define the query as a nvarchar containing a reference to the variable. Execute the query using sp_executesql SET @column_alias = 'new_title' SET @sql = 'SELECT keycol, datacol AS ' + @column_alias + ' FROM Foo' EXEC sp_executesql @sql Second solution: Rename the column after the execution of the query INSERT INTO Results SELECT keycol, datacol FROM Foo EXEC sp_rename 'Results.datacol', @column_alias, 'COLUMN'

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to record feeding apparatus and methods. 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Prior art U.S. patents to Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,300,625 and Masterson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,091 relate to apparatus for feeding sheets longitudinally while being guided at a side edge by an edge or side guide. Apparatus of this type generally involve a considerable number of parts, gears or pulleys and a special arrangement of bearings. Various motor control circuits for controlling the feeding of a record web through record printing machines are known. Such systems generally use a continuously running motor coupled to a web advancing mechanism by means of a clutch mechanism which serves periodically to transmit power from the motor to the advancing mechanism for advancing the web. Other systems may use periodically energized motors or stepping motors for advancing the web. Whereas these techniques serve to advance a web through a printing mechanism or the like, systems employing a clutch or periodically energized motors tend to be inaccurate in the positioning of the web in the printing mechanism. Stepping motor systems require a compromise to be made between step size and the accuracy of positioning because if the steps are made small enough to accurately position the web, the rate of advance is relatively slow unless excessively high stepping rates are used. If large enough steps to provide an acceptable advancing rate are used, inaccuracies in web positioning result.

Q: How to copy a register and do `x*4 + constant` with the minimum number of instructions I am new to x86 assembly. For example for the following instruction: multiply the contents of ESP by 4 and add 0x11233344, storing the result in EDI. How do I represent this instruction in x86 assembly with minimum number of instructions? push esp mov edi, 4 mul edi add edi, 0x11233344 A: Your asm doesn't make any sense (push esp copies to memory, not another register), and mul edi writes EDX:EAX not edi. It does EDX:EAX = EAX * src_operand. Read the manual: https://www.felixcloutier.com/x86/MUL.html. Or better, use imul instead unless you actually need the high-half output of the full 32x32 => 64-bit multiply. Also, don't use the stack pointer register ESP to hold temporary values unless you know exactly what you're doing (e.g. you're in user-space, and you've made sure no signal handlers can asynchronously use the stack.) stack-pointer * 4 + large-constant is not something that a normal program would ever do. Normally you could do this in one LEA instruction but ESP is the only register that can't be an index in an x86 address mode. See rbp not allowed as SIB base? (The index is the part of an addressing mode that can have a 2-bit shift count applied, aka a scale factor). I think our best bet is still just to copy ESP to EDI, then use LEA: mov edi, esp lea edi, [edi * 4 + 0x11223344] Or you could copy-and-add with LEA, and then left shift, because the value we're adding has two zeros as its low bits (i.e. it's a multiple of 4). So we can right shift it by 2 without losing any bits. SHIFTED_ADD_CONSTANT equ 0x11223344 >> 2 lea edi, [esp + SHIFTED_ADD_CONSTANT] shl edi, 2 The add before left-shifting will produce carry into the top 2 bits, but we're about to shift those bits out so it doesn't matter what's there. This is also 2 uops, and more efficient on AMD Bulldozer-family CPUs (no mov-elimination for GP-integer mov, and where a scaled index costs an extra cycle of latency for LEA). Zen has mov-elimination but I think still the same LEA latencies so both versions are 2 cycle latency. Even "complex" LEA has 2/clock throughput on Zen, or 4/clock for simple LEA (any ALU port). But less efficient on Intel IvyBridge and later CPUs where the mov can run with zero latency (mov elimination), and the [edi*4 + disp32] addressing mode is still a fast 2-component LEA. So on Intel CPUs with mov-elimination, the first version is 2 front-end uops, 1 unfused-domain uop for an execution unit, and only 1 cycle of latency. Another 2-instruction option is to use a slower imul instead of a fast shift. (Addressing modes use a shift: even though it's written as * 1 / 2 / 4 / 8, it's encoded in a 2-bit shift-count field in machine code). imul edi, esp, 4 ; this is dumb, don't use mul/imul for powers of 2. add edi, 0x11223344 imul has 3 cycle latency on modern x86 CPUs which is pretty good, but is slower on old CPUs like Pentium 3. Still not as good as 1 or 2-cycle latency for mov + LEA, and imul runs on fewer ports. (Number of instructions is not usually the thing to optimize for; number of uops usually matters more, and latency / back-end throughput. Also code-size in bytes of x86 machine code; different instructions are different lengths.)

The invention relates to methods for the identification of contractile modulators of the cardiac sarcomere and use of such methods for the identification of therapeutic agents. Congestive heart failure is a growing epidemic in our aging population. Its prevalence has been growing as the population ages and as cardiologists are more successful at reducing mortality from ischemic heart disease, the most common cause of congestive heart failure. Roughly 4.6 million people in the United States have heart failure with an incidence approaching 10 per 1000 after age 65 years. Hospital discharges for congestive heart failure rose from 377,000 in 1979 to 957,000 in 1977 making congestive heart failure the most common discharge diagnosis in people age 65 and over. The five year mortality from congestive heart failure approaches 50%. Hospitalization for heart failure is usually the result of inadequate outpatient therapy. Hence, while heart failure therapy has greatly improved over the last several years, new and better therapies are still required to improve these still dismal statistics. Inotropes are drugs that increase the contractible ability of the heart. As a group, all current inotropes have failed to meet the gold standard for heart failure therapy, that is, to prolong patient survival (FDA Cardiorenal Panel: Minutes Jan. 27, 1998 after session, www.fda.gov). Despite this fact, intravenous inotropes continue to be widely used in acute heart failure to allow for reinstitution of oral medications or to bridge, patients to heart transplantation, whereas in chronic heart failure, oral digoxin in used as an effective inotrope to relieve patient symptoms, improve the quality of life, and reduce hospital admissions for heart failure. Currently, there is a paucity of agents that can safely improve cardiac function; most agents have detrimental side effects if given for more than a few days. As for chronic inotropic use, only digoxin has proven safe to administer even though it has a narrow therapeutic range. The most recently approved short-term intravenous agent, milrinone, is now over ten years old. The only available oral drug, digoxin, is over 200 hunderd years old. There is a great need for agents that exploit new mechanisms of action and may have better outcomes in terms of relief of symptoms, safety, and patient mortality, both short-term and long-term. The present invention provides methods for identifying such agents. The present invention provides methods to identify candidate agents that bind to a protein or act as a modulator of the binding charateristics or biological activity of a protein. In one embodiment, the method is performed in plurality simultaneously. For example, the method can be performed at the same time on multiple assay mixtures in a multi-well screening plate. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, fluorescence or absorbance readouts are utilized to determine activity. Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides a high throughput screening system. In one embodiment, the present inventin provides a method of identifying a candidate agent as a modular of the activity of a target protein complex. Preferably, the target protein complex either directly or indirectly produces ADP or phosphate. More preferably, the target protein complex comprises a preparation comprising one or more of the following proteins: myosin, actin, and cardiac regulatory proteins. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the target protein complex is a reconstituted sarcomere consisting of actin, myosin, and the cardiac regulatory proteins. The method further comprises adding a candidate agent to a mixture comprising the target protein complex under conditions that normally allow the production of ADP or phosphate. The method further comprises subjecting the mixture to an enzymatic reaction that uses said ADP or phosphate as a substrate under conditions that normally allow the ADP or phosphate to be utilized and determining the level of activity of the enzymatic reaction as a measure of the concentration of ADP or phosphate. The phrase xe2x80x9cuse ADP or phosphatexe2x80x9d means that the ADP or phosphate are directly acted upon. In one case, the ADP, for example, can be hydrolyzed or can be phosphorylated. As another example, the phosphate can be added to another compound. As used herein, in each of these cases, ADP or phosphate is acting as a substrate. A change in the level between the presence and absence of the candidate agent indicates a modular of the target protein complex.

Isolating Neural Indices of Continuous Speech Processing at the Phonetic Level. The human ability to understand speech across an enormous range of listening conditions is underpinned by a hierarchical auditory processing system whose successive stages process increasingly complex attributes of the acoustic input. In order to produce a categorical perception of words and phonemes, it has been suggested that, while earlier areas of the auditory system undoubtedly respond to acoustic differences in speech tokens, later areas must exhibit consistent neural responses to those tokens. Neural indices of such hierarchical processing in the context of continuous speech have been identified using low-frequency scalp-recorded electroencephalography (EEG) data. The relationship between continuous speech and its associated neural responses has been shown to be best described when that speech is represented using both its low-level spectrotemporal information and also the categorical labelling of its phonetic features (Di Liberto et al., Curr Biol 25(19):2457-2465, 2015). While the phonetic features have been proven to carry extra-information not captured by the speech spectrotemporal representation, the causes of this EEG activity remain unclear. This study aims to demonstrate a framework for examining speech-specific processing and for disentangling high-level neural activity related to intelligibility from low-level activity in response to spectrotemporal fluctuations of speech. Preliminary results suggest that neural measure of processing at the phonetic level can be isolated.

Q: How do I get the tap coordinates on a custom UIButton? I'm using XCode 4.4 developing for iOS 5 on an iPad and am using the Storyboard layout when creating my custom button. I have the touch event correctly working and logging but now I want to get the x/y coordinates of the tap on my custom button. If possible, I'd like the coordinates to be relative to the custom button instead of relative to the entire iPad screen. Here's my code in the .h file: - (IBAction)getButtonClick:(id)sender; and my code in the .m file: - (IBAction)getButtonClick:(id)sender { NSLog(@"Image Clicked."); } Like I said, that correctly logs when I tap the image. How can I get the coordinates of the tap? I've tried a few different examples from the internet but they always freeze when it displays a bunch of numbers (maybe the coordinates) in the log box. I'm VERY new to iOS developing so please make it as simple as possible. Thanks! A: To get touch location you can use another variant of button action method: myAction:forEvent: (if you create it from IB interface note "sender and event" option in arguments field: ) Then in your action handler you can get touch location from event parameter, for example: - (IBAction)myAction:(UIButton *)sender forEvent:(UIEvent *)event { NSSet *touches = [event touchesForView:sender]; UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject]; CGPoint touchPoint = [touch locationInView:sender]; NSLog(@"%@", NSStringFromCGPoint(touchPoint)); }

Q: How I swap rownames in these data? I have a microarray gene expression matrix like this by weird gene IDs in rows. > head(mat[1:10,1:5]) > dim(mat) [1] 39302 76 > There is matched gene symbol for each of these identifiers in another matrix > > dim(matched) [1] 23107 1 > How I can have matched gene symbol with probe identifiers in the row names of my expression matrix please? The problem is, for one gene symbol we may I tried > merged <- merge(mat, matched) Error: cannot allocate vector of size 6.8 Gb EDITED tmp = paste(matched[rownames(mat)],rownames(mat),sep="_") > rownames(mat) = tmp EDITED This is my matrix after matching prob identifiers to gene symbol > head(array[,1:10,1:5]) GSM482796 GSM482797 GSM482798 GSM482799 1 OR2T6 0.0171 -0.1100 -0.0394 -0.0141 2 EBF1 0.1890 0.0222 0.0832 0.0459 3 DKFZp686D0972 1.9400 0.2530 0.3770 0.8310 4 ATP8B4 -0.1490 0.0690 -0.0637 -0.0527 5 NOTCH2NL 0.1540 -0.3880 0.2160 -0.0812 6 SPIRE1 0.2920 0.1690 0.5500 0.1430 but now for some genes I have several probes. For example for gene A I have several matched probes. So I have repetition for gene A. How I can take mean over the expression of repeated genes please and having an unique value? A: There are actually two questions. The first one is about the memory issue. I believe merge from data.table would solve that issue. The second one would be aggregating or summarizing the identifiers. As @StupidWolf mentioned, you need to have a rule, summing them up, averaging them, ... For this second part one way is using dplyr: merged_data %>% group_by(probe_colum) %>% summarise_all(mean or sum or ...) %>% mutate(new_column = paste(probe_column, gene_column, sep = "_")) The same thing can be done faster with data.table: merged_data[, lapply(.SD, mean or sum or ..., na.rm=TRUE), by = probe_column ] [, new_column := paste(probe_column, gene_column, sep = "_"),] .SD means subset of data and your subsets are your groups based on your probes. A: You need to think about whether to take the average for all probes belonging to one gene, or simply append the gene name to the probe id. If it is simply adding a gene name, maybe try this below, note I am assuming that all your rownames of mat can be found in matched # check whether all rownames are in matched table(rownames(mat) %in% rownames(matched)) # rename the rows tmp = paste(matched[match(rownames(mat),rownames(matched)),1],rownames(mat),sep="_") rownames(mat) = tmp

Homelessness is on the rise nationally – but on the decline in Connecticut. That’s the finding in a new report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Homeless dropped by 23.7% in the state. So why is Connecticut bucking the trend? “We, like many other communities, have been implementing a housing-first approach. We’ve not only organized homeless services across our state, but also we’re doing our best to make sure people don’t have to wait for assistance to get connected to stable housing,” said Richard Cho with the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Cho also said a spike in homelessness was due to Hurricane Maria. “We had to count households who were evacuated from Puerto Rico to Connecticut and were placed in the federal emergency sheltering program through FEMA. What you’re seeing as a decrease from 2018 to 2019 also reflects the fact that there are no longer households in those emergency shelters.” Cho said California’s increasing homelessness problem offsets the decline in Connecticut and other states. More than half of all unsheltered homeless people live in California, according to the report. The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness will hold an annual count of homeless people in the state later this month.

World Pool Masters Match Ups Announced With the 2010 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters set to get underway at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas next Wednesday 12th May, Matchroom Sport can announce the first round matches and groups. The 64 player field is drawn into eight groups of eight players who compete in race to nine, double elimination play to separate the field down to 32. Defending champion Darren Appleton has a potential banana skin to negotiate as he faces off against powerful young Korean girl Yu Ram Cha in his first match. At the same venue last year, Yu Ram sent Shane Van Boening packing from the Predator Ten Ball and she will be looking to dent Appleton’s hopes. Another marquee match-up is Earl Strickland, a Masters winner in 1997, against 2007 WPC runner-up Roberto Gomez (Philippines) and the incomparable Efren Reyes has a tough proposition in Spain’s David Alcaide. Defending champion Appleton has a potential banana skin to negotiate as he faces off against powerful young Korean girl Cha in his first match. Groups 1 to 4 play their games on eight tables on Wednesday 12th may, while the remaining four groups complete their matches on Thursday 13th. After that the Masters moves to single elimination with the round of 32 taking place on Friday 14th and then the event goes to the TV stages on Friday evening and the weekend. After 17 years as a 16-player invitational competition, the Masters, one of the longest established televised tournaments in pool, will now feature 64 players and take place over five days instead of three. Working in conjunction with Cuesports International, the Masters takes place during the annual BCA National 8-Ball Championships, which sees thousands of players and fans flock to the Riviera for a lengthy festival of pool. There has been a multitude of qualifying events around the world, with the final one in the ‘The Race to Vegas’, taking place at Pool Sharks in Vegas on Tuesday 11th May. Four spots in the main event will be up for grabs. Television is produced by Matchroom Sport and will be seen as 15 x one hour programmes in 14 countries around the world with more to be added to the list. The prize fund is set at a guaranteed $100,000 with $20,000 going to the eventual champion. Luke Riches, Matchroom Sport: [email protected] www.matchroompool.com Notes: Matchroom Sport are one of the world’s leading producers of televised sport and are responsible for over 1,100 hours of original programming across a range of nine sports. Based in the UK and chaired by charismatic founder Barry Hearn, the World Pool Masters is one of a stable of pool events that include the World Cup of Pool and the Mosconi Cup. The 2010 World Pool Masters is sponsored by PartyPoker.net. Tables are supplied by Brunswick Billiards, cloth by Iwan Simonis, Super Aramith balls by Saluc and the Official Cue is Predator.

Recently on Cyclingnews.com Olympic Games feature, August 7, 2008 Beijing Olympics: The road to success With the Beijing Games fast approaching, cycling fans are pinning their hopes on the Olympic Road Race to revive the sport's fortunes in China. Tom Greer reports on efforts to ensure the event lives up to the hype. The Olympic Road Race on August 9 will be a landmark in the history of the sport in China. Already billed as one of the Olympics' most challenging and spectacular circuits, cycling's governing bodies eagerly await the impact of the event on this untapped market. Optimism abounds, but many significant obstacles will not be overcome so easily. China's lack of exposure to world-class cycling events and an institutional bias towards specific Olympic disciplines still hamper the growth of the sport. Though renowned as the land of the bicycle, it could take some time before Chinese cycling establishes its credibility within the professional peloton. The spectacular outline of the Olympic circuit belies its erratic development. Initially, the Chinese Cycling Association (CCA) had no real idea where to hold the road race events. Back in 2002, the CCA's initial proposal was to hold the road race along Beijing's uninspiring fourth ring highway. This huge, eight-lane motorway encircles the city – and is completely flat. Worse still, it's utterly uneventful. Insiders claim the presentation of the circuit to the International Cycling Union (UCI) consisted of little more than a photocopied map with a yellow marker tracing the loop. This was a first indication that the CCA did not have the understanding of professional cycling required to draw up a truly Olympic course. In 2005, the UCI flew to Beijing to discuss alternatives, convincing the CCA that cycling was used in Europe to showcase nature as well as national monuments. Eventually, the idea caught on that cycling could be used to showcase the beauty of Beijing. The CCA settled on a mass start near Tiananmen Square before heading out north-west to the famous Ba Da Ling Great Wall. Built to keep out the fierce Mongols of Genghis Khan, this walled fortress adds a spectacular backdrop to the event. The race itself has all the ingredients needed to live up to its hype. Facing a distance of 245km, the riders in the men's race will start off with 80 flat kilometres from downtown to the foot of the key climb. Once there, seven loops of 23.8km will separate the hopefuls from the true contenders. The climb is approximately 11km long, averaging less than four per cent, and even includes some short descents. However, it does feature abrupt changes of gradients of up to 10 per cent. Belgian team coach Carlo Bomans regards the course as excessively tough, comparing the climb to an extended Poggio, the final climb in the Milan-Sanremo one-day Classic. Australian rider Michael Rogers, who previewed the circuit last August, described it as "a little bit harder than I'd expected. It's not super-steep but it's quite constant and there is no actual recovery." The slow descent down the highway will not grant the riders much respite. Considerable amounts of pushing against the wind will be needed to keep up the tempo. It's expected to become a race of attrition with minimal recovery time. In spite of the course's difficulty, the more immediate concerns such as temperature and humidity have been sidelined in the run-up to the race, with most of the controversy focusing instead on pollution. International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has stated that he is pleased with China's efforts to curb pollution. Beijing has invested €8.5 billion to make the city more liveable by shutting down factories, curbing emissions, planting trees and taking the remarkable decision to lift a million cars off the streets during the Games. Still, Rogge has hinted that if pollution levels are too high, certain outdoor endurance sports may have to be rescheduled. Perturbed by the possible loss of face, the Beijing Olympic Committee is working overtime to present a cleaner Beijing to the world. The jury is still out as to its success. During the Olympic test event in 2007, held during the monsoon, the riders didn't complain as much about the harmful pollution as they did about the soaring 30°C temperatures and 70 per cent humidity. Aussie rider Cadel Evans even joked that it's not the dirtiest place he's raced in. "In an Italian city you get dirtier from diesel fumes," he stated, "but it's the humidity here that surprised me, and the combination of pollution and humidity makes it a bit harder." A final cause for comfort is that the road race is located way beyond the city limits. Racing in a mountain range 70km north of Beijing, the riders will have the benefit of cleaner mountain air. It seems it won't be the pollution, but the climate and the terrain, that will decide the final outcome. Can Chinese riders step up? The wider story of Chinese cycling remains uncertain. There's a common belief that the Olympics will spawn a thriving cycling culture and the signs do look promising. A ProTour race will almost certainly take place in China in 2009, and at a grass-roots level the sport is really picking up. The bicycle is omnipresent in China and the major bike companies already manufacture parts of their equipment here. At the highest level, some pro teams have even been courting big Chinese sponsors. Many are therefore banking on China being the next big cycling market. One of the companies with the strongest ties to Chinese cycling is the Trek bike company. As the sponsor of the only Chinese professional cycling team, Trek-Marco Polo, the American company has played a huge role in the development of Chinese riders such as Fuyu Li and the establishment of cycling competitions across the mainland. Yet, when asked to summarise the state of the sport in China, Trek China general manager Todd McKean states: "The CCA does a great job raising the sport's professionalism at the Olympic level, but beneath that, it is less involved with the grass-roots level." China is known for its spartan cycling academies, to which promising youths are recruited and trained for Olympic glory. All cyclists must pass through these elite academies in order to get noticed. Unlike Western countries, where cycling culture in well rooted, the CCA selects riders based on innate sporting talent. "The system links back to the Soviet system and this way you get a great selection of talented athletes," says McKean, "but you won't necessarily get all the best cycling talent out there." Unsurprisingly, China's strongest hopes for cycling medals are to be found in the indoor track competitions, where this institutional approach yields the best results. Daniel Morelon, the French coach of the China track teams, reckons that the women have a good chance of winning one or more medals. Yet for the men, "a spot in the top 10 in one or other discipline will be considered a success". It seems certain that within a population of 1.3 billion, there must be an Alberto Contador or a Tom Boonen waiting to be discovered. Yet how will these talents surface? Without a proper amateur scene, Chinese riders have little exposure outside of state-sanctioned competitions. Hopefuls must either work their way to the top within the cycling academies, or hope to have their talent picked up by a foreign team. Therefore, despite the country's large population, the selection pool for China's national squads is actually very limited. Additionally, the Olympic bias in China clearly benefits the track disciplines where logistics, training and rider selection is more manageable than with outdoor cycling. With no real grass-roots tradition of the sport in China, it's hardly surprising to find that riding a bike is seen as more of a job than a calling. The love of the sport is subordinate to the possibility of social advancement. One notable case in point is that of China's top pro rider, Fuyu Li. In 2005, Li won the China National Games and was promptly offered a coaching position. At the age of 27, in his prime, Li was considering an early retirement. It took some persuasion by the Marco Polo Team to convince him to stay on as a rider in 2006. "Luckily, he rekindled his love for the bike when he joined the Discovery Channel team [in 2007]," McKean narrates, "but you see how easy it is to lose a talent like him." It appears that the biggest obstacles to Chinese cycling are the country's lack of homegrown cycling heroes and the slow introduction of pro-level cycling events. These are the key developments required to educate the public and generate Chinese cycling heroes. To tackle the first issue, amateur competitions are being organised, primarily by foreign bike companies. Through their investment in amateur teams and competitions, the sport has spawned a small but lively subculture. With the increasing economic liberalisation, more and more Chinese people are investing in bikes. This informal creation of supply and demand through races is the first step towards laying the foundation of the sport. Yet until this grass-roots level is connected to the professional and Olympic echelons, the sport will fail to realise its enormous potential. That's why the establishment of a large pro cycling event and subsequent grass-roots opportunities are paramount to the future of cycling in China. Putting China's tour back on the road Can the Olympics breathe new life into an ill-fated cycling event? China's transient history of pro cycling events emphasises just how difficult it is to import the sport without the presence of a grass-roots cycling culture. Yet now, there are strong indications that the time is right to kick-start the revival of the fabled "Tour of China". The initial Tour of China ran in 1995–1996. It was a unique and bold undertaking, but ultimately short-lived. Its growth was hampered by logistical problems in the form of suitable hotels, infrastructure, governmental regulations, as well as the lack of a clear vision on the part of the organisers. China in the mid-90s was simply not ready for such an event. Certainly, the approach was grand enough. Several top European teams joined in, with the likes of Mapei and Novell (now Rabobank) sending squads. Russia's Viatcheslav Ekimov was the overall winner. It seemed the event had got off to a good start. It even proved to be hugely successful for its sponsor, British American Tobacco, but soon the race organisers from the UK, the USA and Hong Kong fell into dispute over sponsorship and other financial issues. With the withdrawal of the American event organiser Medalist Sports, who brought with them most of the expertise, contacts and sponsoring, the race was cancelled before it even really took off. Several other marginal events like the Japanese version of the Tour of China, the Tour of the South China Sea, and the defunct Tour of Beijing, came and went in its wake. The Tour of Qinghai Lake (UCI category 2.HC) is the exception to this sorry trend. Though it has been held for seven years in a row, it is not likely to grow any bigger. Located in a remote western province with little infrastructure, economy and cycling culture to speak of, the race is more a marketing ploy for western China than the ambitious tour that the Far East deserves. Both the UCI and Tour de France organisers ASO have courted the CCA in the past. As a result of the current power struggle between these two bodies, the UCI has been investigating new markets, including China. Using the momentum created by the Olympics, the Tour of China is set to be relaunched in 2009. Many of the event's previous problems have been overcome. Logistics and infrastructure have improved massively since the mid-90s, and the government is more supportive of sporting events. China's booming economy should lure foreign companies to the sponsorship table. Crucially, Chinese companies are powerful enough to chip in. In a land plagued by environmental problems, sponsorship of cycling could well be used as positive eco-branding. The final ingredient the UCI and the CCA need is for the sport to become attractive to the Chinese crowds, with everyone appreciating the intricacies of the sport. Again, grass-roots education cannot be overlooked for the race to be a success. The Olympics are the first and biggest step in that direction.

