Datasets:

ola13

/

small-the_pile

like 7

.. It got spooked by a car while OP was trying to guide it out of parking garage!

UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 16-1598 DR. NANETTE LIEGEOIS, Plaintiff - Appellant, v. JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE; BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE; JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY; BOARD OF TRUSTEES JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY; JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL; CHARLES CUMMINGS; DR. SEWON KANG; DR. EDWARD MILLER; DR. WILLIAM NELSON; DR. RICHARD GROSSI; DR. JANICE CLEMENTS; DR. MANISHA PATEL; JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE; BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE; JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM; BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM; SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES OF JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE; SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES OF JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM; SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES OF JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, Defendants - Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, at Baltimore. J. Frederick Motz, Senior District Judge. (1:15-cv-02919-JFM) Submitted: March 31, 2017 Decided: July 6, 2017 Before GREGORY, Chief Judge, and KING and WYNN, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. David A. Branch, LAW OFFICE OF DAVID A. BRANCH & ASSOCIATES, PLLC, Washington, D.C., for Appellant. Darrell R. VanDeusen, Alexander P. Berg, KOLLMAN & SAUCIER, P.A., Timonium, Maryland, for Appellees. Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. 2 PER CURIAM: Dr. Nanette Liegeois filed a complaint against Johns Hopkins Medicine, its affiliates, and several individuals alleging employment discrimination in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981 (2012), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e to 2000e-17 (2012) (Title VII), and the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213 (2012) (ADA). The district court granted Defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint finding that all claims arising before October 9, 2015, * that she may have had were barred by the release, and that the vast majority of Liegeois’ claims were also time-barred. The court further dismissed her § 1981 retaliation claims as either barred by the release or because Liegeois failed to allege sufficient temporal proximity to state a viable claim of retaliation. We review de novo the grant of a motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). See Coleman v. Md. Ct. of App., 626 F.3d 187, 190 (4th Cir. 2010). When ruling on such a motion, “a judge must accept as true all of the factual allegations contained in the complaint.” Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007) (per curiam). A complaint “need only give the defendant fair notice of what the claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Id. at 93 (alteration and internal quotation marks omitted). We have thoroughly reviewed the parties’ briefs, the district court’s order and judgment, and the materials submitted in the joint appendix and find no reversible error. * Although the district court’s order barred Liegeois’ claims arising before “October 9, 2015,” this was clearly a clerical error, as the district court expressly referenced the date Liegeois signed her release, October 9, 2009, as the relevant date. 3 Accordingly, we affirm for the reasons stated by the district court. Liegeois v. Johns Hopkins Med., No. 1:15-cv-02919-JFM (D. Md. Apr. 21, 2016). We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process. AFFIRMED 4

Leningrad (song) "Leningrad" is a 1989 song written and performed by American singer and songwriter Billy Joel. The song was originally released on his album Storm Front on the Columbia Records label, and went on to be released as a single. It was also released on his Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 compilation. The song title is derived from the contemporary name of St. Petersburg, Russia (see Leningrad). Synopsis The song was written by Billy about a Russian clown named Viktor Razinov, whom he met while touring the Soviet Union in 1987. Throughout the song, major items of Viktor's and Billy's lives are compared to show the cultural differences and similarities of the United States of America and the Soviet Union. In the song, Billy describes Viktor's life as one of many Soviet children who lost fathers during World War II, specifically during the siege of Leningrad. He enlisted in the Red Army, drank vodka to fight the pain, and then became a circus clown, bringing joy to Russian children. Billy described his childhood life as being "born in ‘49, a Cold War kid in McCarthy time." He briefly describes his life living in Levittown, and the fear of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Billy also makes a reference to the Korean War, a proxy war to the Cold War, as well as the Vietnam War. In the end, the two meet after Billy's Leningrad concert (Viktor had journeyed across Russia to see all six of the Russian concerts), where Viktor draws a laugh from Billy's daughter Alexa. Billy and Viktor embrace afterwards. In the song's last line, Billy sings, "We never knew what friends we had, until we came to Leningrad." The quote is printed on the single cover, but not on the cover of the 4 track CD, which instead features the titles of the extra songs: "Goodnight Saigon,” "Vienna,” and "Scandinavian Skies.” In 2015, Viktor traveled to New York to see Billy Joel's concert in Madison Square Garden. For this reunion, Billy played “Leningrad,” which he rarely plays live. Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts See also List of anti-war songs “Leningrad” official video References Category:Billy Joel songs Category:1989 singles Category:Songs written by Billy Joel Category:Songs about cities Category:Songs about Russia Category:Columbia Records singles Category:1989 songs

Slideshow ( 2 images ) GENEVA (Reuters) - Lower export orders and car sales are likely to slow world trade growth in the third quarter, the WTO said, as a global tariff crusade by U.S. President Donald Trump to protect American jobs begins to bite. As the World Trade Organization’s head warned that global trade was threatened, its quarterly outlook indicator - a composite of seven forward-looking indices - dipped to 100.3 from the 101.8 predicted in May for the second quarter. That signaled “an easing of trade growth in the coming months in line with medium-term trends,” it said on Thursday. The latest figures for export orders and cars were 97.2 and 98.1 respectively. Trump has already imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from major U.S. trade partners and signaled that vehicles are likely to be next. To try to persuade China to change its economic model and reduce the U.S. trade deficit, Washington last week proposed a higher 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, Beijing proposed retaliating with tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods. “Global trade is under threat. Whether or not you call the current situation a trade war, certainly the first shots have been fired,” WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo wrote in an opinion piece published by several newspapers on Thursday. “The situation is extremely serious. Reciprocal trade restrictions cannot be the new normal. A continued escalation would risk a major economic impact... hitting the poorest hardest.”

"Winter Is Coming" is the motto of House Stark, one of the Great Houses of Westeros. The meaning behind these words is one of warning and constant vigilance. The Starks, being the lords of the North, strive to always be prepared for the coming of winter, which hits their lands the hardest. The inevitable truth of the words are mentioned by other characters, such as MaesterAemon, who occasionally note that sooner or later, the Starks are always right. This was proven in The Winds of Winter, when autumn is ended with the coming of a white raven. Jon Snow remarks that his father, Eddard Stark, was bound to be right eventually. A second meaning is that the Starks themselves are Winter, poetically, and that this is supposed to be an intimidating motto for the enemies of House Stark. A third meaning, one that is long forgotten even by the Starks themselves, is that the White Walkers may return in the winter, and that the realm must always be prepared for such an event. Behind the scenes A deeper, metaphorical sense can also be found in the motto. According to George R.R. Martin, it more generally expresses the sentiment that there are always dark periods in each of our lives, and even if things are good now ("summer"), we must always be ready for a dark period when events turn against us ("winter"). In this sense "winter" parallels Richard of the House of York's opening line in Shakespeare's Richard III, "Now is the Winter of our Discontent / Made glorious Summer by this sun of York..." In this sense it is loosely matched by the Latin phrase "memento mori" ("remember you have to die"), which was whispered into the ear of victorious Roman generals during their parade of triumph, to remind them that all earthly success is fleeting. The phrase has transcended the dialogue of the show itself and is one of, if not the, defining quotes of the series in popular culture, along with "Valar Morghulis". It's frequently used on Game of Thrones merchandise, is often mentioned in reference to the show on social medias, and has found its way into the scripts of many modern-day TV programs and films. Recently, with winter arriving in the show, its prevalence has partially been replaced by "Winter is Here", though this phrase hasn't been uttered on the show with frequency.

Q: How do I know which products have seen other customers when they took a look at the product that I am currently looking? I am developing a website with the Drupal Commerce module, and my customer wants me to implement a functionality to allow the purchaser to know which products have seen other purchasers/customers when they saw the same product he is currently watching. Do you know if any specific module for Drupal Commerce is available, or can I use a combination of modules that have nothing to do with the Drupal Commerce module? A: Yes the feature you are asking after is this module. Commerce Recommender :: Updated, Here is a tutorial on how you can achieve what you are looking for Drupal Commerce recommender tutorial

Q: Day Late on Delivery of Bill to Verizon I'm pretty new to the adult world, I just paid my 7th Verizon bill, but I submitted the payment online. The bill asked for payment due by a Monday, and the earliest the bank can deliver the check is on the day after, the Tuesday. Is this going to be a problem at all? A: Probably not. Generally its not a good idea to wait for the last moment, because there's always something unexpected that can happen. You can also use "direct pay" (or whatever they call it on Verizon) to pay instead of the banks' bill-pay feature, so that the payment is originated by Verizon (or whatever else service provider), and not the bank. This way it will be posted earlier.

Q: What is the length in bytes of a NSString? How do I get the bytes length of NSString? if myString contains "hallo", myString.length will return 5, but how many actual bytes are taken? A: NSString *test=@"ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"; NSUInteger bytes = [test lengthOfBytesUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; NSLog(@"%i bytes", bytes); A: To get the bytes use NSData *bytes = [string dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; Then you can check bytes.length Number of bytes depend on the string encoding A: Well: NSString* string= @"myString"; NSData* data=[string dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; NSUInteger myLength = data.length;

Bridge.merge(new System.Globalization.CultureInfo("es-PR", true), { englishName: "Spanish (Puerto Rico)", nativeName: "español (Puerto Rico)", numberFormat: Bridge.merge(new System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo(), { nanSymbol: "NaN", negativeSign: "-", positiveSign: "+", negativeInfinitySymbol: "-∞", positiveInfinitySymbol: "∞", percentSymbol: "%", percentGroupSizes: [3], percentDecimalDigits: 2, percentDecimalSeparator: ".", percentGroupSeparator: ",", percentPositivePattern: 0, percentNegativePattern: 0, currencySymbol: "$", currencyGroupSizes: [3], currencyDecimalDigits: 2, currencyDecimalSeparator: ".", currencyGroupSeparator: ",", currencyNegativePattern: 1, currencyPositivePattern: 0, numberGroupSizes: [3], numberDecimalDigits: 2, numberDecimalSeparator: ".", numberGroupSeparator: ",", numberNegativePattern: 1 }), dateTimeFormat: Bridge.merge(new System.Globalization.DateTimeFormatInfo(), { abbreviatedDayNames: ["dom.","lun.","mar.","mié.","jue.","vie.","sáb."], abbreviatedMonthGenitiveNames: ["ene.","feb.","mar.","abr.","may.","jun.","jul.","ago.","sep.","oct.","nov.","dic.",""], abbreviatedMonthNames: ["ene.","feb.","mar.","abr.","may.","jun.","jul.","ago.","sep.","oct.","nov.","dic.",""], amDesignator: "a. m.", dateSeparator: "/", dayNames: ["domingo","lunes","martes","miércoles","jueves","viernes","sábado"], firstDayOfWeek: 0, fullDateTimePattern: "dddd, d 'de' MMMM 'de' yyyy h:mm:ss tt", longDatePattern: "dddd, d 'de' MMMM 'de' yyyy", longTimePattern: "h:mm:ss tt", monthDayPattern: "d 'de' MMMM", monthGenitiveNames: ["enero","febrero","marzo","abril","mayo","junio","julio","agosto","septiembre","octubre","noviembre","diciembre",""], monthNames: ["enero","febrero","marzo","abril","mayo","junio","julio","agosto","septiembre","octubre","noviembre","diciembre",""], pmDesignator: "p. m.", rfc1123: "ddd, dd MMM yyyy HH':'mm':'ss 'GMT'", shortDatePattern: "MM/dd/yyyy", shortestDayNames: ["DO","LU","MA","MI","JU","VI","SA"], shortTimePattern: "h:mm tt", sortableDateTimePattern: "yyyy'-'MM'-'dd'T'HH':'mm':'ss", sortableDateTimePattern1: "yyyy'-'MM'-'dd", timeSeparator: ":", universalSortableDateTimePattern: "yyyy'-'MM'-'dd HH':'mm':'ss'Z'", yearMonthPattern: "MMMM 'de' yyyy", roundtripFormat: "yyyy'-'MM'-'dd'T'HH':'mm':'ss.fffffffzzz" }), TextInfo: Bridge.merge(new System.Globalization.TextInfo(), { ANSICodePage: 1252, CultureName: "es-PR", EBCDICCodePage: 20284, IsRightToLeft: false, LCID: 20490, listSeparator: ";", MacCodePage: 10000, OEMCodePage: 850, IsReadOnly: true }) });

Batteries are frequently used in electronic systems as either a primary source of power, or as a backup source of power, such as in an uninterruptible power supply system. Although a single battery can be employed to power some systems, it is not uncommon for an electronic device to require a battery pack containing as few as two batteries or as many as twelve batteries. Generally, batteries contained in a battery pack are lead acid batteries bonded together. The battery pack is manually connected to the electronic system by an assembler, who may have to remove from the connector the leads of the used battery, and thereafter attach to the connector the leads of the new battery. To avoid injury to the user and damage to the system from a faulty battery or from potentially live battery leads, great care must be taken in connecting or replacing a battery in an electronic device, since battery leads often require manual release and reconnection. This often requires that the system be powered down for a substantial amount of time so that the battery leads are appropriately connected. In an uninterruptible power supply, substantial downtime is undesirable. Connector systems that do not require manual intervention to replace the battery are known. Components for battery connector systems are available for connecting battery packs to electronic devices. These systems are often useful in high-end battery packs containing between four and twelve batteries, as the connector systems are expensive.

Q: Creating Jobs for Multijob Plugin in Jenkins I had a requirement for executing jobs in parallel and came across this plugin called MultiJob plugin for Jenkins. After going through documentation, i created phases and gave job names. But where do i create job basically.I mean the script ,build step and post build step for job "TaskToExecute1" and "TasktoExecute2". Thanks, VVP A: You need to create the jobs that are referenced from the "Job Name". So in your example, create a separate job/project (e.g. "New Item" -> "Freestyle Project") and call it TaskToExecute1. Then you can add a build step to that new TaskToExecute job/project.

The movement on Halladay’s pitches can be seen in numbers compiled by the Inside Edge scouting service. Batters swung and missed at only 15 percent of his strikes, about the major league average. But they made solid contact only 7 percent of the time, one of the better rates in the league — the pitches looked good, but they flitted from the bat barrel at the last second. Halladay’s 206 strikeouts last year, a career high, were all but unintentional. “Really, I try and avoid them,” he said. “My main goal is to get ahead and get balls put in play early. It wasn’t something I tried to do. But if you get ahead in the count quickly and you have a chance to put guys away, you do it.” The hits Halladay does allow do little damage. The Yankees’ Johnny Damon has rapped him worse than almost any hitter — a .338 career average — but conceded, “When I get the hits, it’s with nobody on base.” Sure enough, with 27 hits in 80 at-bats against Halladay, Damon has only two runs batted in, one on a solo home run. It is almost unfathomable now, but when this decade began, Halladay was a failed major leaguer. He had been Toronto’s first-round draft pick out of his Colorado high school and reached the majors in 1998 with a bang — he came within one out of a no-hitter against Detroit in his second start — but he devolved just as fast, sticking with a conventional four-seam fastball with no deception and less success. It all collapsed in 2000, when Halladay posted a 10.64 E.R.A. in 67 2/3 ghastly innings. (Learning that the worst E.R.A. for a pitcher throwing at least 50 innings belongs to the great Roy Halladay is like opening Mozart’s desk drawer and discovering the worst sonata in history.) He was sent back to the minor leagues the next spring, all but lost. “I saw him in Pawtucket laboring, throwing 88 miles an hour tops, and searching for an out pitch and his command,” the Astros scout Paul Ricciarini said. “Anyone could have had him. Anyone could have had him for a body, basically.” The Jays’ pitching guru, Mel Queen, rebuilt Halladay in the minors. Queen outlawed the four-seam fastball and lowered Halladay’s arm angle to generate more movement on a sinker and cutter. Halladay pitched well after his July 2001 return to Toronto. Over the next two seasons, he went 41-14 and won the Cy Young Award in 2003. He paid for throwing 266 innings that season with some shoulder problems the next year, but has been consistently outstanding ever since.

As the semiconductor industry has progressed into nanometer technology process nodes in pursuit of higher device density, higher performance, and lower costs, challenges from both fabrication and design issues have motivated circuit designers to look to novel structures to deliver improved performance. One avenue of inquiry is the development of three-dimensional designs, such as a fin-like field effect transistor (FinFET). A FinFET can be thought of as a typical planar device extruded out of a substrate and into the gate. A typical FinFET is fabricated on a thin “fin” (or fin structure) extending upwards from the body from the substrate, and may be formed by depositing fin material on the substrate, etching, non-fin areas of the substrate, or a combination thereof. The channel of the FET is formed in this vertical fin, and a gate is provided over (e.g., wrapping) the fin. Wrapping the gate around the fin increases the contact area between the channel region and the gate and allows the gate to control the channel from both sides. This may result in higher current flow, a reduction in short channel effect, and other advantages. Because of the complexity inherent in FinFETs and other nonplanar devices, a number of techniques used in manufacturing planar transistors are not available in manufacturing nonplanar devices. As merely one example, buried insulator layers are used to isolate devices and to lower parasitic capacitance. However, many conventional techniques for forming a semiconductor substrate with a buried insulator layer are not well suited for use with FinFET devices. Therefore, while existing fabrication techniques have been generally adequate for planar devices, in order to continue to meet ever-increasing design requirements, further advances are needed.

Xinfengzhen railway station Xinfengzhen railway station () is a station in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi. The station is the main marshalling yard for Xi'an railway hub and the largest marshalling yard in western China. History The station was established in 1934. It was reconstructed as a marshalling yard in 2008. References Category:Stations on the Longhai Railway Category:Railway stations in Xi'an Category:Railway stations opened in 1934

The phone has been on sale for about four days now, and I've been testing a review unit for about as long. That's enough time to get started on a full review, but certainly not enough to actually live with this thing -- an important prerequisite, I think you'll agree. So, like we did with that second go-around with the Galaxy Fold, we're turning to you. If you have you lingering questions, specifics you want us to test, or well, whatever really, be sure to let us know by emailing me, sliding into my DMs (@chrisvelazco) or leaving a comment below. As companies pour more of their resources into building the future of smartphones, it feels less appropriate to whip up half-baked stories to grab early eyeballs. I hope you'll indulge us as we take a little time to write a review that's worth your attention.

Camptothecin displays unprecedented antitumor activities against human colon cancer. To date its full therapeutic utility has been limited by poor water-solubility and the aqueous instability of the lactone ring moiety. Ring opening is rapid, resulting in a complete loss of biological activity. Int his communication, we demonstrate that liposome-bound camptothecin is stable, thus suggesting that liposomes may serve as useful drug delivery systems for solubilizing camptothecin and conserving both its lactone ring and antitumor activity. In order to study the equilibrium associations of camptothecin with lipid bilayers, we exploited the drug's intense intrinsic fluorescence. Fluorescence is associated with the extended conjugation of the quinoline ring system. Upon association with small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) composed of L-`-dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG), the lambda_max value of camptothecin's emission spectrum shifts to lower wavelength, or blue shifts, some 16 nm.

Giants guard Chris Snee had the conversation many times over the past six months or so with those closest to him. Should he retire or try and return for another season despite a troublesome elbow that needed the nerve moved and relocated during surgery? It wasn't an easy decision, and one he waited months before making. Snee decided prior to training camp this was the best moment to step aside given his physical ailments. "I know it's my time," Snee said in a press release from the Giants. "Before OTAs started I was confident," he added. "I was moving around great and I was strong enough where I felt that I could play and compete. But then once OTAs came around, I had to punch and stop somebody ... obviously, we're not wearing pads. I wasn't able to do it. Quite frankly, it hurt. But I thought maybe it was my joint getting used to that again. But the more I tried to do it, it became a concern to me that it wasn't responding the way it should and actually my (elbow) strength had started to go down in the weight room." Snee, 32, was a four-time Pro Bowl player and an All-Pro. He won two Super Bowl titles in his 10 years with the team and is considered one of the best linemen in team history. (Vote here) Everyone pretty much agrees, it was a good run. Owner John Mara: "I think Chris was everything you could ever hope for in a player: toughness, integrity, and a lot of pride. Winning mattered to him. I think he set a great example for all of the other players. He's somebody we're going to miss very much. He was one of the greatest offensive linemen in Giants history, and he'll be on that Ring of Honor someday." General manager Jerry Reese: "Chris is a pro's pro. He played the game right. He was as tough and prideful as they come. We will miss him." Coach and father-in-law Tom Coughlin: "To me, he was the best guard in all of football. No doubt. No matter who you put him against, all of the great defensive tackles in the game, the 350 (pound) guys, the 340 guys, he blocked them. When he first came here, he was so, so committed and so driven to excel at the professional level as he had excelled at the collegiate level (at Boston College)." "It's different because not only is it a great football player retiring from the game, who has contributed so much to our team and our franchise and has two world championships to show for it, he is a highly-respected and loved member of our family. "The first time I met him I was with Jacksonville and I went up to Boston College (to scout a running back). Kate (his daughter) was a freshman at BC and I said, 'Let's have dinner tonight.' She said, 'Dad, can I bring a friend?' It was Snee. He doesn't say a word. Not one word that I can remember. You should see him with his kids. He's unbelievable. He has really blossomed here." Owner Steve Tisch: "Chris has been a great Giant, on and off the field. And that is the highest compliment we can pay somebody around here." Quarterback Eli Manning: "He called me yesterday and told me the news. I kind of knew there was a possibility with everything going on with his health. I'm obviously disappointed just because we've had a long run together. We came in the same year, were roommates for home games and away games that first year. We've won a lot of games and been through a lot together and been great pals, so I told him I'd miss him. He was the last one from our original class that came in together, but he's got to do what's best for him. I think he made a decision kind of based on how he's feeling and also based on what's best for the Giants. He's a true team player and just didn't think he was going to be able to help and wanted to put us in a situation where we kind of knew that early on. We're going to definitely miss his leadership and his presence around the locker room, around the team, but we'll still be great friends."

Koronavirukseen sairastunut käy Viikin normaali­koulua ja pelaa HJK:n juniori­joukkueessa, altistuneita noin 130 – tämä tilanteesta tiedetään Suomessa on vahvistettu nyt kuusi koronavirustartuntaa. Yksi sairastuneista on lapsi, joka on käynyt Viikin normaalikoulua. Altistuneita on yhteensä 130 ja heidät on määrätty kotikaranteeniin. Vasemmalta: Helsingin pormestari Jan Vapaavuori, ylilääkäri Asko Järvinen ja ylilääkäri Taneli Puumalainen uusia koronavirustartuntoja koskevassa Husin tiedotustilaisuudessa sunnuntaina Helsingissä.­ Sunnuntaina varmistui kolme uutta koronavirustartuntaa. Kaikkiaan Suomessa on nyt todettu kuusi koronavirustartuntaa. Helsingin ja Uudenmaan sairaanhoitopiiri (Hus), Helsingin kaupunki ja Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos (THL) kertoivat sunnuntai-iltana lisätietoa Husin alueella todetuista uusista koronavirustartunnoista.

Bartender Stephen Robbins completes the Smoke and Mirrors cocktail with a flamed orange twist. This is one of the several cocktails made tableside for guests at Midnight Cowboy, a brothel-turned speakeasy on E. 6th St. in Austin, TX. Read my article on Serious...

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having a retention system for facilitating mounting of the electrical connector to a printed circuit board. It is well known to provide an electrical connector mountable to a printed circuit board (hereinafter PCB), in which the connector has terminals electrically engaging with respective electrical circuit traces on the PCB. The terminals may have solder tails projecting from the connector and inserted into holes in the PCB, or leg portions extending generally parallel to the PCB for surface mounting to circuit traces on the PCB. Such a connector has a problem that the electrical connections between the terminals and the circuit traces of the PCB often are subjected to external stresses, which sometimes will cause the solder tails or the leg portions of the connector separating electrically connects with the PCB. To resolve this problem, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,622,519, 5,217,381, 5,230,633, 5,178,557 and 4,679,883 disclose the use of board locks and posts to retain the connectors to the printed circuit boards. However, with the ever-increasing miniaturization of electronic circuit, along with the consequent reduction in sizes of the connector and terminals, the board locks are often impractical and neither cost nor space effective. Regarding the posts, which extend vertically from the dielectric housing of the electrical connector for insertion into the printed circuit board, the posts result in a difficulty in molding the housing. Because the housing has generally a mating port extending along a horizontal direction, a mold open direction of the mold for forming the housing His in a horizontal direction. To form the vertically extending posts, slide structure is necessary in the mold. The slide structure increases the cost and operating complication of the mold. Furthermore, for a board edge mounting electrical connector, a mating/unmating force of the connector will cause the connector to rotate, whereby the connections of the tails of the connector and the PCB are insecure. Hence, an improvement to resolve the problems of the prior art is required. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for facilitating mounting of the electrical connector onto a PCB. In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector includes an insulative housing for being mounted to an edge of a printed circuit board and a plurality of contacts received in recesses defined in the insulative housing. The insulative housing has an elongated body portion, a mating portion projecting forwardly from the body portion and a pair of guide portions formed on a pair of lateral sides of the body portion. A pair of first retainers and a second retainer respectively extends rearwardly from the body portion. The first retainers are adjacent to the guide portions and the second retainer locates between both first retainers. Each retainer respectively comprises a top latch and a bottom latch, and a receiving slot is defined between the top and bottom latches. A plurality of locking tabs is formed on the bottom latch and extending into the receiving slot. The latches of the retainers can fix the PCB tightly and keep the PCB and the electrical connector steadily assemble together. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Q: proof convergence of $(\sqrt[n]{25})_{n\in\mathbb N}$ and $(\frac{2^n}{n!})_{n\in\mathbb N}$ I want to show that $(\sqrt[n]{25})_{n\in\mathbb N}$ and $(\frac{2^n}{n!})_{n\in\mathbb N}$ are convergent. So for the first one I did the following:\begin{align} 25&=(1+\delta_n)^n \\ \Rightarrow25&\geq1+n\delta_n\\ \Rightarrow \frac{24}{n}&\geq\delta_n\geq0\end{align} And so $\delta_n\rightarrow0$ and so $\sqrt[n]{25}\rightarrow 1$ But I don't get the second sequence. Are there any tricks? (We've just had the definition of convergence of a sequence and some properties e.g. unique limit) Besides are there any easier steps for the first sequence? A: Another answer to the first question: note that $\log\sqrt[n]{25} = \frac1n\log25$ certainly tends to $0$. Since the function $e^x$ is continuous at $x=0$, you can conclude that $$ \lim_{n\to\infty} \sqrt[n]{25} = \lim_{n\to\infty} e^{\log\sqrt[n]{25}} = e^{\lim_{n\to\infty} (\log\sqrt[n]{25})} = e^0 = 1. $$ Another answer to the second question: note that \begin{align*} 0 \le \frac{2^n}{n!} &= \frac{2\cdot2\cdot2\cdots2\cdot2}{1\cdot2\cdot3\cdots(n-1)\cdot n} \\ &= \frac21 \frac22 \frac23 \cdots \frac2{n-1} \frac2n \\ &\le 2\cdot1\cdot1\cdots1\cdot\frac2n = \frac4n. \end{align*} Now you can use the squeeze theorem to show that $\frac{2^n}{n!}$ tends to $0$.

A proposed bylaw that would make mixed-use buildings legal in Bridgewater’s downtown area for the first time in many years has been approved by the Planning Board and sent to the Town Council for consideration, Town Planner Greg Guimond said. Although grandfathered apartments exist over businesses, reconstruction of buildings beyond repair could be only one story tall under current policy, he said. The proposal would allow five to eight residential units per acre, by special permit, in a mixed-use project. The higher number would be allowed if some units are designated as affordable housing, according to the planner. He said the town’s master plan called for the change about 10 years ago, but it has not been made, and that the bylaw could encourage reinvestment in downtown buildings. The Planning Board voted to approve the proposal on March 18.

Q: C# reference to loop variable Is it possible in C# to something like the following foreach (ref string var in arr) { var = "new value"; } so that var variable was treated as reference and assigning to var would change an array element? A: There is no such construct for updating a loop; an iterator is read-only. For example, the following provides a perfectly valid iterator: public IEnumerable<int> Get1Thru5() { yield return 1; yield return 2; yield return 3; yield return 4; yield return 5; } How would it update? What would it update? If the data is an array/list/etc, then something like: for(int i = 0 ; i < arr.Length ; i++) { arr[i] = "new value"; } Or other options depending on the specific container. Update; at a push, an extension method: public static void UpdateAll<T>(this IList<T> list, Func<T, T> operation) { for (int i = 0; i < list.Count; i++) { list[i] = operation(list[i]); } } static void Main() { string[] arr = { "abc", "def", "ghi" }; arr.UpdateAll(s => "new value"); foreach (string s in arr) Console.WriteLine(s); }

Q: Join rows Google BigQuery I have a huge table (i.e. 3 million rows) in Google BigQuery. The structure is something like this: name1 attribute1 name2 attribute2 name1 attribute2 I'd now like to get a list per name of the attributes that they have. So for the example above, I would want something like this: name1 attribute1, attribute2 name2 attribute2 Is this possible with BigQuery (so without having to write any code, just purely as an SQL query)? A: I suggest that you use the GROUP_CONCAT function: SELECT name, GROUP_CONCAT(columnNameContainingTheAttribute) FROM yourTable GROUP BY name You can learn more about the GROUP_CONCAT function here: https://developers.google.com/bigquery/query-reference?hl=FR#aggfunctions

Dieter Carl Wasshausen Dieter Carl Wasshausen (born 15 April 1938 in Jena, Germany) is an American botanist specialized in Spermatophytes. In 1962 he started working at the Smithsonian Institution as a technician. In 1976 he became chairman of the Botany Department, a post he held until 1982 He studied at the George Washington University receiving a PhD in 1972. Wasshausen has described approximately 247 new species in various families, and five new species have been named for him. References Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American botanists Category:George Washington University alumni

[link](https://github.com/nicolargo/glances)

Cogan syndrome associated with mesenteric vascular insufficiency. Nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitis and deafness was first described as a distinct entity by Cogan in 1945. For years thereafter, it was believed to involve only the ocular and aural systems. It is gradually becoming apparent that the syndrome can also include other organ systems by affecting their blood supply. A patient with diagnosed Cogan syndrome subsequently developed mesenteric vascular insufficiency that was surgically corrected. This report lends more support to the belief that nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitis with deafness is only one manifestation of a more generalized vascular disease.

Reporters running out of things to report Current studies by numerous credible universities have concluded that Journalists have run out of important things to report. There is not much more to this story. However, did you know that they replaced that milk bar down the road with a Starbucks? I was shocked, however, I tried some of their coffee and I must say that it was pretty good. Then I met a friend that I hadn't seen in many years, he said "Hello" and I replied with a quick "Hi, How are you?". The conversation continue in the same mundane way until I found an excuse to leave. Telling him I had to write a news report by a deadline set by my "nasty evil editors who look like rats", I quickly fled. Of course, I lied about the stuff I said about the editors. They are nice people... really... they are. And they don't look like rats. P.S. Please editors, don't fire me. Make Alfred J. McLaser's day - give this story five thumbs-up (there's no need to register, the thumbs are just down there!)

The Samsung v. Apple saga is headed toward a fourth jury trial that's slated to begin in San Jose federal court at the end of this month. Lawyers for both companies have been filing a rapid succession of briefs, seeking to hammer out the final details of a trial that will recalculate damages for some Samsung phones found to infringe Apple patents. US District Judge Lucy Koh has now weighed in on the parties' requests, publishing an order (PDF) on Wednesday barring Samsung's most surprising request. The company had asked (PDF) for Apple to be barred from mentioning that Samsung is a Korean corporation. "Throughout both of the prior trials in this case, Apple has taken every opportunity to remind the jury of Samsung’s 'foreignness' by consistently referring to SEC as 'Samsung Korea,' 'Korean Samsung,' the 'Korean parent,' 'the Korean company,' and the 'Korean bosses' of 'Samsung America,'" Samsung lawyers wrote. "In fact, Apple’s counsel has rarely referred to SEC without mentioning Korea." They pointed out Koh herself had cited research about jury bias against foreign patent litigants. "Apple has no legitimate basis to offer any evidence or argument that evokes racial or national origin prejudice." Samsung lawyers also asked for Apple to be barred from referencing "the nationality or country of employment of Samsung witnesses." On Wednesday, Koh denied Samsung's request, calling it overly broad. "Apple's references to 'Samsung Korea' were permissibly 'made to explain Samsung’s corporate structure and the interplay between various executives,'" Koh wrote, quoting her own earlier ruling. "The Court held that, in context, these questions and comments did not evoke racial or national origin prejudice." "[T]he Court is mindful that a portion of Apple’s closing argument at the 2013 damages retrial 'included a troubling theme which could have been perceived as invoking racial or ethnic prejudice,'" she added. Apple was admonished for that behavior, and "the Court has no reason to believe that Apple will make similar comments going forward." A retrial over damages is scheduled to begin on March 28, and Koh's decision on the Korea references was part of a larger order about various pre-trial issues. The retrial follows a May 2015 decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a ruling that wiped out Apple's damages related to trade dress. In the upcoming trial, a jury will have to make an award based solely on Apple's infringed patents. Those patents include three design patents, the '381 "bounce back" patent, the '163 "tap to zoom" patent, and the '915 "pinch to zoom" patent. The whole shebang relates to the blockbuster 2012 trial in which Apple won a verdict of $1.05 billion before seeing that number slashed down in post-trial motions and appeals. Samsung has paid $548 million to Apple in relation to that case so far. A second victory against Samsung came Apple's way during a 2014 jury trial over newer phones in which Apple was awarded $120 million. Last week that win was wiped out entirely when the appeals court invalidated the patents Apple used, including the "slide to unlock" patent.

Sleep-disordered breathing in healthy and spousally bereaved elderly: a one-year follow-up study. This study examined the progression of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) over 1 year in two samples of elderly subjects: 45 healthy controls (20 men; 25 women mean age 74.8 years) and 27 recently spousally bereaved elders (9 men; 18 women, mean age 69.7 years). Although controls and bereaved subjects did not differ in the proportions with SDB, both groups showed a rise in the proportion of subjects with apnea hypopnea index > or = 5 and > or = 10 at 1-year follow-up and a small but statistically significant worsening in average maximum desaturation. The severity of SDB did not correlate with medical burden or with other clinical variables, such as severity of depressive symptoms. In summary, SDB increased longitudinally in both samples. This finding may have health implications for the aging population although at this time the implications are unclear.

The present invention relates to receivers for demodulating broadcast signals having both amplitude and angle modulation components. Specifically, an apparatus is provided to minimize the distortion resulting from angle demodulating broadcast signals having marginal amplitude levels. Recent interest has developed in generating stereophonic broadcast signals in the low frequency radio spectrum now reserved for amplitude modulation. Several proposals have been submitted to the FCC which suggest a new stereophonic broadcast service in that portion of the broadcast radio spectrum which utilizes amplitude modulation. The Magnavox Consumer Electronics Company has proposed a system for generating a broadcast signal which is amplitude modulated with the summation of two stereophonic related signals and linearly phase modulated with a difference signal produced by subtracting the stereophonic related signals. Specifics for this and other proposals for stereophonic broadcasting are to be found in FCC Docket 21313, "In The Matter of AM Stereophonic Broadcasting". Difficulty in receiving and demodulating broadcast signals having both amplitude and angle modulation components is encountered during periods of high negative amplitude modulation of the broadcast signal. The angle demodulation process suffers from a loss of signal as the instantaneous amplitude level of the broadcast signal approaches zero. Under these conditions, conventional limiters and angle demodulators produced noise when demodulating a signal having a marginal amplitude. Therefore, the reception of such stereophonic broadcasts suffers during those periods of time that the negative amplitude modulation approaches 100% corresponding to a zero carrier level.

Review of thin-layer placement applications to enhance natural recovery of contaminated sediment. This article provides a review of thin-layer placement applications to enhance the natural recovery of contaminated sediment. Three principal case studies are presented in which thin-layer placement has been implemented as a component of enhanced monitored natural recovery (EMNR). EMNR is defined as the application of engineered means such as thin-layer placement or broadcasting of capping material to accelerate natural recovery processes in locations not appropriate for application of monitored natural recovery (MNR) alone. Case studies examine factors affecting the implementation of EMNR, including the impact of site conditions on stable and successful thin-layer placement of clean sediment or other capping material, as well as the challenges in development and implementation of monitoring plans that chart progress toward achieving remedy success. Pilot-scale or demonstration studies of thin-layer placement of clean sand or sediment are subsequently assessed to highlight a range of potentially successful strategies for placement and post-placement monitoring. The primary difference between the pilot-scale or demonstration sites and the 3 primary EMNR case studies is that monitoring at the demonstration sites has focused more explicitly on understanding mechanisms of material placement and/or chemical migration, rather than assessing longer-term or more comprehensive remedial action objectives (RAOs) such as reductions in human health or ecological risk. All sites discussed in this review appear to have demonstrated reductions in the surface sediment concentration of at least some chemicals of concern following thin-layer placement; however, the achievement of human and ecological risk reduction has been inconsistent or is still under evaluation. Effective monitoring as an integral component of EMNR continues to represent a challenge. For cap material stability, monitoring typically focuses on surface sediment chemistry and the persistence of the cap material, whereas monitoring of ecological recovery tends to be limited or difficult and is not always correlated with successful placement of the thin-layer, especially in the short term. Recontamination of the newly placed cap material has been a relatively common occurrence in many of the sites considered herein, and has led to exceedance of remedial targets. However, in no case did recontamination return surface sediment chemical concentrations to pre-placement levels. Where the placement of cap material is stable and there is no evidence of chemical migration through the cap, recontamination signals a need to update conceptual site models to better reflect sediment and contaminant transport processes in areas in which EMNR has been implemented.

Eamon and Colum Friel at a Manchester United match earlier this year. Eamon passed away suddenly in June this year just hours after he had been admitted to hospital. The highly respected singer, who released his final album just months before he died, had been diagnosed with cancer and underwent a five day course of radiotherapy. He died just weeks later from sepsis. Eamon Friel pictured with his wife Caitlin and grand-daughter Milla Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. It occurs when the immune system overreacts to an infection and begins to damage the body’s tissues and organs. Eamon’s son Colum said that while he was aware of sepsis before his father’s death, he was not aware of all the signs and symptoms. “I am fairly clued in when it comes to health and fitness, but I didn’t know about the symptoms of sepsis. If I had an inkling about any of this stuff even six months ago I would have got him to hospital earlier and he might have had a chance.” The Friel family are sharing their story to mark World Sepsis Awareness Day in the hope that another family may pick up on the symptoms earlier. Colum said his Daddy had been unwell for a couple of months prior to his cancer diagnosis, but like many men of his generation he hid it from his family and did not go to a doctor. “I think he suspected he may have had cancer and he had been hiding how unwell he was. In March he had what he thought was a flu and a cough which he just couldn’t shift. He was feeling really run down and sluggish, which wasn’t like my Daddy at all,” Colum said. “As soon as the GP saw my Daddy he sent him to hospital straight away and suspected lung cancer.” Eamon had a shadow on his lung and further investigations found a tumour on the top three vertebrae of his spine. There was also a suspected tumour on his leg and he was waiting for the results of a biopsy on this. “The week after Daddy finished his radiotherapy, I took him for a walk over to Brooke Park and by the time he got through the gate he had to sit down because he was so tired. I did think to myself - is radiotherapy supposed to make you so tired? They did warn us he would be tired, but in hindsight he shouldn’t have been this tired,” Colum said. “Looking back he was showing signs of sepsis but we didn’t know it. His skin was very cold to touch and mottled. His voice was also very weak, but we put that down to the radiotherapy he had being so close to the throat.” Eamon did his weekly show on Radio Foyle the night before he died and Colum said he was so exhausted he ‘had to be carried out of the studio’. “He refused to go to hospital though and told my Mammy to just take him home. He slept downstairs and in the middle of the night my Mammy heard a bang and found him lying in the hallway.” Eamon was admitted to hospital at around 6am and sadly died four hours later. “When Daddy got to the hospital he was delirious, his blood pressure dropped and he was disorientated. His organs began to fail and eventually he was diagnosed with sepsis. “Sepsis can be hard to spot because there are so many symptoms and these can be so similar to the symptoms of other conditions.” Those at particular risk of contracting sepsis are babies under one, people over 75, people who have diabetes, a weakened immune system or people who have recently had surgery or a serious illness. “Since Daddy died all I have heard about is sepsis, so many people have been in touch with me to share their story and experience of it,” Colum said. “It can be treated if it is caught early enough.” The family have taken great comfort from all the tributes paid to Eamon since his passing. “Radio Foyle did a special tribute to him the day he died and we had that on in the background while we were preparing the house for the wake. It was so surreal. “His memory will live on forever in his music. He was just obsessed with music and would have sat playing the guitar or the piano for hours in a musical bubble. He also had such a great sense of humour and would have done anything for me, my Mum and Milla (his granddaughter). He is much missed and it is such a shock to have lost him so suddenly. “I still wake up at night thinking, did that really happen?” However, Colum said his father would have undoubtedly suffered as a result of the cancer and ‘wouldn’t have wanted that’. Colum, who is a personal trainer, held a fundraising event in Transition Gym on Saturday to raise funds for the Sepsis Trust. The event has raised over £2,500 so far and a fundraising page remains open. Colum said this will continue to raise awareness of sepsis. “I know my Daddy would be very proud I am doing this, so that some other family don’t have to go through what we have.”

Bij het ZNA Middelheim in Antwerpen zijn eind vorig jaar zes computers gestolen met daarop de medische gegevens van zo’n 400 patiënten. Dat bericht ATV en wordt bevestigd door ZNA-woordvoerster Renée Willems. De diefstal gebeurde al eind vorig jaar, maar raakt nu pas bekend. De feiten deden zich voor in de polikliniek van het Middelheim. Het gaat om computers die met een paswoord versleuteld zijn. Er stonden werkkopieën op van brieven aangaande de raadplegingen van een 400-tal patiënten. ZNA deed meteen aangifte bij de Belgische Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit en bij de politie. Er werd zopas ook een brief verstuurd naar patiënten wiens gegevens gestolen werden. Wie geen brief heeft gekregen, moet zich geen zorgen maken.

United States Court of Appeals For the Eighth Circuit ___________________________ No. 14-3405 ___________________________ Lion Oil Company lllllllllllllllllllllPetitioner v. Environmental Protection Agency lllllllllllllllllllllRespondent ____________ Petition for Review of an Order of the Environmental Protection Agency ____________ Submitted: June 11, 2015 Filed: July 8, 2015 ____________ Before GRUENDER, BEAM, and BENTON, Circuit Judges. ____________ BENTON, Circuit Judge. Lion Oil Company petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency for an exemption from the Renewable Fuel Standard program for 2013. EPA denied the petition. Lion Oil appeals. Having jurisdiction under 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1), this court affirms.  I. The RFS program sets annual renewable-fuel targets for refineries. See 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o). Refineries must blend their share of renewable fuel or buy credits from those who exceed blending requirements. Congress exempted “small” refineries—75,000 barrels of crude oil or less per day—from RFS obligations until 2011. §§ 7545(o)(1)(K), 7545(o)(9)(A)(i). The exemption can be extended. The Department of the Energy “shall conduct for [EPA] a study to determine whether compliance with [RFS requirements] would impose a disproportionate economic hardship on small refineries.” § 7545(o)(9)(A)(ii)(I). If DOE determines a small refinery “would be subject to a disproportionate economic hardship if required to comply,” EPA “shall extend the exemption . . . for a period of not less than 2 additional years.” § 7545(o)(9)(A)(ii)(II). Also, “A small refinery may at any time petition [EPA] for an extension of the exemption . . . for the reason of disproportionate economic hardship.” § 7545(o)(9)(B)(i). When evaluating such petitions, EPA, “in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall consider the findings of [DOE’s] study . . . and other economic factors.” § 7545(o)(9)(B)(ii). DOE completed its study in 2011. It concluded, “Disproportionate economic hardship must encompass two broad components: a high cost of compliance relative to the industry average, and an effect sufficient to cause a significant impairment of the refinery operations.” To implement these components, DOE created a dual-index scoring matrix. One index measures disproportionate structural and economic impact; the other, RFS compliance on refiner viability. The viability index has three metrics—3a (“Compliance cost eliminates efficiency gains”), 3b (“Individual special events”), and 3c (“Compliance costs likely to lead to shut down”). DOE defines “individual special events” as “Refinery specific events (such as a shutdown due to an accident, and subsequent loss of revenue) in the recent past that have a temporary negative impact on the ability of the refinery to comply with the RFS.” Originally, -2- DOE scored all three metrics as 0 or 10. In a May 2014 addendum to the study, DOE added 5 as a possible score for metrics 3a and 3b (but not metric 3c). Lion Oil, a small refinery in El Dorado, Arkansas, received exemptions through 2012. It petitioned EPA for an exemption for 2013. Citing disruption to a key supply pipeline and noting its “financial position has not improved,” Lion Oil argued that RFS compliance would cause disproportionate economic hardship. Before EPA considered the petition, DOE first scored Lion Oil on DOE’s matrix, as amended by the addendum. DOE determined that Lion Oil did not score high enough on the viability index to show disproportionate economic hardship. Specifically, on metric 3b, DOE concluded the pipeline disruption was not an “individual special event” because “several refineries . . . were impacted by the reduced flow.” (Lion Oil agrees that the pipeline disruption affected four other refineries.) EPA’s 23-page decision summarized DOE’s analysis, a “primary factor” in its decision. EPA also said it “evaluate[d] viability . . . in the same manner that DOE considers viability in its own methodology.” EPA did not re-score Lion Oil on DOE’s matrix. Instead, EPA “independently” analyzed the pipeline disruption and Lion Oil’s blending capacity, projected RFS-compliance costs, and financial position. Lion Oil requested protection of “confidential business information.” EPA sent its decision to Lion Oil only. At oral argument, Lion Oil’s counsel said, “It’s really just the specific numbers, the dollar amounts, the numbers of [credits] that are confidential.” Lion Oil appealed to this court under 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1). The statute “lodges jurisdiction over challenges to ‘any . . . final [EPA] action’ in the Courts of Appeals.” Alaska Dep’t of Envtl. Conservation v. E.P.A., 540 U.S. 461, 481 (2004), -3- quoting § 7607(b)(1). See also Whitman v. Am. Trucking Ass’ns, 531 U.S. 457, 477 (2001) (stating § 7607(b)(1) “gives the court jurisdiction”). Section 7607(b)(1) has three parts. First, “A petition for review of . . . any other nationally applicable regulations promulgated, or final action taken, by the Administrator under this chapter may be filed only in the” D.C. Circuit. 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1). Second, “A petition for review of the Administrator’s action . . . which is locally or regionally applicable may be filed only in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit.” Id. Third, “Notwithstanding the preceding sentence a petition for review of any action [that is locally or regionally applicable] may be filed only in the [D.C. Circuit] if such action is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect and if in taking such action the Administrator finds and publishes that such action is based on such a determination.” Id. Lion Oil also appealed to the D.C. Circuit, which is holding that appeal in abeyance pending this court’s decision. EPA then moved to dismiss this appeal, arguing the D.C. Circuit has exclusive authority to hear Lion Oil’s appeal. This court took EPA’s motion with the case. This court also granted Lion Oil’s unopposed motion to seal EPA’s decision and the parties’ joint motion to file their briefs and appendix under seal. II. The parties agree that EPA’s petition-denial is locally or regionally applicable, not nationally applicable. This court may hear a petition unless the denial “is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect and if in taking such action the Administrator finds and publishes that such action is based on such a determination.” See id. -4-  In its decision, EPA stated, “This decision is a final agency action of nationwide scope and effect for purposes of [§ 7607(b)(1)].” EPA sent the decision to Lion Oil only. EPA made no announcement in any public record, including its website. EPA argues, “Lion Oil’s petition may only be heard in the D.C. Circuit because EPA has made an express and unambiguous determination of nationwide scope or effect.” Lion Oil counters that EPA did not publish the necessary finding. Even if EPA published a finding, Lion Oil argues this court must independently conclude that EPA’s action “is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect.” Section 7607(b)(1) does not define “publishes.” The parties do not cite cases or legislative history interpreting the term. “When a term is undefined, we give it its ordinary meaning.” United States v. Santos, 553 U.S. 507, 511 (2008) (analyzing dictionary definitions of “proceeds” for purposes of money-laundering statute). The ordinary meaning of “publish” requires some public distribution. See Webster’s International Dictionary 1837 (3d ed. 1961) (defining “publish” as “to declare publicly: make generally known”); Black’s Law Dictionary 1428 (10th ed. 2014) (defining “publish” as “[t]o distribute copies (of a work) to the public”). See also Webster’s International Dictionary 1836 (3d ed. 1961) (defining “public” as “of, relating to, or affecting the people as an organized community”). EPA does not assert a different meaning of “publish.” Instead, EPA argues for an exception because it honored Lion Oil’s request to protect certain confidential business information. But the plain language of § 7607(b)(1) permits no exception, and EPA cites no evidence of congressional intent to provide one. At oral argument, EPA requested a remand “to allow the agency to follow the required procedure.” Section § 7607(b)(1) is plain: An appeal of EPA action “which is locally or regionally applicable may be filed only in” the regional circuit unless, at -5- least, “the Administrator finds and publishes that such action is based on” a determination of nationwide scope or effect. See 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1). Under the ordinary meaning of “publish,” EPA must make public distribution of its decision, not just to the petitioner. This court may hear Lion Oil’s appeal because EPA did not publish the necessary finding.1 III. This court “shall . . . hold unlawful and set aside agency action, findings, and conclusions found to be . . . arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.” 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A). “[D]ue account shall be taken of the rule of prejudicial error.” § 706. This court “shall decide all relevant questions of law, interpret constitutional and statutory provisions, and determine the meaning or applicability of the terms of an agency action.” Id. 1 While § 7607(b)(1) “gives the court jurisdiction,” Whitman, 531 U.S. at 477, the parties treat § 7607(b)(1) as a venue provision. See Texas Mun. Power Agency v. E.P.A., 89 F.3d 858, 867 (D.C. Cir. 1996) (“Given the less than clear language, the structure of the section—dividing cases among the circuits—and the legislative history indicate that [§ 7607(b)(1)] is framed more as a venue provision.”). Because EPA failed to publish a finding, this court need not reach whether § 7607(b)(1), particularly its third sentence, is also a venue provision—just as this court need not decide whether EPA’s action “is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect.” -6-  A. Lion Oil argues that DOE’s “scoring decision [on metric 3b] was flawed, and EPA acted arbitrarily and capriciously in using it is as a basis for its rejection of Lion Oil’s petition.” “An agency decision is arbitrary or capricious if: the agency has relied on factors which Congress has not intended it to consider, entirely failed to consider an important aspect of the problem, offered an explanation for its decision that runs counter to the evidence before the agency, or is so implausible that it could not be ascribed to a difference in view or the product of agency expertise.” El Dorado Chem. Co. v. E.P.A., 763 F.3d 950, 955-56 (8th Cir. 2014). “The scope of our review is narrow and we are not to substitute our judgment for that of the agency.” Id. at 956, citing Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass’n of U.S., Inc. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983). EPA did not arbitrarily use DOE’s scoring decision. Rather, EPA did as Congress directed—“in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, [EPA] consider[ed] the findings of [DOE’s] study.” See 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(9)(B)(ii). EPA said DOE’s analysis was a “primary factor” in EPA’s decision. EPA “evaluate[d] viability . . . in the same manner that DOE considers viability in its own methodology.” EPA then “independently” analyzed the pipeline disruption, noting it “affected several other refineries, and thus was not a ‘special event’ specific to Lion.” EPA also contextualized the disruption’s impact on Lion Oil’s financial position. Lion Oil claims DOE’s scoring “was flawed.” To the extent Lion Oil can challenge DOE’s scoring on metric 3b, it was proper. The study defined “individual special events” as “Refinery specific events (such as a shutdown due to an accident, and subsequent loss of revenue) in the recent past that have a temporary negative -7- impact on the ability of the refinery to comply with the RFS.” Lion Oil agrees that the disruption affected four other refineries. By the study’s definition, the disruption was not “refinery specific.” B. Lion Oil’s other arguments focus on DOE’s addendum. Because EPA, not DOE, is the respondent, Lion Oil’s theme is that DOE’s scoring was “outcome- determinative.” Even if DOE’s scoring was “outcome-determinative,” Lion Oil fails to show how the availability of an intermediate score prejudiced Lion Oil. See 5 U.S.C. § 706. 1. Lion Oil argues that the addendum was unlawful because it was not adequately explained. An agency must “provide reasoned explanation for its action” and “show that there are good reasons for the new policy.” F.C.C. v. Fox Television Stations, Inc., 556 U.S. 502, 515 (2009). “But it need not demonstrate to a court’s satisfaction that the reasons for the new policy are better than the reasons for the old one; it suffices that the new policy is permissible under the statute, that there are good reasons for it, and that the agency believes it to be better, which the conscious change of course adequately indicates.” Id. In the addendum, DOE said metrics 3a and 3b measure “impacts that may occur across a continuum, and providing for the possibility of an intermediate score allows DOE to more accurately assess an individual refinery’s economic situation.” In its decision denying Lion Oil’s petition, EPA noted, “DOE added a 5 as a possible intermediate score . . . to more accurately characterize the impacts of compliance costs (3a) or individual special events (3b) on a refinery.” -8-  Lion Oil argues that DOE and EPA offered “not an explanation for the change but merely a description of it.” To the contrary, DOE and EPA provided a “reasoned explanation” and “good reasons.” See id. The intermediate score “allows for more nuanced and accurate characterization of the” refinery’s situation. See Hermes Consol., LLC v. E.P.A., 2015 WL 3461360, at *5, *10 (D.C. Cir. June 2, 2015) (vacating EPA’s denial of small refinery’s exemption petition because EPA conceded it made two miscalculations about petitioner’s financial data). 2. Lion Oil argues that the addendum required notice-and-comment rulemaking. “Agencies must conduct ‘rule making’ in accord with the [Administrative Procedure Act’s] notice and comment procedures.” Iowa League of Cities v. E.P.A., 711 F.3d 844, 855 (8th Cir. 2013). See 5 U.S.C. § 553 (“Rule making”). “However, only new ‘legislative’ rules are required to be created pursuant to notice and comment rulemaking,” not “interpretative rules” or “general statements of policy.” Iowa League of Cities, 711 F.3d at 855. According to Lion Oil, the addendum is “a legislative rule” because EPA “gave [the addendum] conclusive effect.” Lion Oil cites General Electric Company v. E.P.A., 290 F.3d 377, 383 (D.C. Cir. 2002): “[A]n agency pronouncement will be considered binding as a practical matter if it either appears on its face to be binding, or is applied by the agency in a way that indicates it is binding.” Lion Oil’s factual premise fails. EPA did not give the addendum “conclusive effect,” nor could it, as EPA does not score petitions on DOE’s matrix. Rather, EPA did as Congress directed—“in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, [EPA] consider[ed] the findings of [DOE’s] study . . . and other economic factors.” See 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(9)(B)(ii). EPA said DOE’s analysis was a “primary factor” in EPA’s decision, and EPA “evaluate[d] viability . . . in the same manner that DOE -9- considers viability in its own methodology.” EPA also “independently” analyzed the pipeline disruption and Lion Oil’s blending capacity, projected RFS-compliance costs, and financial position. See Hermes, 2015 WL 3461360, at *6 (rejecting argument that addendum required notice-and-comment rulemaking because petitioner “points us to no authority suggesting that the decision to make available a more refined score within an already-existing metric requires notice-and-comment procedures” and finding “no basis for creating such a rule”). 3. Lion Oil argues that EPA unreasonably interpreted “disproportionate economic hardship” to mean long-term viability, particularly as credits became more costly. “Where a statute does not define a term, and Congress has delegated authority to an agency to implement an ambiguous statute, we are required to accept the agency’s statutory interpretation, so long as it is reasonable.” Fast v. Applebee’s Int’l, Inc., 638 F.3d 872, 876 (8th Cir. 2011), citing Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 844-45 (1984). EPA’s interpretation of “disproportionate economic hardship” is reasonable. “[T]he relative costs of compliance alone cannot demonstrate economic hardship because all refineries face a direct cost associated with participation in the program. Of course, some refineries will face higher costs than others, but whether those costs impose disproportionate hardship on a given refinery presents a different question.” Hermes, 2015 WL 3461360, at *5. EPA adopted DOE’s determination “that the best way to measure ‘hardship’ entailed examining the impact of compliance costs on a refinery’s ability to maintain profitability and competitiveness—i.e., viability—in the long term.” Id. “[T]hat choice lies well within the agency’s discretion.” Id. -10-  4. Lion Oil argues the addendum’s “arbitrariness . . . is heightened by EPA’s failure to apply the revised scoring methodology consistently.” Lion Oil cites a letter from EPA to the D.C. Circuit in the Hermes case. There, EPA acknowledged that DOE gave some pre-addendum petitioners a 5 for metrics 3a and 3c—when a 5 was not yet an option (and still is not for metric 3c). Again, EPA, not DOE, is the respondent here. Lion Oil does not show that EPA relied on DOE’s scoring decisions in those petitions. Even if EPA did, Lion Oil was not prejudiced. See 5 U.S.C. § 706. ******* EPA’s denial of Lion Oil’s petition is affirmed. ______________________________ -11-

2005 WPSL season The 2005 Women's Premier Soccer League season was the 9th season of the WPSL. FC Indiana finished the season as national champions, beating California Storm on penalty kicks after a 4-4 tie in the WPSL Championship game. Changes From 2004 Name Changes New Franchises Folding Final standings Purple indicates division title clinched West Division Central Division East Division Playoffs Semi finals California Storm 3-0 Steel City Sparks FC Indiana 4-0 New England Mutiny Third Place Playoff New England Mutiny 2-1 Steel City Sparks WPSL Championship Game FC Indiana 4-4 California Storm (Indiana wins 4-3 on penalties) References 2005 Wom 1

Hon New Tech is a quarterly technology event and networking mixer for anyone interested in the local tech and startup scene. Hon New Tech’s stage is a platform for young startups and established companies alike, to show off what they’ve been working on in front of a room full of people who actually care.

Al hacer click en enviar quedaras regitrad@ a nuestro boletín el cual podrás cancelar en cualquier momento;no olvides revisar tu carpeta de spam. CIUDAD DE MÉXICO, 30 de enero.- Los tres operadores de la pipa de la empresa Gas Express Nieto que explotó en el Hospital Materno Infantil en Cuajimalpa, enfrentan acusaciones por homicidio culposo y daños en propiedad ajena, indicó Rodolfo Ríos Garza, procurador capitalino. En entrevista radiofónica con Adela Micha para Grupo Imagen Multimedia, procurador General de Justicia del Distrito Federal indicó que los tres detenidos ya rindieron su declaración preparatoria, tras el accidente en Cuajimalpa. Los operadores están hospitalizados y en calidad de detenidos, con custodia de los elementos policiales. Hay una carpeta de investigación por los delitos de homicidio, lesiones y daños a la propiedad culposos, y por otra parte, en investigación a las tres personas que venían operando la pipa”, señaló. El procurador capitalino dijo que en su declaración los detenidos refieren que llegaron a abastecer gas al hospital, y se percatan que hay una fuga “considerable” e incluso uno de ellos señala que se formó una especie de neblina e intentaron tapar la fuga con trapos húmedos, pero esto fue imposible, por lo que pidieron ayuda al hospital. Sin embargo, al ver que no se pudo controlar, solicitaron apoyo de elementos de la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública y del Cuerpo de Bomberos, pero “sucede esta lamentable situación”. Ellos intentan controlar la fuga, buscan accionar la válvula de seguridad, pero aunque lo hacen, sucede la tragedia, al ver que no pueden contener la fuga piden ayuda al hospital, por lo cual comienzan a evacuar a algunas personas”, indicó. Asimismo, afirmó que hay bebés que todavía no son identificados, puesto que no traían el brazalete con sus datos y al ser recién nacidos, para los papás les resulta difícil identificarlos. Hay bebés que no han sido identificados, porque no tenían los brazaletes, pero estamos trabajando en ello”, detalló. Mencionó que esperarán los resultados periciales para determinar la responsabilidad de los detenidos, pues recordó que son varios los estudios que se realizan como son los de incendio, de explosivos, mecánica de hechos, de estructura, para dar “estos elementos jurídicos para señalar qué sucedió”. jpg La ley de derechos de autor prohíbe estrictamente copiar completa o parcialmente los materiales de Excélsior sin haber obtenido previamente permiso por escrito y sin incluir el link al texto original.

Baby whisperer baby types Hi all, Done the baby whisperer quiz my Ds is a "Touchy baby" got 6 points on this but 5 on textbook and 5 on spirited. So a mixture. But think mainly he is a touchy baby.Which would explain his need for comfort. Lucky you!!! Wonder if anyone else has a touchy baby BIO mine is spirited/touchy bit of both on the sleeping qs too. Textbook for waking up in moses in morning. He just coos and looks around hes so cute!!! But he only does this first thing when he has a 5am feed and wakes at 8 not starving. WEll mine got mainly textbook (10) with 6 for spirited but to be honest he is much more spirited than textbook when I have read the descriptions. I certainly would not describe him as predictable and easy to handle!!! Care_bear- I have spent so long getting upset by comparing my lo to other peoples babies. You're doing nothing wrong, unfortunately some babies are just easier than others. I find it really hard when I look at friends babies who just drop off to sleep in their arms when they're tired whilst mine refuses to sleep unless swaddled in his moses basket(not very practical when you go out!)or the baby bjorn (but only if i'm moving). The meltdowns at the end of the day when he's super tired are also difficult to deal with. Sometimes I just wish we were a few months down the line and he could move about better (and so hopefully get less frustrated) and would need less sleep in the day so I didn't have constant battles over naps. Then I feel guilty as I should be enjoying every minute of him and don't get me wrong, he's brilliant but very very hard work.. I know i shouldnt compare but cant help it!! Definately sleep is the hardest. He wont sleep in the day unless held but then he resists i try putting him down and he wakes. Tried the letting him go to sleep by himself in the day but he just cries and cries and then gets so overtired. He doesnt sleep in the pram only the sling. I dont like going out shopping on my own because he just cries. Like your son he goes in2 melt dwn at the end of day. Been putting him to bed for 9.30pm for 2 nights he went 7.5 hrs without a bottle he still stired but went back off. So i thought i would put him wn an hr earlier which worked but he woke 5 hrs later so fed him and he just would settle back dwn waking every so often. At night i cuddle him till hes nearly asleep put him dwn swaddled and i hold the dummy in. If that fails i di Pick up method. He has to have the room pitch black to go off though. Hope things will improve glad im not alone I just did this and M comes out as an angel baby! Scored A's for most questions apart from a couple of B's. This is why Im too scared to have another baby as I will probably end up with a satan baby lol, surely cant be this lucky twice! x Like Mrs Binks - my lo is hard work! BUT - has a fantastic little personality and is just constantly making me and OH laugh! He cannot go to sleep on his own though at all - it took me and OH an hour last night to get him to sleep - he is obviously tired but the minute we put him down he screams the place down!! He is also very easily bored of activities we do - we constantly have to chagne game/toy etc. I know what you mean care bear about trying not to but comparing your child to someone elses. I met up with someone from my antenatal class the other day and she was going on and on about how she had an 8 hour labour, no complications just gas and air and that her boy had sleep through from 6 weeks - and then I look at me and it was a 3 day labour with emcs and a baby who sometimes only goes 3 hours at night lol! But on the flip side - her little boy wasn't doing alot of things Logan is like chatting away to us all the time. I think you have to look at it that way. Logan sounds abit like Daniel. Although i cant complain on the labour front only 5 hrs. My lo was 4 weeks early and was due in nov so they told me to expect him to be slightly behind but hes Smiling,cooing ,laughing a little and holds his head up really well. He doesnt know how to grab things yet and hasnt much interest in toys just stares at things . Although i know what u mean he makes me laugh alot because hes got such an old face expresion wise. lol Put him in his jumperoo which he got yesterday and he just stares at the blue frog his face is a picture. We're going to try putting our jumperoo up at the weekend and put him in it. I also ordered a summer infant 3 stage seat which should arrive today and will mean he can sit up without us constantly having to hold him I decided not to do this - I knew that if I came out with a "grumpy" baby I would be distraught but that even if she was completely "angel" I wouldn't be happy cos I would worry every time she cried that I had broken her somehow!! I am so neurotic :lol: Also I think the vast majority of babies are a mix of most types, depending on the situation, time of day, how tired they are....... I know what you mean about comparing babies - it can be a deadly game!! Mine is quite i miss mash but on reading what the different types mean i can put Biba down to a spirited baby - i too am really struggling with the end of day melt downs, we are going to try and instil a bath boob bed routine starting tonight as Biba has only just started to appear to enjoy her baths. Will have to see how she gets on - i think i have been massively underestimating the amount of stuff it takes to overstimulate her. Yes im doing the 3 b's and my touchy baby is turning in2 an angel baby at night. We have started putting the baby bath downstairs next to heater and he is enjoying bath times now. I even gave him a massage which he wouldnt of etertained before. Think he was scared of the big bath and i made the transition too quickly. He has only just in the last few weeks started to enjoy bath time. Im just giving him all the love he needs in the day. He hates being out dwn. So im wearing a sling and i can see an improvement in him already alot more content. I just dont let him sleep after 6pm and he goes to bed at 9pm. I feed him at 7pm then bath half an hr later to let it go dwn. Then feed again and bed for 9pm.He goes in his moses straight away and sleeps 5.5hrs minimum and 8 hrs last night. yay xx

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an active matrix device which incorporates two-dimensional matrix pixels arranged to be operated by an active matrix method, and more particularly to an active matrix device which enables a switching operation to be performed without use of a MOS semiconductor switch section and which are arranged for use in a two-dimensional image pickup device, a light modulating device, an exposing device and a display device. 2. Description of the Related Art An active matrix device is known which incorporates two-dimensional matrix pixels which are operated by the active matrix method. The active matrix device is used in, for example, a MOS 2D image pickup device, an LCD, a thin-film EL device and an organic EL device. An active matrix device of a type for use in the MOS 2D image pickup device incorporates a photodetecting device and a MOS transistor for switching the photodetecting device, provided for each pixel section. In the foregoing case, the active matrix device causes the photodetecting device of each pixel to photoelectrically convert light of the image so as to accumulate charges. The charges are scanned through the MOS transistors in a row-sequential manner so that the accumulated charges are extracted. Thus, serial electric signals are extracted to the outside. The active matrix device is, as described above, used in the light modulating device, the exposing device and the display device for the LCD, the thin-film EL device and the organic EL device. FIG. 30 shows an example of the active matrix LCD. As shown in FIG. 30, the active matrix device incorporates a light function device 1, such as the light modulating device, the exposure device or the display device, and a MOS transistor 3 which are provided for each of pixels disposed in a matrix configuration. In the foregoing case, the active matrix device applies scanning pulse voltages Vg in the row-sequential manner to simultaneously turn the connected MOS transistors 3 on. In synchronization with this, data signal voltages Vb are applied to the image electrodes in the column direction. Thus, scanning is performed through the MOS transistor 3 so that charges are accumulated in the static capacitor of each pixel. After scanning of one row has been completed, the MOS transistors 3 are turned off. Thus, the charges accumulated in the capacitors are maintained. In response to data signals based on the accumulated charges, the light function devices 1 are operated so that modulation of light, exposure or display is performed. The conventional active matrix devices is not substantially affected by the number of rows (the number of scanning lines) and capable of moving precise image with an excellent quality. However, the active matrix device incorporating the conventional MOS semiconductor transistor of a type made of a-Si:H (amorphous silicon), poly-Si (polycrystalline silicon) or c-Si (crystal silicon) has the foregoing problems. That is, a large number of patterning processes must be performed. Moreover, a film forming process and a process for doping impurities peculiar to the process for manufacturing the semiconductor regions must be performed. Therefore, a severe design condition has been required. As a result, the throughput and manufacturing yield deteriorate. Thus, enlargement of a device formation area cannot easily be realized with a low cost. An attempt has been made that the patterning step is completed by a (screen) printing process in order to enlarge the device formation area and reduce the producing cost. However, the accuracy and quality under present circumstances are not sufficient. Therefore, the printing process has not been realized yet. A TFT incorporating a glass substrate on which a-Si:H or poly-Si is formed easily encounters dispersion of electrons and positive holes which move in the semiconductor owning to lattice defects (impurities, vacancies and dislocations). Therefore, only a poor carrier mobility is permitted. Thus, a display device in the form of a precise and large-area structure which must respond at higher response suffers from reduction in the speed of response. Although use of c-Si free from considerable dispersion enables the speed of response to be raised, c-Si cannot easily be formed on the glass substrate which is a low cost substrate. It is required to form the semiconductor films, while maintaining severe process conditions. Espetially on forming a junction, the impurity densities of both semiconductor films between which the junction is formed, must severely administered. Since the TFT is a semiconductor device, there arises a problem in that a malfunction occurs owning to incidence of light and introduction of water, oxygen, ions and an organic material from outside. To prevent the malfunction, a light shielding film and/or a protective layer must be formed. Therefore, the design conditions and processing conditions are furthermore limited. The following mechanically-conductive switch has been disclosed in the following document: (1) Micromechanical Membrane Switches on Silicon, IBM J, RES. DEVELOP., VOL. 23, No. 4, JULY 1979, pp. 376-385. In the foregoing document, as shown in FIG. 31 which is a plan view showing a matrix device and FIG. 32 which is a cross sectional view taken along line Exe2x80x94E, a mechanical switch has been suggested. That is, the matrix device operating switches comprising the transistors and non-linear devices which are replaced by plate springs are employed. Each plate spring has either end which is secured is displaced by static electric force. Thus, contact/separation of the contact point provided for the leading end of the plate spring is used. In the foregoing structure, the plate spring is formed by a thin SiO2 film formed on a silicon substrate. The contact portion is made of a metal material such as gold. Also a matrix type display device has been disclosed in the foregoing document. When a required data signal is written on a pixel electrode, a voltage is applied between a scanning-signal electrode and a P+ silicon layer disposed below the scanning-signal electrode. Thus, the contact electrode, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are made electrical contact with one another. As a result, a required potential is applied from the data-signal electrode to the pixel electrode. When the voltage between the scanning-signal electrode and the P+ silicon layer is made to be zero, the contact of the foregoing electrode is separated. Thus, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are made to be non-contact with each other. As a result, the potential of the pixel electrode can be maintained. However, the mechanical switch, which has the above-mentioned structure in which either end is secured and, therefore, a cantilever spring structure is realized, has a possibility that mechanical bounds occur when contact/separation is performed. To prevent this, the structure and the operating voltage must delicately be adjusted. Therefore, the design freedom of the device is restrained. As can be understood from the plan view, the plate spring requires a great area. Therefore, the rate of opening is reduced. To raise the speed of response by lowering the voltage for operating the switch, the length of the plate spring must be elongated. In this case, the foregoing problems become more critical. Since the structure disclosed in the foregoing document incorporates the Si substrate, the structure is made to be an opaque structure with respect to visible light. Therefore, the foregoing structure is not suitable to serve as a transmission-type light modulating device. Moreover, enlargement of the area cannot easily be realized. In addition, only the reflecting-type light modulating device has been disclosed. No description has been performed about the light-transmission-type modulating device and the light emitting device. Another mechanically-conductive switch has been disclosed in the following patent. (2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,403 In the foregoing patent, a switch for operating a matrix device has been disclosed which has a structure that a plate spring having an end which is secured or a plate spring having two ends which are secured is made of an electro-optical material, such as liquid crystal or an electrophoretic material. FIG. 33 is a plan view showing the matrix device disclosed in the foregoing patent. FIG. 34 is a cross sectional view taken along line Fxe2x80x94F shown in FIG. 33. FIG. 35 is an equivalent circuit. When the foregoing switch for operating the matrix device disclosed in the foregoing U.S. patent is operated to write a required data signal on a pixel electrode, a voltage is applied between each scanning-signal electrode and each data-signal electrode having the plate spring structure. As a result, the plate springs of the data-signal electrode are deflected so that the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are brought into electrical contact with each other. Thus, a required potential is supplied from the data-signal electrode to the pixel electrode. When the voltage between the scanning-signal electrode and the data-signal electrode is made to be zero, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are brought to a non-contact state. As a result, the potential of the pixel electrode can be maintained. The structure of the device disclosed in the foregoing U.S. patent incorporates the electro-optical material between two support substrates. Moreover, the foregoing switch is provided for either of the two substrates. In the foregoing case, introduction of fluid, such as liquid crystal, into the space between the two substrates sometimes causes a malfunction of the switch to occur. Moreover, the orientation of the liquid crystal is sometimes disordered. Although provision of a cover for fully covering the switch has been suggested, there arises a problem in that the process becomes too complicated and the area of the switch portion is undesirable enlarged owning to the provision of the cover. The structure disclosed in the foregoing patent has the structure that the plate spring is electrically connected to the data-signal electrode. Therefore, a voltage must be applied to the position between the scanning-signal electrode and the data-signal electrode so as to operate the switch. Since the data-signal electrode is supplied with a required potential, the voltage which is supplied to the scanning-signal electrode must have an allowance. When the switch is made to be non-conductive or when scanning is not being performed, the structure of the switch and the voltage which must be applied must be considered to prevent a fact that the switch is made to be conductive regardless of the voltage of the data-signal electrode. The foregoing limitations excessively restrict the overall design freedom of the matrix device. The static electric force for operating the switch depends on an electric field which is formed in a region in which the scanning-signal electrode and the data-signal electrode overlap. Therefore, satisfactory enlargement of the area of the region in which the two electrodes overlap for the purpose of enlarging the static electric force cannot easily be performed. In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an active matrix device having a structure from which a semiconductor switch portion requiring a large number of patterning processes and severe design conditions and processing conditions is omitted so as to permit enlargement of the area and high-speed response and a light emitting device, a light modulating device, a photodetecting device, an exposing device and a display apparatus incorporating the foregoing active matrix device. To achieve the foregoing object, a first aspect of a device is an active matrix device of the present invention, which comprises: a transparent substrate on which first scanning-signal electrode lines and data-signal electrode lines are allowed to intersect one another to one or two dimensionally dispose electrodes and structured such that at least one matrix operating means and a light function device are provided for each intersection, wherein the matrix operating means is a mechanically-conductive switch which is operated by static electric force. The foregoing active matrix device has the structure that the light function device formed on the transparent substrate is operated by the mechanically-conductive switch having the mechanical structure. Thus, the light transmittance and the reflectance can be changed. Moreover, the manufacturing process and the structural materials can be simplified. A second aspect of a device is an active matrix device according to the first aspect, wherein the mechanically-conductive switch has a thin flexible film which is moved by dint of a voltage which is applied between the first scanning-signal electrode and a second scanning-signal electrode disposed opposite to the first scanning-signal electrode to bring the data-signal electrode and a pixel electrode of the light function device into contact with each other. In the foregoing active matrix device, the deflection of the thin flexible film is controlled in accordance with the voltage applied between the first and second scanning-signal electrodes so that the state of the switch is selectively set. A state of conduction between the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode is determined for each pixel so that the state of each light function device is determined. A third aspect of a device is an active matrix device for operating light function devices disposed one or two dimensionally by mechanically-conductive switches which are operated by static electric force, the active matrix device comprising: a plurality of parallel first scanning-signal electrodes in the form of stripes formed on a substrate; a plurality of parallel data-signal electrodes in the form of stripes disposed perpendicular to the first scanning-signal electrodes and formed at least at intersections with the first scanning-signal electrodes through insulating layers; common electrodes for pixel portions, light function devices and pixel electrodes which are sequentially laminated in a region on the substrate surrounded by the first scanning-signal electrodes and the data-signal electrodes; a plurality of support portions formed on the upper surfaces of the first scanning-signal electrodes; and thin flexible films and second scanning-signal electrodes disposed opposite to the first scanning-signal electrodes and laminated to be supported at the top ends of the support portions; and conductive films which are disposed opposite to the data-signal electrodes and the pixel electrodes such that contact is permitted through gaps and which are provided for the thin flexible films. In the foregoing active matrix device, when the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode is the same as that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is not supplied with the static electric force. Thus, the thin flexible film is not deflected. Therefore, the resistance between the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode is infinitely large. Thus, the non-conductive state can be maintained. When the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode is different from that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is deflected by the static electric force. As a result, the conductive film is brought into electrical contact with the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode disposed below the thin flexible film in the direction of the deflection of the thin flexible film. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are conducted to each other. When the voltage of each of the scanning-signal electrode is made to be zero, the thin flexible film is moved to the original position owning to the elastic force. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are again brought to the non-conductive state. A fourth aspect of a device is an active matrix device for operating light function devices disposed one or two dimensionally by mechanically-conductive switches which are operated by static electric force, the active matrix device comprising: a plurality of parallel first scanning-signal electrodes in the form of stripes formed on a substrate; a plurality of parallel data-signal electrodes in the form of stripes disposed perpendicular to the first scanning-signal electrodes and formed at least at intersections with the first scanning-signal electrodes through insulating layers such that the first scanning-signal electrodes are extended to substantially the overall region on the substrate surrounded by the first scanning-signal electrodes and the data-signal electrodes so that light function devices and pixel electrodes are sequentially laminated on the extended first scanning-signal electrodes; and a plurality of support portions formed on the insulating layers; and thin flexible films and second scanning-signal electrodes disposed opposite to the first scanning-signal electrodes and laminated to be supported at the top ends of the support portions; and conductive films which are disposed opposite to the data-signal electrodes and the pixel electrodes such that contact is permitted through gaps and which are provided for the thin flexible films. In the foregoing active matrix device, when the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode has the same potential as that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is not supplied with the static electric force. Thus, the thin flexible film is not deflected. Therefore, the resistance between the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode is infinitely large. Thus, the non-conductive state can be maintained. When the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode is different from that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is deflected by the static electric force. As a result, the conductive film is brought into electrical contact with the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode disposed below the thin flexible film in the direction of the deflection of the thin flexible film. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are conducted to each other. When the voltage of each of the scanning-signal electrode is made to be zero, the thin flexible film is moved to the original position owning to the elastic force. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are again brought to the non-conductive state. Moreover, the common electrodes for the light function devices are the first scanning-signal electrode so that simplification of the process and cost reduction are permitted. A fifth aspect of a device is an active matrix device for operating light function devices disposed one or two dimensionally by mechanically-conductive switches which are operated by static electric force, the active matrix device comprising: a plurality of parallel first scanning-signal electrodes in the form of stripes formed on a substrate; a plurality of parallel data-signal electrodes in the form of stripes disposed perpendicular to the first scanning-signal electrodes and formed at least at intersections with the first scanning-signal electrodes through insulating layers; pixel electrodes, light function devices and common electrodes for pixel portions which are sequentially laminated in a region on the substrate surrounded by the first scanning-signal electrodes and the data-signal electrodes; a plurality of support portions formed on the insulating layers; and thin flexible films and second scanning-signal electrodes disposed opposite to the first scanning-signal electrodes and laminated to be supported at the top ends of the support portions; and conductive films which are disposed opposite to the data-signal electrodes and the pixel electrodes such that contact is permitted through gaps and which are provided for the thin flexible films. In the foregoing active matrix device, when the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode has the same potential as that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is not supplied with the static electric force. Thus, the thin flexible film is not deflected. Therefore, the resistance between the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode is infinitely large. Thus, the non-conductive state can be maintained. When the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode is different from that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is deflected by the static electric force. As a result, the conductive film is brought into electrical contact with the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode disposed below the thin flexible film in the direction of the deflection of the thin flexible film. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are conducted to each other. When the voltage of each of the scanning-signal electrode is made to be zero, the thin flexible film is moved to the original position owning to the elastic force. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are again brought to the non-conductive state. Thus, the active matrix device can be realized by a structure in which the pixel electrode is provided for the substrate and the common electrodes for pixels are disposed in the upper portion. A sixth aspect of a device is an active matrix device according to the fifth aspect, which further comprises an upper substrate disposed opposite to the substrate, structured to hold the thin flexible films and the signal electrodes disposed on the substrate and joined to the upper surfaces of the common electrodes for the pixel portions. In the foregoing active matrix device, when the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode has the same potential as that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is not supplied with the static electric force. Thus, the thin flexible film is not deflected. Therefore, the resistance between the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode is infinitely large. Thus, the non-conductive state can be maintained. When the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode is different from that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is deflected by the static electric force. As a result, the conductive film is brought into electrical contact with the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode disposed below the thin flexible film in the direction of the deflection of the thin flexible film. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are conducted to each other. When the voltage of each of the scanning-signal electrode is made to be zero, the thin flexible film is moved to the original position owning to the elastic force. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are again brought to the non-conductive state. Thus, the structure of the active matrix device can be realized in which the pixel electrode is provided for the lower substrate and the common electrodes for pixels are provided for the upper substrate such that the two substrates are positioned opposite to each other. A seventh aspect of a device is an active matrix device, which comprises: light function devices disposed one or two dimensionally and arranged to be operated by mechanically-conductive switches which are operated by static electric force, wherein the thin flexible film switches and the light function devices are formed on individual surfaces and the mechanically-conductive switches and the light function devices are electrically connected to one another. The foregoing active matrix device can be structured such that the mechanically-conductive switch is formed on either side of the substrate and the light function device is provided for another side. As a result, the utilization easiness and extensibility can be improved. An eighth aspect of a device is an active matrix device which has a structure that a plurality of parallel first scanning-signal electrodes in the form of stripes are formed on the right side of a first substrate, a plurality of parallel data-signal electrodes in the form of stripes disposed perpendicular to the first scanning-signal electrodes are formed at least at intersections with the first scanning-signal electrodes through insulating layers, pixel electrodes, light function devices and common electrodes for pixel portions are sequentially laminated in a reverse side region of the first substrate surrounded by the first scanning-signal electrodes and the data-signal electrodes, a second substrate is, through a color filter, joined to the surface of the light function device opposite to the first substrate such that the second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate, a plurality of support portions are formed on the insulating layers of the first substrate, thin flexible films and second scanning-signal electrodes disposed opposite to the first scanning-signal electrodes are laminated to be supported at the top ends of the support portions, the right and reverse sides of the first substrate are conducted to each other to extend the pixel electrodes of the light function devices to positions adjacent to the data-signal electrodes, and conductive films disposed opposite to the data-signal electrodes and the pixel electrodes such that contact is permitted through gaps are provided for the thin flexible films. In the foregoing active matrix device, when the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode has the same potential as that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is not supplied with the static electric force. Thus, the thin flexible film is not deflected. Therefore, the resistance between the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode is infinitely large. Thus, the non-conductive state can be maintained. When the potential of the second scanning-signal electrode is different from that of the first scanning-signal electrode, the thin flexible film is deflected by the static electric force. As a result, the conductive film is brought into electrical contact with the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode disposed below the thin flexible film in the direction of the deflection of the thin flexible film. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are conducted to each other. When the voltage of each of the scanning-signal electrode is made to be zero, the thin flexible film is moved to the original position owning to the elastic force. As a result, the data-signal electrode and the pixel electrode are again brought to the non-conductive state. When the pixel electrodes are conducted to the reverse side of the substrate by the through holes, the light function devices can be formed on-the reverse side of the substrate opposite to the mechanically-conductive switch. Since the second substrate is joined to the opposite surface of the substrate adjacent to the light modulating device, a space between the substrates is formed. Thus, a light modulating material can be introduced into the space. As a result, a low-cost and precise active matrix device having a large screen can be constituted. An active matrix device according to the aspect 9 is characterized by a structure that the two ends of the thin flexible film are supported. The foregoing active matrix device incorporates the thin flexible film which has the supported two ends. Therefore, a stable switching operation is permitted. As a result, occurrence of a mechanical bound can be prevented without a necessity of finely adjusting the operating voltage. An active matrix device according to the aspect 10 is characterized by a structure that the thin flexible film having a length substantially corresponding to the length of one pixel is provided for each pixel. The foregoing active matrix device is able to furthermore enlarge the area of the electrode. Thus, the static electric force can maximally be used and, therefore, the required operating voltage can be lowered. An active matrix device according to the aspect 11 is characterized by a structure that the conductive film is made of metal. Since the foregoing active matrix device incorporates the conductive film made of metal, the mobility of carriers can be enhanced and the speed of response can considerably be raised as compared with a conventional active matrix device incorporating a-Si:H, poly-Si or c-Si. An active matrix device according to the aspect 12 is characterized by a structure that a plurality of the mechanically-conductive switches are provided for one pixel. The foregoing active matrix device enables a normal switching operation to be performed if any one of the switches suffers a breakdown. Therefore, the stability of the operation can furthermore be improved. An active matrix device according to the aspect 13 is characterized by a structure that the plural mechanically-conductive switches are connected in series. If either switch encounters short circuit, the foregoing active matrix device can be operated by another switch. An active matrix device according to the aspect 14 is characterized in that the plural mechanically-conductive switches are connected in parallel. If either switch encounters a defect in the contact operation thereof, another switch enables the operation of the foregoing active matrix device to be performed. An active matrix device according to the aspect 15 is characterized by a structure that the mechanically-conductive switch is sealed in a rare gas atmosphere. The foregoing active matrix device is able to effectively prevent switching discharge. An active matrix device according to the aspect 16 is characterized by a structure that the mechanically-conductive switch incorporates a resistor for preventing switching discharge. The foregoing active matrix device incorporating the resistor for preventing switching discharge is able to easily prevent switching discharge with a low cost. An active matrix device according to the aspect 17 is characterized by a structure that the mechanically-conductive switch is supplied with a cleaning electric current at predetermined intervals of time. The foregoing active matrix device is able to easily break and remove the oxide film on the contact portion of the mechanically-conductive switch. A light emitting device according to the aspect 18 comprises a light function device of the active matrix device according to any one of aspects 1 to 17, wherein the light function device serves as the light emitting device. The foregoing light emitting device causes display to be realized with light emitted from the light emitting device so that high speed display by dint of light is realized. A light modulating device according to the aspect 19 comprises: a light function device of the active matrix device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the light function device serves as the light modulating device. The foregoing light modulating device is able to selectively set a transmission/non-transmission state by the operation of the light modulating device. A light modulating device according to the aspect 20 is characterized by a structure that the light modulating device is liquid crystal. The foregoing light modulating device has the structure that the light modulating device is liquid crystal. Therefore, the light modulating device can be constituted by using a conventional technique. A light modulating device according to the aspect 21 is characterized by a structure that the light modulating device is a device for modulating light by deforming a thin flexible film with static electric force. The light modulating device has the structure that the thin flexible film is deflected by static electric force. Therefore, a mechanically-conductive switch using the static electric force can be realized by a simple structure. In the foregoing case, all of the operation portions can be realized by mechanical structures. Therefore, the manufacturing process and the materials can be simplified. Moreover, an electro-mechanical light modulating device can be realized in which the movable portions are moved by static electric force to change the light transmittance. A light modulating device according to the aspect 22 is characterized by a structure that the light function device performs light modulation by applying an electric field between each of the pixel electrodes and each of the electrodes disposed opposite to the pixel electrodes to deflect the thin flexible films provided for the light function devices so as to generate an optical interference effect of a multilayered film. In the foregoing light modulating device, the thin flexible film interrupts the optical path if no voltage is applied between the electrodes. If a voltage is applied between the electrodes, the thin flexible film is deflected to change the optical lengths of the two films. As a result, an optical interference effect of the multilayered film is generated. As a result, light modulation is permitted. According to another aspect according to the aspect 23, there is provided a photodetecting device comprising: a light function device of the active matrix device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the light function device serves as the photodetecting device. The foregoing photodetecting device has the structure that light of an image is photoelectrically converted by the photodetecting device of each pixel to accumulate charges. Then, the accumulated charges are scanned through the mechanically-conductive switch in the row-sequential manner to extract the accumulated charges. Thus, light of the image can be converted into a serial electric signal. According to another aspect according to the aspect 24, there is provided an exposing device comprising: a light function device of the active matrix device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the light function device serves as the exposing device. The foregoing exposing device is able to modulate ultraviolet rays emitted from, for example, a plane light source to expose an ultraviolet-ray sensitive material. According to another aspect according to the aspect 25, there is provided a display apparatus comprising: a light function device of the active matrix device according to any one of aspects 1 to 17, wherein the light function device serves as the light modulating device, and the light modulating device modulates light emitted from a plane light source to cause a fluorescent member to emit light with modulated light. In foregoing display apparatus, the fluorescent member is caused to emit light for display by emitted light so that high-speed display with light is realized. A display apparatus according to the aspect 26 is characterized by a structure that the plane light source emits ultraviolet rays. The foregoing display apparatus is permitted to use a relatively low-cost and low-pressure mercury lamp or the like. Therefore, the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

Hi Amine, let's look at what happens: A defines the constant local.fpower as "A.fpower f" AB inherits it from A, i.e., we have "local.fpower == A.fpower f" (1) B < A "d g" produces "local.fpower == A.fpower (d g)" AB < B "d f" inherits this as "local.fpower == A.fpower (d (d f))" (2) As the locale infrastructure does not know about "d (d f) = f", it considers two different declarations of local.fpower from (1) and (2) as not being the same and therefore tries to declare both of them - which the local context infrastructure rejects. You can either use prefixes to disambiguate local.fpower like in sublocale AB < b!: B "d f" This gives you (1) and "local.b.fpower == A.fpower (d (d f))". Or, tell the locale infrastructure to rewrite "d (d f) = f": sublocale AB < B "d f" where "d (d f) == f" The second approach only works if you order the sublocale declarations like in your second case. I do not know why, but I believe it has technical reasons; Clemens might be able to tell you more. Andreas On 01/31/2013 02:56 PM, Amine Chaieb wrote: > Thanks Andreas. Does this mean that this sublocale scenario is > prohibited? And if so, is it due to technical reasons or is there a > fundamental problem here? >> Amine. >> On 01/31/2013 02:04 PM, Andreas Lochbihler wrote: >> Hi Amine, >>>> the error message in the second case is only delayed: You get it, once >> you open the AB context again (context AB begin). In the first case, >> it shows up immediately, because the sublocale command already >> constructs the context AB enriched with B. >>>> Best, >> Andreas >

Q: Как составить алгоритм для поиска комбинаций в массивах? Здравствуйте, помогите пожалуйста придумать алгоритм для поиска всех возможных групп из комбинаций. Исходные данные: Массив комбинаций $combinations => [ a => [11, 38], b => [38, 64, 71], c => [11, 24, 38, 65] d => [128, 38, 57, 40] ... ] каждая комбинация в этом массиве может состоять из 2, 3 или 4 чисел Нужно найти все возможные группы из 4х чисел, в которых будут участвовать от 2-х до 4-х комбинаций из массива комбинаций и определить сколько комбинаций входит в группу и каких. В группе должно быть 4 числа, ни больше, ни меньше. Например можно составить группу в которой будут участвовать 2 комбинации (a и b): $group => [11, 38, 64, 71] В эту группу входит первая и вторая комбинация. Третья комбинация (с) уже содержит в себе первую комбинацию (a), т.е. она тоже состоит из двух комбинаций. Как найти группы, в которых будет от 2х до 4х комбинаций? Я нагородил много вложенных циклов и то, работает криво и ищет только среди комбинаций которые состоят из 2х чисел. Код получился огромный и страшный, что даже боюсь показывать его кому-то. А страшный он из-за того, что не могу придумать оптимальный алгоритм поиска групп. A: Код: # Входящий массив: $ar = array( 'a' => '11, 38', 'b' => '38, 64, 71', 'c' => '11, 24, 38, 65', 'd' => '128, 38, 57, 40' ); # Искомые числа: $in = array('11', '38', '64', '71'); $result = array(); foreach($ar as $key => $value){ $line = explode(',',$value); foreach($in as $inn){ if(in_array($inn,$line)){ $result[$key]['count']++; $result[$key][] = $inn; } } } print_r($result); Результат работы кода: Array ( [a] => Array ( [count] => 2 [0] => 11 [1] => 38 ) [b] => Array ( [count] => 3 [0] => 38 [1] => 64 [2] => 71 ) [c] => Array ( [count] => 2 [0] => 11 [1] => 38 ) [d] => Array ( [count] => 1 [0] => 38 ) ) Надеюсь, что помог. UPD: $ar = array( 'a' => '11,38', 'b' => '38,64,71', 'c' => '11,24,38,65', 'd' => '128,38,57,40', 'e' => '38,115,64', 'f' => '64,11,57,38' ); $line = array(); foreach($ar as $key => $value){ $line[$key] = explode(',',$value); } $r = 1; foreach($line as $keyRes => $res){ $c = 1; foreach($line as $keyRes2 => $res2){ if($c > $r){ $arMerge[$keyRes][$keyRes2] = array_merge($res,$res2); }; $c++; } $r++; } foreach($arMerge as $intKey1 => $intVal1){ foreach($intVal1 as $intKey2 => $intVal2){ foreach($intVal2 as $intVal){ $resAr[$intKey1][$intKey2][] = (int)$intVal; } } } foreach($resAr as $uniqKey1 => $uniqVal1){ foreach($uniqVal1 as $uniqKey2 => $uniqVal2){ if(count(array_unique($uniqVal2)) == 4){ $result[] = $uniqKey1.'-'.$uniqKey2; } } } print_r($result); Результат выполнения: Array ( [0] => a-b [1] => a-c [2] => a-e [3] => a-f [4] => b-e ) Теперь вроде правильно.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>FILEHEADER</key> <string> // ___FILENAME___ // ProtonVPN - Created on ___DATE___. // // Copyright (c) 2019 Proton Technologies AG // // This file is part of ProtonVPN. // // ProtonVPN is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify // it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by // the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or // (at your option) any later version. // // ProtonVPN is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, // but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of // MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the // GNU General Public License for more details. // // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License // along with ProtonVPN. If not, see &lt;https://www.gnu.org/licenses/&gt;. //</string> </dict> </plist>

238 So.2d 916 (1970) Mack OLIVER v. STATE. 6 Div. 12. Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama. August 25, 1970. J. Mason Davis, Birmingham, for appellant. MacDonald Gallion, Atty. Gen., and David W. Clark, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State. ALMON, Judge. Mack Oliver was convicted of illegal possession of marijuana and sentenced to fifteen years in the penitentiary. *917 He contends the trial court erred in denying his pre-trial motion to suppress the marijuana, alleging that it was seized in an illegal search and further that the court should have granted his motion to exclude the State's evidence. The affidavit sworn to by Joseph B. Jones, a detective for the City of Birmingham, which led the magistrate to issue the search warrant is as follows: "(Describe Property) Marijuana and certain other amphetamines and barbiturates a more particular description of which is not obtainable by affiant, and that (Name or Describe Person) Mack Oliver whose name or description is otherwise unknown to affiant, is guilty thereof, and that said property is located or situated as follows: (Describe Place to be Searched) Premises of 1036 9th Avenue South, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, a better description of which location or premises is unknown to affiant and that the facts tending to establish the foregoing ground for the issuance of a search warrant are as follows: (Set out Facts Tending to Establish Ground for Issuance of Warrant) On 5 August 1967 an amount of marijuana was purchased at 1036 9th Ave. So. Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. This purchaser observed this portion being removed from a larger amount of what we believe to be marijuana. This larger amount of marijuana was still at this address when the purchaser left." At the pre-trial hearing to suppress, Detective Jones testified as follows: "A. I was present, Detective Swindal was present, and I don't recall for sure about the other two, and another officer named Barnard Dunlap was present. "Q. All right, sir. I want you to tell the Court, if you will, Detective Jones, what if anything you told to Lieutenant Wilson, the issuing magistrate with respect to why you wanted a warrant? "A. I told him that Officer Dunlap had been to 1036 9th Avenue South. "Q. Did you tell him when he had been there? "A. That night. "Q. All right. "A. Just a few minutes prior to our conversation, and he made a purchase of $5.00 of marijuana, and he saw some additional marijuana on the mantle, and in a sack, or jar, and had a matchbox in it that he measured out what this officer had bought. "MR. COLLINS: Judge I am going to except to this, and move that it be excluded. This is all hearsay. "THE COURT: This officer here is testifying that he told the man who gave the warrant this, and that the other officer was present at the time. Isn't that what you are saying? "THE WITNESS: Yes, sir. "MR. COLLINS: You are not testifying to anything firsthand, this is information that was given to you, right? "THE COURT: By the officer who is alleged to have been present at the time the information was given to the warrant officer over there, Lieutenant Wilson, is that correct? "THE WITNESS: Yes, sir. Dunlap was there, and Lieutenant Wilson was there, and I was there, and Detective Swindal was there. "MR. COLLINS: I wasn't aware that you were claiming that Officer Dunlap was there at the time. "MR. WILKINSON: May it please the Court, it doesn't make any difference if Officer Dunlap was there, or not, if this is what he told the magistrate. *918 "THE COURT: From a reliable informant. "MR. WILKINSON: Yes, sir. * * * * * * "Q. Well, let me phrase the question this way: Did Officer Dunlap relate to you why he had gone to this particular address to make a purchase? "A. He was working with Detective Swindal, and Hayes at the time as an undercover officer. What may have took place before he was back in the City Hall, I don't know. "Q. As an undercover officer? "A. Yes, sir. * * * * * * "Q. (BY MR. COLLINS:) Detective Jones, let me ask you this: Did you actually request the aid of these other officers on this night in question, or occasion in question to assist you in executing this search warrant? "A. No. I didn't request their aid. They requested mine. "Q. Do you want to explain that a little bit. You are the one that got the search warrant, didn't you? "A. You are the one asking the questions. "Q. You have answered it to my satisfaction. "A. They were working on the case, and after it developed to this stage they called me into it, and explained what had taken place, and then, I asked for the search warrant in order to go back and look for more. "Q. In other words, as you stated previously, it was they who requested your assistance rather than you requesting theirs? "A. That's right. "Q. In executing this search warrant? "A. They had already worked it up to a buy, and had delivered it back to the City Hall before I became involved in it. Does that explain it? * * * "Q. All right. Subsequent to your telling the magistrate that, did he then sign the warrant? "A. Right. "Q. And you were the affiant on the warrant, is that correct? "A. Right. "Q. After he signed the warrant, did you in the company of some other officers then go to 1036 9th Avenue South in the City of Birmingham? "A. We did." Armed with this search warrant, Detectives Jones, Swindal and Hayes and Lt. Myers went to appellant's apartment at 1036 Ninth Avenue, South. They arrived at approximately 10:30 P.M. Jones and Hayes went to the front door. Myers went around the right side of the house and Swindal the left. While Jones and Hayes were knocking on the front door, Swindal heard someone opening a window on the left side of the house. Upon looking in that direction, he saw appellant at the window attempting to drop something out. Swindal testified that he "got beside the house, and as he dropped this sack I caught it." After examining the sack and determining that it contained marijuana, Swindal continued on to the back of the house and entered the back door by pulling the latch off what was apparently a screen door and breaking an inner door. The search of appellant's apartment did not reveal any drugs. After the search, appellant was arrested. This affidavit unaided by the oral testimony of Detective Jones is insufficient. Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108, 84 S.Ct. 1509, 12 L.Ed.2d 723. *919 Tit. 15, § 103, Code of Alabama, 1940, is as follows: "The magistrate, before issuing the warrant, must examine on oath the complainant and any witness he may produce, and take their depositions in writing, and cause them to be subcribed by the persons making them; and the depositions must set forth facts tending to establish the grounds of the application, or probable cause for believing that they exist." Thus, the question presented is whether the allegations in an affidavit made to secure a search warrant may be supplemented by oral testimony given before the issuing magistrate. The decisions on this question are not in complete accord. In Edmunds v. State, 199 Ala. 555, 74 So. 965 (1917), our Supreme Court said: "Although, following the provisions common to all search warrants and preliminary proceedings, the act requires that `the magistrate before issuing a warrant must examine the complainant on oath, and any other witnesses he may produce, * * * and take their deposition in writing, and cause the same to be subscribed by the person or persons making them' (section 22, subd. 3), the omission of these requirements has never been regarded as vitiative of the warrant when it is issued upon a sufficient affidavit. "`The ascertainment of probable cause for the issue of the writ involved the exercise of the judicial function. Having acquired and exercised jurisdiction in the premises by taking the affidavit of a person, and having issued the warrant substantially as required by the statute, the weight of the evidence to establish probable cause could not be made the subject of inquiry, nor could the judgment in that regard of the issuing magistrate be made the subject of review on the trial of the cause.' Toole v. State, 170 Ala. 41, 52, 54 South. 195, 198; Cheek v. State, 3 Ala.App. 646, 57 South. 108; Salley v. State, 9 Ala.App. 82, 64 South. 185." In Porch v. State, 38 Ala.App. 565, 89 So.2d 694, cert. denied 265 Ala. 699, 89 So. 2d 698 (1956), a prosecution for possession of prohibited liquors, it was contended by defense counsel that § 214 of Tit. 29 had not been complied with; thus, rendering the search warrant invalid. More specifically, defense counsel contended that since the record showed that the magistrate did not take the deposition of the complaining witness and cause him to sign it, no facts were set forth tending to establish the application for the warrant on probable cause. After citing Edmunds, supra, the court ruled there was no merit in this contention. Even though Edmunds and Porch, supra, were referring to Tit. 29, § 214, instead of Tit. 15, § 103, with which we are presently concerned, these statutes are almost identical and have been held to be considered in pari materia. Jordan v. State, 39 Ala.App. 469, 103 So.2d 815. In Knox v. State, 42 Ala.App. 578, 172 So.2d 787, cert. denied 277 Ala. 699, 172 So.2d 795 (1965), the court stated as follows: "However, if the affidavit, on its face, is found by the trial judge to be insufficient to support a finding of probable cause, as illustrated in Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed. 2d 697, the State may then adduce testimony showing that sufficient evidence was, in fact, before the issuing magistrate upon which a finding of probable cause could be based. Insofar as inconsistent with this opinion, the decisions cited above, principally Toole v. State, must be deemed to have been overturned by the cited opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States." In Clenney v. State, 281 Ala. 9, 198 So.2d 293 (1966), we find: "The rule seems to be that the magistrate must have sufficient evidence to support a finding of probable cause. Apparently, it is not necessary that all the evidence before the magistrate shall be *920 stated in the affidavit, but, since the Court of Appeals holds the affidavit insufficient on its face, we limit consideration to matters stated in the affidavit." In Brandies v. State, 44 Ala.App. 648, 219 So.2d 404 (1969), there is language indicating that the judge who issued the search warrant could not be called as a witness to testify that he had other evidence before him which was not reduced to writing. Yet in the same opinion on rehearing, we find: "Aside from this aspect we would point out that our comment on the search warrant, strictly speaking, was not ratio decidendi. Rather it was a mere pronouncement by way of gratuitous dictum, advisory in nature. This because a ruling on this point was not necessary to dispose of this appeal. "Should the State consider that we will ultimately be held to be wrong by the Supreme Court of Alabama, as to the meaning of § 103, supra, then if Brandies is reindicted and tried, it is true that we in strict analysis have not positively ruled. However, as of now, we think that we have given the proper construction to our statute." In Myrick v. State, 45 Ala.App. 162, 227 So.2d 448 (1969), we find: "In Tyler v. State, 45 Ala.App. 155, 227 So.2d 442 (Oct. 7, 1969), we noted that Code 1940, T. 15, § 103 requires that each witness before the magistrate issuing the search warrant must have his testimony reduced to a written deposition to be subscribed by the witness. In that case, the magistrate had had other witnesses before him whose testimony was not put in writing. "In the case of instant concern, there was but one witness so far as this record shows. The only infirmity in the affidavit which led to the issuance of the warrant was the failure of the affiant to expressly label his informer as one who had previously furnished reliable information. See Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed.2d 697. Here, on examination in the circuit court, Camp, the affiant, testified that his informer had been previously shown to be reliable. "In Knox v. State, 42 Ala.App. 578, 172 So.2d 787(1), we indicated that it was possible to supply the deficiencies in an affidavit if, in fact, additional oral evidence was laid before the issuing magistrate. In Brandies v. State, 44 Ala.App. 648, 219 So.2d 404, and Tyler we indicated that such oral evidence must, nevertheless, to the extent required by § 103 of T. 15, supra, be reduced to writing. Thus, from these three opinions, it can be deduced that there must be a written deposition for each witness before the issuing magistrate. "However, § 103, supra, in describing the minimal content of such a deposition says it `must set forth facts tending to establish the grounds of the application, or probable cause for believing that they exist' Thus, in this case, the deficiency is not one of substance but one of establishing fully the credibility of the informer. In turn, such a showing is a collateral matter somewhat analogous to the establishing by way of voir dire examinations of the competency of a proffered witness who is suspected of being a lunatic or too young to testify." A review of the above decisions indicates a lack of uniformity on this point. Each time our Supreme Court has alluded to this problem it has approved the use of oral testimony in aid of a defective affidavit. Yet, the decisions of the Court of Appeals seem to be in conflict. Compare Porch, supra, with Myrick, supra. It is my view that oral testimony should be admissible to cure an otherwise defective affidavit. Could it have been logically argued that due to the failure of a committing magistrate (in conformity with Tit. 15, § 135, Code of Alabama, 1940, now repealed by Act No. 1106, Special and Regular Sessions, *921 1969) to reduce the evidence to writing, a defendant who has been bound over to the grand jury must be released. I think not. Similarly, the failure of an issuing magistrate to comply with Tit. 15, § 103, should not vitiate an otherwise valid search warrant. It should be remembered that prior to Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643, 81 S.Ct. 1684, 6 L.Ed.2d 1081, evidence was admissible at trial, with the exception of liquor cases (Tit. 29, § 210, Code of Alabama, 1940) regardless of the manner of seizure. To strictly construe Tit. 15, § 103, so as to prevent a reviewing court from considering oral testimony given before an issuing magistrate is but to engraft an additional state requirement on the already strict federal search and seizure rules now made mandatory on state courts. This holding in no way infringes upon Fourth Amendment rights, since applicants for search warrants must still supply the magistrate with sufficient facts for the magistrate to conclude that there is probable cause. For cases in other jurisdictions in accord with this view see Marshall v. State, 113 Ga.App. 143,147 S.E.2d 666; State v. Titus, 107 N.H. 215, 220 A.2d 154; State v. Mark, 46 N.J. 262, 216 A.2d 377. The following facts were before the magistrate: 1. That a few minutes ago an amount of marijuana was purchased at appellant's premises at 1036 9th Avenue, South, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. 2. The purchaser observed the marijuana which he purchased being removed from a larger amount of what he believed to be marijuana. 3. This larger amount of marijuana was still at this address when the purchaser left. 4. The purchaser was Officer Dunlap with the City of Birmingham who had been working as an undercover agent with Detectives Swindal and Hayes. 5. Officer Dunlap had related these facts to affiant. Search warrants may be issued on hearsay information and need not reflect the direct personal observations of the affiant. Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed.2d 697. The magistrate must be informed, however, of (1) some of the underlying circumstances from which the informant concluded that the narcotics were where he claimed they were, and (2) some of the underlying circumstances from which the officer concluded that the informant was credible or his information reliable. Aguilar v. Texas, supra. Here, the underlying circumstances are simply that Officer Dunlap was a police officer who had just purchased marijuana. We conclude, therefore, that the specific requisites of probable cause laid down in Aguilar, supra; Spinelli v. United States, 393 U.S. 410, 89 S.Ct. 584, 21 L.Ed.2d 637; Clenney v. State, supra; and Davis v. State, 286 Ala. 117, 237 So.2d 640 Ms. June 11, 1970, have been met with respect to this search warrant. There is no necessity to consider the manner in which the officers entered appellant's apartment since the subsequent search revealed nothing incriminating. For the foregoing reasons, the judgment appealed from is due to be and the same is hereby Affirmed. CATES, Judge (concurring). No longer can a trial court slam the door on reexamining what a court of summary jurisdiction says is enough to back up his handing a constable a warrant. Edmunds v. State, 199 Ala. 555, 74 So. 965, on this point was overruled in Knox v. State, 42 *922 Ala.App. 578, 172 So.2d 787 which has been approved by our Supreme Court. I concur because the marijuana was thrown away before the search began. Hayes v. State, 44 Ala.App. 539, 215 So.2d 604. Therefore, the validity of the warrant is not needful for us to pass on. Nor are we at the right fork in the road to follow Act No. 100 of August 24, 1964[1] or to hold it bad. NOTES [1] But see State v. Furmage, 250 N.C. 616, 109 S.E.2d 563; State v. Paulick, 277 Minn. 140, 151 N.W.2d 591; and State v. Ruotolo, 52 N.J.2d 508, 247 A.2d 1.