Maxim Volkov Maxim Volkov (born 16 January 1985, in Karaganda) is a Kazakhstani professional ice hockey player currently playing for Arystan Temirtau in the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship league. References External links Category:Kazakhstani ice hockey forwards Category:Arystan Temirtau players Category:Sportspeople from Karaganda Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Asian Games gold medalists for Kazakhstan Category:Medalists at the 2017 Asian Winter Games Category:Asian Games medalists in ice hockey Category:Ice hockey players at the 2017 Asian Winter Games

By STEVE KARNOWSKI, Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A new concept in renewable energy is catching fire across the country, allowing customers who might find solar panels too expensive or impractical to buy green energy anyway. Community solar gardens first took off in Colorado a few years ago, and the model — also known as community or shared solar — has spread to Minnesota, California, Massachusetts and several other states. Capacity is expected to grow sharply this year, and interest is up among both residential customers who just like the idea and large companies that want to cut their carbon footprints. The gardens feed electricity to the local power grid. Customers subscribe to that power and get credit on their utility bills, with contracts that typically lock in for 25 years and shelter against rate increases. Some developers say customer bills will drop below regular retail rates within a few years; others say the savings begin immediately. "This is really the year that community solar becomes mainstream," said David Amster-Olszewski, CEO of Denver-based solar garden developer SunShare LLC, which runs two operations in Colorado and is developing more with Xcel Energy Inc., including in Minnesota. Rooftop solar panels are becoming more popular among homeowners as the cost comes down, but that market is limited to only about one-fourth of U.S. residences, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, an arm of the U.S. Department of Energy. Community solar opens the door to many more, including renters, customers with shaded roofs and those who can't afford solar panels. It's friendly to big customers, too. Ecolab Inc. is the first major corporate customer to commit to Minnesota's program. The Fortune 500 sanitation technology company will get enough electricity from a project in the suburbs to provide most of the power for its St. Paul headquarters. At least 10 states promote ways for multiple customers to share renewable energy systems, according to the advocacy group Vote Solar, and a dozen states are actively promoting community solar. California issued community solar regulations in late January, requiring three of the state's largest utilities to contract for 600 megawatts of new solar capacity. San Francisco-based Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will build the largest share, which could supply 30,000-50,000 customers, spokesman Jonathan Marshall said. "A large number of our customers simply can't go solar on their own," Marshall said. "This is a tremendous opportunity for them to go to 100 percent solar if they want it." In Massachusetts, Clean Energy Collective expects to complete three community solar facilities in June in Uxbridge that'll provide enough juice for 400-500 residential and commercial customers in the southern part of the state. Colorado-based developer CEC has two other facilities in Massachusetts that serve about 100-200 customers and expects to announce more projects soon, spokesman Tim Braun said. Minnesota's Legislature passed a community solar gardens law in 2013, and solar backers were amazed when Xcel Energy got a flood of proposals soon after opening the approval process in December. But Xcel complained to regulators that many turned out to be "utility-scale projects," saying it didn't believe that's what the Legislature had in mind. The law defines a garden as 1 megawatt or less, and Xcel said developers simply planned multiple small gardens next to each other to get around it. Xcel worried that its grid might need expensive upgrades to handle all that new electricity. Solar developers and advocates dismissed Xcel's concerns, saying the more solar that displaces electricity from coal and gas the better. One solar garden powering up this summer is at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, where roof panels will serve both the church and other subscribers. Pastor Brenda Froisland said her congregation has a progressive theology and wants to be good stewards of the Earth. "As we learned more, it became a no-brainer for us," Froisland said. "We talked about using the power of the sun, s-u-n, to glorify the power of the Son, S-o-n."

Electrophysiological analysis of the hippocampal output to the presubiculum. The hippocampal output to the dorsal presubiculum was analysed in the guinea-pig by field potential analysis. Perforant path volleys, synaptically elicited by stimulation of the dorsal psalterium of one side, were used to activate the lamellar circuit of the same side and, through interhippocampal impulses, the hippocampal pyramidal neurons of the opposite side. The discharge of the pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus was followed by a negative fast wave with associated unit firing in lamina principalis interna and in the innermost part of lamina principalis externa of the presubicular cortex. These findings suggested the generation of excitatory synaptic effects in lamina principalis interna and innermost lamina principalis externa. The presubicular response was present in preparations with the fornix bilaterally sectioned. It was eliminated by interruption of the caudally-directed hippocampal projections, which suggested that it was mediated by these hippocampal efferents. The generation site of the presubicular response in deep cell laminae was not consistent with the terminal field of the hippocampus-presubiculum projections but was with that of the subiculum-presubiculum projections. The hippocampal discharge evoked in the dorsal subiculum a response with shorter latency and lower threshold than the presubicular response. These data suggest that the presubicular response might be evoked through hippocampus-subiculum-presubiculum connections. The results show that the hippocampal output evokes excitatory synaptic effects in the presubiculum and that these effects are segregated in deep cell laminae. The fact that these laminae give origin to an important projection to the anterior thalamic nuclei suggests that hippocampal impulses may be transferred to subcortical structures through the presubiculum.

An alveolar recruitment maneuver followed by positive end-expiratory pressure improves lung function in healthy dogs undergoing laparoscopy. To evaluate the effects of an alveolar recruitment maneuver (ARM) followed by 5 cmH2O positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in dogs undergoing laparoscopy. Prospective, randomized clinical study. A group of 20 dogs undergoing laparoscopic ovariectomy. Dogs were sedated with acepromazine and methadone intramuscularly; anesthesia was induced with propofol intravenously and maintained with inhaled isoflurane. The following baseline ventilatory setting (BVS) was administered: tidal volume of 12 mL kg-1, inspiratory to expiratory ratio of 1:2, inspiratory pause 25% of inspiratory time, no PEEP and a respiratory rate to maintain end-tidal carbon dioxide tension between 5.3 and 7.3 kPa. Then, 10 minutes after the pneumoperitoneum, 10 dogs (RM) underwent a sustained inflation ARM followed by BVS plus 5 cmH2O PEEP, while 10 dogs (NO-RM) were left with BVS throughout the procedure. Gas exchange and respiratory system mechanics were evaluated before the pneumoperitoneum (PPpre), before ARM (PP10), 30 minutes later (PP30) and 20 minutes after pneumoperitoneum discontinuation (PPpost20). Data were analyzed using anova (p < 0.05). The Fshunt at PP30 and PPpost20 was lower (p < 0.001) in the RM (2.3 ± 2.2 and 4.7 ± 3.7%) than in the NO-RM (5.2 ± 2.1 and 11.1 ± 5.2%), and PaO2 at PP30 and PPpost20 was higher (p < 0.001) in the RM (67.3 ± 4.2 and 60.1 ± 9.4 kPa) than in the NO-RM (50.2 ± 7.4 and 45.5 ± 11.1 kPa). Static compliance of the respiratory system at PP30 and PPpost20 was greater (p < 0.001) in the RM (2.4 ± 0.2 and 2.1 ± 0.4 mL cmH2O-1 kg-1) than in the NO-RM (0.9 ± 0.4 and 1.2 ± 0.2 mL cmH2O-1 kg-1). In dogs undergoing laparoscopy, ARM followed by 5 cmH2O PEEP improves gas exchange and respiratory system mechanics.

I would like to have a trigger that triggers on 2 lines from the mud. I want a certain trigger to start when I hit a certain room, but this room name exits more often. I therefore want to trigger it when it has certain exits AND this room name. So, for example: The Guild Room [Exits: West North] Putting this in the command line does not work: The Guild Room$[Exits: West North] Secondly, I would like a trigger to run after a certain amount of time. I know this can be easily done with the alarm trigger setting *60 if you want to trigger it after 60 seconds. However, I want it to trigger somewhere between 60 and 90 seconds. It should just randomly choose this number, I don't really care which it picks. Do I have to make a variable with a list of all possible numbers or is there a quicker way in doing this?

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile communication system making use of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) as an access method and, more particularly, to a control method implemented on the side of a mobile station when it is registered with a wireless base station in a coverage area where the mobile station exists. Also, the invention relates to the mobile station utilizing this control method. The invention is especially adapted for power savings in the mobile station. 2. Description of the Related Art In a CDMA system, a signal is modulated by multiplying a pseudo noise codes (PN codes) which are spreading codes so as to form a spread spectrum communication signal and is transmitted from a base station to a mobile station. When a CDMA mobile station receives the signal from the base station, the mobile station demodulates the original signal by multiplying the PN codes to the received signal. This demodulation is called despreading. For this purpose, synchronization is necessary to bring the phase of PN codes into agreement with the phase of PN codes of the base station. The process of synchronization consists of two steps: acquisition of a pilot signal and holding of the synchronization. The acquisition is generally based on calculation of correlation. A replica PN code is multiplied by a received signal while shifting the replica PN code in spreading chip increments. A decision is made as to whether a value obtained by the integration is in excess of a threshold value. If the replica PN code is not synchronized to the PN code of the base station, no peak is produced on the value obtained by the integration. Therefore, the search is continued while varying the phase of the replica PN code. In a typical CDMA system, the code length of each pilot PN code is 215, i.e., 32768. Since the search is conducted within this phase space, it is required to acquire pilot signals quickly. On the other hand, the holding of the synchronization expresses a process where synchronization within chips in terms of phases is maintained after spreading chip synchronization is acquired. Plural base stations or sectors within a mobile communication system are so selected and positioned that they are different from each other in spreading code phase. In the typical example described above, the base stations or sectors are spaced from each other such that they achieve integral multiples of 64 PN chips. After the synchronization processing, the mobile station adjusts the phases of the despread codes and examines the strengths of other pilot signals. In this way, a handoff to a better pilot signal can be performed. A handoff performed in idle state is known as idle handoff. The mobile station that has finished the synchronization processing performs registration. This registration is carried out by exchanging message with a base station. This permits the network to call the mobile station. Since the registration involves transmission, if registration is frequently done, then traffic on the network increases. Also, the battery power in the mobile station is consumed. Accordingly, the registration needs to be carried out minimally. When the power supply of a mobile station is turned on, it is synchronized to a pilot signal as described above. Then, the mobile station receives access messages and makes a decision as to whether the mobile station needs to be registered newly with the coverage area where the station is currently present. If the current coverage area agrees with any one of registered areas that may or may not be in the form of a list, a message that requests registration is not sent out. When the mobile station goes out of the coverage area described above, the station is handed over to the base station of the coverage area that the mobile station enters next. Techniques associated with the aforementioned techniques are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,267,261, 5,109,390, 5,179,571, and 5,101,501 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 30023/1993 and 107584/1996.

In the article titled "In Vitro Evaluation of Probiotic Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Some Traditionally Fermented Ethiopian Food Products" \[[@B1]\], the headings for Sections 3.3.4 and 3.3.5 were reversed. The correct headings are as follows:  3.3.4. Bacterial Adhesion to Stainless Steel Plates  3.3.5. Antibiotic Susceptibility Test

Q: Should a title be required? It appears that a question can be posted without a title being supplied (Example). Should this be a required field? Did the OP actually enter that title? Previous title to the example, "What's your geographic information systems question? Be specific." A: It is the default text from the Asking a Question - some users miss this when in first posts. see below

Triple negative breast cancer: molecular profiling and prognostic impact in adjuvant anthracycline-treated patients. We analysed the clinical features, distribution of basal markers, prevalence of oncogene amplification, and outcome of triple negative (TN) compared to those of non-TN cancers in a series of adjuvant-anthracycline treated breast cancer patients. We examined the prognostic impact of the TN and BL phenotype in 245 breast cancer patients uniformly treated with adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy following primary surgery, with regards to local relapse-free (LRFS), metastasis free (MFS), and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS). A comparative analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics, expression of basal markers (cytokeratins (Cks) 5/6, 14, 17, EGFR, and caveolin 1 and 2), MIB-1, p53 and topoisomerase II alpha, and prevalence of CCND1, MYC and TOP2A amplification in TN and non-TN breast tumours was performed. TN cancers were significantly associated with the expression of basal markers (all P < 0.0001). However 19.4% of TN tumours were negative for basal markers, whilst 7.3% of non-TN tumours expressed basal markers. TN phenotype was significantly associated with p53, MIB-1 and topoisomerase II alpha (all, P < 0.01) expression. No TN cancer harboured amplification of CCND1 or TOP2A. In univariate analysis, TN and BL phenotype were significantly associated with shorter MFS (both, P < 0.01) and BCSS (both, P < 0.005) but not LRFS. Despite treatment with standard dose anthracycline-based chemotherapy, the clinical outcome of TN and BL cancers remains poor. Alternative chemotherapeutic regimens and/or novel therapeutic approaches are warranted. Although a significant phenotypic overlap exists between TN and basal-like tumours, the TN phenotype is not an ideal surrogate marker for basal-like breast cancers.

New and in an improved design for Summer 2018, this 3 Sprouts Llama Wall Organiser is a great storage solution for the playroom, bedroom or nursery. The Llama Wall Organiser has 4 generous pockets to store nappy supplies, art projects or toys and includes hooks to make it easier to hang. Made from 100% polyester with a 100% polyester felt applique. CATEGORIES BRANDS Delivery Information The majority of our items are delivered within 2 working days from the date of dispatch although this is not guaranteed and can take up to 5 working days, especially during busy periods. We aim to dispatch orders received by 10.30 a.m on the same day. We also offer Expedited Shipping within Mainland UK for many products, with delivery within 1 - 2 working days from the date of dispatch. We do not ship on weekends or Bank Holidays. Deliveries are by Royal Mail 48 (Standard Delivery), Royal Mail 24 (Expedited Delivery) or, for heavier items, by courier. The following items are send direct from the manufacturer/supplier and delivery information is as follows. WIN GREEN Playhouse are dispatched within 1 - 2 working days by Fedex next working day delivery. Smaller items are sent by Royal Mail. MUNGAI MIRRORS are dispatched within 2 working days and can take a week to arrive. If at any point we think that we will take longer than this, we will inform you as soon as possible. Please contact us for special delivery requests. We hold the majority of our ranges in stock and get regular deliveries from our supplier. We do everything we can to keep our stock levels up to date. In the unlikely event that you order an item that is not in stock we will contact you within 24 hours to ask if you want to wait for your item or would prefer a full refund.

// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later /* * * Bluetooth HCI UART driver * * Copyright (C) 2000-2001 Qualcomm Incorporated * Copyright (C) 2002-2003 Maxim Krasnyansky <[email protected]> * Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Marcel Holtmann <[email protected]> */ #include <linux/module.h> #include <linux/kernel.h> #include <linux/init.h> #include <linux/types.h> #include <linux/fcntl.h> #include <linux/interrupt.h> #include <linux/ptrace.h> #include <linux/poll.h> #include <linux/slab.h> #include <linux/tty.h> #include <linux/errno.h> #include <linux/string.h> #include <linux/signal.h> #include <linux/ioctl.h> #include <linux/skbuff.h> #include <asm/unaligned.h> #include <net/bluetooth/bluetooth.h> #include <net/bluetooth/hci_core.h> #include "hci_uart.h" struct h4_struct { struct sk_buff *rx_skb; struct sk_buff_head txq; }; /* Initialize protocol */ static int h4_open(struct hci_uart *hu) { struct h4_struct *h4; BT_DBG("hu %p", hu); h4 = kzalloc(sizeof(*h4), GFP_KERNEL); if (!h4) return -ENOMEM; skb_queue_head_init(&h4->txq); hu->priv = h4; return 0; } /* Flush protocol data */ static int h4_flush(struct hci_uart *hu) { struct h4_struct *h4 = hu->priv; BT_DBG("hu %p", hu); skb_queue_purge(&h4->txq); return 0; } /* Close protocol */ static int h4_close(struct hci_uart *hu) { struct h4_struct *h4 = hu->priv; hu->priv = NULL; BT_DBG("hu %p", hu); skb_queue_purge(&h4->txq); kfree_skb(h4->rx_skb); hu->priv = NULL; kfree(h4); return 0; } /* Enqueue frame for transmittion (padding, crc, etc) */ static int h4_enqueue(struct hci_uart *hu, struct sk_buff *skb) { struct h4_struct *h4 = hu->priv; BT_DBG("hu %p skb %p", hu, skb); /* Prepend skb with frame type */ memcpy(skb_push(skb, 1), &hci_skb_pkt_type(skb), 1); skb_queue_tail(&h4->txq, skb); return 0; } static const struct h4_recv_pkt h4_recv_pkts[] = { { H4_RECV_ACL, .recv = hci_recv_frame }, { H4_RECV_SCO, .recv = hci_recv_frame }, { H4_RECV_EVENT, .recv = hci_recv_frame }, }; /* Recv data */ static int h4_recv(struct hci_uart *hu, const void *data, int count) { struct h4_struct *h4 = hu->priv; if (!test_bit(HCI_UART_REGISTERED, &hu->flags)) return -EUNATCH; h4->rx_skb = h4_recv_buf(hu->hdev, h4->rx_skb, data, count, h4_recv_pkts, ARRAY_SIZE(h4_recv_pkts)); if (IS_ERR(h4->rx_skb)) { int err = PTR_ERR(h4->rx_skb); bt_dev_err(hu->hdev, "Frame reassembly failed (%d)", err); h4->rx_skb = NULL; return err; } return count; } static struct sk_buff *h4_dequeue(struct hci_uart *hu) { struct h4_struct *h4 = hu->priv; return skb_dequeue(&h4->txq); } static const struct hci_uart_proto h4p = { .id = HCI_UART_H4, .name = "H4", .open = h4_open, .close = h4_close, .recv = h4_recv, .enqueue = h4_enqueue, .dequeue = h4_dequeue, .flush = h4_flush, }; int __init h4_init(void) { return hci_uart_register_proto(&h4p); } int __exit h4_deinit(void) { return hci_uart_unregister_proto(&h4p); } struct sk_buff *h4_recv_buf(struct hci_dev *hdev, struct sk_buff *skb, const unsigned char *buffer, int count, const struct h4_recv_pkt *pkts, int pkts_count) { struct hci_uart *hu = hci_get_drvdata(hdev); u8 alignment = hu->alignment ? hu->alignment : 1; /* Check for error from previous call */ if (IS_ERR(skb)) skb = NULL; while (count) { int i, len; /* remove padding bytes from buffer */ for (; hu->padding && count > 0; hu->padding--) { count--; buffer++; } if (!count) break; if (!skb) { for (i = 0; i < pkts_count; i++) { if (buffer[0] != (&pkts[i])->type) continue; skb = bt_skb_alloc((&pkts[i])->maxlen, GFP_ATOMIC); if (!skb) return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM); hci_skb_pkt_type(skb) = (&pkts[i])->type; hci_skb_expect(skb) = (&pkts[i])->hlen; break; } /* Check for invalid packet type */ if (!skb) return ERR_PTR(-EILSEQ); count -= 1; buffer += 1; } len = min_t(uint, hci_skb_expect(skb) - skb->len, count); skb_put_data(skb, buffer, len); count -= len; buffer += len; /* Check for partial packet */ if (skb->len < hci_skb_expect(skb)) continue; for (i = 0; i < pkts_count; i++) { if (hci_skb_pkt_type(skb) == (&pkts[i])->type) break; } if (i >= pkts_count) { kfree_skb(skb); return ERR_PTR(-EILSEQ); } if (skb->len == (&pkts[i])->hlen) { u16 dlen; switch ((&pkts[i])->lsize) { case 0: /* No variable data length */ dlen = 0; break; case 1: /* Single octet variable length */ dlen = skb->data[(&pkts[i])->loff]; hci_skb_expect(skb) += dlen; if (skb_tailroom(skb) < dlen) { kfree_skb(skb); return ERR_PTR(-EMSGSIZE); } break; case 2: /* Double octet variable length */ dlen = get_unaligned_le16(skb->data + (&pkts[i])->loff); hci_skb_expect(skb) += dlen; if (skb_tailroom(skb) < dlen) { kfree_skb(skb); return ERR_PTR(-EMSGSIZE); } break; default: /* Unsupported variable length */ kfree_skb(skb); return ERR_PTR(-EILSEQ); } if (!dlen) { hu->padding = (skb->len - 1) % alignment; hu->padding = (alignment - hu->padding) % alignment; /* No more data, complete frame */ (&pkts[i])->recv(hdev, skb); skb = NULL; } } else { hu->padding = (skb->len - 1) % alignment; hu->padding = (alignment - hu->padding) % alignment; /* Complete frame */ (&pkts[i])->recv(hdev, skb); skb = NULL; } } return skb; } EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(h4_recv_buf);

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 3099067. The communications industry is used to the occasional technology metamorphoses Providing a live look-in on the fast-moving and fascinating process that is the telecom industry's current transformation process The network operators' push to become nimbler providers of on-demand network services is driving technology, personnel and operational challenges at an unprecedented pace for the telecom sector. The shift to virtualization and a software-driven future, the adoption of agile IT working methods and a strong operational push to automation are preludes to the massive business process change reshaping telecom fundamentals. BCE is uniquely positioned to capture the industry's progress on each of these fronts, directly from those in the trenches. Telecom thought leaders from all industry segments will come together to chart progress tackling mutual challenges and exploring diverse opportunities. The industry's competitive dynamic continues to shift: Web-scale operators still represent both a threat and an opportunity as does growing distribution of over-the-top content. Recent M&A activity is not only redefining industry scale but also blurring the lines between content creation, ownership and delivery. An event dedicated to telecom's business BCE conference will bring new context to these changes As the event dedicated to telecom's business and its ultimate profitability, BCE conference content will bring new context to these changes while raising new questions about what lies ahead. BCE delivers this context across the broad landscape of the telecom sector: networks of all kinds, data centers, cloud service providers, the booming IoT market, video service evolution and more. Could you be a Winner? Join us at the Annual Awards program run by Light Reading, Monday, May 14th 2018 For me this was a great show because rather than overarching product/solution themes it was the whole new software-defined networking trend that the Big Telecom Event was successfully able to capture from the keynotes to some very insightful session tracks. I think the Light Reading team did an excellent task in bringing the key industry thought leaders together in keynotes, panels, parties and on the show floor to coalesce around the whole software-defined networking industry theme. VP Products SK Telecom Americas Great and informative event. It's unlike any other conference I've attended before where vendors and customers collaborate and discuss issues together. I'm glad to see OTT players like Google also participating in events like this and sharing their expertise

[Validation of the bias against disconfirmatory evidence in a French-speaking sample of schizophrenic patients]. The purpose of this study was to verify the generality of the bias against disconfirmatory evidence in a French-speaking sample of schizophrenic patients. This bias is a heightened persistence of incorrect interpretations in front of contradictions, previously demonstrated in schizophrenic patients coming from non-French-speaking communities. In a pictorial decision task, 20 schizophrenic, 20 depressive and 20 control participants reappraised during eight successive steps, six interpretations proposed for emotionally neutral but initially incomplete pictures. Each step added a fragment of the picture represented. The reappraisal of the plausibility of incorrect interpretations between each step (change score [CS]) was measured for all the participants. The positive and negative symptoms scale as well as the scale for the assessment of positive symptoms were only administered to schizophrenic patients. Evolution of CS as a function of the seven last steps was significantly less pronounced in the schizophrenic samples. Only the negative dimension of the PANSS was correlated to the CS. These results replicated the BADE in a small French-speaking schizophrenic sample. The absence of a significant correlation between the BADE and the positive symptoms and measures of delusion was discussed with regard to both the small size of the sample and the explicative status of this bias.

Une histoire de magnétisme et de prophétie auto-réalisatrice Disons qu’une entreprise n’ayant aucune connaissance particulière en développement ait décidé de réaliser une application quelconque, par un indépendant, entreprise, agence quelconque. Imaginons que cette personne ait réussi à les convaincre d’utiliser une technologie RAD (WordPress, Rails, Django, peu importe), car vous comprenez, les grands groupes font confiance à cette technologie, elle permet d’employer des juniors, il y a une grosse communauté, etc. Le prestataire peut empiler stagiaires et débutants sur le code, car c’est là la promesse de l’approche, leur mettre la pression, et après pas mal de larmes, de retard, et de dépit, une application dont personne n’est fier part en production. Peu de temps après, il faut tout de même la faire évoluer. Quelle est l’annonce qui va être produite pour le recrutement ? Cherche développeur wordpress/rails/django, niveau bac+5 exigé, aimant le challenge, connaissant au moins 10 blagues et étant force de proposition sous la pression. Et c’est parti, le problème est maintenant auto-répliquant : l’entreprise ne va attirer que des personnes qui ne voient aucun souci avec ce qui a été produit. Ils vont peut être rire de comment ça a été mal fait, oubliant par la même la quantité de pression, et de décisions prises à la hâte ayant menées à cette situation. Dans un monde comme celui-là, ce cycle paraît normal. C’est le jeu de l’informatique : tout est toujours hors budget, en retard et bugué. Du coup, autant ne pas payer cher quelque chose qui sera de toute manière cassé. Pour expliquer le titre de cette section, que s’est-il passé ici ? Étant donné la configuration initiale, l’entreprise est un aimant à attirer les personnes en accord avec elles. Ainsi, oui elle n’attire que du pisseur de code, producteur de bugs. Donc, en pensant initialement que l’expérience ne sert à rien, que les bugs sont inévitables, que le logiciel est un centre de coût et qu’il faut embaucher à pas cher, et mettre la pression, l’entreprise n’attire que des profils qui vont valider ces hypothèses. J’ai pris des frameworks RAD comme exemple, mais bien entendu, ces mots clefs sont remplaçables par n’importe quel autre, à n’importe quelle échelle : du moment qu’une technologie a été choisie indépendamment du problème, avec pour but d’économiser un maximum d’argent lors de la création du produit, ou pour tenter de pouvoir recruter du junior pressurisable, la situation est identique. CV-driven Une manière d’augmenter ses tarifs dans un tel écosystème, est de faire du CV-driven development. Le CV-driven development consiste à imposer des technologies à la mode sur un produit, indépendamment de leur pertinence, afin ensuite de trouver un emploi bien payé en tant qu’expert de cette technologie. Si vous vous vendez sur vos connaissances techniques, vous allez aller dans des boîtes en accord avec ça. Étant donné que le CV-driven donne rarement de bons développeurs, vous allez donc être pisseur. Il est possible d’être mieux payé dans cette catégorie, en surfant sur la vague de la hype, mais votre valeur ne sera jamais perçue comme supérieure à celle d’un autre CV-driven plus jeune, et nécessairement moins cher. Je ne sais pas si c’est une tendance de fond, mais je connais plusieurs anciens élèves s’étant lancés immédiatement en tant que freelance, grâce à une vague connaissance de ruby on rails, angular, react (peu importe encore une fois). C’est la quintessence du CV-driven démarré dès le début de carrière. Cette approche peut éventuellement un jour vous transformer en un développeur expérimenté, mais les chances sont faibles. Les chances sont plutôt que vous deviendrez à un moment ou un autre, un expert local. Expert local Une autre approche pour augmenter son salaire consiste à devenir ce que j’appelle un expert local. Dans une entreprise x ou y, vous êtes celui qui a mis en place tel ou tel projet, telle ou telle technologie, ou qui l’a repris. Vous vous êtes entêté, et vous êtes maintenant LA personne vers qui tout le monde se tourne en cas de souci sur cette plate-forme. Soyons bien clair avec cette approche : cela ne fait pas de vous un développeur expérimenté, même après 40 ans de carrière : cela fait de vous l’expert local de cette entreprise. Votre valeur sur le marché est imperceptible. Peu m’importe que vous soyez l’expert SAP de cette entreprise, le fait est que vous ne savez rien sorti de ce contexte. C’est donc une position risquée également : en cas de changement de cap de l’entreprise, vous avez de fait, plus aucune valeur pour elle non plus. J’ai par exemple vu le cas chez des développeurs devenus maîtres dans l’art de patcher un vieux et très gros site en ASP (tout court). Au fils des années, cette solution a été remplacée par une nouvelle version en .NET. Elle n’était pas nécessairement mieux codée, mais certains développeurs se sont retrouvés sur le carreau, car ils n’avaient pas appris .NET pour tout un tas de raisons, et leurs connaissances du vieux système étaient devenues inutiles. Briser le cercle : la posture du développeur expérimenté Comme tout cercle vicieux, il existe toujours des moyens de le transformer en cercle vertueux. Plutôt que de tenter d’agir sur quelque chose sur lequel je n’ai pas la main : les attentes des entreprises, et pleurer éternellement qu’elles ne comprennent pas; je préfère me concentrer sur quelque chose qui est à ma portée : ma propre attitude. Qu’est-ce que l’expérience ? Pour ne pas refaire un énorme pavé, je vous encourage à relire mon article sur les phases du programmeur. En peu de mots, l’expérience, ce n’est pas la même année répétée 10 fois. L’expérience, c’est le recul sur la technologie, c’est la compréhension qu’un langage n’est qu’un modèle de pensée pour résoudre un problème, c’est la compréhension que faire une SPA, ce n’est pas être un développeur de génie, juste un développeur qui fait des applications comme on en faisait en WinForm il y a 20 ans. En gros, l’expérience, c’est avoir assez de connaissances pour avoir un recul considérable sur les outils, et pouvoir enfin nous concentrer sur le problème. Être expérimenté, c’est également savoir qu’on ne sait pas, mais savoir qu’on peut apprendre, ou avoir des intuitions sur des chemins à prendre que nous n’avons pourtant pas encore parcourus. La posture du développeur expérimenté n’est non plus de créer de nouveaux problèmes dissimulant plus ou moins les anciens, mais bel et bien de les faire disparaître. À partir de là, je fuis toute annonce ou demande alignant des mots-clefs, c’est un signe très clair que le client en face ne veut pas quelqu’un pour résoudre ses problèmes, mais quelqu’un pour augmenter le nombre d’heures qu’il peut aligner dans la construction de sa pyramide. Pour augmenter la perception de ma valeur sur le marché, comparé à un junior, je vais avoir tendance à mettre en avant les problèmes que j’ai déjà aidé à résoudre, plutôt que les mots clefs que je peux aligner. Un premier contact chez Arpinum du coup peut être un peu déroutant : là ou certains clients veulent tout de suite parler technique, nous passons notre temps à éviter le sujet, et creuser les raisons profondes de leur présence. C’est vraiment dans un dernier temps que nous allons cogiter à un chemin technique pour résoudre les problèmes que nous avons identifiés. Un impératif : ne pas avoir plus de développeurs, mais plus de développeurs (réellement) expérimentés Il est strictement contre-productif, irréaliste, et bête, de blâmer des juniors pour leur absence de connaissance. De plus, étant donné qu’il est strictement impossible de fabriquer une formation permettant d’être réellement prêt à coder en sortant, cela veut dire que la charge de la formation repose sur les épaules des développeurs expérimentés. Par le binomage, par la création d’environnements permettant de se remettre de ses erreurs, par des revues de code, par le partage des bonnes informations au bon moment, petit à petit on peut passer du stade du développeur sachant à peine ce qu’il est train de faire, au stade du développeur expérimenté. Le souci, c’est que les chiffres sont en notre défaveur : il y a beaucoup trop de nouveaux entrants sur le marché par rapport aux personnes de bonnes volontés pour les accompagner (ou dans l’entreprise, ou à l’extérieur). Le paradoxe, c’est que cette absence participe à l’hémorragie des développeurs : après plusieurs années en tant que développeur dans un milieu toxique, si jamais personne ne nous a montré que ce n’est pas une fatalité, qu’il est possible de faire autrement, pire, de prendre du plaisir à faire ce métier, alors on abandonne, d’une manière ou d’une autre. L’autre paradoxe que j’ai déjà abordé dans mes billets et conférences, c’est que la posture du développeur expérimenté est souvent prise, parfois à raison, parfois à tort, comme de l’arrogance, ou du corporatisme. Quand on associe ça à la propension de notre profession à ne pas avoir d’histoire, cela crée ce gouffre de compréhension qui fait dire “TDD, c’est pour des extrémistes qui veulent nous faire sentir coupable de ne pas avoir de test”. Ou bien “on n’a rien à apprendre du développement de clients lourds, nous on fait du web”. etc. La solution bien sûr est également de laisser son ego à la porte quand on participe au développement d’un produit, mais c’est également un trait qui accompagne l’expérience hélas. Tout ceci est bien dommage, car d’un autre côté, le bon environnement permet de progresser très vite. J’ai déjà travaillé avec des personnes fraichement diplômées, qui en à peine un an ou deux, m’avaient rattrapé ou dépassé. C’est pour cela, je pense, qu’il faut arrêter de prétendre qu’apprendre à développer est facile. Oui en deux mois on peut commencer à être un amateur passionné, mais pas le CTO d’une startup hautement technologique. Il faut arrêter de cautionner des environnements de travail toxiques, cautionner des heures de travail de forçats imposées à des stagiaires pensant que c’est bien normal. Il faut arrêter de chercher encore et encore les mêmes profils, et diversifier les idées et cultures que nous sommes prêts à accueillir dans nos entreprises. Il n’y a rien de neuf sous le soleil, cette situation n’est pas propre à l’informatique. Seulement, nous confions bien trop d’aspect de nos vies à du code pour que cela ne m’inquiète pas. Et même sans prendre cet aspect en compte, il s’agit tout simplement d’assurer le bonheur à ceux et celles qui veulent faire ce métier tellement passionnant. Conclusion Si vous ne devez retenir que quatre choses de ce trop long billet c’est :

Lloyd Platt & Co is one of the UK’s leading divorce lawyers and family law firms. Based in London, we pride ourselves upon our caring approach to all our clients. Going through the divorce or criminal process can be a stressful experience for all parties concerned. At Lloyd Platt & Co our solicitors identify the most efficient strategy to make what can be the difficult divorce process easier. There is always a solution. If you are concerned about advice regarding the financial settlement arising out of your divorce, civil partnership or cohabitation the experts at this firm can point you in the right direction. Cohabitation cases are a very specialist area and pre-action protocols must be carefully followed. In relation to children’s matters, it is vital that you are aware of what a court might order and the correct parameters for negotiations. What is the right time to issue proceedings in relation to children and how can you successfully mediate to avoid the cost and stress of court proceedings? These are issues that Lloyd Platt & Co deal with on a daily basis. If you are thinking of entering into marriage or a second marriage, you may wish to protect your assets by the formulation of a prenuptial agreement. Alternatively, in order to avoid divorce proceedings and to add certainty to any future risk of relationship breakdown you may wish to enter into a postnuptial agreement. In either case, our experts will direct you in how to draw up such an agreement, the contents and how to ensure that the provisions are binding in English law. What ever aspect of matrimonial or family disputes you might have, Lloyd Platt are the first choice for most because we bring expertise and strategy to each case.

Hutson makes his second appearances on the USILA All-American squad, as he was a second-team selection last year. Hutson finished the year with a team-high 52 goals while he added 13 assists for 65 points. He notched a team-high nine man-up goals while he also threw in four game-winners. He collected 41 ground balls and had seven caused turnovers in his 20 games played. Hutson is York's all-time leading scorer with 210 points on a school-record 161 goals and 49 assists. He owns 21 career man-up goals and 10 game-winning tallies. He was a first-team All-CAC selection for the third time in his career this spring. Hutson led the CAC in goals scored for the second consecutive years while he ranked sixth in the league in points. Krolus closed out his stellar Spartan career with 34 points on 16 goals and 18 assists. He had 82 ground balls, eight caused turnovers, one game-winning goal and one man-up goal. Krolus earned first-team All-CAC honors for the second straight year and was also selected to play in the USILA Senior All-Star game. Krolus finished his career with 97 points on 44 goals and 53 assists with 224 ground balls. He had two game-winning goals and three man-up goals. He concluded his career first in program history in games played, third in ground balls and third in games started. Krolus finished the year fifth in the conference in ground balls. Lowe closed out a highly successful Spartan career with a strong senior campaign. Lowe recorded 51 points on 26 goals and 25 assists. He had four man-advantage goals with 33 ground balls and four caused turnovers. Lowe concludes his career with 157 points on 82 goals and 75 assists. He scored three game-winning goals and eight man-up goals. Lowe scooped up 115 career ground balls and forced 23 opponent turnovers. He was selected to play along with Krolus in the USILA Senior All-Star game. Lowe finished tenth in the CAC in points, seventh in assists and 13th in goals scored. Abney earns his first All-American award as a sophomore. He was the All-CAC first team goaltender as he continues to pile up impressive numbers. Abney finished the year with a record of 16-5 as he notched a 7.30 goals against average and a .615 save percentage. He recorded 217 saves as he faced 566 shots for the season in 1,117:33 in net. For his two years as a Spartan, Abney is 26-8 with a 7.14 goals against average and a .631 save percentage. He has recorded 368 saves, good for third on the Spartans' all-time list. He ranks first in goalkeeper wins while his save percentage and goals against average would be first. Abney ranks first in the CAC in save percentage, third in goals against average, second in wins, and first in total saves by 23 stops. Kluver was one of the best defenders in the Capital Athletic Conference. He notched three points on three goals with a team-high 34 caused turnovers and 46 ground balls. He recorded a game-winning goal as he found the back of the net with three seconds left in the 10-9 win over Ursinus on April 6. Kluver finished the year tied for first in the league in caused turnovers while he ranks 23rd in ground balls. He spearheads a defense that allowed 7.68 goals per game. Kluver now has 58 caused turnovers and 81 ground balls in his 38-game Spartan career. His 34 caused turnovers is a single season school record. Spartan head coach Brandon Childs was happy to see his five players earn national recognition. "We had a very good season and usually when that happens, your players get noticed. Fortunately, we have a great group of guys who are worthy of these All-American honors." Childs, the 2014 CAC Coach of the Year, will welcome back Hutson, Abney and Kluver next year as the Spartans will look to build on their school-record 16 wins in 2015.

Anisotropic adhesion properties of triangular-tip-shaped micropillars. Directional dry adhesive microstructures consisting of high-density triangular-tip-shaped micropillars are described. The wide-tip structures allow for unique directional shear adhesion properties with respect to the peeling direction, along with relatively high normal adhesion.

VIENNA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An IAEA report verifying that Iran has kept its promises under last year’s nuclear deal with world powers and triggering sanctions relief for Tehran is likely to be issued on Saturday, a diplomatic source said on Friday. The flag of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) flies in front of its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, January 15, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger The report, if issued, would mark the consummation of the July 14, 2015 nuclear agreement. Under the deal, Iran agreed to shrink its atomic program in exchange for the lifting of some EU, U.S. and U.N sanctions, which would allow billions of dollars of investment to flow into the country. In a sign its implementation may be at hand, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will meet in Vienna on Saturday, the U.S. State Department said. “All parties have continued making steady progress towards Implementation Day of the JCPOA, which will ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” said State Department spokesman Mark Toner, referring to the formal title of the deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Iranian and other officials had previously said they expected the report from the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, to come out on Friday. “Almost all details are ironed out,” said another diplomatic source, based in the Austrian capital. The IAEA is in charge of verifying that Iran has carried out all of the nuclear-related steps required in the deal it struck with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. It must release a report once it has done so. The IAEA declined comment on the timing of the report. Iranian officials have said Zarif and Mogherini would issue a statement on Saturday or Sunday on the “Implementation Day” of the nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions. Since July, Iran has drastically reduced the number of centrifuges installed at its enrichment sites, shipped tonnes of low-enriched uranium materials to Russia and dismantled the core of its Arak nuclear reactor. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said there could be a meeting in relation to Iran on Saturday in Vienna, where the July 14 deal was reached, but did not elaborate. “There may be some sort of a meeting tomorrow in Vienna, after which, if everything goes well, we will issue a statement from the Secretary-General,” he told reporters. In another sign implementation may be near, U.S. President Barack Obama delegated authority to Kerry to take steps to ease some sanctions. However, a U.S. official said this was “one of many preparatory steps” Washington had to take to ease sanctions once the IAEA verifies Iran has met its nuclear obligations.

Cumulative live birth rate after three ovarian stimulation IVF cycles for poor ovarian responders according to the bologna criteria. This study explored the cumulative live birth rate after three ovarian stimulation in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles for poor ovarian responders according to the Bologna criteria. In this retrospective cohort study, 479 poor ovarian responders according to the Bologna criteria in the first ovarian stimulation IVF cycle between July 2006 and January 2012 in our IVF centre were included. The cumulative live birth rate was calculated by optimistic and pessimistic methods. The cumulative live birth rate after three ovarian stimulation IVF cycles for poor ovarian responders according to the Bologna criteria was 12.7%-20.5%. The three-cycle cumulative live birth rate was 18.5%-24.5%, 13.2%-27.4% and 8.6%-14.9% for poor responders aged ≤35 years, 36-39 years and ≥40 years, respectively. In conclusion, poor responders according to the Bologna criteria can receive an acceptable cumulative live birth rate after three ovarian stimulation IVF cycles, especially poor responders aged <40 years.