# # Nuclear: Turkey like N. Korea? # # Explore the potentiality of climate change mitigation and energy efficiency policies being associated with pursuit of mastering nuclear weapons technological knowhow; in the new era within geopolitical context, as formulated by energy developments. Elaborating cases of N. Korea and Turkey. # # by Georgios Ast. Zizopoulos # # All rights reserved worldwide. This study is protected by Greek Law (L. 2121/1993 as modified and is valid today) on intellectual properties and by multilateral international conventions and agreements. No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the publisher or author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the publisher or author. # # 1st Edition, Thessaloniki, December 2017 Language: English ISBN: 978-960-93-9710-0 Contact: https://sites.google.com/site/gzbiblio/ © 2017, Georgios Ast. Zizopoulos # Preface of English edition # I know that many people will most probably read this study just because they are intrigued by the fact that is about nuclear weapons. Less will read it, in order to satisfy their curiosity about how can production of nuclear weapons be connected to energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies. But please, treat this study with respect, because for me is not about reaching to an affirmative conclusion on Turkey's future regarding nuclear weapons, but a demonstration of my commitment to principles and history of philosophy and sciences. Besides, my motivation is to introduce a novel topic as also to utilize scientific tools and use previous studied knowledge in an innovative and creative way. But let me shortly state how philosophy of science is being integrated, because I don't want this to be misinterpreted as a matter of cultural heritage. The latter due to the fact of used political realism of Thucydides, Aristotle's work on induction and deduction, or even Plutarch's concept of studying in parallel. Although, foreign literature on political realism is extensively being used, this will not be utilized as an argument. Also I'm not going to lecture you on induction and how it troubled many other significant personalities during past times. Nor talk on similarities and parallel studying. Actually I'd like to talk about building the structure of this study using elements of Euclidian and Euler's logic. Regarding borrowing elements of Euclidian logic, you will find the use of axioms (i.e. accepting that Turkey already once reacted to EU's energy and climate policies by adopting a strategy of gas transit country, or, that nuclear program of N. Korea did not initiated after the implemented change in country's leadership), or the confirmation of an introduced proposition (i.e. linking in N. Korea's case) as true in a QED logic and then checking if this concept is being satisfied for another problem (Turkey's future propensity) in a QEF logic. Regarding Euler's logic, it's a little bit trickier, since has to do with the substantial scope of this study. In particular, similarly to Euler's disassociation of natural details in "Seven Bridges of Koenigsberg" from problem's solution, here the conclusion on whether Turkey might reflect upon domestic nuclear weapons production is disassociated from components of nuclear weapons. So, if anybody might believe that in this study will find information on secret reactors, will most probably be disappointed. Finally to be said, that this electronic copy is the translation of my original published work in Greek. Just keep in mind that though I have tried to translate in relative small periods, nevertheless the original was written in a more formal way and with longer periods. Of course, the translation completed over a weekend, so you may have to read it twice. Nevertheless, I have tried to use simple language. Having these been said, it's up to readers to decide whether to read further or look for an other book. # Preface of Greek edition # The study your are holding, was initially intended to serve as a PhD proposal, so by design had to be original. Additional to that, I've tried to introduce a novel topic, that happens to concern issues of present times while being of national interest. Unluckily, these virtues, make it difficult for me to find a supervisor that would be specialized on such topic, that would be interested in and that is not bounded from other obligations. Nevertheless, despite its original purpose, having a PhD is not a goal in itself. Rather, it was a paid job, since I was targeting on getting a scholarship. Sadly, the deadline for applying for scholarship and the hard time I had for finding a supervisor in such sort time, did not allow me to proceed any further. Thus, I decided to publish it in some scientific journal, instead. The reasons for this decision, are pretty clear. I don't want my working time to be wasted and also to get the recognition for my work. The main title, would have been the same: "Explore the potentiality of climate change mitigation and energy efficiency policies being associated with pursuit of mastering nuclear weapons technological knowhow; in the new era within geopolitical context, as formulated by energy developments. Elaborating cases of N. Korea and Turkey". So, as I was reorganizing information and adjusting structure in order to meet article's criteria, I was possessed by second thoughts. And after balancing pros and cons, I decided to turn the aforementioned bad luck into an opportunity that must be exploited. If this study was to be published as an e-book that will be sold under a symbolic price, the gains would be multiplied. Not only the earlier mentioned purposes would be fulfilled , but also the study would easier be communicated with a wider target group – not only experts – while Internet would operate as the mean of popularizing knowledge. An operation that should be the default role of Internet. Nevertheless, as after Gutenberg's typography for printing the method also used in spreading misleading informations, in the same way, Internet's role in phasing the monopoly of knowledge out was abusively utilized for spreading news questionable to their degree of tolerance in accuracy. So, selecting Internet's solution and in particular to distribute this study as e-book, not only I'm satisfying a personal projection on the role of technology – which is to serve scientific knowledge and help its communication – but also add my personal contribution towards this direction. After all above, as can easily be understood the choice of e-book was selected. As a result, I will try to introduce the elaborated topic through a comprehensive text, without trying to go on too long in technical talks. However, the text is densely-written, and should be read with proper assiduity. Moreover, once again the structure was adjusted, so that it will be easier to be read in a linear way. Also the main title was set as secondary, while the main title became: "Nuclear: Turkey like N. Korea?". I hope to meet your acceptance, since it will also help you to better "read" the world by adding a piece in a very complex jigsaw. # Abstract # In this study, is being developed and examined the validity of a hypothesized propensity in Turkey's future entropy for nuclear arms under the perspective of being connected to energy and climate change policies; as a case study. In particular, whether Turkey could at least seek and pursuit technological knowhow acquisition on nuclear weapons in connection to EU's climate mitigation and energy efficiency policies. In order to be able to conclude on the aforementioned, initially such connection between this category of policies and development of nuclear arms is being illustrated, for the existing case of N. Korea in reference to China's policies. # # Keywords: China, climate change, economics, energy, EU, geopolitics, international relations, N. Korea, natural resources, nuclear weapons, policies, political realism, trade, Turkey Table of Contents Cover page Preface of English edition Preface of Greek edition Abstract 1.Introduction 2.How to be read 2α. Reasoning schemas 2β. Functional vs substantial role of N. Korea 2γ. Concluding procedure 2δ. Approaching conclusions 3. Theoretical framework 4. What has and has not been discussed 5. N. Korea's case 5α. In advanced given 5β. Drivers of China's policies 5γ. Uncertainty and energy trade 5δ. Cross-checking rational reasoning 6. Turkey's case 6α. Side by side study and parallelisms 6β. Big picture 6γ. Shortly illustrating EU policies' momentum 6δ. Under Morgenthau's prism 7. Constraints and limitations 8. Conclusions Bibliography Greek English Back cover # Introduction And Poesy is always one like one is the sky. What matters is from where anyone stares the sky. I have stared the sky right through the sea. (Odysseas Elytis, The Little Nautilus) This study – shortly bearing the title of "Nuclear: Turkey like N. Korea?" – is a novel approach to nuclear weapons, that introduces the missing link between them and both energy and climate policies. In particular, the kind of policies that are being associated with controlling and limiting fossil fuel's utilization, gas emissions and harmful air pollutants. Namely, those of energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies. We have all attained debates around the environmental impact of fossil fuels, their contribution to countries' trade balance, or even on global warming controversy and whether climate change is indeed occurring. During this study, will be illustrated that even if climate change is milder than the estimated one, nevertheless its policies' effect is undeniable, while resulting impacts can be non-transparent and invisible connected; not only observable. Moreover, the aforementioned impacts can be enhanced by the effect of a combined action with energy efficiency policies. This combined effect still lies under the same non-observed impacting status; that generally can be described as unanticipated and undesirable consequences. Consequences like, promoting seek and pursuit of technological knowhow acquisition on nuclear weapons at least or/and accelerating advancements in nuclear weapons development. Respectively to reflection upon production of nuclear weapons as a minimum determinant, the validity of a hypothesized propensity in Turkey's future entropy, is being developed and examined. While, featuring accelerated advancements, the link will be illustrated through N. Korea's paradigm. In more details. Through this study, is being introduced and examined the linkage between China's climate change mitigation and energy efficiency policies with N. Korea's recent nuclear weapons related tests. Such, will be elaborated under the prism of disrupted trade patterns between China - N. Korea, or and the uncertainty on the stability of these patterns. Furthermore, will be introduced and explored the likelihood of similar linkage existence elsewhere, as a hypothetical case study. To be more precise, will be examined the validity of a hypothesized propensity in Turkey's future entropy for domestic production of nuclear arms under the perspective of energy and climate change policies of European Union (EU). Turkey's case study will finally be cross-checked through Morgenthau's view of foreign policy perspectives in accommodating nation's interests; as being succeeded both through peaceful means and against national interest of other nations. In general, the elaboration of topic is being brought by connecting causes and means with effects, so that actors' behavior based on intellectual context of political realism could be backed up by something tangible and meaningful. This is being succeeded by enlightening various aspects under the dimension of energy policies, rather than trying to demonize individuals, policies and energy sources. Besides, the latter is not considered as part of targeted aims. Also, concerning conceptual framework's articulation of parent study, should be noted its pioneering character while utilizes existing knowledge in an innovative way to produce new. In particular, in one hand, are being explored the factors that could at least contribute in acquisition of knowhow in relevance to not that peaceful use of nuclear technology. Such approach, is being attempted through the perspective of policies' impacting (non-transparent and invisible), and rational behavior of actors. On the other hand, the aforementioned exploration is being conducted in connection to international relations – and specifically foreign policy of one country as a reaction to energy and climate change policies of (an) other countr-y/ies – in the ground of energy trade. Finally at the end of this study, mainly the following two questions will have been answered; amongst others. 1. Whether the occurred uncertainty on the stability of trade patterns between N. Korea and China – to the extent of being affected by China's energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies – could influence properties of nuclear weapons development schedule; namely planned time allocation. The focused time frame of latter, would not be since the very early beginning of N. Korea's nuclear programme, but rather since it was principally manifested by Kim Jong-Un (Mansourov, 2014) with a stress to recent developments. 2. How could Turkey react, when EU's transition to a new energy era – as described by a RES dominated energy-mix – or even earlier when phasing out comes to a point where Turkey's natural gas transit services will not be considered as strategic asset anymore. And more precisely, whether EU's energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies could likely contribute (and in combination with other factors) to Turkey's reflection upon nuclear weapons domestic production. But of course, before everything, all the necessary infos and terms on political realism and how these are being adapted into the context of this study will be provided; so that to make easier causation's comprehension and let readers to reach conclusions on their own. # How to be read He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger. (Confucius) Before delving into study's inner core and answering title's issue at stake, is crucial that all readers should not omit reading this chapter. The reason for this, is so that reader can easier follow writer's argumentation till concluding closure and since early start. Beside reading this chapter, also reading theoretical framework and limitations of study, is considered useful and also being suggested by the writer. ## Reasoning schemas The following reasoning schemas, can be noted. 1. Initially, having in mind Turkey's behavior pattern in exercising its foreign policy and in particular regarding Turkey's reaction to EU's energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies, in reference to those of controlling the gradual transition to RES domination through natural gas domination in energy mix – what is shortly described by the generic term "pipes diplomacy" – can be said that Turkey have utilized peaceful means. So Turkey's reaction is the stepping stone in connecting foreign policy of one country with the particular sub-genre of energy and climate policies than have been adopted by other countries; at least by peaceful means. 2. Afterwards, by studying N. Korea's paradigm, is illustrated the fact that such linkage between foreign policy of one state and the aforementioned policies' category of other state(s) can not only be identified by peaceful means. In particular can be associated with targeting in domestic production of nuclear weapons; along with accompanied programmes (i.e. ballistic missiles). 3. Thus, eventually will be examined whether Turkey could include in its foreign policy toolset similar components to those just mentioned in second pillar. This case study, will be developed on the ground of Turkey's reaction to EU's policies that are targeting in fading out of transitional period of natural gas. Nevertheless, should be stated that paper's structure is slightly different, by organizing provided information in separate chapters according to studied country. The latter is attributed in having a less complex structure that could produce perplexities while allowing readers to easier locate needed information. ## Functional vs substantial role of N. Korea At this point, is considered useful to clarify the difference between functional and substantial role of N. Korea, for this study. As explicitly stated above, the functional role of N. Korea is to bridge the two phases of Turkey's foreign policy to EU's aforementioned policies. In particular, between the noted as occurred – which is generally described as "pipes diplomacy" – and the hypothesized which will be tested. Nevertheless, N. Korea's substantial role does not exactly coincide. More specifically, is about clearly pointing out that during transition from coal to liquid fossil fuels and during the disengagement of them, is not the energy source itself that results in the various geopolitical events. Rather are, the taking place or anticipated to be realized (absolute or relative) changes to balance of power, following other associated changes; such as, modification of energy trade partnership statuses. Such shift of states' position of power, most probable will play key role during following years, since we are in the middle of a transitional period which is bounded by two different eras; as described by the dominated source of energy. The one that we are just about to live behind in EU, by fading out to natural gas, and the one of RES domination. Hence we are about to live in interesting times, that will be studied by historians and political scientists of future. ## Concluding procedure Following the taking of evidence, the following logical path of argumentation should be noted. At the beginning, the suggested theory – of the policies under investigation and nuclear weapons linking – would be explored and the factual ground of supported evidences will be highlighted; at least for one occurring case (Quod Erat Demonstrandum). For this, N. Korea's example will be used. Subsequently, the soundness of the aforementioned will be tested, and in particlar for whether could reproduce similar linking effects; in other cases. However, since the described link is not some natural phenomenon that deterministically takes place and the proposed theory is not a mathematical model that describes this link, the following two points should be highlighted. The first is the prerequisite of traced similarities between tested at time case with ones for which the link has already been identified. And the second is that the contingency of failure can not fully be ignored. In any case, the tested theory should be carried out under scientific standards, and always being proceeded along with acknowledging limitations. Moreover, should be noted the fact that it's not yet possible to use cases from past times, since the suggested link cannot precede the referred policies. Thence, the illustrated link will be cross-checked under a hypothesized case study (Quod Erat Faciendum). This case study will examine the validity of a hypothesized propensity in Turkey's future entropy for nuclear arms under the perspective of being connected to energy and climate change policies of EU. Of course the dimension of forecasting propensity of future events, is not considered a guesswork, since is elaborated on the ground of factual argumentation. In support of selecting Turkey as the country to be used in the latter case study, should be noted that has already adjusted once it's foreign policies as a reaction to EU's referenced above policies; even though using peaceful means. The latter won't extensively be discussed and for the greatest part of this study, is almost axiomatically being accepted in advance; without being interested in challenging the peaceful characterization since such would lessen the effort to conclude in possible linking. Having in mind all above, can be said that answering to title's question is not simple at all. On the contrary is the culmination of an intellectually complex syllogism. ## Approaching conclusions In order to avoid perplexities and ensuing misinterpretations, is considered useful that readers should at least to be acquainted with the following. In N. Korea's case the described situation and it's events are taking place at present time without having reached to an end yet, while the other one lies on the ground of future events. Moreover, at the very time of all these, developments are dynamically progressing. So, in principle, is not part of study's aiming to operate as an prejudice of future developments. Where this study aims, is to enlighten various aspects under the dimension of energy policies on the ground of observed patterns. Of course, reaching to a conclusion on Turkey's propensity does not automatically imply realization or/and realization absolutely in a certain way, but for sure is a sound indicator of current patterns. However, ending up to a universal rule regarding the suggested linking that will certainly fit studying of other countries, is not considered as a mature choice. Thus, utilization of reductionism and induction in general is not suggested when considering such universal rules as mentioned above; especially when your pool of examples contains two (at top) case studies. Nonetheless proceeding with critical thinking and adjusting reasoning of parent text to other cases not only is not discouraged but is considered quite useful in a sense of a more exhaustive study of suggested linking. Besides, the latter could feed-back this study. Finally, the exploration is being safely conducted under the prism of political realism. Albeit it would be useful, the suggested linking to be approached also from the point of view of other methods, in order to fully comprehend the mechanism of the aforementioned connection. # Theoretical framework ..as stones and bricks, wood and tiles, if thrown together in confusion, are of no use whatever. (Xenophon, Memorabilia, 3.1.7) In this chapter, lies the hard core of theoretical framework that has been used for this study. Before going any further, should explicitly stated that models (e.g. climate, energy etc.) will sparingly be used in order to avoid their complexity and their own limitations. As also so that to provide readers an easier to be read text by non-experts in the area. Besides, in on hand is not considered as inevitably necessary to be illustrated that China will reach its most ambitious targets in fighting climate change and seeking energy efficiency, while on the other hand Europe is considered as one of the leading powers in these areas. Thence, is plenty enough mainly to exhibit that China is certainly moving towards this direction. Such certainty will be derived form the causes and the facilitating necessities that drives the motivation of suggesting and bringing to action all those policies. Thus, as can easily be understood, the main used method will be that of political realism (that is notoriously traced back into Thucydides). As far as political realism is being considered, for start, should be noted that even though there is an everlasting debate between supporters of different schools of thoughts in the area of international relations and decision making (e.g. realism, liberalism etc.) – equally excessive to traditional "war" between different economic schools, especially when considering optimum trade-offs between "marketization" and distributional justice (Zizopoulos, 2017) – however using the particular method is not a choice of dogmatic application of a single method. Thus, political realism, is not applied in a diligently formalist way. It is rather considered as tool that its use and the extent of its use should be in harmony to the needs of the study. Also generally speaking on realism, there are scholars that do consider it as an obsolete perspective, that mainly developed during past and suits better in reference to those time (Lebow & Risse, 1997; Legro & Moravcsik, 1999; Waltz, 2000; Russett, 2001); and not as an alternative perspective. A alternative perspective that could operate supplementary or contribute by comparing its contracting outcomes, so that to get a better picture (Moravcsik, 1992; D'Anieri, 2017). Nevertheless, other scholars do claim that the international stage has not been critically altered, so that its qualities can still be described by political realism (Waltz, 2000). But even if for the sake of promoting such debate to next level, we do accept that it might suits better when considering the characteristics of past times and in particular that of cold war, then we should also admit that nuclear weapons' production do divide wold in a rudimentary bi-polar way; between those that produce or want to, but don't have the consent of rest and the rest. Moreover, reaching to conclusions can be achieved in many ways that are not necessary uniquely linked together or and with the elaborated topic, while many important questions could receive multiple answers (D'Anieri, 2017). As such, depreciating one of oldest methods and with extended literature in energy issues, like realism, considered as a luxurious choice and in expense of knowledge. Not to mention, that exploring the topic under the dimension of realism's rationality, is something useful for determining the boundaries between this approach and others (i.e. idealistic, psychosocial), as also between interests of states and those of individuals or groups of them (e.g. elite). This, could explain the chronological order in which various approaches heavily integrated in international relations studying. So, using realism is also valuable in cases of a subject described as novel, just as the parent study. At this point, should be noted that liberalism indeed can outclass other approaches, in recognizing forthcoming gradual transitions (Moravcsik, 1992). Nevertheless, liberalism axiomatically presumes that societies' decision-making procedure is based on polycentric model (Irakleidis, 2015). But, such model, obviously is not the case for N. Korea. As far as concerning Turkey, in contrast with N. Korea, could be said that when considering electoral system of Turkey and the fact of a multi-party democracy, the claim of polycentrism could be proved true. Nevertheless, being at state of emergency since 20th July of 2016 (Srivastava, 2016; DW, 2017; Reuters, 2017a; Reuters, 2017b) and without being able to know what will follow (even) after the end of emergency state – especially because if Turkey is indeed going to exhibit such intentions in future, and specifically in the future time before EU's implemented transition and before Turkey's gas pipelines are no longer considered as a "strategic asset", then the design and made decisions should take place in a not that long-term horizon – as also when considering Turkey's traditionally centralized character as a state (Loewendahl-Ertugal, 2005; Özçelik, 2011; Taşpinar, 2011a; Kaliber, 2014), in a second though makes sense to use political realism instead. Of course, the utilization of political realism as a tool, does not entail an according to Waltz rejecting of characteristics like ideology (Waltz, 1979; Irakleidis, 2015); since is applied selectively. Besides, lets not forget that ideological argumentation is being included in Kim Jong Un's Nuclear Doctrine (Mansourov, 2014). Nevertheless, regarding foreign policy in general, ideology could occasionally operate as a cloak able to camouflage purposes with a deeper meaning or could be used to describe similar things with different vocabulary, and in any case to harden attempting a fully attribution of primal causes to results. Such personal view, is mainly different from those expressed by many realists (Carr, 1964; Fozouni, 1995; Hanish, 2013; Irakleidis, 2015), in including adverb "occasionally". The latter is being used so that more cases could be treated; like of bottom-up built strategies of foreign policies (i.e. when politicians express people's common demand), or when foreign policy is being affected by street-level policy-makers that cannot utterly understand highly technical issues. In this vein, ideological reasoning should be critically examined in a case-by-case study. However, including the dimension of ideology is not part of study's targeting, and so argumentation that derives from such reasoning will not be used even though could enhance the urgent nature of title's question. For example. Are not being used causations based on "neo-ottomanism" ideology, even though – not only does not coincide with a west-oriented view, but also – makes scholars wonder if could be better described by the term of "eurasianism"; for better attributing the notion of declining from aforementioned orientation (Wigen, 2009; Taşpinar, 2011a; Sengupta, 2014). Despite, the existence of studies claiming that such declining is anticipated to precede or co-exist with Turkey's realization of its nuclear ambitions (McCurdy, 2008). Nevertheless, avoiding the use of ideological reasons as arguments is one thing, while utilizing structural elements that shape or interact with ideology is another thing. Thus, the latter will not be excluded from this study. Par example, elements like improvement in Turkey's economy, the relatively significant population size – inside and outside Turkey – and a rising domestic defense industry, do provide for Turkey the space to exercise foreign policy in more independent way. However, such foreign policy is within the determinants of "neo-ottomanism"; in contrast to a foreign policy exclusively committed to a west-oriented nature. So, Turkey's inclination towards Asia could not be ignored, even though such view could also be attributed to ideological reasons. Going further regarding application of political realism, should be noted that the elaboration of topic will be based in three pillars as can be found in Hanish article under the title «The 1990 Gulf Crisis: Political Realism Applied», but adjusted to parent's study framework. According to first pillar, external forces when comparing to internal factors, are being considered as rather major contributers in determination of states' foreign policy. This, in our cases, is translated in a higher influential role of the specified energy-climate policies of China and EU over foreign policy of N. Korea and Turkey respectively; rather than factors originating from within their own countries. According to second pillar, states tend to pursue their national interest in terms of maximizing their power (Hanish, 2013). Thus, we assume that the rationale behind countries that are going for adding domestic produced nuclear weapons to their arsenal, is the determinant of maximizing their power. Such maximization, is not apprehended only as a mean of deterrence in a "balance of terror", but rather – in terms of law of force or simply called "might is the right" – as a leverage for serving their interests (e.g. economy, politics). According to third pillar, the maximization of states power is accomplished through rational decisions (Hanish, 2013). To be noticed, that in terms of political realism as defined above and for this study, the two latter pillars are inextricably linked; thus having found the requirements for supporting second pillar, then will almost inevitably found those for third. Also to be noticed that, when comes to rationality and third pillar, along with the criteria for determining actions and decisions built upon realistic logic comes the likelihood of subjectively judging. For example, what assumed as rational for the analyst, might not be rational in culture of involved party (Penney et. al, 2013). Albeit, N. Korea already exhibited that can "read" rational made choices of great powers and other sovereign states according to their culture, in a "tit-for-tat" tactic; which evolved by them. And can be said that actually did that quite well, when considering the accomplished money-flow with direction from international donors to N. Korea – in terms of financial aid, and – in exchange for made pledges on nuclear use. Could that be the reason for the attempted re-introduce of "unpredictability doctrine" (Fuchs, 2017; Sullivan & Tumulty, 2017; Thrush & Landler, 2017) by the current president of US? Or is that, because was something that N. Korea might was expecting; based on Nixon's heritage (Burr & Kimball, 2015; Fuchs, 2017; Thrush & Landler, 2017). Nevertheless, this issue is presented over-simplified so that cannot capture the full rational behind. Thus, this example should only be considered as demonstration of culture's role in rational made choices and nothing more. Having above in mind, can be said that "game" of rational choices, supports author's choice for selecting political realism as the vehicle for analysis. Approaching summarization, two crucial principles that are derived from neorealism (Morgenthau, 1952; Hanish, 2013), should be mentioned. According to first principle the accommodation of a nation's interests could be accomplished by utilizing peaceful means. Juxtaposed to that, according to second principle, nations can also defend their national interests against those of other nations. After all above, shortly summarizing what has been written in this chapter, can be said that this study will primarily be accomplished using political realism. However political realism is not applied in a diligently formalist way, but rather adjusted to context of study. The justification behind selecting political realism as a tool, lies on several reasons. Some of them are: 1) the observed bipolarization of international scene as far as production of nuclear weapons is being concerned, 2) the system of countries governance, 3) rational pattern of involved parts, or anticipation for such followed patterns. Additionally, during the elaboration of topic, the following three pillars will be used: 1) the role of external forces in forging foreign policy of some state, 2) states tend to pursue their national interest in terms of maximizing their powers, and 3) the pursue is described by realistic rational. Moreover, the fact that political realism is not a choice of a strict application, gives the necessary degrees of freedom for adopting principles from neorealism. These are being attributed to Morgenthau, and will be used in Turkey's case. Finally, to be noted that for this study the expression "realistic rational" will be used for describing the logical patterns on the ground of political realism, and would be considered as equal in meaning with other characterizations like "logical pathways", "realistic logic", or simple just "rational". # What has and has not been discussed The greatest single element in all prospecting, past, present and future, is the man willing to take a chance. (Everett Lee DeGolyer) Today is known and well studied the effect of hampering stability and peace disturbance as the result of exploitation or/and anticipation of exploiting mineral resources – and in particular those connecting to fuels – or aspiration for controlling them. In the above reasoning can be subsumed the Iran-Iraq war of 1980 (Cordesman & Wagner, 1990), or the conducted by Iraqis invasion of Kuwait at 1990 and the subsequent Persian Gulf War (Gause, 2001; Hanish, 2013). Albeit, the burst of such wars, occurred inevitably when considering the amounts of modernized – in reference to wars' present time – weapons and machinery in general that were concentrated in the area of South-West Asia (Peters & Deshong, 1995). Also known, are cases of forcing economic and political pressure by using fuels as a leverage. For example like was the case of 1973 oil crisis (OECD, 1973; Siniver, 2013; Penney et. al, 2013). Or, as happened in cases of attempting to exert influence. Such cases could even be traced, just after the end of WWII, like the signed «Anglo-American Petroleum Agreement» of 8th August 1945 (U.S. Senate, 1945). The above, can be portrayed by the paradigm of energy intensive economies, and can be connected to non-sustainable use of, or and depletion of energy resources (Meadows, 1972; Hubbert, 1974; Zizopoulos, 2017). These economies, are also negatively linked regarding pollution (Allan, 2009; Canes, 2015; Wu et. al, 2016; He et. Al, 2016; Chen et. Al, 2016; Xia et. al, 2016). The latter is the reason why developing countries are being discouraged from following the same non-sustainable developing paths (OECD, 2011; OECD, 2012a; OECD, 2012b; OECD, 2014). The paradigm of non-sustainable economies based on use of fossil fuels, is also used so that to justify the need for a gradual transition to a new era concerning economy for developed countries; when the aforementioned paradigm will have been transformed to the model of "green economy". The vehicle for such transition, are the policies of energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. Until now, any negative effect of the just mentioned policies can mainly be distinguished in two categories. The first, is expressed in terms of a suggested degrowth (Latouche, 2006; Smith, 2010; Foster, 2011; Blauwhof, 2012). The second, is related to how fair is for developing countries to be asked to ratify additional measurements when their per capita emissions are below world's average (Pickering et. al, 2012; Moore, 2014; Shukla et. al, 2015; Underdal & Wei 2015; Robiou et. al, 2017). Thus, negative references are respectively associated to accompanied suggestions and equitability between states. Apart from these, there is also a criticism on the effectiveness of Market Based Mechanisms, like the EU Emission Trading Scheme (Ellerman & Joskow, 2008; Judson & Stavins 2008; Helm, 2009; Revel, 2011). Having above in mind can be said that negative aspects can be either more theoretical (like degrowth) or more applied in a sense of adaptive management (like EU ETS). So as can easily be understood, until now there is a lacking literature on the impact of these policies of one country on the foreign policy of another, and more specifically on unanticipated and undesirable consequences. In particular, on at least promoting seek and pursuit of technological knowhow acquisition on nuclear weapons production or/and accelerating advancements in nuclear weapons development. Nevertheless, there are studies that – maybe do not focus on policies' impact, but they do – focus on the effect of climate change itself upon the landscape of geopolitical influence (Mou, et. al 2017); albeit not in connection to nuclear weapons. According to Mou, et. al (2017), climate change can indeed impact on the shifting landscape of geopolitical influence, but without being crystal clear to which extent since can also be attributed to preexisting factors. Moreover, exerting influence can significantly vary in a country-based scope, so countries can be classified in four different groups. However, even within the same group, countries tend to arrange their priorities according to their own needs and thus groups can not be considered as uniform. As far as nuclear weapons are being concerned, in general one of the most notorious explanation for assembling and possessing nuclear weapons is the one described by the doctrine of nuclear deterrence (Klein, 1994; Joseph & Reichart, 1998). Nevertheless, deterrence is a rather generic term. According to Narang, three main categories can be distinguished on how such weapons can be utilized. Shortly naming them, these are: 1) catalytic role in a geopolitical context, 2) assured retaliation or second strike, and 3) as a tool of asymmetric escalation (Narang, 2014; Shane, 2015). Especially for N. Korea, various explanations have been given; even not including pure military reasoning (Graham, 2013; Lanʹkov, 2015; Narang, 2014; Shane, 2015). For example, like targeting at diplomatic achievements (Lanʹkov, 2015), or oven as a technological demonstration to any interested buyer (Graham, 2013). However, explanations suggesting drivers that are non-transparent and invisible connected to what is perceived as N. Korea's strategical desideratum is a mere chance; even though that tracing back to causes that are driving developments is commonly used. Thus, as some scholar's are noting down, the already analyzed motivations cannot easily be integrated in a strategic analysis of linking means with results based in rational patterns (Shagan, 1997; Shane, 2015). So, having all above in mind, can easily be understood that not only from the side of scholars who are studying energy and climate change there was any attempt to confirm/reject any connection to nuclear weapons, but also from the side of scholars that focus their studies in nuclear arms there was no intension to look after those policies. Finally, what already has been said about N. Korea is also valid for Turkey. But this time, rational justification, is being put in terms of other countries' nuclear capabilities. For example, from time to time the international community's worries are being expressed as a concern to Turkey's nuclear ambitiousness in relevance to nuclear programme of Iran (Dorian, 2006; Larrabee, 2007; Dario, 2009; McCurdy, 2008; Chalmers & Lunn, 2010; Kibaroglu M., 2014; Jewell , & Ates, 2015). Nevertheless, published works from scholars of Turkish origin, do assert that such ambitiousness is not the case for the near-by future (Dinç, 2011; Kibaroglu M., 2014). While other works published in Turkish journals, explicitly state that realization of a nuclear programme is anticipated concurrently to or preceded by a diversion of Turkish foreign policy from being west-oriented; albeit such realization comes along with significant economic and political costs (McCurdy, 2008). Of course, there are not only disputants of realizing nuclear projects, but also people that openly support them (MEMRI, 2017a; MEMRI, 2017b; O'BRIEN, 2017). # N. Korea's case There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.. (Sun Tzu, The Art of War) Shifting away from the energy era of solid fossil fuels (coal) to this of liquid (oil) – Winston Churchill's doctrine (Dahl, 2001;Luft & Korin, 2009) – oil's economy contributed in the characteristics of a shifting geopolitical landscape, the development of advanced weapons and on hampering stability. Today, we are in the middle of another transition, between two different eras regarding energy. In particular shifting towards to energy-related age of RES domination. Energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies are leading such transition; worldwide. During this transitional period, the restrainment of solid and liquid fuels popularity is being supported by a largely growing natural gas penetration and partially the use of unconventional gas (eg shale gas). Furthermore the ongoing transition is being developed gradually in a step up way. Thus, policies – at some point close to their ratification – might be perceived as idle and not being related to each other, while their effectiveness is being argued; albeit over time is not expected to carry on the same pattern. The latter will be apparent through drivers that lead China's such policies. ## In advanced given In reference to earlier mentioned time frame, the likelihood of China's climate change mitigation and energy efficiency policies to be reflected on N. Korea's accelerated advancements regarding its non-peaceful nuclear programme will be studied. For exploring the suggested link, the following two points regarding N. Korea's tests would be considered as given facts and generally true: * Of military purpose nuclear apparatus. Since 2006 (Fedchenko, 2009; SIPRI, 2012). * Missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICMB); as the vehicle that will carry nuclear weapons towards target (Mansourov, 2014). Precursor of ICMB, was the unsuccessful lunch of satellite in 2009 (Reuters, 2009; The White House, 2009, Mariani, 2017), while concerning strictly non-military use of such technology is documented since 1990's (Mariani, 2017). Thus, neither of above, did not appeared maidenly during Kim Jong Un's establishment of power. Nor can be unconnected to modern history and foreign policy of N. Korea. And so, a coherent continuity in N. Korea's foreign policy; is being noted. Also is being noted the fact of state's less and less need for covering its ambitions over time. Moreover, the noticed escalation, is not considered as being developed in vitro, but shaped dynamically and interactively to various factors and events; like Six-Party Talks. ## Drivers of China's policies For China, the case of scaling back carbon footprint is considered as a tricky challenge but the payoff is of critical significance. China, after the first economic reform of 1978 and driven by economic paradigm of a growing manufacturing sector (Gao et. al, 2001, Garnaut & Song, 2012), has been transformed in one of leading economies worldwide (Chow 2004). The trade-off for rapid economic growth, is the extended dependency on cheap energy produced by coal (Gu 1997, KAPSARC 2016b). Moreover, China did not only stopped being an oil net exporter since the start of 1990's (approximately), but also emerged as the second largest importer of crude oil and oil products (U.S. EIA, 2015). Fact the illustrates the difficulties in balancing between growth and sustainability; based on the obsolete paradigm that followed after 1978. Furthermore, China is being under pressure due to environmental degradation and climate change, as also by the geopolitical dimension of Secure Lines Of Communications (SLOCs). Regarding SLOCs, is enough to be said that on 2014 approximately two third (2/3) of importing crude oil – not to mention the almost ninety percent (~90%) of exports – passes through Malacca's strait (Xiaoyan, 2014); which connects Indian with Pacific ocean. Going to environmental degradation and atmospheric pollution, the occurred problems do not consist a case that can easily be neglected. Studies showed that atmospheric pollution is being connected with health issues (Wu et. al, 2016) and mortality rate (He et. Al, 2016), while the impact on public health produces significant socio-economic costs. For example, the occurring costs based on the production-lost time during hospitalization of Chinese workers, the outpatient care services and loss of skilled workers – as the result of PM2.5 pollution – approximately reached one point one percent (1.1%) of Chinese GDP for 2007 (Xia et. al, 2016). Which is almost the annual GDP of Vietnam for 2010 (Xia et. al, 2016). Moreover, other studies showed that a rise in industrial emissions (i.e. sulfide dioxide) would trigger rising of lungs cancer and cancer of respiratory system incidents, while its effects would spread also in adjacent areas outside Chinese territory (Chen et. Al, 2016). Therefor, the diversification of energy resources, the adoption of energy efficiency policies and the decoupling between production and fossil fuels – primarily coal – considered as exigent. Most certainly, the Chinese state having all above in mind, entered the negotiation phase for Paris agreement in 2016 pledging for sixty percent (60%) emissions cut down of prime pollutants on energy sector up to 2020; and by that saving around a hundred million tonnes (100 MM TCE) of coal, that otherwise would have been used in production of power (Reuters, 2015a; Henderson et. al, 2017). Concluding, can be said that the combined contribution of all above mentioned factors – that may not necessarily be directly connected with each other, though are connected through energy – for sure leads to developments regarding climate change mitigation and energy efficiency policies. Policies that eventually tend to mold a new landscape in terms of energy and growth for China. ## Uncertainty and energy trade The shifting landscape in terms of energy and growth for China, is not only driving developments within China but also outside; like trade partnerships and especially of energy. A case of an already noticed possibility of influencing energy trade between exporting countries and China, has been studied regarding Countries of Gulf Cooperation Council (KAPSARC 2016a; Lester, 2016). To be stated that, even though succession of developments in energy trade is characterized by its dynamic nature, nevertheless how and what is being exactly traded is a functions of importing countries' policies and politics (KAPSARC 2016a; Lester, 2016). Increasingly in significance of functioning, are the policies of environment and climate change. Albeit, still today, the dominant energy policy concerns security and its principal component is that of diversification. So the question is, whether could disrupted trade patterns between China - N. Korea, or and the uncertainty on the stability of these patterns to be influential connected to properties of N. Korea's efforts towards nuclear weapons development and in particular planned time allocation? Supporting the significance of trade partnership component of the question above, is enough to say that China is not only the main strategic partner but largely the solo one when comes to coal and iron (Yonhap, 2016b). Concerning uncertainty causation in relevance to military programmes, supporting argumentation can be found in the outburst of WWI. In particular, to that is partly attributed to uncertainty on (back then present) security and in conjunction to shift of balance that was about to follow – along with its implications on economy and trade – but, without involving parts being able to deeply understand the futurely brought changes on the long run (Keohane 1984; Waltz 2000). Indicator of shift of ballance that took place, is the fact that after the end of WWII – which ended open issues of WWI – new superpowers rose. These new superpowers defined world scene in new political and trade partnerships, while the establishment of their position of power is concurrently taking place with shifting from coal to oil. So, uncertainty is a major determinant of developments and cannot be ignored. Moreover, the reasoning behind the decisions and actions of involving parts on the above example, does not variate extremely from a reasoning according to which N. Korea's accelerating developments in it's non-peaceful nuclear programme is targeting in more than just enhancing military capacity. Like, the utilization of nuclear power as a political leverage, in the uncertain and currently taking shape power balancing of future. Of course, such mentality is bounded by the same restriction, poor capability of fully understanding the futurely brought changes on the long run. Going further, also cannot be overlooked the fact that N. Korea, is an extremely "thirsty" country for oil after the dissolution of Soviet Union at the end of 1991, from which (N. Korea) was buying oil bellow market prices (Stewart, 1999; EIA, 2017). Illustrating this "thirst", is plenty enough to say that oil consumption of N. Korea during 1991 was seventy six thousands barrels per day (76000 b/d), while on 2003 was up just to seventeen thousands (170000 b/d); less than a quarter approximately a decade after (EIA, 2017). However, there are offshore located deposits of liquid and gas hydrocarbons (Stewart, 1999; Bermudez Jr., 2015; Byrne, 2015; Rego,2015; USGS, 2017). That still have not been exploited, because – beside the reasons of depth and technology – the exploration and exploitation also bears difficulties of economic and political risk, which are being connected to non-resolved differences with China, Russia and Japan (Bermudez Jr., 2015; USGS, 2017). From the latter mentioned countries, the first two already possess nuclear weapons. While the third one, not only is under the "umbrella" of US but is also assumed that is able to produce if is in need; though there are doubts on delivery mechanisms and whether is there any such intention (Windrem, 2014; Large, 2016; Bitzinger, 2017). Nevertheless, the noticed difficulties are not without opportunities in case of a resolution. In example, that of a site-specific commodity located nearby states-markets with significant energy demand (Rego, 2015). Opportunities not only for N. Korea, but also for the nearby states. For example, for China would be translated in more than just bypassing Malacca's strait, as in case of Myanmar's pipe, but also avoidance. So, as can be noted, the uncertainty on the characteristics and the status of trade partnership regarding coal coexists with the opportunity for substituting coal with an alternative commodity of energy, along with the possibility for establishing new partnerships; which will be friendlier than coal-based ones to world's new energy scene. In any case, the cross-border trade of energy commodities lies in the ground of high energy demand in adjacent countries, in conjunction to an extremely compressed local market with significant margins (under circumstances). Nonetheless, exploration and exploitation, requires attractive economic environment, political stability and resolution on maritime disputes with adjacent countries. Beginning from last requirement. To what extent, N. Korea – as being placed at the group of countries with nuclear capabilities – could indeed exercise foreign policy from an elevated position, is something that has to be proved in reality. Nevertheless, if indeed is willing to use such means, then should accelerate in acquiring nuclear capabilities. And this, because exploration and having productive facilities is a time-consuming procedure. Not to mention that the transitional period won't last forever. But even if last longer than expected, it doesn't mean that the same conditions will be met when coming late in to market. In latter case, most probably, the needs of adjacent countries would have been satisfied. Focusing to time consuming procedures, this could partly explain China's impatience (Bermudez Jr., 2015) for joint exploitation of offshore deposits located in west cost of Korean peninsula during 2013; but the whole issue was stagnated, because of the on going dispute on demarcation of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Anyway, the pursuit by N. Korea of an elevated negotiating position through some nuclear programme, is in complete coherence with the principle of states' national interests pursuit being a function of state's power maximization (Hanish, 2013). The latter described mentality of N. Korea, might be the reason why did China's position changed in 2013 from "no war, no instability, no nuclear" to "denuclearization, peace-stability, and continue with halted Six-Party Talks". Though, should be noted that other answers are being suggested by scholars. Like targeting at dwindling instability in the wider region of Korea (Su & Saalman, 2017). However, regarding denuclearization of N. Korea, there are voices within China for minimizing its importance by stating that neighboring with a denuclearized but less friendly and uncontrolled N. Korea with a regime in collapse, is worst than having a friendly N. Korea dedicated to China's priorities even if is nuclearly armed (Perlez, 2016; Su & Saalman, 2017). Such views are based on the fact that Chinese are familiarized to the idea of a N. Korea with nuclear weapons, while assume that it won't be difficult for China to approach N. Korea due to geographical proximity (Perlez, 2016); with whatever the latter means. Albeit such proximity didn't result in a successful resolution of their bilateral maritime disputes. Going further. By considering Kim Jong Un's doctrine (Mansourov, 2014) from the nuclear utilization point of view apart from energy dimension, then such utilization is primarily explained by deterrence theory (Chung, 2011). However, the finalization of a favorable solution of maritime disputes – on the ground of an elevated position in negotiations due to nuclear capabilities – and the subsequent exploitation of whichever deposits, could theoretically provide N. Korea with the needed energy for conducting large scale attacks against S. Korea. While today's lack of significant energy reserves – among other reasons (i.e. of logistic capability and infrastructures) – bounds N. Korea's attacking abilities. The latter, is the reason why threats coming from N. Korea are being perceived by S. Korea as a local provocation (Chung, 2011). So using nuclear weapons as the mean for exploiting energy resources, leads to a situation where enhanced attack capabilities due to upgraded energy reserves could take the role of nuclear weapons as a mean for exerting pressure and exercising foreign policy. Thus, an enhanced ability of N. Korea in launching large scale attacks – based on the energy reserves – that could operate as a leverage, is also in complete coherence with the principle of states' national interests pursuit being a function of state's power maximization (Hanish, 2013). But, could the above, beside a rational reasoning, traced in how nuclear programme is perceived inside N. Korea? Actually not only there is no reason to say that cannot, but furthermore similarities can be spotted. As stated by Mansourov, in a critical review of Kim Jong Un's doctrine, the purpose and role of nuclear weapons are: "to ensure the favorable environment for regime survival and national development by deterring external threats against the country's sovereignty and leadership and by freeing internal resources for economic growth and individual consumption" (Mansourov, 2014). Most of the quoted part can easily be traced to all above, besides ensuring leadership principle which is out of this study purposes. Nevertheless, it would be helpful to highlight a few things around sovereignty notion. For N. Korea, the division of Korea, as occurred after WWII – once again in times of a shifting global landscape as noted before in this chapter – have never been accepted, and considers it as the result of non-communist and out-of-Korea powers' role. This perceived idea of a great communist Korea, is apparent on the fact that the Korean Armistice Agreement was never been followed by a peace treaty, and thus war never officially ended. So N. Korea's sovereignty is perceived as covering a wider geographically region, than as defined by post-WWII demarcation. Returning to N. Korea's political stability, according to Chinese scholars, can be said that – after the seventh (7th) WPK conference (May of 2016) and five years after the succession in country's leadership – N. Korea is entering in a stability period; along with whatever this might presume. Nevertheless, the case of stability can not easily be supported for growth and development of N. Korean economy (Su & Saalman, 2017). In particular for economy. In one hand the new economic programme after succession in country's leadership still haven't been proved as fruitful (Su & Saalman, 2017). While on the other hand the failed currency reform of 2009 (Su & Saalman, 2017) should have amplified uncertainty's perception regarding future coal trading with China. However, despite an amplified perception, N. Korea's concern around coal trade uncertainty is not considered as excessive, since the local demand in China under circumstances demonstrates as a factor of higher importance on trade than international sanctions do. The latter was clearly signaled on other mineral commodities after the sanctions that followed the second test during 2016; which took place in September of that year (Silberstein, 2016; Yonhap, 2016a). In particular. In a crucial for N.Korea's export activity, province of China, called Jilin, iron imports followed a downward trend to seven point twenty-eight million dollars (7.28 mm USD), at first quarter of 2016; which is translated in nineteen point three per cent (19.3%) decline (Yonhap, 2016a). At similar levels was the drop-down of imports from Jilin in general (Yonhap, 2016a). Thus, policies inside China – tightly connected to climate change, energy efficiency and security issues mentioned earlier, along with an expressed will for phasing out from manufacturing economic paradigm to that of services – can indeed force relatively significant influence over trade; when compared to sanctions. Still on uncertainty issues, should be also noted that does not apply in same magnitude in general for all trade partners of China. For example, as far as concerning energy business cycle transmission between China and Australia, and in particular the dependence between Australian mineral industry and manufacturing Chinese sector, there are studies supporting a bi-directional Granger causality (Norrie, 2013). Albeit, such direction is in contrast with other studies that support the existence of uni-directional causation with direction from Chinese to Ausralian GDP (Kueh et al., 2010). Obviously, in a bi-directional sense, Australia's uncertainty regarding trade partnership with China is considered as milder; since disrupted trade patterns on China's import could result in a negative feed-back effect on Chinese economy. Anyway, in either bi- and uni-directional Ganger causation, between China and other states, still the energy trade is largely depended on the importing state (KAPSARC 2016a; Lester, 2016); in our case China. Of course, the latter is also true for another reason in case of Sino-N.Korean trade. When approaching the issue in terms of locomotive hypothesis (Bronfenbrenner. 1979; Mai et. al., 2010; Norrie, 2013) adjusted for a close economic system – from the point of view of a N. Korea being detached from international economic developments (excessive "juche") and heavily linked to Chinese economy – the reason is the size of importing economy that is comparatively larger. Thus, the dependence of energy trade on importing country's policies is in complete coherence with the principle on the role of external forces (when comparing to internal factors) as a major contributer in foreign policy determination of a state. Summarizing above, a complex logic behind maximization of power can be spotted. Such logic, only partly includes the notion of deterrence, while also includes elevation of negotiation's position and leveraging, so that to satisfy the determinant for economic stability and regime's survive. Moreover, in this complexity, the rational reasoning is a function of natural resources exploitation and energy trade. The latter, is influenced from Chinese policies on energy efficiency and climate change mitigation; albeit the extent of influence energy trade isn't clear, since the nuclear issue can also be attributed to preexisting factors. ## Cross-checking rational reasoning Although, that N. Korea's tendency for power maximization through rational decisions has already been highlighted and despite that second's pillar maximization is considered inextricably linked to third's pillar rationality, nevertheless supporting argumentation will be provided regarding realistic rational of N. Korea. As mentioned earlier, N. Korea managed to secure financial aid – that was translated in to cash-flow with direction from international donors to N. Korea – or to broach other claims, during past times, in exchange for made pledges on nuclear use (Chandran, 2017; Maidment, 2017). On this basis. The following comments can be made. In one hand, N. Korea knows how to take advantage of "tit-for-tat" tactic that evolved by great powers (Sigal, 1998; Signorino, 2016); mainly during past century, and primarily during "cold war" (Bunn & Payne, 2007). This tactic – that is based on prisoner's dillema and related games like closed-bag exchange – presumes that players exhibit rationality during decision-making in abating costs and maximizing gains. So, if put states in the places of players and the game represents the field of international relations, then the rationality can be described by political realism. On the other hand, in such "tit-for-tat" tactic over the past, N. Korea proved quite skillful in "reading" rational made choices of great powers and other sovereign states according to their culture. Thus, in this case the component of realistic thinking is apparent not only as a characteristic of how choices are being made, but also on how one part expects from the other to take its decision. The latter, is being put in the portrait of other's culture. So, the assumption that the maximization of states' power is being met through rational decisions (Hanish, 2013), is once again confirmed. # Turkey's case And due to the irregularity of land's relief, the view of sea battle was also irregular for them. (Thukydides, The history of the peloponesian war) Even though the very early beginning and the establishment of political realism is traced back to Thucydides, nevertheless at the begging of this chapter we will implicit point to Plutarch through parallel studying; so that to smoothly bridge between the occurred N. Korean case with the hypothesized for Turkey. Afterwards, proceeding towards Turkey and nuclear weapons, the whole issue will be illuminated under a more generalized view. The logic behind this goes without saying. If there is no way to support a hypothesized case of Turkey's future and building nuclear weapons in general, then cannot be a case for linking with energy and climate policies neither. Next the possibility of linking will be checked under Morgenthau principles on states' foreign policy. Of course, before this, first some quick facts on EU's energy efficiency and climate change policies will be provided; so that to illustrate their capacity of forward momentum. As you understand, such endeavor as the described above, is not something that can easily be accomplished. Not only, any lack of seriousness and of paid scientific attention would have operated against the already built relationship of trust between reader and writer, but also proceeding with due diligence is absolutely necessary for studying some hypothesis before its realization. However, despite the strict nature of the latter, still the study of this case is doable. Supporting to study's doability, is the fact that reaching to a particular conclusion for sure is not part of study's targeting but to exhibit the underlying impetus by cross-checking the validity of hypothesized link. ## Side by side study and parallelisms The following two points should be marked before establishing a relationship of present and future origin, between N. Korea's occurring effort for adding domestic produced nuclear weapons in its arsenal and China's policies – regarding energy and climate change – with a hypothesized case study under which EU take's place of China and Turkey that of N. Korea's. The first one, is about an underlying relationship between past and present for EU and China. In particular, EU's beginning is traced back to 1952's European Coal and Steel Commission (ECSC) as an "energy plan" (Reuters, 2015) while China has just recently started elevating the burden of steel's excessing production capacity (Yonhap, 2016a). Thus there is a relationship – of analogue, not identical – of former and later origin, which changes direction depending on focused facts. The second one, has to do with Turkey's posing as a wanna be "hard-power" (Gullo, 2016). Such, exhibited intentions, are reflected on the development of indigenous defense industry. The latter, could easily be described according to a more neorealistic view, under which "States do not willingly place them selves in situations of increased dependence" (Waltz, 1979, Gullo, 2016). Controversially, a similar approach for the development of indigenous defense industry derives from N. Korea's communistic perspective of self-reliance. In particular, the latter is on the same vein with Waltz's view on security within an anarchic world. According to Waltz, the issue of security is closely related to independence and projection of power against other states, through hard-power capacity. Further supporting above, to be noted that within the new economic plan of N. Korea – know as Byongjin line – is described the idea for serving the needs of building a superior military power through a strong and stable economy. And that's why reorders its priority by putting in higher order the economic development, while keeping military in first place (Su & Saalman, 2017). A similar approach can be located to a more offensive neorealistic point of view, as expressed by Mearsheimer. According to Gullo, the latter view fits on Turkey, regarding how military spending and development could be reasoned upon population's size and growing economy (Mearsheimer, 2013; Gullo, 2016). Albeit, the correct characterization for Turkey is more of a "latent-power" (Mearsheimer, 2013; Gullo, 2016), than a pure hard-power. The latent condition, of Turkey's power capabilities, makes sense when considering the divergence between acquired and perceived as being acquired power, within Turkey. In particular, the perceived acquired power, based on the ground of neo-ottomanism – a prevailing political ideology in modern Turkey – describes state's power in socio-economic terms. Thus, latent condition is the resultant of latter with the acquired characteristics of hard-power state. Anyway, the tendency for adopting a parallel thinking in developing domestic defense industry is apparent for these two countries; even though described by different ideological framework (neo-ottomanism Vs communism) and culture. And is parallel, despite that both might have been influenced by China (Mearsheimer, 2013; Gullo, 2016 ; Su & Saalman, 2017). Albeit Turkey, could also be influenced from France of Charles de Gaul (Cagaptay, 2011; Park, 2011; Taşpinar, 2011a; Taşpinar, 2011a; Rynning et. al., 2015) and subsequently "force de frappe". So, could there be a parallel thinking regarding adding domestic produced nuclear weapons to their arsenal? That's something that will be explored later on. But before that, to be noted that parallel thinking notion does not considered equivalent to notion of identical. Rather refers to both moving towards the same result, but without being total overlapped. Besides, the latter would axiomatically be the case if both were to serve identical objective targets and not just to use common means for meeting their goals. Of course the aforementioned could not easily be supported, due to their different political, economic and diplomatic priorities. Such defined parallel thinking, is reflected on the fact that domestic production is primarily being perceived in terms of reduced dependence for Turkey, while for N. Korea is translated into autonomous and considered as the direct result of an absolute self-reliance. ## Big picture By illustrating the existence of in parallel similarities, is safe to initially proceed within a wider consideration of Turkey's future entropy regarding domestic production of nuclear weapons; so that to secure the ground for checking later the linkage of such hypothesized production in connection to EU's policies. Thus, the first question to be answered is, whether could be said that Turkey rejects the idea of neorealists for relative peace and stability as the resultant of a mutual assured destruction and based on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence (Sagan & Waltz, 2010)? Obviously, Turkey is not against this doctrine, since already hosts part of NATO's nuclear weapons. Besides, seems that Turkey likes to use arms production (in general) as a tool for exerting foreign policy (Yanarocak, 2016). Thus, is not strange that various think tanks – like Royal United Services Institute – from time to time are expressing their concerns on the possibility of Turkey taking its chances and going after independently building nuclear weapons (Chalmers & Lunn, 2010). Nevertheless, exhibiting a mentality which is railed on tracks of nuclear deterrence (as is being reflected on hosting part of NATO's nuclear arsenal) is one thing, but going after domestic production is another. Thus, the next question to be answered is whether Turkey's appearance as a friend of west could support the idea of not entering into production? Approaching the latter from the perspective of adequate justification, the fact that Turkey poses as less hostile towards west – than other muslim countries – does not necessarily justifies a priory rejection of a futurely expressed willingness for going after domestic production. Moreover, history already gave an answer on that. Let's not forget the fact that an other country (Iran in particular) with a muslim majority and the most westward looking among muslim countries – during its last Shah (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi) – eventually was heavily accused for trying to build nuclear weapons. And though accusations came after the fall of Shah, nevertheless based on historical events can be said that Iran's whetting its appetite started during Shah period; along with nuclear use as source of energy and after the provided assistance regarding nuclear technology by USA and EU-countries. But, lets just not focus on muslim countries. Lets get a wider picture, but still on westward looking countries. In particular, countries that are traditionally considered as allied-counties after Bretton-Woods Agreement and part of Non-Proliferation Treaty – of which Iran was and Turkey still is – such as S. Korea (South Korea, 2001; South Korea, 2012). Yes, even S. Korea have expressed similar desires (Taylor, 2017). Of course the fact that such expressed desired is considered as a reaction to N. Korea's confirmed efforts to build nuclear weapons, does not mean that Turkey would not express similar desire. The latter can partly be justified on the base of similar reasoning for Turkey's case. In particular regarding the assumptions on Israel's nuclear answering readiness (Aftergood & Kristensen, 2007; Borger, 2014; SIPRI, 2015) and because of suffered tensions in Turkey-Israel relations; i.e. Mavi Marmara incident (BBC, 2016). At this point should be explicitly stated that former reasoning does not imply that Turkey is one and the same with S. Korea and Israel with N. Korea, as is not similarly implied for Turkey with N. Korea during parallel study. Thus, not only the possibility of a future exhibited willingness for building cannot be ignored but such willingness could be explained in terms of other countries' nuclear answering readiness. Going further, in order reader to get a clearer picture, is considered useful to highlight the fact that Turkey already is moving towards exploiting the benefits of nuclear power (WNN, 2016; Japan Times, 2017; WNA, 2017). As also useful to be stated, is that referencing nuclear energy harvesting for electricity is not targeting in portraying use for civil purposes as evil or to connect it with the earlier mentioned Iran's case. Rather is being referenced in order to exhibit the nuclear-friendly mentality in general. Albeit, Turkey's capabilities on using energy programme's multi-purposely "flourished" during past times; i.e. Ataturk dam (Jongerden, 2010; Stratfor, 2016). Also, in a sense of keeping equal distances from all sides, should be mentioned that there are expressed opinions on the ulterior origin of Turkey's motives for building nuclear plants; even though concurrently there are factual reasons connected to energy demand (Dombe, 2015). Such opinions, are in the same vein with ones concerning the extended ballistic range, as the result of its space programme (Stein, 2014; Dombe, 2015; Yanarocak, 2016). Finally, based on Turkey's attitude on EU's immigration crisis – as the result of the illegal immigration flooding at eastern EU's borders with Turkey – can be said that some kind of "tit-for-tat" game is apparent (Robinson, 2015; Dinçer & Hecan, 2016, LSM, 2016); without judging whether or not is political correct to call it such, or justifying such tactics for such cases. Anyway, the aforementioned illegal immigration flows from Turkey to EU, resulted in reverse flow of money (Baczynska, 2016; Kingsley, 2016). So similarities between followed tactics and results can be spotted in a side-by-side study of "tit-for-tat" for Turkey and N. Korea. Thus, the question that follows logically is the next. Whether today's observed use of same tactics for different reasons, could also be used for the same reasons by Turkey in the future; during equivalent shift to new energy-described era. The weight of latter question gets heavier when considering the fact that Turkey's negotiations on entering EU, is frozen and there are no significant indicators exhibiting willingness to prioritize on entering from Turkey's side (Tocci, 2014; Nasr, 2017; Pitel, 2017; Riegert, 2017; Reuters, 2017c; Ülgen, 2017). Especially, when having in mind that shifting of Turkey's position from a westward-looking orientation is expected before or/and during realization of nuclear ambitious (McCurdy, 2008). Thus, the subsequent question on whether Turkey could at least seek and pursuit technological knowhow acquisition on nuclear weapons in connection to EU's climate mitigation and energy efficiency policies, is of prime importance and will be discussed right after a short illustration of EU policies' momentum. ## Shortly illustrating EU policies' momentum EU is being through an equivalent transition phase, as China is; regarding energy. In particular, EU, since 2007 have set the ground for moving away of 90's economy – that is heavily dominated by fossil fuels – to that of low carbon emissions, namely "Triple Twenties". Triple Twenties describes targeting on GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions, penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and energy efficiency (EC, 2007). Already by 2014, EU has implemented its target on GHG emissions, while projection of RES penetration and energy efficiency targets were more than optimistic for meeting set goals for 2020 (EEA, 2016). Nevertheless EU, did not rest upon its own laurels, but set new targets for 2030 (EC, 2014; EEA, 2016). More specifically, set cut down on GHG emissions up to 40% (still when compared with base year of 1990), and at least 27% for both penetration of RES in energy mix and energy efficiency improvement (according to With Existing Measure's scenario). And if these targets sounds ambitious, then those published at 2011 roadmap for energy upto 2050, should not be considered as feasible to non-experts. Whether EU would reach, meet or overcome its targets, is not something that will trouble this study; since at least for most of EU habitants its common knowledge. Besides, sooner or later than initially projected, EU will phase out from transitional period of gas to age of RES domination in energy mix. So how could Turkey react, when EU's transition to a new energy era – as described by a RES dominated energy-mix – has been fully completed, or even earlier when phasing out comes to a point where Turkey's natural gas transit services will not be considered as strategic asset anymore. ## Under Morgenthau's prism From the short text on EU policies' momentum, can easily be understood that according to dominating energy source in the energy mix of EU's countries, Europe – from near past to not that far future – is divided in three different ages. The age of liquid and solid fossil fuels domination, the age of natural gas domination and the age of RES domination. Going from one age to other, is being succeeded transitional. While the age inbetween first and third, is the bride from fossil fuels to RES. Also for this study, Turkish choice on seeking and utilizing peaceful means by adopting the strategy of being a gas transit country, is a priori considered as a fact. Of course, such choice is considered rational, since targets both on geopolitical and economic gains. Furthermore, does not only exhibits a realistic logic, but also is in consistency with more neorealistic views; and in particular with the first stage of Morgenthau's view on foreign policy (Morgenthau, 1952; Hanish, 2013). So, naturally comes the question of whether could Turkey's foreign policy also be in consistency with the second stage of Morgenthau's view. In order to answer the question above, the example of Turkish dams (Jongerden, 2010; Al-Makhzoomi & Albdeewy, 2017; Stratfor, 2016) in South-Eastern Anatolia – i.e. Ataturk Dam on Euphrates & Ilisu Dam on Tigris river – will be used. Before, entering the hard core of analysis, is useful to provide a couple of quick facts for the basin-system of Tigris-Euphrates river. Like the fact that six littoral states are sharing the rivers. From which, Turkey, Syria and Iraq are the major users of rivers' waters. While the major contributer to water replenishment of both rivers is Turkey; albeit Iraq is also a significant contributer to hydrologic diet of Tiger river (~40%). And the fact that the two rivers, form an inverted triangle that bends in a bottleneck like shape fifty kilometers (50km) away from Baghdad; which triangle hosts a significant number of Kurds within. Beside the aforementioned facts on basins, it is also useful to be stated that the analysis of Tigris-Euphrates example will strictly be confined on the scope of analysis itself; without bothering on taking place or supporting sides. The latter, from another perspective is the reason of selecting this example for the analysis; even it might not be that clear from head start how can it be helpful. To be more precise, the reason is that does not consist a matter that directly involves Greek and Turkish sides. Thus, no accuses for subjectivity or serving other purposes, can stand. Another reason for selecting the particular example, is the fact that is directly being associated with energy – like nuclear is – and in particular power generation. Also to be stated that, a generalized historical view of hydro-politics in the area will be mostly avoided – so that reader won't be lost within the provided amount of information – while provided information will be as simple as can be, but no simpler. Of course, trying to follow a K.I.S.S. principle and the fact that the example is about politics of water, doesn't mean that the attempted analysis should be perceived as something easy to be done. Supporting the seriousness and complexity of such cases and why K.I.S.S. principle should not be perceived as over-simplification, is enough to say that, in the wider region of Middle East, the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War that took place on 1967, is partly attributed to Jordan's water management (Alqallaf, 2003). Narrowing from wider region of Middle East to the area of Tigris-Euphrates, another incident is indicative of the occurring complexity in general and the gravity of waters' management on bilateral relationships within the area. The incident took place during first months of 1990, when Turkey in order to fill one reservoir (Jongerden, 2010; Pring & Banaei, 2015) cut down water flow. Consequently, occurred tensions between Iraq and Turkey were about to result in an armed confrontation. Nevertheless, the conducted by Iraq invasion of Kuwait, didn't allow the conflict between Iraq and Turkey to be evolved in an armed skirmish (Jongerden, 2010). Though an about to be escalated conflict could be a critical indicator of hydropolitic's severity on the area, nevertheless it is not the fact of an almost to take place armed confrontation itself that fully illustrate the dynamics of the area regarding littoral states of Tigris-Euphratis. Rather is the fact that for a water's management dispute, the reaction was not what is typically expected from the side of downstream states; in particular not the usual seek for cooperative solution (McCaffrey, 2013). Te aforementioned indented to be realized confrontation, is the true indicator of preexisting problems between Iraq and Turkey (Adams, 2000; Wasinger, 2015). Similar problems, were also between Syria and Turkey (Adams, 2000; Wasinger, 2015). Moreover on indicative facts, but this time on complexity, should be stated that even though the possibility of an armed confrontation is still considered significant (Jongerden, 2010), nevertheless a direct attack to dam's infrastructures from Iraqi army is not expected. The latter, is not only attributed to the size of Turkish army, but also on the fact of the fear for NATO's reaction (Alqallaf, 2003). NATO's reaction would be the result of the incompatibility between destruction of water's infrastructures and articles 54-56 of 1977's Protocol I of Geneva Convention (Benvenisti, 2013). Moving from complexity due to pre-existing factors and armed conflicts to the use of water as a medium of exchange and instrument of power for exerting (economic and diplomatic)pressure, the core of Turkish mentality is characteristically expressed through Suleyman Demirel quotes. According to Demirel: "Neither Syria nor Iraq can lay claim to Turkey's rivers anymore than Ankara could claim their oil". (Wasinger, 2015). In this context, is obviously placed the adoption of a logic according to which Turkey's water is considered as the equal of Arab's oil; and used similarly. Thus, control of water masses is not just appraised as the medium of exchange for petrol or petrodollars, but as an instrument of power in Turkey's toolset for foreign policy (Iakovou, 2015). Thus, can be identified an early projection of Turkish national interests. But such will be better exhibited in 1998's incident, right away. In particular during 1998, Turkey directly threatened Syria when asked the latter to export PKK's leader Abdullah Ocalan and not to support Kurdish fighters (Adams, 2000; Hatem & Dohrmann, 2013; Kibaroglu A. et. al., 2014). Of course water as a leverage was one of the parameters that critically contributed to developments; but not the unique. Another significant parameter was the military power of Turkey, that contributed in such claims to be taken seriously (Adams, 2000). Just to have an idea on how did Turkey's military power got to support the use of water disruption threat as a leverage, to be mentioned the fact that at 1998 and before Adana's Agreement and PKK's leader deport from Syria, ten thousands (10000) Turkish soldiers were placed along the borders with Syria (Wasinger, 2015). So, having events developed as such, can definitely be distinguished a projection of Turkish national interests against interests of others. Nevertheless, the issue of projected national interests is not always clearly apparent – how about in association with water facilities and infrastructures – especially if is about post-Saddam federal structure of Iraq; under which the Kurdish element managed to establish the only autonomous administrative division. Such autonomous status, highly concerns military and political leadership in Turkey (Alqallaf, 2003). Turkey's concern is not just an express of the interest of a good neighborhood. More likely Turkish leadership is being heavily troubled by worries on the contingency of a de-facto establishment of Greater Kurdistan through separation of Turkish southeastern region. Especially when for preventing such from happening, the cooperation with Syria, Iran, Iraq is needed. The cooperation of states, that beside also having Kurdish minorities (Taşpinar, 2011b), are also considered as rivals for leadership in the wider area of South-South-West Asia. So, can Turkey manage to obtain Iraq's support using mountainous infrastructures of water's reservoir, despite the prevailing tenses and conflict of interests in the area? As can easily be noticed, the role of dams is not only that of power generation and controlling rivers diet from the upstream. Can also passively serve by occupying lands, while operates as a barrier for crossing from both sides. This obstructing function of dams, along with the fact of a relocated rural Kurdish mass (Hatem & Dohrmann, 2013) – that could also be connected to dams' passive role – tends to create a quasi- "geographical discontinuity" between Kurds of Northern Iraq with those of Southeast Turkey. So, having these in mind, in conjunction to a possible influence of Iraq's Kurdish leadership by Turks over the independence referendum of 2017 – like is noted that might have occurred from some scholars (Al-Makhzoomi & Albdeewy, 2017) – can be said that in reality there wasn't really any imperative necessity for exerting such influence, since it was enough just not to try to stop it; and the shift from back then current Iraqi position regarding Kurdish issue to that of Turks should had follow. How? in both cases (a.k.a. influencing or not) even though Turkey side is not in favor of Iraq's Kurds independence – being afraid of area's destabilization and possible strengthening of similar tendencies inside its own territory – nevertheless, the prosecution of referendum would eventually had presented Iraq with a fait accompli; which Iraqi side alone would not be able to query or reverse it. Thus Iraq should find allies in persuading international community against a recognition of referendum's result. And so, pooling efforts should be attempted under mutual and balanced advantages; and obviously Iraq was the one that had to abate. The latter for Turkish side is being apprehended as a required adoption of their own logic from Iraq's; according to which different Kurdish groups should be treated differently. Many more could be said on why could Turkey appeals friendly to Iraq's Kurds, even though is not in favor of an independent Kurdistan. Like cooperating in energy and economy issues (Van Heuvelen, 2013; Wasinger, 2015; Alaaldin, 2016; Idiz, 2017). Nevertheless, whether the latter could indeed create the idea of a Turkish implicit support of referendum – despite that such is not reflected in Turkish President speeches – or the connotation of direct influence (Al-Makhzoomi & Albdeewy, 2017), will not bother this study since could not provide any further assist on answering the question under investigation. And that's so, because of at least an underlying projection identification of Turkish national interests against those of others; based on the passive and functional role of dam. Resuming on projection of national interests of one state to another, and in particular of Turkey's, through the provided examples of dams in South-Eastern Anatolia, the following can be said. In one hand water is being used as an instrument of power, while on the other hand projecting is not always clearly apparent but can also occur implicitly. In conclusion, finally, is entirely comprehensible that Turkey can satisfy the properties of both stages in foreign policy as conceived by Morgenthau, while under circumstances and according to each case's conditions can support its foreign policy by exhibiting military capabilities. Such power capabilities, is the resultant of a significant population size and of economic development. As far as its population size is being concerned, can be said that in relevance to other countries in Europe and Middle East is generally considered true. As far as economic development is being concerned, Turkey invests in the areas of natural resources, energy and defense industry. Thus, not only an adoption of more neo-realistic views regarding foreign policy is being observed, but such view is closely related to energy and defense industry. # Constraints and limitations Where did I act wrongly? What did I did? What I haven't done though I should have? (Pythagoras) In this study, like any other, constraints and limitations can not be ignored. Limitations, not only do not trivialize this study, but are pointing out the unique characteristics of it; while let reader to better understand its substance. Starting on limitations – featuring unique characteristics – the foremost issue, is the absence of literature regarding the linking with energy efficiency and climate change mitigation policies. This issue, is the direct result of elaborating a novel topic. Nevertheless, limitation's contribution with negative sign is counterbalanced by the opportunity for introducing new literature in the area of energy, policies and international relations. An other issue, produced by literature's lack, is the lack of a common accepted and standardized direct methodology on how to safely approach the suggested link. Of course – no matter of how numerous are former published studies or not – the lack of a standardized methodology is common characteristic of studies that do integrate the essence of international relations; because simple it's not about physics or mathematics (D'Anieri, 2017). Not to mention, that even mathematically produced models – like those used in game theory – are also subjected to constraints (Box, 1979; Couclelis, 2000; Chawla, 2015; Zizopoulos, 2017), while optimal solutions are not always feasible (Madani, 2009; Read et. Al, 2015; Zizopoulos, 2017) and trade-offs are subjected to uncertainty and fuzziness (Giampietro, 2013; Zizopoulos, 2017). Moreover regarding standardized methodology and in conjuction to elaborated topic, the existence of a single and direct methodology could not fulfill the purpose of its creation due to the fact that reaching to conclusions can be achieved in many ways that are not necessary uniquely linked together or/and with the elaborated topic, while many important questions could receive multiple answers (D'Anieri, 2017). Indicative of such complexity is the fact that the set questions could be substituted by others equally matching, but nonidentical regarding their meaning. For example, the question "whether Turkey could at least seek and pursuit technological knowhow acquisition on nuclear weapons in connection to EU's climate mitigation and energy efficiency policies" could be substituted by "what are the motivations that at least might have driven Turkey's decisions". Another issue that should be taken into account is the constraint imposed by the author on not ending up to a universal rule for suggested linking between aforementioned policies and nuclear arms that will certainly fit studying other cases; which is the direct result of the inherited limitations from reductionism and induction. Thus, such linking in general is not considered a priori true, but in a case-by-case study could be used, by satisfying the determinant of similarities. So another similarity with models of game theory can be noticed. In particular, the produced model is as useful as the purpose for which it was constructed (Couclelis, 2000). Likewise, the validity of suggested linking primary concerns the two case studies (N. Korea & Turkey); of which it was build upon. However, methodology of this study could be inherited, while other cases can be constructed upon the findings of this study – as long as the aforementioned determinant is being satisfied and on the grounds of equally paid scientific attention – like a properly adjusted model could be used in other cases. Returning to limitations, the following two are also considered as critical. The first one has to do with the fact that the suggested linking is attempted thought cases that their developments either are taking place at present time or lying on the ground of future events. The latter, does not imply any intentions for this study to operate as an prejudice of future developments, but just to portray future developments that may occur within a rational framework. The second one, is in connection to N. Korea's studying and regarding the fact that it is characterized by a closed economy and society. Therefor the size of official open data publicly available for use is not considered as any significant (Ruediger, 2017), while the existing ones are only covering particular sectors and not fully. Thus, whichever data or information on data is being used by this study, have been taken from articles and other published means of communication or studies (official or not), and are characterized by the credibility and validity of the used sources. So, assessing suggested linking – if such was to be expressed in terms of uncertainty quantification – the notion of epistemic uncertainty is apparent. In order, to maintain "epistemic uncertainty" in manageable low levels and by that not to interfere with study's quality, the sources where filtered so that study's quality to be as sound as possible. Finally, returning to constraints imposed by author, to be noticed that building argumentation upon profiles of individuals is generally being avoided. This constraint should rather considered as author's providence and has been selected on purpose. Obviously such purpose has nothing to do with canceling the role of persons as agents. But let's better say why have this been selected. In one hand in a typical view of political realism, the fundamental entities are the states. On the other hand, it is a personal belief that the sovereign role of states represents the resultant of various factors, of which – but not alone – are personality and interests of natural entities. Thus, individuals' action and mentality is not by itself enough, albeit could be quite useful in order to explain attained shifts in foreign policy. Moreover, by such author's providence, is not realized the possibility of introducing errors by trying to estimate the magnitude of each person's contribution due to over- or under-estimation. While, fraudulent judgment on the influencing power in favor of particular persons against others, is being avoided. Besides, no matter how significant is the contribution of natural entities, still foreign policy does not change overnight. Unless maybe, in cases of regime's fall, coup d' etat, or popular revolution. For example from early "neo-ottomanism" of Turgut Ozal until the Davutoglu's doctrine of strategic depth, have passed approximately three decades (Taşpinar, 2011a). Or like N. Korea's nuclear programme did not initiated by Kim Jong Un, rather the latter is leading the accelarating effort to eventually produce nuclear weapons. Thus, a continuity in long term states' politics can be identified, which might be more or less loose, but directly connected with history, present situation and expectations for the future. # Conclusions Talking based in facts is needed, not garrulity. (Democritus) Having extensively explored the elaborated topic for the particular states, a review of main points would be shortly provided here. Initially, (Quod Erat Demonstrandum) identified the linking between China's energy efficiency and climate change policies with N. Korea's foreign policy and the accelerated effort of latter for entering into production of advanced nuclear weapon systems; during China's effort to uncouple its economy from coal and reduce its gas emissions. Nevertheless, linking operates in parallel with other preexisting factors and within a more stereotypical view of natural resources geopolitics, towards the same effect. Regarding preexisting factors and climate change, the role of climate change is apparent in a shifting geopolitical landscape in a study of Mou, et. Al (2017); albeit does not focus on policies of climate change and is not in connection with nuclear weapons. Besides, the chances of some kind of interplay between aforementioned policies with other preexisting factors should not be neglected anyway, due to complexity of international relations and the fact that states' strategy is not flat and requires a multidimensional approach while taking into consideration both bearing tools' capacity and the course of events. Afterwards, having illustrate the existence of suggested linkage in at least one case – while having in mind that a universal rule based in induction and reduction could not stand by itself alone – found similarities between Turkey and N. Korea allowed bridging the cases of these two states. Illustrated similarities led to conclusion of a parallel thinking between Turkey and N. Korea regarding the development of independent/domestic defense industry, as also about hard-power's capabilities. However, since parallel thinking is not considered equal to identical thinking, the need for invoking paradigms/models that might have influenced Turkey and the need for highlighting facts that generally support the case of domestic nuclear weapons production, were apparent. Having illustrated all above and a priori considering that Turkey already once have linked its foreign policy with EU's particular energy and climate change policies – during EU's shifting to natural gas – by adopting a strategy of transit country, what left to be shown is whether Turkey's foreign policy cannot only be connected with peaceful means but also through projection of national interests against those of those others. The latter, illustrated through studying examples of projected national interests and hydropolitics in the area of south-east Anatolia's dams. After that, can safely be concluded that, the linking – not only was confirmed for N. Korea's case, but also – fits the case study of Turkey's future entropy (Quod Erat Faciendum). In particular, EU's energy efficiency and climate change policies, could indeed contribute (among other factors) in Turkey's reflection upon the possibility or attempt to build nuclear weapons; in relation to EU's implemented transition to era of RES dominated energy mix and before Turkey's gas pipelines stop being a "strategic asset". Whether Turkey will finally decide in going after a future domestic production of nuclear weapons, and if yes, whether it would be sooner or not, is something that only history will surely tell us. However, is not considered as study's inexpediency if Turkey eventually manage to come to a point when will be able in relative short time (e.g. 6 months) to produce if wish as such and without having produce any up to then. And it is not a inexpediency, because by reaching to that point, has already passed through the stage of reflecting upon the possibility and because it will only be mater of time if ever decide that wishes to produce. Moreover, a subsequent entering into production phase or not, is not considered substantial for confirming concluded linking. The latter, because the build capacity for and the integrated proficiency in producing nuclear weapons, is enough for being used as a leverage and can produce significant results; if not equivalent as in case of entering production. Besides, since the early beginning, Turkey's propensity set on the ground of similar and not necessarily identical practices between N. Korea and Turkey. Of course, if readers are willing to follow developments, they should keep their-selves constantly updated and they should carefully assess information, since we are living in a rapid and dynamically shifting environment. Anyway, closing this study, the following three bullets should be pointed out. The first is that, never before have been identified the existence of suggested linking between energy efficiency and climate change policies of one state or union of states with the foreign policies of another country in terms of production of nuclear arms. Thus, this study has the right to bear the characterization of being novel; besides being original. The second is the introduced a new way of studying topics under the prism of international relations. In particular, initially introduced a theory to be checked up, and after being conclusively illustrated as valid for an occurring case, to be cross-checked upon a future hypothesized. Thus, this study's approach has the right to be characterized as innovative. Finally, the reader – after having finished reading this study – will be able to better understand geopolitical events that are connected to natural resources and energy. As also to better "read" international relations, albeit this is the result of adopting political realism as this study's method and not because it was part of set goals. Thus, not only promotes knowledge but also contribute in communicating knowledge with readers; even if aren't experts in the area. # Bibliography ## Greek Irakleidis, A. (2015). International relations and international politics (in Greek). Zografou, Athens. Hellenic Academic Libraries Link. National (Metsovian) Technical University of Athens. Iakovou, C. (2015). Hydropolitics as being part of Turkish high-level strategy (in Greek). Sigmalive News Cyprus. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.sigmalive.com/>. ## English AFTERGOOD, S., & KRISTENSEN H. M. (2007). Nuclear Weapons: Israel (Updated January 8, 2007). Federation of American Scientists (FAS). Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://fas.org/>. ADAMS M. (2000). Water and Security Policy: The Case of Turkey. National Defense University Press. USA, Washington. AL-MAKHZOOMI, K., & ALBDEEWY, A. (2017). Race to the sea: Qatar and the balance of power in the Middle East. openDemocracy. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.opendemocracy.net/>. ALAALDIN, R. (2016). Why the Turkey-KRG alliance works, for now. Al Jazeera. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/11/turkey-krg-alliance-161105141533661.html>. ALQALLAF, A. A. (2003). Water resources and security issues in the Middle East: the next arena of future conflicts. Carlisle Barracks, PA, U.S. Army War College. BACZYNSKA, G. (2016). EU grants 348 million euros in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.reuters.com/>. BAMBERGER, R. (2009). The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues. Ft. Belvoir, Defense Technical Information Center. <http://handle.dtic.mil/>. BBC. (2016). Mavi Marmara: Why did Israel stop the Gaza flotilla? British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) News. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.bbc.com/>. BENVENISTI, E. (2013). Water, Right to, International Protection. Oxford University Press. BERMUDEZ JR., J. S. (2015). North Korea's Exploration for Oil and Gas. 38 NORTH Programme. US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins - Paul H. Nitze SAIS. USA. Washington, D.C. <https://www.38north.org/>. BITZINGER, R. A. (2017). Does Japan Want to Be a Nuclear Power? The National Interest (TNI), bimonthly international affairs magazine. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://nationalinterest.org/>. BLAUWHOF, F. B. (2012). Overcoming accumulation: Is a capitalist steady-state economy possible? Ecological Economics. 84, 254-261. BORGER, J. (2014). The truth about Israel's secret nuclear arsenal. The Guardian Newspaper. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.theguardian.com/>. BOX, G. E. P. (1979). Robustness in the strategy of scientific model building. Madison, Wis, University of Wisconsin--Madison, Mathematics Research Center. BRONFENBRENNER, M. (1979). On the locomotive theory in international macroeconomics. Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv. 115, 38-50. BUNN, G., & PAYNE, R. A. (2007). Tit‐for‐tat and the negotiation of nuclear arms control. Arms Control. 9, 207-233. BURR, W., & KIMBALL, J. P. (2015). Nixon, Kissinger, and the Madman Strategy during Vietnam War: Nixon Wanted the "Other Side" to Think He and Kissinger "Might be Crazy" : Signalled Moscow and Hanoi By Pushing "So Many Chips in the Pot" to Suggest He "Might Really Go Further" Even to Nuclear Use. <http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/>. BYRNE, L. (2015). North Korea has 'excellent' oil and gas exploration potential. NK News. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.nknews.org//>. CAGAPTAY, S. (2011). Turkish foreign policy under the AKP the rift with Washington. Washington D.C., Washington Institute for Near East Policy. <http://nbn-resolving.de/>. CANES, M. E. (2015). Fossil Fuel Energy and Economic Wellbeing. George C. Marshall Institute. Arlington, Va. CARR, E. (1964). Twenty Years' Crisis, 1919-1939: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations, 116 & 141. CHALMERS, M., & LUNN, S. (2010). NATO's Tactical Nuclear Dilemma. Occasional Papers. Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). CHANDRAΝ, N. (2017). The worse North Korea acts, the more cash aid it gets. Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC). Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.cnbc.com/>. CHAWLA, K. (2015). Use of multi-criteria decision analysis for energy planning. University of Michigan. Theses and Dissertations. USA, Michigan, Ann Arbor. CHEN, X., SHAO, S., TIAN, Z., XIE, Z., & YIN, P. (2016). Impacts of air pollution and its spatial spillover effect on public health based on China's big data sample. Journal of Cleaner Production. CHOW, G. C. (2004). Economic Reform and Growth in China. ANNALS OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE. 5, 93-118. CHUNG, K.-Y. (2011). North Korea's Hedging Strategy and South Korea's Proactive Strategy. East Asia Institute. EAI Issue Briefing No. MASI 2011-02. CORDESMAN, A. H., & WAGNER, A. R. (1990). The lessons of modern war: volume II : the Iran-Iraq war. Boulder, Colo, Westview Press. COUCLELIS, H. (2000). "Modelling framework, paradigms and approaches", In Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Modelling. CLARKE, K. C.; PARKS, B. E.; & CRANE M. P. (editors). New York, Longman & Co. Press. D'ANIERI, P. J. (2017). International politics: power and purpose in global affairs. Australia, Wadsworth. <https://books.google.gr/>. DAHL, ERIK J. (2001). Naval Innovation: From Coal to Oil. National Defense Univ Washington Dc Inst For National Strategic Studies. <http://oai.dtic.mil/>. DARIO, C. (2009). Living with a Nuclear Mediterranean? Risks and Perspectives for the EU. Paper was presented at the European Security and Defence Forum (ESDF). European Security and Defence Forum Workshop 2: New Transnational Security Challenges and Responses. DİNÇ, C. (2011). Turkey as a New Security Actor in the Middle East: Beyond the Slogans. PERCEPTIONS, Summer 2011, Volume XVI, Number 2, pp. 61-80. DINÇER, O. B., & HECAN M. (2016). The Changing Geo-strategy of Turkey's Foreign Policy Along its Southern Border. Institute for Strategic Dialogue. London, UK. DOMBE, A. R. (2015). Turkey's Nuclear Aspirations. Israel Defense News. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.israeldefense.co.il/>. DORIAN, J. (2006). More Nuclear Power at the Black Sea?. Qantara.de portal. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://en.qantara.de/>. DW. (2017). Turkey extends state of emergency by three months. Deutsche Welle (DW). Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.dw.com/en/>. EEA. (2016). Trends and projections in Europe 2016 - Tracking progress towards Europe's climate and energy targets. European Environment Agency (EEA) regular indicator report. Luxembourg, Off. for Official Publ. of the Europ. Communities. <https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/climate/trends-and-projections-in-europe>. EIA. (2017). International analysis: Korea, North (Last Updated: May 2017). Energy Information Administration (EIA). Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.eia.gov/>. ELLERMAN, A. D., & JOSKOW P. L. (2008). The European Union's Emissions Trading System in Perspective. Arlington, VA: Pew Center on Global Climate Change. EUROPEAN COMMISSION. (2007). Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Limiting global climate change to 2 degrees Celsius : the way ahead for 2020 and beyond. COM(2007) 2 final. Luxembourg, EUR-OP. EUROPEAN COMMISSION. (2014). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: A policy framework for climate and energy in the period from 2020 to 2030. COM(2014) 15 final. FEDCHENKO, V. T. (2009). North Korea's nuclear test explosion, 2009. SIPRI Fact Sheet, December 2009. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. FOSTER J.B. (2011). Capitalism and degrowth - An impossibility theorem. Monthly Review. 62, 26-33. <https://monthlyreview.org/>. FOZOYNI, B. (1995). Confutation of Political Realism. International Studies Quarterly. 39, 4, 481 & 496. FUCHS, M. H. (2017). Donald Trump's doctrine of unpredictability has the world on edge. The Guardian Newspaper. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.theguardian.com/>. GAO, J., YAO, Y., ZHU, V. C., SUN, L., & LIN, L. (2011). Service-oriented manufacturing: a new product pattern and manufacturing paradigm. JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING. 22, 435-446. GARNAUT, R., & SONG, L. (2012). China: twenty years of economic reform. Acton, A.C.T., ANU E Press. GAUSE, F. G. (2001). Iraq and the Gulf War: decision-making in Baghdad. [New York], Columbia University Press. <https://www.files.ethz.ch/>. GIAMPIETRO, M. (2013). An innovative accounting framework for the food-energy-water nexus: application of the MuSIASEM approach to three case studies. GLASER, B., & STRAUSS, A. L. (1967). Discovery of Grounded Theory Strategies for Qualitative Research. Somerset, Taylor and Francis. <http://www.sxf.uevora.pt/>. GRAHAM, T. A., Jr. (2013). North Korea's Lesson: Nukes for Sale. The New York Times. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/>. GU, A. (1997). China's economic reform and industry sector energy requirement: A forecast to 2015. GULLO, M. (2016). Turkey's Power Play: The Creation of an Indigenous Military Industry and its Neo-Ottoman Offensive. V, 6, 14 – 73. Centre for Policy and Research on Turkey. UK, London. HANISH, S. (2013). The 1990 Gulf Crisis: Political Realism Applied. Journal of International Relations and Foreign Policy, 1(1), 01-16. HATEM R., & DOHRMANN M. (2013). Ankara's challenges: Turkey's fix for the kurdish problem. Middle East Quarterly. 20, 49-58. HE, G., FAN, M., & ZHOU, M. (2016). The effect of air pollution on mortality in China: Evidence from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. 79, 18-39 HELM, D. (2009). EU Climate-change Policy—A Critique. Smith School Working Paper Series. HENDERSON C., RANPING SONG, JOFFE P. & WRI (2017). China's Decline in Coal Consumption Drives Global Slowdown in Emissions. World Resources Institute (WRI). Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.wri.org/>. HOFSTADTER, D. (2008). Metamagical themas: questing for the essence of mind and pattern. New York, Basic Books. HUBBERT, M. K. (1974). U.S. energy resources, a review as of 1972 a background paper. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off. IBP. (2014). US Assistance to Turkey Handbook Volume 2 Defense, Security Cooperation and Assistance. International Business Publications Inc. USA, Washinghton. IDIZ, S. (2017). Turkey faces Kurdish quandary in Iraq, Syria. Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.al-monitor.com/>. JAMES, H. (1996). International monetary cooperation since Bretton Woods. <http://public.eblib.com/> JAPAN TIMES (2017). Quake risk for Japanese-French nuclear plant in Turkey lowered to keep costs down, sources say. The Japan Times Newspaper. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.japantimes.co.jp/>. JEWELL, J., & ATES, S. A. (2015). Introducing nuclear power in Turkey: A historic state strategy and future prospects. Energy Research & Social Science. 10, 273-282. JONES, R. W. (2009). Security, strategy, and critical theory. Boulder, Col. [u.a.], Rienner. JONGERDEN, J. (2010). Dams and Politics in Turkey: Utilizing Water, Developing Conflict. Middle East Policy. 17, 137-143. JOSEPH, R. G., & REICHART, J. F. (1998). The Case for Nuclear Deterrence Today. ORBIS. 42, 7-19. JUDSON, J., & STAVINS R. N. (2008). Linkage of Tradable Permit Systems in International Climate Policy Architecture. Cambridge, Mass: National Bureau of Economic Research. KALIBER, A. (2014). Europeanization in Turkey: In Search of a New Paradigm of Modernization. Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies. 16, 30-46. KAPSARC. (2016a). Energy Relations and Policy Making in Asia: A Brief Summary of the Book. Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). KAPSARC. (2016b). Step by Step: The Reform of China's Energy Economy. Outcome of KAPSARC's 4th Energy Workshop Series on China's Energy Policies. Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). KEOHANE, R. O. (1984). After hegemony: cooperation and discord in the world political economy. Princeton, N.J, Princeton University Press. KIBAROGLU, A., SCHEUMANN, W., & KRAMER, A. (2014). Turkey's Water Policy National Frameworks and International Cooperation. Berlin, Springer Berlin. KIBAROGLU, M. (2014). Between Allies and Rivals: Turkey, Nuclear Weapons, and BMD. Proliferation Papers 49. Institut Français des Relations Internationales (Ifri). France, Paris. KINGSLEY, P. (2016). Refugee crisis: What does the EU's deal with Turkey mean? The Guardian Newspaper. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.theguardian.com/>. KLEIN, B. S. (1994). Strategic Studies and World Order: the Global Politics of Deterrence. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511559037. KUEH, J. S. H., PUAH, C. H., & MATTIAS, M. L. (2010). Economic Integration between ASEAN+ 5 Countries: Comparison of GDP. LANʹKOV, A. N. (2015). The real North Korea: life and politics in the failed Stalinist utopia. New York, Oxford University Press. LARGE, J. H. (2016). Τhe actual and potential development of nuclear weapons technology in the area of North East Asia. Large & Associates, for Greanpece International. Ref No. R3126-A1. UK, London. <http://www.largeassociates.com/> LARRABEE, F. S. (2007). Turkey rediscovers the Middle East. Foreign Affairs. 86, 103-114. <https://www.foreignaffairs.com/>. LATOUCHE, S. (2006). The Globe Downshifted. Le Monde Diplomatique (English edition). Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://kit.mondediplo.com/>. LEBOW, R. N., & RISSE, T. (1997). International relations theory and the end of the Cold War. New York, Columbia University Press. http://www.ciaonet.org/book/lebow/. LEGRO, J. W., & MORAVCSIK, A. (1999). Is anybody still a realist? International Security. 5-55. LESTER, L. (2016). Energy Relations and Policy Making in Asia. <https://apps.uqo.ca/LoginSigparb/LoginPourRessources.aspx?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1094-1>. LOEWENDAHL-ERTUGAL, E. (2005). Europeanisation of Regional Policy and Regional Governance: The Case of Turkey. http://aei.pitt.edu/6094/. LSM. (2016). PM: Better pay Turkey than risk uncontrolled refugee flow. LSM, Latvian Public Proadcasting Portal. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/pm-better-pay-turkey-than-risk-uncontrolled-refugee-flow.a173020/>. LUFT, G., & KORIN, A. (2009). Energy security challenges for the 21st century: a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif, Praeger Security International. MADANI, K. (2010). Game theory and water resources. JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY -AMSTERDAM-. 381, 225-238. MAI, Y., ADAMS, P., DIXON, P., & MENON, J. (2010). The Growth Locomotive of the People's Republic of China: Macro and Terms-of-Trade Impacts on Neighboring Countries. ASIAN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW. 27, 82-121. MAIDMENT, J. (2017). UK 'gave millions in foreign aid' to North Korean regime now threatening nuclear war. The Telegraph. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/>. MANSOUROV, A. (2014). Kim Jong Un's Nuclear Doctrine and Strategy: What Everyone Needs to Know". NAPSNet Special Reports. Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://nautilus.org/>. MARIANI, L. (2017). Assessing North Korea's Nuclear and Missile Programmes: Implications for Seoul and Washington. Institutu Affari Internazionaly (IAI). Working Papers, 17. MCCURDY, D. (2008). Turkish-Iranian relations: when opposites attract. Volume 7 Number 2. Turkish Policy Quarterly. MEADOWS, D. H. (1972). The limits to the Growth. A report for the Club of Rome's project on the predicament of mankind. New York. Universe Books. MEARSHEIMER, J. J. (2013). Structural Realism. International Relations Theories : Discipline and Diversity. 77-93. MEMRI,(2017a). Sensationalist Pro-Erdogan Turkish Daily Calls For Nuclear Weapons, A Stop To Fighting ISIS. MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6845. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.memri.org/>. MEMRI,(2017b). Erdoğan's Cleric Calls For Turkish Nuclear Weapons. MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6857. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.memri.org/>. MILANI, A. (2010). The Shah's Atomic Dreams. Foreign Policy News Magazine. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://foreignpolicy.com/>. MOORE, S. (2014). India's Role in the International Climate Negotiations. The Brookings Institution. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.brookings.edu/>. MORAVCSIK, A. (1992). Liberalism and international relations theory. [Cambridge, Mass.], Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. MORGENTHAU, H. J. (1952). Another "Great Debate": The National Interest of the United States. American Political Science Review. 46, 961-988. MOU, C., WANG, L., FANG, Y., QU, Q., & YANG, Y. (2017). Assessment of Geopolitical Influence Based on Climate Change. J Geogr Nat Disast 7: 201. doi: 10.4172/2167-0587.1000201. NARANG, V. (2014). Nuclear strategy in the modern era: regional powers and international conflict. NASR, J. (2017). Germany warns Turkey it will never join EU while Erdogan remains in charge. The Independent. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.independent.co.uk/>. NORRIE, D. (2013). Made in China, Mined in Australia: Interdependency and Business-Cycle Transmission between Chinese and Australian Industries. Murdoch University. O'BRIEN, Z. (2017). NUCLEAR TURKEY? Imam close to Erdogan calls for weapons NOW amid tensions with EU. Daily Express. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.express.co.uk/news/>. OECD. (1973). OECD Economic Outlook, Volume 1973 Issue 2. OECD Publishing; Éditions OCDE. OECD. (2011). Green Growth Studies. OECD Publishing; Éditions OCDE. OECD. (2012a). Green Growth and Developing Countries. Consultation Draft. OECD Publishing; Éditions OCDE. OECD. (2012b). Towards Green Growth. OECD Publishing; Éditions OCDE. OECD. (2014). Towards green growth in Southeast Asia. OECD Publishing; Éditions OCDE. ÖZÇELIK, A. O, A. O. (2011). The Europeanization of Sub‐National Entities in Turkey: Towards the Multi Level Polity? A Paper Presented at New Frontiers in European Studies: UACES Student Forum 12th Annual Conference. PARK, B. (2011). Modern Turkey: people, state, and foreign policy in a globalised world. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, [England], Routledge. PENNEY, M. T., FORD H. P., & NYREN, P. (2013). President Nixon and the role of intelligence in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. United States, Center For The Study Of Intelligence (U.S.), Richard Nixon Foundation, & Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum. PERLEZ, J. (2016). Few Expect China to Punish North Korea for Latest Nuclear Test. The New York Times. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.nytimes.com/> PETERS, J. E., & DESHONG, H. (1995). Out of area or out of reach?: European military support for operations in southwest Asia. Santa Monica, CA, Rand. PICKERING, J., VANDERHEIDEN, S., & MILLER, S. (2012). "If Equity's In, We're Out": Scope for Fairness in the Next Global Climate Agreement. Ethics & International Affairs. 26, 423-443. PITEL, L. (2017). Erdogan dares Brussels to kill EU accession talks. Financial Times. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.ft.com/>. PRING, G. W., & BANAEI, S. (2015). Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (last updated January 2008). Oxford University Press. READ, L., MADANI, K., & INANLOO, B. (2014). Optimality versus stability in water resource allocation. Journal of Environmental Management. 133, 343-354. REGO, M. (2015). North Korea - Hydrocarbon Exploration and Potential. Geoexpro. 12, 4, 22-27. <https://www.geoexpro.com/> REUTERS. (2009). World reaction to North Korea rocket launch. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.reuters.com/>. REUTERS. (2015a). China says to cut power sector emissions by 60 percent by 2020. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.reuters.com/>. REUTERS. (2015b). EU chiefs launch biggest energy shake-up in half century. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://uk.reuters.com/>. REUTERS. (2017a). Turkey jails two commanders for life in first ruling over coup attempt. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.reuters.com/> REUTERS. (2017b). Turkish government extends state of emergency rule for another 3 months. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.reuters.com/>. REUTERS. (2017c). Turkey no longer needs EU membership but won't quit talks - Erdogan. Reuters News Agency. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.reuters.com/>. REVEL, D. (2011). EU Emissions Trading System: failing at the third attempt. Energieclimat. RIEGERT, B. (2017). Can Merkel push the EU toward a new Turkey policy?. Deutsche Welle. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.dw.com/en/>. ROBINSON, D. (2015). EU ready to pay €3bn bill for Turkey's help with migrants. Financial Times. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.ft.com/content/100baae2-8964-11e5-9f8c-a8d619fa707c>. ROBIOU DU PONT, Y., JEFFERY, M.L., GÜTSCHOW, J., ROGELJ, J., CHRISTOFF, P., & MEINSHAUSEN, M. (2017). Equitable mitigation to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. NPG. http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/. RUEDIGER, F. (2017). Economic Sanctions and the Nuclear Issue: Lessons From North Korean Trade. 38 NORTH Programme. US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins - Paul H. Nitze SAIS. USA. Washington, D.C. <https://www.38north.org/>. RUSSETT, B. (2001). Grasping the Democratic Peace: Principles for a Post-Cold War World. Princeton, Princeton University Press. RYNNING, S., PARK, B., & DORMAN, A. (2015). Trouble on Europe's Periphery: Q&A. Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs. SAGAN, S. D. (1997). Why Do States Build Nuclear Weapons? Three Models in Search of a Bomb. International Security. 21, 54-86. SENGUPTA, A. (2014). Eurasianism or Neo-Ottomanism: The Neighborhood in Turkish Foreign Policy. SHANE, S. (2015). North Korea's Evolving Nuclear Strategy. US-Korea Institute at SAIS SHUKLA, P. R., GARG, A., & DHOLAKIA, H. H. (2015). Energy-emissions trends and policy landscape for India. SIGAL, L. V. (1998). Disarming strangers: nuclear diplomacy with North Korea. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. SIGNORINO, C. S. (2016). Simulating International Cooperation under Uncertainty. Journal of Conflict Resolution. 40, 152-205. SILBERSTEIN, B. K. (2016). A Closer Look at the New North Korea Sanctions. The Diplomat Magazine. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://thediplomat.com/>. SINIVER, A. (2013). The Yom Kippur War: politics, legacy, diplomacy. <http://public.eblib.com/>. SIPRI. (2012). SIPRI yearbook 2012: armaments, disarmament and international security. STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. <http://www.sipriyearbook.org/>. SIPRI. (2015). SIPRI yearbook 2015: armaments, disarmament and international security. STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE.Oxford University Press. <https://www.sipri.org/>. SMITH, R. (2010). Beyond growth or beyond capitalism?. Real‐world Economics Review, (53) SOUTH KOREA. (2001). Defense: facilities and areas and the status of United States armed forces : agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea amending the agreement of July 9, 1966, as amended ; signed at Seoul, January 18, 2001 ; and amendments to the agreed minutes to the agreement of July 9, 1966, as amended ; signed at Seoul, January 18, 2001. [Washington, D.C.], US Dept. of State. <http://purl.access.gpo.gov/>. SOUTH KOREA. (2012). Defense status of forces : agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea, signed at Seoul, October 26, 2004, and memorandum of agreement, signed at Seoul, October 26, 2004, with annex. [Washington, D.C.], US Dept. of State. <http://purl.fdlp.gov/>. SRIVASTAVA, M. (2016). Turkey to extend state-of-emergency by 90 days. Financial Times. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.ft.com/>. STEIN, A. (2014). Turkey's Space Policy. EDAM Discussion Paper Series 2014/3. <http://www.edam.org.tr/>. STEWART, A. (1999). Glimmers of hope seen in North Korean basins, markets. Oil & Gas Journal. Accessed 21 September 2017. <http://www.ogj.com/>. STRATFOR. (2016). Dams Power Turkey's Conflict With the Kurds. Stratfor Geopolitical Intelligence Platform and Publisher. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://worldview.stratfor.com/>. SU, F., & SAALMAN. L. (2017). China's engagement of North Korea. Challenges and Opportunities for Europe. STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE.Oxford University Press. <https://www.sipri.org/>. Sullivan, K., & Tumulty, K. (2017). Trump promised an 'unpredictable' foreign policy. To allies, it looks incoherent. The Washington Post. . Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/>. TAŞPINAR, Ö. (2011a). The Three Strategic Visions of Turkey. US-Europe Analysis Series Number 50. Center for United States and Europe at Brookings. TAŞPINAR, Ö. (2011b). The Rise of Turkish Gaullism: Getting Turkish-American Relations Right. Insight Turkey, 13, 1, 2011, 11-17. TAYLOR, A. (2017). Why doesn't South Korea have nuclear weapons? For a time, it pursued them. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/> THE WHITE HOUSE (2009). Statement by the President: North Korea launch. The White House, Office of the Press Secretary. Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/> THRUSH, G. & LANDLER, M. (2017). Bold, Unpredictable Foreign Policy Lifts Trump, but Has Risks. The New York Times. Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.nytimes.com/> TOCCI, N. (2014). Turkey and the European Union: A Journey in the Unknown. Turkey project policy paper, 5. Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE). Brookings. USA, Washington. U.S. EIA. (2015). China. International energy data and analysis. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Accessed 10 September 2017. <https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/analysis_includes/countries_long/China/china.pdf>. U.S. SENATE. (1945). Petroleum Agreement with Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 78th Congress. 2nd Session. Washington D.C., U.S. Govt. Print. Off (GPO). ÜLGEN, S. (2017). Negotiating Brexit: The Prospect of a UK-Turkey Partnership. Turkey project policy paper, 11. Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE). Brookings. USA, Washington. UNDERDAL, A., & WEI, T. (2015). Distributive fairness: A mutual recognition approach. Environmental Science and Policy. 51, 35-44. USGS. (2017). Assessment of Undiscovered Conventional Oil and Gas Resources in the West Korea Bay–North Yellow Sea Basin, North Korea and China, 2017. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Fact Sheet 2017–3041, July 2017. <https://pubs.usgs.gov/>. VAN HEUVELEN, B. (2013). Iraq's Kurdish region pursues ties with Turkey — for oil and independence. The Washington Post. . Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iraqs-kurdish-region-pursues-ties-with-turkey--for-oil-and-independence/2013/11/09/ffae210a-41a5-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_story.html>. WALTZ, K. N. (1979). Theory of international politics. New York, Random House. WALTZ, K. N. (2000). Structural realism after the Cold War. International Security. 5-41. WALTZ, K. N., & SAGAN, S. D. (2010). The Great Debate: Is Nuclear Zero the best option? Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://nationalinterest.org/greatdebate/nuclear-option-3949>. WASINGER, C. E. (2015). Peace Be Dammed? Water Power and Water Politics in the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. Honors Projects. Paper 39. Bowdoin College. WIGEN, E. (2009). Turkish neo-ottomanism:a turn to the middle east?. Security Policy Library 3-2009. Den norske Atlanterhavskomité. WINDREM, R. (2014). Japan Has Nuclear 'Bomb in the Basement,' and China Isn't Happy. Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC). Accessed 21 September 2017. <https://www.nbcnews.com/>. WNA. (2017). Nuclear Power in Turkey (Updated 21 June 2017). World Nuclear Association (WNA) Organization. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.world-nuclear.org/>. WNN. (2016). Turkey plans grid connection to serve Akkuyu project. World Nuclear News (WNN). Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/>. WU, S., NI, Y., LI, H., PAN, L., YANG, D., BACCARELLI, A. A., DENG, F., CHEN, Y., SHIMA, M., & GUO, X. (2016). Short-term exposure to high ambient air pollution increases airway inflammation and respiratory symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in Beijing, China. Environment International. 94, 76-82. XIA, Y., GUAN, D., JIANG, X., PENG, L., SCHROEDER, H., & ZHANG, Q. (2016). Assessment of socioeconomic costs to China's air pollution. Atmospheric Environment XIAOYAN, W. (2014). China's "Sea Power Nation" strategy. Stockholm, Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP). YANAROCAK, H. E. C. (2016). No Strings Attached: Turkey's Arms Projects as a Foreign Policy Tool. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://dayan.org/>. YONHAP. (2016a). China's imports from N. Korea tumble in Q1. Yonhap News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/> YONHAP. (2016b). N. Korea's economic reliance on China deepens in 2015. Yonhap News Agency. Accessed 10 September 2017. <http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/>. ZIZOPOULOS, G. (2017). Water-Energy Nexus, Putting Pieces Together: Critical Review And Perspectives. <http://hdl.handle.net/11544/15285>.