--- abstract: 'The Pearcey kernel is a classical and universal kernel arising from random matrix theory, which describes the local statistics of eigenvalues when the limiting mean eigenvalue density exhibits a cusp-like singularity. It appears in a variety of statistical physics models beyond matrix models as well. We consider the Fredholm determinant of a trace class operator acting on $L^2\left(-s, s\right)$ with the Pearcey kernel. Based on a steepest descent analysis for a $3\times 3$ matrix-valued Riemann-Hilbert problem, we obtain asymptotics of the Fredholm determinant as $s\to +\infty$, which is also interpreted as large gap asymptotics in the context of random matrix theory.' author: - 'Dan Dai,  Shuai-Xia Xu and Lun Zhang' title: Asymptotics of Fredholm determinant associated with the Pearcey kernel --- Introduction and statement of the results ========================================= In a series of papers [@BH]–[@BH96a], Brézin and Hikami initiated the studies of deformed complex Gaussian unitary ensemble (GUE) of the form $$\frac{1}{Z_n}e^ {-n \textrm{Tr}\left(\frac{M^2}{2}-AM \right)}{\,\mathrm{d}}M,$$ defined on the space of $n \times n$ Hermitian matrices, where $Z_n$ is a normalization constant and $A$ is a deterministic matrix also known as the external source. An interesting feature of this matrix ensemble is that it provides a simple model to create a phase transition for the eigenvalues of $M$ in the large $n$ limit. Indeed, by assuming the matrix $A$ is diagonal with two eigenvalues $a$ and $-a$ of equal multiplicity, it follows from the work of Pastur [@Pastur] that if $a>1$, the eigenvalues are distributed on two disjoint intervals, while for $0<a<1$, the eigenvalues are distributed on a single interval. In the critical case when $a\to 1$ as $n\to \infty$, the gap closes at the origin and the limiting mean eigenvalue density exhibits a cusp-like singularity, i.e., the density vanishes like $|x|^{1/3}$ as $x\to 0$. Upon letting $n\to\infty$ and after proper scaling, a new local eigenvalue process characterized by the so-called Pearcey kernel emerges near the origin. The Pearcey kernel $K^{\mathrm{Pe}}$ is defined as (see [@BH; @BH1]) $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq: pearcey kernel} K^{\mathrm{Pe}}(x,y;\rho)&=\int_0^{\infty}p(x+z)q(y+z){\,\mathrm{d}}z \nonumber \\ &=\frac{p(x)q''(y)-p'(x)q'(y)+p''(x)q(y)-\rho p(x)q(y)}{x-y},\end{aligned}$$ where $\rho\in\mathbb{R}$, $$\label{eq:pearcey integral} p(x)=\frac{1}{2\pi}\int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-\frac14s^4-\frac{\rho}{2}s^2+isx} {\,\mathrm{d}}s \qquad \text{and} \qquad q(y)=\frac{1}{2\pi} \int_\Sigma e^{\frac14 t^4+\frac{\rho}{2}t^2+ity} {\,\mathrm{d}}t.$$ The contour $\Sigma$ in the definition of $q$ consists of the four rays $\arg t=\pi/4,3\pi/4,5\pi/4,7\pi/4$, where the first and the third rays are oriented from infinity to zero while the second and the last rays are oriented outwards; see Figure \[fig: sigma\] for an illustration. The functions $p$ and $q$ in are solutions of the third order differential equations $$\begin{aligned} p'''(x)&=xp(x)+\rho p'(x), \label{eq:Pearcey1} \\ q'''(y)&=-yq(y)+\rho q'(y),\end{aligned}$$ respectively. Since $p$ and $q$ were first introduced by Pearcey in the context of electromagnetic fields [@Pear], the kernel $K^{\mathrm{Pe}}$ bears the name Pearcey kernel. To see how $K^{\mathrm{Pe}}$ describe the aforementioned phase transition, note that the eigenvalues of $M$ form a determinantal point process with a correlation kernel $K_n(x,y;a)$ depending on $a$ (see [@BH; @BH1; @Zinn]), it was established in [@BH; @BH1] (for $\rho=0$) and in [@BK3; @TW] (for general $\rho \in \mathbb{R}$) that $$\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1}{n^{3/4}}K_n\left(\frac{x}{n^{3/4}},\frac{y}{n^{3/4}}; 1+\frac{\rho}{2\sqrt{n}}\right)=K^{\mathrm{Pe}}(x,y;\rho),$$ i.e., the correlation kernel $K_n$ converges to the Pearcey kernel near the origin as $n\to \infty$ in a double scaling regime. (100,70)(-5,2) (20,40)(60,40) (40,40)[(1,1)[15]{}]{} (40,40)[(-1,-1)[15]{}]{} (40,40)[(-1,1)[15]{}]{} (40,40)[(1,-1)[15]{}]{} (40,40) (39.3,36)[$0$]{} (43,41)[$\pi/4$]{} (50,50)[(-1,-1)[.0001]{}]{} (30,50)[(-1,1)[.0001]{}]{} (50,30)[(1,-1)[.0001]{}]{} (30,30)[(1,1)[.0001]{}]{} (56,52)[$\Sigma$]{} Like the classical kernels (sine kernel and Airy kernel) arising from random matrix theory [@Forrester; @metha], the Pearcey kernel is a universal object as evidenced by its appearance in a variety of stochastic models. On one hand, the Pearcey statistics have been established in specific matrix models including large complex correlated Wishart matrices [@HHNa; @HHNb], a two-matrix model with special quartic potential [@GZ], and quite recently for general complex Hermitian Wigner-type matrices at the cusps [@EKS], where the requirement on the identical distribution in Wigner matrices is dropped. It is worthwhile to mention that, for Wigner-type matrices, the density of states exhibits only square root or cubic root cusp singularities; see the classification theorem in [@AjEK2017; @AlEK2018]. On the other hand, one also encounters the Pearcey kernel beyond matrix models, as can be seen from its connection with non-intersecting Brownian motions at cusps [@AOV; @AM; @BK3] and a combinatorial model on random partitions [@OR]. Let $K^{\mathrm{Pe}}_{s,\rho}$ be the trace class operator acting on $L^2\left(-s, s\right)$ with the Pearcey kernel , it is well-known that the associated Fredholm determinant $\det\left(I-K^{\mathrm{Pe}}_{s,\rho}\right)$ gives us the probability of finding no particles (also known as the gap probability) on the interval $(-s,s)$ in a determinantal point process on the real line characterized by the Pearcey kernel. Moreover, it is shown in [@AM; @BC1; @BH; @TW] that the gap probability satisfies some nonlinear differential equations under more general settings. Since one cannot evaluate the Fredholm determinant explicitly for any fixed $s$, a natural and fundamental question is then to ask for its large $s$ asymptotics, which will be the aim of the present work. Denote by $$\label{def:Fnotation} F(s;\rho):=\ln \det\left(I-K^{\mathrm{Pe}}_{s,\rho}\right)$$ the logarithm of Fredholm determinant associated with the Pearcey kernel, our main result is the following theorem. \[main-thm\] With $F(s;\rho)$ defined in , we have, as $s\to +\infty$, $$\label{main-F-asy} F(s;\rho)= -\frac{9 s^{\frac83}}{2^{\frac{17}3}} + \frac{\rho s^2}{4} - \frac{\rho^2 s^{{\frac43}}}{2^{{\frac{10}3}}} - \frac{2}{9} \ln s +\frac{\rho^4}{216} + C + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{2}{3}}),$$ uniformly for $\rho$ in any compact subset of $\mathbb{R}$, where $C$ is an undetermined constant independent of $\rho$ and $s$. In the literature, the large $s$ asymptotics of $F(s;\rho)$ was formally derived in [@BH] for $\rho = 0$, based on the coupled nonlinear differential equations satisfied by $F(s;0)$. Moreover, the asymptotics therein contains the leading term alone, without providing any information about the error estimate or the sub-leading terms. Our asymptotic expansion includes more terms and improves the result in [@BH]. After a change of variable $s\mapsto s/2$, the leading term of the asymptotic formula , i.e., $-9 s^{\frac83}/2^{\frac{17}3}$, agrees with that obtained in [@BH (3.36)]. Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that our derivation is rigorous, which makes use of integrable structure of the Pearcey kernel in the sense of Its-Izergin-Korepin-Slavnov [@IIKS90] and involves a steepest descent analysis of the revelent Riemann-Hilbert (RH) problem. As also observed in [@BH], the leading term of the asymptotic formula confirms the so-called Forrester-Chen-Eriksen-Tracy conjecture [@CET95; @Forrester93]. This conjecture asserts that if the density of state behaves as $|x-x^*|^\beta$ near a point $x^*$, then the probability $E(s)$ of emptiness of the interval $(x^* -s, x^* +s)$ behaves like $$E(s) \sim \exp \biggl(-C s^{2\beta +2} \biggr), \qquad \textrm{as } s \to +\infty.$$ In the present Pearcey case, we have $\beta = \frac{1}{3}$ and $2\beta +2 = \frac83$. Evaluation of the constant $C$ in is a challenging problem in the studies of large gap asymptotics [@Kra1]. For the classical sine, Airy and Bessel kernels encountered in random matrix theory, one could resolve this problem either by investigating the relevant Hankel or Toeplitz determinants which approximate the Fredholm determinants [@DIK2008; @DIKZ; @dkv; @Kra2], or by studying the total integrals of the Painlevé transcendents on account of Tracy-Widom type formulas for the gap probability [@BRD08]; see also [@BE; @E10; @E06] for the approach of operator theory. It seems unlikely that these methods are applicable in the present case. One rough idea to tackle this problem is based on the observation that, as the parameter $\rho$ tends to $-\infty$, the cusp singularity at the origin disappears and the origin becomes a regular point inside the bulk. Thus, we expect that $F(s;\rho)$ might be related to the determinant of (generalized) sine kernel under certain scaling limits when $\rho \to -\infty$, from which the constant term can be derived. We will leave this issue to a future publication. Finally, we note that the asymptotics of Fredholm determinant associated with the Pearcey kernel is also investigated from the viewpoint of phase transition in [@ACV; @BC1], i.e., to show how the Pearcey process becomes an Airy process by sending both $s$ and the parameter $\rho$ to positive infinity. We emphasize the asymptotic results therein are essentially different from ours. The rest of this paper is devoted to the proof of Theorem \[main-thm\]. We mainly follow the general strategy established in [@Bor:Dei2002; @DIZ97]. In Section \[sec:DiffIdentity\], we relate the partial derivatives of $F(s;\rho)$ to a $3 \times 3$ RH problem with constant jumps, which is essential in the proof. After introducing some auxiliary functions defined on a Riemann surface with a specified sheet structure in Section \[sec:auxiliary function\], we then perform a Deift-Zhou steepest descent analysis [@DZ93] on this RH problem for large positive $s$ in Section \[sec:asymanalyX\]. This asymptotic outcome, together with the differential identities for $F(s;\rho)$, will finally lead to the proof of Theorem \[main-thm\], as presented in Section \[sec:proof\]. Differential identities for the Fredholm determinant {#sec:DiffIdentity} ==================================================== A Riemann-Hilbert characterization of the Pearcey kernel -------------------------------------------------------- The starting point toward the proof of Theorem \[main-thm\] is an alternative representation of the Pearcey kernel $K^{\mathrm{Pe}}$ via a $3 \times 3$ RH problem, as shown in [@BK3] and stated next. \[rhp: Pearcey\] We look for a $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $\Psi(z)=\Psi(z;\rho)$ satisfying - $\Psi(z)$ is defined and analytic in ${\mathbb{C}}\setminus \{\cup_{j=0}^5\Sigma_j \cup \{ 0 \} \}$, where $$\label{def:sigmai} \begin{aligned} &\Sigma_0=(0,+\infty), ~~ \Sigma_1=e^{\frac{\pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), ~~\Sigma_2=e^{\frac{ 3 \pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), \\ &\Sigma_3=(-\infty, 0), ~~ \Sigma_4=e^{-\frac{3\pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty),~~ \Sigma_5=e^{-\frac{\pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), \end{aligned}$$ with the orientations as shown in Figure \[fig:Pearcey\]. (100,70)(-5,2) (40,40)[(-1,-1)[20]{}]{} (40,40)[(-1,1)[20]{}]{} (40,40)[(-1,0)[30]{}]{} (40,40)[(1,0)[30]{}]{} (40,40)[(1,1)[20]{}]{} (40,40)[(1,-1)[20]{}]{} (30,50)[(1,-1)[1]{}]{} (30,40)[(1,0)[1]{}]{} (30,30)[(1,1)[1]{}]{} (50,50)[(1,1)[1]{}]{} (50,40)[(1,0)[1]{}]{} (50,30)[(1,-1)[1]{}]{} (39,36.3)[$0$]{} (20,15)[$\Sigma_4$]{} (20,63)[$\Sigma_2$]{} (3,40)[$\Sigma_3$]{} (60,15)[$\Sigma_5$]{} (60,63)[$\Sigma_1$]{} (75,40)[$\Sigma_0$]{} (22,44)[$\Theta_2$]{} (22,34)[$\Theta_3$]{} (55,44)[$\Theta_0$]{} (55,34)[$\Theta_5$]{} (38,53)[$\Theta_1$]{} (38,22)[$\Theta_4$]{} (40,40) - For $z\in \Sigma_k$, $k=0,1,\ldots,5$, the limiting values $$\Psi_+(z) = \lim_{\substack{\zeta \to z \\\zeta\textrm{ on $+$-side of }\Sigma_k}}\Psi(\zeta), \qquad \Psi_-(z) = \lim_{\substack{\zeta \to z \\\zeta\textrm{ on $-$-side of }\Sigma_k}}\Psi(\zeta),$$ exist, where the $+$-side and $-$-side of $\Sigma_k$ are the sides which lie on the left and right of $\Sigma_k$, respectively, when traversing $\Sigma_k$ according to its orientation. These limiting values satisfy the jump relation $$\label{jumps:M} \Psi_{+}(z) = \Psi_{-}(z)J_{\Psi}(z),\qquad z\in \cup_{j=0}^5\Sigma_j,$$ where $$\label{def:JPsi} J_{\Psi}(z):= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_0$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 1&1&1 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_1$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 1&1&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_2$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 0&0&1 \\ 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_3$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 1&-1&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_4$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 1&1&-1 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_5$.} \end{array} \right.$$ - As $z \to \infty$ and $\pm{\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$, we have $$\label{eq:asyPsi} \Psi(z)= \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \Psi_0 \left(I+ \frac{\Psi_1}{z} +\mathcal O(z^{-2}) \right)\operatorname{diag}\left(z^{-\frac13},1,z^{\frac13} \right)L_{\pm} e^{\Theta(z)},$$ where $$\label{asyPsi:coeff} \Psi_0 = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \kappa_3(\rho)+\frac{2\rho}{3} & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}, \qquad \Psi_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 0 & \kappa_3(\rho) & 0 \\ \widetilde\kappa_6(\rho) & 0 & \kappa_3(\rho) + \frac{\rho}{3} \\ 0 & \widehat \kappa_6(\rho) & 0 \end{pmatrix},$$ with $$\label{poly:kappa3} \kappa_3(\rho) = \frac{\rho^3}{54} - \frac{\rho}{6},$$ $\widetilde\kappa_6(\rho) = \kappa_6(\rho) + \frac{\rho}{3} \kappa_3(\rho) - \frac{1}{3}$, $\widehat\kappa_6(\rho) = \kappa_6(\rho) -\kappa_3^2(\rho) + \frac{\rho^2}{9} - \frac{1}{3},$ and $$\label{poly:kappa6} \kappa_6(\rho) = \frac{\rho^6}{5832} - \frac{\rho^4}{162} - \frac{\rho^2}{72} + \frac{7}{36}.$$ Moreover, $L_{\pm}$ are constant matrices $$\begin{aligned} \label{def:Lpm} L_{+}= \begin{pmatrix} -\omega & \omega^2 & 1 \\ -1&1&1 \\ -\omega^2 & \omega & 1 \end{pmatrix}, \qquad L_{-}= \begin{pmatrix} \omega^2 & \omega & 1 \\ 1&1&1 \\ \omega & \omega^2 & 1 \end{pmatrix},\end{aligned}$$ with $\omega=e^{2\pi i/3}$, and $\Theta(z)$ is given by $$\begin{aligned} \label{def:Theta} \Theta(z)=\Theta(z;\rho)&= \begin{cases} \operatorname{diag}(\theta_1(z;\rho),\theta_2(z;\rho),\theta_3(z;\rho)), & \text{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z >0$,} \\ \operatorname{diag}(\theta_2(z;\rho),\theta_1(z;\rho),\theta_3(z;\rho)), & \text{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z <0$,} \\ \end{cases}\end{aligned}$$ with $$\label{eq: theta-k-def} \theta_k(z;\rho)=\frac34 \omega^{2k}z^{\frac43}+\frac{\rho}{2}\omega^kz^{\frac23}, \qquad k=1,2,3.$$ - $\Psi(z)$ is bounded near the origin. It is shown in [@BK3 Section 8.1] that the above RH problem has a unique solution expressed in terms of solutions of the Pearcey differential equation . Indeed, note that admits the following solutions: $$\label{def:pj} p_j(z)=p_j(z;\rho)=\int_{\Gamma_j}e^{-\frac14 s^4-\frac{\rho}{2}s^2+is z}{\,\mathrm{d}}s, \qquad j=0,1,\ldots,5,$$ where $$\begin{aligned} \Gamma_0&=(-\infty,+\infty), \quad && \Gamma_1=(i\infty, 0]\cup[0,\infty), \\ \Gamma_2&=(i\infty,0]\cup[0,-\infty), \quad && \Gamma_3=(-i\infty, 0]\cup[0,-\infty), \\ \Gamma_4&=(-i\infty,0]\cup[0,\infty), \quad && \Gamma_5=(-i\infty, i\infty).\end{aligned}$$ We then have $$\label{def:soltopsi} \Psi(z)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} -p_2(z) & p_1(z) & p_5(z)\\ -p_2'(z) & p_1'(z) & p_5'(z) \\-p_2''(z) & p_1''(z) & p_5''(z) \end{pmatrix}, & \quad \hbox{$z\in \Theta_0$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} p_0(z) & p_1(z) & p_4(z)\\ p_0'(z) & p_1'(z) & p_4'(z) \\ p_0''(z) & p_1''(z) & p_4''(z) \end{pmatrix}, & \quad \hbox{$z\in \Theta_1$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} -p_3(z) & -p_5(z) & p_4(z) \\ -p_3'(z) & -p_5'(z) & p_4'(z) \\-p_3''(z) & -p_5''(z) & p_4''(z) \end{pmatrix}, & \quad \hbox{$z\in \Theta_2$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} p_4(z) & -p_5(z) & p_3(z)\\ p_4'(z) & -p_5'(z) & p_3'(z) \\ p_4''(z) & -p_5''(z) & p_3''(z)\end{pmatrix}, & \quad \hbox{$z\in \Theta_3$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} p_0(z) & p_2(z) & p_3(z)\\ p_0'(z) & p_2'(z) & p_3'(z) \\ p_0''(z) & p_2''(z) & p_3''(z) \end{pmatrix}, & \quad \hbox{$z\in \Theta_4$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} p_1(z) & p_2(z) & p_5(z)\\ p_1'(z) & p_2'(z) & p_5'(z) \\ p_1''(z) & p_2''(z) & p_5''(z) \end{pmatrix}, & \quad \hbox{$z\in \Theta_5$,} \end{array} \right.$$ where $\Theta_k$, $k=0,1,\ldots,5$, is the region bounded by the rays $\Sigma_k$ and $\Sigma_{k+1}$ (with $\Sigma_6:=\Sigma_0$); see Figure \[fig: sigma\] for an illustration. For our purpose, we present a refined asymptotics of $\Psi$ at infinity in , which can be verified directly from . To see this, let us focus on the case $z\in\Theta_1$, since the asymptotics in other regions can be derived in a similar way. Carrying out a steepest descent analysis to the integrals defined (cf. [@BK3; @Miyamoto]), we have, as $z\to \infty$, $$\label{eq:asyp0} p_0(z) = \begin{cases} -\sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \omega z^{-\frac{1}{3}} e^{\theta_1(z;\rho)} \biggl( 1 + \frac{\kappa_3(\rho)}{\omega} z^{-\frac{2}{3}} + \frac{\kappa_6(\rho)}{\omega^2} z^{-\frac{4}{3}} + \mathcal O(z^{-2} ) \biggr), & {\mathrm{Im}\,}z >0, \\ \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \omega^2 z^{-\frac{1}{3}} e^{\theta_2(z;\rho)} \biggl( 1 + \frac{\kappa_3(\rho)}{\omega^2} z^{-\frac{2}{3}} + \frac{\kappa_6(\rho)}{\omega^4} z^{-\frac{4}{3}} + \mathcal O(z^{-2} ) \biggr), & {\mathrm{Im}\,}z <0, \end{cases}$$ $$p_1(z) = \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \omega^2 z^{-\frac{1}{3}} e^{\theta_2(z;\rho)} \biggl( 1 + \frac{\kappa_3(\rho)}{\omega^2} z^{-\frac{2}{3}} + \frac{\kappa_6(\rho)}{\omega^4} z^{-\frac{4}{3}} + \mathcal O(z^{-2} ) \biggr)$$ for $-\frac{3\pi}{4} < \arg z < \frac{5\pi}{4},$ and $$\label{eq:asyp4} p_4(z) = \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} z^{-\frac{1}{3}} e^{\theta_3(z;\rho)} \biggl( 1 + \kappa_3(\rho) z^{-\frac{2}{3}} + \kappa_6(\rho) z^{-\frac{4}{3}} + \mathcal O(z^{-2} ) \biggr)$$ for $-\frac{\pi}{4} < \arg z < \frac{7\pi}{4},$ where $\theta_k(z;\rho)$, $k=1,2,3$, are given in , $\kappa_3(\rho)$ and $\kappa_6(\rho)$ are polynomials in $\rho$ given in and . The asymptotic expansions of $p_j'(z)$ and $p_j''(z)$, $j=0,1,4$, can be derived in a similar fashion or simply by taking derivatives on the right hand sides of –. A combination of all these asymptotic results and then gives us after a straightforward calculation. Now, define $$\label{eq: tilde-psi} \widetilde \Psi (z)=\widetilde \Psi (z;\rho)= \begin{pmatrix} p_0(z) & p_1(z) & p_4(z) \\ p_0'(z) & p_1'(z) & p_4'(z) \\ p_0''(z) & p_1''(z) & p_4''(z) \end{pmatrix}, \qquad z\in \mathbb{C},$$ that is, $\widetilde \Psi$ is the analytic extension of the restriction of $\Psi$ on the region $\Theta_1$ to the whole complex plane. The Pearcey kernel then admits the following equivalent representation in terms of $\widetilde \Psi$ (see [@BK3 Equation (10.19)]): $$\label{eq:PearceyRH} K^{\mathrm{Pe}}(x,y;\rho)=\frac{1}{2 \pi i(x-y)} \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1 & 1 \end{pmatrix} \widetilde \Psi^{-1}(y;\rho)\widetilde \Psi(x;\rho) \begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix}, \qquad x,y \in \mathbb{R}.$$ Differential equations for $\Psi$ --------------------------------- For later use, we need the following linear differential equations for $\Psi$ with respect to $z$ and $\rho$. \[prop:ODE\] Let $\Psi=\Psi(z;\rho)$ be the unique solution of the RH problem \[rhp: Pearcey\]. We then have $$\label{eq: ODE1} \frac{\partial \Psi}{\partial z}= \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \\ z & \rho & 0 \end{pmatrix}\Psi,$$ and $$\label{eq:ODE2} \frac{\partial \Psi}{\partial \rho}=\frac12 \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 0 & 1 \\ z & \rho & 0 \\ 1 & z & \rho \end{pmatrix}\Psi.$$ The differential equation follows directly from , and . To show , we obtain from , and direct calculations that, for $j=1,\ldots,5$, $$\frac{\partial p_j}{\partial \rho}=-\frac12 \int_{\Gamma_j}s^2e^{-\frac14 s^4-\frac{\rho}{2}s^2+is z}{\,\mathrm{d}}s=\frac12 p_j'',$$ $$\frac{\partial p_j'}{\partial \rho}=-\frac i 2 \int_{\Gamma_j}s^3 e^{-\frac14 s^4-\frac{\rho}{2}s^2+is z}{\,\mathrm{d}}s= \frac12 p_j'''=\frac12 (zp_j+\rho p_j'),$$ and $$\frac{\partial p_j''}{\partial \rho}= \frac 1 2 \int_{\Gamma_j}s^4 e^{-\frac14 s^4-\frac{\rho}{2}s^2+is z}{\,\mathrm{d}}s = \frac12 p_j'''' =\frac12 (zp_j+\rho p_j')'=\frac12 (p_j+zp_j'+\rho p_j''),$$ which leads to . This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:ODE\]. Differential identities for $F$ ------------------------------- By , it is readily seen that $$\label{eq:tildeKdef} K^{\mathrm{Pe}}(x,y;\rho) = \frac{{\mathbf}{f}^t(x){\mathbf}{h}(y)}{x-y},$$ where $$\label{def:fh} {\mathbf}{f}(x)=\begin{pmatrix} f_1 \\ f_2 \\ f_3 \end{pmatrix}:=\widetilde \Psi(x) \begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix}, \qquad {\mathbf}{h}(y)=\begin{pmatrix} h_1 \\ h_2 \\ h_3 \end{pmatrix} := \frac{1}{2 \pi i} \widetilde \Psi^{-t}(y) \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 1 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}.$$ With the function $F$ defined in , we have $$\label{eq:derivatives} \frac{\partial}{\partial s}F(s;\rho)=\frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}s} \ln \det(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}) =-\textrm{tr}\left((I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}})^{-1} \frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}s}K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)=-R(s,s)-R(-s,-s),$$ where $R(u,v)$ stands for the kernel of the resolvent operator, that is, $$R=\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)^{-1}-I=K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)^{-1}=\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)^{-1}K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}.$$ Since the kernel of the operator $K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}$ is integrable in the sense of [@IIKS90], its resolvent kernel is integrable as well; cf. [@DIZ97; @IIKS90]. Indeed, by setting $$\label{def:FH} {\mathbf}{F}(u)= \begin{pmatrix} F_1 \\ F_2 \\ F_3 \end{pmatrix}:=\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)^{-1}{\mathbf}{f}, \qquad {\mathbf}{H}(v)=\begin{pmatrix} H_1 \\ H_2 \\ H_3 \end{pmatrix} :=\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)^{-1}{\mathbf}{h},$$ we have $$\label{eq:resolventexpli} R(u,v)=\frac{{\mathbf}{F}^t(u){\mathbf}{H}(v)}{u-v}.$$ We could also represent $\frac{\partial}{\partial \rho}F(s;\rho)$ in terms of ${\mathbf}{F}$ and ${\mathbf}{H}$ defined in . To proceed, we note from and that $$\label{def:fderivative} \frac{\partial {\mathbf}{f}}{\partial \rho}(x) = \frac12 \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 0 & 1 \\ x & \rho & 0 \\ 1 & x & \rho \end{pmatrix} {\mathbf}{f}(x).$$ Moreover, by taking derivative with respect to $\rho$ on both sides of $\Psi \cdot \Psi^{-1}=I$, it is readily seen from that $$\frac{\partial \Psi^{-1}}{\partial \rho} = -\frac{\Psi^{-1}}{2} \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 0 & 1 \\ z & \rho & 0 \\ 1 & z & \rho \end{pmatrix},$$ which gives us $$\frac{\partial {\mathbf}{h}}{\partial \rho}(y) = -\frac12 \begin{pmatrix} 0 & y & 1 \\ 0 & \rho & y \\ 1 & 0 & \rho \end{pmatrix} {\mathbf}{h}(y).$$ This, together with and , implies $$\begin{gathered} \frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}\rho}K^{{\mathrm{Pe}}}=\frac{\frac{\partial {\mathbf}{f}^t}{\partial \rho}(x){\mathbf}{h}(y)+{\mathbf}{f}^t(x)\frac{\partial {\mathbf}{h}}{\partial \rho}(y)}{x-y} \\ ={\mathbf}{f}^t(x) \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1/2 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1/2 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 \end{pmatrix}{\mathbf}{h}(y)=\frac 12 (f_1(x)h_2(y)+f_2(x)h_3(y)).\end{gathered}$$ Hence, we obtain $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:lamdaderivative} \frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho)= \frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}\rho} \ln \det\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right) =-\textrm{tr}\left(\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right)^{-1} \frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}\rho}K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right) \\ =-\frac 12 \int_{-s}^s (F_1(v)h_2(v)+F_2(v)h_3(v)){\,\mathrm{d}}v.\end{gathered}$$ We next establish the connection between the functions $\frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)$, $\frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho)$ and an RH problem with constant jumps, which is based on the fact that the resolvent kernel $R(u,v)$ is related to the following RH problem. \[rhp:Y\] We look for a $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $Y(z)$ satisfying the following properties: 1. $Y(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus [-s,s]$, where the orientation is taken from the left to the right. 2. For $x\in(-s,s)$, we have $$\label{eq:Y-jump} Y_+(x)=Y_-(x)(I-2\pi i {\mathbf}{f}(x){\mathbf}{h}^t(x)),$$ where the functions ${\mathbf}{f}$ and ${\mathbf}{h}$ are defined in . 3. As $z \to \infty$, $$\label{eq:Y-infty} Y(z)=I+\frac{\mathsf{Y}_1}{z}+\mathcal O(z^{-2}).$$ 4. As $z \to \pm s$, we have $Y(z) = \mathcal O(\ln(z \mp s))$. By [@DIZ97], it follows that $$\label{eq:Yexpli} Y(z)=I-\int_{-s}^s\frac{{\mathbf}{F}(w){\mathbf}{h}^t(w)}{w-z}{\,\mathrm{d}}w$$ and $$\label{def:FH2} {\mathbf}{F}(z)=Y(z){\mathbf}{f}(z), \qquad {\mathbf}{H}(z)=(Y^t(z))^{-1}{\mathbf}{h}(z).$$ Recall the RH problem \[rhp: Pearcey\] for $\Psi$, we make the following undressing transformation to arrive at an RH problem with constant jumps. To proceed, the four rays $\Sigma_k$, $k=1,2,4,5$, emanating from the origin are replaced by their parallel lines emanating from some special points on the real line. More precisely, we replace $\Sigma_1$ and $\Sigma_5$ by their parallel rays $\Sigma_1^{(s)}$ and $\Sigma_5^{(s)}$ emanating from the point $s$, replace $\Sigma_2$ and $\Sigma_4$ by their parallel rays $\Sigma_2^{(s)}$ and $\Sigma_4^{(s)}$ emanating from the point $-s$. Furthermore, these rays, together with the real axis, divide the complex plane into six regions $\texttt{I-VI}$, as illustrated in Figure \[fig:X\]. (100,70)(-5,2) (25,40)[(-1,0)[30]{}]{} (55,40)[(1,0)[30]{}]{} (25,40)(55,40) (25,40)[(-1,-1)[25]{}]{} (25,40)[(-1,1)[25]{}]{} (55,40)[(1,1)[25]{}]{} (55,40)[(1,-1)[25]{}]{} (15,40)[(1,0)[1]{}]{} (65,40)[(1,0)[1]{}]{} (10,55)[(1,-1)[1]{}]{} (10,25)[(1,1)[1]{}]{} (70,25)[(1,-1)[1]{}]{} (70,55)[(1,1)[1]{}]{} (39,36.3)[$0$]{} (-2,11)[$\Sigma_4^{(s)}$]{} (-2,67)[$\Sigma_2^{(s)}$]{} (3,42)[$\Sigma_3^{(s)}$]{} (80,11)[$\Sigma_5^{(s)}$]{} (80,67)[$\Sigma_1^{(s)}$]{} (73,42)[$\Sigma_0^{(s)}$]{} (10,46)[$\texttt{III}$]{} (10,34)[$\texttt{IV}$]{} (68,46)[$\texttt{I}$]{} (68,34)[$\texttt{VI}$]{} (38,55)[$\texttt{II}$]{} (38,20)[$\texttt{V}$]{} (40,40) (25,40) (55,40) (24,36.3)[$-s$]{} (54,36.3)[$s$]{} We now define $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:YtoX} X(z) = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} Y(z)\Psi(z), & \hbox{for $z$ in the region $\texttt{I}\cup \texttt{III}\cup \texttt{IV} \cup \texttt{VI}$,} \\ Y(z)\widetilde \Psi(z), & \hbox{for $z$ in the region $\texttt{II}$,} \\ Y(z)\widetilde \Psi(z) \begin{pmatrix} 1 & -1 & -1 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}, & \hbox{for $z$ in the region $\texttt{V}$,} \end{array} \right.\end{aligned}$$ where $\widetilde \Psi$ is defined in . Then, $X$ satisfies the following RH problem. \[rhp:X\] The function $X$ defined in has the following properties: 1. $X(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{\cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(s)}\cup \{-s\} \cup\{s\}\}$, where $$\label{def:sigmais} \begin{aligned} &\Sigma_0^{(s)}=(s,+\infty), ~~ &&\Sigma_1^{(s)}=s+e^{\frac{\pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), ~~ &&&\Sigma_2^{(s)}=-s+e^{\frac{ 3 \pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), \\ &\Sigma_3^{(s)}=(-\infty, -s), ~~ &&\Sigma_4^{(s)}=-s+e^{-\frac{3\pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), ~~ &&&\Sigma_5^{(s)}=s+e^{-\frac{\pi i}{4}}(0,+\infty), \end{aligned}$$ with the orientations from the left to the right; see the solid lines in Figure \[fig:X\]. 2. $X$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:X-jump} X_+(z)=X_-(z)J_X(z), \qquad z\in \cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(s)},$$ where $$\label{def:JX} J_X(z):=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_0^{(s)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 1&1&1 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_1^{(s)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 1&1&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_2^{(s)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 0&0&1 \\ 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_3^{(s)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 1&-1&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_4^{(s)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 1&1&-1 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_5^{(s)}$.} \end{array} \right.$$ 3. As $z \to \infty$ and $\pm {\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$, we have $$\label{eq:asyX} X(z)= \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \Psi_0 \left(I+ \frac{\mathsf{X}_1}{z} +\mathcal O(z^{-2}) \right)\operatorname{diag}\left(z^{-\frac13},1,z^{\frac13} \right)L_{\pm} e^{\Theta(z)},$$ where $\Psi_0$, $L_{\pm}$ and $\Theta(z)$ are given in , and , respectively, and $$\label{X1-formula} \mathsf{X}_1 = \Psi_1 + \Psi_0^{-1} \mathsf{Y}_1 \Psi_0$$ with $\Psi_1$ and $\mathsf{Y}_1$ given in and . 4. As $z \to \pm s$, we have $X(z) = \mathcal O(\ln(z \mp s))$. We only need to show that $X$ does not have a jump over $(-s,s)$, while the other claims follow directly from and the RH problem \[rhp: Pearcey\] for $\Psi$. By , we have, for $-s<x<s$, $$I-2\pi i {\mathbf}{f}(x){\mathbf}{h}^t(x)=\widetilde\Psi(x) \begin{pmatrix} 1 & -1 & -1 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}\widetilde\Psi(x)^{-1}.$$ This, together with and , implies that for $x\in(-s,s)$, $$\begin{gathered} X_+(x)=Y_+(x)\widetilde \Psi(x)=Y_-(x)(I-2\pi i {\mathbf}{f}(x){\mathbf}{h}^t(x))\widetilde \Psi(x) \\ =Y_-(x)\widetilde \Psi(x)\begin{pmatrix} 1 & -1 & -1 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}=X_-(x),\end{gathered}$$ as desired. This completes the proof of Proposition \[rhp:X\]. The connections between the above RH problem and the partial derivatives of $F(s;\rho)$ are revealed in the following proposition. \[prop:derivativeandX\] With $F$ defined in , we have $$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho) &= \frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}\rho} \ln \det\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{\mathrm{Pe}}\right) = -\frac{1}{2} \left[ (\mathsf{X}_1)_{12} + (\mathsf{X}_1)_{23} \right] + \frac{\rho^3}{54}, \label{eq:derivativein-rho-X}\end{aligned}$$ where $\mathsf{X}_1$ is given in and $(M)_{ij}$ stands for the $(i,j)$th entry of a matrix $M$, and $$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)&=\frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}s} \ln \det\left(I-K_{s,\rho}^{{\mathrm{Pe}}}\right) \nonumber \\ &=-\frac{1}{ \pi i} \left[\lim_{z \to -s} \left(\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{31}\right) \right], \label{eq:derivativeinsX-2}\end{aligned}$$ where the above limit is taken from the region $\texttt{II} \, \cup \texttt{V}$. We begin with the proof of . From and , it follows that $$\mathsf{Y}_1 = \int_{-s}^s {\mathbf}{F}(v){\mathbf}{h}^t(v) {\,\mathrm{d}}v = \int_{-s}^s \begin{pmatrix} F_1(v) \\ F_2(v) \\ F_3(v) \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} h_1(v) & h_2(v) & h_3(v) \end{pmatrix} {\,\mathrm{d}}v .$$ This, together with , implies that $$\label{eq:Frho1} \frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho) = - \frac{1}{2} \left[ (\mathsf{Y}_1)_{12} + (\mathsf{Y}_1)_{23} \right].$$ By , it is readily seen that $\mathsf{Y}_1 = \Psi_0 (\mathsf{X}_1 - \Psi_1 ) \Psi_0^{-1}$. With the aid of the explicit expressions of $\Psi_0$ and $\Psi_1$ in , we then have $(\mathsf{Y}_1)_{12} + (\mathsf{Y}_1)_{23}=(\mathsf{X}_1)_{12} + (\mathsf{X}_1)_{23}-\frac{\rho^3}{27}$, which gives us in view of . We next consider $\frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)$. For $z\in \texttt{II}$, we see from , and that $$\label{eq:FHinX} {\mathbf}{F}(z)=Y(z){\mathbf}{f}(z)=Y(z)\widetilde \Psi(z)\begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix}=X(z) \begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix}$$ and $${\mathbf}{H}(z)=Y^{-t}(z){\mathbf}{h}(z)=X^{-t}(z)\widetilde \Psi^{t}(z)\cdot \frac{\widetilde \Psi^{-t}(z)}{2 \pi i}\begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 1 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}=\frac{X^{-t}(z)}{2 \pi i} \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 1 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}.$$ Combining the above formulas, , and L’Hôspital’s rule then gives us $$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho) =&-\frac{1}{2 \pi i} \bigg[\lim_{z \to -s} \left(\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{31}\right) \nonumber \\ & + \lim_{z \to s} \left(\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{31}\right)\bigg], \label{eq:derivativeinsX} $$ where the above limits are taken from the region $\texttt{II}$. Similarly, one can show that also holds provided the limits are taken from the region $\texttt{V}$. The expression can be further simplified via the following symmetric relation of $X(z)$: $$\label{eq: Xz+-} X(z) = \widetilde {C} X(-z) {\Lambda},$$ where $$\label{def:tildeC} \widetilde {C}= \Psi_0 \begin{pmatrix} -1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & -1 \end{pmatrix} \Psi_0^{-1}$$ is a nonsingular matrix with $\Psi_0$ given in , and $$\label{eq: MatLam} {\Lambda}= \begin{pmatrix} -1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}.$$ To see , let us consider the function $$\label{def:tildeX} \widetilde X(z):=X(-z) {\Lambda}.$$ It is straightforward to check that $\widetilde X(z)$ satisfies the same jump condition as $X(z)$ shown in and . This means $X(z)\widetilde X^{-1}(z)$ is analytic in the complex plane with possible isolated singular points located at $z = \pm s$. Since $ X(z) = \mathcal O(\ln(z \mp s)) $ as $z \to \pm s$, we conclude that the possible singular points $\pm s$ are removable. In view of the asymptotics of $X(z)$ given in , we further obtain from and a bit more cumbersome calculation that $$X(z)\widetilde X^{-1}(z) = \widetilde{C} + {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-1}), \qquad \textrm{as } z \to \infty,$$ with $\widetilde{C}$ given in . An appeal to Liouville’s theorem then leads us to . As a consequence of , we have $$X'(z) = -\widetilde {C} X'(-z) {\Lambda}.$$ This, together with and the fact that ${\Lambda}^{-1}={\Lambda}$, implies $$\begin{aligned} \lim_{z \to s} \left( X^{-1}(z)X'(z) \right) = - \lim_{z \to s} \left( {\Lambda}X^{-1}(-z) X'(-z) {\Lambda}\right) = - \lim_{z \to -s} \left( {\Lambda}X^{-1}(z) X'(z) {\Lambda}\right) .\end{aligned}$$ To this end, we observe that for an arbitrary $3\times 3$ matrix $ M = (m_{ij})_{i,j=1}^3$, $$\left( {\Lambda}M {\Lambda}\right)_{21} = - m_{31} \quad \textrm{and} \quad \left( {\Lambda}M {\Lambda}\right)_{31} = - m_{21}.$$ A combination of the above two formulas shows that $$\lim_{z \to -s} \left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{31} = \lim_{z \to s} \left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(X^{-1}(z)X'(z)\right)_{31}.$$ Inserting this formula into gives us . This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:derivativeandX\]. Auxiliary functions {#sec:auxifuncs} =================== \[sec:auxiliary function\] In this section, we introduce some auxiliary functions and study their properties. The aim is to construct the so-called $\lambda$-functions, of which the analytic continuation defines a meromorphic function on a Riemann surface with a specified sheet structure. The $\lambda$-functions have desired behavior around each branch point, and will be crucial in our further asymptotic analysis of the RH problem \[rhp:X\] for $X$. Throughout this section, unless specified differently, we shall take the principal branch for all fractional powers. A three-sheeted Riemann surface and the $w$-functions {#sec:w function} ----------------------------------------------------- We introduce a three-sheeted Riemann surface $\mathcal R$ with sheets $$\begin{aligned} \mathcal R_1 &= {\mathbb{C}}\setminus \{(-\infty,-1]\cup[1,+\infty) \}, & \mathcal R_2 &= {\mathbb{C}}\setminus [1,+\infty), \\ \mathcal R_3 &={\mathbb{C}}\setminus (-\infty,-1] .\end{aligned}$$ We connect the sheets $\mathcal R_j$, $j=1,2,3$, to each other in the usual crosswise manner along the cuts $(-\infty,-1]$ and $[1,+\infty)$. More precisely, $\mathcal R_1$ is connected to $\mathcal R_2$ along the cut $[1,+\infty)$ and $\mathcal R_1$ is connected to $\mathcal R_3$ along the cut $(-\infty,-1]$. We then compactify the resulting surface by adding a common point at $\infty$ to the sheets $\mathcal R_1$ and $\mathcal R_2$, and a common point at $\infty$ to the sheets $\mathcal R_1$ and $\mathcal R_3$. We denote this compact Riemann surface by $\mathcal R$, which has genus zero and is shown in Figure \[fig: Riemann surface\]. (0,0)–(6,0)–(8,1)–(2,1)–cycle (0,-2)–(6,-2)–(8,-1)–(2,-1)–cycle (0,-4)–(6,-4)–(8,-3)–(2,-3)–cycle; (1,0.5)–(3,0.5) (5,0.5)–(7,0.5) (1,-3.5)–(3,-3.5) (5,-1.5)–(7,-1.5); (8,0.5) node[$\mathcal R_1$]{} (8,-1.5) node[$\mathcal R_2$]{} (8,-3.5) node[$\mathcal R_3$]{}; (3,0.5)–(3,-3.5); (5,0.5)–(5,-1.5); (3,0.5) circle (2pt) node \[above\] (q1) [$-1$]{}; (5,0.5) circle (2pt) node \[above\] (q1) [$1$]{}; (5,-1.5) circle (2pt) node \[above\] (q1) ; (3,-3.5) circle (2pt) node \[above\] (q1) ; We intend to find functions $\lambda_j$, $j=1,2,3$, on these sheets, such that each $\lambda_j$ is analytic on $\mathcal R_j$ and admits an analytic continuation across the cuts. For this purpose, we start with an elementary function $w(z)$ that is meromorphic on $\mathcal R$, which satisfies the following algebraic equation $$\label{eq: alg eq w} w(z)^3-3w(z)+2z=0.$$ We choose three solutions $w_j(z)$, $j = 1,2,3$, to such that they are defined and analytic on $\mathcal R_j$, respectively. Each function $w_j(z)$ maps $\mathcal R_j$ to certain domain in the extended complex $w$-plane $\overline {\mathbb{C}}$. The correspondences between some points $z\in \mathcal R$ and the points $w \in \overline {\mathbb{C}}$ are given in Table \[Table:z-w-corres\], where $z^{(j)}$ denotes the point $z$ on the closure of the $j$-th sheet $\mathcal R_j$. ----------------------------------------- ------------ ---------------- ----------- ----------- ------------ ------------- \[-1em\] $z \in \mathcal R$ $-1^{(1)}$ $\infty^{(1)}$ $1^{(1)}$ $0^{(1)}$ $0^{(2)}$ $0^{(3)}$ \[1ex\] \[-1em\] $w \in \overline {\mathbb{C}}$ $-1$ $\infty$ 1 0 $\sqrt{3}$ $-\sqrt{3}$ \[1ex\] ----------------------------------------- ------------ ---------------- ----------- ----------- ------------ ------------- : Images of some points $z\in \mathcal R$ under the mappings $w_j$, $j=1,2,3$.[]{data-label="Table:z-w-corres"} Due to the sheet structure shown in Figure \[fig: Riemann surface\], it follows that $\infty^{(1)} = \infty^{(2)} = \infty^{(3)}$, $-1^{(1)} = -1^{(3)}$ and $1^{(1)} = 1^{(2)}$. Moreover, we actually have the following explicit expressions for $w_j(z)$. \[prop:w-expression\] The three solutions $w_j(z)$, $j=1,2,3$, to the algebraic equation with the mapping properties shown in Table \[Table:z-w-corres\] are given by $$\label{eq: w-eta} w_j(z) = \omega^{j-2}\eta (z)^{\frac{1}{3}} + \omega^{2-j}\eta (z)^{-\frac{1}{3}},$$ where $$\label{eq: eta-def} \eta(z) = (z^2 -1 )^{\frac{1}{2}} - z, \qquad z \in \mathbb{C} \setminus \{ (-\infty, -1] \cup [1,+\infty)\},$$ with $$\label{eq: eta-arg} \arg \eta(z) \in (0, \pi).$$ Clearly, $\eta(z)\neq 0$ and satisfies the quadratic equation $$\label{eq:etaeq} \eta(z)^2 + 2z \eta(z) + 1 = 0.$$ Hence, with $w_j(z)$, $j=1,2,3$, defined in , we have $$\begin{aligned} w_j(z)^3 -3w_j(z) + 2z & = \left( \omega^{j-2}\eta (z)^{\frac{1}{3}} + \omega^{2-j}\eta (z)^{-\frac{1}{3}} \right)^3 - 3 \left( \omega^{j-2}\eta (z)^{\frac{1}{3}} + \omega^{2-j}\eta (z)^{-\frac{1}{3}} \right) + 2z \\ & = \eta(z) + \frac{1}{\eta(z)} + 2z = 0, \end{aligned}$$ as expected, where in the last step we have made use of . Furthermore, an elementary analysis shows that ${\mathrm{Im}\,}\eta(z) >0$ for $z \in \mathbb{C} \setminus \{ (-\infty, -1] \cup [1,+\infty)\}$. Thus, $\arg \eta(z) \in (0, \pi)$ and $\eta(0) = e^{\frac{\pi i}{2}}=i $. This, together with , implies that $w_1(0) = 0$, $ w_2(0) = \sqrt{3}$, and $w_3(0) = -\sqrt{3}$. The other relations in Table \[Table:z-w-corres\] can then be verified similarly, and we omit the details here. This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:w-expression\]. As a consequence of Proposition \[prop:w-expression\], we have the following properties of $w_j(z)$. \[prop:w\] The functions $w_j(z)$, $j=1,2,3$, given in satisfy the following properties. - $w_j(z)$ is analytic on $\mathcal R_j$, $j=1,2,3$, and $$\begin{aligned} w_{1,\pm}(x) &= w_{3,\mp}(x), \qquad x \in (-\infty,-1), \label{eq: w1pm-w3pm} \\ w_{1,\pm}(x) &= w_{2,\mp}(x), \qquad x \in (1,\infty). \label{eq: w1pm-w2pm}\end{aligned}$$ Here, we orient $(-\infty,-1)$ and $(1,\infty)$ from the left to the right. Hence, the function $\cup_{j=1}^3 \mathcal R_j \to {\mathbb{C}}: \mathcal R_j \ni z \mapsto w_j(z)$ has an analytic continuation to a meromorphic function $w: \mathcal R \to \overline {\mathbb{C}}$. This function is a bijection. - $w$ satisfies the symmetry properties $$\begin{aligned} w_j(\overline z) &= \overline{w_j(z)}, \qquad~~\,~~\, z\in\mathcal R_j, \quad j=1,2,3, \label{eq: wz-wzbar} \\ w_1(-z) & = - w_1(z) , \qquad~~\, z\in {\mathbb{C}}\setminus \{ (-\infty,-1] \cup [1,+\infty) \} , \label{eq: w1z+-} \\ w_2(-z)&=-w_3(z), \qquad~~\, z \in {\mathbb{C}}\setminus (-\infty,-1]. \label{eq: w2-w3}\end{aligned}$$ - As $z \to \infty$ and $-\pi<\arg z <\pi$, we have $$\label{eq: w1-large-z} w_1(z) =\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} -2^{\frac13}\omega^2z^{\frac13}-\frac{\omega}{2^{\frac13}} z^{-\frac13}+\frac{\omega^2}{6\cdot 2^{\frac23}}z^{-\frac53}-\frac{\omega}{12\cdot 2^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac73}+\frac{\omega^2}{18\cdot 4^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac{11}{3}}+{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac{13}{3}}), & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ [2mm] -2^{\frac13}\omega z^{\frac13}-\frac{\omega^2}{2^{\frac13}} z^{-\frac13}+\frac{\omega}{6\cdot 2^{\frac23}}z^{-\frac53}-\frac{\omega^2}{12\cdot 2^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac73}+\frac{\omega}{18\cdot 4^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac{11}{3}}+{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac{13}{3}}), & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$,} \end{array} \right.$$ and $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq: w3-large-z} w_3(z) = -2^{\frac13} z^{\frac13}-\frac{1}{2^{\frac13}} z^{-\frac13}+\frac{1}{6\cdot 2^{\frac23}}z^{-\frac53}-\frac{1}{12\cdot 2^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac73} \\ +\frac{1}{18\cdot 4^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac{11}{3}}+{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac{13}{3}}), \quad z\in{\mathbb{C}}\setminus (-\infty,-1].\end{gathered}$$ - As $z \to -1$ and $-\pi<\arg(z+1) <\pi$, we have $$\label{eq: w1-n1-asy} w_1(z)=-1+\sqrt{\frac23}(z+1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z+1}{9}+\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z+1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2,$$ and $$\label{eq: w3-n1-asy} w_3(z)=-1-\sqrt{\frac23}(z+1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z+1}{9}-\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z+1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2.$$ - As $z \to 1$ and $-\pi<\arg(z-1) <\pi$, we have $$\label{eq: w1-p1-asy} w_{1}(z)= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} 1+i\sqrt{\frac23}(z-1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z-1}{9}-i\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ [2mm] 1-i\sqrt{\frac23}(z-1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z-1}{9}+i\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$.} \end{array} \right.$$ and $$\label{eq: w2-p1-asy} w_{2}(z)= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} 1-i\sqrt{\frac23}(z-1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z-1}{9}+i\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ [2mm] 1+i\sqrt{\frac23}(z-1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z-1}{9}-i\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$.} \end{array} \right.$$ To show , we see from that, if $x<-1$, $$\begin{aligned} w_{1,+}(x)&=\omega^{-1}\eta_{+}(x)^{\frac13}+\omega\eta_{+}(x)^{-\frac13}=\omega^{-1}(-x-\sqrt{x^2-1})^{\frac13}+\omega(-x-\sqrt{x^2-1})^{-\frac13} \nonumber \\ &=\omega^{-1}\eta_{-}(x)^{-\frac13}+\omega\eta_{-}(x)^{\frac13}=w_{3,-}(x).\end{aligned}$$ Similarly, it is easy to check $w_{1,-}(x)=w_{3,+}(x)$ for $x<-1$ and . While follows directly from , the proof of relies on the fact that $$\eta(z) \eta(-z) = -1.$$ Hence, by , it follows that $$\begin{aligned} w_1(-z) &= \omega^{-1} \eta(-z)^{\frac{1}{3}} + \omega \eta(-z)^{-\frac{1}{3}} = \omega^{-1} e^{\frac{1}{3} \pi i} \eta(z)^{-\frac{1}{3}} + \omega e^{-\frac{1}{3} \pi i} \eta(z)^{\frac{1}{3}} \\ & = - \omega^{-1} \eta(z) ^{\frac{1}{3}} -\omega \eta(z) ^{-\frac{1}{3}} = -w_1(z),\end{aligned}$$ which is . The relation follows in a similar manner. To obtain the asymptotics of $w_j(z)$, $j=1,3$, as $z \to \infty$, we observe from the definition of $\eta(z)$ in that $$\begin{aligned} \eta(z) = \begin{cases} {\displaystyle}-\frac{1}{2z} - \frac{1}{8z^3} - \frac{1}{16z^5} + {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-7}), & {\mathrm{Im}\,}z >0, \vspace{1mm} \\ {\displaystyle}-2z +\frac{1}{2z} + \frac{1}{8z^3} + \frac{1}{16z^5} + {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-7}), & {\mathrm{Im}\,}z <0. \end{cases}\end{aligned}$$ Inserting the above formula into , it is readily seen that, if ${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$ and $z \to \infty$, $$\begin{aligned} w_1(z) & = \omega^{-1} \eta(z) ^{\frac{1}{3}} + \omega \eta(z)^{-\frac{1}{3}} \\ & = \frac{e^{-\frac{\pi i}{3}}}{\sqrt[3]{2} z^{\frac{1}{3}}} \left(1 + \frac{1}{4z^2} + \frac{1}{8z^4} + {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-6}) \right)^{\frac{1}{3}} + e^{\frac{\pi i}{3}} \sqrt[3]{2} z^{\frac{1}{3}} \left(1 + \frac{1}{4z^2} + \frac{1}{8z^4} + {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-6}) \right)^{-\frac{1}{3}} \\ &= -2^{\frac13}\omega^2z^{\frac13}-\frac{\omega}{2^{\frac13}} z^{-\frac13}+\frac{\omega^2}{6\cdot 2^{\frac23}}z^{-\frac53}-\frac{\omega}{12\cdot 2^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac73}+\frac{\omega^2}{18\cdot 4^{\frac13}}z^{-\frac{11}{3}}+{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac{13}{3}}),\end{aligned}$$ which is the first formula in . This, together with the fact that $w_1(-z)=-w_1(z)$, implies the second formula of . The asymptotics of $w_3(z)$ in can be derived through similar computations, we omit the details here. We next come to the asymptotics of $w_j(z)$, $j=1,3$, as $z \to -1$. Since $$(z-1)^{\frac12}=\sqrt{2}i-\frac{i}{2\sqrt{2}}(z+1)+{\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2, \qquad z\in\mathbb{C}\setminus [1,+\infty),\qquad z\to -1,$$ it follows from that $$\begin{aligned} \eta(z) = (z^2-1)^{\frac12}-z = 1 + i \sqrt{2} (z+1)^{\frac{1}{2}} - (z+1) - i \frac{ (z + 1)^{\frac{3}{2}}}{ 2 \sqrt2} + {\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^{\frac52}, \qquad z\to -1,\end{aligned}$$ with $-\pi <\arg(z+1)< \pi$. A combination of the above formula and then gives us $$\begin{aligned} w_1(z) & = \omega^{-1} \eta(z)^{\frac{1}{3}} + \omega \eta(z)^{-\frac{1}{3}} \\ & = \omega^{-1} \left(1 + i \sqrt{2} (z+1)^{\frac{1}{2}} - (z+1) - i \frac{ (z + 1)^{\frac{3}{2}}}{ 2 \sqrt2} + {\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^{\frac52} \right)^{\frac{1}{3}} \\ & \quad + \omega \left(1 + i \sqrt{2} (z+1)^{\frac{1}{2}} - (z+1) - i \frac{ (z + 1)^{\frac{3}{2}}}{ 2 \sqrt2} + {\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^{\frac52} \right)^{-\frac{1}{3}} \\ &=-1+\sqrt{\frac23}(z+1)^{\frac12}+\frac{z+1}{9}+\frac{5}{54\cdot \sqrt{6}}(z+1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2,\end{aligned}$$ as shown in . The asymptotics of $w_3$ in can be proved in a similar manner, we omit the details here. Finally, we note that, as $z \to 1$, $$\begin{aligned} \eta(z) = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} -1 + \sqrt{2}(z-1)^{\frac{1}{2}} - (z-1) + \frac{(z - 1)^{\frac{3}{2}}}{ 2 \sqrt2} + {\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^{\frac52}, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ -1 - \sqrt{2}(z-1)^{\frac{1}{2}} - (z-1) - \frac{(z - 1)^{\frac{3}{2}}}{ 2 \sqrt2} + {\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^{\frac52}, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$,} \end{array} \right.\end{aligned}$$ with $-\pi <\arg(z-1)< \pi$. Inserting the above formula into then gives us and after straightforward calculations. This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:w\]. The image of the map $w:\mathcal R\mapsto \overline{\mathbb{C}}$ is illustrated in Figure \[fig: image of w\]. (-7.5,0)–(7.5,0) ; (-4,0).. controls (-4,2) and (-5,4)..(-7,5) (4,0).. controls (4,2) and (5,4)..(7,5); (-4,0).. controls (-4,-2) and (-5,-4)..(-7,-5) (4,0).. controls (4,-2) and (5,-4)..(7,-5); (-7,5.5)–(7,-5.5) (-7,-5.5)–(7,5.5); (5mm,0mm) arc(0:45:5mm); (1.3,-0.2) node\[above\][$\pi/3$]{}; (0,0) circle (2pt) (-4,0) circle (2pt) (4,0) circle (2pt); (0,0) node\[below right\][$0$]{} (-4,0) node\[below right\][$-1$]{} (4,0) node\[below right\][$1$]{}; (-6.1,-3)node\[right\][$\gamma_1^-$]{} (-6.1, 3)node\[right\][$\gamma_1^+$]{} (5,-3)node\[right\][$\gamma_2^-$]{} (5,3)node\[right\][$\gamma_2^+$]{} (-0.5,4.5)node\[right\][$ \widehat{\mathcal R}_1$]{} (-6,1)node\[right\][$ \widehat{\mathcal R}_3$]{} (6,1)node\[right\][$ \widehat{\mathcal R}_2$]{}; The $\lambda$-functions {#sec:lamda function} ----------------------- With the functions $w_j(z)$ given in Proposition \[prop:w-expression\], we define the $\lambda$-functions as $$\label{def: lambda function} \lambda_j(z)=\frac{3}{4^{\frac53}}w_j(z)^4+\left(\frac{\rho}{2^{\frac53}s^{\frac23}}-\frac{3}{2^{\frac43}}\right)w_j(z)^2, \qquad j=1,2,3,$$ which depend on the parameters $s>0$ and $\rho \in \mathbb{R}$. The properties of the $\lambda$-functions are listed in the following proposition. \[prop: prop of lambda\] The functions $\lambda_j(z)$, $j=1,2,3$, defined by have the following properties. - $\lambda_j(z)$ is analytic on $\mathcal R_j$, $j=1,2,3$, and $$\begin{aligned} \lambda_{1,\pm}(x) &= \lambda_{3,\mp}(x), \qquad x \in (-\infty,-1), \label{eq:lamda 1 lamda 3} \\ \lambda_{1,\pm}(x) &= \lambda_{2,\mp}(x), \qquad x \in (1,\infty),\end{aligned}$$ Hence the function $\cup_{j=1}^3 \mathcal R_j \to {\mathbb{C}}: \mathcal R_j \ni z \mapsto \lambda_j(z)$ has an analytic continuation to a meromorphic function on the Riemann surface $\mathcal R $. - We have the following symmetry properties $$\begin{aligned} \lambda_j(\overline z) & = \overline{\lambda_j(z)}, \qquad z \in \mathcal R_j, \quad j=1,2,3, \label{eq:symlambdaj} \\ \lambda_1(-z) & = \lambda_1(z) , \qquad z\in {\mathbb{C}}\setminus \{ (-\infty,-1] \cup [1,+\infty) \} , \label{eq: lambda1z+-} \\ \lambda_2(-z)&=\lambda_3(z), \qquad z \in {\mathbb{C}}\setminus (-\infty,-1]. \label{eq: lambda23z}\end{aligned}$$ - As $z \to \infty$ and $-\pi<\arg z <\pi$, we have $$\lambda_1(z)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \frac34 \omega^2 z^{\frac43}+\frac{\rho \omega}{2s^{\frac23}}z^{\frac23}-D_0+D_1 \omega^2 z^{-\frac23}+{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac43}), & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ [1ex] \frac34 \omega z^{\frac43}+\frac{\rho \omega^2}{2s^{\frac23}}z^{\frac23}-D_0+D_1 \omega z^{-\frac23} +{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac43}), & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$,} \end{array} \right.$$ and $$\lambda_3(z)= \frac34 z^{\frac43}+\frac{\rho}{2s^{\frac23}}z^{\frac23}-D_0+D_1 z^{-\frac23} + {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac43}), \quad z\in{\mathbb{C}}\setminus (-\infty,-1],$$ where $$\label{D0-def} D_0:=3\cdot 2^{-\frac73}-(2s)^{-\frac23}\rho, \qquad D_1:=\frac{1}{8}\left(-2+\left(\frac2s\right)^{\frac23}\rho\right).$$ - As $z\to -1$ and $-\pi<\arg (z+1) <\pi$, we have $$\label{eq:lambda-1 at -1} \lambda_1(z)=C_0+C_1(z+1)^{\frac12}+C_2(z+1)+C_3(z+1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2,$$ and $$\label{eq:lambda-3 at -1} \lambda_3(z)=C_0-C_1(z+1)^{\frac12}+C_2(z+1)-C_3(z+1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2,$$ where $$\label{def:Ci} \begin{aligned} C_0&:=\frac{\rho}{2^{\frac 53}s^{\frac 23}}-\frac{9}{2^{\frac {10}{3}}}, \quad &&C_1:=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2^{\frac56}}-\frac{\rho}{\sqrt{3}\cdot2^{\frac16}s^{\frac23}}, \\ C_2&:=\frac{2^{\frac23}}{3}+\frac{2^{\frac13}\rho}{9s^{\frac23}}, \quad &&C_3:=\frac{7\rho}{108\sqrt{3}\cdot 2^{\frac16}s^{\frac23}}-\frac{165}{108\sqrt{3}\cdot2^{\frac56}}. \end{aligned}$$ - As $z\to 1$ and $-\pi<\arg (z-1) <\pi$, we have $$\lambda_1(z)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} C_0-iC_1(z-1)^{\frac12}-C_2(z-1)+iC_3(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ C_0+iC_1(z-1)^{\frac12}-C_2(z-1)-iC_3(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$,} \end{array} \right.$$ and $$\lambda_2(z)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} C_0+iC_1(z-1)^{\frac12}-C_2(z-1)-iC_3(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$,} \\ C_0-iC_1(z-1)^{\frac12}-C_2(z-1)+iC_3(z-1)^{\frac32}+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^2, & \hbox{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z<0$,} \end{array} \right.$$ where the constants $C_i$, $i=0,1,2,3$, are given in . - For $z\in {\mathbb{C}}\setminus \{ (-\infty,-1] \cup [1,+\infty) \}$, we have $$\label{eq:sumlambda} \lambda_1(z) + \lambda_2(z) + \lambda_3(z) = - \frac{9}{2^{\frac{7}{3}}} + \frac{3 \rho}{2^{\frac{2}{3}} s^{\frac{2}{3}}}.$$ The proofs of items (a)–(e) follow directly from the definition of $\lambda_j(z)$ in and Proposition \[prop:w\]. It then remains to prove . Since $w_j$, $j=1,2,3$, are three solutions of the algebraic equation , it follows from Vieta’s rule that, for $z\in {\mathbb{C}}\setminus \{ (-\infty,-1] \cup [1,+\infty) \}$, $$\begin{aligned} w_1(z)+w_2(z)+w_3(z)&=0, \\ w_1(z)w_2(z)+w_1(z)w_3(z)+w_2(z)w_3(z)&=-3, \\ w_1(z)w_2(z)w_3(z)&=-2z.\end{aligned}$$ Hence, $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:sumwsquare} &w_1(z)^2+w_2(z)^2+w_3(z)^2 \nonumber \\ &=(w_1(z)+w_2(z)+w_3(z))^2-2(w_1(z)w_2(z)+w_1(z)w_3(z)+w_2(z)w_3(z))=6,\end{aligned}$$ $$\begin{aligned} &w_1(z)^2w_2(z)^2+w_1(z)^2w_3(z)^2+w_2(z)^2w_3(z)^2 \\ &=(w_1(z)w_2(z)+w_1(z)w_3(z)+w_2(z)w_3(z))^2-2w_1(z)w_2(z)w_3(z)(w_1(z)+w_2(z)+w_3(z)) \\ &=9,\end{aligned}$$ and $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:sumwquartic} &w_1(z)^4+w_2(z)^4+w_3(z)^4 \nonumber \\ &=(w_1(z)^2+w_2(z)^2+w_3(z)^2)^2-2(w_1(z)^2w_2(z)^2+w_1(z)^2w_3(z)^2+w_2(z)^2w_3(z)^2) \nonumber \\ &=36-18=18.\end{aligned}$$ A combination of , and yields . This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\]. Asymptotic analysis of the Riemann-Hilbert problem for $X$ {#sec:asymanalyX} ========================================================== In this section, we shall perform a Deift-Zhou steepest descent analysis [@DZ93] to the RH problem for $X$ as $s \to +\infty$. It consists of a series of explicit and invertible transformations which leads to an RH problem tending to the identity matrix as $s \to +\infty$. First transformation: $X \to T$ ------------------------------- This transformation is a rescaling of the RH problem for $X$, which is defined by $$\label{def:XtoT} T(z)=X(sz).$$ It is then straightforward to check that $T$ satisfies the following RH problem. The function $T$ defined in has the following properties: 1. $T(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{\cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(1)}\cup \{-1\} \cup\{1\}\}$, where the contours $\Sigma_j^{(1)}$ are defined in with $s=1$. 2. $T$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:T-jump} T_+(z)=T_-(z)J_T(z), \qquad z\in\cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(1)},$$ where $$\label{def:JT} J_T(z):=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_0^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 1&1&1 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_1^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 1&1&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_2^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 0&0&1 \\ 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \end{pmatrix}, &\qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_3^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 1&-1&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_4^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 1&1&-1 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\qquad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_5^{(1)}$.} \end{array} \right.$$ 3. As $z \to \infty$ and $\pm{\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$, we have $$\label{eq:asyT} T(z)= \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \Psi_0 \left(I+\frac{\mathsf{X}_1}{sz} + \mathcal O(z^{-2}) \right)\operatorname{diag}\left((sz)^{-\frac13},1,(sz)^{\frac13} \right)L_{\pm}e^{\Theta(sz)},$$ where we recall that $$\begin{aligned} \Theta(sz)&= \begin{cases} \operatorname{diag}(\theta_1(sz;\rho),\theta_2(sz;\rho),\theta_3(sz;\rho)), & \text{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z >0$,} \\ \operatorname{diag}(\theta_2(sz;\rho),\theta_1(sz;\rho),\theta_3(sz;\rho)), & \text{${\mathrm{Im}\,}z <0$,} \\ \end{cases}\end{aligned}$$ with $$\label{eq:thetasz} \theta_k(sz;\rho)=s^{\frac43}\left(\frac34 \omega^{2k}z^{\frac43}+\frac{\rho\omega^k}{2s^{\frac23}}z^{\frac23}\right), \qquad k=1,2,3.$$ 4. As $z \to \pm 1$, we have $T(z) = \mathcal O(\ln(z \mp 1))$. Second transformation: $T \to S$ -------------------------------- In this transformation we normalize the large $z$ behavior of $T$ using the $\lambda$-functions introduced in Section \[sec:lamda function\]. We define $$\label{def:TtoS} S(z)= S_0 \frac{\operatorname{diag}\left(s^{\frac13},1,s^{-\frac13} \right)}{e^{D_0s^{\frac43}} \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}}} \Psi_0^{-1} T(z)\operatorname{diag}\left(e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_1(z)},e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_2(z)},e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_3(z)}\right),$$ where $$S_0 = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ D_1 s^{\frac{4}{3}} & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}$$ with $D_0$ and $D_1$ being the constants given in , and the functions $\lambda_i$, $i=1,2,3$, are defined in . Then, $S$ satisfies the following RH problem. \[prop:S\] The function $S$ defined in has the following properties: 1. $S(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{\cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(1)}\cup \{-1\} \cup\{1\}\}$. 2. $S$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:S-jump} S_+(z)=S_-(z)J_S(z), \qquad z\in \cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(1)},$$ where $$\label{def:JS} J_S(z):=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_0^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_1(z))}&1&e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_3(z))} \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_1^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_1(z))} & e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_2(z))} &1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_2^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 0&0&1 \\ 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_3^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_1(z))} &-e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_2(z))}&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_4^{(1)}$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_1(z))}&1&-e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_3(z))} \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$z\in \Sigma_5^{(1)}$.} \end{array} \right.$$ 3. As $z \to \infty$ and $\pm{\mathrm{Im}\,}z>0$, we have $$\label{eq:asyS} S(z)= \left(I + \frac{\mathsf{S}_1}{z} + \mathcal O(z^{-2}) \right) \operatorname{diag}\left(z^{-\frac13},1,z^{\frac13} \right)L_{\pm},$$ where $$\label{asyS:coeff} \mathsf{S}_1 = \begin{pmatrix} * & \frac{(\mathsf{X}_1)_{12}}{ s^{\frac{2}{3}}} - D_1 s^{\frac{4}{3}} & * \\ * & * & \frac{(\mathsf{X}_1)_{23}}{ s^{\frac{2}{3}}} - D_1 s^{\frac{4}{3}} \\ * & * & * \end{pmatrix}$$ with the constant $D_1$ given in , and $*$ stands for some unimportant entry. 4. As $z \to \pm 1$, we have $S(z) = \mathcal O(\ln(z \mp 1))$. By , it is clear that $S(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{\cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(1)}\cup \{-1\} \cup\{1\}\}$ and $$\begin{aligned} J_S(z)&=S_-^{-1}(z)S_+(z) \nonumber \\ &=\operatorname{diag}\left(e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_{1,-}(z)},e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_{2,-}(z)},e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_{3,-}(z)}\right)J_T(z) \nonumber \\ & \quad \times \operatorname{diag}\left(e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_{1,+}(z)},e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_{2,+}(z)},e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_{3,+}(z)}\right),\end{aligned}$$ for $z\in \cup^5_{j=0}\Sigma_j^{(1)}$, where $J_T$ is given in . This, together with item (a) in Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\], gives us . Checking the asymptotics is a bit more cumbersome. To that end, we observe from Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\] and that the following formula is useful $$\begin{gathered} \operatorname{diag}\left(e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_1(z)+\theta_1(sz)},e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_2(z)+\theta_2(sz)},e^{-s^{\frac43}\lambda_3(z)+\theta_3(sz)}\right) \\ =e^{D_0s^{\frac43}}\left(I- \frac{D_1s^{\frac43}}{z^{\frac23}}\operatorname{diag}\left(\omega^2,\omega,1\right)+ {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-\frac43})\right), \qquad z\to \infty.\end{gathered}$$ We omit the details here. This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:S\]. Estimate of $J_S$ for large $s$ ------------------------------- The jump matrix $J_S(z)$ defined in is constant on $\Sigma_0^{(1)}$ and on $\Sigma_3^{(1)}$. On the other jump contours, it comes out that the nonzero off-diagonal entries of $J_S$ are all exponentially small for large $s$, which can be seen from the following proposition. In what follows, we denote by $U(z_0,\delta)$ the fixed open disk centered at $z_0$ with small radius $\delta>0$. \[prop:lambda\] 1. There exist positive constants $c_1,c_2>0$ such that $$\begin{aligned} {\mathrm{Re}\,}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_1(z) ) &\leq - c_1 |z|^{\frac43},&& z\in (\Sigma_1^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_5^{(1)} )\setminus U(1,\delta), \label{eq:lambda21}\\ {\mathrm{Re}\,}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_1(z) ) &\leq - c_2 |z|^{\frac43},&& z\in (\Sigma_2^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_4^{(1)} )\setminus U(-1,\delta),\end{aligned}$$ for $s$ large enough. 2. There exists a constant $c_3>0$ such that $$\begin{aligned} {\mathrm{Re}\,}\left(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_3(z) \right) &\leq - c_3 |z|^{\frac43},&& z\in \Sigma_1^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_5^{(1)}, \label{eq:lambda23ineq} \\ {\mathrm{Re}\,}\left(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_2(z) \right) &\leq - c_3 |z|^{\frac43},&& z\in \Sigma_2^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_4^{(1)}, \label{eq:lambda32ineq} \end{aligned}$$ for $s$ large enough. We will only present the proof of , since the proofs of other estimates are analogous. In view of the symmetry properties , it suffices to show for $z\in \Sigma_1^{(1)}\setminus U(1,\delta)$. To this end, let us define $$\lambda_j^*(z)=\frac{3}{4^{\frac53}}w_j(z)^4-\frac{3}{2^{\frac43}}w_j(z)^2, \qquad j=1,2,3.$$ From the behavior of the $\lambda$-functions at infinity given in Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\], it follows from an elementary analysis that $$|\lambda_j(z)-\lambda_j^*(z)|\leq \varrho s^{-\frac23}\max\{1,|z|^\frac43\}, \qquad z\in \Sigma_1^{(1)}\setminus U(1,\delta),$$ for some $\varrho>0$, if $s$ is large enough. This, together with the triangle inequality, implies that it is sufficient to show for $\lambda_j^*(z)$, $j=1,2$. For large value of $z\in\Sigma_1^{(1)}$, the estimate follows from the asymptotics of $\lambda_j^*$ at infinity, which can be obtained by taking $s\to +\infty$ in item (c) of Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\]. For bounded $z$, the claim is supported by Figure \[fig: estimates 1\]. The sign of ${\mathrm{Re}\,}\left( \lambda_2^*- \lambda_1^*\right)$ remains unchanged in the region bounded by the solid lines in Figure \[fig: estimates 1\]. By using the asymptotics of $\lambda_1^*$ and $\lambda_2^*$ at infinity, it is readily seen that ${\mathrm{Re}\,}\left( \lambda_2^*(z)- \lambda_1^*(z)\right)<0$ for all $z$ on the right side of the solid curve excluding $[1, \infty)$, which particularly holds for the finite part of $\Sigma_1^{(1)}\setminus U(1,\delta)$. This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:lambda\]. ![Curves where ${\mathrm{Re}\,}\lambda_1^*={\mathrm{Re}\,}\lambda_2^*$ (solid lines), ${\mathrm{Re}\,}\lambda_1^*={\mathrm{Re}\,}\lambda_3^*$ (dashed lines), and ${\mathrm{Re}\,}\lambda_2^*={\mathrm{Re}\,}\lambda_3^*$ (dashed-dotted lines).[]{data-label="fig: estimates 1"}](Lambda-value.pdf){width="340pt"} As a consequence of the above proposition, the following corollary about the estimate of $J_S$ is immediate. \[coro:JS\] There is a constant $c > 0$ such that $$J_{S}(z) = I + {\mathcal{O}}\left(e^{-c s^{\frac43} |z|^{\frac43}}\right), \qquad \text{ as } s \to +\infty,$$ uniformly for $z \in \bigcup\limits_{i=1,2,4,5}\Sigma_i^{(1)}\setminus\{U(1,\delta) \cup U(-1,\delta)\}$. Global parametrix ----------------- By Corollary \[coro:JS\], if we suppress all entries of the jump matrices for $S$ that decay exponentially as $s \to +\infty$, we are led to the following RH problem for the global parametrix $N$. \[rhp:global para\] We look for a $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $N$ satisfying - $N(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{(-\infty,-1]\cup[1,+\infty)\}$. - $N$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:N-jump} N_+(x)=N_-(x)\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \\ 0&0&1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$x>1$,} \\ \begin{pmatrix} 0&0&1 \\ 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad \hbox{$x<-1$.} \end{array} \right.$$ - As $z \to \infty$, we have $$\label{eq:asyN1} N(z)= \left( I+ {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-1}) \right) \operatorname{diag}\left( z^{-\frac13},1,z^{\frac13} \right) L_{\pm},$$ where the constants $L_{\pm}$ are given in . The above RH problem can be solved explicitly. Let the scalar functions $N_j(\cdot)$, $j = 1,2,3,$ be defined as $$\begin{aligned} N_1(w)=\frac{1-\frac13 w^2}{(1-w^2)^{\frac12}}, \quad N_2(w)=-\frac{i}{\sqrt{6}}\frac{w-\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}w^2}{(1-w^2)^{\frac12}}, \quad N_3(w)=-\frac{i}{\sqrt{6}}\frac{w+\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}w^2}{(1-w^2)^{\frac12}},\end{aligned}$$ where the branch cut for the square root is taken along $\gamma_1^- \cup \gamma_2^-$, i.e., the curve defined by $w_{1,-}\left((-\infty,1] \cup [1,+\infty)\right)$; see Figure \[fig: image of w\] for an illustration. It is shown in [@Des Section 6.1.5] that the solution to RH problem \[rhp:global para\] is given by $$\label{Nz-def} N(z)= \mathcal{N}_0 \begin{pmatrix} N_1(w_1(z)) & N_1(w_3(z)) & N_1(w_2(z)) \\ N_2(w_1(z)) & N_2(w_3(z)) & N_2(w_2(z)) \\ N_3(w_1(z)) & N_3(w_3(z)) & N_3(w_2(z)) \end{pmatrix} {\Lambda},$$ where ${\Lambda}$ is defined in and $$\label{eq: MatN0} \mathcal{N}_0= \frac14 \operatorname{diag}\left(\frac{4}{2^{\frac16}},\sqrt{6}, 3\cdot 2^{\frac16} \right) \begin{pmatrix} \sqrt{2}i & 1 & -1 \\ 0 & 2 & 2 \\ -\sqrt{2}i & 1 & -1 \end{pmatrix}$$ is an invertible constant matrix. It is worthwhile to mention that $\mathcal{N}_0 ^{-1}N(z)$ satisfies the following symmetric relation (see [@Des Equations (2.2.30) and (6.1.38)]) $$\label{eq: Nz+-1} \mathcal{N}_0 ^{-1}N(z) = {\Lambda}\mathcal{N}_0 ^{-1}N(-z) {\Lambda},$$ or equivalently, $$\label{eq: Nz+-} N(z) = \Upsilon N(-z) {\Lambda},$$ where $$\label{eq: Upsilon-def} \Upsilon := \mathcal{N}_0 {\Lambda}\mathcal{N}_0 ^{-1}.$$ Finally, from the asymptotic behaviors of the $w$-functions given in Proposition \[prop:w\], it is readily seen that the following proposition regarding the refined asymptotic behaviors of the global parametrix $N$ near $-1$ and $\infty$. With $N$ defined in , we have $$\begin{aligned} N(z) = \, & \frac{3^{\frac14}}{2^{\frac34} (z + 1)^{\frac14}} \begin{pmatrix} -2^{\frac13} i & 0 & 2^{\frac13} \\ - i & 0 & 1 \\ 2^{-\frac43} i & 0 & -2^{-\frac43} \end{pmatrix} + \frac{1}{2^{\frac43} \cdot 3^{\frac12}} \begin{pmatrix} 0 & -2^{\frac53} & 0 \\ 0 & 2^{\frac73} & 0 \\ 0 & -5 & 0 \end{pmatrix} \nonumber \\ & + \frac{(z + 1)^{\frac14}}{6^{\frac54}} \begin{pmatrix} -2^{\frac13} i & 0 & -2^{\frac13} \\ 5 i & 0 & 5 \\ \frac{25}{2^{\frac43}} i & 0 & \frac{25}{2^{\frac43}} \end{pmatrix} + \frac{(z + 1)^{\frac34}}{72 \cdot 6^{\frac34}} \begin{pmatrix} -13 \cdot 2^{\frac13} i & 0 & 13 \cdot 2^{\frac13} \\ 35 i & 0 & -35 \\ -\frac{83}{2^{\frac43} } i & 0 & \frac{83}{2^{\frac43} } \end{pmatrix} \nonumber \\ & + \frac{ 2^{\frac23} (z + 1)}{27 \sqrt{3}} \begin{pmatrix} 0 & -2^{\frac53} & 0 \\ 0 & 2^{\frac13} & 0 \\ 0 & 7 & 0 \end{pmatrix} + {\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^{\frac54},\qquad z \to -1, \label{Nz-exp-z=-1}\end{aligned}$$ and $$\label{eq:asyN} N(z)= \left( I + \frac{ \mathsf{N}_1}{z} + \mathcal {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-2}) \right) \operatorname{diag}\left(z^{-\frac13},1,z^{\frac13} \right)L_{\pm},\qquad z \to \infty,$$ where $$\label{N1-coeff} \mathsf{N}_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 0 & -2^{-\frac{5}{3}} & 0 \\ - \frac{5}{16 \cdot 2^{\frac{1}{3}}} & 0 & 2^{ -\frac{5}{3}} \\ 0 & \frac{5}{16 \cdot 2^{\frac{1}{3}}} & 0 \end{pmatrix},$$ and the constants $L_{\pm}$ are given in . Local parametrix near $-1$ -------------------------- Due to the fact that the convergence of the jump matrices to the identity matrices on $\Sigma_2^{(1)}$ and $\Sigma_4^{(1)}$ is not uniform near $-1$, we intend to find a function $P^{(-1)}(z)$ satisfying an RH problem as follows. \[rhp:localpara1\] We look for a $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $P^{(-1)}(z)$ satisfying - $P^{(-1)}(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\overline{U(-1,\delta)} \setminus \{\Sigma_2^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_3^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_4^{(1)} \}$. - $P^{(-1)}(z)$ satisfies the jump condition $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:P1-jump} P^{(-1)}_{+}(z)=P^{(-1)}_{-}(z)J_S(z), \qquad z\in U(-1,\delta)\cap \{\cup\Sigma_{i=2,3,4}^{(1)}\},\end{aligned}$$ where $J_S(z)$ is defined in . - As $s \to +\infty$, $P^{(-1)}(z)$ matches $N(z)$ on the boundary $\partial U(-1,\delta)$ of $U(-1,\delta)$, i.e., $$\label{eq:mathching1} P^{(-1)}(z)=\left(I+\mathcal {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac43} ) \right)N(z), \qquad z\in \partial U(-1,\delta).$$ The RH problem \[rhp:localpara1\] for $P^{(-1)}(z)$ can be solved explicitly with the aid of the Bessel parametrix $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}$ described in Appendix \[Append: BP\]. To this aim, we introduce the local conformal mapping $$\label{def: cm f} f(z)=\frac{1}{4}\left(\lambda_1(z)-\lambda_3(z) \right)^2, \qquad z\in U(-1,\delta).$$ By and , we have that $f(z)$ is analytic in $U(-1,\delta)$ and, as $z\to -1$, $$\label{def: expf-1} f(z)=C_1^2(z+1)+2C_1 C_3(z+1)^2 + {\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^3$$ with the constants $C_1$ and $C_3$ given in . Let $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}$ be the Bessel parametrix in with $\alpha=0$, we set, for $z\in \overline{U(-1,\delta)} \setminus \{\Sigma_2^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_3^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_4^{(1)} \}$, $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq: local par} P^{(-1)}(z)=\, & E(z)\begin{pmatrix} \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{11}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z))& 0 & \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{12}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{21}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) & 0 & \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{22}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \end{pmatrix} \nonumber \\ &\times \begin{pmatrix} e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_1(z))} & 0 & 0\\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0& e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_1(z)-\lambda_3(z))} \end{pmatrix} \nonumber \\ & \times \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1&0 \\ 0& e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_3(z)-\lambda_2(z))} &1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$|\arg f(z)|< \frac{3\pi}{4} $,} \\ I, & \quad \hbox{$ \frac{3\pi}{4} <|\arg f(z)|<\pi$,} \end{array} \right.\end{aligned}$$ where $f(z)$ is defined in and $$\label{def:E} E(z)=\frac{1}{ \sqrt{2} }N(z)\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 &-i \\ 0 & \sqrt{2} & 0 \\ -i & 0& 1 \end{pmatrix}\begin{pmatrix} \pi^{\frac{1}{2}} s^{\frac{2}{3}}f(z) ^{\frac{1}{4}}& 0 &0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0& \pi^{-\frac{1}{2}} s^{-\frac{2}{3}}f(z) ^{-\frac{1}{4}} \end{pmatrix}$$ with $N(z)$ given in . \[prop:p-1\] The local parametrix $P^{(-1)}(z)$ defined in solves the RH problem \[rhp:localpara1\]. From , it is straightforward to check that $P^{(-1)}(z)$ satisfies the jump condition in provided the prefactor $E(z)$ is analytic in $U(-1,\delta)$. To see this, we note that the only possible jump for $E(z)$ is on the interval $(-1 - \delta , -1)$. For $x \in (-1 - \delta , -1)$, it is readily seen from that $f_+(x)^{\frac{1}{4}} = i\, f_-(x)^{\frac{1}{4}}$. Hence, we obtain from the jump of $N(z)$ in that $$\begin{aligned} E_{-}^{-1} (x) E_+(x) = \, & \begin{pmatrix} \pi^{-\frac{1}{2}} s^{-\frac{2}{3}} f_-(x) ^{-\frac{1}{4}}& 0 &0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0& \pi^{\frac{1}{2}} s^{\frac{2}{3}} f_-(x) ^{-\frac{1}{4}} \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} & 0 & \frac{i}{\sqrt{2}} \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \frac{i}{\sqrt{2}}& 0& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} 0&0&1 \\ 0&1&0 \\ -1&0&0 \end{pmatrix}\\ & \times \begin{pmatrix} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} & 0 & -\frac{i}{\sqrt{2}} \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ -\frac{i}{\sqrt{2}}& 0& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} \pi^{\frac{1}{2}} s^{\frac{2}{3}}f_+(x) ^{\frac{1}{4}}& 0 &0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0& \pi^{-\frac{1}{2}} s^{-\frac{2}{3}} f_+(x) ^{-\frac{1}{4}} \end{pmatrix}=I.\end{aligned}$$ This shows that $E(z)$ is indeed analytic in $U(-1,\delta)$. It remains to verify the matching condition . From the local behaviors of $\lambda_1$ and $\lambda_3$ near $-1$ given in item (d) of Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\], the function $e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_1(z)-\lambda_3(z))}$ appearing in the last term of is exponentially small as $s\to +\infty$ for $z \in \partial U(-1,\delta)$. Thus, it follows from the asymptotic behavior of the Bessel parametrix $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}$ at infinity in that, for $z \in \partial U(-1,\delta)$, $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:mathching1-exp} P^{(-1)}(z) N^{-1}(z)= I+ \frac{J_{1}^{(-1)} (z) }{ s^{\frac{4}{3}} } + \mathcal {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac83} ) , \qquad s \to +\infty,\end{aligned}$$ where $$\label{j1-1-formula} J_{1}^{(-1)} (z) = \frac{1}{8 f(z)^{\frac{1}{2}}} N(z) \begin{pmatrix} -1 & 0 & -2i \\ 0 & 0 & 0 \\ -2i & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix} N^{-1}(z),$$ which gives us . This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:p-1\]. We conclude this section by evaluating $E(-1)$ and $E'(-1)$ for later use. The calculations are straightforward and cumbersome by combining and the asymptotics of $N(z)$ and $f(z)$ given in and . We omit the details but present the results below. $$\label{eq: E(-1)} E(-1) = \begin{pmatrix} -i 2^{\frac{1}{12}} 3^{\frac14} C_1^{\frac12} \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23} & - \frac{2^{\frac13}}{3^{\frac12}} & - \frac{1}{2^{\frac5{12}} 3^{\frac54} C_1^{\frac12} \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23} } \\ - i 2^{-\frac14} 3^{\frac14} C_1^{\frac12} \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23} & \frac{2}{3^{\frac12}} & \frac{5}{ 2^{\frac34} 3^{\frac54} C_1^{\frac12} \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23}} \\ i\frac{3^{\frac14} C_1^{\frac12} \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23} }{ 2^{\frac{19}{12}}} & -\frac{5}{2^{\frac43} 3^{\frac12}} & \frac{25}{ 2^{\frac{25}{12}} 3^{\frac54} C_1^{\frac12} \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23}} \end{pmatrix},$$ and $$\label{eq: Ep(-1)} E'(-1) = \begin{pmatrix} -i\frac{ (13 C_1 + 108 C_3) \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23}}{36 \cdot 2^{\frac{11}{12}} 3^{\frac34} C_1^{\frac12}} & * & * \\ i \frac{(35 C_1 - 108 C_3) \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23}}{72 \cdot 2^{\frac14} 3^{\frac34} C_1^{\frac12}} & * & * \\ -i \frac{(83 C_1 - 108 C_3) \pi^{\frac12} s^{\frac23}}{144 \cdot 2^{\frac{7}{12}} 3^{\frac34} C_1^{\frac12}} & * & * \end{pmatrix},$$ where the constants $C_1$ and $C_3$ are given in , and $*$ stands for some unimportant entry. Local parametrix near $1$ ------------------------- Similar to the situation encountered near $z=-1$, we intend to find a function $P^{(1)}(z)$ satisfying the following RH problem near $z=1$. \[rhp:localpara2\] We look for a $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $P^{(1)}(z)$ satisfying - $P^{(1)}(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\overline{U(1,\delta)} \setminus \{\Sigma_0^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_1^{(1)} \cup \Sigma_5^{(1)}\}$. - $P^{(1)}(z)$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:P2-jump} P^{(1)}_{+}(z)=P^{(1)}_{-}(z)J_S(z), \qquad z\in U(-1,\delta)\cap \{\cup\Sigma_{i=0,1,5}^{(1)}\},$$ where $J_S(z)$ is defined in . - As $s \to +\infty$, we have $$\label{eq:mathching2} P^{(1)}(z)=\left(I+\mathcal {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac43} ) \right)N(z),\qquad z\in \partial U(1,\delta).$$ Again, the RH problem \[rhp:localpara2\] can be solved with the help of the Bessel parametrix $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}$, following the same spirit in the construction of $P^{(-1)}(z)$. The conformal mapping now reads $$\label{def: cm f-2} \widetilde{f}(z)=\frac{1}{4} ( \lambda_1(z)-\lambda_2(z) )^2,\qquad z\in U(1,\delta).$$ From and , one can see that $$\label{eq: fz+-} \widetilde{f}(z) = f(-z),$$ where $f(z)$ is defined in . In view of , this also implies that, as $z\to 1$, $$\label{def: expf-2} \widetilde f(z)= - C_1^2(z-1)+2C_1 C_3(z-1)^2+{\mathcal{O}}(z-1)^3,$$ with the constants $C_1$ and $C_3$ given in . For $z\in \overline{U(1,\delta)} \setminus \{\cup\Sigma_{i=0,1,5}^{(1)}\}$, we then set $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq: local par-2} P^{(1)}(z)=&\, \widetilde E(z)\begin{pmatrix} \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{11}(s^{\frac{8}{3}} \widetilde f(z))& -\left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{12}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}\widetilde f(z)) & 0 \\ -\left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{21}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}\widetilde f(z)) & \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{22}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}\widetilde f(z)) & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix} \nonumber \\ & \times \begin{pmatrix} e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_1(z))} & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_1(z)-\lambda_2(z))} & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix} \nonumber \\ & \times \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 1&0&0 \\ 0&1& e^{s^{\frac43}(\lambda_2(z)-\lambda_3(z))} \\ 0& 0 &1 \end{pmatrix}, &\quad \hbox{$|\arg \widetilde f(z)|< \frac{3\pi}{4} $,} \\ I, & \quad \hbox{$ \frac{3\pi}{4} <|\arg \widetilde f(z)|<\pi$,} \end{array} \right.\end{aligned}$$ where $\widetilde f(z)$ is defined in and $$\label{def:E-2} \widetilde E(z)=\frac{1}{ \sqrt{2} }N(z)\begin{pmatrix} 1 & i & 0 \\ i & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & \sqrt{2} \end{pmatrix}\begin{pmatrix} \pi^{\frac{1}{2}} s^{\frac{2}{3}} \widetilde f(z) ^{\frac{1}{4}}& 0 & 0 \\ 0 & \pi^{-\frac{1}{2}} s^{-\frac{2}{3}} \widetilde f(z) ^{-\frac{1}{4}} & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}.$$ It comes out that $P^{(1)}(z)$ is closely related to $P^{(-1)}(z)$. To see the relation, we observe from and that $$\widetilde E(z) = \Upsilon E(-z) {\Lambda},$$ where the constant matrices ${\Lambda}$ and $\Upsilon$ are given in and , respectively. A further appeal to the symmetric relations and then implies $$P^{(1)}(z) = \Upsilon P^{(-1)}(-z) {\Lambda}.$$ This in turn shows that the $ P^{(1)}(z)$ fulfills the jump condition and the matching condition . In particular, we have, as $s \to +\infty$, $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:mathching2-exp} P^{(1)}(z) N^{-1}(z)= I+ \frac{J_{1}^{(1)} (z) }{ s^{\frac{4}{3}} } + \mathcal {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac83} ) , \qquad z \in \partial U(1,\delta),\end{aligned}$$ where $$\label{j1-2-formula} J_{1}^{(1)} (z) = \frac{1}{8 \widetilde f(z)^{\frac{1}{2}}} N(z) \begin{pmatrix} -1 & 2i & 0 \\ 2i & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 \end{pmatrix} N^{-1}(z).$$ Again, using and , it is readily seen from that $$\begin{aligned} \label{j1-symmetric} J_{1}^{(1)} (z) &=\frac{1}{8 f(-z)^{\frac{1}{2}}} \Upsilon N(-z) \Lambda \begin{pmatrix} -1 & 2i & 0 \\ 2i & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 \end{pmatrix} \Lambda^{-1} N^{-1}(-z) \Upsilon^{-1} \nonumber \\ &=\Upsilon J_1^{(-1)}(-z) \Upsilon,\end{aligned}$$ where we have made use of the fact that $\Upsilon^{-1}=\Upsilon$; see . In summary, we have proved the following proposition. \[prop:p-2\] The local parametrix $P^{(1)}(z)$ defined in solves the RH problem \[rhp:localpara2\]. Final transformation -------------------- Our final transformation is defined by $$\label{def:StoR} R(z)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} S(z)N^{-1}(z), &\quad \hbox{$z\in \mathbb{C}\setminus \{U(-1,\delta) \cup U(1,\delta)\cup \Sigma_S\}$,} \\ S(z)(P^{(-1)}(z))^{-1}, &\quad \hbox{$z \in U(-1,\delta)$,} \\ S(z)(P^{(1)}(z))^{-1}, &\quad \hbox{$z \in U(1,\delta)$.} \end{array} \right.$$ It is then easily seen that $R(z)$ satisfies the following RH problem. \[rhp:R\] The $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $R(z)$ defined in has the following properties: - $R(z)$ is analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \Sigma_R$, where the contour $\Sigma_R$ is shown in Figure \[fig:ContourR\]. - $R(z)$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:R-jump} R_{+}(z)=R_{-}(z)J_R(z),\qquad z\in\Sigma_R,$$ where $$J_R(z)= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} P^{(-1)}(z)N^{-1}(z), &\quad \hbox{$z\in \partial U(-1,\delta)$,} \\ P^{(1)}(z)N^{-1}(z), &\quad \hbox{$z\in \partial U(1,\delta)$,}\\ N(z)J_S(z)N^{-1}(z), &\quad \hbox{$z \in \cup\Sigma_{i=1,2,4,5}^{(1)}\setminus \{U(-1,\delta)\cup U(1,\delta)\}$.} \end{array} \right.$$ - As $z \to \infty$, we have $$\label{eq:asyR1} R(z)=I+{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-1}).$$ (100,70)(-5,2) (37.5,41)[(-2,1)[28]{}]{} (37.5,39)[(-2,-1)[28]{}]{} (62.5,41)[(2,1)[28]{}]{} (62.5,39)[(2,-1)[28]{}]{} (40,40) (40,40) (60,40) (60,40) (41,42.3)[(1,0)[.0001]{}]{} (61,42.3)[(1,0)[.0001]{}]{} (38,34)[$-1$]{} (59,34)[$1$]{} (20,50)[(2,-1)[.0001]{}]{} (20,30.5)[(2,1)[.0001]{}]{} (80,30.5)[(2,-1)[.0001]{}]{} (80,50)[(2,1)[.0001]{}]{} In view of Corollary \[coro:JS\], it follows that the jumps of $R(z)$ tend to the identity matrix exponentially fast as $s\to +\infty$, except for those on $\partial U(-1,\delta)\cup \partial U(1,\delta)$; see also and for the expansions of $J_R(z)$ on $\partial U(1,\delta)$ and $\partial U(-1,\delta)$. Then, by a standard argument (cf. [@DeiftBook]), we conclude that, as $s\to +\infty$, $$\label{eq:estR} R(z)=I+ \frac{R_1(z)}{s^{\frac{4}{3}}}+ {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{8}{3}}) \quad \textrm{and} \quad \frac{{\,\mathrm{d}}}{{\,\mathrm{d}}z}R(z)=\frac{R_1'(z)}{s^{\frac{4}{3}}}+ {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{8}{3}}),$$ uniformly for $z \in \mathbb{C} \setminus \Sigma_R$. Moreover, a combination of and RH problem \[rhp:R\] shows that $R_1(z)$ solves the following RH problem. \[rhp:R1 z\] The $3 \times 3$ matrix-valued function $R_1(z)$ appearing in satisfies the following properties: - $R_1(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{\partial U(-1,\delta)\cup \partial U(1,\delta)\}$. - $R_1$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{eq:R1-jump} R_{1,+}(z)-R_{1,-}(z) = \begin{cases} J_{1}^{(-1)}(z), & z \in \partial U(-1,\delta), \\ J_{1}^{(1)}(z), & z \in \partial U(1,\delta), \end{cases}$$ where $J_{1}^{(-1)}(z)$ and $J_{1}^{(1)}(z)$ are given in and , respectively. - As $z \to \infty$, we have $R_1(z) = {\mathcal{O}}(z^{-1}).$ By Cauchy’s residue theorem, the solution to the above RH problem is given by $$\begin{aligned} & R_1(z) \nonumber \\ &= \frac{1}{2 \pi i} \oint_{\partial U(-1,\delta)} \frac{J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta)}{z-\zeta } {\,\mathrm{d}}\zeta + \frac{1}{2 \pi i} \oint_{\partial U(1,\delta)} \frac{J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta)}{z- \zeta} {\,\mathrm{d}}\zeta \nonumber \\ &= \begin{cases} {\displaystyle}\frac{\mathop{\textrm{Res}}\limits_{\zeta = -1}J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta)}{z+1} + \frac{\mathop{\operatorname*{Res}}\limits_{\zeta = 1}J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta)}{z-1} , & z \in \mathbb{C}\setminus \{U(-1,\delta)\cup U(1,\delta)\}, \medskip \\ {\displaystyle}\frac{\mathop{\textrm{Res}}\limits_{\zeta = -1} J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta)}{z+1} + \frac{\mathop{\operatorname*{Res}}\limits_{\zeta = 1}J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta)}{z-1} - J_{1}^{(-1)}(z) , & z \in U(-1,\delta), \medskip \\ {\displaystyle}\frac{\mathop{\operatorname*{Res}}\limits_{\zeta = -1}J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta)}{z+1} + \frac{\mathop{\operatorname*{Res}}\limits_{\zeta = 1}J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta)}{z-1} - J_{1}^{(1)}(z), & z \in U(1,\delta). \end{cases} \label{R1-expression}\end{aligned}$$ For our purpose, we need to know the exact value of $R_1'(-1)$. From the local behaviors of $N(z)$ and $f(z)$ near $z=-1$ given in and , we obtain from that $$\begin{aligned} \label{J1-1-expan} J_{1}^{(-1)}(z) &= \frac{1}{8 f(z)^{\frac{1}{2}}} N(z) \begin{pmatrix} -1 & 0 & -2i \\ 0 & 0 & 0 \\ -2i & 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix} N^{-1}(z) \nonumber \\ &=\frac{\mathcal{J}_{-1}}{z+1} + \mathcal{J}_0 + \mathcal{J}_1 \cdot (z+1) + {\mathcal{O}}(z+1)^2, \qquad z \to -1,\end{aligned}$$ where $$\label{j1-1-residue} \mathcal{J}_{-1}= \operatorname*{Res}_{\zeta = -1}J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta) = \frac{1}{16 \sqrt{6} \, C_1} \begin{pmatrix} 1 & - 2^{\frac43} & - 2^{\frac53} \\ 2^{-\frac13} & -2 & -2^{\frac43} \\ -2^{-\frac53} & 2^{-\frac13} & 1 \end{pmatrix}$$ with $C_1$ given in . Although the explicit formulas of $\mathcal{J}_0$ and $\mathcal{J}_1$ in are also available and $\mathcal{J}_{1}$ is indeed involved in our later calculation, we decide not to include the exact formulas here due to their complicated forms. Also note that $J_1^{(1)}(z)=\Upsilon J_1^{(-1)}(-z) \Upsilon$ (see ), it is then readily seen that $$\begin{aligned} \operatorname*{Res}_{\zeta = 1}J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta) &= - \Upsilon \, \operatorname*{Res}_{\zeta = -1}J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta) \, \Upsilon = -\Upsilon \, \mathcal{J}_{-1} \, \Upsilon \nonumber \\ & = \frac{1}{16 \sqrt{6} C_1} \begin{pmatrix} -1 & -2^{\frac43} & 2^{\frac53} \\ 2^{-\frac13} & 2 & - 2^{\frac43} \\ 2^{-\frac53} & 2^{-\frac13} & -1 \end{pmatrix}. \label{j1-2-residue}\end{aligned}$$ Hence, in view of , we arrive at $$\label{Rp(-1)-expression} R_1'(-1) = - \mathcal{J}_{1} - \frac{1}{4} \operatorname*{Res}_{\zeta = 1}J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta)= -\mathcal{J}_{1}-\frac{1}{64 \sqrt{6} C_1} \begin{pmatrix} -1 & -2^{\frac43} & 2^{\frac53} \\ 2^{-\frac13} & 2 & - 2^{\frac43} \\ 2^{-\frac53} & 2^{-\frac13} & -1 \end{pmatrix},$$ where $\mathcal{J}_{1}$ is given in . Finally, we point out that, $$\label{eq:asyR} R(z)=I + \frac{\mathsf{R}_1}{z} +{\mathcal{O}}(z^{-2}), \qquad z\to \infty,$$ where $$\mathsf{R}_1=\frac{i}{2 \pi}\int_{\Sigma_R} R_-(w)\left(J_{ R}(w)-I\right){\,\mathrm{d}}w.$$ Comparing , with , we obtain $$\begin{aligned} \label{R1-coeff} \mathsf{R}_1 &=\frac{1}{s^{\frac{4}{3}}} \left(\operatorname*{Res}_{\zeta = -1}J_{1}^{(-1)}(\zeta)+\operatorname*{Res}_{\zeta = 1}J_{1}^{(1)}(\zeta)\right) + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{8}{3}}) \nonumber \\ &= \frac{1}{s^{\frac{4}{3}}} \left(\mathcal{J}_{-1} - \Upsilon \mathcal{J}_{-1} \Upsilon \right) + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{8}{3}}),\end{aligned}$$ on account of and . We are now ready to prove Theorem \[main-thm\]. Proof of Theorem \[main-thm\] {#sec:proof} ============================= Our strategy is to find the large $s$ asymptotics of $\frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)$ and $\frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho)$ by making use of the differential identities established in Proposition \[prop:derivativeandX\], which will in turn give us the asymptotics of $F(s;\rho)$. We start with deriving the asymptotics of $\frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)$. Substituting into the differential identity gives us $$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)&=-\frac{1}{ \pi i s} \lim_{z \to -1} \left[\left(T^{-1}(z)T'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(T^{-1}(z) T'(z)\right)_{31}\right], \label{eq:derivativeinsT}\end{aligned}$$ where $'$ denotes the derivative with respect to $z$. Tracing back the invertible transformations $T\mapsto S$ and $S\mapsto R$ in and , it follows that $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:TtoR} T(z)=e^{D_0s^{\frac43}} \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \Psi_0 \operatorname{diag}\left(s^{-\frac13},1,s^{\frac13} \right) S_0^{-1} \\ \times R(z)P^{(-1)}(z)\operatorname{diag}\left(e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_1(z)},e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_2(z)},e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_3(z)}\right), \qquad z \in U(-1,\delta).\end{gathered}$$ In addition, from the explicit expression of $P^{(-1)}(z)$ in , we further obtain $$\begin{aligned} \label{Tformula-A-B} T(z)&=e^{D_0s^{\frac43}} \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \Psi_0 \operatorname{diag}\left(s^{-\frac13},1,s^{\frac13} \right) S_0^{-1} R(z)E(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z)\end{aligned}$$ for $z \in U(-1,\delta)$ and $|\arg f(z)|<\frac34\pi$, where $$\label{eq: A(z) def} \mathscr{A}(z) := \begin{pmatrix} e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_1(z)+\lambda_3(z))} & 0 & 0\\ 0 & e^{s^{\frac43}\lambda_2(z)} & 0 \\ 0 & e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_1(z)+\lambda_3(z))} & e^{\frac{s^{\frac43}}{2}(\lambda_1(z)+\lambda_3(z))} \end{pmatrix}$$ and $$\label{def:Bz} \mathscr{B}(z):=\begin{pmatrix} \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{11}(z)& 0 & \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{12}(z) \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{21}(z) & 0 & \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{22}(z) \end{pmatrix}.$$ Since the prefactor $e^{D_0s^{\frac43}} \sqrt{\frac{2\pi}{3}}i e^{\frac{\rho^2}{6}} \Psi_0 \operatorname{diag}\left(s^{-\frac13},1,s^{\frac13} \right) S_0^{-1}$ in is independent of $z$, we have $$\begin{aligned} T^{-1}(z)T'(z) = \, & \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{A}'(z) + s^{\frac{8}{3}}f'(z) \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{B}'(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z) \nonumber \\ &+ \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) E^{-1}(z) E'(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z)\nonumber \\ & + \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) E^{-1}(z) R^{-1}(z) R'(z) E(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z). \label{T'formula-A-B}\end{aligned}$$ We next evaluate the four terms on the right hand side of the above formula one by one. For the first term in , we see from that $$\begin{aligned} \label{Term1-final} \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{A}'(z) = \displaystyle \frac{s^{\frac{4}{3}}}{2} \begin{pmatrix} \lambda_1'(z) + \lambda_3'(z) & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 2\lambda_2'(z) & 0 \\ 0 & \lambda_1'(z) +\lambda_3'(z) - 2\lambda_2'(z) & \lambda_1'(z)+ \lambda_3'(z) \end{pmatrix}. $$ Thus, $$\label{eq:term1} \left(\mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{A}'(z)\right)_{21}=\left(\mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{A}'(z)\right)_{31}=0.$$ For the second term in , we recall the following properties of the modified Bessel functions (cf. [@DLMF Chapter 10]): $$\begin{aligned} I_0(z)&= \sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{(z/2)^{2k}}{(k!)^2}, \\ K_0(z)&= -\left(\ln(z/2)+\gamma\right) I_0(z)+{\mathcal{O}}(z^2), \qquad z \to 0,\end{aligned}$$ where $\gamma$ is the Euler’s constant. This, together with and , implies that, as $z \to 0$, $$\label{eq:Bzero} \mathscr{B}(z)= \begin{pmatrix} 1+{\mathcal{O}}(z)& 0 & {\mathcal{O}}(\ln z) \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \frac{\pi i}{2}z+{\mathcal{O}}(z^2) & 0 &1+{\mathcal{O}}(z \ln z) \end{pmatrix}$$ and $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:B-1zero} \mathscr{B}^{-1}(z)=\begin{pmatrix} \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{22}(z)& 0 & -\left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{12}(z) \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ -\left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0}\right)_{21}(z) & 0 & \left( \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{0} \right)_{11}(z) \end{pmatrix} \\ = \begin{pmatrix} 1+{\mathcal{O}}(z\ln z)& 0 & {\mathcal{O}}(\ln z) \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ -\frac{\pi i}{2}z +{\mathcal{O}}(z^2) & 0 &1+{\mathcal{O}}(z) \end{pmatrix}.\end{gathered}$$ A combination of these two formulas shows $$\label{eq:B-1B} \lim_{z\to 0}\left( \mathscr{B}^{-1}(z)\mathscr{B}'(z) \right)_{21}=0, \qquad \lim_{z\to 0}\left( \mathscr{B}^{-1}(z)\mathscr{B}'(z) \right)_{31} =\frac{\pi i}{2}.$$ To this end, we note that for an arbitrary $3\times 3$ matrix $ M = (m_{ij})_{i,j=1}^3$, it is readily seen from that $$\label{eq: A-1MA} \begin{split} &\lim_{z \to -1} \left(\mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) M \mathscr{A}(z) \right)_{21} = m_{21} e^{\frac{s^{\frac{4}{3}}}{2} [\lambda_1(-1) + \lambda_3(-1) -2 \lambda_2(-1)]}, \\ &\lim_{z \to -1} \left(\mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) M \mathscr{A}(z) \right)_{31} = m_{31} - m_{21} e^{\frac{s^{\frac{4}{3}}}{2} [\lambda_1(-1) + \lambda_3(-1) -2 \lambda_2(-1)]}. \end{split}$$ We then obtain from , and the facts $f(-1) = 0, f'(-1) = C_1^2$ (see ) that $$\begin{aligned} \label{Term2-final} &\lim_{z \to -1} \left(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f'(z) \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{B}'(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z) \right)_{21} = 0, \\ \label{Term2-final2} &\lim_{z \to -1} \left(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f'(z) \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{B}'(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z) \right)_{31} = \frac{C_1^2 \pi i}{2} s^{\frac{8}{3}},\end{aligned}$$ where $C_1$ is given in . Regrading the last two terms in , we first observe from items (d) and (f) of Proposition \[prop: prop of lambda\] that $$\begin{aligned} \lambda_1(-1) + \lambda_3(-1) - 2 \lambda_2(-1) &= \lambda_1(-1) + \lambda_3(-1) -2\left( - \frac{9}{2^{\frac{7}{3}}} + \frac{3 \rho}{2^{\frac{2}{3}} s^{\frac{2}{3}}} - \lambda_1(-1) - \lambda_3(-1)\right) \nonumber \\ &=6C_0+\frac{9}{2^{\frac43}}-\frac{3\cdot 2^{\frac13} \rho}{s^{\frac23}}= -\frac{9}{2^{\frac73}} - \frac{3 \rho}{2^{\frac23} s^{\frac23}}. \label{lambda-123-value}\end{aligned}$$ This means the exponential terms on the right hand side of are exponentially small as $s \to + \infty$ for $\rho$ in any compact subset of $\mathbb{R}$. Next, it is readily seen from , and that, for an arbitrary $3\times 3$ matrix $ M = (m_{ij})_{i,j=1}^3$, $$\label{eq: B-1MB} \begin{split} &\lim_{z \to -1} \left(\mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) M \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \right)_{21} = m_{21}, \\ &\lim_{z \to -1} \left(\mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) M \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \right)_{31} = m_{31}. \end{split}$$ This, together with and , implies that $$\begin{aligned} &\lim_{z\to -1}\left(\mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) E^{-1}(z) E'(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z)\right)_{21} = {\mathcal{O}}(e^{-( 9 \cdot 2^{-\frac{10}{3}} - \delta ) s^{\frac43}}), \nonumber \\ & \lim_{z\to -1}\left( \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) E^{-1}(z) R^{-1}(z) R'(z) E(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z)\right)_{21} \\ & \hspace{10cm} ={\mathcal{O}}(e^{-( 9 \cdot 2^{-\frac{10}{3}} - \delta ) s^{\frac43}}) \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ for an arbitrary small constant $\delta>0$, i.e., the above two terms are exponentially small as $s \to +\infty$. Similarly, we also have $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:3term1} \lim_{z\to -1}\left(\mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) E^{-1}(z) E'(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z)\right)_{31} \\ =\lim_{z \to -1}\left( E^{-1}(z) E'(z) \right)_{31} + {\mathcal{O}}(e^{-( 9 \cdot 2^{-\frac{10}{3}} - \delta ) s^{\frac43}}),\end{gathered}$$ $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:4term1} \lim_{z\to -1}\left( \mathscr{A}^{-1}(z) \mathscr{B}^{-1}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) E^{-1}(z) R^{-1}(z) R'(z) E(z) \mathscr{B}(s^{\frac{8}{3}}f(z)) \mathscr{A}(z) \right)_{31} \\ =\lim_{z \to -1}\left( E^{-1}(z) R^{-1}(z) R'(z) E(z) \right)_{31}+ {\mathcal{O}}(e^{-( 9 \cdot 2^{-\frac{10}{3}} - \delta ) s^{\frac43}}).\end{gathered}$$ For the limit of the right hand side on of , it follows from the explicit expressions of $E(-1)$ and $E'(-1)$ given in and that $$\label{Term3-final} \lim_{z \to -1}\left(E^{-1}(z) E'(z) \right)_{31} = 0.$$ For the limit of the right hand side on of , we note from that, as $s\to +\infty$, $$E^{-1}(z) R^{-1}(z) R'(z) E(z) = E^{-1}(z) \left( \frac{R_1'(z)}{s^{\frac43}} + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{8}{3}}) \right) E(z).$$ In view of the explicit expressions of $E(-1)$ and $R_1'(-1)$ in and , it is then readily seen that $$\label{Term4-final} \lim_{z \to -1}\left( E^{-1}(z) R^{-1}(z) R'(z) E(z) \right)_{31} = \pi i \frac{C_1 - 12 C_3 }{32 C_1} + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{4}{3}}), \quad s\to +\infty,$$ where the constants $C_i$, $i=1,3$, are given in . Finally, by , , , , , , and , we obtain $$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial}{\partial s} F(s;\rho)&=-\frac{1}{ \pi i s} \lim_{z \to -1} \left[\left(T^{-1}(z)T'(z)\right)_{21}+\left(T^{-1}(z) T'(z)\right)_{31}\right] \nonumber \\ & = -\frac{1}{s} \left( \frac{1}{2}s^{\frac{8}{3}} C_1^2 + \frac{C_1 - 12 C_3 }{32 C_1} + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{4}{3}}) \right) \nonumber \\ &=-\frac{3 s^{\frac53}}{2^{\frac83}} + \frac{\rho s}{2} - \frac{\rho^2 s^{\frac13}}{3 \cdot 2^{\frac43}} - \frac{2}{9 s} + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{5}{3}}).\end{aligned}$$ as $s \to +\infty$. Integrating the above formula gives us $$\label{main-F-asy-2} F(s;\rho)= -\frac{9 s^{\frac83}}{2^{\frac{17}3}} + \frac{\rho s^2}{4} - \frac{\rho^2 s^{{\frac43}}}{2^{{\frac{10}3}}} - \frac{2}{9} \ln s + \kappa(\rho) + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{2}{3}}),$$ uniformly for $\rho$ in any compact subset of $\mathbb{R}$, where $\kappa(\rho)$ is the constant of integration that might be dependent on $\rho$. To find more information about $\kappa(\rho)$, we come to $\frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho)$. From and , we have $$\label{eq:derivativeinRhoS} \frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho) = -\frac{s^{\frac{2}{3}}}{2} \left( ( \mathsf{S}_1 )_{12} + ( \mathsf{S}_1 )_{23} \right) - D_1 s^2 + \frac{\rho^3}{54},$$ where $\mathsf{S}_1$ and $D_1$ are given in and , respectively. Recall that (see ) $$S(z) = R(z) N(z), \qquad z\in \mathbb{C}\setminus \{U(-1,\delta) \cup U(1,\delta) \cup \Sigma_S\},$$ it follows from the large $z$ behaviors of $S(z)$, $N(z)$ and $R(z)$ in , and that $$\mathsf{S}_1 = \mathsf{R}_1 + \mathsf{N}_1,$$ where $\mathsf{R}_1$ and $\mathsf{N}_1$ are the coefficients of $1/z$ for $R(z)$ and $N(z)$ at infinity. A combination of the above formula and the expressions of $\mathsf{R}_1$ and $\mathsf{N}_1$ in and gives us $$( \mathsf{S}_1 )_{12} + ( \mathsf{S}_1 )_{23} = {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{4}{3}}), \qquad s \to +\infty.$$ This, together with and $D_1$ given in , further implies $$\frac{\partial}{\partial \rho} F(s;\rho) = \frac{s^2}{4} - \frac{\rho s^{\frac{4}{3}}}{2^{\frac{7}{3}}} + \frac{\rho^3}{54} + {\mathcal{O}}(s^{-\frac{2}{3}}).$$ Comparing this approximation with the asymptotics of $F(s;\rho)$ given in , it is easily seen that $$\label{eq:kapparho} \kappa'(\rho) = \frac{\rho^3}{54} \Longrightarrow \kappa(\rho) = \frac{\rho^4}{216} + C,$$ where $C$ is an undetermined constant independent of $s$ and $\rho$. Inserting into leads to our final asymptotic result . This completes the proof of Theorem \[main-thm\]. Bessel parametrix {#Append: BP} ================= Define $$\label{Phi-B-solution} \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} I_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) & \frac{i}{\pi}K_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) \\ \pi iz^{1/2}I'_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) & -z^{1/2}K_{\alpha}'(z^{1/2}) \end{pmatrix}, & z\in \texttt{I},\\ [4mm] \begin{pmatrix} I_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) & \frac{i}{\pi}K_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) \\ \pi iz^{1/2}I'_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) & -z^{1/2}K_{\alpha}'(z^{1/2}) \end{pmatrix}\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0\\ -e^{\alpha \pi i} & 1 \end{pmatrix}, & z\in \texttt{II}, \\ [4mm] \begin{pmatrix} I_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) & \frac{i}{\pi}K_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) \\ \pi iz^{1/2}I'_{\alpha}(z^{1/2}) & -z^{1/2}K_{\alpha}'(z^{1/2}) \end{pmatrix}\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ e^{-\alpha\pi i} & 1 \end{pmatrix}, & z\in \texttt{III}, \end{array} \right.$$ where $I_\alpha(z)$ and $K_\alpha(z)$ denote the modified Bessel functions (cf. [@DLMF Chapter 10]), the principle branch is taken for $z^{1/2}$ and the regions $\texttt{I-III}$ are illustrated in Fig. \[fig:jumps-Phi-B\]. By [@KMVV], we have that $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)$ satisfies the RH problem below. (80,70)(-5,2) (40,40)[(-2,-3)[16]{}]{} (40,40)[(-2,3)[16]{}]{} (40,40)[(-1,0)[30]{}]{} (30,55)[(2,-3)[1]{}]{} (30,40)[(1,0)[1]{}]{} (30,25)[(2,3)[1]{}]{} (39,36.3)[$0$]{} (20,11)[$\widehat \Gamma_3$]{} (20,68)[$\widehat \Gamma_1$]{} (3,40)[$\widehat \Gamma_2$]{} (52,39)[$\texttt{I}$]{} (25,44)[$\texttt{II}$]{} (25,34)[$\texttt{III}$]{} (40,40) RH problem for $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_\alpha$ {#rh-problem-for-phimathrmbes_alpha .unnumbered} ----------------------------------------------- \(a) $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)$ is defined and analytic in $\mathbb{C}\setminus \{\cup^3_{j=1}\widehat \Gamma_j\cup\{0\}\}$, where the contours $\widehat \Gamma_j$, $j=1,2,3$, are indicated in Figure \[fig:jumps-Phi-B\]. \(b) $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)$ satisfies the jump condition $$\label{Bessel-jump} \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha,+}(z)=\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha,-}(z) \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0\\ e^{\alpha \pi i} & 1 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad z \in \widehat \Gamma_1, \\ \begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1\\ -1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad z \in \widehat \Gamma_2, \\ \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ e^{-\alpha\pi i} & 1 \\ \end{pmatrix}, & \qquad z \in \widehat \Gamma_3. \end{array} \right .$$ \(c) $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)$ satisfies the following asymptotic behavior at infinity: $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:Besl-infty} \Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)= \frac{( \pi^2 z )^{-\frac{1}{4} \sigma_3}}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{pmatrix} 1 & i \\ i & 1 \end{pmatrix} \\ \times \left( I + \frac{1}{8 z^{1/2}} \begin{pmatrix} -1-4\alpha^2 & -2i \\ -2i & 1+4\alpha^2 \end{pmatrix} + {\mathcal{O}}\left(\frac{1}{z}\right) \right)e^{z^{1/2}\sigma_3},\quad z\to \infty. \end{gathered}$$ \(d) $\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)$ satisfies the following asymptotic behaviors near the origin: If $\alpha<0$, $$\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)= {\mathcal{O}}\begin{pmatrix} |z|^{\alpha/2} & |z|^{\alpha/2} \\ |z|^{\alpha/2} & |z|^{\alpha/2} \end{pmatrix}, \qquad \textrm{as $z \to 0$}.$$ If $\alpha=0$, $$\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)= {\mathcal{O}}\begin{pmatrix} \ln|z| & \ln|z| \\ \ln|z| & \ln|z| \end{pmatrix}, \qquad \textrm{as $z \to 0$}.$$ If $\alpha>0$, $$\Phi^{({\mathrm{Bes}})}_{\alpha}(z)= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} {\mathcal{O}}\begin{pmatrix} |z|^{\alpha/2} & |z|^{-\alpha/2} \\ |z|^{\alpha/2} & |z|^{-\alpha/2} \end{pmatrix}, & \hbox{as $z \to 0$ and $z\in \texttt{I}$,} \\ {\mathcal{O}}\begin{pmatrix} |z|^{-\alpha/2} & |z|^{-\alpha/2} \\ |z|^{-\alpha/2} & |z|^{-\alpha/2} \end{pmatrix}, & \hbox{as $z \to 0$ and $z\in \texttt{II}\cup \texttt{III} $.} \end{array} \right.$$ Acknowledgements {#acknowledgements .unnumbered} ================ Dan Dai was partially supported by grants from the City University of Hong Kong (Project No. 7005032, 7005252), and grants from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. CityU 11303016). 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Zinn-Justin, Random Hermitian matrices in an external field, Nucl. Phys. B 497 (1997), 725–732.