Pratap Chandra Sarangi was introduced to India as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician who leads an austere life in a mud house. We like such stories. We may aspire to huge houses and cars and foreign education for our children, but we admire those who sacrifice materialism for simplicity. But who is Sarangi? For all that he lived in a mud hut, he is part of the large Hindu supremacist family of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). In his home state of Odisha, he furthered India’s sectarian divide, pushed the idea of Hindu supremacy and with that, violence against Muslims, Christians and other minorities. In 1999, when Sarangi was head of the Bajrang Dal, a militant wing of the RSS, Graham Staines, an Australian missionary, and his two sons were burnt alive in Odisha, allegedly by the Bajrang Dal, although an inquiry found no evidence of no evidence of one group’s responsibility for the attack, and instead individuals thought to be “active sympathisers” of the Bajrang Dal and the BJP were charged. Is it mud houses that make you win elections and get ministerial posts? Or is it a murky past? Indian General Election 2019 Show all 10 1 /10 Indian General Election 2019 Indian General Election 2019 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah (R) welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) at BJP headquarters prior to a ceremony to thank the Union council of Ministers for their contribution in India's general election, in New Delhi on May 21, 2019 AFP/Getty Indian General Election 2019 An Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter shouts slogans and holds the party flag as he celebrates on the vote results day for India's general election in New Delhi on May 23, 2019. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked on course on May 23 for a major victory in India's election, with early trends from the election commission showing a clear lead for his party. AFP/Getty Images Indian General Election 2019 Indian election officials count votes using electronic voting machines at a counting center for the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) election, in Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, India, 23 May 2019. The parliamentary elections, which began on 11 April 2019, were held in seven phases throughout India and are currently being tabulated. The Lok Sabha elections were held for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, and a party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. EPA Indian General Election 2019 Indian supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dance as they celebrate on the vote results day for India's general election in Siliguri on May 23, 2019. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked on course on May 23 for a major victory in India's election, with early trends from the election commission showing a clear lead for his party. AFP/Getty Images Indian General Election 2019 Indian supporters and party workers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dance as they celebrate on the vote results day for India's general election in Bangalore on May 23, 2019. - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked on course on May 23 for a major victory in the world's biggest election, with early trends suggesting his Hindu nationalist party will win a bigger majority even than 2014. AFP/Getty Images Indian General Election 2019 Indian supporters and party workers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dance and hold flags as they celebrate on the vote results day for India's general election in Bangalore on May 23, 2019. - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked on course on May 23 for a major victory in the world's biggest election, with early trends suggesting his Hindu nationalist party will win a bigger majority even than 2014. AFP/Getty Images Indian General Election 2019 An Indian member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) shouts slogans and shows portraits of party president M.K. Stalin as she celebrates on the vote results day for India's general election in Chennai on May 23, 2019. - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked on course on May 23 for a major victory in the world's biggest election, with early trends suggesting his Hindu nationalist party will win a bigger majority even than 2014. AFP/Getty Images Indian General Election 2019 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters, wearing masks dipicting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, celebrate BJP's potential win in the the Lok Sabha election the Lok Sabha elections, in Amritsar, India, 23 May 2019. The Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, elections, which began on 11 April 2019, is having the results tallied today. The Lok Sabha elections were held for 542 of the 543 lower house seats, and a party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. According to initial polling Narendra Modi could retain the position of Prime Minister along with the Bhartya Janta Party. EPA Indian General Election 2019 A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter wears a mask dipicting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he celebrates BJP's potential win in the the Lok Sabha election the Lok Sabha elections, in Amritsar, India, 23 May 2019. The Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, elections, which began on 11 April 2019, is having the results tallied today. The Lok Sabha elections were held for 542 of the 543 lower house seats, and a party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. According to initial polling Narendra Modi could retain the position of Prime Minister along with the Bhartya Janta Party EPA Indian General Election 2019 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate in their party's Assam state office in Gauhati, India, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party have a commanding lead in early vote counting from the country's six-week general election. AP In today’s India, after the return to power of Narendra Modi and his BJP with their huge mandate, violence has been let loose, with “Jai Shri Ram” – a slogan that roughly translates to “Hail Lord Ram”, a Hindu god – being used as a death threat instead of a salutation. In the last five years of Modi rule, we have had lynchings of Muslims and the lower castes across India by Hindu mobs, ostensibly for the “protection” of the holy cow. In his second term, we’ve shifted gears to forcing people, of whatever religion, to declare the glory of the god Rama and Hinduism. And when I say “force”, I mean kill. Tabrez Ansari, 22, was caught by a crowd in the BJP-ruled state of Jharkhand on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle, on 18 June. He was tied to a tree and beaten within an inch of his life. And while he was being thrashed, the crowd established his religion – Muslim – and then began the demands for “Jai Shri Ram”. Ansari was then arrested, yes, arrested, and taken into judicial custody. On Saturday, June 23, he died in a local hospital after he complained that he felt unwell. The BJP-ruled central government has been largely silent. Party functionaries who have spoken claimed that there was no connection with “Jai Shri Ram” and Tabrez’s death. And yet, there is video evidence, graphic and chilling, of a crowd filled with blood lust, violently beating Ansari and yes, of forcing him to say, “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hanuman”. Independent Minds Events: get involved in the news agenda Since the BJP returned to power at the centre, Ansari’s plight, though the most brutal, became one of several stories. Here’s another: A Muslim teacher is attacked in a train in Kolkata, for being Muslim. He’s heckled to say, “Jai Shri Ram”, even if Ram is not really Bengal’s most popular deity from the enormous Hindu pantheon. He refuses, is beaten by the mob and forced to get off the train at the next station. And that’s not all. In the run-up to May’s general elections and after the results were declared, Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of Bengal, was constantly heckled by BJP mobs to shout, “Jai Shri Ram”. Modi as prime minister had two options: to be the reformist PM he was sold as, or to take further the agenda of the party he belongs to, to make India a theocratic Hindu country. The last five years saw economic collapse and fraudulent claims. So now we are on to Plan B, or should that be Plan A, since the original plan of Hindu supremacists since the 1920s was that India should be a Hindu country? The constitution we adopted is of a secular India, but that is a total anathema to the RSS way of thought. So, are we at the beginning of the end? Sarangi in his first speech in parliament asked why people who refused to chant Hindu slogans should be allowed to live in India. As Ansari discovered with his life, these Hindu mobs who move around with apparent impunity, mean what they say. With an opposition in disarray since the election results, if civil society doesn’t wake up now, this will be the future.

BEIJING — Deadly rain that battered the nation’s capital over the weekend has left the Chinese government knee-deep in its latest credibility crisis. Authorities are accused of underreporting the number of dead while failing to provide adequate infrastructure to safeguard against flooding in a swiftly modernizing metropolis. The official death count in Saturday’s downpour, described as the heaviest in more than 60 years, was 37 people. The deluge paralyzed Beijing’s outdated drainage system, flooding wide swaths of the city, toppling homes, downing power lines and trapping an unknown number of motorists in submerged vehicles. Fangshan, a rural district on the southwestern edge of Beijing, was inundated by a torrent of muddy floodwater, raising suspicion that hundreds of dead may still be unaccounted for. A stretch of the G4 expressway leading through the area was under several feet of brown water and dozens of vehicles were submerged. “Who cares about us?” Wang Jianxue told a Hong Kong broadcaster Monday while searching for his brother in a flooded Fangshan ditch. “I called police. No one cared. The next morning I came here myself looking for my brother.” When his corpse emerged, police rushed to the scene, stripped to their underwear in front of a crowd of reporters and waded into the water as Wang wailed in anguish. The collective frustration of millions of Chinese is being shared on the country’s frenetic Twitter-like microblogging platforms, outpacing the ability of censors to scrub away criticism of the government’s response to the rainstorm. China’s leaders faced a similar situation a year ago when two high-speed trains collided in the southern city of Wenzhou, killing dozens of people. Then, as now, the public questioned the accuracy of the death toll and the competency of the rescue effort. The government also drew criticism for ignoring safety issues as the nation undergoes rapid modernization. “This catastrophe could surpass the 2003 SARS outbreak in its test of the Beijing leadership, especially as it is now playing out in real time on [microblogs], a service which has become digital sulfuric acid to the government’s credibility,” Bill Bishop, a widely followed Beijing-based tech consultant, wrote on his blog Wednesday. The city has defended its efforts, saying tens of thousands of rescue workers were deployed. Officials also pledged to upgrade Beijing’s sewer system and to disclose any further fatalities. State media reported Wednesday that Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong and Vice Mayor Ji Lin had resigned without explanation. Although some wondered whether the rainstorm response had cost them their jobs, Guo had been tapped for promotion as the city’s party secretary this month, suggesting the move was a routine reassignment. Now, acting Mayor Wang Anshun will be responsible for defusing rising anger in the city of 20 million people. Some residents question how urban planners behind one of the world’s most modern skylines could neglect to anticipate the threat of flooding. They accused the government of spending freely on vanity projects for the 2008 Olympics while ignoring the city’s infrastructure. “The government always talks about urbanization, but once your city has been urbanized you still can’t handle a rainstorm?” asked Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociology professor at People’s University in Beijing. “This means we have to pay more attention to balanced development and growth. You have to consider the environment and safety.” Further infuriating some observers is Beijing’s solicitation of donations for a disaster fund. The gesture reinforced long-held criticism that China was unwilling to share its riches with ordinary citizens. “In just one month, China poured $43 billion into the IMF… and pledged $20 billion to Africa,” wrote a microblogger named Hailuoying. “But right after they gave out all the money for nothing, they immediately called on people for donations. You really think all Chinese people are fools?” More heavy rain is expected this week across large portions of China; the official nationwide death toll for the storms now stands at 95. On Wednesday, Beijing’s city government sent text messages to residents warning of an imminent storm. Some companies sent employees home early. Some residents have begun sharing maps on the Internet aimed at identifying areas of the city prone to flooding. Online sales of a special hammer for breaking automobile glass have soared. The Beijing Times ran a feature testing different methods for escaping from a submerged car. The conclusion: Kicking at a window or stabbing at it with headrest prongs was ineffective. Best to buy a hammer and store it in the car. “I think Chinese people understand you can’t rely on gods or an emperor,” said Zhou, the sociologist. “You can’t trust that a savior will come. You need to rely on yourself.” [email protected] Tommy Yang of The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

;;; flycheck-buttercup.el --- Flycheck: Extensions to Buttercup -*- lexical-binding: t; -*- ;; Copyright (C) 2017 Flycheck contributors ;; Copyright (C) 2016 Sebastian Wiesner and Flycheck contributors ;; Author: Sebastian Wiesner <[email protected]> ;; Maintainer: Clément Pit-Claudel <[email protected]> ;; fmdkdd <[email protected]> ;; Keywords: lisp, tools ;; This file is not part of GNU Emacs. ;; This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify ;; it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by ;; the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or ;; (at your option) any later version. ;; This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, ;; but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of ;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the ;; GNU General Public License for more details. ;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License ;; along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>. ;;; Commentary: ;; Extensions to Buttercup to write BDD tests for Flycheck. ;; ;; Buttercup is a BDD testing framework for Emacs, see URL ;; `https://github.com/jorgenschaefer/emacs-buttercup/'. Flycheck uses ;; Buttercup extensively for new tests. ;; ;; This library provides extensions to Buttercup to write Specs for Flycheck. ;; ;; * Custom matchers ;; ;; (expect 'foo :to-be-local) - Is `foo' a local variable in the current buffer? ;;; Code: (require 'buttercup) (require 'flycheck) (require 'seq)  ;;; Buttercup helpers (defun flycheck-buttercup-format-error-list (errors) "Format ERRORS into a human-readable string." (mapconcat (lambda (e) (flycheck-error-format e 'with-file-name)) errors "\n"))  ;;; Data matchers (buttercup-define-matcher :to-be-empty-string (s) (let ((s (funcall s))) (if (equal s "") (cons t (format "Expected %S not be an empty string" s)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S to be an empty string" s))))) (buttercup-define-matcher :to-match-with-group (re s index match) (let* ((re (funcall re)) (s (funcall s)) (index (funcall index)) (match (funcall match)) (matches? (string-match re s)) (result (and matches? (match-string index s)))) (if (and matches? (equal result match)) (cons t (format "Expected %S not to match %S with %S in group %s" re s match index)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S to match %S with %S in group %s, %s" re s match index (if matches? (format "but got %S" result) "but did not match"))))))  ;;; Emacs feature matchers (buttercup-define-matcher :to-be-live (buffer) (let ((buffer (get-buffer (funcall buffer)))) (if (buffer-live-p buffer) (cons t (format "Expected %S not to be a live buffer, but it is" buffer)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S to be a live buffer, but it is not" buffer))))) (buttercup-define-matcher :to-be-visible (buffer) (let ((buffer (get-buffer (funcall buffer)))) (cond ((and buffer (get-buffer-window buffer)) (cons t (format "Expected %S not to be a visible buffer, but it is" buffer))) ((not (bufferp buffer)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S to be a visible buffer, but it is not a buffer" buffer))) (t (cons nil (format "Expected %S to be a visible buffer, but it is not visible" buffer)))))) (buttercup-define-matcher :to-be-local (symbol) (let ((symbol (funcall symbol))) (if (local-variable-p symbol) (cons t (format "Expected %S not to be a local variable, but it is" symbol)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S to be a local variable, but it is not" symbol))))) (buttercup-define-matcher :to-contain-match (buffer re) (let ((buffer (funcall buffer)) (re (funcall re))) (if (not (get-buffer buffer)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S to contain a match of %s, \ but is not a buffer" buffer re)) (with-current-buffer buffer (save-excursion (goto-char (point-min)) (if (re-search-forward re nil 'noerror) (cons t (format "Expected %S to contain a match \ for %s, but it did not" buffer re)) (cons nil (format "Expected %S not to contain a match for \ %s but it did not." buffer re))))))))  ;;; Flycheck matchers (buttercup-define-matcher :to-be-equal-flycheck-errors (a b) (let* ((a (funcall a)) (b (funcall b)) (a-formatted (flycheck-buttercup-format-error-list a)) (b-formatted (flycheck-buttercup-format-error-list b))) (if (equal a b) (cons t (format "Expected %s not to be equal to %s" a-formatted b-formatted)) (cons nil (format "Expected %s to be equal to %s" a-formatted b-formatted))))) (provide 'flycheck-buttercup) ;; Disable byte compilation for this library, to prevent package.el choking on a ;; missing `buttercup' library. See ;; https://github.com/flycheck/flycheck/issues/860 ;; Local Variables: ;; no-byte-compile: t ;; End: ;;; flycheck-buttercup.el ends here

Document WO 2004/061721 shows prior art in the field of the invention. That document describes the creation of a digital model of a patient, that is customized both in geometrical terms and in mechanical terms, for subsequent use in a method of simulating operating strategy, so that prior to an operation, the predictable result can be visualized, thus giving the surgeon the means to assess the effects of a surgical act on the final equilibrium of the patient and on the internal stresses both in the implant and in the anatomical structures. In the step of constructing the model of the subject, there exists a stage of creating a three-dimensional model as a function of calibrated radiographs of the subject, i.e. radiographs compared with a known point of reference, or a tomographic image of the subject, or any other datum suitable for three-dimensionally reconstituting a customized set of bones. This stage is finished by allocating various general mechanical characteristics to the geometrical reconstitution, which characteristics result from known models forming a kind of standard database applicable to all reconstructed geometries. The above-mentioned document proposes a method of customizing the mechanical characteristics of the model that is already geometrically customized. Based on a series of clinical tests carried out on the patient by the surgeon, real geometries are acquired (e.g. by radiography) and the observed displacements relative to a normal posture are interpreted to deduce therefrom mathematical functions governing the behavior of the joint spaces (intervertebral bodies) that satisfy the acquired geometries and do so for each connection between two adjacent vertebrae. That method of proceeding quickly comes up against computation blocks or unsolvable situations because for a vertebral column, there are 17 successive connections between pairs of vertebral bodies to be treated.