Q: SQL injection-proofing TextBoxes I've found some tutorials on this already, but they aren't exactly what I'm looking for, I can use the following for username fields and password fields Private Sub UsernameTextBox_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) Handles UsernameTextBox.KeyPress If Char.IsDigit(e.KeyChar) OrElse Char.IsControl(e.KeyChar) OrElse Char.IsLetter(e.KeyChar) Then e.Handled = False Else e.Handled = True End If End Sub But for an email field how would I go about protecting against SQL injection for that textbox, as some email accounts have periods or dashes in them? Update: Below is an example of an insert statement I use. Dim con As SqlConnection con = New SqlConnection() Dim cmd As New SqlCommand Try con.ConnectionString = "Data Source=" & Server & ";Initial Catalog=" & Database & ";User ID=" & User & ";Password=" & Password & ";" con.Open() cmd.Connection = con cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO TB_User(STRUserID, password, Email) VALUES('" & UsernameTextBox.Text & "', '" & MD5Hash(PasswordTextBox.Text) & "', '" & EmailTextBox.Text & "')" cmd.ExecuteNonQuery() Catch ex As Exception MessageBox.Show("Error while inserting record on table..." & ex.Message, "Insert Records") Finally con.Close() End Try So I need to run this with parametrized queries rather than how I'm doing it now? A: Instead of filtering out "invalid" data from user input, consider using parametrized queries and not putting user input directly into your queries; that's very bad form. To run your current query using parameters, it's pretty easy: Dim con As New SqlConnection() Dim cmd As New SqlCommand() Try con.ConnectionString = "Data Source=" & Server & ";Initial Catalog=" & Database & ";User ID=" & User & ";Password=" & Password & ";" con.Open() cmd.Connection = con cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO TB_User(STRUserID, password, Email) VALUES(@username, @password, @email)" cmd.Parameters.Add("@username", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50).Value = UsernameTextBox.Text cmd.Parameters.Add("@password", SqlDbType.Char, 32).Value = MD5Hash(PasswordTextBox.Text) cmd.Parameters.Add("@email", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50).Value = EmailTextBox.Text cmd.ExecuteNonQuery() Catch ex As Exception MessageBox.Show("Error while inserting record on table..." & ex.Message, "Insert Records") Finally con.Close() End Try All you have to do is use cmd.Parameters.Add with a parameter name and the right database type (the ones I guessed probably don't match up, so you'll want to change them), then set the value to the value you want used in the query. Parameter names start with an @. A: It doesn't depend on the textbox. Don't compose a sql sentence joining strings like this: "SELECT * FROM User WHERE UserName=" + tbName.Text + ... Use stored procedures or parameterized queries and you'll be safe from SQL injection. When you use parameters, the textbox content is used as a value, so it doesn't matter what it contains.