Opening up a world of uninhibited imagination and exploration, the crumpled napkin in your pocket, once an instrument of mere mouth and hand wiping, has been transformed into a tool of infinite possibility. “When you unthinkingly grabbed this fast-food restaurant napkin, you had no idea you were taking part in an act of creation,” says an expert, Dr. Silvia Ramos. “To leave an unused napkin in your pocket is to create an item that exists in a state of pure potential.” “This is an archetypical case of rebirth, right?” explains Dr. Ramos. “When that crumpled, neglected, forgotten napkin finds its way out of your pocket, it will have nothing to lose and everything to gain.” Historically speaking, pocket napkins have fulfilled roles ranging from rough tissue, to desperate-situation toilet paper, all the way to wobbly table neutralizer and even unsuccessful oven mitt. “Of course, what is a pocket napkin if not a projection of its user’s psyche?” says Dr. Ramos. “That McDonald’s serviette is whatever you need it to be. How will you imbue this object with meaning? That’s the real question.” You’re excited at the prospect of giving the napkin new life, but a little overwhelmed. “I’m frightened of what I might learn about myself,” you say. “Instead of seeking out an opportunity to use this crumpled and already slightly soiled napkin, I’m hoping the perfect moment will find me. Perhaps to spit out some gum?” “It could be literally anything,” you add. “Well, anything napkin related.” At press time, it was announced your roommate borrowed your jacket, felt the napkin in the pocket, said “ew”, and threw it in the trash.

Background {#Sec1} ========== Research on two-dimensional (2D) transitional metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has attracted considerable attention due to their distinct electronic, optical, and catalytic properties \[[@CR1]--[@CR5]\]. Group 6 TMDs (MX~2~, M = Mo, W, and X = S, Se, Te) hold promise for flexible and transparent electronics applications owing to their sizeable band gaps ranging from 1 to 2 eV. Current results have indeed revealed that MoS~2~ and WS~2~ form an exciting family of transistors \[[@CR6]--[@CR11]\]. On the other side, MoS~2~ and WS~2~ are nonmagnetic semiconductors. Accordingly, extensive studies have been performed to investigate the feasible ways to introduce magnetism to MoS~2~, such as morphology fabricating \[[@CR12]--[@CR14]\], external strain, \[[@CR15]--[@CR17]\] and impurity doping \[[@CR18]--[@CR28]\]. Developing approaches to effectively induce and manipulate magnetism are critical to the use of the magnetic nanostructures in quantum information devices. Among kinds of magnetic property engineering methods, doping attracts more attentions \[[@CR18]--[@CR28]\]. On the basis of previous studies, transitional metal (TM) atom doping can effectively induce magnetism into MoS~2~. For example, magnetism is observed for Mn \[[@CR18], [@CR20], [@CR22], [@CR24], [@CR26], [@CR28]\], Fe \[[@CR18], [@CR22], [@CR24], [@CR26], [@CR28]\], Co \[[@CR18], [@CR22], [@CR24], [@CR26], [@CR28], [@CR29]\], Cr \[[@CR18], [@CR24]\], Zn \[[@CR22], [@CR24]\], Cd \[[@CR24]\], and Hg \[[@CR24]\] doping. And the magnetic moment of the 3*d* TM-doped MoS~2~ increases with the *d*-band filling of the TM dopants \[[@CR18]\]. Additional, spin polarization was found in MoS~2~ with S atoms replaced by incomplete *d*-band atoms, such as Fe and V \[[@CR30]\], and Group VA and III elements, such as N, P, As, B, Al, and Ga \[[@CR28]\]. Moreover, adsorption of various atoms, such as H, B, C, N, and F, is also effective to turn MoS~2~ from nonmagnetic to magnetism \[[@CR31]\]. It is worth noting that no magnetism is observed in V-doped MoS~2~ based on Ref \[[@CR24]\], but according to Ref \[[@CR18]\] and \[[@CR28]\], V doping induces more than 1-μ~B~ magnetic moments into monolayer MoS~2~. And based on Lee's study \[[@CR22]\], the nonmagnetic element Cu doping brings strong magnetism into the doped MoS~2~. More recently, substitutional doping MoS~2~ monolayer with magnetic atom and the interactions between the doped atoms has draw intensive attentions. Ramasubramaniam \[[@CR20]\] have studied the Mn-doped monolayer MoS~2~ at concentration of 10--15 % by performing the density functional theory calculations and Monte Carlo simulations, which shows that the doped Mn atoms couple ferromagnetically. Schwingenschlögl et al. \[[@CR24]\] predict that the doped TM atoms are ferromagnetic (FM) ordering for Mn, Zn, Cd, and Hg doping at 6.25 % impurity concentration and antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering for Fe and Co doping. Similarly, Mishra et al. \[[@CR26]\] predict the FM ordering in fairly diluted Mn doping MoS~2~, MoSe~2~, MoTe~2~, and WS~2~ and AFM coupling for Fe and Co doping at large separations. In contrast, a later study \[[@CR18]\] found the ground states of Mn-, Fe-, and Co-doped MoS~2~ are all FM. Clearly, current studies on the magnetic interactions in Mn-, Fe-, and Co-doped MoS~2~ disagree with each other. However, the magnetic ordering of the dopants as well as the orientations of the induced spins on the host atoms are critical factors to determine the magnetic property of the doped system. In this context, we examined the cases of different impurity concentrations and separations of the doped atoms to study the electronic and magnetic properties of TM-doped monolayer MoS~2~ and to find out the magnetic feature of the TM-doped 2D TMDs. Five 3*d* TM elements including V, Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu doping were studied in the present work by accurate calculations. Our calculations result indicates that the doped TM atoms prefer to stay in the nearest neighboring configurations and ferromagnetic coupling with each other. Additionally, we found that at high impurity concentrations, the local structures around the dopants were deformed from the original prismatic configurations. More importantly, it was found that V and Mn doping are the good candidate to induce and manipulate the magnetism into 2D TMDs, but Cu is not although it can induce strong magnetism. Methods {#Sec2} ======= The first-principles calculations were carried out by using the Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP) based on the density functional theory (DFT) \[[@CR32]\]. The electron-ion interactions were described by the projector-augmented wave (PAW) method \[[@CR33], [@CR34]\]. The generalized gradient approximation of the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE-GGA) \[[@CR35]\] formula was used for the electronic exchange-correlation potential. In addition, Hubbard-U parameterization method with a common U value of 3.0 eV was assigned to all the 3*d* impurities. The U parameterization was not used for the host materials since there little impact on the magnetic ordering \[[@CR18], [@CR26], [@CR36]\]. The substitutional TM doping was calculated with a 5 × 5 × 1 supercell. A vacuum region of 15 Å was added to avoid interactions between adjacent images. The Brillouin zone was sampled by the Monkhorst-Pack method \[[@CR37]\] with a 2 × 2 × 1 k-point grid. The wave functions were expanded in a plane wave basis with an energy cutoff of 600 eV. The convergence criterion for the self-consistency process was set to 10^−5^ eV between two ionic steps, and the convergence criteria of 0.02 eV/Å were adopted for total energy calculations. Results and Discussions {#Sec3} ======================= The fully relaxed lattice constants are *a* = *b* = 3.18 Å for single layer MoS~2~, and the distance between Mo and S atoms are 2.41 Å. Figure [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"} shows the atomic structure and density of states for monolayer MoS~2~, which is nonmagnetic semiconductor. Our calculated band gap is 1.70 eV with the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum both locating at Κ point. Morphology fabricating such as atomic defects is a useful way to bring ferromagnetism into the low-dimensional materials \[[@CR38], [@CR39]\]. But according to previous study \[[@CR17], [@CR40]\], neither Mo vacancy nor S vacancy changes the nonmagnetic property of monolayer MoS~2~. Also, Si vacancy does not bring magnetism into silicene \[[@CR41], [@CR42]\]. As shown in Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}, our calculation shows the same results.Fig. 1Top views and density of states of monolayer MoS~2~ without and with Mo/S vacancy. Density of states of monolayer MoS~2~ (*a*), monolayer MoS~2~ with Mo vacancy (*b*), monolayer MoS~2~ with S vacancy (*c*) We firstly studied the doping at low impurity concentration. The doping concentration is defined as the number of doped TM atoms divides by the total number of Mo atoms. Hence, if one Mo atom is replaced by one TM atom in a 5 × 5 × 1 supercell, the corresponding impurity concentration should be 4 %. The formation energies of TM substitutional doping MoS~2~ are calculated via the following formula:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$ {E}_f=E\left({\mathrm{TM}}_{\mathrm{Mo}},{\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{S}}_2\right)-E\left({\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{S}}_2\right)-{\mu}_{\mathrm{TM}}+{\mu}_{\mathrm{Mo}} $$\end{document}$$where *E*(TM~Mo~, MoS~2~) and *E*(MoS~2~) represent the total energies of MoS~2~ with and without TM doping, respectively. *μ*~TM~ is the chemical potential of a single-doped TM atom in its stable bulk lattice. For Mo-rich condition, *μ*~Mo~ is taken as the energy of a Mo atom in its stable fcc lattice and for S-rich condition *μ*~Mo~ is determined from the energy difference between a S~2~ molecule and one MoS~2~ unit. Figure [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"} shows our calculated formation energies for TM doping MoS~2~ as a function of *μ*~Mo~. It shows that the V and Mn doping are favorable energetically, especially under S-rich growth conditions. The *C*~3*v*~ symmetry is destroyed after TM doping, and the distances between the doped TM and the nearest S atoms are 2.39, 2.36 2.44, 2.30, and 2.42 Å for V, Mn, Fe, Co and Cu doping.Fig. 2Formation energies for TM atom substitutional doping MoS~2~ as a function of chemical potential of Mo (μ~Mo~) Figure [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"} shows our calculated DOSs for TM-doped monolayer MoS~2~ at 4 % impurity concentration. As shown in Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}, defect states appear within the band gap for all the doped systems and they are highly localized. The defect states are mainly contributed by the doped TM 3*d* states. Additionally, for the V-, Mn-, Fe-, and Cu-doped systems, both the defect states and Fermi level are more close to the valence band, but for the Co-doped system, the impurity level and Fermi level are more close to the conduction band. This is different from previous result by Lebruton et al. \[[@CR28]\] Based on their DFT/PBE calculations, they have predicted that for Mn-, Fe-, and Co-doped MoS~2~, the impurity level and Fermi level both are more close to the conduction band. However, as shown in Additional file 1: Figure S1, our calculations result with no U parameterization which agrees with the results of Leburton et al. \[[@CR28]\] and Lee et al. \[[@CR22]\]. Moreover, all the doped systems are still semiconductor although the band gaps reduce a lot relative to the original value before doping.Fig. 3Density of states of monolayer MoS~2~ with V, Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu doping at 4 % impurity concentration. *a* V doping, *b* Mn doping, *c* Fe doping, *d* Co doping, *e* Cu doping More importantly, Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"} clearly shows the induced spin polarization for all the five doped systems. The corresponding magnetic moments are 1, 1, 2, 3, and 4.9 μ~B~ for V, Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu doping, respectively. An isolated V atom has a 3*d*^4^4*s*^1^ electronic configuration with one valence electron less than Mo (4*d*^5^5*s*^1^), which reflects the magnetic moment of the V-doped MoS~2~. The electronic configurations of isolated Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu atom are 3*d*^5^4*s*^2^, 3*d*^6^4*s*^2^, 3*d*^7^4*s*^2^, and 3*d*^10^4*s*^1^, respectively; they have one, two, three, and five additional valence electrons compared to Mo atom, which consist with the magnetic moment of Mn-, Fe-, Co-, and Cu-doped system. As shown in Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}, the spin splitting appears near to the Fermi level, which is contributed by the defect states associated with the doped TM atom, *p* states of the adjacent S atoms, and *d* states of the nearby Mo atoms. We further calculated the spin-resolved charge density to investigate the distribution of these magnetisms. As shown in Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}, we can see the spin polarization localized on the dopants and the nearby S and Mo atoms, as well as the interstitial region. Strong hybridization between the TM 3*d* states and the *p* states of the adjacent S atoms yields spin splitting to the S atoms. For V and Mn doping, the spins of the dopants are antiparallel to the induced spin of the nearest three S atoms. In V-doped MoS~2~, the induced spins on the nearest six Mo atoms are parallel to that of the doped V atom; correspondingly, the total magnetic moment is little larger than the local magnetic moment of the dopant. For Mn doping, the induced spins on the nearest three S atoms and six Mo atoms are all antiparallel to the local spin on the impurity atom, which makes the total magnetic moment much smaller than the local magnetic moment of the dopant. Comparing to Mn doping, the induced spins on the three nearest S atoms are parallel to that of the Fe dopants. Plus, the local magnetic moment on Fe is larger than that on Mn. Consequently, the total magnetic moment of Fe-doped MoS~2~ is larger than that of the Mn-doped system. As for the Co and Cu doping, the induced spins on the nearest S and Mo atoms are all parallel to that of the doped TM, which give rise to the much larger total magnetic moment although the local magnetic moment on the dopants are small. Particularly, the local magnetic moment on the doped Cu is 0.5 μ~B~, which induces 0.2--0.3 μ~B~ ferromagnetism on the nearby S and Mo atoms, plus the interstitial region; the consequent total magnetic moment of doped system is 4.9 μ~B~.Fig. 4The spin-resolved charge density isosurface (isosurface value at 0.002 e/Å^3^) of TM-doped MoS~2~ monolayer at 4 % impurity concentration. *Yellow* and *blue colors* represent the spin-up and spin-down charges, respectively In the last part, we have studied TM doping at 4 % impurity concentration by calculating one TM atom replacing one Mo atom in a 5 × 5 × 1 supercell, in which the distance between the dopants is around 16 Å. We further calculated two TM atoms replacing two Mo atoms in a 5 × 5 × 1 surpercell to investigate the TM doping at 8 % impurity concentration. There configurations with different TM-TM separations were considered: NN configurations in which the two TM atoms are in the nearest neighboring position with TM-TM distance of 3.2 Å, the second NN configurations in which the two TM atoms are in the next nearest-neighboring position with TM-TM distance of 5.5 Å, and the third NN configuration in which the distance between the two doped TM atoms are 6.5 Å. Figure [5](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"} summarized our calculated results on the energy differences between the FM and AFM states for the three configurations of NN, second NN, and third NN. For the four elements of V, Mn, Fe, and Co doping, the energy differences between the FM and AFM states are negative for all the three configurations, which means the FM states are more favorable energetically. Our results on the NN configuration for Mn, Fe, and Co doping agree with previous result \[[@CR31], [@CR33], [@CR39]\], and our results on the third configuration agree with Ref \[[@CR37]\]. As for Cu doping, the FM states are more favorable for the NN configurations, but for the second NN and third NN configurations, the AFM states are more stable. Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"} lists the calculated total magnetic moments of the doped system and the local magnetic moments on the impurities for the ground states of the three configurations, and the spin-resolved charge density for the ground states is shown in Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"}.Fig. 5Energy differences of the FM ordering over AFM ordering for V-, Mn-, Fe-, Co-, and Cu-doped MoS~2~ as a function of the distance between the two doped TM atoms. The corresponding impurity concentration is 8 %Table 1The magnetic moments (Σμ~i~/μ~total~) for V-, Mn-, Fe-, Co-, and Cu-doped MoS~2~ with impurity concentration at 4, 8, and 12 %4 %8 %12 %NN2nd NN3rd NNNNV0.9/1.02.2/2.01.9/0.01.8/2.03.6/3.0Mn2.9/1.05.8/2.05.8/2.06.4/2.06.3/5.0Fe3.4/2.03.6/2.04.4/4.06.4/4.07.3/2.0Co1.1/3.03.0/4.04.6/6.04.3/6.00.8/1.0Cu0.5/4.90.5/3.60.6/0.20.5/0.00.6/3.0Both the local magnetic moments of the doped atoms (Σμ~i~) and the total magnetic moments of the doped system (μ~total~) are presented. Three configurations with different TM-TM distances were listed for 8 % impurity concentrationFig. 6The spin-resolved charge density isosurface (isosurface value at 0.002 e/Å^3^) of TM-doped MoS~2~ monolayer at 8 % impurity concentration. The first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rows are the results for V-, Mn-, Fe-, Co-, and Cu-doped systems, respectively. And the first, second, and third columns correspond to the NN, second NN, and third NN configurations. *Yellow* and *blue colors* represent the spin-up and spin-down charges, respectively As shown in Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"}, the spins of the two nearest neighbored dopants are parallel to each other for all the five doped systems. For V, Mn, and Fe doping, the induced spins on the nearby S and Mo atoms are antiparallel to that of the dopants. Thus, the total magnetic moments of the V-, Mn-, and Fe-doped system are smaller than the local magnetic moments on the dopants. As for Co and Cu doping, the total magnetic moments of the doped system are much larger than the local magnetic moments of the impurities because the spin polarizations on the nearby S and Mo atoms are all parallel to that of the dopants. Particularly, the total magnetic moment of the Cu-doped MoS~2~ in NN configuration at impurity concentration of 8 % is 3.6 μ~B~ although the local magnetic moments on the two Cu atoms are only 0.5 μ~B~. Figure [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"} also shows that for V, Mn, Fe, and Co doping in the second NN and third NN configurations, the two dopants are FM coupling or even weakly AFM coupling (the energy difference between the FM and AFM states is 6 meV for V doping in the second configuration). This is similar with the NN configuration. Additionally, the magnetic orderings among the dopants and the nearby host atoms in second and third NN configuration for the four elements are similar with the situation in the NN configuration. In detail, the induced spins on the nearby S and Mo atoms are antiparallel to the impurities for V, Mn, and Fe doping, which leads to the smaller total magnetic moment relative to the local magnetic moments on the dopants, while the FM coupling between the doped Co atoms and the nearby S and Mo atoms makes the total magnetic moment larger than the local ones on the dopants. Moreover, the local magnetic moments of the Fe and Co dopants in second and third NN configurations are larger than those in the NN configuration; thus, the total magnetic moments of second and third NN configurations are larger than those in the NN configuration. For Cu doping in the second and third NN configurations, the AFM states are energetically more stable than the FM states; this is differing from the NN configuration. Figure [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"} shows the AFM coupling between the two doped Cu atoms with large separations and the FM exchange with the nearby host S and Mo atoms like the NN configuration. Hence, the total magnetic moments for Cu doping in the second and third NN configurations are very close to 0. According to our calculations, for the five elements except for Cu doping, the magnetic ordering between the doped atoms and host atoms in the second and third configurations is similar with those in the NN configurations. In contrast, Mishra et al. \[[@CR39]\] predicted AFM coupling for the dopants with large separations and FM coupling for the dopants in NN configurations for Fe and Co doping. Additionally, according to Schwigenschlogal et al.'s study \[[@CR37]\], Fe and Co doping also lead to AFM ground state in large separations. In this situation, we recalculated the NN, second and third configurations without U parameterizations. The energy differences between the FM and AFM states are summarized in Additional file 1: Figure S2. It shows that for Fe and Co doping in large separations, the AFM states are more favorable energetically, which agrees with previous results \[[@CR37], [@CR39]\]. More importantly, we found that the NN configurations are more favorable than the other two configurations with large separations. The total energy of the NN configuration is less than the second and third configurations by 0.2, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.3 eV for V, Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu doping, respectively. This is consistent with Liu's study which shows that the V atoms prefer to stay together in MoS~2~ monolayer. On the basis of the study on doping at 8 % impurity concentration, we further studied the TM doping at higher impurity concentration in NN configurations. Three TM atoms replace three nearest neighboring Mo atoms in a 5 × 5 × 1 supercell; the corresponding impurity concentration is 12 %. As shown in Fig. [7](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}, for the five elements except for Fe, the doped TM atoms are FM coupling with each other. For Fe doping, one of the three dopants is AFM coupling with the other two dopants. The reason making the spin polarization of this Fe atom (Fe1) differs from the other two Fe atoms (Fe2 and Fe3) mainly lies in atomic structure. Figure [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"} shows the relaxed atomic structures for the five elements doped MoS~2~ monolayer at 12 % impurity concentration. As shown in Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"}, the Mn--S bond lengths for the three doped Mn atoms are close, which give rise to the similar spin polarization on the three Mn atoms. The respective local magnetic moments on Mn1, Mn2, and Mn3 are 2.9, 3.1 and 3.1 μ~B~, respectively. Additionally, Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"} shows that the Mn2--S2 and Mn3--S3 bond lengths are little larger than the other Mn--S bond lengths which makes the spin polarization on Mo\* atom differs from the other nearby Mo atoms as shown in Fig. [7](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}. As for Fe doping, the Fe--S bond lengths of the Fe1 atom are different from those of the Fe2 and Fe3 atoms. Particularly, the Fe1--S\* bond length is larger than the Fe2--S\* and Fe3--S\* bond lengths, which makes the hybridization of Fe1 3*d* and S\* 4*p* differs from the counterparts of Fe2 and Fe3 atoms. Consequently, spin of Fe1 is antiparallel to that of Fe2 and Fe3. More importantly, Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"} shows that the atomic structures of V- and Mn-doped MoS~2~ maintain the original prismatic configuration, but the atomic structures of Co- and Cu-doped MoS~2~ deviate from the prismatic configuration, which is not good for applications in 2D materials.Fig. 7The spin-resolved charge density isosurface (isosurface value at 0.002 e/Å^3^) of TM-doped MoS~2~ monolayer at 12 % impurity concentration. *Yellow* and *blue colors* represent the spin-up and spin-down charges, respectivelyFig. 8Atomic structures of TM-doped monolayer MoS~2~ at 12 % impurity concentration. **a** V doping. **b** Mn doping. **c** Fe doping. **d** Co doping. **e** Cu doping (top and side views) Figure [7](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"} shows that the magnetic ordering among the dopants and the nearby host atoms at 12 % impurity concentration is similar with the situation at 8 % impurity concentration; for V and Mn (Co and Cu) doping, the induced spins on the nearby host atoms are antiparallel (parallel) to those of the dopants. Thus, the total magnetic moment of V and Mn (Co and Cu) doping is less (larger) than the local magnetic moments of the three dopants. Additionally, our calculations result indicates that for V and Mn doping, the magnetic moments of the doped MoS~2~ increase as the increasing impurity concentration, whereas the magnetisms of Co- and Cu-doped system decrease when impurity concentration increases from 8 to 12 %. Conclusions {#Sec4} =========== Our study on MoS~2~ with TM doping at 4 % concentration tells us all the five 3*d* elements of V, Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu doping which give rise to the good diluted magnetic semiconductors. Additionally, we have found that the doped TM atoms prefer to stay in the nearest neighboring positions at high concentrations and couple with each other ferromagnetically. For V, Mn, and Fe doping, the induced spins on the nearby host atoms are antiparallel to that of the impurities, whereas for Co and Cu doping, they are parallel to that of the dopants. It indicates that the local structures around the impurities are deformed from the original prismatic configurations for Co and Cu doping at high impurity concentration although both doping induce strong ferromagnetism into the doped system. Our calculations show that, besides Mn, V is also good candidate to induce and manipulate the magnetism in 2D TMDs. Additional files {#Sec5} ================ Additional file 1:Supplemental information. Ferromagnetism in Transitional-Metal Doped MoS~2~ Monolayer. (DOC 228 kb) **Competing Interests** The authors declare that they have no competing interests. **Authors' Contributions** XLF designed the study, performed the research, and drafted the manuscript. YRA and WJG participated in performing the research and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC) (21273172), the program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-13-0471). This work was also supported by the 111 Project (B08040) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (3102015BJ (II) JGZ005, 3102015BJ023) in China. The supports from the Beijing Computational Science Research Center and the CAEP Chengdu Science and Technology Development Center and the Chengdu Green Energy and Green Manufacturing Technology R&D Center are also appreciated.

Q: Alternatives to "then", "next" (at the beginning of the phrase) in formal text (for Academic papers) I am writing an academic paper and, at a certain point, I want to write: "Firstly,... Then, ... Next, ... Lastly...." However, "Then" and "Next" at the beginning of phrases sound like very INFORMAL English. I need FORMAL alternatives. What do you suggest/use? I know this article suggesting "First... Second... Third... Lastly...": First, Second, Third, and Finally But I already used this structure somewhere else in the text, so I want to avoid repetition. Thank you. A: Then: subsequently, in addition Next: consequently Finally: to conclude, to summarize If your sentences and paragraphs are written in active voice, and they are tightly constructed, your reader will follow your sequence easily, without need for the linking words you asked about.

Cost-effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery with and without whole-brain radiotherapy for the treatment of newly diagnosed brain metastases. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone is increasingly used in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases. Stereotactic radiosurgery used together with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) reduces intracranial failure rates, but this combination also causes greater neurocognitive toxicity and does not improve survival. Critics of SRS alone contend that deferring WBRT results in an increased need for salvage therapy and in higher costs. The authors compared the cost-effectiveness of treatment with SRS alone, SRS and WBRT (SRS+WBRT), and surgery followed by SRS (S+SRS) at the authors' institution. The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 289 patients in whom brain metastases were newly diagnosed and who were treated between May 2001 and December 2007. Overall survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate proportional hazards analysis (MVA) was used to identify factors associated with overall survival. Survival data were complete for 96.2% of patients, and comprehensive data on the resource use for imaging, hospitalizations, and salvage therapies were available from the medical records. Treatment costs included the cost of initial and all salvage therapies for brain metastases, hospitalizations, management of complications, and imaging. They were computed on the basis of the 2007 Medicare fee schedule from a payer perspective. Average treatment cost and average cost per month of median survival were compared. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the impact of variations in key cost variables. No significant differences in overall survival were observed among patients treated with SRS alone, SRS+WBRT, or S+SRS with respective median survival of 9.8, 7.4, and 10.6 months. The MVA detected a significant association of overall survival with female sex, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, primary tumor control, absence of extracranial metastases, and number of brain metastases. Salvage therapy was required in 43% of SRS-alone and 26% of SRS+WBRT patients (p < 0.009). Despite an increased need for salvage therapy, the average cost per month of median survival was $2412 per month for SRS alone, $3220 per month for SRS+WBRT, and $4360 per month for S+SRS (p < 0.03). Compared with SRS+WBRT, SRS alone had an average incremental cost savings of $110 per patient. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that the average treatment cost of SRS alone remained less than or was comparable to SRS+WBRT over a wide range of costs and treatment efficacies. Despite an increased need for salvage therapy, patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases treated with SRS alone have similar overall survival and receive more cost-effective care than those treated with SRS+WBRT. Compared with SRS+WBRT, initial management with SRS alone does not result in a higher average cost.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a circle drawing method for drawing a circle at high speed by a personal computer or the like on an output device such as a display, a printing device or the like. 2. Description of the Prior Art There has been proposed a method for graphically outputting a circle by a personal computer or the like (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 4-52776). In the method disclosed in the above-identified publication, a one-eighth fraction of a circle is drawn by a minimum axial distance method. In the minimum axial distance method, a function expressed by the following equation (1) is defined with respect to a known or determined point P.sub.i-1 (X.sub.i-1, Y.sub.i-1) on the circle. EQU f(Z.sub.i)=R.sup.2 {(X.sub.i-1 1/2).sup.2 +(Y.sub.i-1 +1).sup.2 } (1) EQU .DELTA.Y.sub.i-1 =2Y.sub.i-1 +1 (2) EQU .DELTA.X.sub.i-1 =2X.sub.i-1 +1 (3) Then, depending upon the sign of the function f(Z.sub.i), coordinates of points to be plotted are determined for progressing drawing of a circle. For example, when, assuming a coordinate of a start point of drawing of a circle is (R, 0), a one-eighth fraction of the circle to the intersection with a straight line Y=X is to be drawn with increase of the Y coordinate, if the function f(Z.sub.i) is positive, the X coordinate is not reduced, and if the function f(Z.sub.i) is not positive, the X coordinate is reduced. When f(Z.sub.i)&gt;0 is established, the following equations (4) to (6) are established, and when f(Z.sub.i).ltoreq.0 is established, the following equations (7) to (9) are established. EQU f(Z.sub.i+1)=f(Z.sub.i)-.DELTA.Y.sub.i-1 (4) EQU .DELTA.Y.sub.i =.DELTA.Y.sub.i-1 +2 (5) EQU .DELTA.X.sub.i =.DELTA..sub.i-1 (6) EQU f(Z.sub.i+1)=f(Z.sub.i)-.DELTA.Y.sub.i+1 .DELTA.X.sub.i-1 (7) EQU .DELTA.Y.sub.i =.DELTA.Y.sub.i-1 +2 (8) EQU .DELTA.X.sub.i =.DELTA.X.sub.i-1 -2 (9) Next, discussion will be given for the circle drawing method disclosed in the above-identified publication with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1A to 1C are flowcharts illustrating a circle drawing method disclosed in the foregoing Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 4-52776. First, as shown in FIG. 1A, a coordinate of the center and a radius R of a circle to be drawn are input (step 101). Then, the input coordinate of the center is stored in a center coordinate storage means (step 102). Then, P.sub.1 (R, 0) as a drawing start point is determined. At this time, f(Z.sub.2)=R-5/4 is established. However, in order to avoid operation of fraction, the foregoing equations (1) to (9) are used as multiplied by four, in practice. Then, the drawing start point P.sub.1 (R, 0) is stored in a first storage means, and f(Z.sub.2)=4R-5 is stored in a f(Z.sub.i) value storage means. Furthermore, .DELTA.Y.sub.1 =4 is stored in a .DELTA.Y.sub.1. value storage means, and .DELTA.X.sub.1 =8R+4 is stored in a X.sub.i value storage means (step 103). Next, the coordinate (R, 0) stored in the first storage means is transferred to a (Y=X) axis symmetric coordinate generating means (step 104). Then, a coordinate (0, R) symmetric to the coordinate (R, 0) with respect to the (Y=X) axis is derived. The coordinate (0, R) thus derived is stored in a second storage means (step 105). Next, the coordinate (R, 0) stored in the first storage means is transferred to an X-axis symmetric coordinate generating means (step 106). Then, a coordinate (R, 0) symmetric to the coordinate (R, 0) with respect to the X-axis is derived. The coordinate (R, 0) thus derived is stored in a third storage means (step 107). Furthermore, the coordinate (0, R) stored in the second storage means is transferred to the X-axis symmetric coordinate generating means (step 108). Then, a coordinate (0, -R) symmetric to the coordinate (0, R) with respect to the X-axis is derived. This coordinate (0, -R) is stored in a fourth storage means (step 109). Next, the coordinate (R, 0) stored in the first storage means is transferred to a Y-axis symmetric coordinate generating means (step 110). Then, the coordinate (-R, 0) symmetric to the coordinate (R, 0) with respect to the Y-axis is derived. This coordinate (-R, 0) is stored in a fifth storage means (step 111). Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, the coordinate (0, R) stored in the second storage means is transferred to the Y-axis symmetric coordinate generating means (step 112). Then, the coordinate (0, R) symmetric to the coordinate (0, R) with respect to the Y-axis is derived. This coordinate (0, R) is stored in a sixth storage means (step 113). Furthermore, the coordinate (R, 0) stored in the third storage means is transferred to the Y-axis symmetric generating means (step 114). Then, the coordinate (-R, 0) symmetric to the coordinate (R, 0) with respect to the Y-axis is derived. The coordinate (-R, 0) thus derived is stored in a seventh storage means (step 115). Next, the coordinate (0, -R) stored in the fourth storage means is transferred to the Y-axis symmetric coordinate generating means (step 116). Then, the coordinate (0, -R) symmetric to the coordinate (0, -R) with respect to the Y-axis is derived. This coordinate (0, -R) is stored in an eighth storage means (step 117). These coordinates stored in the first to eighth storage means are plotted in a memory via a dot plotting means (step 118). Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, the sign of f(Z.sub.2) is checked (step 119). If the sing of f(Z.sub.2) is positive, P.sub.2 (X.sub.1, Y.sub.1 +1)=(R, 1) is stored in the first storage means as the next coordinate (step 120). Then, f(Z.sub.3) for the next coordinate is calculated (step 121). Next, f(Z.sub.3) is stored in the (Z.sub.i) value storage means (step 122). Also, .DELTA.Y.sub.2 is calculated and stored in the .DELTA.Y.sub.i value storage means (step 123). Then, .DELTA.X.sub.2 is calculated and stored in the .DELTA.X.sub.i value storage means (step 124). Next, X.sub.i value and Y.sub.i value are compared for checking whether drawing of the one-eighth fraction of the circle is completed or not in the next coordinate. If not X.sub.i&gt;Y.sub.i, the operation is terminated as completed. If X.sub.i &gt;Y.sub.i, the process returned to the step 104 in FIG. 1A (step 130). On the other hand, if f(Z.sub.2) is not positive as checked at the step 119, P.sub.2 (X.sub.1 -1, Y.sub.1 +1)=(R-1, 1) is stored in the first storage means (step 125). Then, the processes up to the comparison of X.sub.i value and Y.sub.i value are performed similarly to the case where the f(Z.sub.2) is positive (steps 126 to 130). Next, discussion will be given for a method for deriving coordinate values to be stored in the first storage means until the one-eighth fraction of the circle is drawn. FIGS. 2A to 2G are diagrammatic illustrations showing points stored in the first storage means in sequential order. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a point 201 has been determined as the drawing start point (R, 0). Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the coordinate of the next point 202 is determined in response to the sign of f(Z.sub.2). In this case, since the sign of f(Z.sub.2) is positive, the Y coordinate is increased by one from the point 201 and the X coordinate is held unchanged. Next, f(Z.sub.3) is derived from f(Z.sub.2), .DELTA.X.sub.1 and .DELTA.Y.sub.1. The coordinate of the next point 203 is determined in response to the sign of f(Z.sub.3). In this case, as shown in FIG. 2C, since the sign of f(Z.sub.3) is positive, the Y coordinate is increased by one from the point 202, and the X coordinate is held unchanged. Furthermore, f(Z.sub.4) is derived from f(Z.sub.3), .DELTA.X.sub.2 and .DELTA.Y.sub.2, and the coordinate of the next point 204 is determined in response to the sign of f(Z.sub.4). In this case, as shown in FIG. 2D, since the sign of f(Z.sub.4) is not positive, the Y coordinate is increased by one and the X coordinate is decreased by one from the point 203. Similarly, f(Z.sub.5) is derived. Depending upon the sign of f(Z.sub.5), the coordinate of the next point 205 is determined. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2E, since the sign of f(Z.sub.5) is positive, the Y coordinate is increased by one from the point 204, and the X coordinate is held unchanged. Then, f(Z.sub.6) is derived, and the coordinate of the next point 6 is determined in response to the sign of f(Z.sub.6). In this case, as shown in FIG. 2F, since the sign of f(Z.sub.6) is not positive, the Y coordinate is increased by one and the X coordinate is decreased by one from the point 205. Furthermore, f(Z.sub.7) is derived, and the coordinate of the next point 7 is determined in response to the sign of f(Z.sub.7). In this case, as shown in FIG. 2G, since the sign of f (Z.sub.7) is not positive, the Y coordinate is increased by one and the X coordinate is decreased by one from the point 206. Then, since X=Y is established at the coordinate of the point 7, calculation of the coordinates of the one-eighth fraction of the circle is completed. It should be noted that, while not illustrated, points symmetric to respective points 201 to 207 with respect to the (Y=X) axis, the X-axis and/or the Y-axis are derived sequentially. By the circle drawing method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 4-52776, a full circle is drawn by calculating a one-eighth fraction by the minimum axial direction method. Therefore, a circle can be drawn at high speed. However, in the foregoing conventional circle drawing method, all of f(Z.sub.i), .DELTA.X.sub.i and .DELTA.Y.sub.i have to be calculated for calculating each coordinate point. When a radius of a circle to be drawn becomes large, a circumferential length becomes long to increase number of points to be calculated. Therefore, when large amount of calculation has to be performed for deriving each coordinate point as the foregoing conventional method, number of process steps increases significantly according to increasing of radius. Thus, process period becomes significantly long. On the other hand, since respective points calculated are stored in respective of the first to eighth storage means at every occasion, memory region for these points is necessary. Thus, large memory region used for drawing a circle becomes required.

Brianna Kiesel Brianna Kiesel (born July 8, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). College Kiesel is the Pittsburgh Panthers' all-time leader in minutes played and fifth all-time leader in points and assists. She, along with Shavonte Zellous are the only two Panthers to be selected in the WNBA Draft. Pittsburgh statistics Source Professional career She has a career 31.5% of Field Goals, 22.4% 3-point average, and 3.8 points per game. Personal life Kiesel completed two bachelor's degrees. References External links Brianna Kiesel - WNBA Pitt Panthers bio Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:Atlanta Dream players Category:Basketball players from New York (state) Category:Dallas Wings players Category:Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball players Category:Point guards Category:Sportspeople from Utica, New York Category:Tulsa Shock players

Export Disclaimer The Secretariat of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Heritage Centre do not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information or documentation provided by the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention to the Secretariat of UNESCO or to the World Heritage Centre. The publication of any such advice, opinion, statement or other information documentation on the World Heritage Centre’s website and/or on working documents also does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of UNESCO or of the World Heritage Centre concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its boundaries. Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party Description Þingvellir National Park is located on the northern shore of the Lake Þingvallavatn. It is about 240 km2 in size and its protection is based on the Þingvellir Conservation Act dating back to 1928. The national park was enlarged and the conservation status improved through better conservation and management with new legislation in 2004 by Act no. 47/2004 on Þingvellir National Park and by regulation no. 848/2005 on Þingvellir National Park. The old national park, part of the current national park, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004 as a cultural landscape. Geology Þingvellir and Lake Þingvallavatn occupy a NE-SW elongated graben within the western branch of the rift zone in SW-Iceland. The rift zone represents the continuation of the Mid-Atlantic ridge across Iceland. Holocene lavas are most extensive in the central part of the graben, while Upper Pleistocene hyaloclastites and pillow lavas of sub-glacial origin and inter- or supraglacial lavas are most extensive at the periphery of the graben. All the rocks are basaltic. The topography slopes gently away from the Langjökull glacier in the northeast towards the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest. The Hengill central volcano closes the lake basin towards the southwest. The morphology and structure of the lake surroundings are strongly dominated by faults with throws of locally more than 100 m towards the actively sinking and expanding graben. Water from the catchment area is filtered through lavas and hyaloclastites before emerging as springs within fractures and fissures at the shores of the lake. Lake Þingvallavatn and its catchment are almost entirely nested within the rift zone of SW-Iceland. The presence of a glacier during the ice age had a profound effect on volcanism and the resulting volcanic landforms in the area. Within a glacier the interaction of melt water and magma leads to pillow lava formation, magma fragmentation and explosive activity. Ridges and mounds are built up of pillow lava, hyaloclastite tuffs, breccias and minor intrusions. If the eruptions break through the ice, subaerial cap lavas can form on top. The resulting landforms, called tindars and tuyas, are quite common around Þingvellir and in Iceland, but are exceedingly rare elsewhere. Since the ice retreated from the area around 11.000 years ago volcanic eruptions have mainly produced lavas. Voluminous basaltic lavas flowed into the Þingvellir graben in early Holocene time (around 10.000 years ago). Most prominent are the lava shields of Skjaldbreiður to the northeast and Eldborgir to the east. Some of the lavas at Þingvellir and Gjábakki are thought to be from eruptions which occurred slightly earlier than Eldborgir. About 3.600 years ago a fissure eruption NE of Lake Þingvallavatn (northeast of Hrafnabjörg) produced the Þjófahraun lava, which extends towards Þingvellir. The youngest lava in the area, Nesjahraun, erupted from a crater row at the southwestern shore of Þingvallavatn about 2000 years ago. At the same time the phreatic tuff cone of Sandey was formed in the middle of the lake. Earlier lavas are also found at the southwestern shore of the lake. A large geothermal system is associated with the Hengill central volcano to the southwest. Part of it extends towards the lake in the Nesjavellir area. The faults and ground fissures in the vicinity of Þingvellir have been studied extensively and provide exceptionally clear evidence for continental drift and plate tectonics. The total amount of subsidence during the past 9.000 years is more than 40 m between Almannagjá and Hrafnagjá. During the same time horizontal extension of the graben has been estimated at about 70 m. The last tectonic event to hit the area occurred in 1789 when the area at the northern shore of Lake Þingvallavatn subsided by 1-2.6 m. The lake Situated about 100 m above sea level, Lake Þingvallavatn is the largest natural lake in Iceland with a surface area of approximately 84 km2, mean depth of 34 m and maximum depth of 114 meters and ca. 3 km3 (2.855 Gl) in volume. Close to 90% of all water entering the lake (ca. 100 m3 s-1) is cold (3-4° C), subterranean spring fed water. The lake is crystal clear, with Secchi depth visibility down to 12 m, oligotrophic in nature and with nitrogen as a limiting factor for primary production. The lake outlet, River Efra-Sog, is one of Europe's largest spring fed rivers, flushing out about 100 tons of water every second. The retention time of water in the lake is about one year. The catchment area of Lake Þingvallavatn, about 1300 km2, lies in the same direction as the fissures in the area, and its existence is closely connected to the geological history. The majority of the catchment area is covered by neovolcanic lava, through which water easily drains. Due to the young age and volcanic nature of the bedrock, it contains high levels of soluble minerals. Consequently, there is a high uptake of minerals in the groundwater as it percolates through the lava, and the spring fed water entering the lake is therefore rich in minerals. The great diversity of life in Lake Þingvallavatn can be traced back to these processes, as algae and plants, food for invertebrates, make use of the abundant nutrients in the water. The catchment area is protected by regulation no. 650/2006 that applies to the entire watershed area from Langjökull glacier. The lake is particularly fertile and rich in vegetation, despite the very cold temperatures. A third of the bottom area down to a depth of 10 m is covered by ephytic diatoms whereas between 10-20 m depth there is a zone of quite tall (up to 50 cm) and dense stands of charophytes. The fish in the lake In general, Iceland is rather poor in species numbers, whether in fauna or flora. The main reason is a combination of isolation, i.e. the long distance between Iceland and the mainland, along with relatively short colonisation time since the end of the last Ice Age and rather tough climatic conditions. In turn, populations of existing species are often large. Moreover, they show a high degree of intraspecific variability in morphology, life history and use of habitat and food - a feature termed resource polymorphism in evolutionary biology. Low numbers of species, lack of interspecific competition and diversity of habitats (empty niches) are thought to be key factors in promoting intraspecific resource polymorphism and sympatric speciation among vertebrates. Lake Þingvallavatn is abundant in fish. Three of the five species of freshwater fish found in Iceland, brown trout (Salmo trutta), Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and three-spine stickleback (Gasterosteus aquleatus) live in the lake. The Arctic charr is most abundant, with an estimated biomass of 700 tons and annual production of 300 tons for fish one year old and older. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, annual catch of charr from the lake ranged between 40-70 tons. For a deep, cold subarctic lake, such a high fish production is rare. The presence of four Arctic charr morphs in the lake, representing one of the most spectacular examples of resource polymorphism among fish in the Subarctic, gives the lake a special status. Differentiation of charr into two specialized sympatric sub-populations within lakes is recognized throughout the northern hemisphere, but Lake Þingvallavatn is the only lake in the Subarctic where four charr morphs are known to exist sympatrically. Moreover, the morphology and ecology of the Arctic charr morphs in Lake Þingvallavatn are much more distinct and dissimilar from each other than in other lakes. Recent studies on sticklebacks also show that two different morphs of this species exist in the lake. Based on geological evidence, it is known that evolution of the Arctic charr morphs has taken place within Lake Þingvallavatn. This evolutionary event has been going on for only 10.000 years at most, or for only ca. 3.000 generations of fish. Although some reproductive mixing occurs between the morphs in Lake Þingvallavatn, they may in fact now be considered as distinct species. The rapid evolution and diversification of the Arctic charr in the lake is attributed mainly to habitat stability and diversity, limited competition with other species and intense competition within the charr population itself. Regarding the habitat factor, scientists have underpinned the important role of the young, uneroded lava in the area, both with respect to physiochemical effects on the water body, and to physical properties of the lava bedrock, with its complex surface textures and three-dimensional spaces for fish to occupy. The subterranean amphipods In 1998, a new endemic family of subterranean gammaridean amphipod (Crustacea), was discovered in Iceland, representing a new species and genus to science, Crymostygius thingvallensis, found in spring inlets feeding Lake Þingvallavatn. This was the first report of a stygobiont freshwater amphipod from Iceland and the northernmost report of a stygobiont species in Europe. In 2000 another new species to science, Crangonyx islandicus, was discovered at Lake Þingvallavatn. There are indications that this species may have survived the Quarternary glacial period in sub-glacial refuge, e.g. in the groundwater of the porous lava, and even that they have persisted in Iceland for millions of years. Vegetation and wildlife Birch woodland is characteristic of the Þingvellir area, indicated by the original name of the area in Icelandic: Bláskógar (literally "Blue Woods"). In the National Park, 172 species of higher plants have been found, or about 40% of the Icelandic flora. Birch, dwarf birch and willow, plants of the heath family, transform the appearance of Þingvellir in autumn, and many visitors make their way there to enjoy the beauty of its pastel colours. Lake Þingvallavatn is particularly deep and thus does not attract as many waterfowl as do shallower lakes such as Lake Mývatn. Generally, 52 bird species live by the lake while 30 others come and go. The most famous bird is the great northern diver which nests in a few places by the lake. It is grouchy and protects its territory energetically. Justification of Outstanding Universal Value The Outstanding Universal Value of Þingvellir as a cultural landscape has already been confirmed by the inscription on the World Heritage List in 2004 under criteria III and VI. The Þingvellir area is also a natural wonder on a global scale, with the geologic history and the biota of Lake Þingvallavatn and its catchment area forming a unique entity, a magnificent showcase in geology and biology and an extraordinary ecosystem. The area is part of the world rift system which is normally a sub-oceanic feature. Being subaerial, Iceland is a rare exception of a mature oceanic rift system. This is caused by high volcanic production associated with an upwelling mantle plume beneath Iceland. Being able to witness the evolution and formation of new species of life in Lake Þingvallavatn - the diversification of the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) into four different morphs, is of immense value, as is the recent discovery of two new species to science of blind „cave" animals, the subterranean amphipod crustaceans (Crymostygius thingvallensis and Crangonyx islandicus), inhabiting spring fed groundwater inlets in the catchment area. Criterion (vii): The landscape at Þingvellir has beautiful and mystical forms created entirely by continental drift, volcanism and glacial interaction. The three fundamental natural phenomena which created Iceland can all be found at Þingvellir. Criterion (viii): Þingvellir is an outstanding, visible example of the drift of the Eurasiatic and American Tectonic Plates. Unique geological and geomorphological processes of great international importance are taking place at Thingvellir. Criterion (ix): Lake Þingvallavatn has the only known instance of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) which has evolved into four different forms in the same lake in a span of less than 10,000 years. The basis for this is the creation of new habitats through continental drift. Criterion (x): A new endemic family of subterranean gammaridean amphipod (Crustacea) was discovered in the lake in 1998, representing a new species and genus to science, Crymostygius thingvallensis, and again in 2000 a new species to science, Crangonyx islandicus, was discovered at Lake Þingvallavatn. Statements of authenticity and/or integrity Continued protection of Þingvellir from 1928 has maintained and conserved the integrity and pristine nature of the area. The national park was enlarged and the conservation status improved with new legislation in 2004 by the Þingvellir National Park Act no. 47/2004 and by regulation no. 848/2005 on Þingvellir National Park. The old national park, part of the current national park, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004 as a cultural landscape. The management plan for Þingvellir National park 2004-2024 contains the Þingvellir Commission's management plan and vision for the national park for the next twenty years. The plan provides guidance on the interaction of protection and utilisation, planning and operations. The master plan for Bláskógabyggð municipality 2004-2016, which includes the Þingvellir area, addresses and emphasizes the integrity of the area. The main concern for the area and pressure that could threaten the integrity stems from tourism and development in the vicinity of Þingvellir National Park. Current legislation is considered adequate to safeguard the integrity of the area of natural heritage considered for nomination. Legislative Act no. 85/2005 on protection of Lake Þingvallavatn and its catchment area with relevant regulation no. 650/2006 safeguards the hydrological quality of the area. Comparison with other similar properties Landforms resulting from volcanic activities under glaciers, known as tindars and tuyas, are quite common around Þingvellir and in Iceland, but are exceedingly rare elsewhere. Volcanoes on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge are only visible above sea level in very few places, including Jan Mayen, the Azores and Tristan da Cunha. However, it is only in Iceland that the axis of the ridge can be observed. In many respects, the Arctic charr morphs of Lake Þingvallavatn have much in common with the Darwin´s finches of the Galapagos Islands. The evolution of new species is at a much earlier stage in Lake Þingvallavatn though, due to the younger ecosystems. Þingvellir, on the middle of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, can be compared with the East African Rift Valley System, on account of the geological and limnological factors, in other words the places where the plates are drifting apart and forming lake landscapes. This comparison has not been performed, but is necessary as a part of a nomination process.

Q: In Luke 5:33-35 does Jesus imply that the Twelve are not part of the bride of the Lamb? Update I have been researching this and it appears that the whole matter hangs on the definition of "the sons of the bridechamber" which is not obvious to me: KJV Luke 5:34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? mGNT Luke 5:34 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς μὴ δύνασθε τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ νυμφῶνος ἐν ᾧ ὁ νυμφίος μετ’ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ποιῆσαι νηστεῦσαι It appears that "bridalchamber" is only from Tobit: νυμφών nymphōn, n.c., bride’s chamber. 4× +NT +AF English Gloss bridal chamber (3): Tob 6:14; Tob 6:14 (var.), 17 (var.) brides chamber (1): Tob 6:17 (2012). The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Septuagint. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. I found nothing in the Jewish Encyclopedia to suggest that "sons of the bridal chamber" is a thing. "Sons of the bridechamber" seems to be unique to the gospels. So what does it actually mean? So before answering the original question, one would have to establish what a "son of the bridechamber" actually is! Original question Jesus refers to the Twelve as "the children of the bridechamber": [Luke 5:33-35 KJV] 33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise [the disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. Thayers has this: ...οἱ υἱοί τοῦ νυμφῶνος (see υἱός, 2), of the friends of the bridegroom whose duty it was to provide and care for whatever pertained to the bridal chamber, i. e. whatever was needed for the due celebration of the nuptials: Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19; Luke 5:34 ((Winer's Grammar, 33 (32)); Tobit 6:13 (14), 16 (17); ecclesiastical writings; Heliodorus 7, 8); Am I correct that such a designation precludes the designees from being the bride herself? Possibly related: CSB 2 Corinthians 11:29 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband ​— ​to present a pure virgin to Christ. A: John the Baptizer identified himself as "the friend of the bridegroom" but to my mind, we might have called him the "best man": [John 3:29 KJV] 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He, like the "sons of the bridechamber" is not one of the people being married but is instead the trusted friend of the groom who rejoices in his friend's marriage and would grieve in his being "taken away" (though in fact John was murdered first). According to this article from the Jewish Encyclopedia the wedding party was called "the sons of the canopy" - and included the groomsmen and the fathers of both the bride and groom: ...The wedding party was called "bene ḥuppah," and could dispense with the performance of other religious obligations, such as sitting in the sukkah (Yer. Suk. ii. 53a). To it belonged, besides the groomsmen ("sushbinim"), the respective fathers of the bride and bridegroom... One of the duties that fell to the groomsmen was that of bearing witness that the bride had not been with any other than the groom for seven days and that the blood on the tokens of her virginity were fresh blood from her hymen: ...Outside the ḥuppah (in former times inside) the groomsmen and bridesmaids stood as guards awaiting the good tidings that the union had been happily consummated with reference to Deut. xxii. 17 (see Yer. Ket. i. 25a; Tan., Ḳoraḥ, ed. Buber, p. 96; Pirḳe R. El. xii.), while the people indulged in dancing, singing, and especially in praises of the bride (comp. John iii. 29; Matt. xxv. 1-13). The bride had to remain in the ḥuppah for seven days, as long as the wedding festivities lasted (Judges xiv. 15); hence the name of these festivities, "the seven days of her" or "of the ḥuppah" (Pesiḳ. 149b)... [Deu 22:17 KJV] 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech [against her], saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these [are the tokens of] my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. This appears to be behind Paul's comment: [2Co 11:2 KJV] 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ. If so then Paul is acting as a groomsman. Christ is the groom and the Corinthians are the bride. So this suggests to me that Paul and the Twelve were, as in the parable of the Ten Virgins ancillary. The virgins in the parable are charged with bearing torches so the bride doesn't get attacked (human or animal), trip or get lost en route.