Navigation-guided resection of maxillary tumors: Can a new volumetric virtual planning method improve outcomes in terms of control of resection margins? In the present study, our aim was to confirm the role of navigation-guided surgery in reducing the percentage of positive margins in advanced malignant pathologies of the mid-face, by introducing a new volumetric virtual planning method for resection. Twenty-eight patients were included in this study. Eighteen patients requiring surgery to treat malignant midface tumors were prospectively selected and stratified into two different study groups. Patients enrolled in the Reference Points Resection group (RPR - 10 patients) underwent resection planning using the anatomical landmarks on CT scan; patients enrolled in the Volume Resection group (VR - 8 patients) underwent resection using the new volumetric virtual planning method. The remaining 10 patients (Control group) were treated without the use of a navigation system. In total, 127 margins were pathologically assessed in the RPR group, 75 in the VR group, and 85 in the control group. In the control group, 16% of the margins were positive, while in the RPR group the value was 9%, and in the VR group 1%. The volumetric tumor resection planning associated to the navigation-guide resection appeared to be an improvement in terms of control of surgical margins in advanced tumors involving the mid-face.

Q: How to insert data to the additional field which is inside pivot table with laravel eloquent My pivot table has additional field... id | user_id | language_id | level --------------------------------------- and my code: User::find($this->userId)->languages()->attach(['language_id' => $lang_id, 'level' => $level]); but the result is: id | user_id | language_id | level --------------------------------------- 1 1 1 null 1 1 2 null actually, second line's language_id must be first line's level... how can i do it properly like this? id | user_id | language_id | level --------------------------------------- 1 1 1 2 A: attach() works a bit differently. The first parameter is the id or an instance of the other model and the second parameter are other pivot fields: User::find($this->userId)->languages()->attach($lang_id, ['level' => $level]); As @ceejayoz mentioned you also don't have withPivot() defined in your relationship. That means level won't be available in the result. Change that by adding withPivot() to both sides of the relation: public function languages() { return $this->belongsToMany('Language')->withPivot('level'); }