/*============================================================================= Copyright (c) 2001-2011 Joel de Guzman Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt) ==============================================================================*/ #if !defined(BOOST_SPIRIT_LAZY_MARCH_27_2007_1002AM) #define BOOST_SPIRIT_LAZY_MARCH_27_2007_1002AM #if defined(_MSC_VER) #pragma once #endif #include <boost/spirit/home/qi/domain.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/home/qi/skip_over.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/home/qi/meta_compiler.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/home/qi/detail/attributes.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/home/support/unused.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/home/support/info.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/home/support/lazy.hpp> #include <boost/spirit/include/phoenix_core.hpp> #include <boost/fusion/include/at.hpp> #include <boost/utility/result_of.hpp> #include <boost/type_traits/remove_reference.hpp> #include <boost/mpl/not.hpp> namespace boost { namespace spirit { /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // Enablers /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// template <typename Eval> struct use_terminal<qi::domain, phoenix::actor<Eval> > // enables phoenix actors : mpl::true_ {}; // forward declaration template <typename Terminal, typename Actor, int Arity> struct lazy_terminal; }} namespace boost { namespace spirit { namespace qi { using spirit::lazy; typedef modify<qi::domain> qi_modify; namespace detail { template <typename Parser, typename Iterator, typename Context , typename Skipper, typename Attribute> bool lazy_parse_impl(Parser const& p , Iterator& first, Iterator const& last , Context& context, Skipper const& skipper , Attribute& attr, mpl::false_) { return p.parse(first, last, context, skipper, attr); } template <typename Parser, typename Iterator, typename Context , typename Skipper, typename Attribute> bool lazy_parse_impl(Parser const& p , Iterator& first, Iterator const& last , Context& context, Skipper const& skipper , Attribute& /*attr*/, mpl::true_) { // If DeducedAuto is false (semantic actions is present), the // component's attribute is unused. return p.parse(first, last, context, skipper, unused); } template <typename Parser, typename Iterator, typename Context , typename Skipper, typename Attribute> bool lazy_parse_impl_main(Parser const& p , Iterator& first, Iterator const& last , Context& context, Skipper const& skipper , Attribute& attr) { // If DeducedAuto is true (no semantic action), we pass the parser's // attribute on to the component. typedef typename traits::has_semantic_action<Parser>::type auto_rule; return lazy_parse_impl(p, first, last, context, skipper, attr, auto_rule()); } } template <typename Function, typename Modifiers> struct lazy_parser : parser<lazy_parser<Function, Modifiers> > { template <typename Context, typename Iterator> struct attribute { typedef typename boost::result_of<qi_modify(tag::lazy_eval, Modifiers)>::type modifier; typedef typename remove_reference< typename boost::result_of<Function(unused_type, Context)>::type >::type expr_type; // If you got an error_invalid_expression error message here, // then the expression (expr_type) is not a valid spirit qi // expression. BOOST_SPIRIT_ASSERT_MATCH(qi::domain, expr_type); typedef typename result_of::compile<qi::domain, expr_type, modifier>::type parser_type; typedef typename traits::attribute_of<parser_type, Context, Iterator>::type type; }; lazy_parser(Function const& function_, Modifiers const& modifiers_) : function(function_), modifiers(modifiers_) {} template <typename Iterator, typename Context , typename Skipper, typename Attribute> bool parse(Iterator& first, Iterator const& last , Context& context, Skipper const& skipper , Attribute& attr) const { return detail::lazy_parse_impl_main( compile<qi::domain>(function(unused, context) , qi_modify()(tag::lazy_eval(), modifiers)) , first, last, context, skipper, attr); } template <typename Context> info what(Context& context) const { return info("lazy" , compile<qi::domain>(function(unused, context) , qi_modify()(tag::lazy_eval(), modifiers)) .what(context) ); } Function function; Modifiers modifiers; }; template <typename Function, typename Subject, typename Modifiers> struct lazy_directive : unary_parser<lazy_directive<Function, Subject, Modifiers> > { typedef Subject subject_type; template <typename Context, typename Iterator> struct attribute { typedef typename boost::result_of<qi_modify(tag::lazy_eval, Modifiers)>::type modifier; typedef typename remove_reference< typename boost::result_of<Function(unused_type, Context)>::type >::type directive_expr_type; typedef typename proto::result_of::make_expr< proto::tag::subscript , directive_expr_type , Subject >::type expr_type; // If you got an error_invalid_expression error message here, // then the expression (expr_type) is not a valid spirit qi // expression. BOOST_SPIRIT_ASSERT_MATCH(qi::domain, expr_type); typedef typename result_of::compile<qi::domain, expr_type, modifier>::type parser_type; typedef typename traits::attribute_of<parser_type, Context, Iterator>::type type; }; lazy_directive( Function const& function_ , Subject const& subject_ , Modifiers const& modifiers_) : function(function_), subject(subject_), modifiers(modifiers_) {} template <typename Iterator, typename Context , typename Skipper, typename Attribute> bool parse(Iterator& first, Iterator const& last , Context& context, Skipper const& skipper , Attribute& attr) const { return detail::lazy_parse_impl_main(compile<qi::domain>( proto::make_expr<proto::tag::subscript>( function(unused, context) , subject) , qi_modify()(tag::lazy_eval(), modifiers)) , first, last, context, skipper, attr); } template <typename Context> info what(Context& context) const { return info("lazy-directive" , compile<qi::domain>( proto::make_expr<proto::tag::subscript>( function(unused, context) , subject ), qi_modify()(tag::lazy_eval(), modifiers)) .what(context) ); } Function function; Subject subject; Modifiers modifiers; }; /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // Parser generators: make_xxx function (objects) /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// template <typename Eval, typename Modifiers> struct make_primitive<phoenix::actor<Eval>, Modifiers> { typedef lazy_parser<phoenix::actor<Eval>, Modifiers> result_type; result_type operator()(phoenix::actor<Eval> const& f , Modifiers const& modifiers) const { return result_type(f, modifiers); } }; template <typename Terminal, typename Actor, int Arity, typename Modifiers> struct make_primitive<lazy_terminal<Terminal, Actor, Arity>, Modifiers> { typedef lazy_parser<Actor, Modifiers> result_type; result_type operator()( lazy_terminal<Terminal, Actor, Arity> const& lt , Modifiers const& modifiers) const { return result_type(lt.actor, modifiers); } }; template <typename Terminal, typename Actor, int Arity, typename Subject, typename Modifiers> struct make_directive<lazy_terminal<Terminal, Actor, Arity>, Subject, Modifiers> { typedef lazy_directive<Actor, Subject, Modifiers> result_type; result_type operator()( lazy_terminal<Terminal, Actor, Arity> const& lt , Subject const& subject, Modifiers const& modifiers) const { return result_type(lt.actor, subject, modifiers); } }; }}} namespace boost { namespace spirit { namespace traits { /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// template <typename Actor, typename Modifiers, typename Attribute , typename Context, typename Iterator> struct handles_container< qi::lazy_parser<Actor, Modifiers>, Attribute, Context, Iterator> : handles_container< typename qi::lazy_parser<Actor, Modifiers>::template attribute<Context, Iterator>::parser_type , Attribute, Context, Iterator> {}; template <typename Subject, typename Actor, typename Modifiers , typename Attribute, typename Context, typename Iterator> struct handles_container< qi::lazy_directive<Actor, Subject, Modifiers>, Attribute , Context, Iterator> : handles_container< typename qi::lazy_directive<Actor, Subject, Modifiers>::template attribute<Context, Iterator>::parser_type , Attribute, Context, Iterator> {}; }}} #endif

The use of cable ties to bundle a plurality of wires or similar articles has long been known. Basic cable tie construction includes an elongate cable tie strap having a tail at one end and a head at the other end. The head includes a central passage or aperture therethrough for accommodating a tail in an insertable fashion. The head supports a locking device adjacent the head aperture to securely lock the cable tie body within the aperture of the head to provide securement of the cable tie about the bundle of wires. In one type of cable tie construction, the locking device is a flexibly supported integrally formed pawl having plastic teeth which engage corresponding teeth on a cable tie body to provide locking engagement therebetween. As is typical of most cable ties, the tail of the cable tie is inserted into the head aperture uniquely in one direction. However, the art has also seen the use of bi-directional, or symmetrically-formed, cable ties which permit the cable tie tail to be inserted through the aperture in the head in either direction. One such bi-directional cable tie is shown and described in co-pending commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 08/689,466, filed Aug. 9, 1996, entitled "A Self-Locking Cable Tie Strap With Symmetrical Structure", issued on Mar. 23,1999, as U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,367 which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. The cable tie of such construction may be particularly used with an automatic cable tie installing device where a plurality of cable ties held together in a reel. A cable tie from the reel may be fed from a dispenser to a cable tie installing gun for installation about a plurality of wires. The symmetrical construction of the cable tie permits the cable tie to be easily dispensed and aligned within the installation gun. As may be appreciated, in order to accommodate insertion of the cable tie tail from either direction, the pawl or locking device of the symmetrical cable tie must be sufficiently flexible to permit deflection in either direction. Such flexibility assures that the cable tie tail may be easily inserted through the aperture in the head in either direction. While such flexible construction permits easy insertion, it has been found that in certain circumstances such cable ties may not exhibit sufficiently high resistance to withdrawal forces as may be required in certain applications. Additionally, the art has uniformly provided bi-directional cable ties having symmetrical withdrawal-resistance characteristics while ignoring circumstances where it may be desirable to provide a bi-directional cable tie exhibiting discretely selectable, or non-symmetrical, withdrawal-resistance characteristics depending upon which direction the cable tie strap is inserted through the head. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cable tie having a self-locking feature in a symmetrical structure which exhibits ease of insertion of the cable tie strap into the aperture in either direction and yet provides suitably high resistance to withdrawal forces in order to maintain a self-locking configuration. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a self-locking feature in an asymmetrical structure which offers discretely-selectable resistance to withdrawal forces according to the direction of strap insertion.

Q: Kairosdb error metric[0](name=abcd).tag[xyz].value may not be empty I am inserting data in kairosdb using the command: reference bin/kairosdb.sh import -f export.txt but in the kairosdb.log file I am getting following error: 08-10|13:54:33.443 [main] INFO [Main.java:267] - KairosDB service started 08-10|13:54:33.443 [main] INFO [Main.java:268] - ------------------------------------------ 08-10|14:00:38.236 [main] INFO [TelnetServerModule.java:42] - Configuring module TelnetServerModule 08-10|14:00:39.259 [main] INFO [CassandraHostRetryService.java:48] - Downed Host Retry service started with queue size -1 and retry delay 10s 08-10|14:00:39.357 [main] INFO [JmxMonitor.java:52] - Registering JMX me.prettyprint.cassandra.service_kairosdb-cluster:ServiceType=hector,MonitorType=hector 08-10|14:00:39.734 [main] ERROR [Main.java:345] - metric[0](name=meterreadings).tag[building_type].value may not be empty. 08-10|14:00:40.023 [main] ERROR [Main.java:345] - metric[0](name=meterreadings).tag[building_type].value may not be empty. 08-10|14:00:40.216 [main] ERROR [Main.java:345] - metric[0](name=meterreadings).tag[building_type].value may not be empty. 08-10|14:00:40.295 [main] ERROR [Main.java:345] - metric[0](name=meterreadings).tag[building_type].value may not be empty. 08-10|14:00:40.391 [main] ERROR [Main.java:345] - metric[0](name=meterreadings).tag[building_type].value may not be empty. 08-10|14:00:40.439 [main] ERROR [Main.java:345] - metric[0](name=meterreadings).tag[building_type].value may not be empty. My export.txt file is: administrator@administrator-IdeaCentre-Q190:~/Abharthan/kairosdb$ head -10 export.txt {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"1","building_type":"ElementarySchool","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"34.85"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"2","building_type":"Park","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"0"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"3","building_type":"Industrial","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"0.07"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"4","building_type":"RecreationCenter","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"0"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"5","building_type":"Park","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"2.2"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"6","building_type":"CommunityCenter","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"31.41"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"7","building_type":"Office","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"0"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"8","building_type":"ElementarySchool","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"10.88"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"9","building_type":"ElementarySchool","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"42.27"} {"name": "meterreadings", "timestamp":"1359695700","tags": {"Building_id":"10","building_type":"ElementarySchool","meter_type":"temperature","unit":"F"},"value":"10.14"} Please suggest how to fix this error. A: usually the problem you describe comes from tags being provided with no associated value. TIt looks like you have values after the 10 first lines with empty value for building_type (look for "building_type":"" or similar). By looking at your JSON I see several unrelated possible problems : Your timestamp seems to be in Unix seconds - it should be in milliseconds (that could work with Telnet API because of OpenTSDB compatibility, but KairosDB expects milliseconds) Your timestamp is always the same (thus you updating the same sample and again) Your value is a String (while you'd probably like to use a long or a float), it may work but I don't recommend proceeding this way

Governor Cuomo announces New York State will join PPCA New York State introducing regulations to close coal power plants by 2020 via Flickr - dianasch 21 August 2018 Share Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York is joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, an international coalition of governments, businesses, and other organizations committed to leading the rest of the world in ending the use of traditional coal power. On Monday, the Governor also issued a letter to Acting Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Andrew Wheeler urging him to abandon the EPA's proposed replacement of the Clean Power Plan to prop up the coal industry. Announcing the news, Governor Cuomo said: "The future of our environment, our economy and our children is at stake, and New York will not let President Trump take us backward. Today I am proud to announce that New York will join the Powering Past Coal Alliance to share our expertise and experience and continue to lead the fight against dirty and dangerous fossil fuels. With our bold mandate to close all coal-fired power plants by 2020 and our nation-leading commitment to renewables, we are already at the forefront of the clean energy revolution and we will not go back." Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul added: "As the Trump administration works to roll back our progress when it comes to our environment, Governor Cuomo and I are fighting to protect it. New York is proud to join governments and organizations across the world as part of the Powering Past Coal Alliance to end the use of traditional coal power. The Alliance is another step in advancing New York's aggressive clean energy goals and ensuring our climate is protected and safe." The Powering Past Coal Alliance, launched by the UK and Canada on the margins of COP 23, is a coalition of governments, businesses, and other organizations to lead the rest of the world in ending the use of traditional coal power. The Alliance is committed to taking action to accelerate clean growth and climate protection through the rapid phase-out of traditional power. Delivering on the Governor's 2016 State of the State pledge to go coal-free by 2020, Governor Cuomo in May directed DEC to propose regulations will tighten the state's CO2 Performance Standards for Major Electric Generating Facilities by establishing CO2 emission rate requirements for existing major electric generating facilities. The state stands ready to help workers and communities transition to a clean energy future through the Governor's Clean Climate Careers initiative and the Electric Generation Facility Cessation Mitigation Fund created to address the needs of the local communities affected by any closures, as well as a host of clean energy programs to support transitioning these plants away from coal. Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State is taking bold action to meet the challenge of climate change. After the federal government announced its intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change, New York joined with California and Washington State to form the U.S. Climate Alliance to uphold the goals of the agreement. The U.S. Climate Alliance has grown to include 17 governors representing nearly half U.S. gross domestic product. New York has also established a Clean Energy Standard for half of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, complementing Governor Cuomo's ambitious Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy. REV is building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers by stimulating investment in clean technologies like solar, wind, and energy efficiency. The REV strategy is ensuring New York State reduces economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and achieves the internationally-recognized target of reducing emissions 80 percent by 2050.

Ethnicity matters for undergraduate majors in challenges, experiences, and perceptions of psychology. In this investigation of a national sample of undergraduate psychology majors, we directly compare the experiences and perceptions of students of color with those of European Americans. Our aim was to identify factors that might contribute to our discipline's educational pipeline, in which the relative lack of ethnic diversity is a recognized problem. We found that students of color and European American majors are similar in a number of ways but also different in others. Students of color are challenged by less encouragement from and interaction with faculty, perceive a lack of respect, and wish to see more attention to diversity in curriculum, research, faculty, and textbooks. It is not surprising that students of color were significantly less satisfied than European Americans with their studies in psychology.

Q: Dragon Age Inquisition, how to start crafting? Dragon Age Inquisition is the first title I play from the Dragon Age franchise, and since in the game I've gathered lots of materials I'd like to start crafting something but I cannot find how. Have I to go back to the war table? My character is at level 7, should that matter. A: In Haven, the crafting stations are in the smithy, which you reach by turning left just after going through the main gate of the settlement (or just before? Not sure...). It's where Blackwall is found if you have recruited him. In Skyhold, the crafting stations are in the Undercroft, which you reach via the door next to the throne. There's also crafting stations in some of the fortresses that you turn into camps in the other areas.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Novi, Mich., on Sept. 30, 2016. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images) Hillary Clinton’s campaign on Friday mocked Donald Trump over his appearance in a Playboy adult film, hours after Trump had sought to discredit a former Miss Universe by alleging she had appeared in “sex tape.” "There's been a lot of talk about sex tapes today, and in a strange turn of events, only one adult film has emerged today, and its star is Donald Trump," Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill told a group of reporters stationed outside a Clinton fundraiser in Miami Beach. Merrill, who regularly travels with Clinton, added that he had not seen the film in which Trump makes a brief appearance. Trump faced scrutiny Friday after he attacked former Miss Universe Alicia Machado in several early-morning statements on Twitter, where he accused her of appearing in a "sex tape," among other things. Such a tape does not appear to exist; Trump appeared to be referring to racy — but not pornographic — footage from a 2005 reality show in which Machado appeared. Machado, who is supporting Clinton, has been at the center of a now five-day-long controversy over denigrating public comments Trump made about her weight in 1996, which the former secretary of state highlighted during Monday's presidential debate. Clinton and her campaign used Trump's attacks against Machado to question Trump's temperament, characterizing him as petty and "unhinged." On Friday afternoon, BuzzFeed News uncovered an explicit Playboy video from 2000 in which Trump made a cameo. The film, titled "Playboy: Video Centerfold" featured nude women in sexual positions. The GOP nominee made a brief appearance in the film, according to BuzzFeed, and did not appear in any pornographic scenes. The cover of the VHS tape advertises the "Bernaola Twins," Darlene and Carol Bernaola, two Playboy models. Speaking at a raucous late-afternoon rally in Coral Springs, Clinton said Trump’s tweets were part of a meltdown. “Who gets up at 3 o’clock in the morning to engage in a Twitter attack against a former Miss Universe?” she asked incredulously. “Really, why does he do things like that?” Clinton told the crowd that Trump’s behavior was “unhinged” and was further evidence that he is “temperamentally unfit to be president of the United States.”

[F4M] Put you to work [Femdom][Pleasure Torture][Blackmail][Squirting] *door creak* What the fuck? Oh no no no no no. Where do you think you're going? What were you doing just now? *pause* Don't fucking lie to me, you were jacking off weren't you? I knew it! You little fucking pervert! I was wondering where the random cum stains in this bathroom were coming from, and you're fucking culprit huh? Get over here. I said get over here, now! Get up against this wall. What makes you think that you can do this huh? You nasty fuck. Coming in here and shooting your nasty cum wherever you like. *condescending* What the fuck is the matter with you? Do you get off on this? Does the thought of getting caught excite you? Is that it? *sound fx belt jingle* No no no, you're going to stay right there. Don't you dare fucking move. I think you have a problem. And if the problem is that you have so much cum in those balls that you have to jerk off at work, then I guess I'll have to fix that for you huh? That's right, I'm going to drain those balls until there's not a single drop of cum left in them. Mmm, yeah. Feel the firm grip of my hand around your shaft/cock. You like that don't you? I know you do. Must feel nice to have a woman's hand on your cock for once... instead of your own. Mmm, there you go, buck your hips into it. Fuck that hand. Come on be a good boy. You know. I kind of figured it was you that was doing it. *pause* Oh come on! You were so obvious about it. Getting up from your desk in a hurry, scurrying off in the direction of the bathrooms, "pretending" to walk around in the area as if you were actually doing something. You know if you're going to do some perverted shit like this, then you shouldn't act super suspicious. *pause* Yeah, like peeking around the corner of the hallway. *Scoff* You looked so guilty when I saw you. That's when I knew I had to follow you and find out exactly what you were up to, aaand I'm happy to say you didn't disappoint. Now I've got you here, with your back against the wall, and there's nothing you can do about it. You're going to do **exactly** as I say. Do you understand? Hmm, good boy. Tell me. Do you like this outfit I'm wearing? Yeah? I'm wearing one of my tight little blouses, with the top buttons always undone. *laugh* I know I have great tits. I've caught you staring at them before. *mocking* Is that why you need to jack off every day? Because your nasty fucking cock gets really hard from looking at my tits and then it starts straining against those pants you're wearing? *laugh* You're fucking pathetic. I don't know if I should even let you cum. *pause* Oh are you whining? Do you want to cum and empty those aching balls into my hand? Is that what you want? I don't know if you do. You certainly don't sound like it. I'm going to need to hear you moan and whimper for me... like a good boy. Here, I'll stroke you a little faster now. That's right, let me hear you moan. I need you to show me just how desperate you are to cum. *pause* Oh come on, you can do much better than that. *pause* Hmm, I wonder if I can do something to make those balls ache even more... Ah! what if I just pull up my skirt a little. Yeah, you like that don't you? I am wearing stockings and yes, they are thigh highs. *pause* Oh fuck! You **really** like that huh? I felt your cock twitch when I showed them to you. Now come on. Do you want to cum? *pause* *mocking* It doesn't sound like it to me. *stern* Do you, want, to cum? Oof, I *love* hearing you beg. That's what good boys should do before they're allowed to cum. But the question still remains, *should* I let you cum? Do you think you deserve it? Do you think you've been a good boy for me? Say it, say "I've been a good boy ma'am." "May I cum? Pretty pretty please?" Come on. Say it again, while I stroke you a little bit faster. *pause* Yeah, yeah? You want to be my good boy? You want to cum for me? Come on, get right on the edge and hold it there. You can't cum untill I give you permission. Do you understand? Good boy. Hold it, hold it. Ask me again. Say, "Please mistress may I cum?" *pause* *sudden stop* No! You may not! You don't get to cum... Not yet at least. Get over here and get down on your knees in front of this counter. Now! *sound rustling* I'm going to put these panties over your face so you can sniff them like the dirty pervert that you are... While you eat my pussy. Yeah, come on. Do it. Stick that tongue out. *pause**slap* I said stick your fucking tongue out slut! And lick. My. cunt. Yeah. Lick up and down my slit. Make that pussy nice and fucking wet because I'm going to cum on your face. That's right. Keep going and if you can make me cum I might just let you cum as well. Mmm, yeah. Such a good boy. Oh yes, suck on my clit. Fuck, that feels good. Keep going. No! Don't you fucking dare. I didn't say you could touch your cock. Keep those hands behind your back and keep licking me. You like how that feels huh? When I grab your hair, and grind your face against my fucking cunt? That's where you belong you dirty, fucking, whore. You think you're a big man don't you? Just because your father is the head of sales. He may be my boss, but that doesn't make you shit. You're a lowly intern. And I knew it'd be so, so easy to turn you into my little bitch. I just needed something over you, and when I found you in here jerking that nasty fucking cock I knew I found exactly what I needed. Haha. *pause* *stern* Don't stop. I don't care if your jaw is starting to ache, keep going. *end stern* But tell me, did you use the women's restroom because you were afraid you'd get found out too easily if you used the men's? Oh and of course then your father would find out and you'd be in really deep shit. Huh? What would daddy do? Would he take away your car? And your fancy job? Oh, and then when you go back to school all the girls would know what a big pervert you are and you sure as fuck wouldn't get laid then. *laugh* That's right. If you don't want all that to happen I suggest you do exactly as I say. Keep licking. Don't stop. I'm going to rub my clit and finger myself while you put that tongue to good use. It's not like you have anything more important to do. *Improv* Oh fuck, yes, yes. I'm going to cum. Oh fuck! No, don't you fucking move. Stay right there. I want to cover your face in my cum. *Orgasm* Oh no, I didn't say you could move. I'm not done yet. *fingering* Oh fuck! Open your mouth. *squirt* No! Fucking swallow it you fucking whore. Do it, drink it all up. There you go. That's a good boy. *chortling* Oh ho ho ho, look at you! That's such a precious sight. You on your knees. Hands behind your back. Your face covered in my cum, and is that? Holy shit! That's a big fucking puddle of pre-cum. Well, I did say I'd let you cum. What do you think? Would like to cum for me? Yes? Ok. Stand up and lean against the counter. Let's get these pants down around your ankles. Look at that precious cock. So needy. So desperate to cum. Mmm, how is that? Does it feel good when I just, squeeeze your balls with one hand? *laugh* Oh you poor thing. I guess you've probably endured enough torture for one day huh? Here, I'll be gentle. I promise. *blowjob/licking noises* Does that feel nice? When I just slowly lick up, and down your shaft. And then take each of your balls in my mouth and suck on them. Mmm, you're trembling... I like that. I think I'd really like to just suck on the head of your cock right now. Swirl my tongue aaall around it. Mmm, that's okay. Tilt your head back, relax, and let me hear you moan. God that's a nice fucking cock. It just feels so good in my hand. MMm, I can feel it pulsing when I grip it nice and tight. Here, I want to grab it by the fucking base, and just go down on it as deep as I can. *deepthroat noises* MMm, fuck. That was really good. *Improv as long as you want* Do you want to cum for me now? Yeah? Are you ready? Here, get your hands behind your back and hold still for me. I want to suck on that cock and feel it erupt in my mouth. *blowjob noises* Mhm, mhm. Come on, be a good boy for me baby. Be a good boy for your mistress and cum. I want you to shoot that nice big load down my throat. Give it to me. Give me that fucking cum. *blowjob noises* I'm going to go down on you again now, and I'm not going to stop until you cum. Got it? *improv blowjob. When ready make it sound like he cums in your mouth.* *Cooldown moans* Mmm, mmm. Hahaha *keep gently licking*, that was, uh, quite something. I didn't know you had so much in you. Mm, I'm just going to keep sucking and licking a little bit, since you have such a nice cock. *slowly getting more intense* Oh come on, you can take a little more. You want to make your mistress happy don't you? *pause* That's my good boy. It makes me so happy that you're sooo obedient. *playfully* And mistresses reward good obedient boys, don't you know? I know it's sensitive, but you can do it. Don't move too much while I keep sucking on my new toy. *sucking noises* No, I'm not going to stop. You said you'd be my good boy so you have to do as I say. Otherwise your father is going to find out aaall about your little... extracurricular activity. Mmm, you're shivering. Is it a bit too much for my little submissive intern? I thought you like to cum? Isn't that what got you into this whole mess in the first place? Your inability to control this fucking cock. I think you need to be taught a lesson. That since this cock is in control of you, and I control this cock, that means I control you. No? Ooh, a little fight in you. I like that. I think you need to understand just who's in charge here. Who do you belong to? *sucking* No, I won't stop sucking until you answer me. Who does this cock belong to? *pause* Louder! That's right! It fucking belongs to me... and I will do with it whatever I want. And right now, I want to keep sucking. That's right. Whimper and squeal for me my little bitch boy. Show me just how desperate you really are. I'm going to keep sucking you until you're begging me to stop. *Improv* Oh come on. You can last a little longer, can't you? Are you sure? You know you'd be disappointing your mistress. Well, I guess you have been a good boy, so I'll give you a break... this time. But remember. I own you now. You're my fucking whore. And you don't get to cum again until you ask for permission. Every time you want to cum, you're going to come over to my desk and beg for permission. Do you understand? Good boy. Now, clean that pre-cum off the floor and get back to work.

<annotation> <folder>CameraPhotos</folder> <filename>2017-12-15 14:14:23.371901.jpg</filename> <path>/Volumes/Untitled/CameraPhotos/2017-12-15 14:14:23.371901.jpg</path> <source> <database>Unknown</database> </source> <size> <width>352</width> <height>240</height> <depth>3</depth> </size> <segmented>0</segmented> <object> <name>car</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>0</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>171</xmin> <ymin>177</ymin> <xmax>217</xmax> <ymax>225</ymax> </bndbox> </object> <object> <name>truck</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>0</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>133</xmin> <ymin>156</ymin> <xmax>171</xmax> <ymax>202</ymax> </bndbox> </object> <object> <name>bus</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>1</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>1</xmin> <ymin>176</ymin> <xmax>90</xmax> <ymax>240</ymax> </bndbox> </object> <object> <name>car</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>0</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>94</xmin> <ymin>163</ymin> <xmax>120</xmax> <ymax>187</ymax> </bndbox> </object> <object> <name>car</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>0</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>110</xmin> <ymin>145</ymin> <xmax>130</xmax> <ymax>165</ymax> </bndbox> </object> <object> <name>car</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>0</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>152</xmin> <ymin>150</ymin> <xmax>174</xmax> <ymax>163</ymax> </bndbox> </object> <object> <name>car</name> <pose>Unspecified</pose> <truncated>0</truncated> <difficult>0</difficult> <bndbox> <xmin>203</xmin> <ymin>155</ymin> <xmax>230</xmax> <ymax>173</ymax> </bndbox> </object> </annotation>

/* Copyright (c) 2011, Philipp Krähenbühl All rights reserved. Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. * Neither the name of the Stanford University nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY Philipp Krähenbühl ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL Philipp Krähenbühl BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. */ #include <cstdio> #include <cmath> #include "../libDenseCRF/densecrf.h" #include "../libDenseCRF/util.h" // Store the colors we read, so that we can write them again. int nColors = 0; int colors[255]; unsigned int getColor( const unsigned char * c ){ return c[0] + 256*c[1] + 256*256*c[2]; } void putColor( unsigned char * c, unsigned int cc ){ c[0] = cc&0xff; c[1] = (cc>>8)&0xff; c[2] = (cc>>16)&0xff; } // Produce a color image from a bunch of labels unsigned char * colorize( const short * map, int W, int H ){ unsigned char * r = new unsigned char[ W*H*3 ]; for( int k=0; k<W*H; k++ ){ int c = colors[ map[k] ]; putColor( r+3*k, c ); } return r; } // Certainty that the groundtruth is correct const float GT_PROB = 0.5; // Simple classifier that is 50% certain that the annotation is correct float * classify( const unsigned char * im, int W, int H, int M ){ const float u_energy = -log( 1.0f / M ); const float n_energy = -log( (1.0f - GT_PROB) / (M-1) ); const float p_energy = -log( GT_PROB ); float * res = new float[W*H*M]; for( int k=0; k<W*H; k++ ){ // Map the color to a label int c = getColor( im + 3*k ); int i; for( i=0;i<nColors && c!=colors[i]; i++ ); if (c && i==nColors){ if (i<M) colors[nColors++] = c; else c=0; } // Set the energy float * r = res + k*M; if (c){ for( int j=0; j<M; j++ ) r[j] = n_energy; r[i] = p_energy; } else{ for( int j=0; j<M; j++ ) r[j] = u_energy; } } return res; } int main( int argc, char* argv[]){ if (argc<4){ printf("Usage: %s image annotations output\n", argv[0] ); return 1; } // Number of labels const int M = 21; // Load the color image and some crude annotations (which are used in a simple classifier) int W, H, GW, GH; unsigned char * im = readPPM( argv[1], W, H ); if (!im){ printf("Failed to load image!\n"); return 1; } unsigned char * anno = readPPM( argv[2], GW, GH ); if (!anno){ printf("Failed to load annotations!\n"); return 1; } if (W!=GW || H!=GH){ printf("Annotation size doesn't match image!\n"); return 1; } /////////// Put your own unary classifier here! /////////// float * unary = classify( anno, W, H, M ); /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // Setup the CRF model DenseCRF2D crf(W, H, M); // Specify the unary potential as an array of size W*H*(#classes) // packing order: x0y0l0 x0y0l1 x0y0l2 .. x1y0l0 x1y0l1 ... (row-order) crf.setUnaryEnergy( unary ); // add a color independent term (feature = pixel location 0..W-1, 0..H-1) // x_stddev = 3 // y_stddev = 3 // weight = 3 crf.addPairwiseGaussian( 3, 3, 3 ); // add a color dependent term (feature = xyrgb) // x_stddev = 60 // y_stddev = 60 // r_stddev = g_stddev = b_stddev = 20 // weight = 10 crf.addPairwiseBilateral( 60, 60, 20, 20, 20, im, 10 ); // Do map inference short * map = new short[W*H]; crf.map(10, map); // Store the result unsigned char *res = colorize( map, W, H ); writePPM( argv[3], W, H, res ); delete[] im; delete[] anno; delete[] res; delete[] map; delete[] unary; }

Q: How to use @Nullable and @Nonnull annotations more effectively? I can see that @Nullable and @Nonnull annotations could be helpful in preventing NullPointerExceptions but they do not propagate very far. The effectiveness of these annotations drop off completely after one level of indirection, so if you only add a few they don't propagate very far. Since these annotations are not well enforced there is a danger of assuming a value marked with @Nonnull is not null and consequently not performing null checks. The code below causes a parameter marked with @Nonnull to be null without raising any complaints. It throws a NullPointerException when it is run. public class Clazz { public static void main(String[] args){ Clazz clazz = new Clazz(); // this line raises a complaint with the IDE (IntelliJ 11) clazz.directPathToA(null); // this line does not clazz.indirectPathToA(null); } public void indirectPathToA(Integer y){ directPathToA(y); } public void directPathToA(@Nonnull Integer x){ x.toString(); // do stuff to x } } Is there a way to make these annotations more strictly enforced and/or propagate further? A: Short answer: I guess these annotations are only useful for your IDE to warn you of potentially null pointer errors. As said in the "Clean Code" book, you should check your public method's parameters and also avoid checking invariants. Another good tip is never returning null values, but using Null Object Pattern instead. A: Other than your IDE giving you hints when you pass null to methods that expect the argument to not be null, there are further advantages: Static code analysis tools can test the same as your IDE (e.g. FindBugs) You can use AOP to check these assertions This can help your code be more maintainable (since you do not need null checks) and less error-prone. A: I think this original question indirectly points to a general recommendation that run-time null-pointer check is still needed, even though @NonNull is used. Refer to the following link: Java 8's new Type Annotations In the above blog, it is recommended that: Optional Type Annotations are not a substitute for runtime validation Before Type Annotations, the primary location for describing things like nullability or ranges was in the javadoc. With Type annotations, this communication comes into the bytecode in a way for compile-time verification. Your code should still perform runtime validation.

Foreign medical graduates and graduate medical education. Since 1975 the flow of foreign medical graduates (FMGs) into US graduate medical education programs has been declining as a result of several factors, primarily because of the more stringent entrance requirements mandated by the 1976 Health Professions Educational Assistance Act (PL 94-484). From 1975 to 1979 the percentage of FMGs in US residencies has declined from 28.5% to 20.4%, a decline of 20.5%. Even more dramatic was the 73.4% decline in exchange visitor FMG residents. Partially offsetting these declines were the increases registered by US medical graduates and US citizen FMGs, resulting in fewer unfilled approved residency positions during the four-year period. However, it is doubtful if these increases are sufficient to meet replacement needs, especially in several metropolitan areas, specialties, and hospitals. The waiver of certain requirements of PL 94-484 may need to be extended to aid transition to decreased dependence of FMGs.

WoSign Tools OTP Token (uOTP-2) uOTP-2 OTP token is a small key-chain like hardware authenticator which offers user real mobility and flexibility. By simply pressing the button, uOTP-2 generates and displays a secure one-time password every 60 seconds (and optional 30 seconds), ensuring proper identification and allowing only authenticated user with authorized access to critical applications and sensitive data. uOTP-2 complies with the IETF draft of time-based authentication methods, which was submitted by OATH to provide compatibility with third-party software. uOTP-2 token provides the most cost-effective two-factor authentication for enterprises to manage secure access to information in the global market. Key Features Strong two-factor authenticator Each OTP password is only valid for a short amount of time (60/30 sec)

Los Angeles County Service Members, Veterans & Their Families Protecting veterans from VA accounting mistakes Troy Daily News - 2/13/2018 One of my most important jobs as your senator is listening to the Ohioans I represent. The best ideas don’t come out of Washington – they come from conversations with Ohioans, like Massillon veteran, James Powers. Before James retired in 2016, he started to receive disability pay, but he noticed the Army was still paying him his active duty salary. He caught the mistake, and did the honorable thing and notified the VA. But the VA continued overpaying him – and then they charged him twice to recoup the overpayments. The staff in my office worked with the VA to resolve James’s issue, but this should never have happened in the first place. Veterans shouldn’t have to worry that if their paycheck is incorrect through no fault of their own, they’ll pay the price. So I introduced a bill to ban the VA from charging veterans like James for its own mistaken overpayments. My bill, the Veterans’ Debt Fairness Act, would also protect veterans who depend on their benefits by capping the amount the VA can deduct from a veteran’s monthly payment, and it would ban the VA from collecting debts more than five years old. Veterans have dealt with enough stress already – they shouldn’t be forced to pay for the VA’s accounting slip-ups. James’ story is all too common. In 2016 alone, the VA issued more than 200,000 overpayment notices to veterans. When this happens, the agency often tries to get its money back by withholding some or all of the monthly disability payments that our veterans have earned. That’s why I introduced my legislation to fix this problem for all our heroes. Veterans sacrifice so much already to serve our country. They shouldn’t be paying for the mistakes of the agency that’s supposed to serve them.

dinsdag 6 oktober 2009 first entry! Finally! My first blog entry! I'd like to show some of the things I've been making for my dollhouse the past few days. First up a handfull of color pencils. They are supposed to be on a small desk that I haven't even bought yet, but they where so much fun and so easy to make! Sorry for the bad light, but the weather is quite dark here at the moment.. :( I also made a shirt, but when it was finished I had nowhere to put it yet in my dollhouse, but on the floor. That's no proper place for a shirt! So I made an ironboard to go with it! Why yes, that's my logic ;) You may recognize the ironbord from an online tut from Christine-Lia Frisoni.Maybe you recognize this as well: when I finished the shirt, I "needed" the ironboard, and when the ironboard was finished I "needed" more accessories to put on the board... miniatures are so addicting!And so.. I made a tiny clothes peg... Hello Anneke and congratulations on your first blog. I am sure you are going to love the blog as it is a great way to share your love of miniatures. I love your little pencils and that shirt and ironing board is great!! And that timy little closepin!!!

{#sp1 .510} {#sp2 .511}

Breaches in Blood-brain Barrier might lead to Later Psychiatric Illness In 2006, Matthew Stern, a 30-year-old soldier from Houston, Texas, was knocked unconscious for nearly four minutes when his military vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq. “When I woke up in the hospital, the doctor said I had a bruise on my brain and we’d have to wait and see what the long term effects would be,” Stern says. Since the blast, he has developed epilepsy as well as dizziness, sleep problems, and recurring headaches and seizures. He expects to be on medication to control the seizures for the rest of his life. Researchers have learned a lot about the ways traumatic brain injury (TBI) may bring about widespread damage to the brain (See story, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury: Healing the Battered Brain”). But a new hypothesis suggests that a TBI like Stern’s, as well as other types of injuries and infections, may lead to breaches in the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a layer of tightly packed cells that separates circulating blood from cerebrospinal fluid. Researchers think those breaches may alter molecular signaling pathways between the BBB and the brain that ultimately result in disorders like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and some psychiatric illnesses. A new focus on the blood-brain barrier In the past 10 years, there has been growing interest in understanding the blood-brain barrier – but that focus has been limited to finding ways around it to deliver targeted drug treatments for various diseases (See story, “Deeper Understanding of the Blood-Brain Barrier May Lead to Targeted Treatments”). But clinical observations coupled with study of animal models have led Alon Friedman, a neuroscientist at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, to hypothesize that the blood-brain barrier may be a gateway to psychiatric illness. In a paper published in the 2009 issue of Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology, Friedman argues that injury and illness can result in abnormal blood-brain barrier function—leading to neuroinflammation and, ultimately, the development of brain pathophysiologies later on in life. “The BBB is a very complex structure,” Friedman says. “And you can see an opening or breakdown of this barrier in many different neurological disorders.” Friedman has noted that more than half of people with TBI show some sort of problem with the BBB. In some patients, the disruption fixes itself within days. But those with a more delayed recovery, he noted, were the ones more likely to develop epilepsy or other disorders later on. With the ability to look more closely at the BBB, the idea that it may play an important role in the development of psychiatric illness is catching on. “If you had asked clinicians ten years ago in which brain disorders do you see BBB damage, they would have said, ‘Possibly multiple sclerosis and certainly tumors, but that’s it,’” says Joan Abbott, a professor of neuroscience at King's College London. “Now we can list something like thirty five diseases where the barrier is not performing its normal regulatory functions. They all show some degree of blood-brain barrier disturbance. And if we could understand what the blood-brain barrier is doing in all those diseases, it could lead to new treatments.” A more sophisticated view of the BBB and disease Advances in technology that allow researchers to look at cells around the brain at the cellular and molecular levels suggest the blood-brain barrier is a lot more than just a simple barrier. “The BBB is a complex, regulatory interface with its own rules in place,” says William Banks, a researcher at Saint Louis University. “It makes judgment calls about what can get in to the brain and what gets out, sure. But it’s not a brick wall. It keeps things out but it is also secreting things and cross-talking to cells in the brain and the blood. We’re only beginning to understand it all and what it means for the pathophysiology of central nervous system disease.” Friedman thinks that an injury like Stern’s, as well as other sorts or injury or even a viral infection, can lead to breakdown in BBB function, and that disruption of normal BBB cross-talk leads to neuroinflammation—and, over time, psychiatric disease. In studies opening the BBB chemically in animal models, Friedman and colleagues tracked the molecular processes that occurred after the breach. By attacking the BBB chemically, the group was localize the damage to blood vessels and not surrounding neurons or glial cells. And they found that the damage did indeed result in neuroinflammation and later neurodegeneration. Further studies have led him to hypothesize that location-specific breaches resulted in different neuropsychiatric disorders. “We think breaches result in location-specific disorders,” he says. “If the barrier is opened near movement-related areas of the brain, you see epilepsy. If near an area involved with emotional response, you may see depression or disturbed emotional response. If it’s in the front area of the brain responsible for judgment, we may see problems with decision making.” A chicken-and-egg problem But is the injury causing inflammation leading to disease? Or is the disease itself rather causing that inflammation in addition to the injury? A true causal relationship is difficult to determine. “In Alzheimer’s disease, we have noticed that there are some changes to the very smallest blood vessels around the brain,” says Daniel Perl, a professor of pathology, psychiatry, and neurosciences at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “And we know that some neuroinflammatory markers are present around these blood vessels, suggesting they may be a mechanism. But at this point, it’s unclear what exactly is going on.” Banks says the buildup of amyloid-beta plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, makes it clear that the BBB is not doing its job. “The BBB may still be intact here,” he says. “Yet there’s still dysfunction because all that extra amyloid-beta is not getting pumped out of the brain the way it should be.” The question still needs careful study, Abbot says. “We can detect the blood-brain barrier is not doing its job but we’re unsure whether the disease results in inflammation and all local cells, including blood-brain barrier cells, are affected or, alternatively, that the inflammation in the barrier’s blood vessels causes them to regulate less efficiently so the brain side suffers,” she says. “It’s very difficult to determine which is chicken and which is egg.” Next steps Abbott, Perl and Banks say that Friedman’s hypothesis has merit, but there’s still a lot of study needed before it could be proved. Researchers need to collect more information about BBB dysfunction when trauma patients are initially treated. To date, there is no quick and easy diagnostic tool for doing so. Abbott says clinicians need to create a diagnostic panel to help understand the pathophysiology better —having several potential measures of faulty BBB regulation including blood, protein, and cytokine analyses as well as neuroimaging and electroencephalography results can help physicians establish better baselines. But she’s hopeful that this hypothesis may open up some new treatment possibilities for disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. “These conditions are currently hard to treat with existing drugs and approaches: We’re treating them as a nerve cell connectivity or neurochemistry problems,” she says. “But if Friedman is right and they share some degree of blood brain barrier dysregulation, we could aim to correct the barrier function so the brain could go back to regulating itself. The neurochemistry might then sort itself out on its own or with less medication.” Friedman hopes the hypothesis will inspire work that eventually leads to drug treatments to close potential breaches soon after the initial injury or illness, before downstream molecular processes set the stage for later psychiatric disorders. Stern, now out of the Army on a medical discharge, says he wishes there was something doctors could have done to prevent his epilepsy after the IED blast, and he does worry about developing other neurological problems in the future. Still, he is stoic. “I’ve learned to live with my seizures just going day by day,” he says. “If there’s more to come, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s or whatever, I’ll learn to live with it the same way.” Comments Blood Brain Barrier Peggy Nicola 3/28/2014 11:00:35 AM Thanks for some general info. in laymen's terms as far as BBB & the possibility that it may play a role in MDD & bipolar. I developed a seizure disorder when I was 36 after giving birth. I take medication for it, but I also have been diagnosed with MDD. It confused me how one - epilepsy could have something to do with too much firing or misfiring of neurons & MDD have to do with not enough, so to speak & how I could have both?? I dunno - - this BBB insight is pretty interesting to me & well worth looking into, just for my own understanding. Great website - thx!

If you’re serious about off-grid power, you won’t be surprised to hear that designing for off-grid photovoltaic (PV) systems is a little more complicated than it is for grid-tied systems — but it’s probably still simpler than you think. While the two types of systems have a lot in common, an off-grid system incorporates three extra elements — batteries, a charge controller, and a generator. Although, to counteract this, there are two things that you won’t have to worry about: meters and hassles with the utility company (not to mention utility bills). To appreciate the primary difference between off-grid and grid-tied PV systems, imagine you’re planning to take everyone in your household on a long camping trip. One option is to go car camping, where you park your vehicle right at the campsite. You’ll spend your days and nights outdoors, but if you run out of food, beer, toilet paper, or other essentials, you’ll have plenty of backup supplies packed in the car, just a few steps away. Your other option is a wilderness trip, where you carry everything you need to survive deep into the woods in a backpack. If you plan carefully, and make sure nobody eats or drinks too much, you’ll do just fine. But if supplies run low, you’ll have to cut back on your consumption. And if your supplies run out, they run out. You’re camped too far from the car to hike back, and you didn’t fill it with extra supplies anyway. You get the idea. Planning an off-grid PV system, like wilderness camping, requires more care and thoughtful examination of what you need on a daily basis. The only thing missing from the comparison, in the off-grid scenario, is a generator for replenishing the energy supply if things get dire. In this instance, you can think of the generator as a fishing pole in our camping metaphor. It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. Sizing an off-grid system should start with a careful examination of your household electrical demand — your daily electrical loads. (You’ll learn how to calculate loads in “Calculating Loads and Days of Autonomy.”) Now, let’s take a look at the basic elements of an off-grid PV system. Off-Grid Solar Components PV array. The modules and module support structure are the same for off-grid and grid-tied systems, but with an off-grid design, the module series-strings tend to be much smaller, typically with strings of three or four modules each. (We’ll discuss this more in “Array Layout.”) Rapid shutdown. Off-grid systems use string inverters (not microinverters), which means they need a dedicated system to meet rapid-shutdown requirements. This usually takes the form of a rapid-shutdown control switch that communicates with a disconnecting combiner box at the array, as with a standard grid-tied string-inverter system. Charge controller and batteries. In an off-grid system, the solar-generated DC power from the array passes through a charge controller on its way to the batteries. The charge controller regulates the flow of power and steps down the voltage to the proper level for the battery bank design (you can learn more about batteries for solar installations at The Best Batteries for Your Off-Grid Battery Bank). The charge controller is essential for safe charging and for battery health. It turns on when the battery voltage is low and the battery bank needs charging. It turns off when the battery voltage is high and the batteries are fully charged. DC to AC inverter. The stored DC power in the batteries runs through an inverter to be converted to AC power for use in the household electrical system. Remember that inverters for off-grid PV systems are called “stand-alone inverters,” while those for grid-tied systems are called “grid-tie inverters.” Conventionally, microinverters are not used for off-grid systems because the batteries require DC power, and microinverters convert to AC at the module. However, some AC-coupled systems use microinverters (in a setup that’s sometimes called a “microgrid”), but this entails unnecessary complication for most single-home systems. AC disconnect. On the AC side of things, off-grid systems have only an AC disconnect and the home’s main electrical service panel, both of which are the same as those used with grid-tied systems. Of course, no production meter or utility meter will be required, since you won’t be connected to the utility grid. Generator. Off-grid households that rely on solar power almost always have a generator for backup power when battery storage levels are low, the sun isn’t shining, or both. Calculating Loads and Days of Autonomy Your electrical loads are the cumulative totals of all daily electrical usage in your house. Calculate your loads by multiplying the wattage of each electric appliance and device by the average amount of time it’s used in a day. For appliances that are used less regularly, such as a clothes washer, calculate the daily average based on your weekly use. For example, if you run the washer 3.5 hours per week, use a daily figure of 0.5 hour (3.5 ÷ 7 = 0.5). Add up the usage of all appliances to find the daily total kilowatt-hours (kWh) used in your home. This number will be your minimum daily goal for AC power produced by your PV system. During the design process, you can use the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s online PVWatts Calculator to determine a DC system size for reaching this goal. The chart to the left lists some common household appliances and devices and their approximate wattages and daily usage times (annual averages). It offers just a snapshot of a household with fairly efficient appliances. As you probably know, there are manufacturers that specialize in ultra-efficient appliances for off-grid homes. Investing in just one ultra-efficient major appliance, such as a refrigerator or a stove, can make a huge difference in your household’s daily load. -Advertisement- Determine the wattage of your own appliances by looking on the manufacturer’s nameplate. If it doesn’t list the wattage but gives you the amps, multiply that number by 120 for standard-voltage appliances, or by 240 for dryers, electric stoves, and other high-voltage appliances. For example, if an electric fan is rated for 3 amps, its wattage is 3 amps × 120 volts = 360 watts. Wattage is the measure of instantaneous power consumption of an appliance — in the same way that it’s the measure of power output from a PV module at a given point in time. To convert wattage to actual energy usage, you have to add a factor of time: a 360-watt fan running for 3 hours uses 1,080 watt-hours. Divide the watt-hours by 1,000 to find the kilowatt-hour (kWh) usage: 1,080 ÷ 1,000 = 1.08 kWh. Use the kWh values for totaling your household electrical loads. “Days of autonomy” is a critical design factor for off-grid systems. It answers the question “How many days can I go with no sun?” In other words, if it’s the dead of winter, and the forecast shows nothing but snow or dense cloud cover for the near future, how long do you want your batteries to meet your daily loads before you run out of power? Days of autonomy are determined by the capacity of your battery bank. You can choose the number of days you like, but the standard target is three days, assuming the system includes an electrical generator for backup power during extended periods of cloudy weather. A three-day target seems to strike the right balance between cost and benefit for most off-grid homeowners. There’s no rule against designing for more days; it just requires more money for a larger battery bank. You’ll apply your target number of days of autonomy when sizing your battery bank. Solar Array Layout The design for the array (including the modules and module support structure) is the same for grid-tied and off-grid systems. To clarify: The physical layout of the modules and all the support structure calculations can be exactly the same, but the electrical layout is different. With a grid-tied string-inverter system, the length of the series-strings is ultimately limited by the maximum allowed input DC open-circuit voltage (V oc ) rating of the string inverter, and 8 to 12 modules in a string is common. With off-grid systems, the series-strings are limited by the charge controller. Most charge controllers can handle strings of no more than three or four modules in series. For example, if you have 12 modules total, you would typically wire the array in four parallel strings of three modules each. Many newer charge controllers can handle four modules in series (three parallel strings of four modules each for a 12-module array), and some can do several more in series, with ratings up to 600 volts max open-circuit voltage. Choose the charge controller rating that best fits your array size. Remember that the physical layout of the modules doesn’t have to match the electrical layout. For example, your 12-module array could be laid out in two physical rows of six modules each and still be wired as four strings of three modules each. Charge Controllers Charge controllers are needed for off-grid PV systems because the module strings put out much higher voltage than the batteries can handle. The charge controller receives the higher voltage (under ideal conditions) from the array and delivers the correct lower voltage to the batteries. In addition, it regulates the amount and rate of charging that the batteries require at all times. Charge controllers come in many types, with different ranges of cost and capability. The only type that’s highly recommended for an off-grid PV system is one with maximum power point tracking (MPPT), which can accept an input voltage from the array that’s higher than its output voltage (that is, the voltage that goes to the batteries), as discussed previously. The other type is a fixed-voltage charge controller, which requires that the array voltage be the same as the battery voltage. This type is used only with very small PV systems and usually isn’t suitable for home power systems. MPPT capability on a charge controller is similar to MPPT with inverters (and DC optimizers). In this case, the charge controller (not the inverter) constantly monitors the voltage and current of the modules and adjusts the levels as needed to maintain the maximum power point. Because the most dramatic adjustments are needed during less-than-ideal sun conditions, extreme temperature conditions, and low-battery conditions, MPPT charge controllers really earn their keep in cloudy weather, when the modules are partially shaded, or during any extremes in solar irradiance or temperature. Generators Most off-grid PV systems include a generator for backup power when the PV system can’t meet the demands of the household electrical loads, usually during the low-light days of winter or extended cloudy periods. Generators are also useful for equalizing batteries and for powering (or helping to power) significant loads that would otherwise use a lot of stored power in the batteries. You’ll have many factors to consider when choosing a generator, including the size of the battery bank, the household loads, and the AC output of the PV inverter. If your house has only 120-volt loads, you can use a generator that outputs at only 120 volts. But if your house has some 240-volt loads, the generator must have both 120- and 240-volt output. In this case, it’s important to check the generator’s output ratings carefully to understand the actual output at both 120 and 240 volts. As with stand-alone 120/240-volt inverters, there may be a reduction in output when drawing 120-volt power. Generators typically are sized to cover a little more power than the PV inverter’s full charging capacity, plus any household loads that may run concurrently with battery charging.

by Tim Holmes Historians of the future may one day marvel at the fact that, in the wake of the most staggering economic crashes in recent history – at heart caused by the “jubilant public suicide” of the regulatory institutions meant to be policing the financial sector – a publicly-owned channel should give a full hour of prime-time space to a far-right libertarian polemic, extolling the virtues of free markets and talking up the shrinking of the state. Last Thursday Channel Four broadcast the extraordinary documentary “Britain’s Trillion Pound Horror Story”, depicting Britain’s national debt as an unmitigated nightmare – run up for no good reason by irresponsible bureaucrats and politicians, requiring redress through halving public spending, a low “flat tax” applied across the income spectrum, and a radical attack on the public sector. George Osborne’s cuts, we were told, were little more than a drop in the ocean. Most astonishing, perhaps, is that this documentary is the work of a man with a well-known history of misleading the public. Its creator Martin Durkin has most recently enjoyed the opprobrium of the scientific community for misrepresenting graphs, data and basic factual information in 2007’s infamous “Great Global Warming Swindle” – a documentary whose conclusions were so divorced from reality that one of the climate scientists it featured subsequently denounced it as being “as close to pure propaganda as anything since World War Two” ”. Ofcom subsequently received a lengthy, detailed expert submission in the form of a peer-reviewed dissection of the scientific claims made in the programme. Yet it exonerated “Swindle” on the grounds that: “whilst Ofcom is required by the 2003 Act to set standards to ensure that news programmes are reported with “due accuracy” there is no such requirement for other types of programming, including factual programmes of this type.” Its sole relevant remit was simply to protect the public from “misleading material where that material is likely to cause harm or offence”. The notion that misleading the public on climate change could cause considerable harm to the public was dismissed out of hand. It was, in effect, an open license for propagandists and fraudulent documentary film-makers. Prior to that outing, however, Durkin had been director of a 1997 Channel Four series castigating the environment movement, “Against Nature”. When four individuals who had appeared in the series protested their treatment at Durkin’s hands, the Independent Television Commission ruled in their favour, condemning the programme for its dishonest treatment of the material: not only had the interviewees been “misled as to the content and purpose of the programmes when they agreed to take part”, but “the views of the four complainants, as made clear to the interviewer, had been distorted by selective editing”. Channel Four was subsequently forced to broadcast a primetime apology. Another of Durkin’s programmes for Channel Four’s Equinox series in 1998 – claiming that the medical dangers of silicone breast implants had been widely exaggerated, and the supposed benefits ignored – had previously been rejected by the BBC for ignoring the body of evidence contradicting it, but was nevertheless taken up, produced and broadcast by Channel Four. The programme even had a researcher and producer – Najma Kazi – walk out in disgust while work on the documentary was ongoing. As Kazi put it: “It’s not a joke to walk away from four or five month’s work, but my research was being ignored. The published research had been construed to give an impression that’s not the case. I don’t know how that programme got passed. The only consolation for me was that I’m really glad I didn’t put my name to it.” “What does Channel 4 do with programme makers condemned by the TV watchdog, the Independent Television Commission (ITC), for using underhand editing techniques? The answer is, er, hire them to make another programme ...” While little would appear to have changed on this front, Durkin’s ideological position seems a good deal more malleable. The Great Global Warming Swindle evinced a none-too-subtle appeal to the politics of class warfare, espousing the ( ahistorical and unhinged) idea that Margaret Thatcher decided to endorse the politics of climate change as a means of attacking the miners. No such sympathy is evinced for Trade Unions this time round – a selectively-edited interview with TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber intended only to evoke ridicule. And the far-left politics Durkin claims formerly to have espoused now appear to have melted into thin air. In this light, the Eric Idle lyrics which play as the credits to “Horror Story” roll – “you can keep your Marxist ways, but it’s only just a phase ...” – sound like a wry wink to those in the know. It is an ideological divestment redolent down to the finest detail of those made by the corporate-friendly media entryists of the former Revolutionary Communist Party , and subsequently the magazine Living Marxism – the same that now congregate around the libertarian website spiked . Durkin naturally claims to have no connection to this clique, even though they appear to have been intimately involved in “Against Nature”’s attack on the environmental movement, which echoes their line almost to the letter. The talking heads coming to Durkin’s assistance this time round are drawn from a host of far-right think-tanks, publications, corporate bodies and former Conservative ministerial positions. Particularly noticeable among them are the Institute for Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Institute – both of which have clear links to the tobacco industry, and have done work promoting a public agenda friendly to the industry over the years. Nevertheless, Durkin’s professional standards in “Horror Story” are entirely consistent with his previous work. The documentary is an expertly constructed piece of populist propaganda: clear, irreverent, entertaining, and densely packed with fundamental misrepresentations. Some of the most stark examples are worth dissecting in more detail. • UK public spending is, er, not due to rise Durkin claims that public spending in the UK is set to go on increasing up to 2014 – overlaying images of ever-rising bar graphs over Government rhetoric on public spending, a hysterical crescendo of swelling strings completing the overall impression of out-of-control Government spending. It is difficult to overstate just how far this account inverts reality. As the Financial Times’ Martin Wolf – a highly influential economic commentator who has hardly been one to distance himself from the dogmas of economic libertarianism – summed up the coalition’s budget, overall “fiscal tightening will amount to the massive total of £113bn by 2014-15, 74 per cent of this in lower spending”. Wolf described this as a “dramatic fiscal tightening”; “tightening until the pips squeak”; part of a “savage budget” amounting to a “bloodbath”: a “grinding war on spending” for which “nothing in the election campaign prepared the British public”. “This”, he concludes, “is going to be brutal.” “Overall, the prospective reductions in real spending are the most severe since the second world war.” The Institute for Fiscal Studies – widely regarded as the gold standard for such assessments – echoed Wolf almost to the letter: “... the cuts to total public spending over the four years starting next April are, after economy-wide inflation, set to be the deepest since World War II and the cuts to spending on public services will be the deepest since the four years beginning in April 1975 when the then Labour Government was trying to comply with the IMF austerity plan.” Durkin doesn’t shed any light on the source of his figures in the documentary. But the sheer disjuncture between his figures and those of more reliable sources on this question require an explanation. Assuming that his figures are not a straightforward fabrication (a big assumption), the relevant phrases would seem to be “real spending” and “after economy-wide inflation”. The only plausible way of accounting for Durkin’s fantasyland data would seem to be that he has simply declined to account for inflation – possibly the crudest, most desperate trick in the fraudulent statistician’s handbook. • The level of Britain’s debt In assessing the real level of Britain’s debt, Durkin provides a figure of £4.8 trillion. High-end figures like this inevitably come from sources on the hard right such as the Centre for Policy Studies or Tory MP John Redwood, and scrape the barrel to take account of any liabilities they can, generally including future pension payments (not “debt” in any conventional sense), liabilities from the banks, and the continuing costs run up as a result of introducing the private sector into the funding, management and ownership of key public services. Conventional figures , however, show that debt as a percentage of GDP only rose particularly when, in 2008-9, the state stepped in to carry the cost of its historic oversight in failing to regulate the financial sector – and even then, rose to historically unremarkable levels. This figure may be inflated by including the costs of turning public services into new markets for private companies, or of the toxic assets the Government ultimately inherited as a result of its prior failure to involve itself sufficiently in the financial sector. But this is a curious argument to make on behalf of a smaller state. • Public services: the example of healthcare Durkin has a few hobby-horses on the issue of public services. He predictably extols the virtues of private sector provision, advocating a tiered, predominantly private system with a safety-net for the poor. He majors on the value of “choice” (failing, oddly, to mention the added bonus for those lucky enough to have a couple of extra quid in their pocket in getting to enjoy even more of this precious commodity). He attacks the terrible inefficiency of state bureaucracies, casting the NHS in an unfavourable position among the healthcare providers of the industrialised world – again omitting to mention the adverse outcomes already brought about by the involvement of the private sector in British healthcare provision. But perhaps most pertinent is the obvious real-world comparison he scrupulously avoids in all this: the third-world country under a decades-long economic embargo enjoying state provision, renowned healthcare services and such an extraordinary performance on health outcomes it has made even the World Bank blush; and the richest country in the developed world, with the least efficient, most costly model of non-universal, marketised healthcare provision, riddled with perverse incentives to withhold treatment wherever possible by its basis in the profit motive. That is, Cuba and the United States. • Economic history Durkin’s economic history is framed by a guided tour between areas of the north of England and Hong Kong, run-down areas of the former contrasted with dynamic urban centres in the latter. This comparison forms the basis of a bizarre thesis: firstly, on the industrial revolution, during which, in Durkin’s terms, the absence of state intervention set the conditions for an explosion of economic development – only to be ruined by the encroachment of the state into the 20th Century, leaving many areas in the north in poverty. Hong Kong, on the other hand, is depicted as exemplifying the dynamism and success of the Asian Tiger economies, achieved through a dramatic reduction of the state. The only problem with this account – besides its astonishing assumption that the private sector alone will somehow reverse poverty in depressed areas – is that it relies on a rewriting of economic history. As the Cambridge economist Ha-Joon Chang has shown in his bookKicking Away the Ladder and elsewhere, the now-developed countries relied on all manner of state intervention to ensure that nascent industries were insulated from the debilitating influence of the market. In the case of Britain, this included no small degree of brutality. Shashi Tharoor, in his history of India, for instance, notes “the deliberate barbarity with which, on at least two occasions, the British ordered the thumbs of whole communities of Indian weavers chopped off so that they could not compete with the products of Lancashire”. As Chang notes of the United States, its economic success has been underpinned by an extraordinary degree of protectionism and state intervention. Not only has the US historically enjoyed a form of “natural” protection as a result of its geographical distance from its trading partners, but has continually intervened strategically to protect domestic industries. As Chang has repeatedly pointed out, this effectively made the US the most protectionist country in the world during the period of its ascendancy. Moreover, notwithstanding Durkin’s mythological account, the biggest state monopoly in the industrialised world is not the NHS but the US military, which has continually been used to provide a stimulus to domestic industry. As for the Asian Tigers, Chang points out that the state intervened in these countries’ economic development every step of the way – to such an extent that, according to the historian Mark Curtis, they ended up being referred to in the US internal record as “communist economies without communism”. • Private productivity versus public vampirism? One memorable analogy in the documentary sums up Durkin’s view of the relationship between the private and public sectors particularly concisely. He portrays a patient on a hospital bed, with blood taken out of one arm injected into another, some of it spilled in the process. Every pound spent by the Government, in other words, is simply a pound taken from you in taxation, plus some extra skimmed off in bureaucracy. Durkin continually refers to the private sector as “productive areas of the economy”, depicting the state simply as a set of pampered bureaucrats and leeches in absurd, pointless positions, frittering our money away on caviar and foie gras. Yet it takes a moment’s thought to understand that this portrayal is the purest insanity. There are all manner of other ways money can flow into the public purse – the sale of Government bonds, or through revenue generated by its profitable assets. Governments can take on debt in order to provide an inflow of spending in the present to stimulate future growth and effectively pay off its own debts as tax revenues grow. Because of his notion that “one pound spent is more than one pound taxed”, Durkin is only able to frame debt as a burden on future generations – humorously illustrated with clips of protesting schoolchildren. According to this logic, no business would ever take on a loan, since the necessity of paying it back in the future with interest could only make it worse off. Durkin doesn’t explain what leaving, say, the building of transport networks in the hands of these “productive areas of the economy” would be likely to do for poor countries’ economic development. He omits to explain how a credible success story can be told about the radical application of the magic of the market to post-Soviet Russia. He forgets to mention the most important innovation in the communications sector – perhaps the most important innovation outright – of the late 20th Century, or where it came from: the internet, for which “It was the American state that picked up the bills in a context of limited commercial interest”. But perhaps the most obvious and damning example is again those huge “socially useless” areas of the financial sector – in the words of the former head of the CBI – whose “productive” activities all but sent the economy off a cliff-edge in 2008-9. Only a vast injection of spending by the supposedly vampiric public sector was able to alleviate the effects of this variety of “productivity”. Even if we were to adopt his own purely econometric logic, it is shocking to realise in just how many important respects Durkin’s account here inverts the truth. These are just a few examples of the glaring errors and oversights that saturate Durkin’s documentary from start to finish. No doubt many more can be pointed out by anyone with the time and inclination to look. But the documentary reveals a couple of things of which it is worth taking note. Firstly, that such communications are often persuasive, particularly when corrective contextual information is not readily available – as some of the comments on Channel Four’s website seem to confirm. And secondly, the ways in which the perception of crisis that is at the heart of “shock doctrine” approaches to economic restructuring may often depend on such forms of media influence to bolster them. This is surely at the heart of Durkin’s achievement in “Horror Story”. It is unlikely a countervailing narrative will ever be broadcast: it is difficult, in fact, to think of any Channel Four documentary propounding a worldview even half as far to the left as this documentary cleaved to the right. We need to be concerned, then, by the ways in which swathes of public opinion may be being “softened up” by appeals to a neoliberal “common sense” – particularly in light of the ways this process has recently borne fruit across the Atlantic – and to argue back forcefully. Tim Holmes has previously researched and written on climate change, media, public opinion and new social movements. He currently writes for Climate Safety. 1 Comment on "The Great Martin Durkin Swindle" Ged Travers, on 19 November 2010 - 16:26 I watched this outrageous piece of propaganda in an idle moment last night. It was surreal viewing Durkin’s provocative distortions but I have to agree that he is not alone as a rabid libertarian with access to a mass media platform and therefore should be challenged. In particular, his claim regarding the free market miracle of the Industrial Revolution ignores the fact that it was stringent trade tarrifs and rigid protectionism in the last 25 years of the 17C that created the base for industrialisation. The British navy cut off key areas of overseas trade to European rivals by force of arms. The revenues from the slave trade had more to do with metropolitan development than Durkin’s heroic Victorian factory owners and engineers ever did. Tarrifs and protectionist practices were only lifted by British governments towards the middle of the 18C. The reason for this was simple, Britain dominated world trade by that time and simply did not need them any more. Turning to Durkin’s claim that successive governments have overspent since the first world war and the current fiscal crisis is the cumulative effect of this we need only ask: if this is so then why was there no meltdown by the 1950’s? It is a reasonable question to pose given his projection to 2050 and beyond. The decline that occured in British industry between the wars was largely due to the lazy indolence of a ruling class used to plundering the colonies of cheap raw materials. Tim Holmes has done a great job of demolishing this garbage. All comments are moderated, and should be respectful of other voices in the discussion. Comments may be edited or deleted at the moderator's discretion.

Probably the best source for South Park gifs. view archive

Error: Couldn't open file '/var/www/court-listener/alert/assets/media/pdf/2010/05/19/In_Re_Oracle_Corp.pdf': No such file or directory.

Arsenal have turned down Crystal Palace’s first bid of around £16 million for Calum Chambers but negotiations remain ongoing for the former Southampton defender. A fee of more like £20 million is wanted by Arsenal but there is a sense that a compromise can be struck on a permanent sale rather than the potential loan that was first discussed. Arsenal are ready to sell a series of squad players this summer as they attempt to free up wages and generate funds ahead of losing out on Champions League income and they are also open to offers for Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson and Lucas Perez. Although fringe players will have more opportunity next season in the Europa League than they would usually in the Champions League, Chambers is among those who will struggle for regular football should he stay. Both Chambers and Wilshere are also still hoping to get back into England contention ahead of the World Cup next summer. Chambers had a positive experience last season on loan at Middlesbrough but, after a very promising start with Arsenal, seemed to lose confidence and has struggled to find a definite role in the team.

English More about the Octet The Octet Ehnstedts Eftr. (Ehnstedt's successors) dates back to 1986 as a historical ensemble: a wind octet of the Swedish ‘military octet’ type, playing music from 1870-1920, in particular from handwritten part books used at spas and seaside resorts during the 1890's. Between 1995, when we took part in the Tattoo by Horse in Stockholm, and 2011, we have functioned as a special Swedish Home Guard band: as The Stockholm Home Guard Octet, we have performed abroad and played at military ceremonies, parties and other occasions. In Sweden, as in the rest of Europe, wind ensembles and bands with professional musicians from regiments and theatres played an important role in the dissemination of new and popular music during the 19th century, e.g. operatic and dance music from the continent, as well as music by Swedish musicians and composers. Musicians and band leaders copied arrangements or rearranged music for their own ensembles. One of them was Magnus Herman Ehnstedt (1833-1905), whose music collection we now use. That is why our civilian name from the start onwards has been Ehnstedts Eftr. (Ehnstedt's successors). During the years we assembled other handwritten octet collections dating from between 1862 and c. 1920, so now we have access to more than 2500 authentic ‘numbers’. Our principal aim is to cultivate good Swedish musical traditions, but you may hear us play Finnish tangos, Czech band music and evergreens as well. The Swedish wind octet was a type of small wind ensemble which flourished between approximately 1870 and 1920. It usually consisted of a combination of woodwind and brass: flute in D flat (or, in earlier times, E flat) and two parts for clarinet in B flat, of which the first was either doubled or played divisi), brass instruments specific to Sweden such as soprano cornet in E flat, "alto" horn in E flat and two "tenor" valve trombones in B flat, furthermore a bass tuba and often percussion (drums, triangle etc.). In early octets, an 2nd alto horn, a tenor horn or a French horn was often used in stead of the second tenor valve trombone. In an ‘octet with a trumpet’ a typical 19th-century trumpet in F or E flat would be found, but from the turn of the century and onwards a "piston" (a cornet à pistons or a B flat trumpet of central European type) was more often added to the ensemble, so a Swedish octet might contain 10 to 11 musicians. During more than 25 years, musicians, music teachers and amateurs have been members of our octet. We have made tours to Estonia, Austria (MidEurope 2000), Denmark, Norway and the U.S. (Vintage Band Festival 2014) and performed at several museums, in parks, churches and schools as well as at conferences, jubilees, weddings and other festive occasions. Every year since 1996 our performances in connection with the opening of the Christmas trade at the great store NK in Stockholm have been a sine qua non. Our cassette recording "Brunnsmusik som för 100 år sedan" (Music for health resorts like 100 years ago) (1991) is now available on CD. Our second CD "Music at the Spa" ("Vid denna källa", 1999) can be ordered directly from us ([email protected]). In 2011, a third CD, "Kring julgran / Season's greetings" (SCD 1151) appeared.

Radiance pulled me into itself like the waves on a strange, Venusian beach. I went in with high expectations, since Cat Valente is a fabulous author whose work I have read and loved in the past. I also met her at New York Comic Con, and she mentioned that there were cowboys on Mars in her new book. Sold. The folks at Tor were kind enough to give me a copy to review, and I took it home with the kind of anticipation generally reserved for little kids and ice cream in the summer. I can confirm that there are indeed cowboys on Mars in Radiance. In fact, in the alternate history Solar System Valente imagines there are people on all nine planets. I say nine because Pluto will always be a planet to me, and also because in Radiance Pluto is a drugged-out cross between New Orleans on Mardi Gras and a traditional Venetian Carnivale. Everyone wears masks and stays perpetually high on the local flowers and callowmilk, the near-magical produce of the callowhales of Venus. Everyone in the solar system drinks callowmilk, as it protects humans from the unfiltered radiation of the sun. Imagine that around the time A Trip to the Moon was made we actually landed the moon – and it was habitable. That is the world of Severin Unck, daughter of Percival Unck, a legendary lunar filmmaker famed for his fabulous black and white, silent Gothic Romances. Severin, herself a filmmaker, opts to make talkies even though they are unfashionable. To make it worse she makes documentaries and becomes as famous as her father. She has also disappeared on Venus without a trace, leaving behind only four scraps of film, a strange boy with no memory, and a mystery that has never been solved. The book rambles and roils through Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, full of beautiful imagery and strange climes, and about halfway through we begin to learn more about Severin’s disappearance. The lush, gritty, glittering Solar System spills onto the pages in a riot of color. It’s overwhelming at first, told in a series of seemingly unconnected forms – gossip rags, interview transcripts, scraps of film, and personal diaries – but soon it begins to coalesce. Each planet roughly corresponds to a country or empire on Earth, adjusted to take into account the changes in history. Several main characters trace Severin across planets and film while she speaks only through recorded snippets of her own documentaries and her father’s recordings of her childhood. It’s hard to review the plot because although it was a gripping mystery it never felt central to the book. Severin disappeared years ago, and the mysterious boy she found on Venus has grown up. He has no memory before the age of ten, which was when she and her documentary film crew arrived in the little town of Adonis to try and discover why and how it was destroyed. He was the only thing they found, walking in silent circles around the village well and occasionally flickering, like a film loop repeating itself. A few days later two people were dead and Severin vanished. The decadent setting lends itself well to a mystery, which turns into two mysteries, which turn into three. Ladies in fabulous twenties frocks flit across the decks of a ship-city on Neptune, discerning audiences eschew color and sound in favor of the elegance of silent black and white, and beneath the veneer and the glitter is the reality of behind-the-scenes. It’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s fiction, which lends the book a feeling of metafiction. In a way it is an homage to the stories human tell each other. Some stories turn into truth, some into fiction, and it’s often hard to tell which is which. The structure of the story mirrors the importance of the content. It’s composed of fragments and excerpts of media that show only the surface of things, while following the life of a woman who doggedly searched for truth. The reader is left to their own devices when it comes to figuring out what’s for show and what might be real, much as a movie viewer must decide which pieces are CGI, which were filmed on location, and whether that actress’ hair is really that shade of red. Sometimes Valente presents several scenarios and then discards them one after another onto the cutting room floor. Keeping track is confusing, but in the end it’s unimportant. Soak in the beautiful words and let the story sink into you rather than trying to follow a line of plot and you’ll be just fine. It’s a movie without film, a talkie without sound, an essay on the importance of research and environmental conservation when approaching unfamiliar terrain. Radiance treads the delicate line between fiction, metafiction, and poetry with grace. It’s a sci-fi space opera set in the twenties, with complete gender equality and representation, alien creatures named after Earth animals, and dragons on Mercury. Settle in and enjoy the show! About the Author Sonia Grace Sonia Grace grew up in rural New England without a TV and spent her days reading everything she could get her hands on from the age of six onward. She grew up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and is still in denial about never getting her Hogwarts letter. She reads mostly fantasy, sci-fi, and YA SFF, but has been known to stray into the realms of historical fiction, memoir, and mystery. She particularly loves good vampire books, chocolate, cats, and partner dancing, not necessarily at the same time. Someday, she plans to become a published author, buy a shark costume, and force one of her friends to chase her around public spaces with a butterfly net and flippers. Support Us Donate to Fantasy-Faction Fantasy-Faction is a not-for-profit website that relies on donations & community projects to stay alive. If you enjoy the site and would like to support us, please consider donating to keep us around. All that said: Please only do so if you can afford it. Love you guys!

Appearance of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen in human cordblood lymphocytes. Transformation and induction of EBV-specified EBNA was studied in human umbilical cord-blood lymphocytes infected with EBV, HVS or HVA. Transformation of human umbilical umbilical cord-blood lymphocytes into continuous lymphoblastoid cell lines was successful with EBV derived from five of seven human or simian cell lines but not with HVS or HVA derived from simian lymphoblastoid cell lines. EBNA induction was studied using B95-8 virus for infection of lymphocytes; as early as 24 hours after infection, a few EBNA-positive cells were identified in 10 of 12 samples studied. Thereafter, the number of EBNA-positive cells increased progressively and by day 12, 50% of cells contained EBNA; after 18-20 days, approximately 85-90% of cells were EBNA-positive.

**See Commentary**, pg [1174](https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22865). Study ImportanceWhat is already known?►Body weight measurements are routinely collected from patients during clinical encounters and regularly documented in electronic health records systems; however, the construction and use of weight measures for program evaluation and research vary substantially.►Although previous systematic reviews have examined associations between weight‐management programs and patient outcomes, we did not identify any prior review that summarized approaches used by researchers to operationalize and analyze measures of body weight from administrative data.What does this review add?►Among 39 studies reviewed, we found high variability in the reported construction and use of body weight measures, with many studies lacking key information needed to compare findings or replicate analyses.How might these results change the direction of research?►The availability of consistent, replicable methods of weight measurement is critical for longitudinal monitoring of patient health.►Improving methodologies for constructing weight measures will support more robust evidence building, transparency in reporting, and replicable science. Introduction {#oby22790-sec-0009} ============ Background {#oby22790-sec-0010} ---------- Body weight measurements are routinely collected from patients during clinical encounters and documented in electronic health record (EHR) systems, and they are readily accessible by health care providers to manage patients' health. Collectively, body weight measures documented in EHRs can be utilized for several critical functions, including monitoring patient health outcomes, evaluating health‐related programs and interventions, assessing quality of care, and research. The construction and utilization of body weight measures from EHRs vary substantially in reported literature. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health system in the United States and is one of the earliest developers and users of a unified EHR starting in the early 1990s ([1](#oby22790-bib-0001){ref-type="ref"}). Data from the EHR are extracted nightly and uploaded into the Department of Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) ([2](#oby22790-bib-0002){ref-type="ref"}). The availability of these relational data tables provides administrators, managers, and researchers opportunities to conduct evaluations of population health, programs, or treatments. VHA developed the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans (MOVE!), a robust program to address the growing prevalence of obesity among veterans. A recent systematic review examined studies that reported on the quality and effectiveness of MOVE!, often using weight‐related outcome measures in analyses ([3](#oby22790-bib-0003){ref-type="ref"}). However, little attention has been paid to how weight measures are determined using EHR data. The absence of such guidelines limits the ability to compare findings across studies and over time. Given the growing emphasis on the use of pragmatic trials ([4](#oby22790-bib-0004){ref-type="ref"}) that rely on administrative data and the need to generate reproducible and transparent analytic methods ([5](#oby22790-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"}), researchers are increasingly challenged to make their work accessible and replicable. To better understand the diversity of weight measurement methods, we undertook a review of weight measurement processes documented in published literature. Objective {#oby22790-sec-0011} --------- The objective of this systematic review was to describe the range of body weight measurement algorithms documented in studies using VHA data. Findings from this review will advance the ability to evaluate and test weight algorithms. This work was guided by VHA policy pertaining to nonresearch activities ([6](#oby22790-bib-0006){ref-type="ref"}). Institutional review board approval was not required because we relied on publicly available materials. Methods {#oby22790-sec-0012} ======= Research questions {#oby22790-sec-0013} ------------------ We conducted a systematic literature review to identify the various methodologies researchers utilize to construct body weight measures in VHA studies. Our review followed recommendations in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement ([7](#oby22790-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"}). We were guided by the following two questions: (1) how do researchers define, operationalize, and analyze body weight measures in VHA studies, and (2) what is the range of variation in defined body weight measures across studies? Literature search strategy and sources {#oby22790-sec-0014} -------------------------------------- An exploratory literature search was conducted in February 2018, and a large collection of relevant articles was referred to the team by VHA colleagues. These two sources (exploratory search and referrals) served as a preliminary review to focus our objectives, define inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies, and develop tools to abstract key information from articles. A structured literature search was subsequently conducted in October 2018 using the research database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information/PubMed. Our focus was on use of body weight measures derived from VHA data systems; thus, we limited our review to studies that used data generated by VHA in the course of caring for veteran patients. Our search strategy specified the following terms: ("veterans health"\[MeSH term\] OR "veterans"\[MeSH term\] OR "hospitals, veterans"\[MeSH term\]) AND ("body weight" OR "body mass index" OR "obesity"). The search excluded animal research, conference proceedings, and systematic reviews. Eligibility criteria {#oby22790-sec-0015} -------------------- We selected articles published in peer‐reviewed scholarly journals between 2008 and 2018. Articles were considered eligible for inclusion if the study reported use of body weight measures as an outcome (dependent variable) in analyses and if weight measures relied on existing electronic data originally collected for nonresearch purposes. An article was excluded when (1) the authors did not report measurement and/or use of a body weight measure, (2) it was not original research (e.g., opinion piece, study protocol), (3) it did not focus on veteran populations, (4) weight measures were self‐reported, (5) VHA administrative data were not used, or (6) weight was not an outcome in analyses. Data collection {#oby22790-sec-0016} --------------- We extracted study design details, participant inclusion and exclusion criteria, sample size, years of data extraction, aim or purpose of the weight measure(s), and data source of the relevant weight measure from the identified studies. When study design was not explicitly reported by the authors, determination was guided by the literature ([8](#oby22790-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}). We also documented whether a weight measure was used as a criterion for sample selection (e.g., study included only individuals with overweight). Weight measure construction, analysis, and utilization were recorded as well as any described algorithms. Key elements included (1) total time in the study follow‐up time period, (2) number of unique time points considered for analyses, (3) time intervals (the length of time between each data measurement time point; e.g., baseline to 6 months of follow‐up), (4) time windows (the length of time surrounding a time point in which observations are included; e.g., a 1‐month window before/after baseline measurement), (5) missing data (number or percentage), (6) treatment of missing data, (7) definition of outliers or biologically implausible values, (8) treatment of outliers, (9) units of measurement, (10) weight measure calculation (continuous, dichotomous, or categorical variable), and (11) validity assessment of weight data. Analyses and synthesis of results {#oby22790-sec-0017} --------------------------------- Two team members (MF and AA) completed an initial exploratory review and summarized findings. All coauthors provided input on development of the analytic plan for the full review. Eligible abstracts were screened (AA and MF). An in‐depth full‐text review of articles was conducted for those meeting initial inclusion criteria (AA and MF). To ensure validity and inter‐rater reliability of the review process, two rounds of verification based on a 10% random sample of studies meeting inclusion criteria and a 10% sample of those excluded were reviewed by at least one other team member (LD, JB, RE, WW). The reviewers extracted key data elements, which were compared with the initial abstraction. The larger team then discussed extracted data, clarified key elements, and further refined the scope of review. Decisions pertaining to sampling criteria, as well as collection and analysis of key data from the studies, were based on team consensus. Upon completing the review of all studies, a third verification round (using the same process from the first two rounds) was conducted, yielding 92% inter‐rater agreement on included/excluded studies. Final decisions were made based on team consensus. Abstracted data from included articles were aggregated by content‐specific categories across studies for each of the key elements described. Results were synthesized and summarized into a matrix. Quality of the studies was assessed using selected items from the COnsensus‐based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) ([9](#oby22790-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"}). Results {#oby22790-sec-0018} ======= Literature review sample {#oby22790-sec-0019} ------------------------ We identified 492 nonduplicated records (Figure [1](#oby22790-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}) and eliminated 346 articles via abstract screening. Full‐text review was completed for 146 articles plus 6 additional studies identified from citations and not previously included. After full‐text review, we excluded 107 articles, the majority of which were eliminated because of primary data collection for weight measures (*n* = 37) and/or weight was not an outcome (*n* = 44). \]](OBY-28-1205-g001){#oby22790-fig-0001} The final sample included 39 studies (Table [1](#oby22790-tbl-0001){ref-type="table"}). The majority (87%) described an observational, retrospective cohort study design (Tables [1](#oby22790-tbl-0001){ref-type="table"}, [2](#oby22790-tbl-0002){ref-type="table"}). Most studies assessed weight outcomes to evaluate weight management programs (41%) ([10](#oby22790-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [13](#oby22790-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}, [14](#oby22790-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#oby22790-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [17](#oby22790-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#oby22790-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [25](#oby22790-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"}); the remaining studies evaluated postbariatric surgery weight changes ([25](#oby22790-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#oby22790-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [28](#oby22790-bib-0028){ref-type="ref"}, [29](#oby22790-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#oby22790-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [32](#oby22790-bib-0032){ref-type="ref"}, [33](#oby22790-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}, [34](#oby22790-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"}, [35](#oby22790-bib-0035){ref-type="ref"}). Sample sizes ranged from 40 ([29](#oby22790-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}) to 4,990,424 ([36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}), with most studies (62%) including more than 1,000 patients. ###### Characteristics of studies included in systematic review (*n* = 39) Author Study design Study years Sample size Population Aim/purpose ---------------------------- --------------------------------------- ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Adams (2012)** Retrospective cohort 2003‐2008 61 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age \< 65 years Describe prevalence of tobacco and substance use and associated factors that predict weight loss among bariatric patients **Arterburn (2013)** Retrospective cohort 2000‐2006 516 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age not specified Identify determinants of weight loss post bariatric surgery **Baker (2015)** Retrospective cohort 2003‐? 1,474 Veterans with rheumatoid arthritis, age \> 18 years Identify factors associated with long‐term changes in BMI **Batch (2018)** Retrospective cohort 2008‐2013 62,882 MOVE! participants, age not specified Determine patterns of change in weight among MOVE! participants **Bounthavong (2014)** Retrospective cohort 2006‐2010 51,977 Veterans with type 2 diabetes, age ≥ 18 years Evaluate differences in BMI among veterans with type 2 diabetes mellitus **Braun (2016)** Retrospective cohort 2007‐2008 1,659 MOVE! participants, age \< 70 years Evaluate degree of weight loss among MOVE! participants **Breland (2017)** Cross‐sectional 1999‐2016 4,990,424 Veterans with a primary care visit, age not specified Describe obesity prevalence among subpopulations of VHA patients **Buta (2018)** Retrospective cohort 2001‐2010 248,089 OEF/OIF/OND veterans, age not specified Examine whether posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with change in BMI **Chan (2017)** Longitudinal 2004‐2014 237,577 MOVE! participants, age not specified Examine the relationship between MOVE! participation and weight outcomes **Copeland (2012)** Retrospective cohort 2001‐2006 254,051 Veterans with obesity, age not specified Assess receipt of obesity care by patients with and without mental illness **Garvin (2015)** Retrospective cohort 2008‐2010 216 MOVE! participants, age \< 90 years Examine the effect of high‐intensity MOVE! on achieving at least 5% weight reduction. **Garvin & Hardy (2016)** Retrospective cohort 2008‐2010 375 MOVE! participants, age not specified Determine whether early weight reduction in MOVE! predicted later participation or achievement of weight reduction goals **Garvin & Marion (2015)** Retrospective cohort 2008‐2010 404 MOVE! participants, age \< 90 years Explore background and program characteristics associated with a 5% weight reduction in MOVE! **Goodrich (2016)** Retrospective cohort 2007‐2013 11,188 MOVE! participants with serious mental illness diagnosis, age 18‐69 years Investigate whether there were sex differences in weight loss and program participation in MOVE! **Grabarczyk (2017)** Retrospective cohort 2012‐2016 66,035 Veterans with overweight or obesity, age not specified Compare the effectiveness of weight management medications **Hauser (2010)** Retrospective cohort 2003‐2006 70 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age 29‐66 years (range, not inclusion criteria) Evaluate the long‐term outcomes following gastric bypass **Hoerster (2014)** Retrospective cohort 2007‐2012 20,819 MOVE! participants, age not specified Compare the effectiveness of MOVE! among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder, other mental health conditions, and no mental health diagnoses **Huerta (2008)** Retrospective cohort 2004‐2006 40 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age not specified Assess whether preoperative weight loss resulted in favorable outcomes after gastric bypass **Huizinga (2010)** Retrospective cohort 2001‐2007 18,205 Veterans who had received an oral antidiabetic drug, age ≥ 18 years Compare the effect of oral diabetes therapy regimens on BMI **Ikossi (2010)** Retrospective cohort 2001‐2007 24 cohort and 78 control Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, with and without posttraumatic stress disorder, age not specified Evaluate the effect of posttraumatic stress disorder on excess body weight loss after gastric bypass **Jackson (2015)** Retrospective cohort 2005‐2012 238,540 MOVE! participants and 1,606,257 matched nonparticipants MOVE! participants and nonparticipants, age \< 70 years Investigate whether MOVE! participation is associated with reduced incidence of diabetes **Janney (2016)** Retrospective cohort 2008‐2012 84,770 MOVE! participants, age 18‐69 years Investigate the influence of sleep disordered breathing on weight loss **Kahwati (2011)** Case control 2008‐2010 31,904 MOVE! participants and 71,967 nonparticipants MOVE! participants and nonparticipants, age not specified Explore variation in MOVE! program implementation to identify facility structure, policies, and processes associated with larger patient weight loss outcomes **Kazerooni (2016)** Retrospective cohort 2000‐2014 767 Veterans who were new topiramate users, age not specified Determine whether topiramate use results in significant weight loss. **Littman (2012)** Cross‐sectional and longitudinal 2005‐2008 3,192 MOVE! participants and 73,407 nonparticipants MOVE! participants and nonparticipants, age 18‐69 years Assess the reach and effectiveness of MOVE! **Littman (2015)** Retrospective cohort 2008‐2012 207,131 Random sample of veterans with a MOVE! visit, age \< 70 years Determine whether obesity screening and MOVE! participation and outcomes are equitable for patients with serious mental illness and depressive disorder compared with those without **Maciejewski (2016)** Retrospective cohort 1999‐2004 1,787 cohort and 5,305 controls Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery and nonsurgical matched controls, age not specified Examine weight change in a large, multisite, clinical cohort of veterans who received gastric bypass compared with nonsurgical matched patients **Maguen (2013)** Retrospective cohort and longitudinal 2001‐2011 496,722 Veterans with a clinical visit after the end of their last deployment, age not specified Explore the relationship between BMI and posttraumatic stress disorder and evaluate trajectories of BMI change **Noel (2012)** Retrospective cohort and longitudinal 2002‐2006 223,246 Veterans with obesity, age ≥ 18 years Determine whether obesity‐related education or a weight management program was associated with declines in BMI **Pandey (2018)** Retrospective cohort 2004‐2014 213,985 Women veterans, age ≥ 18 years Analyze the association of military sexual trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder with obesity **Romanova (2013)** Retrospective cohort 2006‐2009 382 MOVE! participants, age not specified Evaluate the effectiveness of MOVE! in achieving weight loss **Rosenberger (2011)** Retrospective cohort 2001‐2009 16,656 Veterans with sufficient BMI values, age not specified Determine BMI trajectories and sociodemographic factors associated with BMI trajectory **Rutledge (2011)** Retrospective cohort 1998‐2007 60 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age ≤ 65 years Assess relationship between patient\'s number of psychiatric conditions and weight loss surgery outcomes **Rutledge (2012)** Longitudinal 1999‐2007 55 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age ≤ 65 years Examine longitudinal psychiatric treatment changes and changes in weight and weight‐related comorbidities after bariatric surgery **Shi (2011)** Retrospective cohort 2006‐2008 13,293 Veterans with type 2 diabetes mellitus, age not specified Investigate the impact of publicized safety warnings for thiazolidinediones on glycemic outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus **Skancke (2018)** Retrospective cohort 2010‐2017 100 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age not specified Benchmark the outcomes of gastrectomy based on recent guidelines **Win (2014)** Retrospective cohort 2004‐2010 79 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age not specified Explore the relationship between the number of nutrition visits and change in BMI after gastric bypass surgery **Xiao (2017)** Retrospective cohort 1998‐2014 1,077 Veterans with a new diagnosis of lymphoma, age not specified Describe long‐term and short‐term weight change trends, identify factors associated with weight gain, and determine whether weight change during chemotherapy affects time to next treatment and survival **Yan (2008)** Retrospective cohort 1997‐2002 59 Veterans with obesity who received bariatric surgery, age not specified Determine success of gastric bypass as measured by changes in excess weight loss MOVE!, Weight Management Program for Veterans; OEF, Operation Enduring Freedom; OIF, Operation Iraqi Freedom; OND, Operation New Dawn. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd ###### Characteristics of studies included in systematic review (*n* = 39) *n* \% -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- ------- **Study design** [^a^](#oby22790-note-0002){ref-type="fn"}     **Retrospective cohort** 34 87.2% **Longitudinal** 5 12.8% **Cross‐sectional** 2 5.1% **Case control** 1 2.6% **MOVE! / TeleMOVE! Study**     **Yes** 16 41.0% **Sample size**     **\< 100 patients** 7 17.9% **100‐999 patients** 8 20.5% **1,000‐49,999** 9 23.1% **50,000‐99,999** 5 12.8% ** ≥100,000** 10 25.6% **Description of data source** [^a^](#oby22790-note-0002){ref-type="fn"}     **National/regional: CDW, NPCD, VISN, VHA administrative data sets** 19 48.7% **Local: facility data, EHR, VISTA, CPRS** 17 43.6% **Program‐related or not specific: MOVE! data, VHA data** 6 15.4% **Total time in follow‐up time period**     **\< 12 months** 5 12.8% **1 year** 11 28.2% **2‐4 years** 12 30.8% **≥ 5 years** 7 17.9% **Not reported** 1 2.6% **Number of time points in data collection**     **1‐2** 14 35.9% **3‐4** 10 25.6% **5‐6** 4 10.3% **7‐9** 3 7.7% **≥ 10** 4 10.3% **All available (multiple) weight values within time period** 6 15.4% **Not reported** 1 2.6% **Time intervals reported** [^b^](#oby22790-note-0003){ref-type="fn"} 35 89.7% **Time windows reported** [^c^](#oby22790-note-0004){ref-type="fn"} 18 46.2% Sum more than total because of studies reporting multiple categories. Time intervals are amount of time between each data collection time point, for example, baseline, 6 months after, and 12 months after baseline. Time windows correspond to amount of time surrounding data collection time point in which observations are included. For example, 6‐month time point may include observations within 1 month prior or 1 month after 6‐month time point. CDW, Corporate Data Warehouse; CPRS, Computerized Patient Record System; EHR, electronic health record; MOVE!, Weight Management Program for Veterans, NPCD, National Patient Care Database; TeleMOVE!, Home Telehealth Weight Management Program for Veterans; VHA, Veterans Health Administration; VISN, Veterans Integrated Services Networks; VISTA, Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd Data sources {#oby22790-sec-0020} ------------ Several VHA data sources for weight measures were listed by researchers. Most stated they used national or regional data sources, including the VHA CDW, National Patient Care Database, or other unspecified VHA administrative data sets (49%) ([10](#oby22790-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [17](#oby22790-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#oby22790-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [38](#oby22790-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"}, [39](#oby22790-bib-0039){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#oby22790-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [44](#oby22790-bib-0044){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}). Two additional studies (5%) in this group reported using a Veterans Integrated Services Network database with unclear linkage to the national CDW ([22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [46](#oby22790-bib-0046){ref-type="ref"}). Other studies (44%) described using a facility EHR or related systems (Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture or Computerized Patient Record System) ([11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [13](#oby22790-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}, [14](#oby22790-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#oby22790-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [25](#oby22790-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#oby22790-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [28](#oby22790-bib-0028){ref-type="ref"}, [29](#oby22790-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#oby22790-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [32](#oby22790-bib-0032){ref-type="ref"}, [33](#oby22790-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}, [34](#oby22790-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"}, [35](#oby22790-bib-0035){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}, [48](#oby22790-bib-0048){ref-type="ref"}). The remaining studies were not specific about source or how data were extracted, listing MOVE! program data (15%) (10,12,14,16,18,23) or VHA data (8%) (10,14,16). Time factors {#oby22790-sec-0021} ------------ The time frames from which the studies obtained weight measures spanned from 1997 to 2017 (Table [1](#oby22790-tbl-0001){ref-type="table"}). With the exception of one cross‐sectional study ([36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}), all studies established a baseline time period to be compared with a follow‐up period. The baseline weight measure was typically assigned based on the date of an index event, such as a first MOVE! visit, date of bariatric surgery, or clinic visit. The majority (90%) of studies reported the total time in the follow‐up period (90%), most spanning a period of 1 year (28%) ([11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#oby22790-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#oby22790-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}) or 2 to 4 years (31%) ([14](#oby22790-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#oby22790-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#oby22790-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#oby22790-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [29](#oby22790-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [33](#oby22790-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}, [34](#oby22790-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"}, [38](#oby22790-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}) (Table [2](#oby22790-tbl-0002){ref-type="table"}). Similarly, almost all studies (90%) reported the number of time points from which data were collected. Most often, studies focused on one or two time points (36%) ([10](#oby22790-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [13](#oby22790-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [29](#oby22790-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#oby22790-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"}, [34](#oby22790-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [38](#oby22790-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"}, [39](#oby22790-bib-0039){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#oby22790-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}, [46](#oby22790-bib-0046){ref-type="ref"}). The duration of time between the assessed time points (time intervals) varied across studies but most often included intervals of 6 months (e.g., 6, 12, or 18 months after baseline). Just under half (46%) of studies described the time windows used to determine point‐in‐time weights, with wide variability in the width of the window as follows: 2 weeks ([37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}), 30 days or 1 month ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}), 2 months ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}), 3 months ([17](#oby22790-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}), 5 to 7 months ([10](#oby22790-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#oby22790-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}), 10 to 15 months ([11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [33](#oby22790-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#oby22790-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}), or longer ([31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}). Several studies reported using more than one time window, often using different windows to define baseline weights versus follow‐up weights ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}). Typically, when multiple weights were found within the defined window, the weight that was recorded closest to the relevant time point was retained for use in analyses. Six studies did not use windows but instead used all available weight values to assess weight trajectories ([11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}), one of which calculated a quarterly median value of weights over time ([43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}). Measure construction {#oby22790-sec-0022} -------------------- There were wide differences in how researchers defined and constructed outcomes (Table [3](#oby22790-tbl-0003){ref-type="table"}). Studies used BMI (49%) or weight in pounds (41%) or kilograms (13%). Parameterization of weight outcomes included assessing change in weight from baseline to a follow‐up time point (62%) ([11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [17](#oby22790-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#oby22790-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, [25](#oby22790-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#oby22790-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [28](#oby22790-bib-0028){ref-type="ref"}, [29](#oby22790-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#oby22790-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [32](#oby22790-bib-0032){ref-type="ref"}, [33](#oby22790-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}, [34](#oby22790-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"}, [35](#oby22790-bib-0035){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#oby22790-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}, [46](#oby22790-bib-0046){ref-type="ref"}) or weight trajectory over time (23%) ([11](#oby22790-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [38](#oby22790-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}, [48](#oby22790-bib-0048){ref-type="ref"}) as continuous variables. Several studies (46%) created a binary indicator to classify participants meeting a specific weight threshold (e.g., at least 5% weight loss) and then calculated the proportion of participants meeting this threshold ([10](#oby22790-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [13](#oby22790-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}, [14](#oby22790-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#oby22790-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"}, [17](#oby22790-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [39](#oby22790-bib-0039){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [44](#oby22790-bib-0044){ref-type="ref"}, [45](#oby22790-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"}). Eleven (28%) studies used more than one approach. For example, Maciejewski et al. ([31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}) determined the percentage change in weight at follow‐up as compared with baseline, predicted the percentage of weight change at several follow‐up time periods, and assessed whether patients lost a specified percentage of their baseline weight. ###### Construction of weight measures among studies included in systematic review (*n* = 39) Characteristic[^a^](#oby22790-note-0006){ref-type="fn"} *n* \% ------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- ------- **Unit of measurement**     **Weight in pounds** 16 41.0% **Weight in kilograms** 5 12.8% **BMI** 19 48.7% **Use of weight variable in analyses**     **Change in weight compared with baseline** 24 61.5% **Weight trajectory over time** 9 23.1% **Proportion of participants meeting weight loss/gain threshold** 18 46.2% **Missing weight measures**     **Number or percentage of missing values reported** 14 35.9% **Not reported** 23 59.0% **Not applicable (e.g., because of sampling)** 2 5.1% **Treatment of missing weight measures**     **Exclusion of individual** 15 38.5% **Exclusion of observation** 4 10.3% **Not reported** 22 56.4% **Outlier definition**     **Absolute values** 12 30.8% **Relative, calculated, and/or data derived values** 8 20.5% **Not reported** 25 64.1% **Treatment of outliers**     **Exclusion of individual** 2 5.1% **Exclusion of observation** 12 30.8% **Not reported** 25 64.1% **Validation strategies reported** 6 15.4% Studies may report more than one category; thus, categories are not mutually exclusive. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd Missing values {#oby22790-sec-0023} -------------- Only 14 (36%) studies reported the number or percentage of missing weight values ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#oby22790-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}) (Table [3](#oby22790-tbl-0003){ref-type="table"}). Missing values were handled by excluding the patient from the analyses (39%) ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#oby22790-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#oby22790-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#oby22790-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [44](#oby22790-bib-0044){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}, [48](#oby22790-bib-0048){ref-type="ref"}) or excluding only the relevant missing weight value (10%) ([20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#oby22790-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}). Two studies in particular described using a combination of both methods (5%) ([37](#oby22790-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}). Notably, among studies that reported exclusion at the level of the patient, several assessed their cohorts longitudinally over multiple years with repeated measures. Thus, it is likely that the exclusion occurred when all the weight values were absent for an individual participant rather than excluding a participant based on any single value that was missing for a particular visit. The reported methods often did not allow us to distinguish between exclusions made because all values were missing versus exclusions because one or more values were missing. Finally, two studies described using all available weight values over a specified time period ([44](#oby22790-bib-0044){ref-type="ref"}, [48](#oby22790-bib-0048){ref-type="ref"}). Outlier values {#oby22790-sec-0024} -------------- Most studies (64%) did not identify outlier values (Table [3](#oby22790-tbl-0003){ref-type="table"}). Of those that did, some (31%) used specific cutoff values based on lower and upper thresholds ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#oby22790-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#oby22790-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}, [47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}). For example, Maguen et al. ([42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}) and Noel et al. ([43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}) identified 70 lb and 700 lb as lower and upper thresholds, respectively. Fewer studies (21%) used a more complex process for determining outliers based on statistical properties of the analytic sample ([10](#oby22790-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}). For example, Chan et al. ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}) computed mean weight by individual and defined outliers as individual values more than 3 SDs from an individual's mean. Similarly, Maciejewski et al. ([31](#oby22790-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}) calculated rolling SD of consecutive weight values in groups of three and then used these as thresholds for determining outliers. Breland et al. ([36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}) determined outlier values by defining specific upper‐ and lower‐bound threshold values of the sequential ratios of current weight to previous weight and current weight to next weight. Six studies used both simple thresholds and more complex statistical approaches ([12](#oby22790-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#oby22790-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}, [21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#oby22790-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#oby22790-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}). Outliers were addressed by excluding the participant from the analyses (5%) or excluding only the outlier value from analyses (31%). Validity {#oby22790-sec-0025} -------- Validation of weight measures was rarely reported (15% of studies). One study (27) conducted a sensitivity analysis that varied the threshold value for weight change over time, while another ([43](#oby22790-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"}) performed sensitivity analysis of a 5% weight change threshold. Additional validation strategies included alternative analyses by adjusting statistical models ([20](#oby22790-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}), comparing results to other similar studies ([16](#oby22790-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}), comparing participants with one weight measure to those with multiple weight measures ([42](#oby22790-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}), and examining within‐subject changes in the trajectory of the weight measure ([47](#oby22790-bib-0047){ref-type="ref"}). Study quality {#oby22790-sec-0026} ------------- Study quality and risk of bias was evaluated in terms of the construction of the weight outcome measure and the reported number of relevant attributes (e.g., time factors, outlier values). Most studies (56%) described in some level of detail at least half of the selected attributes. However, only 10 (26%) studies met an excellent level of quality for all relevant measure attributes. Many (46%) had a substantial lack of reported attributes for the weight measure, which hinders an adequate assessment of the validity of findings. Discussion {#oby22790-sec-0027} ========== We found high variability in the reported construction and use of body weight measures among VHA studies, with many lacking key information needed to compare findings or replicate analyses. Although most studies (90%) reported the amount of time in the follow‐up period and the number of time points assessed, just over half reported time windows (54%) or identified outlier values (51%), and fewer reported missing weight values (34%) or validation strategies (15%). Interestingly, 11 of the 39 reviewed studies constructed more than one weight measure as outcome variables in analyses, while 8 studies identified more than one time window, and 6 studies used multiple definitions for outlier values. Thus, the variation in measurement specification was not only present across studies but within studies as well. Often, studies lacked a rationale or justification for including multiple sets of defined measurement criteria. Though our search was not limited to studies of weight change for veterans with overweight or obesity, most (41%) were evaluations of MOVE!, 28% evaluated veterans after bariatric surgery, and 10% focused on receipt of obesity‐related care within VHA. Thus, the implications of our findings are especially relevant for assessments of patient weight in the context of weight loss interventions. Moreover, EHR and associated data warehouses within integrated health systems are generating larger and more comprehensive data sources that include many health‐related measures beyond weight (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol). The issues highlighted in this systematic review are likely to be prevalent for these additional measures as well. Importantly, the availability of consistent, replicable methods of measurement over time are particularly valuable in longitudinal monitoring of health status, an approach frequently used in population‐based studies. Despite the frequent use of weight measures in research studies and program evaluations, our findings highlight the absence of standardized guidelines for defining, constructing, utilizing, and reporting weight measurement approaches, pointing to the need for more consistent methodologies. This is a key issue, especially in light of increasing use of administrative data for program evaluation and the rise of pragmatic clinical trials ([4](#oby22790-bib-0004){ref-type="ref"}) that often rely on these data sources. In order to foster the use of valid and reliable measurement approaches among clinical trials and evaluations, the data infrastructure to support such research should be strengthened by standardized data extraction and analytic processes ([49](#oby22790-bib-0049){ref-type="ref"}). The development of standardized measurement approaches for weight data should consider employing suggested methods for handling missing data ([50](#oby22790-bib-0050){ref-type="ref"}, [51](#oby22790-bib-0051){ref-type="ref"}) and outliers ([52](#oby22790-bib-0052){ref-type="ref"}, [53](#oby22790-bib-0053){ref-type="ref"}). In a previous review of reported treatments for missing data from 169 articles published in the journal *Prevention Science*, researchers found that deletion‐based techniques (i.e., listwise \[exclusion of individuals\] and pairwise \[exclusion of observations\] deletion) were the most commonly reported methods for handling missing data, used by 30% of the studies ([54](#oby22790-bib-0054){ref-type="ref"}). Moreover, based on how the studies reported missing data, the authors concluded that this proportion was likely higher and closer to 37% ([54](#oby22790-bib-0054){ref-type="ref"}), similar to our finding of 44% of studies. Deletion‐based techniques, however, are considered to be poor solutions for addressing missing data ([55](#oby22790-bib-0055){ref-type="ref"}), as there are more sophisticated methods available. Multiple imputation in particular is becoming increasingly used and recommended as a way to decrease bias because of missing data ([54](#oby22790-bib-0054){ref-type="ref"}, [56](#oby22790-bib-0056){ref-type="ref"}, [57](#oby22790-bib-0057){ref-type="ref"}). The review mentioned above identified the use of imputation strategies by 21% of studies ([54](#oby22790-bib-0054){ref-type="ref"}). In contrast, none of the 39 studies included in this review used imputation methods, although in many cases, we were unable to distinguish whether missing data techniques were not employed or not reported. Certainly, there are circumstances whereby other methods of handling missing data may be more appropriate than imputation ([58](#oby22790-bib-0058){ref-type="ref"}). However, the lack of detail reported by studies that pertain to the treatment of missing data is a common problem, even among those using imputation methods ([50](#oby22790-bib-0050){ref-type="ref"}, [51](#oby22790-bib-0051){ref-type="ref"}, [56](#oby22790-bib-0056){ref-type="ref"}). Regardless of the method selected, studies would benefit from additional reporting clarity and transparency about how missing data were addressed. Parallel to the issue of missing data, the majority (64%) of studies we reviewed did not state how outlier weight values were defined or handled. This is consistent with a previous review that found that 41% of 42 large epidemiologic studies did not address biologically implausible values, while an additional 26% reported insufficient information regarding implausible values ([59](#oby22790-bib-0059){ref-type="ref"}). Similar to our approach, the authors categorized biologically implausible values into the following three groups: externally defined limits (i.e., comparisons to values obtained outside of the study, or "absolute" values), internally defined limits (i.e., defined based on the values of the study sample, or "relative" values), and using a combination of both methods ([59](#oby22790-bib-0059){ref-type="ref"}). Among the studies we reviewed that did report outliers, there was wide variability in outlier definitions in both the "absolute" and "relative" groups. For example, multiple cutoff values were used by our sample to define plausible weight values, ranging from 50 to 91 lb for a minimum weight and from 600 to 823 lb for a maximum weight value. Several variations of BMI cutoff values were also reported. Similarly, the studies that used relative approaches also differed in their strategies to identify outlier values, such as using calculated participant mean weights, SDs, weight ratios, and/or weight change. Interestingly, six of the studies used a combination of approaches. Numerous statistical approaches to address outlier or implausible values have been described elsewhere, along with recommendations for selecting and utilizing an appropriate method ([52](#oby22790-bib-0052){ref-type="ref"}, [53](#oby22790-bib-0053){ref-type="ref"}). Yet, the finding that only 14 (36%) distinct studies in our sample described any information related to outliers indicates, again, that there are opportunities to improve reporting of basic elements of data analyses. Lastly, our sample of studies was decidedly split between constructing the weight outcome as a continuous versus categorical or binary variable. In fact, a substantial number of our reviewed studies (46%) created a binary indicator to designate whether or not a study participant met a weight threshold. As evident from the variability in the construction of weight outcomes, there does not appear to be a consistent practice for defining weight measures or defining a clinically meaningful change in weight. Although several studies considered meaningful weight change as a loss in excess weight of 5% or more, rationale for this threshold was not reported. Lack of consensus for operationalizing weight outcomes limits the ability to compare and contrast findings across studies. Moreover, categorizing or dichotomizing continuous variables can lead to a loss of information and biased results ([60](#oby22790-bib-0060){ref-type="ref"}). Further exploration of weight measures will require careful consideration of what constitutes clinically meaningful weight change and how measurement approaches can be constructed to optimally detect these changes while limiting the risk of bias. Robust science requires transparency and replicability, which allow others to validate and potentially extend findings. Researchers are increasingly requested by funding agencies and peer‐reviewed journals to share data and provide clear descriptions of analytic methods. Several standards for reporting research studies have been published by expert working groups to guide such documentation ([61](#oby22790-bib-0061){ref-type="ref"}, [62](#oby22790-bib-0062){ref-type="ref"}, [63](#oby22790-bib-0063){ref-type="ref"}, [64](#oby22790-bib-0064){ref-type="ref"}). These guidelines should extend to the need for clear articulation of methods used to construct and analyze health system--generated data. {#oby22790-sec-0028} This study had some limitations. Our review of weight algorithms was limited to VHA administrative data sources and studies of Veteran populations. VHA has long emphasized the importance of assessing and documenting weight for screening, preventing, and treating obesity ([21](#oby22790-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [65](#oby22790-bib-0065){ref-type="ref"}). Additionally, large relational databases of clinical and administrative data fed by one of the earliest integrated EHR systems in the world provide a robust data infrastructure to support quality improvement, program evaluation, and research studies. Thus, our findings may not be generalizable to studies outside VHA using non‐VHA data sources. We did not verify the data sources reported by researchers and noted variation in the terminology they used to describe these sources. Thus, it is possible some reported sources were misclassified. Our specification of search terms and/or exclusion criteria may have led to missed opportunities to further understand approaches to derive weight‐related measures. Lastly, the lack of reporting on a key data element in an article does not necessarily indicate absence but rather may simply reflect space constraints for published research and lack of priority for detailed documentation. Conclusion {#oby22790-sec-0030} ---------- Routinely collected clinical measures of patient health, including body weight, captured by administrative systems are important sources for outcome measures in research and program evaluation. The high variability found in measurement approaches, along with the expanding availability of large data systems, challenges researchers to identify reliable, valid, and consistent methodologies for constructing measures based on administrative data. Improving these methods will support more robust evidence building, transparency in reporting, and replicable science. Future research should examine whether specific analytic approaches in constructing weight measures can potentially add value to the validity or robustness of the analyses and/or negatively impact data collection or other logistical aspects of the study. Funding agencies {#oby22790-sec-0031} ================ This work was supported by the National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, VHA. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the US Government. Disclosure {#oby22790-sec-0032} ========== The authors declared no conflict of interest. We would like to thank our colleagues Jane Kim, Michael Goldstein, Sophia Califano, Margaret Dundon, Sophia Hurley, Eugene Oddone, and Felicia McCant for ongoing support for this work, including reviewing drafts of this manuscript and providing valuable feedback.

Vision of possible nurtures hope ON THE BAY Restoration: Amid pessimism at the bay's condition, individual action can give grounds for looking to a better future. July 02, 1999|By Tom Horton | Tom Horton,SUN STAFF LAST WEEK'S PIECE ON the disappointing prospects for the bay's restoration was perhaps the most pessimistic in six years of this column. Some readers felt it represented giving up, sending a message of abandoned hope. To believe that is to confuse hope and optimism. There is no contradiction in despair at present-day trends and faith in the future. This column is about hope. I knew I would write it even as I conceived last week's dispiriting essay -- write it for readers and for myself. When I began covering environment and the Chesapeake Bay for The Sun 25 years ago, I felt it part of my duty to fairly shout, "It's worse than you think." Back then, the message too often was that government was on top of the situation, that existing laws were sufficient, that downtrends in the bay were normal cycles. That's changed. People, especially younger generations, are only too aware of daunting problems, from ozone holes to accelerating rates of species extinctions and global warming. Human environmental impacts are as old as humanity, but the present scale of them is overwhelming. Part of my duty is to shout, "We can do something about it." How to be hopeful, though, when one is as pessimistic about the rate of environmental progress as I and many others who follow the global assault on the natural world? "Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism," says Vaclav Havel, the writer and president of the Czech Republic, who surely was pessimistic during his years of protests and imprisonments under Communist rule. What kept him and others going, Havel told an interviewer in 1990, was not any assurance their cause would prevail -- rather a belief that their cause was right, "an orientation of the spirit of the heart." Hope and optimism -- start with the literal root of the difference. "Optimism," from the Latin, means simply "best." It's a useful word, but limited. We can only be optimistic -- or pessimistic -- depending on how we think things are actually going. "Hope" is more interesting, derived from the same Anglo-Saxon root as "hop." Environmental essayist Scott Russell Sanders, in his fine book, "Hunting For Hope" (Beacon Press, 1998), speaks of a mutt he once owned, "a short dog that loved to run in tall grass." Periodically the dog would leap up exuberantly to get his bearings, to avoid becoming lost. He would quite literally hop for hope, Sanders recounts. So it is that hope has nothing to do with optimism and pessimism -- rather it has to do with being able to see one's course. Let me give you examples from which I draw hope: From Rachel Carson, after publication of "Silent Spring." Dying of cancer, attacked by the pesticide industry and its apologists in government, she drew strength in her final months from the incredible migration of fragile-seeming monarch butterflies flitting past her Maine cabin on their way to Mexico. From the fact that our species is capable not only of the excessive consumption that is eroding the planet's natural wealth but capable of restraint as well. From individuals and communities around the bay and around the planet who are asking "How much is enough?" and pursuing contentment (containment of desires) vs. unbounded happiness. It is a token, perhaps, but in just this vein I bought a small car instead of a more polluting minivan, deciding to rent the latter the few times a year I would need it. You don't do that if you aren't hopeful. Similarly, whenever a neighbor cuts a tree, I try to plant one. As a result my yard is getting very green -- a statement of my pessimism at neighborhood logging trends, but also testament to my hope that we can become a restorative society instead of one whose goal is minimizing the degradation. I draw hope from something as small as grass breaking through pavement, as glorious as eagles rebounding mightily three decades after "Silent Spring" led to a ban on DDT. Hope bubbles from the wonder I have learned to see in the bay and its creatures, and in the connections among them. If I can learn it, we all can. To the extent we see that we are a part of the natural scheme, not apart from it, we might decide the place is worth keeping intact, might decide to act like stewards instead of owners. I take hope from what Sanders says in "Hunting for Hope," which he wrote after his teen-age children accused him of overwhelming them with his environmental pessimism: "Suppose every church and school devoted a parcel of ground to a wild garden, where children could meet some of the creatures that belong to their place. Suppose farmers quit plowing to the fence line and planted hedgerows suppose we took seriously the notion of city limits and halted the sprawl of development . "Nothing keeps us from doing all that, and more," he writes, "except habit and haste and lack of faith in our capacity for decent and loving work, in the holiness of Creation." Ultimately, Sanders concludes, he can't answer his kids' questions about hope "by pretending that I see no reasons for despair." But he also is convinced, even as he feels among tall grass, that we can change the human condition toward peaceful coexistence with the rest of nature. "We can begin making changes in our own lives," he says, "without waiting for such changes to become popular, without knowing whether they will have large-scale effect, but merely because we believe they are right." So it is with columns like last week's, warning that the bay restoration effort lacks the vision to succeed. Only an abiding belief that better visions exist gives me the hope to be so critical.