Prenatal multivitamin supplementation and rates of pediatric cancers: a meta-analysis. Prenatal supplementation of folic acid has been shown to decrease the risk of several congenital malformations. Several studies have recently suggested a potential protective effect of folic acid on certain pediatric cancers. The protective role of prenatal multivitamins has not been elucidated. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the potential protective effect of prenatal multivitamins on several pediatric cancers. Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Toxline, Healthstar, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies published in all languages from 1960 to July 2005 on multivitamin supplementation and pediatric cancers. References from all articles collected were reviewed for additional articles. Two blinded independent reviewers assessed the articles for inclusion and exclusion. Rates of cancers in women supplemented with multivitamins were compared with unsupplemented women using a random effects model. Sixty-one articles were identified in the initial search, of which, seven articles met the inclusion criteria. There was an apparent protective effect for leukemia (odds ratio (OR)=0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.50-0.74), pediatric brain tumors (OR=0.73, 95% CI=0.60-0.88) and neuroblastoma (OR=0.53, 95% CI=0.42-0.68). In conclusion, maternal ingestion of prenatal multivitamins is associated with a decreased risk for pediatric brain tumors, neuroblastoma, and leukemia. Presently, it is not known which constituent(s) among the multivitamins confer this protective effect.

137 Ind. App. 135 (1965) 205 N.E.2d 833 HAMILTON ET AL. v. KORBLY ET AL. No. 20,178. Court of Appeals of Indiana. Filed April 14, 1965. *136 Edward L. Hamilton, of Terre Haute, for appellant. John G. McNutt and Bernard Korbly, of Indianapolis, for appellees. FAULCONER, C.J. This is an appeal from a judgment rendered by the court, without the intervention of a jury, adverse to the appellants who were the defendants below. Appellees herein filed a "Motion to Dismiss or Affirm" for failure of appellants to comply with Rule 2-17 of the Supreme Court, 1964 Edition. Appellants' brief certainly leaves much to be desired. However, since appellants raise only one issue for our consideration, and it being our desire to decide appeals on their merits wherever possible and we can understand from appellants' brief the issue he desires to present, we are of the opinion that appellants have sufficiently complied with the rules of the Supreme Court. Therefore, the motion of appellees to dismiss or affirm is overruled. Appellees, in the prayer of their motion to dismiss or affirm, requested an extension of time within which to file their answer brief in the event such motion should be overruled. However, such request for extension of time does not comply with Rule 2-16 of the Supreme Court and is, therefore, denied. Appellees having failed to properly file a request for extension of time to file answer brief herein, no brief having been filed within the time allowed, and their time for filing such brief having expired, we have considered this appeal on appellants' brief alone. The general rule is that where no brief has been filed by the appellee the judgment may be reversed if the appellant's brief presents a prima facie case *137 of error. Stone v. Stone (1963), 134 Ind. App. 396, 399, 188 N.E.2d 833. Appellants state two specifications in their assignment of errors: "1. The Court erred in overruling Appellants' Motion for a New Trial. "2. That the Honorable Addison M. Dowling, regular judge of said Court, was without jurisdiction to enter Nunc Pro Tunc entry, the said Judge having divested himself of jurisdiction prior to said entry, by the valid appointment of the Honorable Joseph G. Wood, Special Judge in said cause." Appellants' failure to in any manner argue or refer to their first assignment of error in the argument section of their brief waives any error on that specification. Rule 2-17(e), (f), supra, Rules of the Supreme Court, 1964 Edition; Gernhart v. State (1954), 233 Ind. 470, 472, 120 N.E.2d 265; McCracken v. Hunter, et al. (1962), 134 Ind. App. 157, 161, 186 N.E.2d 884; Dragoo v. Dragoo (1962), 133 Ind. App. 394, 401, 182 N.E.2d 434; Thanos v. Fox (1958), 128 Ind. App. 416, 423, 149 N.E.2d 315. Appellants confine their argument to Specification No. 2 which we feel a brief statement of the record will aid in a clearer understanding of the problem. Judgment was entered by the Special Judge on September 24, 1963, and the motion for new trial, timely filed, was overruled on January 22, 1964. On March 18, 1964, prior to the filing of the transcript and assignment of errors in this court, appellees (plaintiffs below) filed in the trial court a motion for a nunc pro tunc entry, which motion was heard and granted on April 3, 1964. The substance of the motion and entry made was that the defendant, Roger Hamilton, came to this (trial) *138 court in person on March 12, 1963, and requested that the cause be set for trial; that on the same date said cause was set for trial on April 2, 1963, at 9:00 A.M. and defendant was so informed, and the bailiff mailed to defendants a notice thereof; that on April 2, 1963, plaintiffs appeared but neither the defendants nor their attorney appeared; that in a conversation with the bailiff on said day over the telephone, defendant, Roger Hamilton, requested a continuance to employ new counsel which was granted and the cause set for trial on May 2, 1963, at 1:30 P.M., of which the defendant, Roger Hamilton, was informed orally, and a notice was also mailed to the defendants of such trial date. That these above facts were entered on the court calendar of causes to be tried, but that "through the inadventure [inadvertence] and misprison of the clerk, no order book entry was made showing the setting of this cause for trial." The point of contention here is the fact that the hearing on the petition for nunc pro tunc entry was conducted by the regular judge of the court and the order of nunc pro tunc entry was made by the regular judge. It is significant, we believe, that the subject matter of the nunc pro tunc entries concerned a time in the pendency of this action prior to the selection and qualification of the special judge, and that the actual hearing on the motion for nunc pro tunc entry took place after the motion for new trial was overruled. In all cases appealed to this court there is a presumption that the trial court correctly decided the question presented. It is incumbent upon the appellant to rebut this presumption in his brief by clearly showing that the trial court committed serious error which denied the relief to which he was entitled under the law. Kalbac v. Kalbac (1961), 132 Ind. App. 593, 594-595, 177 N.E.2d 279 (Transfer denied). *139 Our courts have stated that it is incumbent upon the appellant on appeal to affirmatively show harmful error by argument and citation of authorities. Wills v. Motorists Mutual Insurance Co. (1962), 133 Ind. App. 634, 638, 184 N.E.2d 161. Appellants urge error in the regular judge acting in this matter. The two cases they cite as authority are not applicable to the facts herein. In our opinion appellants have failed, by cogent argument and citation of authority, to show that the entries made by the regular judge are harmful error or in any way would affect the judgment or trial of the cause. They have further failed to show in what harmful way their cause would be affected if said entries were "void" as they contend, or how the existence or non-existence of the facts could affect the judgment or prejudice their cause. Appellants, in our opinion, have not shown such prima facie error necessary for a reversal. Judgment affirmed. Carson, Prime and Martin, JJ., concur. NOTE. — Reported in 205 N.E.2d 833.

2017 DCI World Championships Prelims Photos (August 10, 2017, Indianapolis, Indiana)A dramatic evolution of uniform design is one of the defining aspects of the 2017 drum corps season. While audiences are accustomed to seeing different color guard costumes each year, this year a significant number of corps changed the look of the entire ensemble to reflect their show theme. Highlights from the prelims contest include Blue Devils holding on to first place to remain undefeated this season; Santa Clara Vanguard winning the hearts of the audience and returning to medalist position during its 50th anniversary year; Boston Crusaders surging into the top 6 after placing 12th last year; Madison Scouts rising back into the top 12; Mandarins having their best season ever in world class; and Music City rising into the top 25 for only the second time in its nine-year history. All 40 drum and bugle corps from the 2017 DCI World Championships prelims are pictured here in order of placement at this contest. For complete results visit DCI.org and follow Marching.com on Facebook for more images.

Q: How to prevent UITableView interaction while UITextField is FirstResponder Is there a simple way to prevent user interaction while entering text in a UITextField (the textfield is in a cell of the tableView)? I've already tried this: - (void)textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField { self.tableView.userInteractionEnabled = NO; } with the result that the keyboard also stops showing up... A: The first thought that comes to mind is adding a transparent UIView overlay that would "mask" everything surrounding your cell, intercepting all the touch events. I suppose it would have to be two overlays - one for above the cell and one for below.

Iridoid Iridoids are a type of monoterpenoids in the general form of cyclopentanopyran, found in a wide variety of plants and some animals. They are biosynthetically derived from 8-oxogeranial. Iridoids are typically found in plants as glycosides, most often bound to glucose. The chemical structure is exemplified by iridomyrmecin, a defensive chemical produced by the genus Iridomyrmex, for which iridoids are named. Structurally, they are bicyclic cis-fused cyclopentane-pyrans. Cleavage of a bond in the cyclopentane ring gives rise to a subclass known as secoiridoids, such as oleuropein and amarogentin. Occurrence The iridoids produced by plants act primarily as a defense against herbivores or against infection by microorganisms. The variable checkerspot butterfly also contains iridoids obtained through its diet which act as a defense against avian predators. To humans and other mammals, iridoids are often characterized by a deterrent bitter taste. Aucubin and catalpol are two of the most common iridoids in the plant kingdom. Iridoids are prevalent in the plant subclass Asteridae, such as Ericaceae, Loganiaceae, Gentianaceae, Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae, Lamiaceae, Oleaceae, Plantaginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Valerianaceae, and Menyanthaceae. Iridoids have been the subject of research into their potential biological activities. Biosynthesis The iridoid ring scaffold is synthesized, in plants, by the enzyme iridoid synthase. In contrast with other monoterpene cyclases, iridoid synthase uses 8-oxogeranial as a substrate. The enzyme uses a two-step mechanism, with an initial NADPH-dependent reduction step followed by a cyclization step that occurs through either a Diels-Alder reaction or an intramolecular Michael addition. Loganic acid is an iridoid substrate converted to strictosidine which reacts with tryptamine, eventually leading to the indole alkaloids which include many biologically active compounds such as strychnine, yohimbine, vinca alkaloids, and ellipticine. References Further reading

The scene was a post-seminar dinner at a homely Vietnamese joint. We had just listened to Jacquet speak at the University of Chicago. A soft-spoken grandfather-like figure, he enjoyed the nearly universal privilege among the elite mathematicademia of mononymity, being referred to by his last name, a name which is immortally attached to dear number theoretic constructs like the Jacquet functor. My friend, a graduate student, asked me to pass the spiced rice, as we discussed the brilliance of a friend of our advisor, an Indian mathematician by the name of Akshay Venkatesh. Our advisor recalls, “I remember talking to Akshay about a certain trick I had found in evaluating a particularly gruesome p-adic integral. I had not finished erasing the board, preparing him with a rough explanation before I seeded the details with chalk, when he interrupted me–‘oh I see! Then you just used Cauchy-Schwartz didn’t you?’ ” This last quotation was delivered with fervent admiration, a tone of voice reserved solely for the few individuals who had impressed him so deeply that their quickness seemed less like the product of brain substrate computing away, and more like raw, inexplicable, beautiful magic. Yet there is no magic. I empathized, “The stories you’ve been telling do make him look brilliant. Yet the brain is nothing more than a very advanced pattern recognition and association engine. I acknowledge certain people should rightly give us grand impressions, but we do a disservice to ourselves by stopping there. The interesting question, to me, is to consider the chain of experiences, teachers, read books, contemplated problems, and muses and introspections that Akshay had to pass before being able to see things so quickly and clearly.” A very delicious discussion followed, almost as appetizing as the bún thịt nướng I had ordered. Arthur C. Clarke once remarked, “any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguisable from magic.” I contend any chap sufficiently well-educated and self-ruminating is indistinguishable from genius. It had become clear there was a dichotomy amongst us, some preferring this earthly explanation, while others like my friend Sarah maintaining “there are some people who can think orders of magnitude quicker and better than others can.” Srinivasan Ramanujan is a prime example from history’s drawers of inexplicable prodigy. The story goes he taught himself mathematics from an engineering handbook, a compendium of five thousand formulas and theorems which were stated as facts and without proof. It is said Ramanujan worked out all or most of the proofs by himself, beginning with the easy ones and progressively working up to the harder until the process became subconscious. He could see the results that were true without ever fully being able to explain his convinction. Still today, we are unraveling the majesties found in his notebooks [1]. In the past, our only impressions of these intellectual paragons were of their cultured state, after they had progressed through the tedious process of developing their trade. In the internet age, we can do much better. Consider if Terry Tao had blogged about his learning process. Although it is difficult to predict from an early age if someone will be a great mathematician, I will attempt to make my point by considering what I believe to be the three safest bets, Qiaochu Yuan, Akhil Mathew, and Eric Wofsey. All three are around twenty years old, have shown great mathematical promise, and most relevantly, have some recorded history of their learning process. Three crucial aspects shaped their success. The first is relentless curiosity, coupled with the ability to fulfill it. A cursory reading of Qiaochu’s posts on Math Overflow and blog [2] show that he takes an interest in nearly every aspect of mathematics, teaching himself at least the foundations before turning to other problems. For example, graph theory is not considered “boring” or “too applied,” as those who focus on high abstraction mind find it, and conversely, nothing ranging from infinity categories to elaborate spectral sequences is considered too abstract. Currently, he’s teaching himself quantum mechanics from a mathematical flavor. This shows a burning desire for breadth is foundational. However, the curiosity should be deeper than just the desire to learn as much as possible. Reading through his Math Overflow posts in chronological order shows a strong will to re-integrate and re-think the ideas he’s learned in the past in more general frameworks or how they relate to other areas; a consideration of edge cases and variants; and an overall attitude that can be summed up as: if there is at least one mathematician that has found some thing interesting or profound, I will take his emotions for that thing and make them my own. In a similar vein, Akhil’s blog is almost primarily his exposition of various mathematical fields intended for his personal benefit–a young mathematician’s diary made public. Eric Wofsey posts FLMPotDs–fun little math problems of the day–nearly weekly (and in the past, daily), and a read through his blog’s history shows his musings about spectral sequences and arcane topologies. So far, this is fairly intuitive: to be good at something you have to practice it every which and what way, and in the case of something like math, question, rethink, make connections, drop hypotheses to understand why theorems hold, consider edge cases, and immerse yourself so deeply your dreams become math problems. More importantly, however, this curiosity needs the ability to be sated, or it will wither. In the past, this was difficult and there are correspondingly much fewer mathematicians per capita historically than in modern times. But new resources make this problem obsolete. [3] [4] The second important factor is social. Isaac Newton famously reminds us that no one is self-made. Qioachu Yuan and Akhil Mathew had incredible resources in high school, and Eric Wofsey had Math Camp. A surplus of mentors and encouraging peers seems critical, but because it is so hard to control, we will not look here too carefully. This applies equally well to the last requirement, namely a base level of analytic intelligence. Multiple studies have shown that beyond a certain point (around two to three standard deviations), further IQ is not particularly helpful. Instead, successful academics exhibit exceptional social skills. In the case of mathematics, if you were able to fluidly learn epsilon-delta analysis in the sense of baby Rudin, you likely have all you need. The above three factors explain equally well Andre Weil’s procurement of an immortal PhD thesis at only twenty one years of age and Drinfeld’s phenomenal proof of Langlands correspondence in the n = 2 case for function fields. There is nothing more, no magic. Only the first factor is directly within our control, so we finally come to the part applicable to you. Gian-Carlo Rota wrote in his memorandum Indiscrete Thoughts that Sitzfleisch is often a much better predictor of an aspiring mathematician’s future success than any other factor. The German word for “the ability to sit in one’s chair doing gruesome work for hours,” it is a perfect skill to be coupled with fervent curiosity. In the comments on Qiaochu’s About page, he confesses that the sole interest he actually puts time and effort into is mathematics, and not much more; unfortunately, this laser-sharp focus is a requirement, at least in an early stage. Akrasia is rampant in academic communities, and much has been said on the subject. My personal recommendation is that if you have trouble getting things done, I suggest skipping David Allen and using what has been to me much more helpful in my mathematical development than any single graduate text, the Power of Full Engagement. (Incidentally, it is very difficult for a person to develop with both a high level of base intelligence and a sickening work ethic. The former makes them undervalue the latter. Indeed, it took me three years of graduate school to painfully realize how little of my potential I unleashed without the Sitzfleisch ingredient. This combination alone over time gets you 90% of the way to world-class success.) Mathematics is a subject older than most, and an appropriate level of sophistication has developed. Keep in mind that learning the tools of abstract algebra and measure theory is much more difficult than picking up etale cohomology or rigid analytic geometry given you have a solid foundation in scheme theory. In his TED Talk, Salman Khan explains how analytics tools for measuring children’s education showed most kids later to be deemed precocious spent an unusually long amount of time on certain basic concepts, then sped through the rest. As my advisor pithily puts it, “mathematics is not about understanding complex abstract ideas, but about understanding simple things well.” The rest is a corollary. For example, when I was 11, I spent my summer writing out five full notebooks of exercises from my precalculus book. As a result, the majority of undergraduate math, physics, and computer science seemed easy and natural to me, and I did not have to devote as much concentrated work on a subject until I tackled real analysis. (Two other critical leaps you must make are category theory and scheme theory. Afterwards everything will seem much easier.) For those not familiar with higher mathematics, consider that learning Japanese is much harder than reading a dense Japanese political text given you know the language. “Genius” was an idea that the layman would marvel at, an incomprehensible leap in human mind that seemed more surreal than relatable. Like much of science, this too has now been daintily plucked from the “magical mystery” basket and gently placed in the “oh that makes sense” zone. We now understand that the third ingredient, raw intelligence, is necessary only as a dough, but it is the first which decides how many theorems the recipe makes, and how delicious they taste. References [1] http://www.imsc.res.in/~rao/ramanujan/contentindex.html [2] http://qchu.wordpress.com/ [3] http://mathoverflow.net [4] http://library.nu/