Abstract Adding tannins to the dietary protein source will cause complexation between the tannin and protein, which may increase dietary ruminal undegraded protein. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SM) with soybean meal treated with tannin (SMT) on the intake, partial and total nutrient digestibility, and protein dietary efficiency of young cattle fed a high-concentrate diet. Five Nellore bulls with bodyweights of 290 ± 11.2 kg were fitted with ruminal and abomasal cannulas and were used in the study. The experimental diets included 7.5% SM, with a proportion of that SM (0%, 33%, 66% or 100%) replaced with SMT. Another treatment (SMT+urea) with only 2.5% SM treated with tannins was tested. The intake of ether extract and the intake of neutral detergent fibre ash and protein were the only parameters related to feed intake that were affected by the replacement of SM with SMT. Ruminal and intestinal digestibility each showed a linear effect on crude protein, which decreased with ruminal digestibility and increased with intestinal digestibility. The intake of ruminal undegraded protein and metabolisable protein showed a positive linear correlation with the amount of SMT in the diet. SMT substitution showed no effect on methane emission. The replacement of traditional SM with SM treated with 2.5% tannins (85% condensed tannins and 15% hydrolysable tannins) for cattle that were fed high-concentrate diets showed increased amounts of metabolisable protein and decreased nitrogen loss per unit of crude protein, without changing the methane emission.

Reverse genetics-generated elastase-dependent swine influenza viruses are attenuated in pigs. Influenza A virus causes significant morbidity in swine, resulting in a substantial economic burden. Swine influenza virus (SIV) infection also poses important human public health concerns. It has been shown that conversion of the haemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site from a trypsin-sensitive motif to an elastase-sensitive motif resulted in attenuated viruses in mouse models. However, application of this attenuation approach in a natural host has not been achieved yet. Here, we report that using reverse genetics, we generated two mutant SIVs derived from strain A/SW/SK/18789/02 (H1N1). Mutant A/SW/SK-R345V carries a mutation from arginine to valine at aa 345 of HA. Similarly, mutant A/SW/SK-R345A encodes alanine instead of arginine at aa 345 of HA. Our data showed that both mutants are solely dependent on neutrophil elastase cleavage in tissue culture. These tissue culture-grown mutant SIVs showed similar growth properties in terms of plaque size and growth kinetics to the wild-type virus. In addition, SIV mutants were able to maintain their genetic information after multiple passaging on MDCK cells. Furthermore, mutant SIVs were highly attenuated in pigs. Thus, these mutants may have the potential to serve as live attenuated vaccines.

export const types = { SET_REGISTRATION_TOKEN: 'SET_REGISTRATION_TOKEN', } export const setRegistrationToken = token => ({ type: types.SET_REGISTRATION_TOKEN, token, })

Cumpararea pachetului de actiuni i-ar da gigantului Gazprom, controlat de statul rus, un cap de pod in Uniunea Europeana, care oricum are probleme grave cu conducta de gaze planificate prin Europa Centrala pana in Austria si a impus sanctiuni Moscovei ca urmare a anexarii Crimeei de catre Rusia."Au avut loc discutii insa nu s-a decis nimic asupra pretului", a precizat sursa.Holding austriac de stat OIAG, care ce detine 32% din OMV intr-un pact actionar cu International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) din Abu Dhabi si coordoneaza orice schimb de participatii, a declarat ca a primit niciun semn ca IPIC vrea sa paraseasca pactul."Este o noutate pentru mine", a declarat Siegfried Wolf, un om de afaceri austriac cu legaturi apropiate cu Rusia care a fost ales joi presedinte al OAIG.Wolf a precizat totutsi ca OIAG, care are o clauza de prim refuz cand vine vorba de pachetul detinut de IPIC, nu ar sti neaparat de orice astfel de discutii inainte de punctul in care IPIC s-ar pregati sa vanda. A adaugat ca nu a vorbit cu IPIC.O sursa din industria ruseasca de gaze a respins perspectiva ca Gazprom sa cumpere o participatie la OMV, catalogand-o drep "gunoi".Parlamentarul de opozitie Peter Pilz a declarat pentru zotidianul austriac Kurier si pentru Reuters ca are "indicii concrete" ca IPIC si Gazprom au purtat discutii cu privire la aceasta problema.Gazprom si IPIC a refuzat sa comenteze, in timp ce OMV a redirectionat intrebarile catre principalii actionari. Actiunile OMV au inchis in crestere cu 2,9%, la 33,085 de euro, ceea ce face ca o participatie de 25% sa aiba o valoare de aproximativ 2,7 miliarde de euro (3.7 miliarde dolari)., in prezenta lui Vladimir Putin, un controversat contract pentru construirea gazoductului South Stream. "Austria sfideaza UE", a scris Reuters, care aminteste opozitia Comisiei Europene fata de acest proiect.OMV este actionarul majoritar al companiei romanesti OMV Petrom si a facut parte din consortiul Nabucco, un proiect esuat anul trecut care avea ca miza importul de gaze naturale din zona caspica in UE, evitind Rusia.South Stream, al carui cost estimat este de 40 de miliarde de dolari, va aduce gaze naturale din Rusia in Austria prin sudul Europei, evitind actuala ruta principala de transport, prin Ucraina.Reamintim ca statele UE sint deja dependente de importurile de gaze din Rusia, de unde cumpara o treime din gazele naturale consumate anual. Politica oficiala a Comisiei Europene este de a favoriza alte surse de gaze pentru a scadea dependenta de Rusia, acuzata ca foloseste pretul gazelor ca un instrument politic.De altfel, Comisia Europeana a anuntat in mod oficial ca proiectul South Stream nu respecta regulile UE privind concurenta.Profitul net al grupului OMV Petrom a scazut cu 19% in primul trimestru al acestui an, pana la 1,075 miliarde de lei, comparativ cu perioada similara a anului trecuti, dar este un nivel suficient prin care OMV Petrom sa isi pastreze pozitia de lider in economia romaneasca.Totodata, vanzarile OMV Petrom s-au diminuat cu 9%, ajungand la 5,296 miliarde de lei, fata de 5,789 miliarde de lei, cat era valoarea indicatorului in aceeasi perioada a anului trecut, potrivit Capital.ro Grupul Petrom a incheiat anul 2013 cu un profit net de 4,824 miliarde de lei, in crestere cu 22% fata de rezultatul net de 3,946 miliarde lei, raportat la finele lui 2012. Vanzarile grupului Petrom s-au cifrat la 24,185 miliarde lei in anul 2013 (excluzand accizele la produsele petroliere), in scadere cu 8% fata de anul 2012, cand au fost de 26,25 miliarde lei.Mariana Gheorghe, CEO-ul companiei, sustine ca OMV Petrom a avut anul trecut, prin taxe, dividende si investitiile realizate, iar anul acesta investitiile vor fi mai mari fiind deja programate peste 6 miliarde de lei.i, potrivit datelor prezentate de Bursa de valori Bucuresti si citate de Capital. Peste 2 milioane de tone de carburanți OMV Petrom a exportat în primele trei trimestre ale lui 2013 o cantitate de 1,22 milioane de tone de produse rafinate, în principal benzină și motorină. Exporturile "au ajutat" compania să obțină, în perioada menționată, vânzări în creștere față de perioada similară a anului trecut, într-un context nu tocmai favorabil. Conform datelor remise Bursei de Valori București (BVB), vânzările totale de produse rafinate ale OMV Petrom au crescut cu 8%, de la 3,63 mil. tone la 3,91 mil. tone.

Method for detecting circulating Toxocara canis antigen and its application in human serum samples. Diagnosis of larval migrans (LM) is usually done by immunodiagnostic methods. These methods, however, simply show the presence or absence of antibody but not the active infection of the patients. Therefore, we aimed to establish a diagnostic method for detecting circulating Toxocara canis antigen using a sandwich, ELISA. Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) were produced against the excretory-secretory (ES) antigen of second-stage T canis larvae. Among the MAbs obtained, we selected one MAb (TCMAb12; molecular weight, 30-80 kDa, IgG) for use in the sandwich ELISA. The cross-reactivity of the sandwich-ELISA against thirteen different kinds of parasite antigens were examined. The results revealed that the antibody reacted with T canis ES antigen, T. canis female antigen, and T. canis second-stage larvae antigen, but did not react with any other antigens. From results obtained using an ES antigen concentration standard curve, we confirmed that the detection limit of the sandwich-ELISA was 5 ng/ml, which provides sufficient sensitivity for the diagnosis of toxocariasis (LM). We applied the method to suspected toxocariasis patients and examined the circulating antigen in their sera. We used nine serum samples collected from patients with suspected toxocariasis based on both their clinical symptoms and high antibody titers. Overall, five sera showed antigen-positive reactions, while the remaining four were negative. These results indicated that about 44.0% of the antibody-positive patients were antigen-negative, not ongoing active infection. The results obtained using this technique would provide us for understanding toxocariasis.

Главное меню Skyrim legendary edition pc: исчезнувшая 2014 онлайн в hd 720p Skyrim Revisited: Legendary Edition A STEP hosted mod guide created and maintained by Neovalen. Last Update: 23:42:55 25 August 2016 (UTC) - Visit the Skyrim. Bethesda’s announced a Skyrim remaster called Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Here, we take a look at the most important things to know about the Skyrim. Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year awards, experience the complete Skyrim collection with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition, including the. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (рус. дословно: Древние свитки 5: Скайрим) — мультиплатформенная. Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year awards, experience the complete Skyrim collection with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim® Legendary Edition. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning detail. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls series. The thrill and allure of the Skyrim series is that you get to choose who your character will become. Do you wish to uphold the powers of good? Then use your skills. GameStop: Buy The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition, Bethesda Softworks, PC, Find release dates, customer reviews, previews and screenshots. Buy The Elder Scrolls V 5: Skyrim Legendary Edition (PC) CD Key from cdkeys.com. Instant downloads. Fantastic prices. Buy Skyrim Legendary Edition CD KEY Compare Prices. Activate the CD KEY on your Steam client to download Skyrim Legendary Edition. Save money Skyrim Special Edition is coming to PC and current generation consoles in October, Bethesda announced at their E3 2016 press conference Sunday evening. October 27, 2016 Skyrim Special Edition is Now Available on Steam! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSPuJ9ggVcA The Elder Scrolls told of their return. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition — это улучшенное и расширенное переиздание оригинальной The Elder. Skyrim Special Edition also brings the power of mods to the PC, Xbox One and and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition, a remastered version of the game, was called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Legendary Edition was released on June 4, 2013. IGN and GameSpot named Skyrim "PC Game of the Year. Experience the complete Skyrim collection with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition, winner of more than 200 Game of the Year awards. Список лучших модов (модификаций) для The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition: женские тела, одежда Plataforma: PC Idioma: Genero: RPG Calidad: DVD Formato: ISO Tama o: 23.88 GB Fecha: 13-01-2014 Release: PROPHET. New-The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition - PC Live Another Life, In Another World: Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever Hey fitgirl, big fan but when i tried to install skyrim, this thing happens, please help Unable to execute file: c:\Games\The Elder Scrolls V-Skyrim-Legendary. PC Exclusive Animation Path by xp32 version 3.5.0 If you want your character face from your favorite save to be applied to your other character save, use Skyrim.

Question No: 24 – (Topic 2) The DeleteExternalOrder() method in the ExternalQueueService service is not throwing a FaultException exception as defined by the FaultContractAttribute attribute in the IExternalQueueService.cs file. You need to throw the FaultException exception. Which code segments can you insert at line EQ45 to achieve this goal? (Each correct answer presents a complete solution. Chose all that apply) Option A Option B Option C Option D Answer: B,C Question No: 25 DRAG DROP – (Topic 2) The GetQueueItems() action in the InboundQueueController controller is not populating the view with data. The action must populate the view with data by calling the GetExternalOrders() method in the ExternalQueueService service using the ChannelFactory class. You need to modify the action to populate the view with data. What should you do? (To answer, drag the appropriate code segments to the correct location or locations in the answer area. Each code segment may be used once, more than once, or not at all. You may need to drag the split bar between panes or scroll to view content.) Answer: Question No: 26 DRAG DROP – (Topic 2) The GetExternalOrders() method must use members of the EntityClient namespace to query the database for all records in the InboundQueue entity. You need to modify the GetExternalOrders() method to return the correct data. What should you do? (To answer, drag the appropriate code segments to the correct location or locations in the answer area. Each code segment may be used once, more than once, or not at all. You may need to drag the split bar between panes or scroll to view content.) Answer: Question No: 27 – (Topic 2) The DeleteExternalOrder() method in the ExternalQueueService service is not throwing a FaultException exception as defined by the FaultContractAttribute attribute in the IExternatQueueService.cs file. You need to throw the FaultException exception. Which code segment can you insert at line EQ45 to achieve this goal? (Each correct answer presents a complete solution. Chose all that apply.) Option A Option B Option C Option D Answer: C Question No: 28 – (Topic 2) You need to modify the ExecuteCommandProcedure() method to meet the technical requirements. Which code segment should you use? Option A Option B Option C Option D Answer: A Question No: 29 DRAG DROP – (Topic 2) You need to modify the ExecuteCommandProcedure() method to meet the technical requirements. Which code segment should you use? Answer: Question No: 30 DRAG DROP – (Topic 2) You need to create the ShippingContext class in the ShippingAddress.es file to meet the requirements. What should you do? (To answer, drag the appropriate code segments to the correct location or locations in the answer area. Each code segment may be used once, more than once, or not at all. You may need to drag the split bar between panes or scroll to view content.)

I knew from the first moment I saw them, that the beautiful laser cut steel treadsections made by Scott Sanderson were exactly what my robot needed. They were steel like the originals, and would provide a good heavy base for my costume robot. Not to mention the awesome quality. I bought Scott's "kit" version which meant he welded them together, then I had to do all the grinding, and finishing work. Because I live relatively close, Scott offered to let me do the grinding in his garage, so I went off to Cleveland and told my wife I would be home by dinner time. I ended up spending the entire weekend in his garage! It was A LOT of work! Here we are lining up to weld on the real working hinges. Danger! Danger! Yes, they fit! Thanks Scott! Now, back in my garage, its time for the finer finishing work. Scott welded some steel into the top corners of the tread openings so I could grind in the radius details with my Dremel. Again, a lot of work! I wanted to get all the details right on my treadsections and I studied photos very closely. One thing I noticed was that there were not sharp corners on the originals and the inside corner where the "step" meets the side, is a nice rounded cove. I had Scott add some extra welds there, covered them up with Bondo, and sanded them to a nice smooth radius. Another detail I noticed on the original robot was that the upper wheels seemed to be higher than what is specified in the original Studio blueprints. The original builders put the upper wheels much higher than where they are in the studio prints, and the treads were right up at the very top of the openings. I really wanted to add this detail, but Scott's treadsections (as well as almost every other treadsection made since the originals) were made using the studio blueprints. This meant that I very carefully had to re drill all the upper holes 11/16" higher, and close in all the old holes. I think Scott thought I was nuts when I asked him to weld in all the upper holes! This picture shows a wheel in the relocated holes. This shows the jig I made to trim the side panels. It is simply a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood that has a slit cut for the table saw blade. The slit is wide enough to allow some adjustment. This made it very quick work to trim the panels. The corners were sanded round with my stationary belt sander. I trimmed the panels so they were shy of the treadsection edges about 1/16" to 1/8". This is how the original panels were, plus it prevents the edges of the panel from getting snagged. I decided to attach the side panels with tiny 4-40 flat head machine screws, 13 on each panel. Lucky for me my drill press was large enough to handle the task! Tapping the holes was the real fun though! Finally, all primed and ready for the paint shop! All in all, I spent two full 15 hour days on EACH treadsection to do the finishing work. Here they are in the paint shop. They do have a texture on them, but its hard to see in the picture. The texture is a spray on textured paint called SEM Texture Coating 39853. The silver is a color to match Duplicolor T229 SilverM. Here I'm doing the final assembly and putting on the wheels and treads. The wheels are CNC machined solid aluminum, and the treads are real rubber treads by Norman Sockwell. The Finished product! This shows the modified power connector on the back. My power supply and sound source are located outside of my robot.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <project version="4"> <component name="ProjectModuleManager"> <modules> <module fileurl="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/cfn-certificate-provider.iml" filepath="$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/cfn-certificate-provider.iml" /> </modules> </component> </project>

2 Minute Medicine 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. is a peer-reviewed and physician-led medical publishing and original news syndication company. It was founded in 2012 by Marc D. Succi MD, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. 2 Minute Medicine is a content licensing group, licensing their content to industry companies, libraries, and higher-education institutions including Harvard University. They license their content through a system known as the 2 Minute Medicine Syndication Engine. Their textbook arm, the 2 Minute Medicine Physician Press, publishes various education textbooks including the Classics in Medicine and The Classics in Radiology. References Category:2012 establishments in Massachusetts

The use of zygotic embryos as explants for in vitro propagation: an overview. Plant propagation in vitro via somatic embryogenesis or organogenesis is a complicated process requiring the proper execution of several steps, which are affected by culture conditions and environment. A key element for a successful outcome is the choice of the explants. Several studies have shown that factors such as age, ontogenic and physiological conditions, and degree of differentiation affect the response of the explants to culture conditions. As a general rule, younger tissues, such as zygotic embryos, are the preferred choice for tissue culturists as they have better potential and competence to produce embryos and organs compared to more differentiated and mature tissues. This chapter focuses on how competence and commitment to regenerate embryos and organs in cultures are acquired by somatic cells and why zygotic embryos are so often utilized for propagation practices.

15342 and -0.1? 15342.1 What is the distance between -7 and -2057.7? 2050.7 What is 0.2 plus 10236? 10236.2 What is 325355 plus -5? 325350 Total of -0.4 and -1168. -1168.4 -242 - -0.3 -241.7 Total of 0.78 and 6. 6.78 Work out -289 + -3. -292 392063 + 5 392068 What is -1189 take away 0.272? -1189.272 What is -0.592 - 0.1? -0.692 Put together -0.0691 and 787. 786.9309 Calculate 0 + -121294. -121294 -0.09 + -4.26 -4.35 Work out 4485010 - 3. 4485007 0+76.8 76.8 Add 0.5 and 1502. 1502.5 Work out 2277 + 103. 2380 What is 1.97 take away 21.1? -19.13 Work out 1592 + 0. 1592 -0.3 - -269882.5 269882.2 -1.4 + -723 -724.4 What is -0.15 less than -3.246? -3.096 What is the difference between 0.05211 and -0.061? 0.11311 167.8+-0.1 167.7 Add -41 and -9.15. -50.15 Add -371 and 0.079. -370.921 -21.6 - -3.3 -18.3 1.9 - -80146 80147.9 Calculate 738 - 2. 736 Put together 6.4687 and -0.4. 6.0687 Calculate 3 - -384.3114. 387.3114 Sum 0.16 and -470.7. -470.54 What is 0.707 take away 1.2? -0.493 What is -19311 minus -2.5? -19308.5 Put together -16 and 2621. 2605 Work out 16 + -15.04. 0.96 What is 0 take away -3.1316? 3.1316 Add together -460 and 0.05. -459.95 Total of 5 and 2184. 2189 What is -0.68 less than -12? -11.32 What is -0.3 take away -22975? 22974.7 What is -1.007 less than -4? -2.993 -0.818181 - -0.1 -0.718181 What is the difference between 13543.4 and 1? 13542.4 Sum 5 and 0.04562. 5.04562 Calculate -5 - 0.0807. -5.0807 -0.3+0.558 0.258 What is -7036 less than 0.05? 7036.05 Sum -0.234 and -0.0351. -0.2691 Work out 39268 + 0.06. 39268.06 Put together 2.4801 and 51. 53.4801 Add -0.5 and -3.464105. -3.964105 Work out -0.7 - -0.02454. -0.67546 What is -0.0171 take away -3? 2.9829 Calculate -2.9 - -0.145. -2.755 Put together 6.2 and 17. 23.2 Put together -0.3 and -36838. -36838.3 Work out -59 - 39. -98 Subtract -15424 from -4. 15420 Work out 4305 + 1038. 5343 Put together -168 and 0.6443. -167.3557 Calculate -0.2279 - -4. 3.7721 1.215+88.4 89.615 What is -5 take away 279? -284 Work out 0.1 + -0.068747. 0.031253 What is 1086 take away -3? 1089 Add 46422 and 0.5. 46422.5 What is 0.5 less than 188.7? 188.2 Add -3 and -2902. -2905 Calculate 15.99 + 132.3. 148.29 What is 12915 take away -0.1? 12915.1 Work out -3 - 1285707. -1285710 -3807 - -31 -3776 What is the distance between 16 and -1.619? 17.619 What is -5215.29 plus 0.5? -5214.79 What is the distance between 37.02 and -25? 62.02 What is -0.2 plus -737679? -737679.2 Calculate 0.187 - -4. 4.187 What is -5 minus 1664? -1669 5232522 - -0.1 5232522.1 Sum -2 and -0.0442. -2.0442 Subtract 0.2 from -28676. -28676.2 11.8+-0.0869 11.7131 Total of -18.56 and -0.05. -18.61 Add together 257.804 and 1. 258.804 What is -2702 take away -0.233? -2701.767 What is -3 - -197515? 197512 Sum 3 and -113740. -113737 4 + -2.02144 1.97856 Calculate -1650 - 0.57. -1650.57 What is 1 - -516148? 516149 What is the distance between 866 and 1062.8? 196.8 -10 + 433 423 What is -17829 + 4? -17825 Add 12479 and 1.8. 12480.8 What is -1.944 - 2310? -2311.944 Total of 0.2 and -84501. -84500.8 Subtract 239501 from 0.16. -239500.84 Calculate -2283.6 - 3. -2286.6 What is 4 take away 8254? -8250 What is 71 + 13? 84 Add 1.55 and -102. -100.45 Work out 16 - -268. 284 0.468 - 20 -19.532 What is 32.52 + -0.5? 32.02 Calculate -0.097424 - 0.5. -0.597424 What is -0.143 less than -1427? -1426.857 Calculate -0.08172 + 4. 3.91828 Work out 0.02018 - -3. 3.02018 Put together 0.07 and 0.64533. 0.71533 Calculate 4 + -9930. -9926 Total of 80 and -1.14. 78.86 What is -5.4 minus 0.05? -5.45 Put together 0.0468 and -0.01. 0.0368 Add together -0.1 and 306483. 306482.9 What is 1621 take away 81? 1540 0.3280607 + -0.4 -0.0719393 -0.053+0.33485 0.28185 What is 1213.01 minus -0.5? 1213.51 Sum 29 and 263. 292 What is -22 minus 0.0458? -22.0458 What is 1372 less than 0? -1372 What is 0.9 minus 279? -278.1 What is the difference between 3.5 and -0.073? 3.573 -246922 + -0.06 -246922.06 Calculate 2 - -1.5. 3.5 What is -1.912 - -0.5? -1.412 Subtract 47768 from 0.11. -47767.89 Add 220444.6 and 0.3. 220444.9 Sum 701 and 1.9. 702.9 0.1823 - -24 24.1823 What is -2 take away -259.1? 257.1 What is -0.254 take away -0.12? -0.134 -128 - 0.39 -128.39 What is the difference between 32 and 4.68? 27.32 What is the distance between -0.05 and 9.5191? 9.5691 What is 14643 take away -100? 14743 Work out 0.33 - 58278. -58277.67 Total of -11.4 and -0.05. -11.45 0.1616+-3 -2.8384 What is -16 less than -1209.57? -1193.57 Sum 6 and 557056. 557062 Sum 274927 and 0.2. 274927.2 What is -0.5 take away 43.542? -44.042 Add together 0.06245793 and -0.5. -0.43754207 What is -40 minus 18? -58 Total of -187 and 50. -137 Add together 0.05 and 68.381. 68.431 Calculate -54 + -110. -164 Subtract 34.41 from -147. -181.41 Subtract -3 from 10.3. 13.3 Sum 313 and -41. 272 What is 10.5 + 0.058? 10.558 1+355 356 Add together -8172 and 0.7. -8171.3 What is 0.27 + 98? 98.27 What is the distance between -311.347 and 0.8? 312.147 Calculate -482 - -0.1. -481.9 Add together -2.1 and -128. -130.1 What is -1187 take away -0.0257? -1186.9743 What is 795 less than 4? -791 What is 5172 + -0.78? 5171.22 What is -0.3 minus -1000? 999.7 What is the difference between -0.07 and 0.201? 0.271 Sum 0.2 and -0.14. 0.06 Add together 0.2 and -0.0404. 0.1596 What is -3422 - 0.1? -3422.1 Calculate 51084 - 14. 51070 What is -0.5 minus 1.27? -1.77 Total of -826 and -0.53. -826.53 What is the difference between 5068 and -6.1? 5074.1 Subtract 2.8 from -7446. -7448.8 Calculate -5.742 - -0.07. -5.672 -1491 + 492 -999 Add together 5227 and -367. 4860 -0.0318 + 3 2.9682 Add 7096 and 3. 7099 Add -0.5 and -111975. -111975.5 Subtract 1555 from 221. -1334 What is -19131 take away 0? -19131 Add together 0.209 and 25. 25.209 What is -9.45 minus 2.02? -11.47 Add together -0.2272 and 10. 9.7728 Add -6.6841 and 0.4. -6.2841 Total of -22338 and -13. -22351 0.0313 + 0 0.0313 Work out -3 + 45050. 45047 What is -134.798 + -2? -136.798 0.34809+-0.04 0.30809 What is -390.11 take away -1? -389.11 Add -232583.7 and 0. -232583.7 -1123+-1 -1124 Work out -15301 - -123. -15178 What is the distance between -1276 and 0.044? 1276.044 Work out -239 + -0.0619. -239.0619 What is the distance between -0.13 and -0.41? 0.28 What is 0.06 less than -1080? -1080.06 15 + -347565 -347550 Put together 662851 and -0.2. 662850.8 What is -0.5 minus 1877? -1877.5 What is the difference between 76.1874 and -1? 77.1874 What is -11 - 7.033? -18.033 0.2 + 1.5422 1.7422 Work out -99817 + -0.1. -99817.1 Put together 2 and -1075.23. -1073.23 What is the difference between 0.5 and -1748.025? 1748.525 Work out 56 - 7829. -7773 What is -0.06 - 6? -6.06 What is 2950941 - -3? 2950944 What is -0.06 take away 0.046? -0.106 Total of 128 and -1. 127 Subtract -10 from -147556. -147546 -0.018 + -16 -16.018 Work out -418 + 79. -339 12.4146 + 2 14.4146 What is -778.92 - -0.03? -778.89 Add together -74212 and 59. -74153 What is 1896112 + 1? 1896113 Add 0.409 and -1.04. -0.631 -387 + 1879 1492 What is 8510 less than 0.05? -8509.95 Add -0.2 and 0.13736. -0.06264 Work out -13 - 0.76. -13.76 Work out 3.5 + 0.8. 4.3 Work out 2401 - 4. 2397 What is 171 - 1.3? 169.7 Add 1.45 and 58. 59.45 What is the difference between -0.2 and -35542? 35541.8 Calculate 436352 + 0.09. 436352.09 Calculate -178.4 - -0.29. -178.11 Subtract 65209 from -2. -65211 What is 7702 less than 2? -7700 Work out 1934 + 5.3. 1939.3 -14050+-0.5 -14050.5 Total of 18.759 and -34.6. -15.841 Sum 2 and 7220.97. 7222.97 What is -0.4 less than -428884? -428883.6 Calculate -5.4 - -5. -0.4 0.049169+7 7.049169 Calculate -6828 - -2. -6826 -11+2.089 -8.911 What is 2.187 less than 1.3? -0.887 Calculate 0.151853 + -2. -1.848147 What is -7.37 take away -61.6? 54.23 951 + -0.2 950.8 What is 0.141859 less than -1.3? -1.441859 Add together -64 and 37070. 37006 Add -2 and 172.9. 170.9 Work out 5.594 - -12. 17.594 Total of 332 and -0.053. 331.947 What is -972 take away -0.3? -971.7 What is -5 take away -3865? 3860 Work out -39048 - 1. -39049 What is the distance between -12072 and 0.0664? 12072.0664 What is -11 less than -0.196? 10.804 What is the difference between -232.8 and 0.475? 233.275 -155 + 25 -130 What is 12 + 529.8? 541.8 Total of 4.742 and 33. 37.742 What

Beautiful Beautiful Beads like these glass pearls come in kits or groupings. Â This challenge was to obtain a kit that contained 8 and 4mm pearls in our choice of colors (orchid, blue or green) as well as 6mm glass pearls in white. Â I luckily got blue for my challenge. I LOVE PEARLS! Â Any kind of pearls! Â When I got these I knew I wasn't going to add too much else to them because they look EXACTLY like a spring sky with brilliant blue and white fluffy clouds. Â The question now: How to create a piece with a CRAPTON of pearls without it looking too over the top. Â The answer: Â You CAN'T so add MORE bling!!!! I started with a simple (HAH!) base of netting some miyuki bugles in the almost matching blue, and Delicas in an opaque white. Â After each row I asked: Â Is it too much? Â Do I care? Â and continued on until I had this gorgeous piece! Â I embellished it with some Swarovski crystals just to bring out the blue in the pearls. Â I really wanted them to be the main attraction. Â I don't like things at the back of my neck, so my collar ends just past the shoulder and continues as a single strand of pearls around the back of the neck. Â I then added a large silver S hook for the clasp. This piece is NOT for the timid. Â It is large, though surprisingly not heavy. Â I like to wear fabulous jewelry every day for no apparent reason. Â Today I wore this piece out to my retail merchandising job with the darker blue sweater, which is plain so as not to compete. So, here she is, Nilam! Â You can learn more about or purchase by clicking her pictures.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court." Although it is posted on the internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3. SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION DOCKET NO. A-0774-17T2 212 MARIN BOULEVARD, LLC, 247 MANILA AVENUE, LLC, 280 ERIE STREET, LLC, 317 JERSEY AVENUE, LLC, 354 COLE STREET, LLC, 389 MONMOUTH STREET, LLC, 415 BRUNSWICK STREET, LLC, and 446 NEWARK AVENUE, Plaintiffs, v. CHICAGO TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant/Third-Party Plaintiff-Appellant, v. VESTED TITLE INC. and SUSAN L. KRUGER, Third-Party Defendants, and CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION,  Third-Party Defendant- Respondent. _______________________________ Argued December 18, 2018 – Decided January 23, 2019 Before Judges Fisher, Geiger and Firko. On appeal from Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Hudson County, Docket No. L-5801-09. John A. Piskora argued the cause for appellant (Loeb & Loeb, LLP, attorneys; John A. Piskora and Lindsay S. Feuer, on the briefs). William D. Wallach argued the cause for respondent (McCarter & English, LLP, attorneys; William D. Wallach, on the brief). PER CURIAM This is the second time this matter has come before us. On the first occasion, we affirmed a partial summary judgment that concluded defendant Chicago Title Insurance Company was obligated to defend plaintiffs' title to Jersey City property conveyed to plaintiffs by third-party defendant Consolidated Rail Corporation. 212 Marin Blvd., LLC v. Chicago Title Ins. Co., No. A-3877-12 (App. Div. May 20, 2015) (slip op. at 2). Following that determination, plaintiffs and Chicago Title settled their differences, and the latter proceeded on its claims against Conrail. At the conclusion of a bench trial, the judge found Chicago Title was not entitled to any relief. In explaining why A-0774-17T2 2 we affirm the judge's rejection of Chicago Title's negligent-misrepresentation claim against Conrail, we start by briefly describing the history of this conveyance and the litigation that followed. In ruling on Chicago Title's first appeal, we provided this overview of the circumstances and the parties' disputes: [O]n June 24, 2003, [Conrail] and SLH Holding Corporation (SLH) entered into a contract whereby Conrail agreed to sell SLH approximately 6.2 acres of real property, eight parcels in total, located on Sixth Street in Jersey City. SLH assigned its rights to plaintiffs, eight [LLCs] with the same sole member, Victoria Peslak Hyman, a Florida resident. The property included a former railroad facility called the Sixth Street embankment, which was created in the early 1900's, and which consists of a series of elevated structures made of earth-filled stone retaining walls connected by bridges. Conrail had used part of the embankment as a turnaround space for trains until 1994. By 1997, all tracks and bridges on the embankment had been removed, the embankment was no longer used as a railway, and the facility was dismantled. Prior to entering into the contract, Conrail sought and obtained the agreement of the New Jersey Department of Transportation to waive regulatory filings and publication requirements. Prior to closing, plaintiffs advised Chicago Title's agent, Vested Title, of the railway issues, and inquired whether Vested Title anticipated any problems with closing. Vested Title requested more information. A-0774-17T2 3  On July 11, 2005, Conrail advised plaintiffs that: the embankment was a "spur track"; in light of 49 U.S.C.A. § 10906, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) had no authority over it; and, consequently, no formal abandonment of the property needed to be filed. Plaintiffs provided this information to Vested Title. On July 12, 2005, Conrail delivered eight quitclaim deeds to plaintiffs for the eight parcels in exchange for $3 million. Vested Title then issued eight policies, one for each parcel, effective July 18, 2005, that provided indemnity coverage of $3 million . . . with unlimited defense coverage. Specifically, the policies obligated Chicago Title to defend plaintiffs in any litigation in which a third-party asserted a claim adverse to plaintiffs' title. [Id. at 3-4.] After closing, plaintiffs sought subdivision approval from the Jersey City Planning Board. Relief was denied because the board concluded Conrail "failed to receive STB approval to abandon the railway." Id. at 5. The board's determination gave rise to plaintiffs' action in lieu of prerogative writs; in response, the City of Jersey City filed a counterclaim, asserting the conveyances from Conrail to plaintiffs were void ab initio because Jersey City was not given notice of the sale pursuant to an alleged right of first refusal. Ibid. Jersey City also petitioned the STB for an order declaring that Conrail was required to obtain the STB's authorization to abandon the A-0774-17T2 4 embankment; plaintiffs intervened in that action, arguing the embankment was a spur track that didn't require authorization. Id. at 5-6. In August 2007, the STB held the property was not a spur track but a rail line subject to its jurisdiction until abandonment was authorized. Id. at 6. This prompted further legal proceedings in federal courts in the District of Columbia, see City of Jersey City v. Consol. Rail Corp., 668 F.3d 741 (D.C. Cir. 2012); Consol. Rail Corp. v. Surface Transp. Bd., 571 F.3d 13 (D.C. Cir. 2009); City of Jersey City v. Consol. Rail Corp., 968 F. Supp. 2d 302 (D.D.C. 2013). Plaintiffs commenced this action in November 2009, seeking a declaration that their title policies obligated Chicago Title to defend their title. In April 2011, a judge 1 granted summary judgment in plaintiffs' favor and awarded some of the counsel fees they sought. That judge also certified as final the orders memorializing those determinations, so Chicago Title filed an appeal and plaintiffs filed a cross-appeal. Although troubled by the arguably inappropriate certifying of those orders, we nevertheless deemed it more efficient to consider the merits of the parties' arguments. 212 Marin Blvd., slip op. at 9. Ultimately, we concluded that the judge correctly found Chicago Title was obligated to 1 The judge whose rulings were questioned in the first appeal is not the same judge who tried and decided the third-party action prosecuted by Chicago Title against Conrail. A-0774-17T2 5 defend plaintiffs' title, id. at 18, and we found no abuse of discretion in the judge's disposition of the fee requests regarding the other lawsuits, id. at 20. In ruling on the cross-appeal, however, we found the judge erred in denying plaintiffs an award of fees in connection with their prosecution of this coverage action and in denying a request for prejudgment interest without explanation. Id. at 28. After our disposition of the appeal and cross-appeal, and after the Supreme Court denied certification, 212 Marin Blvd., LLC v. Chicago Title Ins. Co., 223 N.J. 280 (2015), plaintiffs and Chicago Title amicably settled their dispute; their January 2016 settlement called for the dismissal of plaintiffs' claims in exchange for Chicago Title's payment to plaintiffs of $5,000,000. Following the settlement, Chicago Title's third-party complaint against Conrail was prosecuted. Chicago Title sought relief from Conrail based on a variety of contribution and indemnification claims, as well as fraud and negligent misrepresentation. These claims were the subject of a two-day bench trial in April 2017. On August 31, 2017, the trial judge rendered a written decision and, a few weeks later, entered final judgment dismissing Chicago Title's claims against Conrail with prejudice. A-0774-17T2 6  Chicago Title appeals, arguing the trial judge erred "by applying an incorrect legal standard to [its] claim for negligent misrepresentation" and "by misconstruing the established facts and making erroneous legal conclusions concerning Conrail's actionable misrepresentations of fact." In finding no error in his application of settled legal principles and in deferring to the judge's findings of fact, we reject Chicago Title's arguments and affirm, substantially for the reasons provided by Judge Jeffrey R. Jablonski in his thorough and well- reasoned written opinion. We add only the following additional comments. In considering its arguments in this appeal, our focus rests largely on Chicago Title's claim that Conrail negligently misrepresented the property was not subject to the STB's abandonment authority. 2 This tort theory, as our 2 Chicago Title has not pursued its fraud claim in this appeal. We also find its common-law contribution and indemnification claims lack support in the evidence. By settling with its insureds in an amount that does not distinguish between that part of the settlement that incorporates damages for the alleged tort and those falling outside Conrail's alleged responsibility, Chicago Title lost the right of contribution against any joint tortfeasor based on that settlement. Sattelberger v. Telep, 14 N.J. 353, 367 (1954) (finding it "incumbent" on such a contribution claimant "to establish a common liability for the wrongful act, neglect or default made the basis of the judgment and the quantum of the damages ensuing from the joint offense"); accord Young v. Steinberg, 53 N.J. 252, 255 (1969). Chicago Title was obligated to demonstrate, in its negligent- misrepresentation claim, that it was found responsible for the alleged joint tort and entitled to Conrail's share of that responsibility. By relying on the settlement paid to plaintiffs, Chicago Title failed to establish these legal A-0774-17T2 7 Supreme Court has made plain, requires proof of "[a]n incorrect statement, negligently made and justifiably relied upon." Rosenblum v. Adler, 93 N.J. 324, 334 (1983); see also Green v. Morgan Properties, 215 N.J. 431, 457 (2013); Kaufman v. i-Stat Corp., 165 N.J. 94, 109 (2000); Masone v. Levine, 382 N.J. Super. 181, 187 (App. Div. 2005). We consider two aspects of this common- law tort: whether the statement in question was false or incorrect and whether Chicago Title justifiably relied on it. In examining these questions, we assume for present purposes that the Conrail statement that forms the basis for this claim was conveyed with the expectation it would reach Chicago Title, even though the statement was not made to Chicago Title but to its agent, Vested Title. 212 Marin Blvd., slip op. at 4. Chicago Title chiefly claims a July 11, 2005 email sent by Conrail's counsel to Vested Title prior to the closing contained false statements. That email advised that "[t]he properties abandoned constituted 'spur tracks' over which the STB and previously the ICC had no authority pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § requirements because that settlement included sums not within the scope of Conrail's alleged responsibility. And Chicago Title couldn't pursue common- law indemnification from Conrail because Conrail was not in a "special relationship" with Chicago Title, the insurer of the parties to whom Conrail was conveying property. See Ramos v. Browning Ferris Indus., Inc., 103 N.J. 177, 188-89 (1986). A-0774-17T2 8 10906" and stated that "no formal abandonment of the property was ever filed." This email was not shown at trial to be false when made or, for that matter, even now. Although the reach of the STB's abandonment authority may have been the subject of litigation in other courts, as noted earlier, no definitive adjudication on that assertion has yet occurred. The hotly-contested dispute between Jersey City and Conrail that followed the latter's sale of the property to plaintiffs has only been resolved in the most indirect way; abandonment authority has simply been assumed – never really declared – because of a stipulation ultimately reached. To briefly recount, the STB determined at the administrative level that it possessed abandonment authority over the property. In 2010, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia did not reach that question because it found Jersey City lacked standing to seek such a ruling. City of Jersey City v. Consol. Rail Corp., 741 F. Supp. 2d 131, 149 (D.D.C. 2010). The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, however, reversed that standing determination and remanded to the district court for further proceedings. City of Jersey City, 668 F.3d at 746. Only then did Jersey City and plaintiffs stipulate that the property "was conveyed to Conrail as a line subject to [the] STB's abandonment jurisdiction"; Conrail did not stipulate this fact, it only agreed to let it go A-0774-17T2 9 unchallenged. City of Jersey City, 968 F. Supp. 2d at 304-05.3 Conrail's decision not to challenge the stipulation of abandonment authority is not the equivalent of a concession. More to the point, there is nothing about the stipulation that would suggest Conrail's contrary opinion years earlier – when the property was conveyed to Chicago Title's insureds – was inaccurate; the stipulation merely resolved the key factual dispute in Jersey City's federal claims. In other words, a 2012 stipulation that allowed the federal action to proceed to the next stage 4 was hardly conclusive of the dispute here: whether Conrail misrepresented the reach of the STB's abandonment authority to the property in question in 2005. In short, the question posed by Chicago Title's negligent misrepresentation action against Conrail required proof that Conrail's statement 3 Precisely, the district judge observed that, in July 2012, "the parties filed a joint stipulation in which plaintiffs [i.e., Jersey City, Rails to Trails Conservancy, and Pennsylvania Railroad Harsimus Stem Embankment Preservation Coalition] and intervenor-defendants [plaintiffs here] stipulated that the Harsimus Branch was conveyed to Conrail as a line subject to the STB's abandonment jurisdiction. They further stipulated that defendant Conrail and intervenor Attorney General of New Jersey would not raise any facts or arguments in opposition to that stipulation." 968 F. Supp. 2d at 304-05. 4 The summary judgment entered in favor of Jersey City was later affirmed by the court of appeals by way of an unpublished order. City of Jersey City v. Conrail, No. 13-7175, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 3067 (D.C. Cir. Feb. 19, 2014). A-0774-17T2 10 was false when made. On that point, the trial judge, as fact finder, was entitled to determine that Conrail's July 11, 2005 email was a statement of opinion and not of fact. Although it is true that it has been said an alleged false statement for these purposes "need not be a factual report, but may consist of an expert opinion," Rosenblum, 93 N.J. at 334 (quoting Pabon v. Hackensack Auto Sales, Inc., 63 N.J. Super. 476, 497 (App. Div. 1960)), we think it clear that the Supreme Court had in mind something different than an expression of opinion on a question so Byzantine that it confounded the federal courts for more than a decade and was only resolved when some combatants stipulated the fact and others, including Conrail, agreed not to dispute the stipulated fact. This conclusion also dovetails with the trial judge's finding of an absence of persuasive evidence that Chicago Title justifiably relied on the July 2005 email in issuing title insurance for plaintiffs' benefit. Conrail agreed in June 2003 – nearly two years before the email – to convey the property in its "condition as of the date of Closing, including any violations of law," and without any representation as to the quality of Conrail's title. Vested Title issued the title commitment on behalf of its principal, Chicago Title, in 2004, and, as noted, the email was not sent until two days before the closing. The trial judge was entitled to conclude from these circumstances and from the testimony he A-0774-17T2 11 found credible that Chicago Title was not "detrimentally and prejudicially induced" into relying on the July 2005 email. In reaching this conclusion, the judge relied on what he described as the "credible testimony" of Conrail's counsel. He found that testimony "both reasoned and logical" and "entirely consistent with the documentary evidence," which revealed "the conveyance was legally permissible without the necessity to secure abandonment permission and specifically that the properties abandoned constituted spur tracks" over which the STB had no abandonment authority. The judge also found credible and persuasive the testimony of Conrail's director of real estate. The judge found this witness testified "consistently, directly, and credibly." He determined the real estate director "belie[ved]" at the time of the closing that the premises consisted of a spur track rather than a rail line for which it was [the witness's] belief that no abandonment authorization would be necessary[,] [that] Conrail used and treated the parcel as a yard and switching track[, that] [t]he portion of the parcel at issue . . . was separate from any line of railroad that served the area[, and that] Conrail never downgraded the area, since the area had already been downgraded. The real estate director also testified about discussions in March 1994 concerning demolition of the area and it was then determined there was no need for abandonment approval. A-0774-17T2 12  Not only was the judge persuaded by the credible testimony of Conrail's witnesses, but he also concluded that Chicago Title provided "no credible proof . . . that either party knew that the parcel was a designated rail line." The judge found the July 2005 email simply expressed "an opinion" as to what Conrail believed – based on all surrounding circumstances – at the time of the transaction and that it could not adequately support Chicago Title's negligent- misrepresentation claim. Our standard of review requires that we defer to the judge's factual findings and credibility determinations in reviewing his conclusion that Chicago Title failed to establish all the elements of its negligent-misrepresentation claim. Rova Farms Resort, Inc. v. Inv'rs. Ins. Co., 65 N.J. 474, 484 (1974); accord Thieme v. Aucoin-Thieme, 227 N.J. 269, 282-83 (2016); Zaman v. Felton, 219 N.J. 199, 215-16 (2014). Affirmed. A-0774-17T2 13

Radio transmitters and receivers require filters to remove or suppress unwanted frequencies from being transmitted or received. The transmitter portion of the radio may generate frequencies which will interfere with the radio system, or which may be prohibited by the radio frequency spectrum governing body. The receiver may need to suppress unwanted signals at different frequencies generated by the transmitter, or received from an external source, which would adversely affect the performance of the receiver. At millimetre-wave frequencies, sources of unwanted frequencies include the local oscillator frequency, image frequencies from the mixer, and the transmitter frequencies in the case of the receiver. The frequencies generated by the mixer and the local oscillator are functions of the selected radio architecture. The closer the oscillator frequency (or its harmonics) is to the transmitter frequencies, the more difficult it is to remove the undesired frequency. However, to operate at wider spaced frequencies may require more complex circuitry, resulting in a more expensive radio implementation. A small separation between the transmit and receive frequencies can result in unwanted high power transmit frequencies leaking into the receiver. The separation between the transmit and receive frequencies is usually specified by the licensing bodies and the system operators. The radio designer may not have control over this specification. To suppress the unwanted frequencies below an acceptable power level, a filter element is required in the signal path. The filter element discriminates between the desired and undesired frequencies based on the wavelengths of the signals. A common millimetre-wave filter is based on the metal waveguide. Waveguide filters are used at microwave frequencies due to their low loss characteristics. Low loss in the resonant sections corresponds to a higher-Q, faster rolloff outside the passband and lower transmission loss in the passband. A typical waveguide filter consists of multiple coupled resonators, where the volume of a resonator is proportional to the frequency of operation. An example of a conventional waveguide filter comprises a housing containing a series of resonator cavities arranged in a straight line, where adjacent resonator cavities are separated by an apertured partition which forms a coupler. The resonator cavities are typically rectangular or cylindrical and have a length corresponding to one half wavelength or multiples of one half wavelength of the centre frequency. Another implementation of a waveguide filter is the E-plane filter, an example of which is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the waveguide filter 1 includes a filter housing 2 which forms an elongate channel 4. The housing is split into two parts 6, 8 along the length of the channel to receive an apertured thin metal sheet 10 therebetween. The apertured metal sheet 10 is called a septum. The rectangular apertures 12 formed in the thin metal sheet 10 each define a resonator and the metal strips 14 remaining between the resonators function as couplers and are known as coupling sections. Each coupling section of the septum effectively divides the waveguide into two halt waveguides having a reduced width of less than half the center frequency wavelength so that the reduced size waveguide does not permit propagation of the electromagnetic wave. In microwave communications at moderately high frequencies, for example carrier frequencies in the range of 24 to 31 GHz, the frequency band for each of the receive and transmit channels may have a width of only one percent of the center frequency and the center frequencies may be separated by a frequency band of similar width. Thus, a waveguide filter suitable for such an application must provide a relatively narrow pass band with a sharp roll-off, and therefore such a filter requires a relatively large number of resonator cavities and coupling sections. One problem in conventional filter design is that as the number of resonators and coupling sections increases, the waveguide becomes longer and therefore requires a larger housing which adds to the cost and makes it difficult to integrate with other system components. Various designs for a resonator cavity-type waveguide filter have been proposed to accommodate the resonators and couplers into a smaller space. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 57041702, Publication No. JP-A-58161403 and Japanese Patent Application No. 57070942, Publication No. JP-A-58187001 each discloses a band pass filter having a series of coupled cylindrical resonator cavities, each centered at the corner of a square. This design takes advantage of the cylindrical symmetry of the resonators to permit the output coupler of each resonator to be oriented at 90° with respect to its input coupler. U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,224 (Glinder) describes a resonator cavity-type waveguide filter having a series of resonator cavities interconnected by coupler channels in which opposite sides of the coupler channels are the same length, but opposite sides of the resonator cavities have different lengths, so that the input of each resonator cavity is angled relative to its output. In one example, a number of similar resonator cavities having dissimilar length sides are arranged to form an S-shaped waveguide which is accommodated in a space whose length is shorter than that needed for a linear waveguide having similar characteristics. The mechanical length of a resonator cavity having dissimilar length sides which determines the pass center frequency is based on the length of the arcuate center line through the resonator cavity between the input and output couplers. Due to the shape of the resonator cavity, the length of the curved center line is different from that of a linear resonator cavity and is calculated by first calculating the required mechanical length of a linear resonator cavity and then applying a correction factor to the mechanical length. The correction factor is calculated based on the guide wavelength for a linear resonator, the desired pass center wavelength for the non-linear cavity, the width of the waveguide and the radius of curvature of the center line. Although the design disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,224 allows the length of a waveguide filter to be reduced, it may be difficult to implement a high-Q, narrow pass band filter using this design since the required dimensions of the filter become more difficult to calculate as the number of cavities increases.

Abdullahi Bayero Abdullahi Bayero dan Muhammad Abbas (1881–1953) was Sarki (Emir) of Kano, with headquarters in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria from 1926 to 1953. As a traditional ruler he had extensive powers under the British colonial authority. Early years Bayero was born in 1299 AH (1881). He received his early Islamic education at the Sarki’s palace and he was guided by the prominent Islamic scholars of his time. While he was the Chiroma of Kano and District Head of Bichi he became very closely associated with the prominent Ulama. When the British colonial administrators introduced the new district administrative structure Abdullahi Bayero, who was then Chiroma, was appointed the Head of the Home Districts with headquarters at Dawakin Kudu and later (1914) at Panisau. He was appointed Sarki Kano in April 1926 and was formally installed on 14 February 1927. He was the most experienced contender for the Emirship and had also proved that he was honest, efficient, dedicated and upright. Life career Sarki Kano Abdullahi Bayero made several appointments during his long reign. Among those he appointed were his sons Muhammad Sanusi whom he appointed Ciroma and District Head of Bichi, the position he held before his appointment as the Sarki; and Aminu who was appointed Dan Iya and District Head of Dawakin Kudu. After the deposition of Muhammad son of Sarki Kano Shehu Usman from Turaki and District Head of Ungogo he appointed his brothers Abdulkadir and Muhammad Inuwa as Galadima and Turaki respectively in 1927. He reduced the influence of the Cucanawa and also freed all other royal slaves, which was in line with the British anti slavery policy. He also delegated some of his executive responsibilities to his councilors. As Sarki Kano Bayero was committed to the commercial and industrial development of Kano he encouraged genuine industrial undertakings: for example the Gwamaja Textile Mills, which was the first modern textile producer in Nigeria. He also encouraged indigenous individual entrepreneurs such as the highly successful Alhaji Alhassan Dantata. The social service sector was accorded the necessary attention by his Emirate Council. Kano city was the first place in the North to have electricity and a water supply on a large scale. This was chiefly the result of the initiative of Abdullahi Bayero, who proposed in 1927 that surplus funds in the Native Administration accounts be used to provide an electricity and a water supply for the whole of Kano. Until then, these services had been supplied only to the Government area. The Public Works Department in Lagos strongly opposed these proposals on the grounds of expense and lack of availability of staff to undertake the work. Nevertheless, the Native Administration went ahead and obtained estimates from a contractor and the work began. Water was pumped from the Challawa River ten miles from the town and each compound in the city was provided with at least one lamp standard. In 1929 the scheme was formally opened amidst great celebrations. Initially maintained by the Native Administration's own staff, the scheme proved to be a great success and soon paid for itself. Islamic study contribution Sarki Kano Abdullahi Bayero had a keen interest in Islamic education and he contributed morally and materially towards its development. As a result of this, Kano had many prominent Islamic scholars during his reign, including Shehu Muhammad Salga and his students Abubakar Mijinyawa and Umar Falke. He established the Shahuchi Judicial School in 1348 AH (1929), the first of its kind in Nigeria with Shaikh Sulaiman, his long term colleague, who initiated the idea as its first headmaster. The Kano Law School, which later became the School for Arabic Studies, grew from the Shahuchi Judicial School through the efforts of Waziri Gidado (Yahya 1986), who was then the Chief Islamic and Legal Adviser of the Sarki. He was also encouraged the showing of respect to the Shariffs by Shaikh Sulaiman (Paden 1973), his initiator into the Tijaniyya (a mystic sufi brotherhood founded by Shaikh Ahmad al-Tijani of Algeria). Sarki Kano Abdullahi Bayero was the first Sarki to perform the Hajj, hence he is popularly known as Sarki Alhaji. He was accompanied on this journey by his younger brother Galadima Abdulkadir and Ma’aji Mallam Sulaiman, who later became the first Walin Kano. It was during this Hajj trip that they first met Shaikh Ibrahim Niass of Senegal and they accepted him as their Shaykh. After the Hajj, Sarki Abdullahi visited Egypt where he saw many magnificent mosques. When he returned he began the building of the new Kano mosque, the first of its kind in northern Nigeria and still one of the most beautiful mosques in the area. Politics Towards the end of his reign the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) was formed by the following Kano politicians: Abba Maikwaru, Bello Ijumu, Babaliya Manaja, Musa Kaula, Abdulkadir Danjaji, Musa Bida, Magaji Dambatta and Mudi Spikin (Abba 2000: ix). This was a radical political party which questioned colonial rule and the traditional establishment. But Sarkin Kano Abdullahi Bayero was very cautious. When the NEPU leaders were brought before his court for alleged sedition and the palace officials including Ulama advised the Emir that they were not Muslims and deserved death, he refused to accept this advice, arguing that 'we must have done something wrong for these young men to challenge us'. Sarki Kano Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero never compromised his Islamic convictions despite his progressive ideas (Yahya 1986). He will be remembered in the history of Kano as a sincere, honest, pious and patient Sarki. He was a man of great simplicity who used to sew his own clothes and was very caring for his junior staff, as in the case of Inuwa Wali, when the Sarki directed one of the ward heads, against the wishes of the courtiers, to ensure that he was given a house. He was eventually given a house in the Mandawari quarters, where he lived for more than fifty years. Sarki Kano Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero died on Thursday 13th Rabi al-Thani 1373 (23 December 1953). References External reading Dalhatu, Usman. Abdullahi Bayero: the pre-eminent Emir of Kano. Woodpecker Communication Services, 2005 Light, Ivan Hubert. Ethnic enterprise in America: Business and welfare among Chinese, Japanese, and Blacks. Univ of California Press, 1972. Category:1881 births Category:1953 deaths Category:Emirs of Kano